memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第5部分

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myself。　　Freed　from　the　cares　of　government；　which　we　confined　as　much　as
possible　to　the　Tuileries；　we　were　a　very　happy　colony　at　Malmaison；　and；
besides；　we　were　young；　and　what　is　there　to　which　youth　does　not　add
charms？　　The　pieces　which　the　First　Consul　most　liked　to　see　us　perform
were；　'Le　Barbier　de　Seville'　and　'Defiance　et　Malice'。　　In　Le　Barbier
Lauriston　played　the　part　of　Count　Almaviva；　Hortense；　Rosins；　Eugene；
Basil；　Didelot；　Figaro；　I；　Bartholo；　and　Isabey；　l'Aveille。　　Our　other
stock　pieces　were；　Projets　de　Mariage；　La　Gageltre；　the　Dapit　Anloureux；
in　which　I　played　the　part　of　the　valet；　and　L'Impromptu　de　Campagne；　in
which　I　enacted　the　Baron；　having　for　my　Baroness　the　young　and　handsome
Caroline　Murat。

Hortense's　acting　was　perfection；　Caroline　was　middling；　Eugene　played
very　well；　Lauriston　was　rather　heavy；　Didelot　passable；　and　I　may
venture　to　assert；　without　vanity；　that　I　was　not　quite　the　worst　of　the
company。　　If　we　were　not　good　actors　it　was　not　for　want　of　good
instruction　and　good　advice。　　Talma　and　Michot　came　to　direct　us；　and
made　us　rehearse　before　them；　sometimes　altogether　and　sometimes
separately。　　How　many　lessons　have　I　received　from　Michot　whilst　walking
in　the　beautiful　park　of　Malmaison！　　And　may　I　be　excused　for　saying；
that　I　now　experience　pleasure　in　looking　back　upon　these　trifles；　which
are　matters　of　importance　when　one　is　young；　and　which　contrasted　so
singularly　with　the　great　theatre　on　which　we　did　not　represent
fictitious　characters？　　We　had；　to　adopt　theatrical　language；　a　good
supply　of　property。　　Bonaparte　presented　each　of　us　with　a　collection　of
dramas　very　well　bound；　and；　as　the　patron　of　the　company；　he　provided　us
with　rich　and　elegant　dresses。

＇While　Bourrienne；　belonging　to　the　Malmaison　company；　considered
that　the　acting　at　Neuilly　was　indecent；　Lucien；　who　refused　to　act　at
Malmaison；　naturally　thought　the　Malmaison　troupe　was　dull。　　〃Hortense
and　Caroline　filled　the　principal　parts。　　They　were　very　commonplace。　　In
this　they　followed　the　unfortunate　Marie　Antoinette　and　her　companions。
Louis　XVI。；　　not　naturally　polite；　when　seeing　them　act；　had　said　that　it
was　royally　badly　acted〃　（see　Madame　Campan's　Life　of　Marie　Antoinette；
tome　i。　　p。　299）。　　〃The　First　Consul　said　of　his　troupe　that　it　was
sovereignly　badly　acted。　　。　　。　　Murat；　Lannes；　and　even　Caroline　ranted。
Elisa；　who；　having　been　educated　at　Saint　Cyr；　spoke　purely　and　without
accent；　refused　to　act。　　Janot　acted　well　the　drunken　parts；　and　even　the
others　he　undertook。　The　rest　were　decidedly　bad。　　Worse　than　bad
ridiculous〃　（Iung's　Lucien's；　tome　ii。　p。　256）。　　Rival　actors　are　not
fair　critics。　　Let　us　hear　Madame　Junot　（tome　ii。　　p。　103）。　　〃The
cleverest　of　our　company　was　M。　de　Bourrienne。　　He　played　the　more
dignified　characters　in　real　perfection；　and　his　talent　was　the　more
pleasing　as　it　was　not　the　result　of　study；　but　of　a　perfect
comprehension　of　his　part。〃　　And　she　goes　on　to　say　that　even　the　best
professional　actors　might　have　learnt　from　him　in　some　parts。　　The
audience　was　not　a　pleasant　one　to　face。　　It　was　the　First　Consul's　habit
to　invite　forty　persons　to　dinner；　and　a　hundred　and　fifty　for　the
evening；　and　consequently　to　hear；　criticise；　and　banter　us　without
mercy〃　（Memoirs　of　Duchesse　d'Abrantes；　tome　ii。　p。　108）。　＇

Bonaparte　took　great　pleasure　in　our　performances。　　He　liked　to　see　plays
acted　by　persons　with　whom　he　was　familiar。　　Sometimes　he　complimented　us
on　our　exertions。　　Although　I　was　as　much　amused　with　the　thing　as
others；　I　was　more　than　once　obliged　to　remind　him　that　my　occupations
left　me　but　little　time　to　learn　my　parts。　　Then　he　would　assume　his
coaxing　manner　and　say；　〃Come；　do　not　vex　me！　　You　have　such　a　memory！
You　know　that　it　amuses　me。　　You　see　that　these　performances　render
Malmaison　gay　and　animated；　Josephine　takes　much　pleasure　in　them。　　Rise
earlier　in　the　morning。In　fact；　I　sleep　too　much；　is　not　that　the
caf？Come；　Bourrienne；　do　oblige　me。　　You　make　me　laugh　so　heartily！
Do　not　deprive　me　of　this　pleasure。　　I　have　not　over　much　amusement；　as
you　well　know。〃〃All；　truly！　　I　would　not　deprive　you　of　any　pleasure。
I　am　delighted　to　be　able　to　contribute　to　your　amusement。〃　　After　a
conversation　of　this　sort　I　could　not　do　less　than　set　about　studying　my
part。

At　this　period；　during　summer；　I　had　half　the　Sunday　to　myself。　　I　was；
however；　obliged　to　devote　a　portion　of　this　precious　leisure　to　pleasing
Bonaparte　by　studying　a　new　part　as　a　surprise　for　him。　　Occasionally；
however；　I　passed　the　time　at　Ruel。　　I　recollect　that　one　day；　when　I　had
hurried　there　from　Malmaison；　I　lost　a　beautiful　watch　made　by　Breguet。
It　was　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　the　road　was　that　day　thronged
with　people。　　I　made　my　loss　publicly　known　by　means　of　the　crier　of
Ruel。　　An　hour　after；　as　I　was　sitting　down　to　table；　a　young　lad
belonging　to　the　village　brought　me　my　watch。　　He　had　found　it　on　the
high　road　in　a　wheel　rut。　　I　was　pleased　with　the　probity　of　this　young
man；　and　rewarded　both　him　and　his　father；　who　accompanied　him。　　I
reiterated　the　circumstance　the　same　evening　to　the　First　Consul；　who　was
so　struck　with　this　instance　of　honesty　that　he　directed　me　to　procure
information　respecting　the　young　man　and　his　family。　　I　learned　that　they
were　honest　peasants。　　Bonaparte　gave　employment　to　three　brothers　of
this　family；　and；　what　was　most　difficult　to　persuade　him　to；　he　exempted
the　young　man　who　brought　me　the　watch　from　the　conscription。

When　a　fact　of　this　nature　reached　Bonaparte's　ear　it　was　seldom　that　he
did　not　give　the　principal　actor　in　it　some　proof　of　his　satisfaction。
Two　qualities　predominated　in　his　characterkindness　and　impatience。
Impatience；　when　he　was　under　its　influence；　got　the　better　of　him；　it
was　then　impossible　for　him　to　control　himself。　　I　had　a　remarkable　proof
of　it　about　this　very　period。

Canova　having　arrived　in　Paris　came　to　St。　Cloud　to　model　the　figure　of
the　First　Consul；　of　whom　he　was　about　to　make　a　colossal　statue。　　This
great　artist　came　often；　in　the　hope　of　getting　his　model　to　stand　in　the
proper　attitude；　but　Bonaparte　was　so　tired；　disgusted；　and　fretted　by
the　process；　that　he　very　seldom　put　himself　in　the　required　attitude；
and　then　only　for　a　short　time。　　Bonaparte　notwithstanding　had　the
highest　regard　for　Canova。　　Whenever　he　was　announced　the　First　Consul
sent　me　to　keep　him　company　until　he　was　at　leisure　to　give　him　a
sitting；　but　he　would　shrug　up　his　shoulders　and　say；　〃More　modeling！
Good　Heavens；　how　vexatious！〃　　Canova　expressed　great　displeasure　at　not
being　able　to　study　his　model　as　he　wished　to　do；　and　the　little　anxiety
of　Bonaparte　on　the　subject　damped　the　ardour　of　his　imagination。
Everybody　agrees　in　saying　that　he　has　not　succeeded　in　the　work；　and　I
have　explained　the　reason。　　The　Duke　of　Wellington　afterwards　possessed
this　colossal　statue；　which　was　about　twice　his　own　height。




CHAPTER　XI。

1802。

　　　　　Bonaparte's　principle　as　to　the　change　of　MinistersFoucheHis
　　　　　influence　with　the　First　ConsulFouche's　dismissalThe　departments
　　　　　of　Police　and　Justice　united　under　RegnierMadame　Bonaparte's
　　　　　regret　for　the　dismissal　of　FoucheFamily　scenesMadame　Louis
　　　　　Bonaparte's　pregnancyFalse　and　infamous　reports　to　Josephine
　　　　　Legitimacy　and　a　bastardRaederer　reproached　by　JosephineHer
　　　　　visit　to　RuelLong　conversation　with　herAssertion　at　St。　Helena
　　　　　respecting　a　great　political　fraud。

It　is　a　principle　particularly　applicable　to　absolute　governments　that　a
prince　should　change　his　ministers　as　seldom　as　possible；　and　never
except　upon　serious　grounds。　　Bonaparte　acted　on　this　principle　when
First　Consul；　and　also　when　he　became　Emperor。　　He　often　allowed　unjust
causes　to　influence　him；　but　he　never　dismissed　a　Minister　without　cause；
indeed；　he　more　than　once；　without　any　reason；　retained　Ministers　longer
than　he　ought　to　have　done　in　the　situations　in　which　he　had　placed　them。
Bonaparte's　tenacity　in　this　respect；　in　some　instances；　produced　very
opposite　results。　　For　instance；　it　afforded　M。　Gaudin'　time　to　establish
a　degree　of　order　in　the　administration　of　Finance　which　before　his　time
had　never　existed；　and　on　the　other　hand；　it　enabled　M。　Decres　to　reduce
the　Ministry　of　Marine　to　an　unparalleled　state　of　confusion。

Bonaparte　saw　nothing　in　men　but　helps　and　obstacles。　　On　the　18th
Brumaire　Fouche　was　a　help。　　The　First　Consul　feared　that　he　would　become
an　obstacle；　it　was　necessary；　therefore；　to　think　of　dismissing　him。
Bonaparte's　most　sincere　friends　had　from　the　beginning　been　opposed　to
Fouche's　having　any　share　in　the　Government。　　But　their　disinterested
advice　produced　no　other　result　than　their　own　disgrace；　so　influential　a
person　had　Fouche　become。　　How　could　it　be　otherwise？　　Fouche　was
identified　with　the　Republic　by　the　death　of　the　King；　for　which　he　had
voted；　with　the　Reign　of　Terror　by　his　sanguinary　missions　to　Lyons　and
Nevers；　with　the　Consulate　by　his　real　though　perhaps　exaggerated
services；　with　Bonaparte　by　the　charm　with　which　he　might　be　said　to　have
fascinated　him；　with　Josephine　by　the　enmity　of　the　First　Consul's
brothers。　　Who　would　believe　it？　　Fouche　ranked　the　enemies　of　the
Revolution　amongst　his　warmest　partisans。　　They　overwhelmed　him　with
eulogy；　to　the　disparagement　even　of　the　Head　of　the　State；　because　the
cunning　Minister；　practising　an　interested　indulgence；　set　himself　up　as
the　protector　of　individuals　belonging　to　classes　which；　when　he　was
proconsul；　he　had　attacked　in　the　mass。　　Director　of　public　opinion；　and
having　in　his　hands　the　means　at　his　pleasure　of　inspiring　fear　or　of
entangling　by　inducements；　it　was　all　in　his　favour　that　he　had　already
directed　this　opinion。　　The　machinery　he　set　in　motion　was　so　calculated
that　the　police　was　rather　the　police　of　Fouche　than　that　of　the　Minister
of　the　General　Police。　　Throughout　Paris；　and　indeed　throughout　all
France；　Fouche　obtained　credit　for　extraordinary　ability；　and　the　popular
opinion　was　correct　in　this　respect；　namely；　that　no　man　ever　displayed
such　ability　in　making　it　be　supposed　tha