memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第19部分

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Kingdom　of　Saxony　to　the　Confederation　of　the　Rhine。　　By　the　terms　of
this　treaty　Saxony；　so　justly　famed　for　her　cavalry；　was　to　furnish　the
Emperor　with　a　contingent　of　20；000　men　and　horses。

It　was　quite　a　new　spectacle　to　the　Princes　of　Germany；　all　accustomed　to
old　habits　of　etiquette；　to　see　an　upstart　sovereign　treat　them　as
subjects；　and　even　oblige　them　to　consider　themselves　as　such。　　Those
famous　Saxons；　who　had　made　Charlemagne　tremble；　threw　themselves　on　the
protection　of　the　Emperor；　and　the　alliance　of　the　head　of　the　House　of
Saxony　was　not　a　matter　of　indifference　to　Napoleon；　for　the　new　King
was；　on　account　of　his　age；　his　tastes；　and　his　character；　more　revered
than　any　other　German　Prince。

From　the　moment　of　Napoleon's　arrival　at　Warsaw　until　the　commencement　of
hostilities　against　the　Russians　he　was　continually　solicited　to
reestablish　the　throne　of　Poland；　and　to　restore　its　chivalrous
independence　to　the　ancient　empire　of　the　Jagellons。　　A　person　who　was　at
that　time　in　Warsaw　told　me　that　the　Emperor　was　in　the　greatest
uncertainty　as　to　what　he　should　do　respecting　Poland。　　He　was　entreated
to　reestablish　that　ancient　and　heroic　kingdom；　but　he　came　to　no
decision；　preferring；　according　to　custom；　to　submit　to　events；　that　he
might　appear　to　command　them。　　At　Warsaw；　indeed；　the　Emperor　passed　a
great　part　of　his　time　in　fetes　and　reviews；　which；　however；　did　not
prevent　him　from　watching；　with　his　eagle　eye；　every　department　of　the
public　service；　both　interior　and　exterior。　He　himself　was　in　the　capital
of　Poland；　but　his　vast　influence　was　present　everywhere。　　I　heard　Duroc
say；　when　we　were　conversing　together　about　the　campaign　of　Tilsit；　that
Napoleon's　activity　and　intelligence　were　never　more　conspicuously
developed。

One　very　remarkable　feature　of　the　imperial　wars　was；　that；　with　the
exception　of　the　interior　police；　of　which　Fouche　was　the　soul；　the　whole
government　of　France　was　at　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperor。　　At　Warsaw
Napoleon's　attention　was　not　only　occupied　with　the　affairs　of　his　army；
but　he　directed　the　whole　machinery　of　the　French　Government　just　the
same　as　if　he　had　been　in　Paris。　　Daily　estafettes；　and　frequently　the
useless　auditors　of　the　Council　of　State；　brought　him　reports　more　or
less　correct；　and　curious　disclosures　which　were　frequently　the　invention
of　the　police。　　The　portfolios　of　the　Ministers　arrived　every　week；　with
the　exception　of　those　of　the　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs　and　the
Minister　of　the　War　Department；　the　former　had　first　stopped　at　Mayence
with　the　Empress；　but　had　been　called　on　to　Warsaw；　and　the　latter；
Clarke；　was；　for　the　misfortune　of　Berlin；　governor　of　that　city。　　This
state　of　things　lasted　during　the　ten　months　of　the　Emperor's　absence
from　Paris。　　Louis　XIV。　said；　〃I　am　myself　the　State。〃　　Napoleon　did　not
say　this；　but；　in　fact；　under　his　reign　the　Government　of　France　was
always　at　his　headquarters。　　This　circumstance　had　well…nigh　proved　fatal
to　him；　on　the　occasion　of　the　extraordinary　conspiracy　of　Malet；　with
some　points　of　which　I　alone；　perhaps；　am　thoroughly　acquainted。　　The
Emperor　employed　the　month　of　January　in　military　preparations　for　the
approaching　attack　of　the　Russians；　but　at　the　same　time　he　did　not
neglect　the　business　of　the　cabinet：　with　him　nothing　was　suffered　to
linger　in　arrear。

While　Napoleon　was　at　Warsaw　a　battle　was　not　the　only　thing　to　be
thought　about；　affairs　were　much　more　complicated　than　during　the
campaign　of　Vienna。　　It　was　necessary；　on　the　one　hand；　to　observe
Prussia；　which　was　occupied；　and　on　the　other　to　anticipate　the　Russians；
whose　movements　indicated　that　they　were　inclined　to　strike　the　first
blow。　　In　the　preceding　campaign　Austria；　before　the　taking　of　Vienna；
was　engaged　alone。　　The　case　was　different　now：　Austria　had　had　only
soldiers；　and　Prussia；　as　Blucher　declared　to　me；　was　beginning　to　have
citizens。　　There　was　no　difficulty　in　returning　from　Vienna；　but　a　great
deal　in　returning　from　Warsaw；　in　case　of　failure；　notwithstanding　the
creation　of　the　Kingdom　of　Saxony；　and　the　provisional　government　given
to　Prussia；　and　to　the　other　States　of　Germany　which　we　had　conquered。
None　of　these　considerations　escaped　the　penetration　of　Napoleon：　nothing
was　omitted　in　the　notes；　letters；　and　official　correspondence　which　came
to　me　from　all　quarters。　　Receiving；　as　I　did；　accurate　information　from
my　own　correspondents　of　all　that　was　passing　in　Germany；　it　often
happened　that　I　transmitted　to　the　Government　the　same　news　which　it
transmitted　to　me；　not　supposing　that　I　previously　knew　it。　Thus；　for
example；　I　thought　I　was　apprising　the　Government　of　the　arming　of
Austria；　of　which　I　received　information　from　headquarters　a　few　days
after。

During　the　Prussian　campaign　Austria　played　precisely　the　same　waiting
game　which　Prussia　had　played　clueing　the　campaign　of　Austria。　　As
Prussia　had；　before　the　battle　of　Austerlitz；　awaited　the　success　or
defeat　of　the　French　to　decide　whether　she　should　remain　neutral　or
declare　herself　against　France；　so　Austria；　doubtless　supposing　that
Russia　would　be　more　fortunate　as　the　ally　of　Prussia　than　she　had　been
as　her　ally；　assembled　a　corps　of　40；000　men　in　Bohemia。　　That　corps　was
called　an　army　of　observation；　but　the　nature　of　these　armies　of
observation　is　well　known；　they　belong　to　the　class　of　armed
neutralities；　like　the　ingenious　invention　of　sanitary　cordons。　　The　fact
is；　that　the　40；000　men　assembled　in　Bohemia　were　destined　to　aid　and
assist　the　Russians　in　case　they　should　be　successful　（and　who　can　blame
the　Austrian　Government　for　wishing　to　wash　away　the　shame　of　the　Treaty
of　Presburg？）。　　Napoleon　had　not　a　moment　to　lose；　but　this　activity
required　no　spur；　he　had　hastened　the　battle　of　Austerlitz　to　anticipate
Prussia；　and　he　now　found　it　necessary　to　anticipate　Russia　in　order　to
keep　Austria　in　a　state　of　indecision。

The　Emperor；　therefore；　left　Warsaw　about　the　end　of　January；　and
immediately　gave　orders　for　engaging　the　Russian　army　in　the　beginning　of
February；　but；　in　spite　of　his　desire　of　commencing　the　attack；　he　was
anticipated。　　On　the　8th　of　February；　at　seven　in　the　morning；　he　was
attacked　by　the　Russians；　who　advanced　during　a　terrible　storm　of　snow；
which　fell　in　large　flakes。　　They　approached　Preussich…Eylau；　where　the
Emperor　was；　and　the　Imperial　Guard　stopped　the　Russian　column。　　Nearly
the　whole　French　army　was　engaged　in　that　battle…one　of　the　most
sanguinary　ever　fought　in　Europe。　The　corps　commanded　by　Bernadotte　was
not　engaged；　in　the　contest；　it　had　been　stationed　on　the　left　at
Mohrungen；　whence　it　menaced　Dantzic。　　The　issue　of　the　battle　would　have
been　very　different　had　the　four；　divisions　of　infantry　and　the　two　of
cavalry　composing　Bernadotte's　corps　arrived　in　time；　but　unfortunately
the　officer　instructed　to　convey　orders　to　Bernadotte　to　march　without
delay　on　Preussich…Eylau　was　taken　by　a　body　of　Cossacks；　Bernadotte；
therefore；　did　not　arrive。　　Bonaparte；　who　always　liked　to　throw　blame　on
some　one　if　things　did　not　turn　out　exactly　as　he　wished；　attributed　the
doubtful　success　of　the　day　to　the　absence　of　Bernadotte；　in　this　he　was
right；　but　to　make　his　absence　a　reproach　to　that　Marshal　was　a　gross
injustice。　　Bernadotte　was　accused　of　not　having　been　willing　to　march　on
Preussich…Eylau；　though；　as　it　was　alleged；　General　d'Hautpoult　had
informed　him　of　the　necessity　of　his　presence。　　But　how　can　that　fact　be
ascertained；　since　General　d'Hautpoult　was　killed　on　that　same　day？　　Who
can　assure　us　that　that　General　had　been　able　to　communicate　with　the
Marshal？

Those　who　knew　Bonaparte；　his　cunning；　and　the　artful　advantage　he　would
sometimes　take　of　words　which　he　attributed　to　the　dead；　will　easily
solve　the　enigma。　　The　battle　of　Eylau　was　terrible。　　Night　came　on…
Bernadotte's　corps　was　instantly；　but　in　vain；　expected；　and　after　a
great　loss　the　French　army　had　the　melancholy　honour　of　passing　the　night
on　the　field　of　battle。　　Bernadotte　at　length　arrived；　but　too　late。　　He
met　the　enemy；　who　were　retreating　without　the　fear　of　being　molested
towards　Konigsberg；　the　only　capital　remaining　to　Prussia。　　The　King　of
Prussia　was　then　at　Memel；　a　small　port　on　the　Baltic；　thirty　leagues
from　Konigsberg。

After　the　battle　of　Eylau　both　sides　remained　stationary；　and　several
days　elapsed　without　anything　remarkable　taking　place。　　The　offers　of
peace　made　by　the　Emperor；　with　very　little　earnestness　it　is　true；　were
disdainfully　rejected；　as　if　a　victory　disputed　with　Napoleon　was　to　be
regarded　as　a　triumph。　　The　battle　of　Eylau　seemed　to　turn　the　heads　of
the　Russians；　who　chanted　Te　Deum　on　the　occasion。　　But　while　the　Emperor
was　making　preparations　to　advance；　his　diplomacy　was　taking　effect　in　a
distant　quarter；　and　raising　up　against　Russia　an　old　and　formidable
enemy。　　Turkey　declared　war　against　her。　　This　was　a　powerful　diversion；
and　obliged　Russia　to　strip　her　western　frontiers　to　secure　a　line　of
defence　on　the　south。

Some　time　after　General　Gardanne　set　out　on　the　famous　embassy　to　Persia；
for　which　the　way　had　been　paved　by　the　success　of　the　mission　of　my
friend；　Amedee　Jaubert。　　This　embassy　was　not　merely　one　of　those　pompous
legations　such　as　Charlemagne；　Louis　XIV。；　and　Louis　XVI。　　received　from
the　Empress　Irene；　the　King　of　Siam；　and　Tippoo　Saib。　　It　was　connected
with　ideas　which　Bonaparte　had　conceived　at　the　very　dawn　of　his　power。
It　was；　indeed；　the　light　from　the　East　which　fast　enabled　him　to　see　his
greatness　in　perspective；　and　that　light　never　ceased　to　fix　his
attention　and　dazzle　his　imagination。　　I　know　well　that　Gardanne's
embassy　was　at　first　conceived　on　a　much　grander　scale　than　that　on　which
it　was　executed。　　Napoleon　had　resolved　to　send　to　the　Shah　of　Persia
4000　infantry；　commanded　by　chosen　and　experienced　officers；　10；000
muskets；　and　50　pieces；　of　cannon；　and　I　also　know　that　orders　were　given
for　the　execution　of　this　design。　　The　avowed　object　of　the　Emperor　was
to　enable　the　Shah　of　Persia　to　make　an　important　diversion；　with　80；000
men；　in；　the　eastern　provinces　of　Russia。　　But　there　was　l