memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第12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！


between　her　and　my　family　a　close　intimacy　existed。　　On　the　very　day；　I
believe；　of　the　Major's　departure　the　Senate　wrote　me　a　letter　of　thanks
for　the　protection　I　afforded　the　town。

Before　the　commencement　of　the　Prussian　campaign；　while　anxiety　was
entertained　respecting　the　designs　of　the　Cabinet　of　Berlin；　my　task　was
not　an　easy　one。　　I　exerted　all　my　efforts　to　acquaint　the　French
Government　with　what　was　passing　on　the　Spree。　　I　announced　the　first
intelligence　of　an　unexpected　movement　which　had　taken　place　among　the
Prussian　troops　cantoned　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Hamburg。　　They　suddenly
evacuated　Lauenburg；　Platzburg；　Haarburg；　Stade；　Twisenfelth；　and
Cuxhaven。　　This　extraordinary　movement　gave　rise　to　a　multitude　of
surmises。　　I　was　not　wrong　when　I　informed　the　French　Government　that；
according　to　every　probability；　Prussia　was　about　to　declare　hostilities
against　France；　and　to　enter　into　an　alliance　with　England。

I　much　regretted　that　my　situation　did　not　allow　me　more　frequent
opportunities　of　meeting　Mr。　Thornton；　the　English　Minister　to　the　circle
of　Lower　Saxony。　　However；　I　saw　him　sometimes；　and　had　on　two　different
occasions　the　opportunity　of　rendering　him　some　service。　　Mr。　Thornton
had　requested　me　to　execute　a　little　private　business　for　him；　the
success　of　which　depended　on　the　Emperor。　　I　made　the　necessary
communication　to　the　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs；　adding　in　my　letter
that　Mr。　Thornton's　conduct　towards　the　French　who　had　come　in　any　way　in
contact　with　him　had　ever　been　just　and　liberal；　and　that　I　should
receive　great　pleasure　in　being　able　to　announce　to　him　the　success　of
his　application。　　His　request　was　granted。

On　another　occasion　Mr。　Thornton　applied　to　me　for　my　services；　and　I　had
once　more　the　pleasure　of　rendering　them。　　He　wished　to　procure　some
information　respecting　an　Englishman　named　Baker；　who　had　gone　to
Terracina；　in　the　Campagna　di　Roma；　for　the　benefit　of　sea…bathing。　　He
was　there　arrested；　without　any　cause　assigned；　by　order　of　the
commandant　of　the　French　troops　in　Terracina。　　The　family　of　Mr。　Baker；
not　having　heard　from　him　for　some　months；　became　very　uneasy　respecting
him；　for　they　had　not　the　least　idea　of　his　arrest。　　His　relations
applied　to　Mr。　Thornton；　and　that　gentleman；　notwithstanding　the
circumstances　which；　as　I　have　stated；　prevented　our　frequent
intercourse；　hesitated　not　a　moment　in　requesting　me　to　furnish　him　with
some　information　respecting　his　countryman。　　I　lost　no　time　in　writing　to
M。　Alquier；　our　Ambassador　at　Rome；　and　soon　enabled　Mr。　Thornton　to　ease
the　apprehension　of　Mr。　Baker's　friends。

I　had　every　opportunity　of　knowing　what　was　passing　in　Italy；　for　I　had
just　been　invested　with　a　new　dignity。　　As　the　new　King　of　Naples；
Joseph；　had　no　Minister　in　Lower　Saxony；　he　wished　that　I　should
discharge　the　function　of　Minister　Plenipotentiary　for　Naples。　　His
Ministers　accordingly　received　orders　to　correspond　with　me　upon　all
business　connected　with　his　government　and　his　subjects。　　The　relations
between　Hamburg　and　Naples　were　nearly　nil；　and　my　new　office　made　no
great　addition　to　my　labours。

I　experienced；　however；　a　little　more　difficulty　in　combining　all　the
post…offices　of　Hamburg　in　the　office　of　the　Grand　Duchy　of　Berg；　thus
detaching　them　from　the　offices　of　Latour　and　Taxis；　so　named　after　the
German　family　who　for　a　length　of　time　had　had　the　possession　of　them；
and　who　were　devoted　to　Austria。

After　some　days　of　negotiation　I　obtained　the　suppression　of　these
offices；　and　their　union　with　the　postoffice　of　the　Grand　Due　de　Berg
（Murat）；　who　thus　received　letters　from　Italy；　Hungary；　Germany；　Poland；
part　of　Russia；　and　the　letters　from　England　for　these　countries。

The　affair　of　the　post…offices　gained　for　me　the　approbation　of　Napoleon。
He　expressed　his　satisfaction　through　the　medium　of　a　letter　I　received
from　Duroc；　who　at　the　same　time　recommended　me　to　continue　informing　the
Emperor　of　all　that　was　doing　in　Germany　with　relation　to　the　plans　of
the　Confederation　of　the　North。　　I　therefore　despatched　to　the　Minister
for　Foreign　Affairs　a　detailed　letter；　announcing　that　Baron　Grote；　the
Prussian　Minister　at　Hamburg；　had　set　off　on　a　visit　to　Bremen　and
Lubeck。　　Among　those　who　accompanied　him　on　this　excursion　was　a　person
wholly　devoted　to　me；　and　I　knew　that　Baron　Grote's　object　was　to　offer
to　these　towns　verbal　propositions　for　their　union　with　the　Confederation
of　the　North；　which　the　King　of　Prussia　wished　to　form　as　a　counterpoise
to　the　Confederation　of　the　Rhine；　just　created　by　Napoleon。　　Baron　Grote
observed　the　strictest　secrecy　in　all　his　movements。　　He　showed；　in
confidence；　to　those　to　whom　he　addressed　himself；　a　letter　from　M。
Haugwitz；　the　Minister　of　the　King　of　Prussia；

　　　　　＇In　July　1806；　after　Austerlitz；　Napoleon　had　formed　the
　　　　　〃Confederation　du　Rhin。〃　　to　include　the　smaller　States　of　Germany；
　　　　　who　threw　off　all　connection　with　the　German　Empire；　and　formed　a
　　　　　Confederation　furnishing　a　considerable　army。　＇

　　　　　＇The　Emperor　of　Germany；　Francis　IL；　had　already　in　1804；　on
　　　　　Napoleon　taking　the　title　of　Emperor；　declared　himself　Hereditary
　　　　　Emperor　of　Austria。　　After　the　formation　of　the　Rhenish
　　　　　Confederation　and　Napoleon's　refusal　to　acknowledge　the　German
　　　　　Empire　any　longer；　he　released　the　States　of　the　Holy　Roman　Empire
　　　　　from　their　allegiance；　declared　the　Empire　dissolved；　and　contented
　　　　　himself　with　the　title　of　Emperor　of　Austria；　as　Francis　I。＇

who　endeavoured　to　point　out　to　the　Hanse　Towns　how　much　the
Confederation　of　the　North　would　turn　to　their　advantage；　it　being　the
only　means　of　preserving　their　liberty；　by　establishing　a　formidable
power。　　However；　to　the　first　communication　only　an　evasive　answer　was
returned。　　M。　Van　Sienen；　the　Syndic　of　Hamburg；　was　commissioned　by　the
Senate　to　inform　the　Prussian　Minister　that　the　affair　required　the
concurrence　of　the　burghers；　and　that　before　he　could　submit　it　to　them
it　would　be　necessary　to　know　its　basis　and　conditions。　　Meanwhile　the
Syndic　Doormann　proceeded　to　Lubeck；　where　there　was　also　a　deputy　from
Bremen。　　The　project　of　the　Confederation；　however；　never　came　to
anything。

I　scrupulously　discharged　the　duties　of　my　functions；　but　I　confess　I
often　found　it　difficult　to　execute　the　orders　I　received；　and　more　than
once　I　took　it　upon　myself　to　modify　their　severity。　　I　loved　the　frank
and　generous　character　of　the　Hamburgers；　and　I　could　not　help　pity　the
fate　of　the　Hanse　Towns；　heretofore　so　happy；　and　from　which　Bonaparte
had　exacted　such　immense　sacrifices。

On　the　principal　gate　of　the　Hanse　Towns　is　inscribed　the　following
motto；　well　expressing　the　pacific　spirit　of　the　people：　'Da　nobis　pacem；
Domine；　in　diebus　nostris'。　　The　paternal　and　elected　government；　which
did　everything　to　secure　the　happiness　of　these　towns；　was　led　to　believe
that　the　sacrifices　imposed　on　them　would　be　recompensed　by　the
preservation　of　their　neutrality。　　No　distrust　was　entertained；　and　hope
was　kept　alive　by　the　assurances　given　by　Napoleon。　　He　published　in　the
Moniteur　that　the　Hanse　Towns　could　not　be　included　in　any　particular
Confederation。　　He　thus　strangled　in　its　birth　the　Confederation　of　the
North；　to　which　those　feeble　States　would　otherwise　have　been　obliged　to
consent。　　When　in　1806　Napoleon　marched　against　Prussia；　he　detached
Marshal　Mortier　from　the　Grand　Army　when　it　had　passed　the　Rhine；　and
directed　him　to　invade　the　Electorate　of　Hesse；　and　march　on　Hamburg。　　On
the　19th　of　November　the　latter　town　was　occupied　by　the　French　army　in
the　name　of　the　Emperor；　amidst　the　utmost　order　and　tranquillity。

I　must　acknowledge　that　I　was　under　much　apprehension　as　to　this　event。
At　the　intelligence　of　the　approach　of　the　French　army　consternation　was
great　and　universal　in　Hamburg；　which　was　anxious　to　maintain　its
neutrality　unimpaired。　　At　the　urgent　request　of　the　magistrates　of　the
city　I　assumed　functions　more　than　diplomatic；　and　became；　in　some
respects；　the　first　magistrate　of　the　town。　　I　went　to　meet　Marshal
Mortier　to　endeavour　to　dissuade　him　from　entering。　　I　thought　I　should
by　this　means　better　serve　the　interests　of　France　than　by　favouring　the
occupation　of　a　neutral　town　by　our　troops。　　But　all　my　remonstrances
were　useless。　　Marshal　Mortier　had　received　formal　orders　from　the
Emperor。

No　preparations　having　been　made　at　Hamburg　for　the　reception　of　Marshal
Mortier；　he　quartered　himself　and　his　whole　staff　upon　me。　　The　few
troops　he　had　with　him　were　disposed　of　in　my　courtyard；　so　that　the
residence　of　a　Minister　of　peace　was　all　at　once　converted　into
headquarters。　　This　state　of　things　continued　until　a　house　was　got　ready
for　the　Marshal。

Marshal　Mortier　had　to　make　very　rigorous　exactions；　but　my
representations　suspended　for　a　while　Napoleon's　orders　for　taking
possession　of　the　Bank　of　Hamburg。　　I　am　here　bound　to　bear　testimony　to
the　Marshal's　honourable　principles　and　integrity　of　character。　　The
representations　which　I　had　sent　to　Marshal　Mortier　were　transmitted　by
the　latter　to　the　Emperor　at　Berlin；　and　Mortier　stated　that　he　had
suspended　the　execution　of　the　orders　until　he　should　receive　others。
The　Emperor　approved　of　this。　　It　was；　indeed；　a　happy　event　for　France
and　for　Europe；　even　more　so　than　for　Hamburg。　　Those　who　suggested　to
the　Emperor　the　idea　of　pillaging　that　fine　establishment　must　have　been
profoundly　ignorant　of　its　importance。　　They　thought　only　of　the
90；000；000　of　marks　banco　deposited　in　its　cellars。

By　the　famous　decree　of　Berlin；　dated　21st　November　1806；　Mortier　was
compelled　to　order　the　seizure　of　all　English　merchandise　in　the　Hanse
Towns；　but　he　enforced　the　decree　only　so　far　as　to　preserve　the
appearance　of　having　obeyed　his　orders。

Mortier；　on　leaving　Hamburg　for　Mecklenburg；　was　succeeded　by　General
Michaud；　who　in　his　turn　was　succeeded　by　Marshal　Brune　in　the　beginning
of　1807。　　I　am　very　glad　to　take　the　present　opportunity　of　correcting
the　misconceptions　which　arose　through　the　execution　of　certain　acts　of
Imperial　tyranny。　　The　truth　is；　Marshal　Brune；　dur