memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第7部分

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Empire；　and　after　some　hesitation　he　fixed　on　〃Argent；　on　a　bend　gules；
or　three　bees；〃　as　the　armorial　ensign　of　his　new　dominion。　　It　is
strange　that　neither　he　nor　any　of　those　whom　he　consulted　should　have
been　aware　that　Elba　had　an　ancient　and　peculiar　ensign；　and　it　is　still
more　remarkable　that　this　ensign　should　be　one　singularly　adapted　to
Bonaparte's　situation；　being　no　more　than　〃a　wheel；the　emblem；〃　says
M。　Bernaud；　〃of　the　vicissitudes　of　human　life；　which　the　Elbese　had
borrowed　from　the　Egyptian　mysteries。〃　　This　is　as　curious　a　coincidence
as　any　we　ever　recollect　to　have　met；　as　the　medals　of　Elba　with　the
emblem　of　the　wheel　are　well　known；　we　cannot　but　suppose　that　Bonaparte
was　aware　of　the　circumstance；　yet　he　is　represented　as　having　in　vain
made　several　anxious　inquiries　after　the　ancient　arms　of　the　island。

During　the　first　months　of　his　residence　there　his　life　was；　in　general；
one　of　characteristic　activity　and　almost　garrulous　frankness。　　He　gave
dinners；　went　to　balls；　rode　all　day　about　his　island；　planned
fortifications；　aqueducts；　lazarettos；　harbours；　and　palaces；　and　the
very　second　day　after　he　landed　fitted　out　an　expedition　of　a　dozen
soldiers　to　take　possession　of　a　little　uninhabited　island　called
Pianosa；　which　lies　a　few　leagues　from　Elba；　on　this　occasion　he　said
good…humouredly；　〃Toute　l'Europe　dira　que　j'ai　deja　fait　une　conqute〃
（All　Europe　will　say　I　have　already　made　a　conquest）。　　The　cause　of　the
island　of　Pianosa　being　left　uninhabited　was　the　marauding　of　the
Corsairs　from　the　coast　of　Barbary；　against　whom　Bonaparte　considered
himself　fully　protected　by　the　4th　Article　of　the　Treaty　of
Fontainebleau。

The　greatest　wealth　of　Elba　consists　in　its　iron　mines；　for　which　the
island　was　celebrated　in　the　days　of　Virgil。　　Soon　after　his　arrival
Napoleon　visited　the　mines　in　company　with　Colonel　Campbell；　and　being
informed　that　they　produced　annually　about　500；000　francs　he　exclaimed
joyfully；　〃These；　then；　are　my　own　！〃　　One　of　his　followers；　however；
reminded　him　that　he　had　long　since　disposed　of　that　revenue；　having
given　it　to　his　order　of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　to　furnish　pensions；　etc。
〃Where　was　my　head　when　I　made　that　grant？〃　　said　he；　〃but　I　have　made
many　foolish　decrees　of　that　sort！〃

Sir　Walter　Scott；　in　telling　a　curious　fact；　makes　a　very　curious
mistake。　　〃To　dignify　his　capital；〃　he　says；　〃having　discovered　that　the
ancient　name　of　Porto…Ferrajo　was　Comopoli　（the　city　of　Como）；　he
commanded　it　to　be　called　Cosmopoli；　or　the　city　of　all　nations。〃　　Now
the　old　name　of　Porto…Ferrajo　was　in　reality　not　Comopoli；　but　Cosmopoli；
and　it　obtained　that　name　from　the　Florentine　Cosmo　de'　Medici；　to　whose
ducal　house　Elba　belonged；　as　an　integral　part　of　Tuscany。　　The　name
equally　signified　the　city　of　Cosmo；　or　the　city　of　all　nations；　and　the
vanity　of　the　Medici　had　probably　been　flattered　by　the　double　meaning　of
the　appellation。　　But　Bonaparte　certainly　revived　the　old　name；　and　did
not　add　a　letter　to　it　to　dignify　his　little　capital。

The　household　of　Napoleon；　though　reduced　to　thirty…five　persons；　still
represented　an　Imperial　Court。　　The　forms　and　etiquette　of　the　Tuileries
and　St；　Cloud　were　retained　on　a　diminished　scale；　but　the　furniture　and
internal　accommodations　of　the　palace　are　represented　as　having　been
meaner　by　far　than　those　of　an　English　gentleman　of　ordinary　rank。　　The
Bodyguard　of　his　Imperial　Majesty　the　Emperor　of　Elba　consisted　of　about
700　infantry　and　80　cavalry；　and　to　this　handful　of　troops　Napoleon
seemed　to　pay　almost　as　much　attention　as　he　had　formerly　given　to　his
Grande　Armee。　　The　men　were　constantly　exercised；　particularly　in
throwing　shot　and　shells；　and　he　soon　began　to　look　out　for　good　recruits。

He　early　announced　that　he　would　hold　a　Court　and　receive　ladies　twice　a
week；　the　first　was　on　the　7th　of　May；　and　a　great　concourse　assembled。
Bonaparte　at　first　paid　great　attention　to　the　women；　particularly　those
who　possessed　personal　attractions；　and　asked　them；　in　his　rapid　way；
whether　they　were　married？　　how　many　children　they　had；　and　who　their
husbands　were？　　To　the　last　question　he　received　one　universal　answer；　it
happened　that　every　lady　was　married　to　a　merchant；　but　when　it　came　to
be　further　explained　that　they　were　merchant　butchers　and　merchant
bakers；　his　Imperial　Majesty　permitted　some　expression　of　his
dissatisfaction　to　escape　him　and　hastily　retired。　　On　the　4th　of　June
there　was　a　ball　on　board　the　British　frigate；　in　honour　of　the　King's
birthday；　the　whole　beauty　and　fashion　of　Elba　were　assembled；　and
dancing　with　great　glee；　when；　about　midnight；　Bonaparte　came　in　his
barge；　unexpectedly；　and　masked；　to　join　the　festivity。　　He　was　very
affable；　and　visited　every　part　of　the　ship；　and　all　the　amusements　which
had　been　prepared　for　the　different　classes　of　persons。　　On　his　birthday；
the　15th　of　August；　he　ordered　the　mayor　to　give　a　ball；　and　for　this
purpose　a　temporary　building；　capable　of　holding　300　persons；　was　to　be
erected；　and　the　whole　entertainment；　building　and　all；　were　to　be　at　the
expense　of　the　inhabitants　themselves。　　These　were　bad　auspices；　and
accordingly　the　ball　completely　failed。　　Madame　Mtire；　Madame　Bertrand；
and　the　two　ladies　of　honour；　attended；　but　not　above　thirty　of　the　fair
islanders；　and　as　the　author　of　the　IEineraire　remarks；　〃Le　bal　ful
triste　quoique　Bonaparte　n'y　parut　pas。〃

Having　in　an　excursion　reached　the　summit　of　one　of　the　highest　hills　on
the　island；　where　the　sea　was　visible　all　round　him；　he　shook　his　head
with　affected　solemnity；　and　exclaimed　in　a　bantering　tone；　〃Eh！　il　faut
avouer　que　mon　ile　est　bien　petite。〃

On　this　mountain　one　of　the　party　saw　a　little　church　in　an　almost
inaccessible　situation；　and　observed　that　it　was　a　most　inconvenient　site
for　a　church；　for　surely　no　congregation　could　attend　it。　　〃It　is　on　that
account　the　more　convenient　to　the　parson；〃　replied　Bonaparte；　〃who　may
preach　what　stuff　he　pleases　without　fear　of　contradiction。〃

As　they　descended　the　hill　and　met　some　peasants　with　their　goats　who
asked　for　charity；　Bonaparte　told　a　story　which　the　present　circumstances
brought　to　his　recollection；　that　when　he　was　crossing　the　Great　St。
Bernard；　previously　to　the　battle　of　Marengo；　he　had　met　a　goatherd；　and
entered　into　conversation　with　him。　　The　goatherd；　not　knowing　to　whom　he
was　speaking；　lamented　his　own　hard　lot；　and　envied　the　riches　of　some
persons　who　actually　had　cows　and　cornfields。　　Bonaparte　inquired　if　some
fairy　were　to　offer　to　gratify　all　his　wishes　what　he　would　ask？　　The
poor　peasant　expressed；　in　his　own　opinion；　some　very　extravagant
desires；　such　as　a　dozen　of　cows　and　a　good　farmhouse。　　Bonaparte
afterwards　recollected　the　incident；　and　astonished　the　goatherd　by　the
fulfilment　bf　all　his　wishes。

But　all　his　thoughts　and　conversations　were　not　as　light　and　pleasant　as
these。　　Sometimes　he　would　involve　himself　in　an　account　of　the　last
campaign；　of　his　own　views　and　hopes；　of　the　defection　of　his　marshals；
of　the　capture　of　Paris；　and　finally　of　his　abdication；　on　these　he　would
talk　by　the　hour　with　great　earnestness　and　almost　fury；　exhibiting　in
very　rapid　succession　traits　of　eloquence；　of　military　genius；　of
indignation；　of　vanity；　and　of　selfishness。　　With　regard　to　the　audience
to　whom　he　addressed　these　tirades　he　was　not　very　particular。

The　chief　violence　of　his　rage　seemed　to　be　directed　against　Marshal
Marmont　whom；　as　well　as　Augereau；　he　sometimes　called　by　names　too　gross
for　repetition；　and　charged　roundly　with　treachery。　　Marmont；　when　he
could　no　longer　defend　Paris　by　arms；　saved　it　by　an　honourable
capitulation；　he　preserved　his　army　for　the　service　of　his　country　and
when　everything　else　was　lost　stipulated　for　the　safety　of　Bonaparte。
This　last　stipulation；　however；　Bonaparte　affected　to　treat　with　contempt
and　indignation。Editor　of　1836　edition。＇




CHAPTER　III。

1814。

　　　　　Changes　produced　by　timeCorrespondence　between　the　Provisional
　　　　　Government　and　HartwellLouis　XVIII's　reception　in　London
　　　　　His　arrival　at　CalaisBerthier's　address　to　the　King　at　Compiegne
　　　　　My　presentation　to　his　Majesty　at　St。　Ouen…LouisXVIII's　entry　into
　　　　　ParisUnexpected　dismissal　from　my　postM。　de　Talleyrand's
　　　　　departure　for　the　Congress　of　ViennaSigns　of　a　commotion
　　　　　Impossibility　of　seeing　M。　de　BlacasThe　Abby　FleurielUnanswered
　　　　　lettersMy　letter　to　M。　de　Talleyrand　at　Vienna。

No　power　is　so　great　as　that　resulting　from　the　changes　produced　by　time。
Wise　policy　consists　in　directing　that　power；　but　to　do　so　it　is
requisite　to　know　the　wants　of　the　age。　　For　this　reason　Louis　XVIII。
appeared；　in　the　eyes　of　all　sensible　persons；　a　monarch　expressly　formed
for　the　circumstances　in　which　we　stood　after　the　fall　of　Napoleon。

In　the　winter　of　1813…14　some　Royalist　proclamations　had　been　circulated
in　Paris；　and　as　they　contained　the　germs　of　those　hopes　which　the
Charter；　had　it　been　executed；　was　calculated　to　realise；　the　police
opposed　their　circulation；　and　I　recollect　that；　in　order　to　multiply　the
number　of　copies；　my　family　and　I　daily　devoted　some　hours　to
transcribing　them。　　After　the　definitive　declaration　of　Alexander　a　very
active　correspondence　ensued　between　the　Provisional　Government　and
Hartwell；　and　Louis　XVIII。　was　even　preparing　to　embark　for　Bordeaux　when
he　learned　the　events　of　the　31st　of　March。　　That　news　induced　the　King
to　alter　his　determination；　and　he　soon　quitted　his　retirement　to　proceed
to　London。　　　Louis　XVIII。　and　the　Prince　Regent　of　England　exchanged　the
orders　of　the　Holy　Ghost　and　the　Garter；　and　I　believe　I　may　affirm　that
this　was　the　first　occasion　on　which　any　but　a　Catholic　Prince　was
invested　with　the　order　of　the　Holy　Ghost。

Louis　XVIII。　embarked　at　Dover　on　board　the　Royal　Sovereign；　and　landed
at　Calais　on　the　24th　of　April。　　I　need　not　enter　into　any　description　of
the　enthusiasm　which　his　presence　excited；　that　is　generally　known
through　the　reports　of　the　journals　of　the　time。　　It　is　very　certain　that
all　rational　persons　saw　with　satisfaction　the　Princes　of　the　House　of
Bourbon　reascen