memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第17部分

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　　　　　Arrival　of　troops　at　FontainebleauThe　Emperor's　address　to　the
　　　　　GuardForfeiture　pronounced　by　the　SenateLetters　to　Marmont
　　　　　Correspondence　between　Marmont　and　SchwartzenbergMacdonald
　　　　　informed　of　the　occupation　of　ParisConversation　between　the
　　　　　Emperor　and　Macdonald　at　FontainebleauBeurnonville's　letter
　　　　　Abdication　on　condition　of　a　RegencyNapoleon's　wish　to　retract　his
　　　　　act　of　abdicationMacdonald　Ney；　and　Caulaincourt　sent　to　Paris
　　　　　Marmont　released　from　his　promise　by　Prince　Schwartzenberg。

On　the　morning　of　the　30th　of　March；　while　the　battle　before　the　walls　of
Paris　was　at　its　height；　Bonaparte　was　still　at　Troyes。　　He　quitted　that
town　at　ten　o'clock；　accompanied　only　by　Bertrand；　Caulaincourt；　two
aides　de　camp；　and　two　orderly　officers。　　He　was　not　more　than　two　hours
in　traveling　the　first　ten　leagues；　and　he　and　his　slender　escort
performed　the　journey　without　changing　horses；　and　without　even
alighting。　　They　arrived　at　Sens　at　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。
Everything　was　in　such　confusion　that　it　was　impossible　to　prepare　a
suitable　mode　of　conveyance　for　the　Emperor。　　He　was　therefore　obliged　to
content　himself　with　a　wretched　cariole；　and　in　this　equipage；　about　four
in　the　morning；　he　reached　Froidmanteau；　about　four　leagues　from　Paris。
It　was　there　that　the　Emperor　received　from　General　Belliard；　who　arrived
at　the　head　of　a　column　of　artillery；　the　first　intelligence　of　the
battle　of　Paris。　　He　heard　the　news　with　an　air　of　composure；　which　was
probably　affected　to　avoid　discouraging　those　about　him。　　He　walked　for
about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　on　the　high　road；　and　it　was　after　that
promenade　that　he　sent　Caulaincourt　to　Paris。　　Napoleon　afterwards　went
to　the　house　of　the　postmaster；　where　he　ordered　his　maps　to　be　brought
to　him；　and；　according　to　custom；　marked　the　different　positions　of　the
enemy's　troops　with　pine；　the　heads　of　which　were　touched　with　wax　of
different　colours。　　After　this　description　of　work；　which　Napoleon　did
every　day；　or　sometimes　several　times　a　day；　he　repaired　to
Fontainebleau；　where　he　arrived　at　six　in　the　morning。　　He　did　not　order
the　great　apartments　of　the　castle　to　be　opened；　but　went　up　to　his
favourite　little　apartment；　where　he　shut　himself　up；　and　remained　alone
during　the　whole　of　the　31st　of　March。

In　the　evening　the　Emperor　sent　for　the　Duke　of　Ragusa；　who　had　just
arrived　at　Essonne　with　his　troops。　　The　Duke　reached　Fontainebleau
between　three　and　four　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　1st　of　April。
Napoleon　then　received　a　detailed　account　of　the　events　of　the　30th　from
Marmont；　on　whose　gallant　conduct　before　Paris　he　bestowed　much　praise。

All　was　gloom　and　melancholy　at　Fontainebleau；　yet　the　Emperor　still
retained　his　authority；　and　I　have　been　informed　that　he　deliberated　for
some　time　as　to　whether　he　should　retire　behind　the　Loire；　or　immediately
hazard　a　bold　stroke　upon　Paris；　which　would　have　been　much　more　to　his
taste　than　to　resign　himself　to　the　chances　which　an　uncertain
temporising　might　bring　about。　　This　latter　thought　pleased　him；　and　he
was　seriously　considering　his　plan　of　attack　when　the　news　of　the　31st；
and　the　unsuccessful　issue　of　Caulaincourt's　mission；　gave　him　to
understand　that　his　situation　was　more　desperate　than　he　had　hitherto
imagined。

Meanwhile　the　heads　of　his　columns；　which　the　Emperor　had　left　at　Troves；
arrived　on　the　1st　of　April　at　Fontainebleau；　the　troops　having　marched
fifty　leagues　in　less　than　three　days；　one　of　the　most　rapid　marches　ever
performed。　　On　the　2d　of　April　Napoleon　communicated　the　events　of　Paris
to　the　Generals　who　were　about　him；　recommending　them　to　conceal　the　news
lest　it　should　dispirit　the　troops；　upon　whom　he　yet　relied。　　That　day；
during　an　inspection　of　the　troops；　which　took　place　in　the　court　of　the
Palace；　Bonaparte　assembled　the　officers　of　his　Guard；　and　harangued　them
as　follows：

　　　　　Soldiers！　the　enemy　has　stolen　three　marches　upon　us；　and　has　made
　　　　　himself　master　of　Paris。　　We　must　drive　him　thence。　　Frenchmen；
　　　　　unworthy　of　the　name；　emigrants　whom　we　have　pardoned；　have　mounted
　　　　　the　white　cockade；　and　joined　the　enemy。　　The　wretches　shall　receive
　　　　　the　reward　due　to　this　new　crime。　　Let　us　swear　to　conquer　or　die；
　　　　　and　to　enforce　respect　to　the　tri…coloured　cockade；　which　has　for
　　　　　twenty　years　accompanied　us　on　the　path　of　glory　and　honour。

He　also　endeavoured　to　induce　the　Generals　to　second　his　mad　designs　upon
Paris；　by　making　them　believe　that　he　had　made　sincere　efforts　to
conclude　peace。　　He　assured　them　that　he　had　expressed　to　the　Emperor
Alexander　his　willingness　to　purchase　it　by　sacrifices；　that　he　had
consented　to　resign　even　the　conquests　made　during　the　Revolution；　and　to
confine　himself　within　the　old　limits　of　France。　　〃Alexander；〃　added
Napoleon；　〃refused；　and；　not　content　with　that　refusal；　he　has　leagued
himself　with　a　party　of　emigrants；　whom；　perhaps；　I　was　wrong　in
pardoning　for　having　borne　arms　against　France。　　Through　their　perfidious
insinuations　Alexander　has　permitted　the　white　cockade　to　be　mounted　on
the　capital。　　We　will　maintain　ours；　and　in　a　few　days　we　will　march　upon
Paris。　　I　rely　on　you。〃

When　the　boundless　attachment　of　the　Guards　to　the　Emperor　is　considered
it　cannot　appear　surprising　that　these　last　words；　uttered　in　an
impressive　tone；　should　have　produced　a　feeling　of　enthusiasm；　almost
electrical；　in　all　to　whom　they　were　addressed。　　The　old　companions　of
the　glory　of　their　chief　exclaimed　with　one　voice；　〃Paris！　　Paris！〃　　But；
fortunately；　during　the　night；　the　Generals　having　deliberated　with　each
other　saw　the　frightful　abyss　into　which　they　were　about　to　precipitate
France。　　They　therefore　resolved　to　intimate　in　discreet　terms　to　the
Emperor　that　they　would　not　expose　Paris　to　destruction；　so　that　on　the
3d　of　April；　prudent　ideas　succeeded　the　inconsiderate　enthusiasm　of　the
preceding　day。

The　wreck　of　the　army　assembled　at　Fontainebleau；　which　was　the　remnant
of　1；000；000　of　troops　levied　during　fifteen　months；　consisted　only　of
the　corps　of　the　Duke　of　Reggio　（Oudinot）；　Ney；　Macdonald；　and　General
Gerard；　which　'altogether　did　not　amount　to　25；000　men；　and　which；　joined
to　the　remaining　7000　of　the　Guard；　did　not　leave　the　Emperor　a
disposable　force　of　more　than　32；000　men。　　Nothing　but　madness　or　despair
could　have　suggested　the　thought　of　subduing；　with　such　scanty　resources；
the　foreign　masses　which　occupied　and　surrounded　Paris。

On　the　2d　of　April　the　Senate　published　a　'Senatus…consulte'；　declaring
that　Napoleon　had　forfeited　the　throne；　and　abolishing　the　right　of
succession；　which　had　been　established　in　favour　of　his　family。
Furnished　with　this　set；　and　without　awaiting　the　concurrence　of　the
Legislative　Body；　which　was　given　next　day；　the　Provisional　Government
published　an　address　to　the　French　armies。　　In　this　address　the　troops
were　informed　that　they　were　no　longer　the　soldiers　of　Napoleon；　and　that
the　Senate　released　them　from　their　oaths。　　These　documents　were　widely
circulated　at　the　time；　and　inserted　in　all　the　public　journals。

The　address　of　the　Senate　was　sent　round　to　the　Marshals；　and　was　of
course　first　delivered　to　those　who　were　nearest　the　capital；　of　this
latter　number　was　Marmont；　whose　allegiance　to　the　Emperor；　as　we　have
already　seen；　yielded　only　to　the　sacred　interests　of　his　country。
Montessuis　was　directed　by　the　Provisional　Government　to　convey　the
address　to　Marmont；　and　to　use　such　arguments　as　were　calculated　to
strengthen　those　sentiments　which　had　triumphed　over　his　dearest　personal
affections。　　I　gave　Montessuis　a　letter　to　Marmont；　in　which　I　said：

　　　　　〃MY　DEAR　FRIENDAn　old　acquaintance　of　mine　will　convey　to　you　the
　　　　　remembrances　of　our　friendship。　　He　will；　I　trust；　influence　your
　　　　　resolution：　a　single　word　will　suffice　to　induce　you　to　sacrifice
　　　　　all　for　the　happiness　of　your　country。　　To　secure　that　object　you；
　　　　　who　are　so　good　a　Frenchman　and　so　loyal　a　knight；　will　not　fear
　　　　　either　dangers　or　obstacles。　　Your　friends　expect　you；　long　for　you；
　　　　　and　I　trust　will　soon　embrace　you。〃

Montessuis　also　took　one　from　General　Dessolles；　whom　the　Provisional
Government　had　appointed　Governor　of　the　National　Guard　in　the　room　of
Marshal　Moncey；　who　had　left　Paris　on　the　occupation　of　the　Allies。
General　Dessolles　and　I　did　not　communicate　to　each　other　our
correspondence；　but　when　I　afterwards　saw　the　letter　of　Deasolles　I　could
not　help　remarking　the　coincidence　of　our　appeal　to　Marmont's　patriotism。
Prince　Schwartzenberg　also　wrote　to　Marmont　to　induce　him　to　espouse　a
clause　which　had　now　become　the　cause　of　France。　　To　the　Prince's　letter
Marmont　replied；　that　he　was　disposed　to　concur　in　the　union　of　the　army
and　the　people；　which　would　avert　all　chance　of　civil　war；　and　stop　the
effusion　of　French　blood；　and　that　he　was　ready　with　his　troops　to　quit
the　army　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon　on　the　condition　that　his　troops　might
retire　with　the　honours　of　war；　and　that　the　safety　and　liberty　of　the
Emperor　were　guaranteed　by　the　Allies。

After　Prince　Schwartzenberg　acceded　to　these　conditions　Marmont　was
placed　in　circumstances　which　obliged　him　to　request　that　he　might　be
released　from　his　promise。

I　happened　to　learn　the　manner　in　which　Marshal　Macdonald　was　informed　of
the　taking　of　Paris。　　He　had　been　two　days　without　any　intelligence　from
the　Emperor；　when　he　received　an　order　in　the　handwriting　of　Berthier；
couched　in　the　following　terms：　〃The　Emperor　desires　that　you　halt
wherever　you　may　receive　this　order。〃　　After　Berthier's　signature　the
following　words　were　added　as　a　postscript：　〃You；　of　course；　know　that
the　enemy　is　in　possession　of　Paris。〃　　When　the　Emperor　thus　announced；
with　apparent　negligence；　an　event　which　totally　changed　the　face　of
affairs；　I　am　convinced　his　object　was　to　make　the　Marshal　believe　that
he　looked　upon；　that　event　as　less　important　than　it　really　was。
However；　this　object　was　not　attained；　for　I　recollect　having　heard
Macdonald　say　that　Berthier's　singular　postscript；　and　the　tone　of
indifference　in　which　it　was　expressed；　filled