memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第13部分

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the　misconceptions　which　arose　through　the　execution　of　certain　acts　of
Imperial　tyranny。　　The　truth　is；　Marshal　Brune；　during　his　government；
constantly　endeavoured　to　moderate；　as　far　as　he　could；　the　severity　of
the　orders　he　received。　　Bernadotte　became　Governor　of　Hamburg　when　the
battle　of　Jena　rendered　Napoleon　master　of　Prussia　and　the　north　of
Germany。

The　Prince　of　Ponte…Corvo　lightened；　as　far　as　possible；　the　unjust
burdens　and　vexations　to　which　that　unfortunate　town　was　subject。　　He
never　refused　his　assistance　to　any　measures　which　I　adopted　to　oppose　a
system　of　ruin　and　persecution。　　He　often　protected　Hamburg　against
exorbitant　exactions；　The　Hanse　Towns　revived　a　little　under　his
government；　which　continued　longer　than　that　of　Mortier；　Michaud；　and
Brune。　　The　memory　of　Bernadotte　will　always　be　dear　to　the　Hamburgers；
and　his　name　will　never　be　pronounced　without　gratitude。　　His　attention
was　especially　directed　to　moderate　the　rigour　of　the　custom…houses；　and
perhaps　the　effect　which　his　conduct　produced　on　public　opinion　may　be
considered　as　having；　in　some　measure；　led　to　the　decision　which；　four
years　after；　made　him　Hereditary　Prince　of　Sweden。




CHAPTER　VII。

1806。

　　　　　Ukase　of　the　Emperor　of　RussiaDuroc's　mission　to　Weimar
　　　　　Napoleon's　views　defeatedTriumphs　of　the　French　armiesLetters
　　　　　from　MuratFalse　report　respecting　MuratResemblance　between
　　　　　Moreau　and　M。　BillandGenerous　conduct　of　NapoleonHis　interview
　　　　　with　Madame　Hatzfeld　at　BerlinLetter　from　Bonaparte　to　Josephine
　　　　　Blucher　my　prisonerHis　characterHis　confidence　in　the　future
　　　　　fate　of　GermanyPrince　Paul　of　Wurtemberg　taken　prisonerHis　wish
　　　　　to　enter　the　French　serviceDistinguished　emigrants　at　Altona
　　　　　Deputation　of　the　Senate　to　the　Emperor　at　BerlinThe　German
　　　　　Princes　at　AltonaFauche…Boiel　and　the　Comte　de　Gimel。

In　September　1806　it　became　very　manifest　that；　as　soon　as　war　should
break　out　between　France　and　Prussia；　Russia　would　not　be　slow　in　forming
an　alliance　with　the　latter　power。　　Peace　had；　however；　been
reestablished　between　Napoleon　and　Alexander　by　virtue　of　a　treaty　just
signed　at　Paris。　　By　that　treaty　Russia　was　to　evacuate　the　Bouches　du
Cattaro；＇The　Bouches　do　Cattaro；　on　the　eastern　coast　of　the　Adriatic；
had　formed　part　of　the　Dalmatian　possessions　of　Venice。＇　a　condition
with　which　she　was　in　no　hurry　to　comply。　　I　received　a　number　of　the
Court　Gazette　of　St。　Petersburg；　containing　a　ukase　of　the　Emperor　of
Russia；　in　which　Alexander　pointed　out　the　danger　which　again　menaced
Europe；　showed　the　necessity　of　adopting　precautions　for　general
tranquillity　and　the　security　of　his　own　Empire；　and　declared　his
determination　of　not　only　completing　but　augmenting　his　army。　　He
therefore　ordered　a　levy　of　four　men　out　of　every　500　inhabitants。

Before　the　commencement　of　hostilities　Duroc　was　sent　to　the　King　of
Prussia　with　the　view　of　discovering　whether　there　was　any　possibility　of
renewing　negotiations；　but　affairs　were　already　too　much　embarrassed。
All　Duroc's　endeavours　were　in　vain；　and　perhaps　it　was　no　longer　in　the
power　of　the　King　of　Prussia　to　avoid　war　with　France。　　Besides；　he　had
just　grounds　of　offence　against　the　Emperor。　　Although　the　latter　had
given　him　Hanover　in　exchange　for　the　two　Margravates；　he　had；
nevertheless；　offered　to　England　the　restoration　of　that　province　as　one
of　the　terms　of　the　negotiations　commenced　with　Mr。　Fox。　　This　underhand
work　was　not　unknown　to　the　Berlin　Cabinet；　and　Napoleon's　duplicity
rendered　Duroc's　mission　useless。　　At　this　time　the　King　of　Prussia　was
at　Weimar。

Victory　everywhere　favoured　the　French　arms。　　Prince　Hohenlohe；　who
commanded　a　corps　of　the　Prussian　army；　was　forced　to　capitulate　at
Prentzlau。　　After　this　capitulation　General　Blucher　took　the　command　of
the　remains　of　the　corps；　to　which　he　joined　the　troops　whose　absence
from　Prentzlau　exempted　them　from　the　capitulation。　　These　corps；　added
to　those　which　Blucher　had　at　Auerstadt；　were　then　almost　the　only
ramparts　of　the　Prussian　monarchy。　　Soult　and　Bernadotte　received　orders
from　Murat　to　pursue　Blucher；　who　was　using　all　his　efforts　to　draw　from
Berlin　the　forces　of　those　two　generals。　　Blucher　marched　in　the
direction　of　Lubeck。

General　Murat　pursued　the　wreck　of　the　Prussian　army　which　had　escaped
from　Saxony　by　Magdeburg。　　Blucher　was　driven　upon　Lubeck。　　It　was　very
important　to　the　army　at　Berlin　that　this　numerous　corps　should　be
destroyed；　commanded　as　it　was　by　a　skillful　and　brave　general；　who　drew
from　the　centre　of　the　military　operations　numerous　troops；　with　which　he
might　throw　himself　into　Hanover；　or　Hesse；　or　even　Holland；　and　by
joining　the　English　troops　harass　the　rear　of　the　Grand　Army。　　The　Grand
Duke　of　Berg　explained　to　me　his　plans　and　expectations；　and　soon　after
announced　their　fulfilment　in　several　letters　which　contained；　among
other　things；　the　particulars　of　the　taking　of　Lubeck。

In　two　of　these　letters　Murat；　who　was　probably　deceived　by　his　agents；
or　by　some　intriguer；　informed　me　that　General　Moreau　had　passed　through
Paris　on　the　12th　of　October；　and　had　arrived　in　Hamburg　on　the　28th　of
October。　　The　proof　which　Murat　possessed　of　this　circumstance　was　a
letter　of　Fauche…Borel；　which　he　had　intercepted。　　I　recollect　a　curious
circumstance　which　serves　to　show　the　necessity　of　mistrusting　the　vague
intelligence　furnished　to　persons　in　authority。　　A　fortnight　before　I
received　Murat's　first　letter　a　person　informed　me　that　General　Moreau
was　in　Hamburg。　　I　gave　no　credit　to　this　intelligence；　yet　I　endeavoured
to　ascertain　whether　it　had　any　foundation；　but　without　effect。　　Two　days
later　I　was　assured　that　an　individual　had　met　General　Moreau；；　that　he
had　spoken　to　him；　that　he　knew　him　well　from　having　served　under　him；
together　with　various　other　circumstances；　the　truth　of　which　there
appeared　no　reason　to　doubt。　　I　immediately　sent　for　the　individual　in
question；　who　told　me　that　he　knew　Moreau；　that　he　had　met　him；　that　the
General　had　inquired　of　him　the　way　to　the　Jungfersteige　（a　promenade　at
Hamburg）；　that　he　had　pointed　it　out　to　him；　and　then　said；　〃Have　I　not
the　honour　to　speak　to　General　Moreau？〃　　upon　which　the　General　answered；
〃Yes；　but　say　nothing　about　having　seen　me；　I　am　here　incognito。〃　　All
this　appeared　to　me　so　absurd　that；　pretending　not　to　know　Moreau；　I
asked　the　person　to　describe　him　to　me。　　He　described　a　person　bearing
little　resemblance　to　Moreau；　and　added　that　he　wore　a　braided　French
coat　and　the　national　cockade　in　his　hat。　　I　instantly　perceived　the
whole　was　a　mere　scheme　for　getting　a　little　money。　　I　sent　the　fellow
about　his　business。　　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　I　had　got　rid　of　him
M。　la　Chevardiere　called　on　me；　and　introduced　M。　Billaud；　the　French
Consul　at　Stettin。　　This　gentleman　wore　a　braided　coat　and　the　national
cockade　in　his　hat。　　He　was　the　hero　of　the　story　I　had　heard　from　the
informer。　　A　slight　personal　resemblance　between　the　Consul　and　the
General　had　caused　several　persons　to　mistake　them　for　each　other。

During　the　Prussian　campaign　nothing　was　talked　of　throughout　Germany　but
Napoleon's　generous　conduct　with　respect　to　Prince　Hatzfeld。　　I　was
fortunate　enough　to　obtain　a　copy　of　a　letter　which　the　Emperor　wrote　to
Josephine　on　the　subject；　and　which　I　shall　presently　lay　before　the
reader。　　In　conformity　with　the　inquisitorial　system　which　too　frequently
characterised　the　Emperor's　government；　and　which　he　extended　to　every
country　of　which　he　had　military　possession；　the　first　thing　done　on
entering　a　town　was　to　take　possession　of　the　post…office；　and　then；
Heaven　knows　how　little　respect　was　shown　to　the　privacy　of
correspondence。　　Among　the　letters　thus　seized　at　Berlin　and　delivered　to
Napoleon　was　one　addressed　to　the　King　of　Prussia　by　Prince　Hatzfeld；　who
had　imprudently　remained　in　the　Prussian　capital。　　In　this　letter　the
Prince　gave　his　Sovereign　an　account　of　all　that　had　occurred　in　Berlin
since　he　had　been　compelled　to　quit　at；　and　at　the　same　time　he　informed
him　of　the　force　and　situation　of　the　corps　of　the　French　army。　　The
Emperor；　after　reading　this　letter；　ordered　that　the　Prince　should　be
arrested；　and　tried　by　a　court…martial　on　the　charge　of　being　a　spy。

The　Court　was　summoned；　and　little　doubt　could　be　entertained　as　to　its
decision　when　Madame　Hatzfeld　repaired　to　Duroc；　who　on　such　occasions
was　always　happy　when　he　could　facilitate　communication　with　the　Emperor。
On　that　day　Napoleon　had　been　at　a　review。　　Duroc　knew　Madame　Hatzfeld；
whom　he　had　several　times　seen　on　his　visits　to　Berlin。　　When　Napoleon
returned　from　the　review　he　was　astonished　to　see　Duroc　at　the　palace　at
that　hour；　and　inquired　whether　he　had　brought　any　news。　　Duroc　answered
in　the　affirmative；　and　followed　the　Emperor　into　his　Cabinet；　where　he
soon　introduced　Madame　Hatzfeld。　　The　remainder　of　the　scene　is　described
in　Napoleon's　letter。　　It　may　easily　be　perceived　that　this　letter　is　an
answer　to　one　from　Josephine　reproaching　him　for　the　manner　in　which　he
spoke　of　women；　and　very　probably　of　the　beautiful　and　unfortunate　Queen
of　Prussia；　respecting　whom　he　had　expressed　himself　with　too　little
respect　in　one　of　his　bulletins。　　The　following　is　Napoleon's　letter：

　　　　　I　have　received　your　letter；　in　which　you　seem　to　reproach　me　for
　　　　　speaking　ill　of　women。　　It　is　true　that　I　dislike　female　intriguers
　　　　　above　all　things。　　I　am　used　to　kind；　gentle；　and　conciliatory
　　　　　women。　　I　love　them；　and　if　they　have　spoiled　me　it　is　not　my　fault；
　　　　　but　yours。　　However；　you　will　see　that　I　have　done　an　act　of
　　　　　kindness　to　one　deserving　woman。　　I　allude　to　Madame　de　Hatzfeld。
　　　　　When　I　showed　her　her　husband's　letter　she　stood　weeping；　and　in　a
　　　　　tone　of　mingled　grief　and　ingenuousness　said；　〃It　is　indeed　　his
　　　　　writing！〃　This　went　to　my　heart；　and　I　said；　〃Well；　madame；　throw
　　　　　the　letter　into　the　fire；　and　then　I　shall　have　no　proof　against
　　　　　your　husband。〃　　She　burned　the　letter；　and　was　restored　to
　　　　　happiness。　　Her　husband　now　is　safe：　two　hours　later；　and　he　would
　　　　　have　been　lost。