memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第4部分

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　　　　　necessary　time　to　bring　our　armies　into　such　positions　that　we　need
　　　　　not　again　fear　a　separate　attack　on　any　one　of　them；　and　from　which
　　　　　we　may　ourselves　take　the　offensive。〃＇

All　her　amicable　demonstrations　were　limited　to　an　offer　of　her
intervention　in　opening　negotiations　with　Russia。　　Accordingly；　on　the
4th　of　June；　an　armistice　was　concluded　at　Pleiswitz；　which　was　to　last
till　the　8th　of　July；　and　was　finally　prolonged　to　the　10th　of　August。

The　first　overtures　after　the　conclusion　of　the　armistice　of　Pleiswitz
determined　the　assembling　of　a　Congress　at　Prague。　　It　was　reported　at
the　time　that　the　Allies　demanded　the　restoration　of　all　they　had　lost
since　1805；　that　is　to　say；　since　the　campaign　of　Ulm。　　In　this　demand
Holland　and　the　Hanse　Towns；　which　had　become　French　provinces；　were
comprehended。　　But　we　should　still　have　retained　the　Rhine；　Belgium；
Piedmont；　Nice；　and　Savoy。　　The　battle　of　Vittoria；

　　　　　The　news　of　this　decisive　battle　increased　the　difficulty　of　the
　　　　　French　plenipotentiaries　at　Prague；　and　raised　the　demands　of　the
　　　　　Allies。　　It　also　shook　the　confidence　of　those　who　remained　faithful
　　　　　to　us。Bourrienne。＇

which　placed　the　whole　of　Spain　at　the　disposal　of　the　English；　the
retreat　of　Suchet　upon　the　Ebro；　the　fear　of　seeing　the　army　of　Spin
annihilated；　were　enough　to　alter　the　opinions　of　those　counsellors　who
still　recommended　war。　　Notwithstanding　Napoleon's　opposition　and　his
innate　disposition　to　acquire　glory　by　his　victories；　probably　he　would
not　have　been　inaccessible　to　the　reiterated　representations　of　sensible
men　who　loved　their　country；　France；　therefore；　has　to　reproach　his
advisers。　　At　this　juncture　General　Moreau　arrived；　it　has　been　said　that
he　came　at　the　solicitation　of　Bernadotte。　　This　is　neither　true　nor
probable。　　In　the　first　place；　there　never　was　any　intimacy　between
Bernadotte　and　Moreau；　and；　in　the　next；　how　can　it　be　imagined　that
Bernadotte　wished　to　see　Moreau　Emperor！　　But　this　question　is　at　once
put　at　rest　by　the　fact；　that　in　the　interview　at　Abo　the　Emperor　of
Russia　hinted　to　Bernadotte　the　possibility　of　his　succeeding　Napoleon。
It　was　generally　reported　at　the　time；　and　I　have　since　learnt　that　it
was　true；　that　the　French　Princes　of　the　House　of　Bourbon　had　made
overtures　to　Moreau　through　the　medium　of　General　Willot；　who　had　been
proscribed　on　the　18th　Fructidor；　and　I　have　since　learned　from　an
authentic　source　that　General　Moreau；　who　was　then　at　Baltimore；　refused
to　support　the　Bourbon　cause。　　Moreau　yielded　only　to　his　desire　of　being
revenged　on　Napoleon；　and　he　found　death　where　he　could　not　find　glory。

At　the　end　of　July　the　proceedings　of　the　Congress　at　Prague　were　no。
further　advanced　than　at　the　time　of　its　assembling。　　Far　from　cheering
the　French　with　the　prospect　of　a　peace；　the　Emperor　made　a　journey　to
Mayence；　the　Empress　went　there　to　see　him；　and　returned　to　Paris
immediately　after　the　Emperor's　departure。　　Napoleon　went　back　to
Dresden；　and　the　armistice　not　being　renewed；　it　died　a　natural　death　on
the　17th　of　August；　the　day　appointed　for　its　expiration。　　A　fatal　event
immediately　followed　the　rupture　of　the　conferences。　　On　the　17th　of
August　Austria；　wishing　to　gain　by　war　as　she　had　before　gained　by
alliances；　declared　that　she　would　unite　her　forces　with　those　of　the
Allies。　　On　the　very　opening　of　this　disastrous　campaign　General　Jomini
went　over　to　the　enemy。　　Jomini　belonged　to　the　staff　of　the　unfortunate
Marshal　Ney；　who　was　beginning　to　execute　with　his　wonted　ability；　the
orders　he　had　received。　　There　was　much　surprise　at　his　eagerness　to
profit　by　a　struggle；　begun　under　such　melancholy　auspices；　to　seek　a
fresh　fortune；　which　promised　better　than　what　he　had　tried　under　our
flag。　　Public　opinion　has　pronounced　judgment　on　Jomini。

　　　　　＇It　was　on　the　11th　of　August；　not　the　17th；　that　Metternich
　　　　　announced　to　Caulaincourt；　Napoleon's　plenipotentiary　at　Prague；
　　　　　that　Austria　had　joined　the　Allies　and　declared　war　with　France；
　　　　　　At　midnight　on　10th　August　Metternich　had　despatched　the　passports
　　　　　for　the　Comte　Louis　de　Narbonne；　Napoleon's　Ambassador；　and　the　war
　　　　　manifesto　of　the　Emperor　Francis；　then　he　〃had　the　beacons　lighted
　　　　　which　had　been　prepared　from　Prague　to　the　Silesian　frontier；　as　a
　　　　　sign　of　the　breech　of　the　negotiations；　and　the　right　（i。e。　　power）
　　　　　of　the　Allied　armies　to　cross　the　Silesian　frontier　（Metternich；
　　　　　vol。　　i；　p。　　199）。＇

The　first　actions　were　the　battle　of　Dresden；　which　took　place　seven　days
after　the　rupture　of　the　armistice；　and　the　battle　in　which　Vandamme　was
defeated；　and　which　rendered　the　victory　of　Dresden　unavailing。　　I　have
already　mentioned　that　Moreau　was　killed　at　Dresden。　Bavaria　was　no
sooner　rid　of　the　French　troops　than　she　raised　the　mask　and　ranged
herself　among　our　enemies。

In　October　the　loss　of　the　battle　of　Leipsic　decided　the　fate　of　France。
The　Saxon　army；　which　had　long　remained　faithful　to　us；　went　over　to　the
enemy　during　the　battle。　　Prince　Poniatowski　perished　at　the　battle　of
Leipsic　in　an　attempt　to　pass　the　Aster。

I　will　here　mention　a　fact　which　occurred　before　Duroc's　departure　for
the　campaign　of　1812。　　I　used　often　to　visit　him　at　the　Pavilion　Marsan；
in　the　Tuileries；　where　he　lodged。　　One　forenoon；　when　I　had　been　waiting
for　him　a　few　minutes；　he　came　from　the　Emperor's　apartments；　where　he
had　been　engaged　in　the　usual　business；　He　was　in　his　court…dress。　　As
soon　as　he　entered　he　pulled　off　his　coat　and　hat　and　laid　them　aside。
〃I　have　just　had　a　conversation　with　the　Emperor　about　you；〃　said　he。
〃Say　nothing　to　anybody。　　Have　patience；　and　you　will　be〃　He　had；　no
sooner　uttered　these　words　than　a　footman　entered　to　inform　him　that　the
Emperor；　wished　to　see　him　immediately。　　〃Well；〃　said　Duroc；　〃I　must　go。〃
No　sooner　was　the　servant　gone　than　Duroc　stamped　violently　on　the　floor；
and　exclaimed；　〃That　…　…　never　leaves　me　a　moment's　rest。　　If　he
finds　I　have　five　minutes　to　myself　in　the　course　of　the　morning　he　is
sure　to　send　for　me。〃　　He　then　put　on　his　coat　and　returned　to　the
Emperor；　saying；　〃Another　time　you　shall　hear　what　I　have　to　tell　you。〃

From　that　time　I　did　not　see　Duroc　until；　the　month　of　January　1813。
He　was　constantly　absent　from　Paris；　and　did　not　return　until　the　end　of
1812。　　He　was　much　affected　at　the；　result　of　the　campaign；　but　his
confidence　in　Napoleon's　genius　kept　up　his　spirits。　　I　turned　the
conversation　from　this　subject　and　reminded　him　of　his　promise　to　tell　me
what　had　passed　between　the　Emperor　and　himself　relative　tome。　　〃You
shall　hear；〃　said　he。　　〃The　Emperor　and　I　had　been　playing　at　billiards；
and；　between　ourselves；　he　plays　very　badly。　　He　is　nothing　at　a　game
which　depends　on　skill。　　While　negligently　rolling　his　balls　about　he
muttered　these　words：　'Do　you　ever　see　Bourrienne　now？''Yes；　Sire；　he
sometimes　dines　with　me　on　diplomatic　reception…days；　and　he　looks　so
droll　in　his　old…fashioned　court…dress；　of　Lyons　manufacture；　that　you
would　laugh　if　you　saw　him。''What　does　he　say　respecting　the　new
regulation　for　the　court…dresses？''I　confess　he　says　it　is　very
ridiculous；　that　it　will　have　no　other　result　than　to　enable　the　Lyons
manufacturers　to　get　rid　of　their　old…fashioned　goods；　that　forced
innovations　on　the　customs　of　a　nation　are　never　successful。''Oh；　that
is　always　the　way　with　Bourrienne；　he　is　never　pleased　with　anything。'
'Certainly；　Sire；　he　is　apt　to　grumble；　but　he　says　what　he　thinks。'
'Do　you　know；　Duroc；　he　served　me　very　well　at　Hamburg。　　He　raised　a　good
deal　of　money　for　me。　　He　is　a　man　who　understands　business。　　I　will　not
leave　him　unemployed。　　Time　must　hang　heavily　on　his　hands。　　I　will　see
what　I　can　do　for　him。　　He　has　many　enemies。'‘And　who　has　not；　Sire？'
'Many　complaints　against　him　were　transmitted　to　me　from　Hamburg；　but　the
letter　which　he　wrote　to　me　in　his　justification　opened　my　eyes；　and　I
begin　to　think　that　Savary　had　good　motives　for　defending　him。
Endeavours　are　made　to　dissuade　me　from　employing　him；　but　I　shall
nevertheless　do　so　at　last。　　I　remember　that　it　was　he　who　first　informed
me　of　the　near　approach　of　the　war　which　we　are　now　engaged　in。　　I　forget
all　that　has　been　said　against　him　for　the　last　two　years；　and　as　soon　as
peace　is　concluded；　and　I　am　at　leisure；　I　will　think　of　him。'〃

After　relating　to　me　this　conversation　Duroc　said；　〃you　must；　of　course；
feel　assured　that　I　said　all　I　think　of　you；　and　I　will　take　an
opportunity　of　reminding　him　of　you。　　But　we　must　we　patient。　　Adieu；　my
dear　friend；　we　must　set　off　speedily；　and　Heaven　knows　when　we　shall　be
back　again！〃　　I　wished　him　a　successful　campaign　and　a　speedy　return。
Alas！　　I　was　doomed　to　see　my　excellent　friend　only　once　again。

Next　to　the　death　of　Duroc　the　loss　most　sincerely　regretted　during　the
campaign　of　1813　was　that　of　Prince　Poniatowski。　　Joseph　Poniatowaki；　a
nephew　of　Stanislas　Augustus；　King　of　Poland；　was　born　at　Warsaw　on　the
7th　of　May　1763：　At　an　early　age　he　was　remarkable　for　his　patriotic
spirit；　but　his　uncle's　influence　gave　him　an　apparent　irresolution；
which　rendered　him　suspected　by　some　of　the　parties　in　Poland。　　After　his
uncle　had　acceded　to　the　Confederation　of　Targowitz；　Poniatowski　left　the
service　accompanied　by　most　of　his　principal　officers。　　But　when；　in
1794；　the　Poles　endeavoured　to　repulse　the　Russians；　he　again　repaired　to
the　Polish　camp　and　entered　the　army　as　a　volunteer。　　His　noble　conduct
obtained　for　him　the　esteem　of　his　countrymen。　　Kosciusko　gave　him　the
command　of　a　division；　with　which　he　rendered　useful　services　during　the
two　sieges　of　Warsaw。　　Immediately　after　the　surrender　of　that　capital
Poniatowski　went　to　Vienna。　　He　refused　the　offers　of　Catherine　and　Paul
to　bear　arms　in　the　service　of　Russia。

Poniatowaki　retired　to　his　estate　year　Warsaw；　where　he　lived　like　a
private　gentleman　until　the　creation　of　the　Grand　Duchy　of　Warsaw　revived
the　hopes　of　the　Polish　patriots。　　He　then　became　War　Minister。　　The
Archduke　Ferdinand　having　come；　in　1809；　with　Austrian　troops　to　take
possession　of　the　Duchy　of　Warsaw；　Poniatow