memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第14部分

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a　consequence　of　the　restoration　of　the　throne　of　France。　　I　also　know
that　the　proposition　was　firmly　opposed　on　the　part　of　Austria；　who　had
always　viewed　with　jealousy　the　occupation　of　three　thrones　of　Europe　by
the　single　House　of　Bourbon。

According　to　information；　for　the　authenticity　of　which　I　can　vouch；　the
following　were　the　plans　which　Napoleon　conceived　at　Elba。　　Almost
immediately　after　his　arrival　in　France　he　was　to　order　the　Marshals　on
whom　he　could　best　rely　to　defend　to　the　utmost　the　entrances　to　the
French　territory　and　the　approaches　to　Paris；　by　pivoting　on　the　triple
line　of　fortresses　which　gird　the　north　and　east　of　France。　　Davoust　was
'in　petto'　singled　out　for　the　defence　of　Paris。　　He；　was　to　arm　the
inhabitants　of　the　suburbs；　and　to　have；　besides；　20；000　men　of　the
National　Guard　at　his　disposal。　　Napoleon；　not　being　aware　of　the
situation　of　the　Allies；　never　supposed　that　they　could　concentrate　their
forces　and　march　against　him　so　speedily　as　they　did。　　He　hoped　to　take
them　by　surprise；　and　defeat　their　projects；　by　making　Murat　march　upon
Milan；　and　by　stirring　up　insurrections　in　Italy。　　The　Po　being　once
crossed；　and　Murat　approaching　the　capital　of　Lombardy；　Napoleon　with　the
corps　of　Suchet；　Brune；　Grouchy；　and　Massena；　augmented　by　troops　sent；
by　forced　marches；　to　Lyons；　was　to　cross　the　Alps　and　revolutionise
Piedmont。　　There；　having　recruited　his　army　and　joined　the　Neapolitans　in
Milan；　he　was　to　proclaim　the　independence　of　Italy；　unite　the　whole
country　under　a　single　chief；　and　then　march　at　the　head　of　100；000　men
on　Vienna；　by　the　Julian　Alps；　across　which　victory　had　conducted　him　in
1797。　　This　was　not　all：　numerous　emissaries　scattered　through　Poland　and
Hungary　were　to　foment　discord　and　raise　the　cry　of　liberty　and
independence；　to　alarm　Russia　and　Austria。　　It　must　be　confessed　it　would
have　been　an　extraordinary　spectacle　to　see　Napoleon　giving　liberty　to
Europe　in　revenge　for　not　having　succeeded　in　enslaving　her。

By　means　of　these　bold　manoeuvres　and　vast　combinations　Napoleon
calculated　that　he　would　have　the　advantage　of　the　initiative　in　military
operations。　　Perhaps　his　genius　was　never　more　fully　developed　than　in
this　vast　conception。　　According　to　this　plan　he　was　to　extend　his
operations　over　a　line　of　500　leagues；　from　Ostend　to　Vienna；　by　the　Alps
and　Italy；　to　provide　himself　with　immense　resources　of　every　kind；　to
prevent　the　Emperor　of　Austria　from　marching　his　troops　against　France；
and　probably　force　him　to　terminate　a　war　from　which　the　hereditary
provinces　would　have　exclusively　suffered。　　Such　was　the　bright　prospect
which　presented　itself　to　Napoleon　when　he　stepped　on　board　the　vessel
which　was　to　convey　him　from　Elba　to　France。　　But　the　mad　precipitation
of　Murat　put　Europe　on　the　alert；　and　the　brilliant　illusion　vanished
like　a　dream。

After　being　assured　that　all　was　tranquil；　and　that　the　Royal　family　was
secure　against　every　danger；　I　myself　set　out　at　four　o'clock　on　the
morning　of　the　20th　of　March；　taking　the　road　to　Lille。　Nothing
extraordinary　occurred　until　I　arrived　at　the　post…office　of　Fins；　in
front　of　which　were　drawn　up　a　great　number　of　carriages；　which　had
arrived　before　mine；　and　the　owners　of　which；　like　myself；　were
impatiently　waiting　for　horses。　　I　soon　observed　that　some　one　called　the
postmaster　aside　in　a　way　which　did　not　appear　entirely　devoid　of
mystery；　and　I　acknowledge　I　felt　some　degree　of　alarm。　　I　was　in　the
room　in　which　the　travellers　were　waiting；　and　my　attention　was　attracted
by　a　large　bill　fixed　against　the　wall。　　It　was　printed　in　French　and
Russian；　and　it　proved　to　be　the　order　of　the　day　which　I　had　been
fortunate　enough　to　obtain　from　the　Emperor　Alexander　to　exempt
posthorses；　etc。；　from　the　requisitions　of　the　Allied　troops。

I　was　standing　looking　at　the　bill　when　the　postmaster　came　into　the　room
and　advanced　towards　me。　　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃that　is　an　order　of　the　day
which　saved　me　from　ruin。〃〃Then　surely　you　would　not　harm　the　man　by
whom　it　is　signed？〃〃I　know　you；　sir；　I　recognised　you　immediately。
I　saw　you　in　Paris　when　you　were　Director　of　the　Post…office；　and　you
granted　a　just　claim　which　I　had　upon　you。　　I　have　now　come　to　tell　you
that　they　are　harnessing　two　horses　to　your　calash；　and　you　may　set　off
at　full　speed。〃　　The　worthy　man　had　assigned　to　my　use　the　only　two
horses　at　his　disposal；　his　son　performed　the　office　of　postilion；　and　I
set　off　to　the　no　small　dissatisfaction　of　some　of　the　travellers　who　had
arrived　before　me；　and　who；　perhaps；　had　as　good　reasons　as　I　to　avoid
the　presence　of　Napoleon。

We　arrived　at　Lille　at　eleven　o'clock　on　the　night　of　the　21st。　　Here　I
encountered　another　vexation；　though　not　of　an　alarming　kind。　　The　gates
of　the　town　were　closed；　and　I　was　obliged　to　content　myself　with　a
miserable　night's　lodging　in　the　suburb。

I　entered　Lille　on　the　22d；　and　Louis　XVIII。　arrived　on　the　23d。　　His
Majesty　also　found　the　gates　closed；　and　more　than　an　hour　elapsed　before
an　order　could　be　obtained　for　opening　them；　for　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　who
commanded　the　town；　was　inspecting　the　troops　when　his　Majesty　arrived。
The　King　was　perfectly　well　received　at　Lille。　　There　indeed　appeared
some　symptoms　of　defection；　but　it　must　be　acknowledged　that　the　officers
of　the　old　army　had　been　so　singularly　sacrificed　to　the　promotion　of　the
returned　emigrants　that　it　was　very　natural　the　former　should　hail　the
return　of　the　man　who　had　so　often　led　them　to　victory。　　I　put　up　at　the
Hotel　de　Grand；　certainly　without　forming　any　prognostic　respecting　the
future　residence　of　the　King。　　When　I　saw　his　Majesty's　retinue　I　went
down　and　stood　at　the　door　of　the　hotel；　where　as　soon　as　Louis　XVIII。
perceived　me　he　distinguished　me　from　among　all　the　persons　who　were
awaiting　his　arrival；　and　holding　out　his　hand　for　me　to　kiss　he　said；
〃Follow　me；　M。　de　Bourrienne。〃

On　entering　the　apartments　prepared　for　him　the　King　expressed　to　me　his
approval　of　my　conduct　since　the　Restoration；　and　especially　during　the
short　interval　in　which　I　had　discharged　the　functions　of　Prefect　of　the
Police。　　He　did　me　the　honour　to　invite　me　to　breakfast　with　him。　　The
conversation　naturally　turned　on　the　events　of　the　day；　of　which　every
one　present　spoke　according　to　his　hopes　or　fears。　　Observing　that　Louis
XVIII。　concurred　in　Berthier's　discouraging　view　of　affairs；　I　ventured
to　repeat　what　I　had　already　said　at　the　Tuileries；　that；　judging　from
the　disposition　of　the　sovereigns　of　Europe　and　the　information　which　I
had　received；　it　appeared　very　probable　that　his　Majesty　would　be　again
seated　on　his　throne　in　three　months。　　Berthier　bit　his　nails　as　he　did
when　he　wanted　to　leave　the　army　of　Egypt　and　return　to　Paris　to　the
object　of　his　adoration。　　Berthier　was　not　hopeful；　he　was　always　one　of
those　men　who　have　the　least　confidence　and　the　most　depression。　　I　could
perceive　that　the　King　regarded　my　observation　as　one　of　those
compliments　which　he　was　accustomed　to　receive；　and　that　he　had　no　great
confidence　in　the　fulfilment　of　my　prediction。　　However；　wishing　to　seem
to　believe　it；　he　said；　what　he　had　more　than　hinted　before；　〃M。　de
Bourrienne；　as　long　as　I　am　King　you　shall　be　my　Prefect　of　the　Police。〃

It　was　the　decided　intention　of　Louis　XVIII。　to　remain　in　France　as　long
as　he　could；　but　the　Napoleonic　fever；　which　spread　like　an　epidemic
among　the　troops；　had　infected　the　garrison　of　Lille。　　Marshal　Mortier；
who　commanded　at　Lille；　and　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　expressed　to　me　their
well…founded　fears；　and　repeatedly　recommended　me　to　urge　the　King　to
quit　Lille　speedily；　in　order　to　avoid　any　fatal　occurrence。　　During　the
two　days　I　passed　with　his　Majesty　I　entreated　him　to　yield　to　the
imperious　circumstances　in　which　he　was　placed。　　At　length　the　King；　with
deep　regret；　consented　to　go；　and　I　left　Lille　the　day　before　that　fixed
for　his　Majesty's　departure。

In　September　1814　the　King　had　appointed　me　charge　d'affaires　from　France
to　Hamburg；　but　not　having　received　orders　to　repair　to　my　post　I　have
not　hitherto　mentioned　this　nomination。　　However；　when　Louis　XVIII。　was
on　the　point　of　leaving　France　he　thought　that　my　presence　in　Hamburg
might　be　useful　for　the　purpose　of　making　him　acquainted　with　all　that
might　interest　him　in　the　north　of　Germany。　　But　it　was　not　there　that
danger　was　to　be　apprehended。　　There　were　two　points　to　be　watchedthe
headquarters　of　Napoleon　and　the　King's　Council　at　Ghent。　　I；　however；
lost　no　time　in　repairing　to　a　city　where　I　was　sure　of　finding　a　great
many　friends。　　On　passing　through　Brussels　I　alighted　at　the　Hotel　de
Bellevue；　where　the　Duc　de　Berri　arrived　shortly　after　me。　　His　Royal
Highness　then　invited　me　to　breakfast　with　him；　and　conversed　with　me
very　confidentially。　　I　afterwards　continued　my　journey。




CHAPTER　VI。

1815。

　　　　　Message　to　Madame　de　Bourrienne　on　the　20th　of　MarchNapoleon's
　　　　　nocturnal　entrance　into　ParisGeneral　Becton　sent　to　my　family　by
　　　　　CaulaincourtRecollection　of　old　persecutionsGeneral　Driesen
　　　　　Solution　of　an　enigmaSeals　placed　on　my　effectsUseless　searches
　　　　　Persecution　of　womenMadame　de　Stael　and　Madame　de　Recamier
　　　　　Paris　during　the　Hundred　DaysThe　federates　and　patriotic　songs
　　　　　Declaration　of　the　Plenipotentiaries　at　Vienna。

At　Lille；　and　again　at　Hamburg；　I　received　letters　from　my　family；　which
I　had　looked　for　with　great　impatience。　　They　contained　particulars　of
what　had　occurred　relative　to　me　since　Bonaparte's　return　to　Paris。
Two　hours　after　my　departure　Madame　de　Bourrienne　also　left　Paris；
accompanied　by　her　children；　and　proceeded　to　an　asylum　which　had　been
offered　her　seven　leagues　from　the　capital。　　She　left　at　my　house　in
Paris　her　sister；　two　of　her　brothers；　and　her　friend　the　Comtesse　de
Neuilly；　who　had　resided　with　us　since　her　return　from　the　emigration。

On　the　very　morning　of　my　wife's　departure　（namely；　the　20th　of　March）　a
person；　with　whom　I　had　always　been　on　terms　of　friendship；　and　who　was
entirely　devoted　to　Bonaparte；　sent　to　request　that　Madame　de　Bourrienne
would　call　on　him；　as　he　wished　to　speak　to