Napoleon in 1812 - Chapter 97
Chapter 97
17. The Great – 3
At first glance, the full-body mirror in front of him looked normal. However, it was decorated with a silver tray carved by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, the most famous sculptor of the first half of the 18th century in France.
It could be said to be a very expensive and meaningful relic, enough to light the eyes of vain and extravagant European aristocrats if it was on the market.
Napoleon, standing in front of the most expensive mirror in the Tuileries Palace, looked at himself in the most luxurious way. He recalled the past.
After the Battle of Hrodna, he had put on his uniform to go to the end-of-war negotiations with Russia, and had stood in front of a full-length mirror as he was doing now.
The well-maintained middle-aged man had disappeared, and a penguin with a body without a single muscle and only a belly (with a slightly stripped head) had been showing in a blurry look.
How embarrassing and shameful had it been?
Napoleon had been very frustrated. Even on his way back to Paris after signing the agreement, he felt that his internal condition was more serious than his ugly and pathetic appearance.
Chronic stomach pain, cough, fever, difficulty breathing… even skin diseases bothered him. He had a bit of everything.
Napoleon had started taking care of his body in earnest with a strong feeling that he would not last long if he just lived like this.
Despite the concerns of people around him, he continued regular high-intensity exercise, strict diet management, and regular life under close consultation with his family doctors.
With a firm determination to get out of this unrecoverable body, he clenched his teeth and persevered.
Four years had passed since then. Napoleon, who worked so hard that he was even admired by his marshals, was able to regain his past appearance and health. A happy smile was drawn on his face looking in the mirror.
“As expected, this is my body. But I couldn’t completely erase the storm of time.”
His body, which was moderately thin, with almost no fat and with elastic muscles, was exactly what Napoleon had before moving over to this world.
Thin cheeks, prominent cheekbones, and prominent eyelids. It was Napoleon Bonaparte’s beautiful face that had been hidden in the flesh.
Many people argued that ‘Napoleon has changed’, but behind that claim, such a changed appearance must have played a big role. Nothing stood out as much as an outward change.
Napoleon’s sideburns, as he was 48 years old now and clearly middle-aged, were more grayish than before.
It was as if proving that the passage of time could not be deviated. He was so impressed with the way he took special care of his body that he did not lower his head any more.
After combing his hair well, he could see a middle-aged man in a very aristocratic atmosphere in front of the mirror. As expected, a man’s appearance was his confidence. He was very satisfied.
“Your Majesty’s speech at the Louvre Palace is resonating with the media, salons, and squares. Most of them agree with the values and rights asserted by Your Majesty. Public opinion in areas where the poor live is also very good. They believe in Your Majesty’s promise and are waiting for follow-up policies. If we provide a support plan for this as soon as possible, their support for Your Majesty will be even stronger…”
Baron Fain, his secretary, followed Napoleon as he was changing his clothes, and detailed the reactions to his last speech. The impact was not subsiding over time. Napoleon was calm, but he seemed more excited. Or maybe he felt sympathy for the policy.
There had been several discussions in Paris, Washington, and Berlin in the past on the basic rights that people would receive in their lives. In the United Kingdom, it was also a point that candidates had always spoken out to attract voters at every election season.
However, the Emperor of the Empire, who was exercising absolute power, had never done so directly in front of the Parliament and the press.
It was natural to feel a different level of weight than before.
“Baron, I think we can proceed a little slowly on that matter.”
“Yes?”
“It means we don’t have to fly too high like the wings of Icarus.”
“…Yes, I will take your order, Your Majesty.”
Baron Fain, who saw through Napoleon’s intentions, immediately changed his complexion and did not bring up the last speech. As expected, he was a quick-witted and agile man.
‘There is no doubt about my loyalty to France and affection for the people. But I must still put up boundaries.’
Too much was just as bad as too little. Just as excessive kindness could be a nuisance, running state affairs in the ruler’s position required more sophisticated hasty control than leading the army in war.
Investment in social facilities, support for the poor, the vulnerable, and even the working class, of course, was necessary and should be done someday.
It was difficult to find a better way to be popular and praised by each class of society, so it was also suitable for gathering national support. But the problem was that people quickly get used to the right to receive and did not easily know satisfaction.
‘Once you raise the level of social welfare, you cannot lower it again. There is a limit to the amount of goods that can be provided, and it is not possible to devote everything only to ‘support’.’
Now the economy of the Empire was rising at a steep pace. In addition, the structure of the industry and the classes of civil society were changing rapidly. There was a need to maintain the upward trend for the time being…
To do so, they should avoid investing too much money in social welfare. The most important thing now was the growth of the national economy and the expansion of the middle class. In other words, the expansion of social welfare could be said to be a good smoke screen.
Nevertheless, there was a reason why Napoleon spoke about the welfare of the poor. It was to encourage them to live life in a rapidly changing society, where the gap between the rich and the poor was gradually widening.
To alleviate the relative deprivation they would feel more coldly and to prevent them from revealing anti-government tendencies, support for them would proceed slowly, while narrowly keeping the line where their complaints would not burst.
‘Overcoming the system must be transferred peacefully in a state of my will and social consensus at each class. Until then… I’m sorry, but big support is difficult.’
To achieve what he thought was an absolute proposition, Napoleon demonstrated his shady political power. Every time he did this, he realized that he was never a good man.
The situation in the country had improved a lot, but nevertheless, allocating limited resources was still a difficult problem.
===
“You’re here, Your Majesty.”
“You look so gracious today, my Lady.”
“Hoh, I’m more honored to hear a compliment from a hero like His Majesty.”
Charles’ nanny, Mrs. Montesquiou, covered her mouth and laughed. They had become close as they went back and forth to Charles’ palace a lot, and now they could even exchange light jokes.
“His Highness is taking fencing and saber swordsmanship lessons.”
“At the same place as usual?”
Mrs. Montesquiou nodded, and Napoleon headed to the terrace. Under the terrace overlooking the artificial lake of the Tuileries Palace, a platinum blonde boy was competing with a man with a practice sword.
His swift appearance while moving back and forth in a straight line was characteristic of children of his age.
However, no matter how hard Charles tried, it was impossible for him to give a blow to the man in front of him.
He was facing Baron Debelle[1], who was one of the best swordsmen in the imperial court. Unless Charles was a genius of swordsmanship, who only appeared once in a thousand years, it was impossible for the boy who was only six years old to stab the Baron.
“Your Highness’ skills are growing day by day! But you need to adjust your feet a little more, and then relax your wrist! Come on again!”
Baron Debelle spared no advice to improve Charles’ sword skills. Following his words, Charles moved busily and showed better movements than before. Napoleon looked pleased at the scene.
“I’m very worried about the academic teaching for His Highness the Crown Prince. His Majesty’s orders for guidance are too focused on the use of his body…”
“Charles is still young, so is there a need for him to already suffer from studying? It’s most important for children to grow up healthy. After that, he can feed his mind.”
How much had he felt nervous with Marie-Louise when Charles had frequent illness when he was younger? These guys did not know… Health was the best. Knowledge could be accumulated later, but if one’s health went bad, it would not be possible.
“Wow! Dad!”
Charles, who finished exercising, came running with his sweaty hair shining. Mrs. Montesquiou and the other servants grabbed their foreheads at the prince’s attitude as he abandoned court etiquette, but Napoleon hugged his son with a smiling face without caring.
“Your fencing skills have improved a lot. And you gained weight, too!”
“How can I gain weight in two days?”
“Dad knows everything.”
Napoleon kissed Charles on the cheek with a bright expression, and was greeted by Baron Debelle.
“You’re born to be a competitor because you resemble me, right?”
“That’s right, Your Majesty! Seeing him active like this and good at learning is like seeing Your Majesty as a child.”
Baron Debelle, who was younger than Napoleon, could not know Napoleon’s childhood, and he was not even from Corsica. But Napoleon did not feel so bad even though it was clearly flattery.
“It appears to be the best compliment for Charles.”
It seemed that Napoleon was not the only one feeling good. Charles’ bright smile tickled his ears.
Looking at the clock attached to the balcony, there was still quite some time left until the start of his work. Until then, he should play with Charles. Napoleon was planning to walk through the lake and forest with his son after a long time.
“Where is the Empress?”
“She is welcoming guests from Austria. I was told 30 minutes ago that it would be prolonged.”
At the servant’s report, Napoleon raised one eyebrow as if he did not appreciate it. After winning the Iberian Peninsula War, France held the hegemony of Europe in name and reality.
Potential enemy countries such as Austria, Prussia, and Sweden stopped all suspicious movements. At first, it looked like they were going to lie flat. When the war ended and the situation in Europe stabilized, Austrian diplomats were caught busy moving.
They were apparently doing their best in France to remove the harsh clauses of the Treaty of Schönbrunn (the agreement signed in 1809 when Austria lost to France).[2] Marie-Louise was the Empress of the French Empire, but she was also a member of the Austrian imperial family.
Napoleon, the Imperial Council, and the Cabinet were rumored to be stubborn, so they seemed to have decided to focus on her somehow.
“They are still playing tricks like rats. They think that by doing it that way, I would not budge.”
People around him flinched at his cynical and chilly words. If they wanted to remove the clauses, they could put a corresponding price on the other side of the scale.
Or they could completely reduce the number of troops to show that they had no will to fight? It did not look good to try to lure Marie-Louise for their national interests without risking anything.
“My present for Dad!”
Napoleon thought that Charles was playing near the lake because he could not see him in front of him for a while, but he came back with something. What Charles gave to him, saying it was a gift, was a hardcover book composed of antique parchment.
It was a thick and heavy book that was clearly not suitable for Charles… Napoleon read the title and burst into laughter.
The Emperor and the Giant
A story of a giant who did not know how huge his body was, woke up, met the Emperor, and went out into the world.
– Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz.[3]
Two years ago, a letter came from the great Polish writer. He wrote that he wanted to model a character in his novel after him, but Napoleon did not care too much and allowed it.
He was from Poland, France’s true ally, so he was not going to mock or disparage him maliciously. He forgot about it after that, but the novel must have been completed and he sent him a limited edition hardcover.
But this little guy took the book and gave it to him saying that it was his present?
At his son’s cute prank, Napoleon grabbed his cheek and shook it a little. Even though his white cheek was slightly warmed up, Charles grinned at him. Napoleon received the book from his son, vowing to read it later when he had time. It was a quiet afternoon.
TL notes
[1] César Alexandre Debelle
[2] Treaty of Schönbrunn
[3] Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz
