memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第9部分

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Bonaparte　should　bring　the　foreigners　back　again。　　Can　you　endure　to
think　of　the　dismemberment　of　our　country？〃〃That　they　would　never　dare
to　attempt。　　But　you　and　I　can　never　agree　on　the　question　of　the　Emperor
and　your　Bourbons。　　We　take　a　totally　different　view　of　the　matter。　　You
had　cause　to　complain　of　Bonaparte；　but　I　had　only　reason　to　be　satisfied
with　him。　　But　tell　me；　what　would　you　do　if　he　were　to　return？〃
〃Bonaparte　return！〃〃Yes。〃〃Upon　my　word；　the　best　thing　I　could　do
would　be　to　set　off　as　speedily　as　I　could；　and　that　is　certainly　what　I
should　do。　　I　am　thoroughly　convinced　that　he　would　never　pardon　me　for
the　part　I　have　taken　in　the　Restoration；　and　I　candidly　confess　that　I
should　not　hesitate　a　moment　to　save　my　life　by　leaving　France。〃〃Well；
you　are　wrong；　for　I　am　convinced　that　if　you　would　range　yourself　among
the　number　of　his　friends　you　might　have　whatever　you　wishedtitles；
honours；　riches。　　Of　this　I　could　give　you　assurance。〃〃All　this；　I　must
tell　you；　does　not　tempt　me。　　I　love　France　as　dearly；　as　you　do；　and　I
am　convinced　that　she　can　never　be　happy　under　Bonaparte。　　If　he　should
return　I　will　go　and　live　abroad。〃

This　is　only　part　of　a　conversation　which　lasted　a　considerable　time；
and；　as　is　often　the　case　after　a　long　discussion；　my　friend　retained　his
opinion；　and　I　mine。　　However；　this　second　warning；　this　hypothesis　of
the　return　of　Bonaparte；　made　me　reflect；　and　I　soon　received　another
hint　which　gave　additional　weight　to　the　preceding　ones。　　An　individual
with　whom　I　was　well　acquainted；　and　whom　I　knew　from　his　principles　and
connections　to　be　entirely　devoted　to　the　royal　cause；　communicated　to　me
some　extraordinary　circumstances　which　he　said　alarmed　him。　　Among　other
things　he　said；　〃The　day　before　yesterday　I　met　Charles　de　Labedoyere；
who；　you　know；　is　my　intimate　friend。　　I　remarked　that　he　had　an　air　of
agitation　and　abstraction。　　I　invited　him　to　come　and　dine　with　me；　but
he　declined；　alleging　as　an　excuse　that　we　should　not　be　alone。　　He　then
asked　me　to　go　and　dine　with　him　yesterday；　as　he　wanted　to　talk　with　me。
I　accepted　his　invitation；　and　we　conversed　a　long　time　on　political
affair's　and　the　situation　of　France。　　You　know　my　sentiments　are　quite
the　reverse　of　his；　so　we　disputed　and　wrangled；　though　we　are　still　very
good　friends。　　But　what　alarms　me　is；　that　at　parting　Charles　pressed　my
hand；　saying；　'Adieu；　to…morrow　I　set　off　for　Grenoble。　　In　a　month　you
will　hear　something　of　Charles　de　Labedoyere。'〃

These　three　successive　communications　appeared　to　me　very　extraordinary。
The　two　first　were　made　to　me　by　persons　interested　in　the　event；　and　the
third　by　one　who　dreaded　it。　　They　all　presented　a　striking　coincidence
with　the　intrigues　at　Plombieres　a　few　months　before。　　In　the　month　of
January　I　determined　to　mention　the　business　to　M。　de　Blacas；　who　then
engrossed　all　credit　and　all　power；　and　through　whose　medium　alone
anything　could　reach　the　sovereign。　　I　need　scarcely　add　that　my
intention　was　merely　to　mention　to　him　the　facts　without　naming　the
individuals　from　whom　I　obtained　them。　　After　all；　however；　M。　de　Blacas
did　not　receive　me；　and　I　only　had　the　honour　of　speaking　to　his
secretary；　who；　if　the　fact　deserve　to　be　recorded；　was　an　abbe　named
Fleuriel。　　This　personage；　who　was　an　extraordinary　specimen　of
impertinence　and　self…conceit；　would　have　been　an　admirable　study　for　a
comic　poet。　　He　had　all　the　dignity　belonging　to　the　great　secretary　of　a
great　Minister；　and；　with　an　air　of　indifference；　he　told　me　that　the
Count　was　not　there；　but　M。　de　Blacas　was　there；　and　I　knew　it。

Devoted　as　I　was　to　the　cause　of　the　Bourbons；　I　thought　it　my　duty　to
write　that　very　day　to　M。　de　Blacas　to　request　an　interview；　I　received
no　answer。　　Two　days　after　I　wrote　a　second　letter；　in　which　I　informed
M。　de　Blacas　that　I　had　something　of　the　greatest　importance　to
communicate　to　him；　this　letter　remained　unnoticed　like　the　first。
Unable　to　account　for　this　strange　treatment　I　again　repaired　to　the
Pavilion　de　Flore；　and　requested　the　Abbe　Fleuriel　to　explain　to　me　if　he
could　the　cause　of　his　master's　silence。　　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　received
your　two　letters；　and　laid　them　before　the　Count；　I　cannot　tell　why　he
has　not　sent　you　an　answer；　but　Monsieur　le　Comte　is　so　much　engaged　。　　。
。　　。　　Monsieur　le　Comte　is　so　overwhelmed　with　business　that〃〃Monsieur
le　Comte　may；　perhaps；　repent　of　it。　　Good　morning；　sir！〃

I　thus　had　personal　experience　of　the　truth　of　what　I　had　often　heard
respecting　M。　de　Blacas。　　That　favourite；　who　succeeded　Comte　d'Avaray；
enjoyed　the　full　confidence　of　the　King；　and　concentrated　the　sovereign
power　in　his　own　cabinet。　　The　only　means　of　transmitting　any
communication　to　Louis　XVIII。　was　to　get　it　addressed　to　M。　de　Blacas　by
one　of　his　most　intimate　friends。

Convinced　as　I　was　of　the　danger　that　threatened　France；　and　unable　to
break　through　the　blockade　which　M。　de　Blacas　had　formed　round　the　person
of　the　King；　I　determined　to　write　to　M。　de　Talleyrand　at　Vienna；'　and
acquaint　him　with　the　communications　that　had　been　made　to　me。　　M。　de
Talleyrand　corresponded　directly　with　the　King；　and　I　doubt　not　that　my
information　at　length　reached　the　ears　of　his　Majesty。　　But　when　Louis
XVIII。　was　informed　of　what　was　to　happen　it　was　too　late　to　avert　the
danger。




CHAPTER　IV。

1814…1815。

　　　　　Escape　from　ElbaHis　landing　near　CannesMarch　on　Paris。

About　the　middle　of　summer　Napoleon　was　visited　by　his　mother　and　his
sister　the　Princess　Pauline。　　Both　these　ladies　had　very　considerable
talents　for　political　intrigue；　and　then　natural　faculties　in　this　way
had　not　lain　dormant　or　been　injured　by　want　of　practice。　　In　Pauline
this　finesse　was　partially　concealed　by　a　languor　and　indecision　of
manner　and　an　occasional　assumption　of　'niaiserie'；　or　almost　infantine
simplicity；　but　this　only　threw　people　the　more　off　their　guard；　and　made
her　finesse　the　more　sure　in　its　operation。　　Pauline　was　handsome　too；
uncommonly　graceful；　and　had　all　that　power　of　fascination　which　has　been
attributed　to　the　Bonaparte　family。　　She　could　gain　hearts　with　ease；　and
those　whom　her　charms　enslaved　were　generally　ready　to　devote　themselves
absolutely　to　her　brother。　　She　went　and　came　between　Naples　and　Elba；
and　kept　her　brother…in…law；　Murat；　in　mind　of　the　fact　that　the　lion　was
not　yet　dead　nor　so　much　as　sleeping；　but　merely　retiring　the　better　to
spring　forward　on　his　quarry。

Having　taken　this　resolution　and　chosen　his　time；　Napoleon　kept　the
secret　of　his　expedition　until　the　last　moment；　and　means　were　found　to
privately　make　the　requisite　preparations。　　A　portion　of　the　soldiers　was
embarked　in　a　brig　called　the　'Inconstant'　and　the　remainder　in　six　small
craft。　　It　was　not　till　they　were　all　on　board　that　the　troops　first
conceived　a　suspicion　of　the　Emperor's　purpose：　1000　or　1200　men　had
sailed　to　regain　possession　of　an　Empire　containing　a　population　of
30；000；000！　　He　commenced　his　voyage　on　Sunday　the　26th　of　February　1815；
and　the　next　morning　at　ten　o'clock　was　not　out　of　sight　of　the　island；
to　the　great　annoyance　of　the　few　friends　he　had　left　behind。　　At　this
time　Colonel　Sir　Neil　Campbell　was　absent　on　a　tour　to　Leghorn；　but　being
informed　by　the　French　Consul　and　by　Spanocchi；　the　Tuscan　Governor　of
the　town；　that　Napoleon　was　about　to　sail　for　the　Continent；　he　hastened
back；　and　gave　chase　to　the　little　squadron　in　the　Partridge　sloop　of
war；　which　was　cruising　in　the　neighbourhood；　but；　being　delayed　by
communicating　with　a　French　frigate；　reached　Antibes　too　late。

There　were　between　400　and　500　men　on　board　the　brig　（the　'Inconstant'）
in　which　Bonaparte　embarked。　　On　the　passage　they　met　with　a　French　ship
of　war；　with　which　they　spoke。　　The　Guards　were　ordered　to　pull　off　their
caps　and　lie　down　on　the　deck　or　go　below　while　the　captain　exchanged
some　words　with　the　commander　of　the　frigate；　whom　he　afterwards　proposed
to　pursue　and　capture。　　Bonaparte　rejected　the　idea　as　absurd；　and　asked
why　he　should　introduce　this　new　episode　into　his　plan。

As　they　stood　over　to　the　coast　of　France　the　Emperor　was　in　the　highest
spirits。　　The　die　was　cast；　and　he　seemed　to　be　quite　himself　again。　　He
sat　upon　the　deck　and　amused　the　officers　collected　round　him　with　a
narrative　of　his　campaigns；　particularly　those　of　Italy　and　Egypt。　　When
he　had　finished　he　observed　the　deck　to　be　encumbered　with　several　large
chests　belonging　to　him。　　He　asked　the　maitre　d'hotel　what　they
contained。　　Upon　being　told　they　were　filled　with　wine　he　ordered　them　to
be　immediately　broken　open；　saying；　〃We　will　divide　the　booty。〃　　The
Emperor　superintended　the　distribution　himself；　and　presented　bottle　by
bottle　to　his　comrades；　till　tired　of　this　occupation　he　called　out　to
Bertrand；　〃Grand　Marshal；　assist　me；　if　you　please。　　Let　us　help　these
gentlemen。　　They　will　help　us　some　day。〃　　It　was　with　this　species　of
bonhomie　that　he　captivated　when　he　chose　all　around　him。　　The　following
day　he　was　employed　in　various　arrangements；　and　among　others　in
dictating　to　Colonel　Raoul　the　proclamations　to　be　issued　on　his　landing
In　one　of　these；　after　observing；　〃we　must　forget　that　we　have　given　law
to　the　neighbouring　nations；〃　Napoleon　stopped。　　〃What　have　I　said？〃
Colonel　Raoul　read　the　passage。　　〃Stop！〃　said　Napoleon。　　〃Omit　the　word
'neighbouring；'　say　simply　'to　nations。'〃　It　was　thus　his　pride　revealed
itself；　and　his　ambition　seemed　to　rekindle　at　the　very　recollections　of
his　former　greatness。

Napoleon　landed　without　any　accident　on　the　1st　of　March　at　Cannes；　a
small　seaport　in　the　Gulf　of　St。　Juan；　not　far　from　Frejus；　where　he　had
disembarked　on　his　return　from　Egypt　sixteen　years　before；　and　where　he
had　embarked　the　preceding　year　for　Elba。　　A　small　party　of　the　Guards
who　presented　themselves　before　the　neighbouring　garrison　of　Antibes　were
made　prisoners　by　General　Corsin；　the　Governor　of　the　place。　　Some　one
hinted　that　it　was　not　right　to　proceed　till　they　had　released　their
comrades；　but　the　Emperor　observed　that　this　was　poorly　to　estimate　the
magnitude　of　the　undertaking；　before　them　were　3