memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第4部分

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　　　　　ratified…Rapp　made　prisoner　and　sent　to　KiowDavoust's　refusal　to
　　　　　believe　the　intelligence　from　ParisProjected　assassination　of　one
　　　　　of　the　French　PrincesDeparture　of　Davoust　and　General　Hogendorff
　　　　　from　HamburgThe　affair　of　ManbreuilArrival　of　the　Commissioners
　　　　　of　the　Allied　powers　at　FontainebleauPreference　shown　by　Napoleon
　　　　　to　Colonel　CampbellBonaparte's　address　to　General　KohlerHis
　　　　　farewell　to　his　troopsFirst　day　of　Napoleon's　journeyThe
　　　　　Imperial　Guard　succeeded　by　the　CossacksInterview　with　Augerean
　　　　　The　first　white　cockadesNapoleon　hanged　in　effigy　at　OrgonHis
　　　　　escape　in　the　disguise　of　a　courierScene　in　the　inn　of　La　Calade
　　　　　Arrival　at　AixThe　Princess　PaulineNapoleon　embarks　for　ElbaHis
　　　　　life　at　Elba。

I　must　now　direct　the　attention　of　the　reader　to　Italy；　which　was　the
cradle　of　Napoleon's　glory；　and　towards　which　he　transported　himself　in
imagination　from　the　Palace　of　Fontainebleau。　　Eugene　had　succeeded　in
keeping　up　his　means　of　defence　until　April；　but　on　the　7th　of　that
month；　being　positively　informed　of　the　overwhelming　reverses　of　France；
he　found　himself　constrained　to　accede　to　the　propositions　of　the　Marshal
de　Bellegarde　to　treat　for　the　evacuation　of　Italy；　and　on　the　10th　a
convention　was　concluded；　in　which　it　was　stipulated　that　the　French
troops；　under　the　command　of　Eugene；　should　return　within　the　limits　of
old　France。　　The　clauses　of　this　convention　were　executed　on　the　19th　of
April。

　　　　　＇Lord　William　Bentinck　and　Sir　Edward　Pellew　had　taken　Genoa　on
　　　　　the　18th　Of　April。　　Murat　was　in　the　field　with　the　Austrians
　　　　　against　the　French。＇

Eugene；　thinking　that　the　Senate　of　Milan　was　favourably　disposed　towards
him；　solicited　that　body　to　use　its　influence　in　obtaining　the　consent　of
the　Allied　powers　to　his　continuance　at　the　head　of　the　Government　of
Italy；　　but　this　proposition　was　rejected　by　the　Senate。　　A　feeling　of
irritation　pervaded　the　public　mind　in　Italy；　and　the　army　had　not
proceeded　three　marches　beyond　Mantua　when　an　insurrection　broke　out　in
Milan。　　The　Finance　Minister；　Pizna；　was　assassinated；　and　his　residence
demolished；　and　nothing　would　have　saved　the　Viceroy　from　a　similar　fate
had　he　been　in　his　capital。　　Amidst　this　popular　excitement；　and　the
eagerness　of　the　Italians　to　be　released　from　the　dominion　of　the　French；
the　friends　of　Eugene　thought　him　fortunate　in　being　able　to　join　his
father…in…law　at　Munich　almost　incognito。

　　　　　＇Some　time　after　Eugene　visited　France　and　had　a　long　audience　of
　　　　　Louis　XVIII。　　He　announced　himself　to　that　monarch　by　his　father's
　　　　　title　of　Marquis　de　Beauharnais。　　The　King　immediately　saluted　him
　　　　　by　the　title　of　Monsieur　le　Marechal；　and　proposed　that　he　should
　　　　　reside　in　France　with　that　rank。　　But　this　invitation　Eugene
　　　　　declined；　because　as　a　French　Prince　under　the　fallen　Government　he
　　　　　had　commanded　the　Marshals；　and　he　therefore　could　not　submit　to　be
　　　　　the　last　in　rank　among　those　illustrious　military　chiefs。
　　　　　Bourrienne。＇

Thus；　at　the　expiration　of　nine　years；　fell　the　iron　crown　which　Napoleon
had　placed　on　his　head　saying；　〃Dieu　me　l'a　donne；　gare　a　qui　la　touche。〃

I　will　now　take　a　glance　at　the　affairs　of　Germany。　　Rapp　was　not　in
France　at　the　period　of　the　fall　of　the　Empire。　　He　had；　with
extraordinary　courage　and　skill；　defended　himself　against　a　year's　siege
at　Dantzic。　　At　length；　being　reduced　to　the　last　extremity；　and
constrained　to　surrender；　he　opened　the　gates　of　the　city；　which
presented　nothing　but　heaps　of　ruins。　　Rapp　had　stipulated　that　the
garrison　of　Dantzic　should　return　to　France；　and　the　Duke　of　Wurtemberg；
who　commanded　the　siege；　had　consented　to　that　condition；　but　the　Emperor
of　Russia　having　refused　to　ratify　it；　Rapp；　having　no　means　of　defence；
was　made　prisoner　with　his　troops；　and　conducted　to　Kiow；　whence　he
afterwards　returned　to　Paris；　where　I　saw　him。

Hamburg　still　held　out；　but　at　the　beginning　of　April　intelligence　was
received　there　of　the　extraordinary　events　which　had　delivered　Europe
from　her　oppressor。　　Davoust　refused　to　believe　this　news；　which　at　once
annihilated　all　his　hopes　of　power　and　greatness。　　This　blindness　was
persisted　in　for　some　time　at　Hamburg。　　Several　hawkers；　who　were　marked
out　by　the　police　as　having　been　the　circulators　of　Paris　news；　were
shot。　　An　agent　of　the　Government　publicly　announced　his　design　of
assassinating　one　of　the　French　Princes；　in　whose　service　he　was　said　to
have　been　as　a　page。　　He　said　he　would　go　to　his　Royal　Highness　and
solicit　to　be　appointed　one　of　his　aides　de　camp；　and　that；　if　the
application　were　refused；　as　it　probably　would　be；　the　refusal　would　only
confirm　him　in　his　purpose。

At　length；　when　the　state　of　things　was　beyond　the　possibility　of　doubt；
Davoust　assembled　the　troops；　acquainted　them　with　the　dethronement　of
the　Emperor；　hoisted　a　flag　of　truce；　and　sent　his　adhesion　to　the
Provisional　Government。　　All　then　thought　of　their　personal　safety；
without　losing　sight　of　their　honestly…acquired　wealth。　　Diamonds　and
other　objects　of　value　and　small　bulk　were　hastily　collected　and　packed
up。　　The　Governor　of　Hamburg；　Count　Hogendorff；　who；　in　spite　of　some
signal　instances　of　opposition；　had　too　often　co…operated　in　severe　and
vexatious　measures；　was　the　first　to　quit　the　city。　　He　was；　indeed；
hurried　off　by　Davoust；　because　he　had　mounted　the　Orange　cockade　and
wished　to　take　his　Dutch　troops　away　with　him。　　After　consigning　the
command　to　General　Gerard；　Davoust　quitted　Hamburg；　and　arrived　at　Paris
on　the　18th　of　June。

I　have　left　Napoleon　at　Fontainebleau。　　The　period　of　his　departure　for
Elba　was　near　at　hand：　it　was　fixed　for　the　17th　of　April。

On　that　day　Maubreuil；　a　man　who　has　become　unfortunately　celebrated；
presented　himself　at　the　Post…office；　and　asked　to　speak　with　me。　　He
showed　me　some　written　orders；　signed　by　General　Saeken；　the　Commander　of
the　Russian　troops　in　Palls；　and　by　Baron　Brackenhausen；　chief　of　the
staff。　　These　orders　set　forth　that　Maubreuil　was　entrusted　with　an
important　mission；　for　the　execution　of　which　he　was　authorised　to　demand
the　assistance　of　the　Russian　troops；　and　the　commanders　of　those　men
were　enjoined　to　place　at　his　disposal　as　many　troops　as　he　might　apply
for。　　Maubreuil　was　also　the　bearer　of　similar　orders　from　General
Dupont；　the　War　Minister；　and　from　M。　Angles；　the　Provisional　Commissary…
General　of　the　Police；　who　directed　all　the　other　commissaries　to　obey
the　orders　they　might　receive　from　Maubreuil。　　On　seeing　these　documents；
of　the　authenticity　of　which　there　was　no　doubt；　I　immediately　ordered
the　different　postmasters　to　provide　Maubreuil　promptly　with　any　number
of　horses　he　might　require。

Some　days　after　I　was　informed　that　the　object　of　Maubreuil's　mission　was
to　assassinate　Napoleon。　　It　may　readily　be　imagined　what　was　my
astonishment　on　hearing　this；　after　I　had　seen　the　signature　of　the
Commander　of　the　Russian　forces；　and　knowing　as　I　did　the　intentions　of
the　Emperor　Alexander。　　The　fact　is；　I　did　not；　and　never　can；　believe
that　such　was　the　intention　of　Mabreuil。　　This　man　has　been　accused　of
having　carried　off　the　jewels　of　the　Queen　of　Westphalia。

Napoleon　having　consented　to　proceed　to　the　island　of　Elba；　conformably
with　the　treaty　he　had　ratified　on　the　13th；　requested　to　be　accompanied
to　the　place　of　embarkation　by　a　Commissioner　from　each　of　the　Allied
powers。　　Count　Schouwaloff　was　appointed　by　Russia；　Colonel　Neil　Campbell
by　England；　General　Kohler　by　Austria；　and　Count　Waldbourg…Truchess　by
Prussia。　　On　the　16th　the　four　Commissioners　came　for　the　first　time　to
Fontainebleau；　where　the　Emperor；　who　was　still　attended　by　Generals
Drouot　and　Bertrand；　gave　to　each　a　private　audience　on　the　following
day。

Though　Napoleon　received　with　coldness　the　Commissioners　whom　he　had
himself　solicited；　yet　that　coldness　was　far　from　being　manifested　in　an
equal　degree　to　all。　　He　who　experienced　the　best　reception　was　Colonel
Campbell；　apparently　because　his　person　exhibited　traces　of　wounds。
Napoleon　asked　him　in　what　battles　he　had　received　them；　and　on　what
occasions　he　had　been　invested　with　the　orders　he　wore。　　He　next
questioned　him　as　to　the　place　of　his　birth；　and　Colonel　Campbell　having
answered　that　he　was　a　Scotchman；　Napoleon　congratulated　him　on　being　the
countryman　of　Ossian；　his　favourite　author；　with　whose　poetry；　however；
he　was　only　acquainted　through　the　medium　of　wretched　translations。
On　this　first　audience　Napoleon　said　to　the　Colonel；　〃I　have　cordially
hated　the　English。　　I　have　made　war　against　you　by　every　possible　means；
but　I　esteem　your　nation。　　I　am　convinced　that　there　is　more　generosity
in　your　Government　than　in　any　other。　　I　should　like　to　be　conveyed　from
Toulon　to　Elba　by　an　English　frigate。〃

The　Austrian　and　Russian　Commissioners　were　received　coolly；　but　without
any　marked　indications　of　displeasure。　　It　was　not　so　with　the　Prussian
Commissioner；　to　whom　he　said　duly；　〃Are　there　any　Prussians　in　my
escort？〃〃No；　Sire。〃〃Then　why　do　you　take　the　trouble　to　accompany
me？〃〃Sire；　it　is　not　a　trouble；　but　an　honour。〃〃These　are　mere　words；
you　have　nothing　to　do　here。〃〃Sire；　I　could　not　possibly　decline　the
honourable　mission　with　which　the　King　my　master　has　entrusted　me。〃　　At
these　words　Napoleon　turned　his　back　on　Count　Truchess。

The　Commissioners　expected　that　Napoleon　would　be　ready　to　set　out
without　delay；　but　they　were　deceived。　　He　asked　for　a　sight　of　the
itinerary　of　his　route；　and　wished　to　make　some　alterations　in　it。
The　Commissioners　were　reluctant　to　oppose　his　wish；　for　they　had　been
instructed　to　treat　him　with　all　the　respect　and　etiquette　due　to　a
sovereign。　　They　therefore　suspended　the　departure；　and；　as　they　could
not　take　upon　themselves　to　acquiesce　in　the　changes　wished　for　by　the
Emperor；　they　applied　for　fresh　orders。　　On　the　night　of　the　18th　of
April　they　received　these　orders；　authorising　them　to　travel　by　any　road
the　Emperor　might　prefer。　　The　departure　was　then　definitively　fixed　for
the　20th。

Accordingly；　at　ten　on　the　morning　of　the　20th；