memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


by　fatigue　and　privation。　　On　the　arrival　of　the　troops　at　Mayence　no
preparation　had　been　made　for　receiving　them：　there　were　no　provisions；
or　supplies　of　any　kind；　and；　as　the　climax　of　misfortune；　infectious
epidemics　broke　out　amongst　the　men。　　All　the　accounts　I　received
concurred　in　assuring　me　that　their　situation　vas　dreadful：

However；　without　counting　the　wreck　which　escaped　from　the　disasters　of
Leipsic；　and　the　ravages　of　disease；　without　including　the　280；000　men
which　had　been　raised　by　a　'Senatus…consulte；　on　the　application　of　Maria
Louisa；　the　Emperor　still　possessed　120；000　good　troops；　but　they　were　in
the　rear；　scattered　along　the　Elbe；　shut　up　in　fortresses　such　as
Dantzic；　Hamburg；　Torgau；　and　Spandau。　　Such　was　the　horror　of　our
situation　that　if；　on　the　one　hand；　we　could　not　resolve　to　abandon　them；
it　was　at　the　same　time　impossible　to　aid　them。　　In　France　a　universal
cry　was　raised　for　peace；　at　whatever　price　it　could　be　purchased。　　In
this　state　of　things　it　may　be　said　that　the　year　1813　was　more　fatal　to
Napoleon　than　the　year　1812。　　The　disasters　of　Moscow　were　repaired　by
his　activity　and　the　sacrifices　of　France；　but　the　disasters　of　Leipsic
were　irreparable。

I　shall　shortly　speak　of　some　negotiations　in　which；　if　I　had　chosen；　I
might　have　taken　a　part。　　After　the　battle　of　Leipsic；　in　which　France
lost；　for　the　second　time；　a　formidable　army；　all　the　powers　allied
against　Napoleon　declared　at　Frankfort；　on　the　9th　of　November；　that　they
would　never　break　the　bonds　which　united　them；　that　henceforth　it　was　not
merely　a　Continental　peace；　but　a　general　peace；　that　would　be　demanded；
and　that　any　negotiation　not　having　a　general　peace　for　its　object　would
be　rejected。　　The　Allied　powers　declared　that　France　was　to　be　confined
within　her　natural　limits；　the　Rhine；　the　Alps；　and　the　Pyrenees。　　This
was　all　that　was　to　remain　of　the　vast　Empire　founded　by　Napoleon；　but
still　it　must　be　allowed　it　was　a　great　deal；　after　the　many　disasters
France　had　experienced；　and　when　she　was　menaced　with　invasion　by
numerous　and　victorious　armies。　　But　Napoleon　could　not　accede　to　such
proposals；　for　he　was　always　ready　to　yield　to　illusion　when　the　truth
was　not　satisfactory　to　him。

According　to　the　proposals　of　the　Allies　at　Frankfort；　Germany；　Italy；
and　Spain　were　to　be　entirely　withdrawn　from　the　dominion　of　France。
England　recognised　the　freedom　of　trade　and　navigation；　and　there
appeared　no　reason　to　doubt　the　sincerity　of　her　professed　willingness　to
make　great　sacrifices　to　promote　the　object　proposed　by　the　Allies。　　But
to　these　offers　a　fatal　condition　was　added；　namely；　that　the　Congress
should　meet　in　a　town；　to　be　declared　neutral；　on　the　right　bank　of　the
Rhine；　where　the　plenipotentiaries　of　all　the　belligerent　powers　were　to
assemble；　but　the　course　of　the　war　was　not　to　be　impeded　by　these
negotiations。〃

　　　　　＇This；　system　of　negotiating　and　advancing　was　a　realization　of
　　　　　Metternich's　idea　copying　Napoleon's　own　former　procedure。　　〃Let　us
　　　　　hold　always　the　sword　in　one　head；　and　the　olive　branch　in　the
　　　　　other；　always　ready　to　negotiate；　but　only　negotiating　whilst
　　　　　advancing。　　Here　is　Napoleon's　system：　may　he　find　enemies　who　will
　　　　　carry　on　war　。　　。　　。　　as　he　would　carry　it　on　himself。〃　（Metternich
　　　　　vol。　ii。　　p。　346）。＇

The　Due　de　Bassano　（Maret）；　who　was　still　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs；
replied；　by　order　of　Napoleon；　to　the　overtures　wade　by　the　Allies　for　a
general　Congress；　and　stated　that　the　Emperor　acceded　to　them；　and　wished
Mannheim　to　be　chosen　as　the　neutral　town。　　M。　Metternich　replied　in　a
note；　dated　Frankfort；　the　25th　of　November；　stating　that　the　Allies　felt
no　difficulty　in　acceding　to　Napoleon's　choice　of　Mannheim　for　the
meeting　of　the　Congress；　but　as　M。　de　Bassano's　letter　contained　no
mention　of　the　general　and　summary　bases　I　have　just　mentioned；　and　which
had　been　communicated　to　M。　de　St。　Aignan　at　Frankfort；　M。　Metternich
stated　that　the　Allies　wished　the　Emperor　Napoleon　to　declare　his
determination　respecting　those　bases；　in　order　that　insurmountable
difficulties　might　not　arrest　the　negotiations　at　their　very　outset。　　The
Duke　of　Vicenza　（Caulaincourt）；　who　had　just　succeeded　the　Due　de
Bassano；　received　this　letter。　　Trusting　to　the　declaration　of　Frankfort
he　thought　he　would　be　justified　in　treating　on　those　bases；　he
confidently　relied　on　the　consent　of　Napoleon。　　But　the　Allies　had　now
determined　not　to　grant　the　limits　accorded　by　that　declaration。
Caulaincourt　was　therefore　obliged　to　apply　for　fresh　powers；　which　being
granted；　he　replied；　on　the　2d　of　December；　that　Napoleon　accepted　the
fundamental　and　summary　bases　which　had　been　communicated　by　M。　de　St。
Aignan。　　To　this　letter　M。　Metternich　answered　that　the　Emperors　of
Russia　and　Austria　were　gratified　to　find　that　the　Emperor　of　France
recognised　the　bases　judged　necessary　by　the　Allies；　that　the　two
sovereigns　would　communicate　without　delay　the　official　document　to　their
Allies；　and　that　they　were　convinced　that　immediately　on　receiving　their
reply　the　negotiations　might　be　opened　without　any　interruption　of　the
war。

We　shall　now　see　the　reason　why　these　first　negotiations　came　to　no
result。　　In　the　month　of　October　the　Allies　overthrew　the　colossal
edifice　denominated　the　French　Empire。　　When　led　by　victory　to　the　banks
of　the　Rhine　they　declared　their　wish　to　abstain　from　conquest；　explained
their　intentions；　and　manifested　an　unalterable　resolution　to　abide　by
them。　　This　determination　of　the　Allies　induced　the　French　Government　to
evince　pacific　intentions。　　Napoleon　wished；　by　an　apparent　desire　for
peace；　to　justify；　if　I　may　so　express　myself；　in　the　eyes　of　his
subjects；　the　necessity　of　new　sacrifices；　which；　according　to　his
proclamations；　he　demanded　only　to　enable　him　to　obtain　peace　on　as
honourable　conditions　as　possible。　　But　the　truth　is；　he　was　resolved　not
even　to　listen　to　the　offers　made　at　Frankfort。　　He　always　represented
the　limits　of　the　Rhine　as　merely　a　compensation　for　the　dismemberment　of
Poland　and　the　immense　aggrandisement　of　the　English　possessions　in　Asia。
But　he　wanted　to　gain　time；　and；　if　possible；　to　keep　the　Allied　armies
on　the　right　bank　of　the　Rhine。

The　immense　levies　made　in　France；　one　after　the　other；　had　converted　the
conscription　into　a　sort　of　pressgang。　　Men　employed　in　agriculture　and
manufactures　were　dragged　from　their　labours；　and　the　people　began　to
express　their　dissatisfaction　at　the　measures　of　Government　more　loudly
than　they　had　hitherto　ventured　to　do；　yet　all　were　willing　to　make
another　effort；　if　they　could　have　persuaded　themselves　that　the　Emperor
would　henceforth　confine　his　thoughts　to　France　alone。　　Napoleon　sent
Caulaincourt　to　the　headquarters　of　the　Allies；　but　that　was　only　for　the
sake　of　gaining　time；　and　inducing　a　belief　that　he　was　favourably
disposed　to　peace。

The　Allies　having　learned　the　immense　levies　of　troops　which　Napoleon　was
making；　and　being　well　acquainted　with　the　state　of　feeling　in　France；
published　the　famous　manifesto；　addressed　to　the　French　people；　which　was
profusely　circulated；　and　may　be　referred　to　as　a　warning　to　subjects　who
trust　to　the　promises　of　Governments。

The　good　faith　with　which　the　promises　in　the　manifesto　were　kept　may　be
judged　of　from　the　Treaty　of　Paris。　　In　the　meantime　the　manifesto　did
not　a　little　contribute　to　alienate　from　Napoleon　those　who　were　yet
faithful　to　his　cause；　for；　by　believing　in　the　declarations　of　the
Allies；　they　saw　in　him　the　sole　obstacle　to　that　peace　which　France　so
ardently　desired。　　On　this　point；　too；　the　Allies　were　not　wrong；　and　I
confess　that　I　did　not　see　without　great　surprise　that　the　Duc　de　Rovigo；
in　that　part　of　his　Memoirs　where　he　mentions　this　manifesto；　reproaches
those　who　framed　it　for　representing　the　Emperor　as　a　madman；　who　replied
to　overtures　of　peace　only　by　conscription　levies：　After　all；　I　do　not
intend　to　maintain　that　the　declaration　was　entirely　sincere；　with
respect　to　the　future　it　certainly　was　not。　　Switzerland　was　already
tampered　with；　and　attempts　were　made　to　induce　her　to　permit　the　Allied
troops　to　enter　France　by　the　bridge　of　Bale。　　Things　were　going　on　no
better　in　the　south　of　France；　where　the　Anglo…Spanish　army　threatened
our　frontiers　by　the　Pyrenees；　and　already　occupied　Pampeluna；　and　at　the
same　time　the　internal　affairs　of　the　country　were　no　less　critical　than
its　external　position。　　It　was　in　vain　to　levy　troops；　everything
essential　to　an　army　was　wanting。　　To　meet　the　most　pressing　demands　the
Emperor　drew　out　30；000；000　from　the　immense　treasure　which　he　had
accumulated　in　the　cellars　and　galleries　of　the　Pavillion　Marsan；　at　the
Tuileries。　　These　30；000；000　were　speedily　swallowed　up。　　Nevertheless　it
was　an　act　of　generosity　on　the　part　of　Napoleon；　and　I　never　could
understand　on　what　ground　the　Legislative　Body　complained　of　the　outlay；
because；　as　the　funds　did　not　proceed　from　the　Budget；　there　needed　no
financial　law　to　authorise　their　application。　　Besides；　why　did　these
rigid　legislators；　who；　while　fortune　smiled　on　Bonaparte；　dared　not
utter　a　word　on　the　subject；　demand；　previously　to　the　gratuitous　gift
just　mentioned；　that　the　350；000；000　in　the　Emperor's　privy　puree　should
be　transferred　to　the　Imperial　treasury　and　carried　to　the　public
accounts？　　Why　did　they　wink　at　the　accumulation　in　the　Tuileries　of　the
contributions　and　exactions　levied　in；　conquered　countries？　　The　answer
is　plain：　because　there　would　have　been　danger　in　opposing　it。

Amidst　the　difficulties　which　assailed　the　Emperor　he　cast　his　eyes　on
M。　de　Talleyrand。　　But　it　being　required；　as　a　condition　of　his　receiving
the　portfolio　of　Foreign　Affairs；　that　he　should　resign　his　office　of
Vice…Grand…Elector；　M。　de　Talleyrand　preferred　a　permanent　post　to　a
portfolio；　which　the　caprice　of　a　moment　might　withdraw。　　I　have　been
informed　that；　in　a　conversation　with　the　Emperor；　M。　de　Talleyrand　gave
him　the　extraordinary　advice　of　working　upon　the　ambition　of　the　English
family　of　Wellesley；　and　to　excite　in　the　mind　of　Wellington；　the　lustre
of　who