he turned and splashed himself incessantly. Having
taken his bath and read his dispatches, he began his
toilet, and I shaved him before he learned to shave
himself. When the Emperor began this habit, he
used at first, like every one, a mirror attached to
the window; but he came up so close to it, and lathered
himself so vigorously with soap, that the mirror,
window-panes, curtains, his dressing-gown, and the
Emperor himself, were all covered with it. To
remedy this inconvenience, the servants assembled
in council, and it was decided that Roustan should
hold the looking-glass for his Majesty. When
the Emperor had shaved one side, he turned the other
side to view, and made Roustan pass from left to right,
or from right to left, according to the side on which
he commenced. After shaving, the Emperor washed
his face and hands, and had his nails carefully cleaned;
then I took off his flannel vest and shirt, and rubbed
his whole bust with an extremely soft silk brush, afterwards
rubbing him with eau-de-cologne, of which he used
a great quantity, for every day he was rubbed and
dressed thus. It was in the East he had acquired
this hygienic custom, which he enjoyed greatly, and
which is really excellent. All these preparations
ended, I put on him light flannel or cashmere slippers,
white silk stockings, the only kind he ever wore, and
very fine linen or fustian drawers, sometimes knee-breeches
of white cassimere, with soft riding-boots, sometimes
pantaloons of the same stuff and color, with little
English half-boots which came to the middle of the
leg, and were finished with small silver spurs which
were never more than six lines in length. All
his, boots were finished with these spurs. I then
put on him his flannel vest and shirt, a neck-cloth
of very fine muslin, and over all a black silk stock;
finally a round vest of white pique, and either a
chasseur’s or grenadier’s coat, usually
the former. His toilet ended, he was presented
with his handkerchief, his tobacco-box, and a little
shell bog filled with aniseed and licorice, ground
very fine. It will be seen by the above that
the Emperor had himself dressed by his attendants
from head to foot. He put his hand to nothing,
but let himself be dressed like an infant, his mind
filled with business during the entire performance.
I had forgotten to say that he used boxwood toothpicks, and a brush dipped in some opiate. The Emperor was born, so to speak, to be waited on (homme d valets de chambre). When only a general, he had as many as three valets, and had himself served with as much luxury as at the height of his fortunes, and from that time received all the attentions I have just described, and which it was almost impossible for him to do without; and in this particular the etiquette was never changed. He increased the number of his servants, and decorated them with new titles, but he could not have more services rendered him personally. He subjected himself very rarely to the grand etiquette