memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第18部分

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　　　　　the　Spanish　colonies。　　Why　should　the　Russians　have　the　right　of
　　　　　opposing　destiny　and　thwarting　our　just　designs？　　They　and　we　are
　　　　　still　the　soldiers　who　fought　at　Austerlitz。


Rapp　thus　describes　the　entrance　of　the　French　into　Warsaw；　and　adds　a
few　anecdotes　connected　with　that　event：

　　　　　〃At　length　we　entered　the　Polish　capital。　　The　King　of　Naples　had
　　　　　preceded　us；　and　had　driven　the　Russians　from　the　city。　　Napoleon
　　　　　was　received　with　enthusiasm。　　The　Poles　thought　that　the　moment　of
　　　　　their　regeneration　had　arrived；　and　that　their　wishes　were
　　　　　fulfilled。　　It　would　be　difficult　to　describe　the　joy　thus　evinced；
　　　　　and　the　respect　with　which　they　treated　us。　　The　French　troops；
　　　　　however；　were　not　quite　so　well　pleased；　they　manifested　the
　　　　　greatest　repugnance　to　crossing　the　Vistula。　　The　idea　of　want　and
　　　　　bad　weather　had　inspired　them　with　the　greatest　aversion　to　Poland；
　　　　　and　they　were　inexhaustible；　in　their　jokes　on　the　country。

When　Bonaparte　dictated　his　proclamationsand　how　many　have　I　not
written　from　his　dictation！he　was　for　the　moment　inspired；　and　he
evinced　all　the　excitement　which　distinguishes　the　Italian　improvisatori。
To　follow　him　it　was　necessary　to　write　with　inconceivable　rapidity。　When
I　have　read　over　to　him　what　he　has　dictated　I　have　often　known　him　to
smile　triumphantly　at　the　effect　which　he　expected　any　particular　phrase
would　produce。　　In　general　his　proclamations　turned　on　three　distinct
points（1）　Praising　his　soldiers　for　what　they　had　done；　（2）　pointing
out　to　them　what　they　had　yet　to　do；　and　（3）　abusing　his　enemies。　　The
proclamation　to　which　I　have　just　now　alluded　was　circulated　profusely
through　Germany；　and　it　is　impossible　to　conceive　the　effect　it　produced。
on　the　whole　army。　　The　corps　stationed　in　the　rear　burned　too　pass；　by
forced　marches；　the　space　which　still　separated　them　from　headquarters；
and　those　who　were　nearer　the　Emperor　forgot　their　fatigues　and
privations　and　were　only　anxious　to　encounter　the　enemy。　　They　frequently
could　not　understand　what　Napoleon　said　in　these　proclamations；　but　no
matter　for　that；　they　would　have　followed　him　cheerfully　barefooted　and
without　provisions。　　Such　was　the　enthusiasm；　or　rather　the　fanaticism；
which　Napoleon　could　inspire　among　his　troops　when　he　thought　proper　to
rouse　them；　as　he　termed　it。

When；　on　a　former　occasion；　I　spoke　of　the　Duke　of；　Mecklenburg…Schwerin
and　his　family；　I　forgot　a　circumstance　respecting　my　intercourse　with
him　which　now　occurs　to　my　memory。　　When；　on　his　expulsion　from　his
States；　after　the　battle　of　Jena；　he　took　refuge　in　Altona；　he　requested；
through　the　medium　of　his　Minister　at　Hamburg；　Count　von　Plessen；　that　I
would　give　him　permission　occasionally　to　visit　that　city。　　This
permission　I　granted　without　hesitation；　but　the　Duke　observed　no
precaution　in　his　visits；　and　I　made　some　friendly　observations　to　him　on
the　subject。　　I　knew　the　object　of　his　visits。　　It　was　a　secret
connection　in　Hamburg；　but　in　consequence　of　my　observations　he　removed
the　lady　to　Altona；　and　assured　me　that　he　adopted　that　determination　to
avoid　committing　me。　　He　afterwards　came　very　seldom　to　Hamburg；　but　as
we　were　on　the　best　understanding　with　Denmark　I　frequently　saw　his
daughter；　and　son…in…law；　who　used　to　visit　me　at　a　house　I　had　in
Holstein；　near　Altona。

There　I　likewise　saw；　almost　every　day；　the　Duke　of　Weimar；　an　excellent
old　man。　　I　had　the　advantage　of　being　on　such　terms　of　intimacy　with　him
that　my　house　was　in　some　measure　his。　　He　also　had　lost　his　States。　　I
was　so　happy　as　to　contribute　to　their　restitution；　for　my　situation
enabled　me　to　exercise　some　influence　on　the　political　indulgences　or
severities　of　the　Government。　　I　entertained　a　sincere　regard　for　the
Duke　of　Weimar；　and　I　greatly　regretted　his　departure。　　No　sooner　had　he
arrived　in　Berlin　than　he　wrote　me　a　letter　of；　thanks；　to　which　he　added
the　present　of　a　diamond；　in　token　of　his　grateful　remembrance　of　me。
The　Duke　of　Mecklenburg　was　not　so　fortunate　as　the　Duke　of　Weimar；　in
spite　of　his　alliance　with　the　reigning　family　of　Denmark。　　He　was
obliged　to　remain　at　Altona　until　the　July　following；　for　his　States　were
restored　only　by　the　Treaty　of　Tilsit。　　As　soon　as　it　was　known　that　the
Emperor　had　returns　to　Paris　the　Duke's　son；　the　Hereditary　Prince；
visited　me　in　Hamburg；　and　asked　me　whether　I　thought　he　could　present
himself　to　the　Emperor；　for　the　purpose　of　expressing　his　own　and　his
father's　gratitude。　　He　was　a　very　well…educated　young　man。　　He　set　out；
accompanied　by　M。　Oertzen　and　Baron　von　Brandstaten。　　Some　time
afterwards　I　saw　his　name　in　the　Moniteur；　in　one　of　the　lists　of
presentations　to　Napoleon；　the　collection　of　which；　during　the　Empire；
might　be　regarded　as　a　general　register　of　the　nobility　of　Europe。

It　is　commonly　said　that　we　may　accustom　ourselves　to　anything；　but　to　me
this　remark　is　subject　to　an　exception；　for；　in　spite　of　the　necessity　to
which　I　was　reduced　of　employing　spies；　I　never　could　surmount　the
disgust　I　felt　at　them；　especially　when　I　saw　men　destined　to　fill　a
respectable　rank　in　society　degrade　themselves　to　that　infamous
profession。　　It　is　impossible　to　conceive　the　artifices　to　which　these
men　resort　to　gain　the　confidence　of　those　whom　they　wish　to　betray。　　Of
this　the　following　example　just　now　occurs　to　my　mind。

One　of　those　wretches　who　are　employed　in　certain　circumstances；　and　by
all　parties；　came　to　offer　his　services　to　me。　　His　name　was　Butler；　and
he　had　been　sent　from　England　to　the　Continent　as　a　spy　upon　the　French
Government。　　He　immediately　came　to　me；　complaining　of　pretended　enemies
and　unjust　treatment。　　He　told　me　he　had　the　greatest　wish　to　serve　the
Emperor；　and　that　he　would　make　any　sacrifice　to　prove　his　fidelity。
The　real　motive　of　his　change　of　party　was；　as　it　is　with　all　such　men；
merely　the　hope　of　a　higher　reward。　　Most　extraordinary　were　the　schemes
he　adopted　to　prevent　his　old　employers　from　suspecting　that　he　was
serving　new　ones。　　To　me　he　continually　repeated　how　happy　he　was　to　be
revenged　on　his　enemies　in　London。　　He　asked　me　to　allow　him　to　go　to
Paris　to　be　examined　by　the　Minister　of　Police。　　The　better　to　keep　up
the　deception　he　requested　that　on　his　arrival　in　Paris　he　might　be
confined　in　the　Temple；　and　that　there　might　be　inserted　in　the　French
journals　an　announcement　in　the　following　terms：

　　　　　〃John　Butler；　commonly　called　Count　Butler；　has　just　been　arrested
　　　　　and　sent　to　Paris　under　a　good　escort　by　the　French　Minister　at
　　　　　Hamburg。〃

At　the　expiration　of　a　few　weeks　Butler；　having　received　his
instruction's；　set　out　for　London；　but　by　way　of　precaution　he　said　it
would　be　well　to　publish　in　the　journals　another　announcement；　which　was
as　follows：

　　　　　〃John　Butler；　who　has　been　arrested　in　Hamburg　as　an　English　agent；
　　　　　and　conveyed　to　Paris；　is　ordered　to　quit　France　and　the　territories
　　　　　occupied　by　the　French　armies　and　their　allies；　and　not　to　appear
　　　　　there　again　until　the　general　peace。

In　England　Butler　enjoyed　the　honours　of　French　prosecution。　　He　was
regarded　as　a　victim　who　deserved　all　the　confidence　of　the　enemies　of
France。　　He　furnished　Fouche　with　a　considerable　amount　of　information；
and　he　was　fortunate　enough　to　escape　being　hanged。

Notwithstanding　the　pretended　necessity　of　employing　secret　agents；
Bonaparte　was　unwilling　that；　even　under　that　pretext；　too　many
communications　should　be　established　between　France　and　England：　Fouche；
nevertheless；　actively　directed　the　evolutions　of　his　secret　army。　　Ever
ready　to　seize　on　anything　that　could　give　importance　to　the　police　and
encourage　the　suspicions　of　the　Emperor；　Fouche　wrote　to　me　that　the
government　had　received　certaininformation　that　many　Frenchmen
traveling　for　commercial　houses　in　France　were　at　Manchester　purchasing
articles　of　English　manufacture。　　This　was　true；　but　how　was　it　to　be
prevented？　　These　traveling　clerks　passed　through　Holland；　where　they
easily　procured　a　passage　to　England。

Louis　Bonaparte；　conceiving　that　the　King　of　Holland　ought　to　sacrifice
the　interests　of　his　new　subjects　to　the　wishes　of　his　brother；　was　at
first　very　lenient　as　to　the　disastrous　Continental　system。　　But　at　this
Napoleon　soon　manifested　his　displeasure；　and　about　the　end　of　the　year
1806　Louis　was　reduced　to　the　necessity　of　ordering　the　strict　observance
of　the　blockade。　　The　facility　with　which　the　travelers　of　French
commercial　houses　passed　from　Holland　to　England　gave　rise　to　other
alarms　on　the　part　of　the　French　Government。　　It　was　said　that　since
Frenchmen　could　so　easily　pass　from　the　Continent　to　Great　Britain；　the
agents　of　the　English　Cabinet　might；　by　the　same　means；　find　their　way　to
the　Continent。　　Accordingly　the　consuls　were　directed　to　keep　a　watchful
eye；　not　only　upon　individuals　who　evidently　came　from　England；　but　upon
those　who　might　by　any　possibility　come　from　that　country。　　This　plan　was
all　very　well；　but　how　was　it　to　be　put　into　execution　？　。　。　。　The
Continent　was；　nevertheless；　inundated　with　articles　of　English
manufacture；　for　this　simple　reason；　that；　however　powerful　may　be　the
will　of　a　sovereign；　it　is　still　less　powerful　and　less　lasting　than　the
wants　of　a　people。　　The　Continental　system　reminded　me　of　the　law　created
by　an　ancient　legislator；　who；　for　a　crime　which　he　conceived　could　not
possibly　be　committed；　condemned　the　person　who　should　be　guilty　of　it　to
throw　a　bull　over　Mount　Taurus。

It　is　not　my　present　design　to　trace　a　picture　of　the　state　of　Europe　at
the　close　of　1806。　I　will　merely　throw　together　a　few　facts　which　came　to
my　knowledge　at　the　time；　and　which　I　find　in　my　correspondence。　　I　have
already　mentioned　that　the　Emperor　arrived　at　Warsaw　on　the　1st　of
January。　　During　his　stay　at　Posen　he　had；　by　virtue　of　a　treaty
concluded　with　the　Elector　of　Saxony；　founded　a　new　kingdom；　and
consequently　extended　his　power　in　Germany；　by　the　annexation　of　the　new
Kingdom　of　Saxony　to　the　Confederation　of　the　Rhine。　　By　the　terms　of
this　treaty　Saxony；　so　justly　famed　for　her　cavalry；　was　to　fur