memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第14部分

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　　　　　happiness。　　Her　husband　now　is　safe：　two　hours　later；　and　he　would
　　　　　have　been　lost。　　You　see；　therefore；　that　I　like　women　who　are
　　　　　simple；　gentle；　and　amiable；　because　they　alone　resemble　you。

　　　　　November　6；　1806；　9　o'clock　P。M。


When　Marshal　Bernadotte　had　driven　Blucher　into　Lubeck　and　made　him
prisoner；　he　sent　to　inform　me　of　the　circumstance；　but　I　was　far　from；
expecting　that　the　prisoner　would　be　confided　to　my　charge。　　Such；
however；　was　the　case。　　After　his　capitulation　he　was　sent　to　Hamburg；
where　he　had　the　whole　city　for　his　prison。

I　was　curious　to　become　acquainted　with　this　celebrated　man；　and　I　saw
him　very　frequently。　　I　found　that　he　was　an　enthusiastic　Prussian
patriota　brave　man；　enterprising　even　to　rashness；　of　limited
education；　and　almost　to　an　incredible　degree　devoted　to　pleasure；　of
which　he　took　an　ample　share　while　he　remained　in　Hamburg。　　He　sat　an
enormous　time　at　table；　and；　notwithstanding　his　exclusive　patriotism；
he　rendered　full　justice　to　the　wines　of　France。　　His　passion　for　women
was　unbounded；　and　one　of　his　most　favourite　sources　of　amusement　was　the
gaming…table；　at　which　he　spent　a　considerable　portion　of　his　time。
Blucher　was　of　an　extremely　gay　disposition；　and　considered　merely　as　a
companion　he　was　very　agreeable。　　The　original　style　of　his　conversation
pleased　me　much。　　His　confidence　in　the　deliverance　of　Germany　remained
unshaken　in　spite　of　the　disasters　of　the　Prussian　army。　　He　often　said
to　me；　〃I　place　great　reliance　on　the　public　spirit　of　Germanyon　the
enthusiasm　which　prevails　in　our　universities。　　The　events　of　war　are
daily　changing；　and　even　defeats　con　tribute　to　nourish　in　a　people
sentiments　of　honour　and　national　glory。　　You　may　depend　upon　it　that
when　a　whole　nation　is　determined　to　shake　off　a　humiliating　yoke　it　will
succeed。　　There　is　no　doubt　but　we　shall　end　by　having　a　landwehr　very
different　from　any　militia　to　which　the　subdued　spirit　of　the　French
people　could　give　birth。　　England　will　always　lend　us　the　support　of　her
navy　and　her　subsidies；　and　we　will　renew　alliances　with　Russia　and
Austria。　　I　can　pledge　myself　to　the　truth　of　a　fact　of　which　I　have
certain　knowledge；　and　you　may　rely　upon　it；　namely；　that　none　of　the
allied　powers　engaged　in　the　present　war　entertain　views　of　territorial
aggrandisement。　　All　they　unanimously　desire　is　to　put　an　end　to　the
system　of　aggrandisement　which　your　Emperor　has　established　and　acts　upon
with　such　alarming　rapidity。　　In　our　first　war　against　France；　at　the
commencement　of　your　Revolution；　we　fought　for　questions　respecting　the
rights　of　sovereigns；　for　which；　I　assure　you；　I　care　very　little；　but
now　the　case　is　altered；　the　whole　population　of　Prussia　makes　common
cause　with　its　Government。　　The　people　fight　in　defence　of　their　homes；
and　reverses　destroy　our　armies　without　changing　the　spirit　of　the
nation。　　I　rely　confidently　on　the　future　because　I　foresee　that　fortune
will　not　always　favour　your　Emperor。　　It　is　impossible；　but　the　time　will
come　when　all　Europe；　humbled　by　his　exactions；　and　impatient　of　his
depredations；　will　rise　up　against　him。　　The　more　he　enslaves　nations；
the　more　terrible　will　be　the　reaction　when　they　break　their　chains。
It　cannot　be　denied　that　he　is　tormented　with　an　insatiable　desire　of
acquiring　new　territories。　　To　the　war　of　1805　against　Austria　and　Russia
the　present　war　has　almost　immediately　succeeded。　　We　have　fallen。
Prussia　is　occupied；　but　Russia　still　remains　undefeated。　　I　cannot
foresee　what　will　be　the　termination　of　the　war；　but；　admitting　that　the
issue　should　be　favourable　to　you；　it　will　end　only　to　break　out　again
speedily。　　If　we　continue　firm；　France；　exhausted　by　her　conquests；　must
in　the　end　fall。　　You　may　be　certain　of　it。　　You　wish　for　peace。
Recommend　it！　　By　so　doing　You　will　give　strong　proofs　of　love　for　your
country。〃

In　this　strain　Blucher　constantly　spoke　to　me；　and　as　I　never　thought　it
right　to　play　the　part　of　the　public　functionary　in　the　drawing…room　I
replied　to　him　with　the　reserve　necessary　in　my　situation。　　I　could　not
tell　him　how　much　my　anticipations　frequently　coincided　with　his；　but　I
never　hesitated　to　express　to　him　how　much　I　wished　to　see　a　reasonable
peace　concluded。

Blucher's　arrival　at　Hamburg　was　preceded　by　that　of　Prince　Paul　of
Wutrtemberg；　the　second　son　of　one　of　the　two　kings　created　by　Napoleon；
whose　crowns　were　not　yet　a　year　old。　　This　young　Prince；　who　was　imbued
with　the　ideas　of　liberty　and　independence　which　then　prevailed　in
Germany；　had　taken　a　headlong　step。　　He　had　quitted　Stuttgart　to　serve　in
the　Prussian　campaign　without　having　asked　his　father's　permission；　which
inconsiderate　proceeding　might　have　drawn　Napoleon's　anger　upon　the　King
of　Wurtemberg。　　The　King　of　Prussia　advanced　Prince　Paul　to　the　rank　of
general；　but　he　was　taken　prisoner　at　the　very　commencement　of
hostilities。　　Prince　Paul　was　not；　as　has　been　erroneously　stated；
conducted　to　Stuttgart　by　a　captain　of　gendarmerie。　　He　came　to　Hamburg；
where　I　received　many　visits　from　him。　　He　did　not　yet　possess　very
definite　ideas　as　to　what　he　wished；　for　after　he　was　made　prisoner　he
expressed　to　me　his　strong　desire　to　enter　the　French　service；　and　often
asked　me　to　solicit　for　him　an　interview　with　the　Emperor。　　He　obtained
this　interview；　and　remained　for　a　long　time　in　Paris；　where　I　know　he
has　frequently　resided　since　the　Restoration。

The　individuals　whom　I　had　to　observe　in　Hamburg　gave　me　much　less
trouble　than　our　neighbours　at　Altona。　　The　number　of　the　latter　had
considerably　augmented；　since　the　events　of　the　war　had　compelled　a　great
number　of　emigrants　who　had　taken　refuge　at　Munster　to　leave　that　town。
They　all　proceeded　to　Altona。　　Conquered　countries　became　as　dangerous　to
them　as　the　land　which　they　had　forsaken。　　The　most　distinguished　amongst
the　individuals　assembled　at　Altona　were　Vicomte　de　Sesmaisons；　the
Bailly　d'Hautefeuille；　the　Duchess　of　Luxembourg；　the　Marquis　de　Bonnard；
the　Due　d'Aumont　（then　Due　de　Villequier）；　the　wife　of　Marshal　de　Brogue
and　her　daughter；　Cardinal　de　Montmorency；　Madame　de　Cosse；　her　two
daughters　and　her　son　（and　a　priest）；　and　the　Bishop　of　Boulogne。

Bonaparte　stayed　long　enough　at　Berlin　to　permit　of　the　arrival　of　a
deputation　from　the　French　Senate　to　congratulate　him　on　his　first
triumphs。　　I　learned　that　in　this　instance　the　Senatorial　deputation；
departing　from　its　accustomed　complaisance；　ventured　not　to　confine
itself　to　compliments　and　felicitations；　but　went　so　far　as　to　interfere
with　the　Emperor's　plan　of　the　campaign；　to　speak　of　the　danger　that
might　be　incurred　and　finally　to　express　a　desire　to　in　passing　the　Oder；
see　peace　concluded。　　Napoleon　received　this　communication　with　a　very
bad　grace。　　He　thought　the　Senators　very　bold　to　meddle　with　his　affairs；
treated　the　conscript　fathers　of　France　as　if　they　had　been　inconsiderate
youths；　protested；　according　to　custom；　his　sincere　love　of　peace；　and
told　the　deputation　that　it　was　Prussia；　backed　by　Russia；　and　not　he；
who　wished　for　war！

All　the　German　Princes　who　had　taken　part　against　Napoleon　fled　to　Altona
after　the　battle　of　Jena　with　as　much　precipitation　as　the　emigrants
themselves。　　The　Hereditary　Prince　of　Weimar；　the　Duchess　of　Holstein；
Prince　Belmonte…Pignatelli；　and　a　multitude　of　other　persons
distinguished　for　rank　and　fortune；　arrived　there　almost　simultaneously。
Among　the　persons　who　took　refuge　in　Altona　were　some　intriguers；　of　whom
Fauche…Borel　was　one。　　I　remember　receiving　a　report　respecting　a　violent
altercation　which　Fauche　had　the　audacity　to　enter　into　with　Comte　de
Gimel　because　he　could　not　extort　money　from　the　Count　in　payment　of　his
intrigues。　　Comte　de　Gimel　had　only　funds　for　the　payment　of　pensions；
and；　besides；　he　had　too　much　sense　to　suppose　there　was　any　utility　in
the　stupid　pamphlets　of　Fauche…Borel；　and　therefore　he　dismissed　him　with
a　refusal。　　Fauche　was　insolent；　which　compelled　Comte　de　Gimel　to　send
him　about　his　business　as　he　deserved。　　This　circumstance；　which　was
first　communicated　to　me　in　a　report；　has　since　been　confirmed　by　a
person　who　witnessed　the　scene。　　Fauche…Borel　merely　passed　through
Hamburg；　and　embarked　for　London　on　board　the　same　ship　which　took　Lord
Morpeth　back　to　England。

　　　　　＇Louis　Fauche…Borel　（1762…1829）；　a　Swiss　who　devoted　himself　to
　　　　　the　cause　of　the　Royalists。　　As　Louis　stepped　on　the　shore　of　France
　　　　　in　1814；　Fauche…Borel　was　ready　to　assist　him　from　the　boat；　and　was
　　　　　met　with　the　gracious　remark　that　he　was　always　at　hand　when　a
　　　　　service　was　required。　　His　services　were　however　left　unrewarded＇




CHAPTER　VIII。

1806。

　　　　　Alarm　of　the　city　of　HamburgThe　French　at　BergdorfFavourable
　　　　　orders　issued　by　BernadotteExtortions　in　PrussiaFalse
　　　　　endorsementsExactions　of　the　DutchNapoleon's　concern　for　his
　　　　　wounded　troopsDuroc's　mission　to　the　King　of　PrussiaRejection　of
　　　　　the　Emperor's　demandsMy　negotiations　at　HamburgDispleasure　of
　　　　　the　King　of　SwedenM。　Netzel　and　M。　Wetteratedt。

At　this　critical　moment　Hamburg　was　menaced　on　all　sides；　the　French　even
occupied　a　portion　of　its　territory。　　The　French　troops；　fortunately　for
the　country；　were　attached　to　the　corps　commanded　by　the　Prince　de　Ponte…
Corvo。　　This　military　occupation　alarmed　the　town　of　Hamburg；　to　which；
indeed；　it　proved　very　injurious。　　I　wrote　to　Marshal　Bernadotte　on　the
subject。　　The　grounds　on　which　the　Senate　appealed　for　the　evacuation　of
their　territory　were　such　that　Bernadotte　could　not　but　acknowledge　their
justice。　　The　prolonged　stay　of　the　French　troops　in　the　bailiwick　of
Bergdorf；　which　had　all　the　appearance　of　an　occupation；　might　have　led
to　the　confiscation　of　all　Hamburg　property　in　England；　to　the　laying　an
embargo　on　the　vessels　of　the　Republic；　and　consequently　to　the　ruin　of　a
great　part　of　the　trade　of　France　and　Holland；　which　was　carried　on　under
the　flag　of　Hamburg。　　There　was　no　longer　any　motive　for　occupying　the
bailiwick　of　Bergdorf　when　there　were　no　Prussians　in　that　quarter。　　It
would　have　been　an　absurd　misfortune　that　eighty　men　statio