Poésies
| En
| Fr+literal
| En+Fr
Previous
| Next
Poésies
| En
| Fr+literal
| En+Fr
Previous
| Next
The emperor wished he lived again in easier times, when he didn’t need to gag the press, when he was free to walk the Tuileries at night, and when foreign wars didn’t cost so much. Liberty has always inspired him; that’s why he had the Assembly grant him absolute power. Equality? Thus he emulated his uncle, Napoleon the First. As for fraternity? He had all the friends that money could buy. He was angry that he was always blamed when his officials strong-armed widows, or helped Russia crush the uprising in Poland, or let the Prussians take over part of Denmark. He found it distasteful when they were found to spend more on their mistresses than they presumably earned. But he was flattered, because he knew that they were only trying to emulate him.
L’Homme pâle, le long des pelouses fleuries, Chemine, en habit noir, et le cigare aux dents: L’Homme pâle repense aux fleurs des Tuileries —Et parfois son œil terne a des regards ardents . . . ! Car l’Empereur est saoûl de ses vingt ans d’orgie! Il s’était dit: «Je vais souffler la Liberté Bien délicatement, ainsi qu’une bougie!» La Liberté revit! Il se sent éreinté! Il est pris.—Oh! quel nom sur ses lèvres muettes Tressaille? Quel regret incapable le mord? On ne le saura pas. L’Empereur a l’œil mort. Il repense peut-être au Compère en lunettes . . . —Et regarde filer de son cigare en feu, Comme aux soirs de Saint-Cloud, un fin nuage bleu.