Война и мир

Chapter 26

           

           WithcourtlyadroitnessdeBeaussethalfturnedandwithoutturninghisbacktotheEmperorretiredtwosteps,twitchingofftheclothatthesametime,andsaid:

           “ApresenttoYourMajestyfromtheEmpress.”

           Itwasaportrait,paintedinbrightcolorsbyGérard,ofthesonbornetoNapoleonbythedaughteroftheEmperorofAustria,theboywhomforsomereasoneveryonecalled“TheKingofRome.”

           Averyprettycurly-headedboywithalookoftheChristintheSistineMadonnawasdepictedplayingatstickandball.Theballrepresentedtheterrestrialglobeandthestickinhisotherhandascepter.

           Thoughitwasnotclearwhattheartistmeanttoexpressbydepictingtheso-calledKingofRomespikingtheearthwithastick,theallegoryapparentlyseemedtoNapoleon,asithaddonetoallwhohadseenitinParis,quiteclearandverypleasing.

           “TheKingofRome!”hesaid,pointingtotheportraitwithagracefulgesture.“Admirable!”

           WiththenaturalcapacityofanItalianforchangingtheexpressionofhisfaceatwill,hedrewnearertotheportraitandassumedalookofpensivetenderness.Hefeltthatwhathenowsaidanddidwouldbehistorical,anditseemedtohimthatitwouldnowbebestforhim—whosegrandeurenabledhissontoplaystickandballwiththeterrestrialglobe—toshow,incontrasttothatgrandeur,thesimplestpaternaltenderness.Hiseyesgrewdim,hemovedforward,glancedroundatachair(whichseemedtoplaceitselfunderhim),andsatdownonitbeforetheportrait.

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