memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第12部分

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Fontainebleau；　and　never　quit　you　mare。〃〃She　would　have　done　itshe
was　capable　of　doing　it！〃

Napoleon　again　betrayed　deep　emotion；　on　recovering　from　which　he　asked
the　physician　the　most　minute　questions　about　the　nature　of　Josephine's
disease；　the　friends　and　attendants　who　were　around　her　at　the　hour　of
her　death；　and　the　conduct　of　her　two　children；　Eugene　and　Hortense。




CHAPTER　V。

1815。

　　　　　Message　from　the　TuileriesMy　interview　with　the　King
　　　　　My　appointment　to　the　office　of　Prefect　of　the　PoliceCouncil　at
　　　　　the　TuileriesOrder　for　arrestsFouches　escapeDavoust
　　　　　unmolestedConversation　with　M。　de　BlacasThe　intercepted　letter；
　　　　　and　time　lostEvident　understanding　between　Murat　and　Napoleon
　　　　　Plans　laid　at　ElbaMy　departure　from　ParisThe　post…master　of
　　　　　FinsMy　arrival　at　LilleLouis　XVIII。　detained　an　hour　at　the
　　　　　gatesHis　majesty　obliged　to　leave　FranceMy　departure　for
　　　　　HamburgThe　Duc　de　Berri　at　Brussels。

Those　who　opposed　the　execution　of　the　treaty　concluded　with　Napoleon　at
the　time　of　his　abdication　were　guilty　of　a　great　error；　for　they
afforded　him　a　fair　pretext　for　leaving　the　island　of　Elba。　　The　details
of　that　extraordinary　enterprise　are　known　to　every　one；　and　I　shall　not
repeat　what　has　been　told　over　and　over　again。　　For　my　own　part；　as　soon
as　I　saw　with　what　rapidity　Bonaparte　was　marching　upon　Lyons；　and　the
enthusiasm　with　which　he　was　received　by　the　troops　and　the　people；　I
prepared　to　retire　to　Belgium；　there　to　await　the　denouement　of　this　new
drama。

Every　preparation　for　my　departure　was　completed　on　the　evening　of　the
13th　of　March；　and　I　was　ready　to　depart；　to　avoid　the　persecutions　of
which　I　expected　I　should　be　the　object；　when　I　received　a　message　from
the　Tuileries　stating　that　the　King　desired　to　see　me。　　I　of　course　lost
no　time　in　proceeding　to　the　Palace；　and　went　straight　to　M。　Hue　to
inquire　of　him　why　I　had　been　sent　for。　　He　occupied　the　apartments　in
which　I　passed　the　three　most　laborious　and　anxious　years　of　my　life。
M。　Hue；　perceiving　that　I　felt　a　certain　degree　of　uneasiness　at　being
summoned　to　the　Tuileries　at　that　hour　of　the　night；　hastened　to　inform
me　that　the　King　wished　to　appoint　me　Prefect　of　the　Police。　　He
conducted　me　to　the　King's　chamber；　where　his　Majesty　thus　addressed　me
kindly；　but　in　an　impressive　manner；　〃M。　de　Bourrienne；　can　we　rely　upon
you？　　I　expect　much　from　your　zeal　and　fidelity。〃〃Your　Majesty；〃
replied　I；　〃shall　have　no　reason　to　complain　of　my　betraying　your
confidence。〃〃　Well；　I　re…establish　the　Prefecture　of　the　Police；　and　I
appoint　you　Prefect。　　Do　your　best；　M。　de　Bourrienne；　in　the　discharge　of
your　duties；　I　count　upon　you。〃

By　a　singular　coincidence；　on　the　very　day　（the　13th　of　March）　when　I
received　this　appointment　Napoleon；　who　was　at　Lyons；　signed　the　decree
which　excluded　from　the　amnesty　he　had　granted　thirteen　individuals；
among　whose　names　mine　was　inscribed。　　This　decree　confirmed　me　in　the
presentiments　I　had　conceived　as　soon　as　I　heard　of　the　landing　of
Bonaparte。　　On　returning　home　from　the　Tuileries　after　receiving　my
appointment　a　multitude　of　ideas　crowded　on　my　mind。　　At　the　first　moment
I　had　been　prompted　only　by　the　wish　to　serve　the　cause　of　the　King；　but
I　was　alarmed　when　I　came　to　examine　the　extent　of　the　responsibility　I
had　taken　upon　myself。　　However；　I　determined　to　meet　with　courage　the
difficulties　that　presented　themselves；　and　I　must　say　that　I　had　every
reason　to　be　satisfied　with　the　manner　in　which　I　was　seconded　by　M。
Foudras；　the　Inspector…General　of　the　Police。

Even　now　I　am　filled　with　astonishment　when　I　think　of　the　Council　that
was　held　at　the　Tuileries　on　the　evening　of　the　13th　of　March　in　M。　de
Blacas'　apartments。　　The　ignorance　of　the　members　of　that　Council
respecting　our　situation；　and　their　confidence　in　the　useless　measures
they　had　adopted　against　Napoleon；　exceed　all　conception。

Will　it　be　believed　that　those　great　statesmen；　who　had　the　control　of
the　telegraph；　the　post…office；　the　police　and　its　agents；　money…in
short；　everything　which　constitutes　powerasked　me　to　give　them
information　respecting　the　advance　of　Bonaparte？　　What　could　I　say　to
them？　　I　could　only　repeat　the　reports　which　were　circulated　on　the
Exchange；　and　those　which　I　had　collected　here　and　there　during　the　last
twenty…four　hours。　　I　did　not　conceal　that　the　danger　was　imminent；　and
that　all　their　precautions　would　be　of　no　avail。　　The　question　then　arose
as　to　what　course　should　be　adapted　by　the　King。　　It　was　impossible　that
the　monarch　could　remain　at　the　Capital；　and　yet；　where　was　he　to　go？
One　proposed　that　he　should　go　to　Bordeaux；　another　to　La　Vendee；　and　a
third　to　Normandy；　and　a　fourth　member　of　the　Council　was　of　opinion　that
the　King　should　be　conducted　to　Melun。　　I　conceived　that　if　a　battle
should　take　place　anywhere　it　would　probably　be　in　the　neighbourhood　of
that　town；　but　the　councillor　who　made　this　last　suggestion　assured　us
that　the　presence　of　the　King　in　an　open　carriage　and　eight　horses　would
produce　a　wonderful　effect　on　the　minds　of　the　troops。　　This　project　was
merely　ridiculous；　the　others　appeared　to　be　dangerous　and　impracticable。
I　declared　to　the　Council　that；　considering　the　situation　of　things；　it
was　necessary　to　renounce　all　idea　of　resistance　by　force　of　arms；　that
no　soldier　would　fire　a　musket；　and　that　it　was　madness　to　attempt　to
take　any　other　view　of　things。　　〃Defection；〃　said　I；　〃is　inevitable。
The　soldiers　are　drinking　in　their　barracks　the　money　which　you　have　been
giving　them　for　some　days　past　to　purchase　their　fidelity。　　They　say
Louis　XVIII。；　is　a　very　decent　sort　of　man；　but　'Vive　le　petit　Caporal！'〃

Immediately　on　the　landing　of　Napoleon　the　King　sent　an　extraordinary
courier　to　Marmont；　who　was　at　Chatillon　whither　he　had　gone　to　take　a
last　leave　of　his　dying　mother。　　I　saw　him　one　day　after　he　had　had　an
interview　with　the　King；　I　think　it　was　on　the　6th　or　7th　of　March。
After　some　conversation　on　the　landing　of　Napoleon；　and　the　means　of
preventing　him　from　reaching　Paris；　Marmont　said　to　me；　〃This　is　what　I
dwelt　most　strongly　upon　in　the　interview　I　have　just　had　with　the　King。
'Sire；'　said　I；　'I　doubt　not　Bonaparte's　intention　of　coming　to　Paris；
and　the　best　way　to　prevent　him　doing　so　would　be　for　your　Majesty　to
remain　here。　　It　is　necessary　to　secure　the　Palace　of　the　Tuileries
against　a　surprise；　and　to　prepare　it　for　resisting　a　siege；　in　which　it
would　be　indispensable　to　use　cannon。　　You　must　shut　yourself　up　in　your
palace；　with　the　individuals　of　your　household　and　the　principal　public
functionaries；　while　the　Due　d'Angoulome　should　go　to　Bordeaux；　the　Duc
de　Berri　to　La　Vendee；　and　Monsieur　to；　the　Franche…Comte；　but　they　must
set　off　in　open　day；　and　announce　that　they　are　going　to　collect
defenders　for　your　Majesty。＇Monsieur；　the　brother　of　the　King；　the
Comte　d'Artois　later　Charles　X。＇

。　　。　　This　is　what　I　said　to　the　King　this　morning；　and　I　added　that　I
would　answer　for　everything　if　my　advice　were　followed。　　I　am　now　going
to　direct　my　aide　de　camp；　Colonel　Fabvier；　to　draw　up　the　plan　of
defence。〃　　I　did　not　concur　in　Marmont's　opinion。　　It　is　certainly
probable　that　had　Louis　XVIII。　remained　in　his　palace　the　numerous
defections　which　took　place　before　the　20th　of　March　would　have　been
checked　and　some　persons　would　not　have　found　so　ready　an　excuse　for
breaking　their　oaths　of　allegiance。　　There　can　be　little　doubt；　too；　but
Bonaparte　would　have　reflected　well　before　he　attempted　the　siege　of　the
Tuileries。

　　　　　＇Marmont　（tome　vii。　　p。　　87）　gives　the　full　details　of　his　scheme
　　　　　for　provisioning　and　garrisoning　the　Tuileries　which　the　King　was　to
　　　　　hold　while　his　family　spread　themselves　throughout　the　provinces。
　　　　　The　idea　had　nothing　strange　in　it；　for　the　same　advice　was　given　by
　　　　　General　Mathieu　Dumas　（Souvenirs；　tome　iii。　　p。　　564）；　a　man　not
　　　　　likely　to　suggest　any　rash　schemes。　　Jaucourt；　writing　to
　　　　　Talleyrand；　obviously　believed　in　the　wisdom　of　the　King's
　　　　　remaining；　as　did　the　Czar；　see　Talleyrand's　Correspondence；　vol。
　　　　　ii。　　pp。　　94；　122；　129。　　Napoleon　would　certainly　have　been　placed
　　　　　in　a　strange　difficulty；　but　a　king　capable　of　adopting　such　a
　　　　　resolution　would　never　have　been　required　to　consider　it。

Marmont　supported　his　opinion　by　observing　that　the　admiration　and
astonishment　excited　by　the　extraordinary　enterprise　of　Napoleon　and　his
rapid　march　to　Paris　would　be　counterbalanced　by　the　interest　inspired　by
a　venerable　monarch　defying　his　bold　rival　and　courageously　defending　his
throne。　　While　I　rendered　full　justice　to　the　good　intentions　of　the　Duke
of　Ragusa；　yet　I　did　not　think　that　his　advice　could　be　adopted。　　I
opposed　it　as　I　opposed　all　the　propositions　that　were　made　in　the
Council　relative　to　the　different　places　to　which　the　King　should　retire。
I　myself　suggested　Lille　as　being　the　nearest；　and　as　presenting　the
greatest　degree　of　safety；　especially　in　the　first　instance。

It　was　after　midnight　when　I　left　the　Council　of　the　Tuileries。　　The
discussion　had　terminated；　and　without　coming　to　any　precise　resolution
it　was　agreed　that　the　different　opinions　which　had　been　expressed　should
be　submitted　to　Louis　XVIII。　in　order　that　his　Majesty　might　adopt　that
which　should　appear　to　him　the　best。　　The　King　adopted　my　opinion；　but　it
was　not　acted　upon　until　five　days　after。

My　appointment　to　the　Prefecture　of　the　Police　was；　as　will　be　seen；　a
late　thought　of　measure；　almost　as　late　indeed　as　Napoleon's　proposition
to　send　me　as　his　Minister　Plenipotentiary　to　Switzerland。　　In　now
accepting　office　I　was　well　convinced　of　the　inutility　of　any　effort　that
might　be　made　to　arrest　the　progress　of　the　fast　approaching　and　menacing
events。　　Being　introduced　into　the　King's　cabinet　his　Majesty　asked　me
what　I　thought　of　the　situation　of　affairs。　　〃I　think；　Sire；　that
Bonaparte　will　be　here　in　five　or　six　days。〃〃What；　sir？〃〃Yes；　Sire。〃
〃But　proper　measures　are　taken；　the　necessary　orders　given；　and　the
Marshals　are　faithful　to　me。〃〃Sire；　I　suspect　no　man's　fidelity；　but　I
can　assure　your　Ma