memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第8部分

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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　reascend　the　throne　of　their　ancestors；　enlightened　by　experience
and　misfortune；　which；　as　some　ancient　philosopher　observes；　are　the　best
counsellors　of　kings。

I　had　received　a　letter　addressed　to　me　from　London　by　the　Duc　de　Duras；
pointing　out　the　route　which　Louis　XVIII。　was　to　pursue　from　Calais　to
Paris：　In　this　he　said；　〃After　the　zeal；　monsieur；　you　have　shown　for　the
service　of　the　King；　I　do　not　doubt　your　activity　to　prevent　his
suffering　in　any　way　at　a　moment　so　happy　and　interesting　for　every
Frenchman。〃　　The　King's　wishes　on　this　subject　were　scrupulously
fulfilled；　and　I　recollect　with　pleasure　the　zeal　with　which　my
directions　were　executed　by　all　the　persons　in　the　service　of　the
Postoffice。　　His　Majesty　stopped　for　a　short　time　at　Amiens；　and　then
proceeded　to　Compiegne；　where　the　Ministers　and　Marshals　had　previously
arrived　to　present　to　him　their　homage　and　the　assurance　of　their
fidelity。　　Berthier　addressed　the　King　in　the　name　of　the　Marshals；　and
said；　among　other　things；　〃that　France；　groaning　for　five　and　twenty
years　under　the　weight　of　the　misfortunes　that　oppressed　her；　had
anxiously　looked　forward　to　the　happy　day　which　she　now　saw　dawning。〃
Berthier　might　justly　have　said　for　〃ten　years〃；　but　at　all　events；　even
had　he　spoken　the　truth；　it　was　ill　placed　in　the　mouth　of　a　man　whom　the
Emperor　had　constantly　loaded　with　favours：　The　Emperor　Alexander　also
went　to　Compiegne　to　meet　Louis　XVIII。；　and　the　two　monarchs　dined
together。

I　did　not　go　to　Compiegne　because　the　business　which　I　had　constantly　to
execute　did　not　permit　me　to　leave　Paris　for　so　long　an　interval　as　that
journey　would　have　required；　but　I　was　at　St。　Ouen　when　Louis　XVIII。
arrived　on　the　2d　of　May。　　There　I　had　to　congratulate　myself　on　being
remembered　by　a　man　to　whom　I　was　fortunate　enough　to　render　some　service
at　Hamburg。　　As　the　King　entered　the　salon　through　which　he　had　to　pass
to　go　to　the　dining…room　M。　Hue　recognising　me　said　to　his　Majesty；
〃There　is　M。　de　Bourrienne。〃　　The　King　then　stepping　up　to　me　said；　〃Ah！
M。　de　Bourrienne；　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you。　　I　am　aware　of　the　services
you　have　rendered　me　in　Hamburg　and　Paris；　and　I　shall　feel　much　pleasure
in　testifying　my　gratitude。〃

At　St。　Ouen　Louis　XVIII。　　promulgated　the　declaration　which　preceded　the
Charter；　and　which　repeated　the　sentiments　expressed　by　the　King　twenty
years　before；　in　the　Declaration　of　Colmar。　　It　was　also　at　St；　Ouen　that
project　of　a　Constitution　was　presented　to　him　by　the　Senate　in　which
that　body；　to　justify　'in　extremis'　its　title　of　conservative；　stipulated
for　the　preservation　of　its　revenues　and　endowments。

On　the　3d　of　May　Louis　XVIII。　made　his　solemn　entrance　into　Paris；　the
Duchess　d'Angouleme　being　in　the　carriage　with　the　King。　　His　Majesty
proceeded　first　to　Notre　Dame。　　On　arriving　at　the　Pont　Neuf　he　saw　the
model　of　the　statue　of　Henri　IV。　replaced；　on　the　pedestal　of　which
appeared　the　following　words：　'Ludovico　reduce；　Henricus　redivivus'；
which　were　suggested　by　M。　de　Lally…Tollendal；　and　were　greatly
preferable　to　the　long　and　prolix　inscription　composed　for　the　bronze
statue。

The　King's　entrance　into　Paris　did　not　excite　so　much　enthusiasm　as　the
entrance　of　Monsieur。　　In　the　places　through　which　I　passed　on　the　3d　of
May　astonishment　seemed　to　be　the　prevailing　feeling　among　the　people。
The　abatement　of　public　enthusiasm　was　more　perceptible　a　short　time
after；　when　Louis　XVIII。　restored　〃the　red　corps〃　which　Louis　XVI。　had
suppressed　long　before　the　Revolution。

It　was　not　a　little　extraordinary　to　see　the　direction　of　the　Government
consigned　to　a　man　who　neither　had　nor　could　have　any　knowledge　of
France。　　From　the　commencement　M。　de　Blacas　affected　ministerial
omnipotence。　　When　I　went　on　the　11th　of　May　to　the　Tuileries　to　present；
as　usual；　my　portfolio　to　the　King；　in　virtue　of　my　privilege　of
transacting　business　with　the　sovereign；　M。　de　Blacas　wished　to　take　the
portfolio　from　me；　which　appeared　to　me　the　more　surprising　as；　during
the　seven　days　I　had　the　honour　of　coming　in　contact　with　Louis　XVIII。；
his　Majesty　had　been　pleased　to　bestow　many　compliments　upon　me。　　I　at
first　refused　to　give　up　the　portfolio；　but　M。　de　Blacas　told　me　the　King
had　ordered　him　to　receive　it；　I　then；　of　course；　yielded　the　point。

However；　it；　was　not　long　before　I　had　experience　of　a　courtier's
revenge；　for　two　days　after　this　circumstance；　that　is　to　say；　on　the
13th　of　May；　on　entering　my　cabinet　at　the　usual　hour；　I　mechanically
took　up　the　'Moniteur'；　which　I　found　lying　on　my　desk。　　On　glancing
hastily　over　it　what　was　my　astonishment　to　find　that　the　Comte　Ferrand
had　been　appointed　Director　of　the　Post…office　in　my　stead。　　Such　was　the
strange　mode　in　which　M。　de　Blacas　made　me　feel　the　promised　gratitude　of
the　sovereign。　　Certainly；　after　my　proofs　of　loyalty；　which　a　year
afterwards　procured　for　me　the　honour　of　being　outlawed　in　quite　a
special　way；　I　had　reason　to　complain；　and　I　might　have　said　'Sic　vos　non
vobis'　as　justly　as　Virgil　when　he　alluded　to　the　unmerited　favours
lavished　by　Augustus　on　the　Maevii　and　Bavii　of　his　time。

The　measures　of　Government　soon　excited　complaints　in　every　quarter。
The　usages　of　the　old　system　were　gradually　restored；　and　ridicule　being
mingled　with　more　serious　considerations；　Paris　was　speedily　inundated
with　caricatures　and　pamphlets。　　However；　tranquillity　prevailed　until
the　month　of　September；　when　M。　de　Talleyrand　departed　for　the　Congress
of　Vienna。　　Then　all　was　disorder　at　the　Tuileries。　　Every　one　feeling
himself　free　from　restraint；　wished　to　play　the　statesman；　and　Heaven
knows　how　many　follies　were　committed　in　the　absence　of　the　schoolmaster。

Under　a　feeble　Government　there　is　but　one　step　from　discontent　to
insurrection；　under　an　imbecile　Government　like　that　of　France　in　1814；
after　the　departure　of　M。　de　Talleyrand；　conspiracy　has　free　Scope。
During　the　summer　of　1814　were　initiated　the　events　which　reached　their
climax　on　the　20th　of　March　1815。　　I　almost　fancy　I　am　dreaming　when　I
look　back　on　the　miraculous　incapacity　of　the　persons　who　were　then　at
the　head　of　our　Government。　　The　emigrants；　who；　as　it　has　been　truly
said；　had　neither　learned　nor　forgotten　anything；　came　back　with　all　the
absurd　pretensions　of　Coblentz。　　Their　silly　vanity　reminded　one　of　a
character　in　one　of　Voltaire's　novels　who　is　continually　saying；　〃Un
homme　comme　moi！〃　　These　people　were　so　engrossed　with　their　pretended
merit　that　they　were　blind　to　everything　else。　　They　not　only　disregarded
the　wishes　and　the　wants　of　France；　which　in　overthrowing　the　Empire
hoped　to　regain　liberty；　but　they　disregarded　every　warning　they　had
received。

I　recollect　one　circumstance　which　was　well　calculated　to　excite
suspicion。　　Prince　Eugene　proposed　going　to　the　waters　of　Plombieres　to
join　his　sister　Hortense。　　The　horses；　the　carriages；　and　one　of　the
Prince's　aides　de　camp　had　already　arrived　at　Plombieres；　and　his
residence　was　prepared；　but　he　did　not　go。　　Eugene　had；　no　doubt；
received　intimation　of　his　sister's　intrigues　with　some　of　the
individuals　of　the　late　Court　of　Napoleon　who　were　then　at　the　waters；
and　as　he　had　determined　to　reside　quietly　at　the　Court　of　his　father…in…
law；　without　meddling　with　public　affairs；　he　remained　at　Munich。　　This
fact；　however；　passed　off　unnoticed。

At　the　end　of　1814　unequivocal　indications　of　a　great　catastrophe　were
observable。　　About　that　time　a　man；　whom　I　much　esteem；　and　with　whom　I
have　always　been　on　terms　of　friendship；　said　to　me；　〃You　see　how　things
are　going　on：　they　are　committing　fault　upon　fault。　　You　must　be
convinced　that　such　a　state　of　things　cannot　last　long。　　Between
ourselves；　I　am　of　opinion　that　all　will　be　over　in　the　month　of　March；
that　month　will　repair　the　disgrace　of　last　March。　　We　shall　then；　once
for　all；　be　delivered　from　fanaticism　and　the　emigrants。　　You　see　the
intolerable　spirit　of　hypocrisy　that　prevails；　and　you　know　that　the
influence　of　the　priests　is；　of　all　things；　the　most　hateful　to　the
nation。　　We　have　gone　back　a　long　way　within　the　last　eight　months。　　I
fear　you　will　repent　of　having　taken　too　active　a　part　in　affairs　at　the
commencement　of　the　present　year。　　You　see　we　have　gone　a　very　different
way　from　what　you　expected。　　However；　as　I　have　often　told　you　before；
you　had　good　reason　to　complain；　and　after　all；　you　acted　to　the　best　of
your　judgment。〃

I　did　not　attach　much　importance　to　this　prediction　of　a　change　in　the
month　of　March。　　I　deplored；　as　every　one　did；　the　inconceivable　errors
of　〃Ferrand　and　Company；〃　and　I　hoped　that　the　Government　would　gradually
return　to　those　principles　which　were　calculated　to　conciliate　the
feelings　of　the　people。　　A　few　days　after　another　of　my　friends　called　on
me。　　He　had　exercised　important　functions；　and　his　name　had　appeared　on　a
proscription　list。　　He　had　claims　upon　the　Government；　which　was　by　no
means　favourably　disposed　towards　him。　　I　asked　him　how　things　were　going
on；　and　he　replied；　〃Very　well；　no　opposition　is　made　to　my　demands。　　I
have　no　reason　bo　complain。〃　　This　reminded　me　of　the　man　in　the　'Lettres
Persanes'；　who　admired　the　excellent　order　of　the　finances　under　Colbert
because　his　pension　was　promptly　paid。　　I　congratulated　my　friend　on　the
justice　which　the　Government　rendered　him；　as　well　as　on　the　justice
which　he　rendered　to　the　Government；　and　I　remarked　that　if　the　same
course　were　adopted　towards　every　one　all　parties　would　speedily　be
conciliated。　　〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　said　my　friend。　　〃If　the　Government
persist　in　its　present　course　it　cannot　possibly　stand；　and　we　shall　have
the　Emperor　back　again。〃〃That；〃　said　I；　〃would　be　a　very　great
misfortune；　and　even　if　such　were　the　wish　of　France；　it　would　be　opposed
by　Europe。　　You　who　are　so　devotedly　attached　to　France　cannot　be
indifferent　to　the　danger　that　would　threaten　her　if　the　presence　of
Bonaparte　should　bring　the　foreigners　back　again。　　Can　you　endure　to
think　of　the