memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第10部分

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contrary；　I　am　much　to　be　pitied。　　I　hear　of　nothing　but　the　disasters　of
the　Grand　Army。　　I　have　been　obliged　to　enter　into　a　treaty　with　the
Austrians；　and　an　arrangement　with　the　English；　commanded　by　Lord
Bentinck；　in　order　to　save　my　Kingdom　from　a　threatened　landing　of　the
English　and　the　Sicilians；　which　would　infallibly　have　excited　an
insurrection。〃

There　could　not　be　a　more　ingenuous　confession　of　the　antipathy　which
Joachim　knew　the　Neapolitans　to　entertain　towards　his　person　and
government。　　His　address　to　the　French　was　ineffectual。　　It　was　easy　to
foresee　what　would　ensue。　　The　Viceroy　soon　received　an　official
communication　from　Napoleon's　War　Minister；　accompanied　by　an　Imperial
decree；　recalling　all　the　French　who　were　in　the　service　of　Joachim；　and
declaring　that　all　who　were　taken　with　arms　in　their　hands　should　be
tried　by　a　courtmartial　as　traitors　to　their　country。　　Murat　commenced　by
gaining　advantages　which　could　not　be　disputed。　　His　troops　almost
immediately　took　possession　of　Leghorn　and　the　citadel　of　Ancona；　and　the
French　were　obliged　to　evacuate　Tuscany。

The　defection　of　Murat　overthrew　one　of　Bonaparte's　gigantic　conceptions。
He　had　planned　that　Murat　and　Eugene　with　their　combined　forces　should
march　on　the　rear　of　the　Allies；　while　he；　disputing　the　soil　of　France
with　the　invaders；　should　multiply　obstacles　to　their　advance；　the　King
of　Naples　and　the　Viceroy　of　Italy　were　to　march　upon　Vienna　and　make
Austria　tremble　in　the　heart　of　her　capital　before　the　timid　million　of
her　Allies；　who　measured　their　steps　as　they　approached　Paris；　should
desecrate　by　their　presence　the　capital　of　France。　　When　informed　of　the
vast　project；　which；　however；　was　but　the　dream　of　a　moment；　I
immediately　recognised　that　eagle　glance；　that　power　of　discovering　great
resources　in　great　calamities；　so　peculiar　to　Bonaparte。

Napoleon　was　yet　Emperor　of　France；　but　he　who　had　imposed　on　all　Europe
treaties　of　peace　no　less　disastrous　than　the　wars　which　had　preceded
them；　could　not　now　obtain　an　armistice；　and　Caulaincourt；　who　was　sent
to　treat　for　one　at　the　camp　of　the　Allies；　spent　twenty　days　at
Luneville　before　he　could　even　obtain　permission　to　pass　the　advanced
posts　of　the　invading　army。　　In　vain　did　Caulaincourt　entreat　Napoleon　to
sacrifice；　or　at　least　resign　temporarily；　a　portion　of　that　glory
acquired　in　so　many　battles；　and　which　nothing　could　efface　in　history。
Napoleon　replied；　〃I　will　sign　whatever　you　wish。　　To　obtain　peace　I　will
exact　no　condition；　but　I　will　not　dictate　my　own　humiliation。〃　　This
concession；　of　course；　amounted　to　a　determination　not　to　sign　or　to
grant　anything。

In　the　first　fortnight　of　January　1814　one…third　of　France　was　invaded；
and　it　was　proposed　to　form　a　new　Congress；　to　be　held　at　Chatillon…sur…
Seine。　　The　situation　of　Napoleon　grew　daily　worse　and　worse。　　He　was
advised　to　seek　extraordinary　resources　in　the　interior　of　the　Empire；
and　was　reminded　of　the　fourteen　armies　which　rose；　as　if　by　enchantment；
to　defend　France　at　the　commencement　of　the　Revolution。　　Finally；　a
reconciliation　with　the　Jacobins；　a　party　who　had　power　to　call　up　masses
to　aid　him；　was　recommended。　　For　a　moment　he　was　inclined　to　adopt　this
advice。　　He　rode　on　horseback　through　the　surburbs　of　St。　Antoine　and　St。
Marceau；　courted　the　populace；　affectionately　replied　to　their
acclamations；　and　he　thought　he　saw　the　possibility　of　turning　to　account
the　attachment　which　the　people　evinced　for　him。　　On　his　return　to　the
Palace　some　prudent　persons　ventured　to　represent　to　him　that；　instead　of
courting　this　absurd　sort　of　popularity　it　would　be　more　advisable　to
rely　on　the　nobility　and　the　higher　classes　of　society。　　〃Gentlemen；〃
replied　he；　〃you　may　say　what　you　please；　but　in　the　situation　in　which　I
stand　my　only　nobility　is　the　rabble　of　the　faubourgs；　and　I　know　of　no
rabble　but　the　nobility　whom　I　have　created。〃　　This　was　a　strange
compliment　to　all　ranks；　for　it　was　only　saying　that　they　were　all　rabble
together。

At　this　time　the　Jacobins　were　disposed　to　exert　every　effort　to　serve
him；　but　they　required　to　have　their　own　way；　and　to　be　allowed　freely　to
excite　and　foster　revolutionary　sentiments。　　The　press；　which　groaned
under　the　most　odious　and　intolerable　censorship；　was　to　be　wholly
resigned　to　them。　　I　do　not　state　these　facts　from　hearsay。　　I　happened
by　chance　to　be　present　at　two　conferences　in　which　were　set　forward
projects　infected　with　the　odour　of　the　clubs；　and　these　projects　were
supported　with　the　more　assurance　because　their　success　was　regarded　as
certain。　　Though　I　had　not　seen　Napoleon　since　my　departure　for　Hamburg；
yet　I　was　sufficiently　assured　of　his　feeling　towards　the　Jacobins　to　be
convinced　that　he　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　them。　　I　was　not　wrong。
On　hearing　of　the　price　they　set　on　their　services　he　said；　〃　This　is…too
much；　I　shall　have　a　chance　of　deliverance　in　battle；　but　I　shall　have
none　with　these　furious　blockheads。　　There　can　be　nothing　in　common
between　the　demagogic　principles　of　'93　and　the　monarchy；　between　clubs
of　madmen　and　a　regular　Ministry；　between　a　Committee　of　Public　Safety
and　an　Emperor；　between　revolutionary　tribunals　and　established　laws。
If　fall　I　must；　I　will　not　bequeath　France　to　the　Revolution　from　which　I
have　delivered　her。〃

These　were　golden　words；　and　Napoleon　thought　of　a　more　noble　and　truly
national　mode　of　parrying　the　danger　which　threatened　him。　　He　ordered
the　enrolment　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris；　which　was　placed　under　the
command　of　Marshal　Moncey。　　A　better　choice　could　not　have　been　made；　but
the　staff　of　the　National　Guard　was　a　focus　of　hidden　intrigues；　in　which
the　defence　of　Paris　was　less　thought　about　than　the　means　of　taking
advantage　of　Napoleon's　overthrow。　　I　was　made　a　captain　in　this　Guard；
and；　like　the　rest　of　the　officers；　I　was　summoned　to　the　Tuileries；　on
the　23d　of　January；　when　the　Emperor　took　leave　of　the　National　Guard
previously　to　his　departure　from　Paris　to　join　the　army。

Napoleon　entered　with　the　Empress。　　He　advanced　with　a　dignified　step；
leading　by　the　hand　his　son；　who　was　not　yet　three　years　old。　　It　was
long　since　I　had　seen　him。　　He　had　grown　very　corpulent；　and　I　remarked
on　his　pale　countenance　an　expression　of　melancholy　and　irritability。

The　habitual　movement　of　the　muscles　of　his　neck　was　more　decided　and
more　frequent　than　formerly。　　I　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　what　were
my　feelings　during　this　ceremony；　when　I　again　saw；　after　a　long
separation；　the　friend　of　my　youth；　who　had　become　master　of　Europe；
and　was　now　on　the　point　of　sinking　beneath　the　efforts　of　his　enemies。
There　was　something　melancholy　in　this　solemn　and　impressive　ceremony。
I　have　rarely　witnessed　such　profound　silence　in　so　numerous　an　assembly。
At　length　Napoleon；　in　a　voice　as　firm　and　sonorous　as　when　he　used　to
harangue　his　troops　in　Italy　or　in　Egypt；　but　without　that　air　of
confidence　which　then　beamed　on　his　countenance；　delivered　to　the
assembled　officers　an　address　which　was　published　in　all　the　journals　of
the　time。　　At　the　commencement　of　this　address　he　said；　〃I　set　out　this
night　to　take　the　command　of　the　army。　　On　quitting　the　capital　I
confidently　leave　behind　me　my　wife　and　my　son；　in　whom　so　many　hopes　are
centred。〃　　I　listened　attentively　to　Napoleon's　address；　and；　though　he
delivered　it　firmly；　he　either　felt　or　feigned　emotion。　　Whether　or　not
the　emotion　was　sincere　on　his　part；　it　was　shared　by　many　present；　and
for　my　own　part　I　confess　that　my　feelings　were　deeply　moved　when　he
uttered　the　words；　〃I　leave　you　my　wife　and　my　son。〃　　At　that　moment　my
eyes　were　fixed　on　the　young　Prince；　and　the　interest　with　which　he
inspired　me　was　equally　unconnected　with　the　splendour　which　surrounded
and　the　misfortunes　which　threatened　him。　　I　beheld　in　the　interesting
child　not　the　King　of　Rome　but　the　son　of　my　old　friend。　　All　day　long
afterwards　I　could　not　help　feeling　depressed　while　comparing　the
farewell　scene　of　the　morning　with　the　day　on　which　we　took　possession　of
the　Tuileries。　　How　many　centuries　seemed　the　fourteen　years　which
separated　the　two　events。

It　may　be　worth　while　to　remind　those　who　are　curious　in　comparing　dates
that　Napoleon；　the　successor　of　Louis　XVI。；　and　who　had　become　the　nephew
of　that　monarch　by　his　marriage　with　the　niece　of　Marie　Antoinette；　took
leave　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris　on　the　anniversary　of　the　fatal　21st
of　January；　after　twenty…five　years　of　successive　terror；　fear；　hope；
glory；　and　misfortune。

Meanwhile；　a　Congress　was　opened　at　Chatillon…sur…Seine；　at　which　were
assembled　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　on　the　part　of　France；　Lords　Aderdeen　and
Cathcart　and　Sir　Charles　Stewart　as　the　representatives　of　England；　Count
Razumowsky　on　the　part　of　Russia；　Count　Stadion　for　Austria；　and　Count
Humboldt　for　Prussia。　　Before　the　opening　of　the　Congress；　the　Duke　of
Vicenza；　in　conformity　with　the　Emperor's　orders；　demanded　an　armistice；
which　is　almost　invariably　granted　during　negotiations　for　peace；　but　it
was　now　too　late：　the　Allies　had　long　since　determined　not　to　listen　to
any　such　demand。　　They　therefore　answered　the　Duke　of　Vicenza's
application　by　requiring　that　the　propositions　for　peace　should　be
immediately　signed。　　But　these　were　not　the　propositions　of　Frankfort。
The　Allies　established　as　their　bases　the　limits　of　the　old　French
monarchy。　　They　conceived　themselves　authorised　in　so　doing　by　their
success　and　by　their　situation。

To　estimate　rightly　Napoleon's　conduct　during　the　negotiations　for　peace
which　took　place　in　the　conferences　at　Chatillon　it　is　necessary　to　bear
in　mind　the　organisation　he　had　received　from　nature　and　the　ideas　with
which　that　organisation　had　imbued　him　at　an　early　period　of　life。　　If
the　last　negotiations　of　his　expiring　reign　be　examined　with　due
attention　and　impartiality　it　will　appear　evident　that　the　causes　of　his
fall　arose　out　of　his　character。　　I　cannot　range　myself　among　those
adulators　who　have　accused　the　persons　about　him　with　having　dissuaded
him　from　peace。　　Did　he　not　say　at　St。　　Helena；　in　speaking　of　the
negotiations　at　Chatillon；　〃