memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第11部分

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Legion　of　Honour　to　the　single　volunteer　who　had　thus　shown　his　fidelity
by　following　the　Duke。

As　soon　as　the　Emperor　quitted　Lyons　he　wrote　to　Ney；　who　with　his　army
was　at　Lons…le…Saulnier；　to　come　and　join　him。　　Ney　had　set　off　from　the
Court　with　a　promise　to　bring　Napoleon；　〃like　a　wild　beast　in　a　cage；　to
Paris。〃　　Scott　excuses　Ney's　heart　at　the　expense　of　his　head；　and
fancies　that　the　Marshal　was　rather　carried　away　by　circumstances；　by
vanity；　and　by　fickleness；　than　actuated　by　premeditated　treachery；　and
it　is　quite　possible　that　these　protestations　were　sincerely　uttered　when
Ney　left　Paris；　but；　infected　by　the　ardour　of　his　troops；　he　was　unable
to　resist　a　contagion　so　much　in　harmony　with　all　his　antecedents；　and　to
attack　not　only　his　leader　in　many　a　time　of　peril；　but　also　the
sovereign　who　had　forwarded　his　career　through　every　grade　of　the　army。

The　facts　of　the　cane　were　these：

On　the　11th　of　March　Ney；　being　at　Besancon；　learned　that　Napoleon　was　at
Lyons。　　To　those　who　doubted　whether　his　troops　would　fight　against　their
old　comrades　he　said；　〃They　shall　fight！　　I　will　take　a　musket　from　a
grenadier　and　begin　the　action　myself！　　I　will　run　my　sword　to　the　hilt
in　the　body　of　the　first　man　who　hesitates　to　fire。〃　　At　the　same　time　he
wrote　to　the　Minister　of　War　at　Paris　that　he　hoped　to　see　a　fortunate
close　to　this　mad　enterprise。〃

He　then　advanced　to　Lons…le…Saulnier；　where；　on　the　night　between　the
13th　and　14th　of　March；　not　quite　three　days　after　his　vehement
protestations　of　fidelity；　he　received；　without　hesitation；　a　letter　from
Bonaparte；　inviting　him；　by　his　old　appellation　of　the　〃Bravest　of　the
Brave；〃　to　join　his　standard。　　With　this　invitation　Ney　complied；　and
published　an　order　of　the　day　that　declared　the　cause　of　the　Bourbons；
which　he　had　sworn　to　defend；　lost　for　ever。

It　is　pleaded　in　extenuation　of　Ney's　defection　that　both　his　officers
and　men　were　beyond　his　control；　and　determined　to　join　their　old　Master；
but　in　that　case　he　might　have　given　up　his　command；　and　retired　in　the
same　honourable　way　that　Marshals　Macdonald　and　Marmont　and　several　other
generals　did。　　But　even　among　his　own　officers　Ney　had　an　example　set
him；　for　many　of　them；　after　remonstrating　in　vain；　threw　up　their
commands。　　One　of　them　broke　his　sword　in　two　and　threw　the　pieces　at
Ney's　feet；　saying；　〃It　is　easier　for　a　man　of　honour　to　break　iron　than
to　break　his　word。〃

Napoleon；　when　at　St。　Helena；　gave　a　very　different　reading　to　these
incidents。　　On　this　subject　he　was　heard　to　say；　〃If　I　except　Labedoyere；
who　flew　to　me　with　enthusiasm　and　affection；　and　another　individual；
who；　of　his　own　accord；　rendered　me　important　services；　nearly　all　the
other　generals　whom　I　met　on　my　route　evinced　hesitation　and　uncertainty；
they　yielded　only　to　the　impulse　about　them；　if　indeed　they　did　not
manifest　a　hostile　feeling　towards　me。　　This　was　the　case　with　Ney；　with
Massena；　St。　Cyr；　Soult；　as　well　as　with　Macdonald　and　the　Duke　of
Belluno；　so　that　if　the　Bourbons　had　reason　to　complain　of　the　complete
desertion　of　the　soldiers　and　the　people；　they　had　no　right　to　reproach
the　chiefs　of　the　army　with　conspiring　against　them；　who　had　shown
themselves　mere　children　in　politics；　and　would　be　looked　upon　as　neither
emigrants　nor　patriots。〃

Between　Lyons　and　Fontainebleau　Napoleon　often　travelled　several　miles
ahead　of　his　army　with　no　other　escort　than　a　few　Polish　lancers。　　His
advanced　guard　now　generally　consisted　of　the　troops　（miscalled　Royal）
who　happened　to　be　before　him　on　the　road　whither　they　had　been　sent　to
oppose　him；　and　to　whom　couriers　were　sent　forward　to　give　notice　of　the
Emperor's　approach；　in　order　that　they　might　be　quite　ready　to　join　him
with　the　due　military　ceremonies。　　White　flags　and　cockades　everywhere
disappeared；　the　tri…colour　resumed　its　pride　of　place。　　It　was　spring；
and　true　to　its　season　the　violet　had　reappeared！　　The　joy　of　the
soldiers　and　the　lower　orders　was　almost　frantic；　but　even　among　the
industrious　poor　there　were　not　wanting　many　who　regretted　this
precipitate　return　to　the　old　order　of　thingsto　conscription；　war；　and
bloodshed；　while　in　the　superior　classes　of　society　there　was　a　pretty
general　consternation。　　The　vain；　volatile　soldiery；　however；　thought　of
nothing　but　their　Emperor；　saw　nothing　before　them　but　the　restoration　of
all　their　laurels；　the　humiliation　of　England；　and　the　utter　defeat　of
the　Russians；　Prussians；　and　Austrians。

On　the　night　between　the　19th　and　20th　of　March　Napoleon　reached
Fontainebleau；　and　again　paused；　as　had　formerly　been　his　custom；　with
short；　quick　steps　through　the　antiquated　but　splendid　galleries　of　that
old　palace。　　What　must　have　been　his　feelings　on　revisiting　the　chamber
in　which；　the　year　before；　it　is　said　he　had　attempted　suicide！

Louis　XVIII。；　left　the　Palace　of　the　Tuileries　at　nearly　the　same　hour
that　Bonaparte　entered　that　of　Fontainebleau。

The　most　forlorn　hope　of　the　Bourbons　was　now　in　a　considerable　army
posted　between　Fontainebleau　and　Paris。　　Meanwhile　the　two　armies
approached　each　other　at　Melun；　that　of　the　King　was　commanded　by　Marshal
Macdonald。　　On　the　20th　his　troops　were　drawn　up　in　three　lines　to
receive　the　invaders；　who　were　said　to　be　advancing　from　Fontainebleau。
There　was　a　long　pause　of　suspense；　of　a　nature　which　seldom　fails　to
render　men　more　accessible　to　strong　and　sudden　emotions。　　The　glades　of
the　forest；　and　the　acclivity　which　leads　to　it；　were　in　full　view　of　the
Royal　army；　but　presented　the　appearance　of　a　deep　solitude。　　All　was
silence；　except　when　the　regimental　bands　of　music；　at　the　command　of　the
officers；　who　remained　generally　faithful；　played　the　airs　of　〃Vive　Henri
Quatre；〃　〃O　Richard；〃　〃La　Belle　Gabrielle；〃　and　other　tunes　connected
with　the　cause　and　family　of　the　Bourbons。　　The　sounds　excited　no
corresponding　sentiments　among　the　soldiers。

At　length；　about　noon；　a　galloping　of　horse　was　heard。　　An　open　carriage
appeared；　surrounded　by　a　few　hussars；　and　drawn　by　four　horses。　　It　came
on　at　full　speed；　and　Napoleon；　jumping　from　the　vehicle；　was　in　the
midst　of　the　ranks　which　had　been　formed　to　oppose　him。　　His　escort　threw
themselves　from　their　horses；　mingled　with　their　ancient　comrades；　and
the　effect　of　their　exhortations　was　instantaneous　on　men　whose　minds
were　already　half　made　up　to　the　purpose　which　they　now　accomplished。
There　was　a　general　shout　of　〃Vive　Napoleon！〃　The　last　army　of　the
Bourbons　passed　from　their　side；　and　no　further　obstruction　existed
betwixt　Napoleon　and　the　capital；　which　he　was　once　morebut　for　a　brief
spaceto　inhabit　as　a　sovereign。

Louis；　accompanied　only　by　a　few　household　troops；　had　scarcely　turned
his　back　on　the　capital　of　his　ancestors　when　Lavalette　hastened　from　a
place　of　concealment　and　seized　on　the　Post…office　in　the　name　of
Napoleon。　　By　this　measure　all　the　King's　proclamations'　were
intercepted；　and　the　restoration　of　the　Emperor　was　announced　to　all　the
departments。　　General　Excelmans；　who　had　just　renewed　his　oath　to　Louis；
pulled　down　with　his　own　hands　the　white　flag　that　was　floating　over　the
Tuileries；　and　hoisted　the　three…coloured　banner。

It　was　late　in　the　evening　of　the　20th　that　Bonaparte　entered　Paris　in　an
open　carriage；　which　was　driven　straight　to　the　gilded　gates　of　the
Tuileries。　　He　received　the　acclamations　of　the　military　and　of　the　lower
classes　of　the　suburbs；　but　most　of　the　respectable　citizens　looked　on　in
silent　wonderment。　　It　was　quite　evident　then　that　he　was　recalled　by　a
partya　party；　in　truth；　numerous　and　powerful；　but　not　by　the　unanimous
voice　of　the　nation。　　The　enthusiasm　of　his　immediate　adherents；　however；
made　up　for　the　silence　and　lukewarmness　of　others。　　They　filled　and
crammed　the　square　of　the　Carrousel；　and　the　courts　and　avenues　of　the
Tuileries；　they　pressed　so　closely　upon　him　that　he　was　obliged　to　cry
out；　〃My　friends；　you　stifle　me！〃　and　his　aides　de　camp　were　compelled　to
carry　him　in　their　arms　up　the　grand　staircase；　and　thence　into　the　royal
apartments。　　It　was　observed；　however；　that　amongst　these　ardent　friends
were　many　men　who　had　been　the　first　to　desert　him　in　1814；　and　that
these　individuals　were　the　most　enthusiastic　in　their　demonstrations；　the
loudest　in　their　shouts！

And　thus　was　Napoleon　again　at　the　Tuileries；　where；　even　more　than　at
Fontainebleau；　his　mind　was　flooded　by　the　deep　and　painful　recollections
of　the　past！　　A　few　nights　after　his　return　thither　he　sent　for　M。　Horan；
one　of　the　physicians　who　had　attended　Josephine　during　her　last　illness。
〃So；　Monsieur　Horan；〃　said　he；　〃you　did　not　leave　the　Empress　during　her
malady？〃〃No；　Sire。〃

What　was　the　cause　of　that　malady？〃〃Uneasiness　of　mind　。　　。　　。grief。〃
〃You　believe　that？〃　（and　Napoleon　laid　a　strong　emphasis　on　the　word
believe；　looking　steadfastly　in　the　doctor's　face）。　　He　then　asked；　〃Was
she　long　ill？　　Did　she　suffer　much？〃〃She　was　ill　a　week；　Sire；　her
Majesty　suffered　little　bodily　pain。〃〃Did　she　see　that　she　was　dying？
Did　she　show　courage？〃〃A　sign　her　Majesty　made　when　she　could　no　longer
express　herself　leaves　me　no　doubt　that　she　felt　her　end　approaching；　she
seamed　to　contemplate　it　without　fear。〃〃　Well！　　。　　。　　well！〃　and　then
Napoleon　much　affected　drew　close　to　M。　Horan；　and　added；　〃You　say　that
she　was　in　grief；　from　what　did　that　arise？〃〃From　passing　events；　Sire；
from　your　Majesty's　position　last　year。〃〃　Ah！　she　used　to　speak　of　me
then？〃〃Very　often。〃　　Here　Napoleon　drew　his　hand　across　his　eyes；　which
seemed　filled　with　tears。　　He　then　went　on。　　〃Good　woman！Excellent
Josephine！　　She　loved　me　trulyshedid　she　not？　。　　。　　。　　Ah！　　She　was　a
Frenchwoman！〃〃Yes；　Sire；　she　loved　you；　and　she　would　have　proved　it
had　it　not　been　for　dread　of　displeasing　you：　she　had　conceived　an　idea。〃
〃How？　。。。　What　would　she　have　done？〃　　She　one　day　said　that　as　Empress
of　the　French　she　would　drive　through　Paris　with　eight　horses　to　her
coach；　and　all　her　household　in　gala　livery；　to　go　and　rejoin　you　at
Fontainebleau；　and　never　quit　you　mare。〃〃She　would　have　done　itshe
was　capable　of　doing　it！〃

Napoleon　again　betrayed　deep　emotion；　on