memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第7部分

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awaiting　him！　　He　wishes　to　make　the　public　believe　that　he　has　nothing
to　fear；　that　his　hands　are　clean。　　But　he　is　playing　a　bad　game；　he　will
gain　nothing　in　that　way　with　me。　　All　talking　is　nonsense。　　You　may　be
sure；　Bourrienne；　that　when　a　man　has　so　much　money　he　cannot　have　got　it
honestly；　and　then　all　those　fellows　are　dangerous　with　their　fortunes。
In　times　of　revolution　no　man　ought　to　have　more　than　3；000；000　francs；
and　that　is　a　great　deal　too　much。〃

Before　going　to　prison　Ouvrard　took　care　to　secure　against　all　the
searches　of　the　police　any　of　his　papers　which　might　have　committed
persons　with　whom　he　had　dealings；　and　I　believe　that　there　were
individuals　connected　with　the　police　itself　who　had　good　reason　for　not
regretting　the　opportunity　which　M。　Ouvrard　had　taken　for　exercising　this
precaution。　　Seals；　however；　were　put　upon　his　papers；　but　on　examining
them　none　of　the　information　Bonaparte　so　much　desired　to　obtain　was
found。　　Nevertheless　on　one　point　his　curiosity　was　satisfied；　for　on
looking　over　the　documents　he　found　from　some　of　them　that　Madame
Bonaparte　had　been　borrowing　money　from　Ouvrard。

As　Ouvrard　had　a　great　number　of　friends　they　bestirred　themselves　to　get
some　person　of　influence　to　speak　to　the　First　Consul　in　his　favour。
But　this　was　a　commission　no　one　was　willing　to　undertake；　because；
prejudiced　as　Bonaparte　was；　the　least　hint　of　the　kind　would　have
appeared　to　him　to　be　dictated　by　private　interest。　　Berthier　was　very
earnestly　urged　to　interfere；　but　he　replied；　〃That　is　impossible。　　He
would　say　that　it　was　underhand　work　to　get　money　for　Madame　Visconti。〃

I　do　not　recollect　to　what　circumstance　Ouvrard　was　indebted　for　his
liberty；　but　it　is　certain　that　his　captivity　did　not　last　long。
Sometime　after　he　had　left　his　prison　Bonaparte　asked　him　for　12；000；000；
which　M。　Ouvrard　refused。

On　his　accession　to　the　Consulate　Bonaparte　found　M。　Ouvrard　contractor
for　supplying　the　Spanish　fleet　under　the　command　of　Admiral　Massaredo。
This　business　introduced　him　to　a　correspondence　with　the　famous　Godoy；
Prince　of　the　Peace。　　The　contract　lasted　three　years；　and　M。　Ouvrard
gained　by　it　a　net　profit　of　15；000；000。　　The　money　was　payable　in
piastres；　at　the　rate　of　3　francs　and　some　centimes　each；　though　the
piastre　was　really　worth　5　francs　40　centimes。　　But　to　recover　it　at　this
value　it　was　necessary　for　M。　Ouvrard　to　go　and　get　the　money　in　Mexico。
This　he　was　much　inclined　to　do；　but　he　apprehended　some　obstacle　on　the
part　of　the　First　Consul；　and；　notwithstanding　his　habitual　shrewdness；
he　became　the　victim　of　his　over…precaution。　　On　his　application　M。　de
Talleyrand　undertook　to　ask　the　First　Consul　for　authority　to　give　him　a
passport。　　I　was　in　the　cabinet　at　the　time；　and　I　think　I　still　hear　the
dry　and　decided　〃　No；〃　which　was　all　the　answer　M。　de　Talleyrand
obtained。　　When　we　were　alone　the　First　Consul　said　to　me；　〃Do　you　not
see；　Bourrienne；　this　Ouvrard　must　have　made　a　good　thing　of　his　business
with　the　Prince　of　the　Peace？　　But　the　fool！　　Why　did　he　get　Talleyrand
to　ask　me　for　a　passport？　　That　is　the　very　thing　that　raised　my
suspicion。　　Why　did　he　not　apply　for　a　passport　as　every　one　else　does？
Have　I　the　giving　of　them？　　He　is　an　ass；　so　much　the　worse　for　him。〃

I　was　sorry　for　Ouvrard's　disappointment；　and　I　own　none　the　less　so
because　he　had　intimated　his　willingness　to　give　me　a　share　in　the
business　he　was　to　transact　its　Spain；　and　which　was　likely　to　be　very
profitable。　　His　brother　went　to　Mexico　in　his　stead。

In　1802　a　dreadful　scarcity　afflicted　France。　　M。　Ouvrard　took　upon
himself；　in　concert　with　Wanlerberghe；　the　task　of　importing　foreign
grain　to　prevent　the　troubles　which　might　otherwise　have　been　expected。
In　payment　of　the　grain　the　foreign　houses　who　sent　it　drew　upon　Ouvrard
and　Wanlerberghe　for　26；000；000　francs　in　Treasury　bills；　which；
according　to　the　agreement　with　the　Government；　were　to　be　paid。　　But
when　the　bills　of　the　foreign　houses　became　due　there　was　no　money　in　the
Treasury；　and　payment　was　refused。　　After　six　months　had　elapsed　payment
was　offered；　but　on　condition　that　the　Government　should　retain　half　the
profit　of　the　commission！　　This　Ouvrard　and　Wanlerberghe　refused；　upon
which　the　Treasury　thought　it　most　economical　to　pay　nothing；　and　the
debt　remained　unsettled。　　Notwithstanding　this　transaction　Ouvrard　and
Wanlerberghe　engaged　to　victual　the　navy；　which　they　supplied　for　six
years　and　three　months。　　After　the　completion　of　these　different　services
the　debt　due　to　them　amounted　to　68；000；000。

In　consequence　of　the　long　delay　of；　payment　by　the　Treasury　the
disbursements　for　supplies　of　grain　amounted　at　least　to　more　than
40；000；000；　and　the　difficulties　which　arose　had　a　serious　effect　on　the
credit　of　the　principal　dealers　with　those　persons　who　supplied　them。
The　discredit　spread　and　gradually　reached　the　Treasury；　the
embarrassments　of　which　augmented　with　the　general　alarm。　　Ouvrard；
Wanlerberghe；　and　Seguin　were　the　persons　whose　capital　and　credit
rendered　them　most　capable　of　relieving　the　Treasury；　and　they　agreed　to
advance　for　that　purpose　102；000；000；　in　return　for　which　they　were
allowed　bonds　of　the　Receivers…General　to　the　amount　of　150；000；000。　　M。
Desprez　undertook　to　be　the　medium　through　which　the　102；000；000　were　to
be　paid　into　the　Treasury；　and　the　three　partners　transferred　the　bands
to　him。

Spain　had　concluded　a　treaty　with　France；　by　which　she　was　bound　to　pay　a
subsidy　of　72；000；000　francs；　and　32；000；000　had　become　due　without　any
payment　being　made：　It　was　thought　advisable　that　Ouvrard　should　be　sent
to　Madrid　to　obtain　a　settlement；　but　he　was　afraid　that　his　business　in
Paris　would　suffer　during　his　absence；　and　especially　the　transaction　in
which　he　was　engaged　with　Desprez。　　The　Treasury　satisfied　him　on　this
point　by　agreeing　to　sanction　the　bargain　with　Desprez；　and　Ouvrard
proceeded　to　Madrid。　　It　was　on　this　occasion　he　entered　into　the　immense
speculation　for　trading　with　Spanish　America。

Spain　wished　to　pay　the　32；000；000　which　were　due　to　France　as　soon　as
possible；　but　her　coffers　were　empty；　and　goodwill　does　not　ensure
ability；　besides；　in　addition　to　the　distress　of　the　Government；　there
was　a　dreadful　famine　in　Spain。　　In　this　state　of　things　Ouvrard　proposed
to　the　Spanish　Government　to　pay　the　debt　due　to　France；　to　import　a
supply　of　corn；　and　to　advance　funds　for　the　relief　of　the　Spanish
Treasury。　　For　this　he　required　two　conditions。　　（1。）　The　exclusive　right
of　trading　with　America。　　（2。）　The　right　of　bunging　from　America　on　his
own　account　all　the　specie　belonging　to　the　Crown；　with　the　power　of
making　loans　guaranteed　and　payable　by　the　Spanish　Treasuries。

About　the　end　of　July　1805　the　embarrassment　which　sometime　before　had
begun　to　be　felt　in　the　finances　of　Europe　was　alarmingly　augmented。
Under　these　circumstances　it　was　obviously　the　interest　of　Ouvrard　to
procure　payment　as　soon　as　possible　of　the　32；000；000　which　he　had
advanced　for　Spain　to　the　French　Treasury。　　He　therefore　redoubled　his
efforts　to　bring　his　negotiation　to　a　favourable　issue；　and　at　last
succeeded　in　getting　a　deed　of　partnership　between　himself　and　Charles
IV。　which　contained　the　following　stipulation：　Ouvrard　and　Company　are
authorised　to　introduce　into　the　ports　of　the　New　World　every　kind　of
merchandise　and　production　necessary　for　the　consumption　of　those
countries；　and　to　export　from　the　Spanish　Colonies；　during　the
continuance　of　the　war　with　England；　all　the　productions　and　all　specie
derivable　from　them。〃　　This　treaty　was　only　to　be　in　force　during　the　war
with　England；　and　it　was　stipulated　that　the　profits　arising　from　the
transactions　of　the　Company　should　be　equally　divided　between　Charles　IV。
and　the　rest　of　the　Company；　that　is　to　say；　one…half　to　the　King　and　the
other　half　to　his　partners。

The　consequences　of　this　extraordinary　partnership　between　a　King　and　a
private　individual　remain　to　be　stated。　　On　the　signing　of　the　deed
Ouvrard　received　drafts　from　the　Treasury　of　Madrid　to　the　extent　of
52；500；000　piastres；　making　262；500；000　francs；　but　the　piastres　were　to
be　brought　from　America；　while　the　terms　of　the　treaty　required　that　the
urgent　wants　of　the　Spanish　Government　should　be　immediately　supplied；
and；　above　all；　the　progress　of　the　famine　checked。　　To　accomplish　this
object　fresh　advances　to　an　enormous　amount　were　necessary；　for　M。
Ouvrard　had　to　begin　by　furnishing　2；000；000　of　quintals　of　grain　at　the
rate　of　26　francs　the　quintal。　　Besides　all　this；　before　he　could　realise
a　profit　and　be　reimbursed　for　the　advances　he　had　made　to　the　Treasury
of　Paris；　be　had　to　get　the　piastres　conveyed　from　America　to　Europe。
After　some　difficulty　the　English　Government　consented　to　facilitate　the
execution　of　the　transaction　by　furnishing　four　frigates　for　the
conveyance　of　the　piastres。

Ouvrard　had　scarcely　completed　the　outline　of　his　extraordinary
enterprise　when　the　Emperor　suddenly　broke　up　his　camp　at　Boulogne　to
march　to　Germany。　　It　will　readily　be　conceived　that　Ouvrard's　interests
then　imperatively　required　his　presence　at　Madrid；　but　he　was　recalled　to
Paris　by　the　Minister　of　the　Treasury；　who　wished　to　adjust　his　accounts。
The　Emperor　wanted　money　for　the　war　on　which　he　was　entering；　and　to
procure　it　for　the　Treasury　Ouvrard　was　sent　to　Amsterdam　to　negotiate
with　the　House　of　Hope。　　He　succeeded；　and　Mr。　David　Parish　became　the
Company's　agent。

Having　concluded　this　business　Ouvrard　returned　in　all　haste　to　Madrid；
but　in　the　midst　of　the　most　flattering　hopes　and　most　gigantic
enterprises　he　suddenly　found　himself　threatened　with　a　dreadful　crisis。
M。　Desprez；　as　has　been　stated；　had；　with　the　concurrence　of　the
Treasury；　been　allowed　to　take　upon　himself　all　the　risk　of　executing　the
treaty；　by　which　150；000；000　were　to　be　advanced　for　the　year　1804；　and
400；000；000　for　the　year　1805。　　Under　the　circumstances　which　had　arisen
the　Minister　of　the　Treasury　considered　himself　entitled　to　call　upon
Ouvrard　to　place　at　his　disposal　10；000；000　of　the　piastres　which　he　had
received　from　Spain。　　The