memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v11-第18部分

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Barriere　de　Trove。　　Of　Mallet's；　conspiracy　it　is　not　necessary　to　say
much　after　the　excellent　account　given　of　it　in　the　Memoirs　of　the　Due　de
Rovigo。　　Mallet's　plan　was　to　make　it　be　believed　that　Bonaparte　had　been
killed　at　Moscow；　and　that　a　new　Government　was　established　under　the
authority　of　the　Senate。　　But　what　could　Mallet　do？　　Absolutely　nothing：
and　had　his　Government　continued　three　days　he　would　have　experienced　a
more　favourable　chance　than　that　which　he　ought　reasonably　to　have
expected　than　asserted　that　the　Emperor　was　dead；　but　an　estafette　from
Russia　would　reveal　the　truth；　resuscitate　Napoleon；　and　overwhelm　with
confusion　Mallet　and　his　proclamation。　　His　enterprise　was　that　of　a
madman。　　The　French　were　too　weary　of　troubles　to　throw　themselves　into
the　arms　of；　Mallet　or　his　associate　Lahorie；　who　had　figured　so
disgracefully　on　the　trial　of　Moreau。；　Yet；　in　spite　of　the　evident
impossibility　of　success；　it　must　be　confessed　that　considerable
ingenuity　and　address　marked　the　commencement　of　the　conspiracy。　　On　the
22d　of　October　Mallet　escaped　from　the　hospital　house　and　went　to　Colonel
Soulier；　who　commanded　the　tenth　cohort　of　the　National　Guard；　whose
barracks　were　situated　exactly　behind　the　hospital　house。　　Mallet　was
loaded　with　a　parcel　of　forged　orders　which　he　had　himself　prepared。　　He
introduced　himself　to　Soulier　under　the　name　of　General　La　Motte；　and
said　that　he　came　from　General　Mallet。

Colonel　Soulier　on　hearing　of　the　Emperor's　death　was　affected　to　tears。
He　immediately　ordered　the　adjutant　to　assemble　the　cohort　and　obey　the
orders　of　General　La　Motte；　to　whom　he　expressed　his　regret　for　being
himself　too　ill　to　leave　his　bed。　　It　was　then　two　o'clock　in　the
morning；　and　the　forged　documents　respecting　the　Emperor's　death　slid　the
new　form　of　Government　were　read　to　the　troops　by　lamplight。　　Mallet　then
hastily　set　off　with　1200　men　to　La　Force；　and　liberated　the　Sieurs　Gudal
and　Laholze；　who　were　confined　there。　　Mallet　informed　them　of　the
Emperor's　death　and　of　the　change　of　Government；　gave　them　some　orders；
in　obedience　to　which　the　Minister　and　Prefect　of　Police　were　arrested　in
their　hotel。

I　was　then　at　Courbevoie；　and　I　went　to　Paris　on　that　very　morning　to
breakfast；　as　I　frequently　did；　with　the　Minister　of　Police。　　My　surprise
may　be　imagined　when

　　　　　＇General　Mallet　gave　out　that　the　Emperor　was　killed　under　the
　　　　　walls　of　Moscow　on　the　8th　of　October；　be　could　not　take　any　other
　　　　　day　without　incurring　the　risk　of　being　contradicted　by　the　arrival
　　　　　of　the　regular　courier。　　The　Emperor　being　dead；　he　concluded　that
　　　　　the　Senate　ought　to　be　invested　with　the　supreme　authority；　and　he
　　　　　therefore　resolved　to　address　himself　in　the　name　of　that　body　to
　　　　　the　nation　and　the　army。　　In　a　proclamation　to　the　soldiers　he
　　　　　deplored　the　death　of　the　Emperor；　in　another；　after　announcing　the
　　　　　abolition　of　the　Imperial　system　and　the　Restoration　of　the
　　　　　Republic；　he　indicated　the　manner　in　which　the　Government　was　to　be
　　　　　reconstructed；　described　the　branches　into　which　public　authority
　　　　　was　to　be　divided；　and　named　the　Directors。　　Attached　to　the
　　　　　different　documents　there　appeared　the　signatures　of　several
　　　　　Senators　whose　names　he　recollected　but　with　whom　he　had　ceased　to
　　　　　have　any　intercourse　for　a　great　number　of　years。　　。　　These
　　　　　signatures　were　all　written　by　Mallet；　and　he　drew　up　a　decree　in
　　　　　the　name　of　the　Senate；　and　signed　by　the　same　Senators；　appointing
　　　　　himself　Governor　of　Paris；　and　commander　of　the　troops　of　the　first
　　　　　military　division。　　He　also　drew　up　other　decrees　in　the　same　form
　　　　　which　purported　to　promote　to　higher　ranks　all　the　military　officers
　　　　　he　intended　to　make　instruments　in　the　execution　of　his　enterprise。

　　　　　He　ordered　one　regiment　to　close　all　the　barriers　of　Paris；　and
　　　　　allow　no　person　to　pass　through　them。　　This　was　done：　so　that　in　all
　　　　　the　neighbouring　towns　from　which　assistance；　in　case　of　need；　might
　　　　　have　been　obtained；　nothing　was　known　of　the　transactions　in　Paris。
　　　　　He　sent　the　other　regiments　to　occupy　the　Bank；　the　Treasury；　and
　　　　　different　Ministerial　offices。　　At　the　Treasury　some　resistance　was
　　　　　made。　　The　minister　of　　that　Department　was　on　the　spot；　and　he
　　　　　employed　the　guard　of　his　household　in　maintaining　his　authority。
　　　　　But　in　the　whole　of　the　two　regiments　of　the　Qnard　not　a　single；
　　　　　objection　was　started　to　the　execution　of　Mallet's　orders　（Memoirs
　　　　　of　the　Duc　de　Rivogo；　tome　vi。　p。　20。）＇

I　learned　from　the　porter　that　the　Due　de　Rovigo　had　been　arrested　and
carried　to　the　prison　of　La　Force。　　I　went　into　the　house　and　was
informed；　to　my　great　astonishment；　that　the　ephemeral　Minister　was　being
measured　for　his　official　suit；　an　act　which　so　completely　denoted　the
character　of　the　conspirator　that　it　gave　me　an　insight　into　the
business。

Mallet　repaired　to　General　Hulin；　who　had　the　command　of　Paris。　　He
informed　him　that　he　had　been　directed　by　the　Minister　of　Police　to
arrest　him　and　seal　his　papers。　　Hulin　asked　to　see　the　order；　and　then
entered　his　cabinet；　where　Mallet　followed　him；　and　just　as　Hulin　was
turning　round　to　speak　to　him　he　fired　a　pistol　in　his　face。　　Hulin　fell：
the　ball　entered　his　cheek；　but　the　wound　was　not　mortal。　　The　most
singular　circumstance　connected　with　the　whole　affair　is；　that　the
captain　whom　Mallet　had　directed　to　follow　him；　and　who　accompanied　him
to　Hulin's；　saw　nothing　extraordinary　in　all　this；　and　did　nothing　to
stop　it。　　Mallet　next　proceeded；　very　composedly；　to　Adjutant…General
Doucet's。　　It　happened　that　one　of　the　inspectors　of　the　police　was
there。　　He　recognised　General　Mallet　as　being　a　man　under　his
supervision。　　He　told　him　that　he　had　no　right　to　quit　the　hospital　house
without　leave；　and　ordered　him　to　be　arrested。　　Mallet；　seeing　that　all
was　over；　was　in　the　act　of　drawing　a　pistol　from　his　pocket；　but　being
observed　was　seized　and　disarmed。　　Thus　terminated　this　extraordinary
conspiracy；　for　which　fourteen　lives　paid　the　forfeit；　but；　with　the
exception　of　Mallet；　Guidal；　and　Lahorie；　all　the　others　concerned　in　it
were　either　machines　or　dupes。

This　affair　produced　but　little　effect　in　Paris；　for　the　enterprise　and
its　result　were　make　known　simultaneously。　　But　it　was　thought　droll
enough　that　the　Minister　and　Prefect　of　Police　should　be　imprisoned　by
the　men　who　only　the　day　before　were　their　prisoners。　　Next　day　I　went　to
see　Savary；　who　had　not　yet　recovered　from　the　stupefaction　caused　by　his
extraordinary　adventure。　　He　was　aware　that　his　imprisonment；　though　it
lasted　only　half　an　hour；　was　a　subject　of　merriment　to　the　Parisians。
The　Emperor；　as　I　have　already　mentioned；　left　Moscow　on　the　day　when
Mallet　made　his　bold　attempt；　that　is　to　say；　the　19th　of　October。
He　was　at　Smolensko　when　he　heard　the　news。　　Rapp；　who　had　been　wounded
before　the　entrance　into　Moscow；　but　who　was　sufficiently　recovered　to
return　home；　was　with　Napoleon　when　the　latter　received　the　despatches
containing　an　account　of　what　had　happened　in　Paris。　　He　informed　me　that
Napoleon　was　much　agitated　on　perusing　them；　and　that　he　launched　into
abuse　of　the　inefficiency　of　the　police。　　Rapp　added　that　he　did　not
confine　himself　to　complaints　against　the　agents　of　his　authority。　　〃Is；
then；　my　power　so　insecure；〃　said　he；　〃that　it　may　be　put　in　peril　by　a
single　individual；　and　a　prisoner？　　It　would　appear　that　my　crown　is　not
fixed　very　firmly　on　my　head　if　in　my　own　capital　the　bold　stroke　of
three　adventurers　can　shake　it。　　Rapp；　misfortune　never　comes　alone；　this
is　the　complement　of　what　is　passing　here。　　I　cannot　be　everywhere；　but　I
must　go　back　to　Paris；　my　presence　there　is　indispensable　to　reanimate
public　opinion。　　I　must　have　men　and　money。　　Great　successes　and　great
victories　will　repair　all。　　I　must　set　off。〃　Such　were　the　motives　which
induced　the　Emperor　to　leave　his　army。　　It　is　not　without　indignation
that　I　have　heard　his　precipitate　departure　attributed　to　personal
cowardice。　　He　was　a　stranger　to　such　feelings；　and　was　never　more　happy
than　on　the　field　of　battle。　　I　can　readily　conceive　that　he　was　much
alarmed　on　hearing　of　Mallet's　enterprise。　　The　remarks　which　he　made　to
Rapp　were　those　which　he　knew　would　be　made　by　the　public；　and　he　well
knew　that　the　affair　was　calculated　to　banish　those　illusions　of　power
and　stability　with　which　he　endeavoured　to　surround　his　government。

On　leaving　Moscow　Napoleon　consigned　the　wrecks　of　his　army　to　the　care
of　his　most　distinguished　generals　to　Murat　who　had　so　ably　commanded　the
cavalry；　but　who　abandoned　the　army　to　return　to　Naples；　and　to　Ney；　the
hero；　rather　than　the　Prince　of　the　Moskowa；　whose　name　will　be　immortal
in　the　annals　of　glory；　as　his　death　will　be　eternal　in　the　annals　of
party　revenge。　　Amidst　the　general　disorder　Eugene；　more　than　any　other
chief；　maintained　a　sort　of　discipline　among　the　Italians；　and　it　was
remarked　that　the　troops　of　the　south　engaged　in　the　fatal　campaign　of
Moscow　had　endured　the　rigour　of　the　cold　better　than　those　troops　who
were　natives　of　less　genial　climates。

Napoleon's　return　from　Moscow　was　not　like　his　returns　from　the　campaigns
of　Vienna　and　Tilsit　when　he　came　back　crowned　with　laurels；　and　bringing
peace　as　the　reward　of　his　triumphs。　　It　was　remarked　that　Napoleon's
first　great　disaster　followed　the　first　enterprise　he　undertook　after　his
marriage　with　Maria　Louisa。　　This　tended　to　confirm　the　popular　belief
that　the　presence　of　Josephine　was　favourable　to　his　fortune；　and
superstitious　as　he　sometimes　was；　I　will　not　venture　to　affirm　that　he
himself　did　not　adopt　this　ides。　　He　now　threw　off　even　the　semblance　of
legality　in　the　measures　of　his　government：　he　assumed　arbitrary　power；
under　the　impression　that　the　critical　circumstances　in　which　he　was
placed　would　excuse　everything。　　But；　however　inexplicable　were　the　means
to　which　the　Emperor　resorted　to　procure　resources；　it　is　but　just　to
acknowledge　that　they　were　the　consequence　of　his　system　of　government；
and　that　he　evinced　inconceivable　activity