memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第5部分

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the　Emperor　might　prefer。　　The　departure　was　then　definitively　fixed　for
the　20th。

Accordingly；　at　ten　on　the　morning　of　the　20th；　the　carriages　were　in
readiness；　and　the　Imperial　Guard　was　drawn　up　in　the　grand　court　of　the
Palace　of　Fontainebleau；　called　the　Cour　du　Cheval　Blanc。　　All　the
population　of　the　town　and　the　neighbouring　villages　thronged　round　the
Palace。　　Napoleon　sent　for　General　Kohler；　the　Austrian　Commissioner；　and
said　to　him；　〃I　have　reflected　on　what　I　ought　to　do；　and　I　am　determined
not　to　depart。　　The　Allies　are　not　faithful　to　their　engagements　with　me。
I　can；　therefore；　revoke　my　abdication；　which　was　only　conditional。　　More
than　a　thousand　addresses　were　delivered　to　me　last　night：　I　am　conjured
to　resume　the　reins　of　government　I　renounced　my　rights　to　the　crown　only
to　avert　the　horrors　of　a　civil　war；　having　never　had　any　other　abject　in
view　than　the　glory　and　happiness　of　France。　　But；　seeing　as　I　now　do；
the　dissatisfaction　inspired　by　the　measures　of　the　new　Government；　I　can
explain　to　my　Guard　the　reasons　which　induced　me　to　revoke　my　abdication。
It　is　true　that　the　number　of　troops　on　which　I　can　count　will　scarcely
exceed　30；000　men；　but　it　will　be　easy　for　me　to　increase　their　numbers
to　130；000。　　Know；　then；　that　I　can　also；　without　injuring　my　honour；　say
to　my　Guard；　that　having　nothing　but　the　repose　and　happiness　of　the
country　at　heart；　I　renounce　all　my　rights；　and　exhort　my　troops　to
follow　my　example；　and　yield　to　the　wish　of　the　nation。〃

I　heard　these　words　reported　by　General　Kohler　himself；　after　his　return
from　his　mission。　　He　did　not　disguise　the　embarrassment　which　this
unexpected　address　had　occasioned；　and　I　recollect　having　remarked　at　the
time　that　had　Bonaparte；　at　the　commencement　of　the　campaign　of　Paris；
renounced　his　rights　and　returned　to　the　rank　of　citizen；　the　immense
masses　of　the　Allies　must　have　yielded　to　the　efforts　of　France。　　General
Kohler　also　stated　that　Napoleon　complained　of　Maria　Louisa　not　being
allowed　to　accompany　him；　but　at　length；　yielding　to　the　reasons　urged　by
those　about　him；　he　added；　〃Well；　I　prefer　remaining　faithful　to　my
promise；　but　if　I　have　any　new　ground　of　complaint；　I　will　free　myself
from　all　my　engagements。〃

At　eleven　o'clock　Comte　de　Bussy；　one　of　the　Emperor's　aides　de　camp；　was
sent　by　the　Grand　Marshal　（General　Bertrand）　to　announce　that　all　was
ready　for　departure。　　〃Am　I；〃　said　Napoleon；　〃to　regulate　my　actions　by
the　Grand　Marshal's　watch？　　I　will　go　when　I　please。　　Perhaps　I　may　not
go　at　all。　　Leave　me！〃

All　the　forms　of　courtly　etiquette　which　Napoleon　loved　so　much　were
observed；　and　when　at　length　he　was　pleased　to　leave　his　cabinet　to　enter
the　salon；　where　the　Commissioners　were　waiting；　the　doors　were　thrown
open　as　usual；　and　〃The　Emperor〃　was　announced；　but　no　sooner　was　the
word　uttered　than　he　turned　back　again。　　However；　he　soon　reappeared；
rapidly　crossed　the　gallery；　and　descended　the　staircase；　and　at　twelve
o'clock　precisely　he　stood　at　the　head　of　his　Guard；　as　if　at　a　review　in
the　court　of　the　Tuileries　in　the　brilliant　days　of　the　Consulate　and　the
Empire。

Then　took　place　a　really　moving　sceneNapoleon's　farewell　to　his
soldiers。　　Of　this　I　may　abstain　from　entering　into　any　details；　since
they　are　known　everywhere；　and　by　everybody；　but　I　may　subjoin　the
Emperor's　last　address　to　his　old　companions…in…arms；　because　it　belongs
to　history。　　This　address　was　pronounced　in　a　voice　as　firm　and　sonorous
as　that　in　which　Bonaparte　used　to　harangue　his　troops　in　the　days　of　his
triumphs。　　It　was　as　follows：

　　　　　〃Soldiers　of　my　Old　Guard；　I　bid　you　farewell。　　For　twenty　years　I
　　　　　have　constantly　accompanied　yon　on　the　road　to　honour　and　glory。　　In
　　　　　these　latter　times；　as　in　the　days　of　our　prosperity；　you　have
　　　　　invariably　been　models　of　courage　and　fidelity。　　With　men　such　as
　　　　　you　our　cause　could　not　be　lost；　but　the　war　would　have　been
　　　　　interminable；　it　would　have　been　civil　war；　and　that　would　have
　　　　　entailed　deeper　misfortunes　on　France。　　I　have　sacrificed　all　my
　　　　　interests　to　those　of　the　country。　　I　go；　but　you；　my　friends；　will
　　　　　continue　to　serve　France。　　Her　happiness　was　my　only　thought。。　　It
　　　　　will　still　be　the　object　of　my　wishes。　　Do　not　regret　my　fate：　if　I
　　　　　have　consented　to　survive；　it　is　to　serve　your　glory。　　I　intend　to
　　　　　write　the　history　of　the　great　achievements　we　have　performed
　　　　　together。　　Adieu；　my　friends。　　Would　I　could　press　you　all　to　my；
　　　　　heart！〃

During　the　first　day　cries　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　resounded　along　the
road；　and　Napoleon；　resorting　to　his　usual　dissimulation；　censured　the
disloyalty　of　the　people　to　their　legitimate　sovereign；　which　he　did　with
ill　disguised　irony。　　The　Guard　accompanied　him　as　far　as　Briars。　　At
that　place　Napoleon　invited　Colonel　Campbell　to　breakfast　with　him。　　He
conversed　on　the　last　war　in　Spain；　and　spoke　in　complimentary　terms　of
the　English　nation　and　the　military　talents　of　Wellington。　　Yet　by　that
time　he　must　have　heard　of　the　battle　of　Toulouse。

On　the　night　of　the　21st　Napoleon　slept　at　Nevers；　where　he　was　received
by　the　acclamations　of　the　people；　who　here；　as　in　several　other　towns；
mingled　their　cries　in　favour　of　their　late　sovereign　with　imprecations
against　the　Commissioners　of　the　Allies。　　He　left　Nevers　at　six　on　the
morning　of　the　22d。　　Napoleon　was　now　no　longer　escorted　by　the　Guards；
who　were　succeeded　by　a　corps　of　Cossacks：　the　cries　of　〃Vive
l'Empereur！〃　accordingly　ceased；　and　he　had　the　mortification　to　hear　in
its　stead；　〃Vivent　les　Allies！〃　　However；　I　have　been　informed　that　at
Lyons；　through　which　the　Emperor　passed　on　the　23d　at　eleven　at　night；
the　cry　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　was　still　echoed　among　the　groups　who
assembled　before　the　post…office　during　the　change　of　horses。

Augereau；　who　was　still　a　Republican；　though　he　accepted　the　title　of
Duke　of　Castiglione　from　Napoleon；　had　always　been　among　the
discontented。　　On　the　downfall　of　the　Emperor　he　was　one　of　that
considerable　number　of　persons　who　turned　Royalists　not　out　of　love　for
the　Bourbons　but　out　of　hatred　to　Bonaparte。　　He　held　a　command　in　the
south　when　he　heard　of　the　forfeiture　of　Napoleon　pronounced　by　the
Senate；　and　he　was　one　of　the　first　to　send　his　recognition　to　the
Provisional　Government。　　Augereau；　who；　like　all　uneducated　men；　went　to
extremes　in　everything；　had　published　under　his　name　a　proclamation
extravagantly　violent　and　even　insulting　to　the　Emperor。　　Whether
Napoleon　was　aware　of　this　proclamation　I　cannot　pretend　to　say；　but　he
affected　ignorance　of　the　matter　if　he　was　informed　of　it；　for　on　the
24th；　having　met　Augereau　at　a　little　distance　from　Valence；　he　stopped
his　carriage　and　immediately　alighted。　　Augereau　did　the　same；　and　they
cordially　embraced　in　the　presence　of　the　Commissioners。　　It　was　remarked
that　in　saluting　Napoleon　took　off　his　hat　and　Augereau　kept　on　his。
〃Where　are　you　going？〃；　said　the　Emperor；　〃to　Court？〃〃No；　I　am　going　to
Lyons。〃〃You　have　behaved　very　badly　to　me。〃　　Augereau；　finding　that　the
Emperor　addressed　him　in　the　second　person　singular；　adopted　the　same
familiarity；　so　they　conversed　as　they　were　accustomed　to　do　when　they
were　both　generals　in　Italy。　　〃Of　what　do　you　complain？〃　said　he。
〃Has　not　your　insatiable　ambition　brought　us　to　this？　　Have　you　not
sacrificed　everything　to　that　ambition；　even　the　happiness　of　France？
I　care　no　more　for　the　Bourbons　than　for　you。　　All　I　care　for　is　the
country。〃　　Upon　this　Napoleon　turned　sharply　away　from　the　Marshal；
lifted　his　hat　to　him；　and　then　stepped　into　his　carriage。　　The
Commissioners；　and　all　the　persons　in　Napoleon's　suite；　were　indignant　at
seeing　Augereau　stand　in　the　road　still　covered；　with　his　hands　behind
his　back；　and　instead　of　bowing；　merely　making　a　contemptuous　salutation
to　Napoleon　with　his　hand。　　It　was　at　the　Tuileries　that　these　haughty
Republicans　should　have　shown　their　airs。　　To　have　done　so　on　the　road　to
Elba　was　a　mean　insult　which　recoiled　upon　themselves。

　　　　　＇The　following　letter；　taken　from　Captain　Bingham's　recently
　　　　　published　selections　from　the　Correspondence　of　the　first　Napoleon；
　　　　　indicates　in　emphatic　language　the　Emperor's　recent　dissatisfaction
　　　　　with　Marshal　Augereau　when　in　command　at　Lyons　daring　the　〃death
　　　　　straggle〃　of　1814：

　　　　　To　Marshal　Augereau。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NOGENT；　21st　February；　1814；

　　　　　。。。。What！　six　hours　after　having　received　the　first　troops　coming
　　　　　from　Spain　you　were　not　in　the　field！　　Six　hours　repose　was
　　　　　sufficient。　　I　won　the　action　of　Naugis　with　a　brigade　of　dragoons
　　　　　coming　from　Spain　which；　since　it　had　left　Bayonne；　had　not
　　　　　unbridled　its　horses。　　The　six　battalions　of　the　division　of　Nimes
　　　　　want　clothes；　equipment；　and　drilling；　say　you？　　What　poor　reasons
　　　　　yon　give　me　there；　Augereau！　　I　have　destroyed　80；000　enemies　with
　　　　　conscripts　having　nothing　but　knapsacks！　　The　National　Guards；　say
　　　　　you；　are　pitiable；　I　have　4000　here　in　round　hats；　without
　　　　　knapsacks；　in　wooden　shoes；　but　with　good　muskets；　and　I　get　a　great
　　　　　deal　out　of　them。　　There　is　no　money；　you　continue；　and　where　do　you
　　　　　hope　to　draw　money　from！　　You　want　waggons；　take　them　wherever　you
　　　　　can。　　You　have　no　magazines；　this　is　too　ridiculous。　　I　order　you
　　　　　twelve　hours　after　the　reception　of　this　letter　to　take　the　field。
　　　　　If　you　are　still　Augereau　of　Castiglione；　keep　the　command；　but　if
　　　　　your　sixty　years　weigh　upon　you　hand　over　the　command　to　your　senior
　　　　　general。　　The　country　is　in　danger；　and　can　be　saved　by　boldness　and
　　　　　alacrity　alone。。。。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　NAPOLEON

At　Valence　Napoleon；　for　the　first　time；　saw　French　soldiers　with　the
white　cockade　in　their　caps。　　They　belonged　to　Augereau's　corps。　　At
Orange　the　air　resounded　with　tines　of　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　　Here　the　gaiety；
real　or　feigned；　which　Napoleon　had　hitherto　evinced；　began　to　forsake
him。

Had　the　Emperor　arrived　at　Avignon　three　hours　later　than　he　did　there　is
no　doubt　that　he　would　have　been　massacred。＇The　Royalist