An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 1478 words)
n August 25, the eve of the battle of Borodinó, M. de Beausset, prefect
of the French Emperor’s palace, arrived at Napoleon’s quarters at
Valúevo with Colonel Fabvier, the former from Paris and the latter from
Madrid.
Donning his court uniform, M. de Beausset ordered a box he had
brought for the Emperor to be carried before him and entered the first
compartment of Napoleon’s tent, where he began opening the box while
conversing with Napoleon’s aides-de-camp who surrounded him.
Fabvier, not entering the tent, remained at the entrance talking to some
generals of his acquaintance.
The Emperor Napoleon had not yet left his bedroom and was finishing his
toilet. Slightly snorting and grunting, he presented now his back and
now his plump hairy chest to the brush with which his valet was rubbing
him down. Another valet, with his finger over the mouth of a bottle,
was sprinkling Eau de Cologne on the Emperor’s pampered body with an
expression which seemed to say that he alone knew where and how much Eau
de Cologne should be sprinkled. Napoleon’s short hair was wet and
matted on the forehead, but his face, though puffy and yellow, expressed
physical satisfaction. “Go on, harder, go on!” he muttered to the valet
who was rubbing him, slightly twitching and grunting. An aide-de-camp,
who had entered the bedroom to report to the Emperor the number of
prisoners taken in yesterday’s action, was standing by the door after
delivering his message, awaiting permission to withdraw. Napoleon,
frowning, looked at him from under his brows.
“No prisoners!” said he, repeating the aide-de-camp’s words. “They
are forcing us to exterminate them. So much the worse for the Russian
army.... Go on... harder, harder!” he muttered, hunching his back and
presenting his fat shoulders.
“All right. Let Monsieur de Beausset enter, and Fabvier too,” he said,
nodding to the aide-de-camp.
“Yes, sire,” and the aide-de-camp disappeared through the door of the
tent.
Two valets rapidly dressed His Majesty, and wearing the blue uniform of
the Guards he went with firm quick steps to the reception room.
De Beausset’s hands meanwhile were busily engaged arranging the present
he had brought from the Empress, on two chairs directly in front of the
entrance. But Napoleon had dressed and come out with such unexpected
rapidity that he had not time to finish arranging the surprise.
Napoleon noticed at once what they were about and guessed that they were
not ready. He did not wish to deprive them of the pleasure of giving him
a surprise, so he pretended not to see de Beausset and called Fabvier to
him, listening silently and with a stern frown to what Fabvier told him
of the heroism and devotion of his troops fighting at Salamanca, at
the other end of Europe, with but one thought—to be worthy of their
Emperor—and but one fear—to fail to please him. The result of that
battle had been deplorable. Napoleon made ironic remarks during
Fabvier’s account, as if he had not expected that matters could go
otherwise in his absence.
“I must make up for that in Moscow,” said Napoleon. “I’ll see you
later,” he added, and summoned de Beausset, who by that time had
prepared the surprise, having placed something on the chairs and covered
it with a cloth.
De Beausset bowed low, with that courtly French bow which only the
old retainers of the Bourbons knew how to make, and approached him,
presenting an envelope.
Napoleon turned to him gaily and pulled his ear.
“You have hurried here. I am very glad. Well, what is Paris saying?” he
asked, suddenly changing his former stern expression for a most cordial
tone.
“Sire, all Paris regrets your absence,” replied de Beausset as was
proper.
But though Napoleon knew that de Beausset had to say something of this
kind, and though in his lucid moments he knew it was untrue, he was
pleased to hear it from him. Again he honored him by touching his ear.
“I am very sorry to have made you travel so far,” said he.
“Sire, I expected nothing less than to find you at the gates of Moscow,”
replied de Beausset.
Napoleon smiled and, lifting his head absent-mindedly, glanced to the
right. An aide-de-camp approached with gliding steps and offered him a
gold snuffbox, which he took.
“Yes, it has happened luckily for you,” he said, raising the open
snuffbox to his nose. “You are fond of travel, and in three days you
will see Moscow. You surely did not expect to see that Asiatic capital.
You will have a pleasant journey.”
De Beausset bowed gratefully at this regard for his taste for travel (of
which he had not till then been aware).
“Ha, what’s this?” asked Napoleon, noticing that all the courtiers were
looking at something concealed under a cloth.
With courtly adroitness de Beausset half turned and without turning his
back to the Emperor retired two steps, twitching off the cloth at the
same time, and said:
“A present to Your Majesty from the Empress.”
It was a portrait, painted in bright colors by Gérard, of the son borne
to Napoleon by the daughter of the Emperor of Austria, the boy whom for
some reason everyone called “The King of Rome.”
A very pretty curly-headed boy with a look of the Christ in the Sistine
Madonna was depicted playing at stick and ball. The ball represented the
terrestrial globe and the stick in his other hand a scepter.
Though it was not clear what the artist meant to express by depicting
the so-called King of Rome spiking the earth with a stick, the allegory
apparently seemed to Napoleon, as it had done to all who had seen it in
Paris, quite clear and very pleasing.
“The King of Rome!” he said, pointing to the portrait with a graceful
gesture. “Admirable!”
With the natural capacity of an Italian for changing the expression of
his face at will, he drew nearer to the portrait and assumed a look
of pensive tenderness. He felt that what he now said and did would be
historical, and it seemed to him that it would now be best for him—whose
grandeur enabled his son to play stick and ball with the terrestrial
globe—to show, in contrast to that grandeur, the simplest paternal
tenderness. His eyes grew dim, he moved forward, glanced round at a
chair (which seemed to place itself under him), and sat down on it
before the portrait. At a single gesture from him everyone went out on
tiptoe, leaving the great man to himself and his emotion.
Having sat still for a while he touched—himself not knowing why—the
thick spot of paint representing the highest light in the portrait,
rose, and recalled de Beausset and the officer on duty. He ordered the
portrait to be carried outside his tent, that the Old Guard, stationed
round it, might not be deprived of the pleasure of seeing the King of
Rome, the son and heir of their adored monarch.
And while he was doing M. de Beausset the honor of breakfasting with
him, they heard, as Napoleon had anticipated, the rapturous cries of the
officers and men of the Old Guard who had run up to see the portrait.
“Vive l’Empereur! Vive le roi de Rome! Vive l’Empereur!” came those
ecstatic cries.
After breakfast Napoleon in de Beausset’s presence dictated his order of
the day to the army.
“Short and energetic!” he remarked when he had read over the
proclamation which he had dictated straight off without corrections. It
ran:
Soldiers! This is the battle you have so longed for. Victory depends on
you. It is essential for us; it will give us all we need: comfortable
quarters and a speedy return to our country. Behave as you did at
Austerlitz, Friedland, Vítebsk, and Smolénsk. Let our remotest posterity
recall your achievements this day with pride. Let it be said of each of
you: “He was in the great battle before Moscow!”
“Before Moscow!” repeated Napoleon, and inviting M. de Beausset, who was
so fond of travel, to accompany him on his ride, he went out of the tent
to where the horses stood saddled.
“Your Majesty is too kind!” replied de Beausset to the invitation to
accompany the Emperor; he wanted to sleep, did not know how to ride and
was afraid of doing so.
But Napoleon nodded to the traveler, and de Beausset had to mount. When
Napoleon came out of the tent the shouting of the Guards before his
son’s portrait grew still louder. Napoleon frowned.
“Take him away!” he said, pointing with a gracefully majestic gesture to
the portrait. “It is too soon for him to see a field of battle.”
De Beausset closed his eyes, bowed his head, and sighed deeply, to
indicate how profoundly he valued and comprehended the Emperor’s words.
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
The tendency to create elaborate performances of confidence when facing situations that expose our deepest insecurities.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to distinguish between genuine confidence and desperate performance in yourself and others.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone's behavior becomes more rigid or elaborate under pressure—that's usually fear, not arrogance, and it calls for compassion rather than judgment.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"No prisoners!"
Context: His casual response when told about Russian prisoners from yesterday's fighting
This throwaway comment reveals Napoleon's complete dehumanization of his enemies. He's so disconnected from the reality of war that he can casually order mass killing while getting a massage.
In Today's Words:
Just get rid of them - I don't want to deal with complications.
"It's too soon for him to see a field of battle"
Context: Ordering his son's portrait to be removed after the staged emotional display
This moment of almost parental tenderness reveals Napoleon's unconscious fear about the coming battle. He knows it might not go well, despite his public confidence.
In Today's Words:
He doesn't need to see this mess I'm about to create.
"Go on, harder, go on!"
Context: Directing his valet during his morning rubdown
Shows Napoleon's need for physical comfort and control even in small things. His body is pampered like a precious object while he casually discusses human lives.
In Today's Words:
More pressure - I need this to feel good before I deal with today's problems.
Thematic Threads
Performance vs Reality
In This Chapter
Napoleon stages an emotional scene with his son's portrait, knowing it's theater but needing the theater to function
Development
Building on earlier scenes of social performance, now showing how even the most powerful use scripted moments for psychological survival
In Your Life:
You might catch yourself over-preparing presentations or conversations when you're feeling most insecure about the outcome
Power and Vulnerability
In This Chapter
The most powerful man in Europe needs daily physical pampering and emotional validation to face his fears
Development
Deepening the exploration of how authority figures maintain their image while dealing with human frailty
In Your Life:
You might notice how people in charge often become more demanding or rigid when they're actually feeling most uncertain
Ritual and Identity
In This Chapter
Napoleon's morning routine—rubdown, cologne, flattery—becomes essential armor for maintaining his sense of self
Development
Introduced here as a new way characters use routine to cope with existential threats
In Your Life:
You might recognize how your own daily rituals help you feel prepared to face challenges that scare you
Self-Deception
In This Chapter
Napoleon dismisses bad news from Spain and confidently predicts taking Moscow while privately knowing the battle could go wrong
Development
Continuing the theme of characters believing their own narratives to avoid uncomfortable truths
In Your Life:
You might catch yourself dismissing warning signs or red flags when you're too invested in a particular outcome
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why does Napoleon need so many rituals and performances on the morning of the big battle?
analysis • surface - 2
What does the portrait scene reveal about how Napoleon really feels about the coming battle?
analysis • medium - 3
When have you seen someone put on an elaborate show of confidence when they were actually scared or uncertain?
application • medium - 4
How can you tell the difference between genuine confidence and performed confidence in yourself and others?
application • deep - 5
What does Napoleon's need for daily validation teach us about how power and fear interact in human nature?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Own Ritual Armor
Think about a time when you felt overwhelmed or scared about something important. What rituals, routines, or performances did you use to make yourself feel more confident? Write down the specific behaviors you used - the extra preparation, the way you dressed, the things you told yourself or others.
Consider:
- •Consider both helpful routines (that actually prepared you) and empty performances (that just made you feel better temporarily)
- •Notice whether your rituals helped you face reality or helped you avoid it
- •Think about how others might have perceived your behavior during that time
Journaling Prompt
Write about a current situation where you might be using ritual armor instead of addressing your real fears. What would happen if you acknowledged the uncertainty instead of performing confidence?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 217: When Perfect Plans Meet Reality
Napoleon rides out to inspect his troops and the battlefield, where the reality of what lies ahead begins to pierce through his carefully constructed confidence.
