memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v11-第8部分

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could　not　fail　to　give　uneasiness　to　Russia。　　Alexander　manifested　his
dissatisfaction　by　prohibiting　the　importation　of　our　agricultural
produce　and　manufactures　into　Russia。　　Finally；　as　the　Continental　system
had　destroyed　all　trade　by　the　ports　of　the　Baltic；　Russia　showed　herself
more　favourable　to　the　English；　and　gradually　reciprocal　complaints　of
bad　faith　led　to　that　war　whose　unfortunate　issue　was　styled　by　M。
Talleyrand　〃the　beginning　of　the　end。〃

I　have　now　to　make　the　reader　acquainted　with　an　extraordinary　demand
made　upon　me　by　the　Emperor　through　the　medium　of　M。　de　Champagny。　　In
one　of　my　first　interviews　with　that　Minister　after　my　return　to　Paris　he
thus　addressed　me：　〃The　Emperor　has　entrusted　me　with　a　commission　to　you
which　I　am　obliged　to　execute：　'When　you　see　Bourrienne；'　said　the
Emperor；　'tell　him　I　wish　him　to　pay　6；000；000　into　your　chest　to　defray
the　expense　of　building　the　new　Office　for　Foreign　Affairs。'〃　　I　was　so
astonished　at　this　unfeeling　and　inconsiderate　demand　that　I　was　utterly
unable　to　make　airy　reply。　　This　then　was　my　recompense　for　having
obtained　money　and　supplies　during　my　residence　at　Hamburg　to　the　extent
of　nearly　100；000；000；　by　which　his　treasury　and　army　had　profited　in
moments　of　difficulty！　　M。　de　Champagny　added　that　the　Emperor　did　not
wish　to　receive　me。　　He　asked　what　answer　he　should　bear　to　his　Majesty。
I　still　remained　silent；　and　the　Minister　again　urged　me　to　give　an
answer。　　〃Well；　then；〃　said　I；　〃tell　him　he　may　go　to　the　devil。〃　　The
Minister　naturally　wished　to　obtain　some　variation　from　this　laconic
answer；　but　I　would　give　no　other；　and　I　afterwards　learned　from　Duroc
that　M。　de　Champagny　was　compelled　to　communicate　it　to　Napoleon。
〃Well；〃　asked　the　latter；　〃have　you　seen　Bourrienne？〃〃Yes；　Sire。〃〃Did
you　tell　him　I　wished　him　to　pay　6；000；000　into　your　chest？〃〃　Yes；
Sire。〃〃And　what　did　he　say？〃〃　Sire；　I　dare　not　inform　your
Majesty。〃〃What　did　he　say？　　I　insist　upon　knowing。〃〃Since　you　insist
on　my　telling　you；　Sire；　M。　de　Bourrienne　said　your　Majesty　might　go　to…
the　devil。〃〃Ah！　ah！　did　he　really　say　so？〃　　The　Emperor　then　retired
to　the　recess　of　a　window；　where　he　remained　alone　for　seven　or　eight
minutes；　biting　his　nails；　in　the　fashion　of　Berthier；　and　doubtless
giving　free　scope　to　his　projects　of　vengeance。　　He　then　turned　to　the
Minister　and　spoke　to　him　of　quite　another　subject：　Bonaparte　had　so
nursed　himself　in　the　idea　of　making　me　pay　the　6；000；000　that　every　time
he　passed　the　Office　for　Foreign　Affairs　he　said　to　those　who　accompanied
hint；　〃Bourrienne　must　pay　for　that　after　all。〃

　　　　　＇This　demand　of　money　from　Bourrienne　is　explained　in　Erreurs
　　　　　（tome　ii；　p。　　228）　by　the　son　of　Davoust。　　Bourrienne　had　been
　　　　　suspected　by　Napoleon　of　making　large　sums　at　Hamburg　by　allowing
　　　　　breaches　of　the　Continental　system。　　In　one　letter　to　Davoust
　　　　　Napoleon　speaks　of　an　〃　immense　fortune；〃　and　in　another；　that
　　　　　Bourrienne　is　reported　to　have　gained　seven　or　eight　millions　at
　　　　　Hamburg　in　giving　licences　or　making　arbitrary　seizures。＇

Though　I　was　not　admitted　to　the　honour　of　sharing　the　splendour　of　the
Imperial　Court；　yet　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　finding　that；　in　spite　of
my　disgrace；　those　of　my　old　friends　who　were　worth　anything　evinced　the
same　regard　for　me　as　heretofore。　　I　often　saw　Duroc；　who　snatched　some
moments　from　his　more　serious　occupations　to　come　and　chat　with　me
respecting　all　that　had　occurred　since　my　secession　from　Bonaparte's
cabinet。　　I　shall　not　attempt　to　give　a　verbatim　account　of　my
conversations　with　Duroc；　as　I　have　only　my　memory　to　guide　me；　but　I
believe　I　shall　not　depart　from　the　truth　in　describing　them　as　follows：

On　his　return　from　the　last　Austrian　campaign　Napoleon；　as　I　have　already
stated；　proceeded　to　Fontainebleau；　where　he　was　joined　by　Josephine。
Then；　for　the　first　time；　the　communication　which　had　always　existed
between　the　apartments　of　the　husband　and　wife　was　closed。　　Josephine　was
fully　alive　to　the　fatal　prognostics　which　were　to　be　deduced　from　this
conjugal　separation。　　Duroc　informed　me　that　she　sent　for　him；　and　on
entering　her　chamber；　he　found　her　bathed　in　tears。　　〃I　am　lost！〃　she
exclaimed　in　a　tone　of　voice　the　remembrance　of　which　seemed　sensibly　to
affect　Duroc　even　while　relating　the　circumstance　to　me：　〃I　am　utterly
lost！　all　is　over　now！　　You；　Duroc；　I　know；　have　always　been　my　friend；
and　so　has　Rapp。　　It　is　not　you　who　have　persuaded　him　to　part　from　me。
This　is　the　work　of　my　enemies　Savary　and　Junot！　　But　they　are　more　his
enemies　than　mine。　　And　my　poor　Eugene　I　how　will　he　be　distressed　when
he　learns　I　am　repudiated　by　an　ungrateful　man！　　Yes　Duroc；　I　may　truly
call　him　ungrateful；　My　God！　　my　God！　　what　will　become　of　us？〃　　。　　。　　。
Josephine　sobbed　bitterly　while　she　thus　addressed　Duroc。

Before　I　was　acquainted　with　the　singular　demand　which　M。　de　Champagny
was　instructed　to　make　to　me　I　requested　Duroc　to　inquire　of　the　Emperor
his　reason　for　not　wishing　to　see　me。　　The　Grand　Marshal　faithfully
executed　my　commission；　but　he　received　only　the　following　answer：
〃Do　you　think　I　have　nothing　better　to　do　than　to　give　Bourrienne　an
audience？　　that　would　indeed　furnish　gossip　for　Paris　and　Hamburg。　　He
has　always　sided　with　the　emigrants；　he　would　be　talking　to　me　of　past
times；　he　was　for　Josephine！　　My　wife；　Duroc；　is　near　her　confinement；
I　shall　have　a　son；　I　am　sure！。。。。　　Bourrienne　is　not　a　man　of　the　day；
I　have　made　giant　strides　since　he　left　France；　in　short；　I　do　not　want
to　see　him。　　He　is　a　grumbler　by　nature；　and　you　know；　my　dear　Duroc；　I
do　not　like　men　of　that　sort。〃

I　had　not　been　above　a　week　in　Paris　when　Duroc　related　this　speech　to
me。　　Rapp　was　not　in　France　at　the　time；　to　my　great　regret。　　Much
against　his　inclination　he　had　been　appointed　to　some　duties　connected
with　the　Imperial　marriage　ceremonies；　but　shortly　after；　having　given
offence　to　Napoleon　by　some　observation　relating　to　the　Faubourg　St。
Germain；　he　had　received　orders　to　repair　to　Dantzic；　of　which　place　he
had　already　been　Governor。

The　Emperor's　refusal　to　see　me　made　my　situation　in　Paris　extremely
delicate；　and　I　was　at　first　in　doubt　whether　I　might　seek　an　interview
with　Josephine。　　Duroc；　however；　having　assured　me　that　Napoleon　would
have　no　objection　to　it；　I　wrote　requesting　permission　to　wait　upon　her。
I　received　an　answer　the　same　day；　and　on　the　morrow　I　repaired　to
Malmaison。　　I　was　ushered　into　the　tent　drawing…room；　where　I　found
Josephine　and　Hortense。　　When　I　entered　Josephine　stretched　out　her　hand
to　me；　saying；　〃Ah！　　my　friend！〃　　These　words　she　pronounced　with　deep
emotion；　and　tears　prevented　her　from　continuing。　　She　threw　herself　on
the　ottoman　on　the　left　of　the　fireplace；　and　beckoned　me　to　sit　down
beside　her。　　Hortense　stood　by　the　fireplace；　endeavouring　to　conceal　her
tears。　　Josephine　took　my　hand；　which　she　pressed　in　both　her　own；　and；
after　a　struggle　to　overcome　her　feelings；　she　said；　〃　My　dear
Bourrienne；　I　have　drained　my　cup　of　misery。　　He　has　cast　me　off！
forsaken　me！　　He　conferred　upon　me　the　vain　title　of　Empress　only　to
render　my　fall　the　more　marked。　　Ah！　we　judged　him　rightly！　　I　knew　the
destiny　that　awaited　me；　for　what　would　he　not　sacrifice　to　his
ambition！〃　　As　she　finished　these　words　one　of　Queen　Hortense's　ladies
entered　with　a　message　to　her；　Hortense　stayed　a　few　moments；　apparently
to　recover　from　the　emotion　under　which　she　was　labouring；　and　then
withdrew；　so　that　I　was　left　alone　with　Josephine。　　She　seemed　to　wish
for　the　relief　of　disclosing　her　sorrows；　which　I　was　curious　to　hear
from　her　own　lips；　women　have　such　a　striking　way　of　telling　their
distresses。　　Josephine　confirmed　what　Duroc　had　told　me　respecting　the
two　apartments　at　Fontainebleau；　then；　coming　to　the　period　when
Bonaparte　had　declared　to　her　the　necessity　of　a　separation；　she　said；　鞍
My　dear　Bourrienne；　during　all　the　years　you　were　with　us　you　know　I　made
you　the　confidant　of　my　thoughts；　and　kept　you　acquainted　with　my　sad
forebodings。　　They　are　now　cruelly　fulfilled。　　I　acted　the　part　of　a　good
wife　to　the　very　last。　　I　have　suffered　all；　and　I　am　resigned！　　。　　。　　。
What　fortitude　did　it　require　latterly　to　endure　my　situation；　when；
though　no　longer　his　wife；　I　was　obliged　to　seem　so　in　the　eyes　of　the
world！　　With　what　eyes　do　courtiers　look　upon　a　repudiated　wife！　　I　was
in　a　state　of　vague　uncertainty　worse　than　death　until　the　fatal　day　when
he　at　length　avowed　to　me　what　I　had　long　before　read　in　his　looks！　　On
the　30th　of　November　1809　we　were　dining　together　as　usual；　I　had　not
uttered　a　word　during　that　sad　dinner；　and　he　had　broken　silence　only　to
ask　one　of　the　servants　what　o'clock　it　was。　　As　soon　as　Bonaparte　had
taken　his　coffee　he　dismissed　all　the　attendants；　and　I　remained　alone
with　him。　　I　saw　in　the　expression　of　his　countenance　what　was　passing　in
his　mind；　and　I　knew　that　my　hour　was　come。　　He　stepped　up　to　mehe　was
trembling；　and　I　shuddered；　he　took　my　hand；　pressed　it　to　his　heart；　and
after　gazing　at　me　for　a　few　moments　in　silence　he　uttered　these　fatal
words：　'Josephine！　　my　dear　Josephine！　　You　know　how　I　have　loved　you！　　。
。　　。　　To　you；　to　you　alone；　I　owe　the　only　moments　of　happiness　I　have
tasted　in　this　world。　　But；　Josephine；　my　destiny　is　not　to　be　controlled
by　my　will。　　My　dearest　affections　must　yield　to　the　interests　of
France。''Say　no　more；'　I　exclaimed；　'I　understand　you；　I　expected　this；
but　the　blow　is　not　the　less　mortal。'　　I　could　not　say　another　word；〃
continued　Josephine；　〃I　know　not　what　happened　after　I　seemed　to　lose　my
reason；　I　became　insensible；　and　when　I　recovered　I　found　myself　in　my
chamber。　　Your　friend　Corvisart　and　my　poor　daughter　were　with　me。
Bonaparte　came　to　see　me　in　the　evening；　and　oh！　Bourrienne；　how　can　I
describe　to　you　what　I　felt　at　the　sight　of　him；　even　the　interest　he
evinced　for　me　seemed　an　additional　cruelty。　　Alas！　　I　had　good　reason　to
fear　ever　becoming　an　Empress！〃

I　knew　not　what　consolation　to　offer：　to　Josephine；　and　knowing　as　I　did
the　natural　lightness　of　her　character；　I　should　have　been　surprise