memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第19部分

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affectionate　way。

The　Emperor's　three　Commissionersthat　is　to　say；　Marshals　Macdonald　and
Ney　and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　had　informed　Marmont　that　they　would　dine
with　him　as　they　passed　through　Essonne；　and　would　acquaint　him　with　all
that　had　happened　at　Fontainebleau。　　On　their　arrival　at　Essonne　the
three　Imperial　Commissioners　explained　to　the　Due　of　Ragusa　the　object　of
their　mission；　and　persuaded　him　to　accompany　them　to　the　Emperor
Alexander。　　This　obliged　the　Marshal　to　inform　them　how　he　was　situated。
The　negotiations　which　Marmont　had　opened　and　almost　concluded　with
Prince　Schwartzenberg　were　rendered　void　by　the　mission　which　he　had
joined；　and　which　it　was　necessary　he　should　himself　explain　to　the
Commander　of　the　Austrian　army。　　The　three　Marshals　and　the　Duke　of
Vicenza　repaired　to　Petit　Bourg；　the　headquarters　of　Prince
Schwartzenberg；　and　there　the　Prince　released　Marmont　from　the　promise　he
had　given。




CHAPTER　XXXVI。

1814。

　　　　　Unexpected　receipts　in　the　Post…office　DepartmentArrival　of
　　　　　Napoleon's　Commissioners　at　M。　de　Talleyrand'sConference　of　the
　　　　　Marshals　with　AlexanderAlarming　news　from　EssonneMarmont's
　　　　　courageThe　white　cockade　and　the　tri…coloured　cockade
　　　　　A　successful　stratagemThree　Governments　in　FranceThe　Duc　de
　　　　　Cadore　sent　by　Maria　Louisa　to　the　Emperor　of　AustriaMaria
　　　　　Louisa's　proclamation　to　the　French　peopleInterview　between　the
　　　　　Emperor　of　Austria　and　the　Duc　de　CadoreThe　Emperor's　protestation
　　　　　of　friendship　for　NapoleonM。　Metternich　and　M。　StadionMaria
　　　　　Louisa's　departure　for　OrleansBlucher's　visit　to　meAudience　of
　　　　　the　King　of　PrussiaHis　Majesty's　reception　of　Berthier；　Clarke；
　　　　　and　myselfBernadotte　in　ParisCross　of　the　Polar　Star　presented
　　　　　to　me　by　Bernadotte。

After　my　nomination　as　Director…General　of　the　Post　office　the　business
of　that　department　proceeded　as　regularly　as　before。　　Having　learned　that
a　great　many　intercepted　letters　had　been　thrown　aside　I　sent；　on　the　4th
of　April；　an　advertisement　to　the　'Moniteur'；　stating　that　the　letters　to
and　from　England　or　other　foreign　countries　which　had　been　lying　at　the
Post…office　for　more　than　three　years　would　be　forwarded　to　their
respective　addresses。　　This　produced　to　the　Post…office　a　receipt　of
nearly　300；000　francs；　a　fact　which　may　afford　an　idea　of　the　enormous
number　of　intercepted　letters。

On　the　night　after　the　publication　of　the　advertisement　I　was　awakened　by
an　express　from　the　Provisional　Government；　by　which　I　was　requested　to
proceed　with　all　possible　haste　to　M。　de　Talleyrand's　hotel。　　I　rose；　and
I　set　off　immediately；　and　I　got　there　some　minutes　before　the　arrival　of
the　Emperor's　Commissioners。　　I　went　up　to　the　salon　on　the　first　floor；
which　was　one　of　the　suite　of　apartments　occupied　by　the　Emperor
Alexander。　　The　Marshals　retired　to　confer　with　the　monarch；　and　it　would
be　difficult　to　describe　the　anxietyor；　I　may　rather　say；
consternationwhich；　during　their　absence；　prevailed　among　some　of　the
members　of　the　Provisional　Government　and　other　persons　assembled　in　the
salon　where　I　was。

While　the　Marshals　were　with　Alexander；　I　learned　that　they　had
previously　conversed　with　M。　de　Talleyrand；　who　observed　to　them；　〃If　you
succeed　in　your　designs　you　will　compromise　all　who　have　met　in　this
hotel　since　the　1st　of　April；　and　the　number　is　not　small。　　For　my　part；
take　no　account　of　me；　I　am　willing　to　be　compromised。〃　　I　had　passed　the
evening　of　this　day　with　M。　de　Talleyrand；　who　then　observed　to　the
Emperor　Alexander　in　my　presence；　〃Will　you　support　Bonaparte？　　No；　you
neither　can　nor　will。　　I　have　already　had　the　honour　to　tell　your　Majesty
that　we　can　have　no　choice　but　between　Bonaparte　and　Louis　XVIII。；
anything　else　would　be　an　intrigue；　and　no　intrigue　can　have　power　to
support　him　who　may　be　its　object。　　Bernadotte；　Eugene；　the　Regency；　all
those　propositions　result　from　intrigues。　　In　present　circumstances
nothing　but　a　new　principle　is　sufficiently　strong　to　establish　the　new
order　of　things　which　must　be　adopted。　　Louis　XVIII。　is　a　principle。〃

None　of　the　members　of　the　Provisional　Government　were　present　at　this
conference；　for　no　one　was　willing　to　appear　to　influence　in　any　way　the
determination　of　the　chief　of　the　coalition　upon　the　subject　of　this
important　mission。　　General　Dessolles　alone；　in　quality　of　commander　of
the　National　Guard　of　Paris；　was　requested　to　be　present。　　At　length　the
Marshals　entered　the　salon　where　we　were；　and　their　appearance　created　a
sensation　which　it　is　impossible　to　describe；　but　the　expression　of
dissatisfaction　which　we　thought　we　remarked　in　their　countenances
restored　the　hopes　of　those　who　for　some　hours　had　been　a　prey　to
apprehensions。　　Macdonald；　with　his　head　elevated；　and　evidently　under
the　influence　of　strong　irritation；　approached　Beurnonville；　and　thus
addressed　him；　in　answer　to　a　question　which　the　latter　had　put　to　him。
〃Speak　not　to　me；　sir；　I　have　nothing　to　say　to　you。　　You　have　made　me
forget　a　friendship　of　thirty　years！〃　Then　turning　to　Dupont；　〃As　for
you；　sir；〃　he　continued　in　the　same　tone；　〃your　conduct　towards　the
Emperor　is　not　generous。　　I　confess　that　he　has　treated　you　with
severity；　perhaps　he　may　even　have　been　unjust　to　you　with　respect　to　the
affair　of　Baylen；　but　how　long　has　it　been　the　practice　to　avenge　a
personal　wrong　at　the　expense　of　one's　country？〃

These　remarks　were　made　with　such　warmth；　and　in　so　elevated　a　tone　of
voice；　that　Caulaincourt　thought　it　necessary　to　interfere；　and　said；
〃Do　not　forget；　gentlemen；　that　this　is　the　residence　of　the　Emperor　of
Russia。〃　　At　this　moment　M。　de　Talleyrand　returned　from　the　interview
with　the　Emperor　which　he　had　had　after　the　departure　of　the　Marshals；
and　approaching　the　group　formed　round　Macdonald；　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；
〃if　you　wish　to　dispute　and　discuss；　step　down　to　my　apartments。〃
〃That　would　be　useless；〃　replied　Macdonald；　〃my　comrades　and　I　do　not
acknowledge　the　Provisional　Government。〃　　The　three　Marshals；　Ney；
Macdonald；　and　Marmont；　then　immediately　retired　with　Caulaincourt；　and
went　to　Ney's　hotel；　there　to　await　the　answer　which　the　Emperor
Alexander　had　promised　to　give　them　after　consulting　the　King　of　Prussia。

Such　was　this　night…scene；　which　possessed　more　dramatic　effect　than　many
which　are　performed　on　the　stage。　　In　it　all　was　real：　on　its　denouement
depended　the　political　state　of　France；　and　the　existence　of　all　those
who　had　already　declared　themselves　in　favour　of　the　Bourbons。　　It　is　a
remarkable　fact；　and　one　which　affords　a　striking　lesson　to　men　who　are
tempted　to　sacrifice　themselves　for　any　political　cause；　that　most　of
those　who　then　demanded　the　restoration　of　the　Bourbons　at　the　peril　of
their　lives　have　successively　fallen　into　disgrace。

When　the　Marshals　and　Caulaincourt　had　retired　we　were　all　anxious　to
know　what　had　passed　between　them　and　the　Emperor　of　Russia。　　I　learned
from　Dessolles；　who；　as　I　have　stated；　was　present　at　the　conference　in
his　rank　of　commander　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris；　that　the　Marshals
were　unanimous　in　urging　Alexander　to　accede　to　a　Regency。　　Macdonald
especially　supported　that　proposition　with　much　warmth；　and　among　the
observations　he　made　I　recollect　Dessolles　mentioned　the　following：
〃I　am　not　authorised　to　treat　in　any　way　for　the　fate　reserved　for　the
Emperor。　　We　have　full　powers　to　treat　for　the　Regency；　the　army；　and
France；　but　the　Emperor　has　positively　forbidden　us　to　specify　anything
personally　regarding　himself。〃　　Alexander　merely　replied；　〃That　does　not
astonish　me。〃　　The　Marshals　then；　resuming　the　conversation；　dwelt　much
on　the　respect　which　was　due　to　the　military　glory　of　France。　　They
strongly　manifested　their　disinclination　to　abandon　the　family　of　a　man
who　had　so　often　led　them　to　victory；　and　lastly；　they　reminded　the
Emperor　Alexander　of　his　own　declaration；　in　which　he　proclaimed；　in　his
own　name　as　well　as　on　the　part　of　his　Allies；　that　it　was　not　their
intention　to　impose　on　France　any　government　whatever。

Dessolles；　who　had　all　along　declared　himself　in　favour　of　the　Bourbons；
in　his　turn　entered　into　the　discussion　with　as　much　warmth　as　the
partisans　of　the　Regency。　　He　represented　to　Alexander　how　many　persons
would　be　compromised　for　merely　having　acted　or　declared　their　opinions
behind　the　shield　of　his　promises。　　He　repeated　what　Alexander　had
already　been　told；　that　the　Regency　would；　in　fact；　be　nothing　but
Bonaparte　in　disguise。　　However；　Dessolles　acknowledged　that　such　was　the
effect　of　Marshal　Macdonald's　powerful　and　persuasive　eloquence　that
Alexander　seemed　to　waver；　and；　unwilling　to　give　the　Marshals　a　positive
refusal；　he　had　recourse　to　a　subterfuge；　by　which　he　would　be　enabled　to
execute　the　design　he　had　irrevocably　formed　without　seeming　to　take　on
himself　alone　the　responsibility　of　a　change　of　government。　　Dessolles
accordingly　informed　us　that　Alexander　at　last　gave　the　following　answer
to　the　Marshals：　〃Gentlemen；　I　am　not　alone；　in　an　affair　of　such
importance　I　must　consult　the　King　of　Prussia；　for　I　have　promised　to　do
nothing　without　consulting　him。　　In　a　few　hours　you　shall　know　my
decision。〃　　It　was　this　decision　which　the　Marshals　went　to　wait　for　at
Ney's。

Most　of　the　members　of　the　Provisional　Government　attributed　the　evasive
reply　of　the　Emperor　Alexander　to　the　influence　of　the　speech　of
Dessolles。　　For　my　part；　while　I　do　justice　to　the　manner　in　which　he
declared　himself　on　this　important　occasion；　I　do　not　ascribe　to　his
eloquence　the　power　of　fixing　Alexander's　resolution；　for　I　well　know　by
experience　how　easy　it　is　to　make　princes　appear　to　adopt　the　advice　of
any　one　when　the　counsel　given　is　precisely　that　which　they　wish　to
follow。　　From　the　sentiments　of　Alexander　at　this　time　I　had　not　the
slightest　doubt　as　to　the　course　he　would　finally　pursue；　and　I
considered　what　he　said　about　consulting　the　King　of　Prussia　to　be　merely
a　polite　excuse；　by　which　he　avoided　the　disagreeable　task　of　giving　the
Marshals　a　direct　refusal。

I　therefore　returned　home　quite　satisfied　as　to　the　result　of　the　Emperor
Alexander's　visit