memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第9部分

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His　eyes　were　bandaged；　and　he　heard　the　command　of　preparation　given　to
the　platoon；　which　was　to　fire　upon　him；　at　that　moment　a　man　approaching
him　whispered　in　his　ear；　in　a　tone　of　friendship　and　compassion；　〃They
are　going　to　fire；　but　I　am　your　friend；　only　acknowledge　that　you　know
M。　de　Bourrienne　and　you　are　safe。〃〃No；〃　replied　Chefneux　in　a　firm
tone；　〃if　I　said　so　I　should　tell　a　falsehood。〃　　Immediately　the　bandage
was　removed　from　his　eyes；　and　he　was　set　at　liberty。　　It　would　be
difficult　to　cite　a　more　extraordinary　instance　of　presence　of　mind。

Much　as　I　execrate　the　system　of　espionage　I　am　nevertheless　compelled　to
admit　that　the　Emperor　was　under　the　necessity　of　maintaining　the　most
unremitting　vigilance　amidst　the　intrigues　which　were　going　forward　in
the　neighbourhood　of　Hamburg；　especially　when　the　English；　Swedes；　and
Russians　were　in　arms；　and　there　were　the　strongest　grounds　for
suspecting　the　sincerity　of　Prussia。

On　the　5th　of　January　1806　the　King　of　Sweden　arrived　before　the　gates　of
Hamburg。　　The　Senate　of　that　city；　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　English；
Swedish；　and　Russian　troops；　determined　to　send　a　deputation　to
congratulate　the　Swedish　monarch；　who；　however；　hesitated　so　long　about
receiving　this　homage　that　fears　were　entertained　lest　his　refusal　should
be　followed　by　some　act　of　aggression。　　At　length；　however；　the　deputies
were　admitted；　and　they　returned　sufficiently　well　satisfied　with　their
reception。

The　King　of　Sweden　then　officially　declared；　〃That　all　the　arrangements
entered　into　with　relation　to　Hanover　had　no　reference　to　hint；　as　the
Swedish　army　was　under　the　immediate　command　of　its　august　sovereign。〃

The　King；　with　his　6000　men；　seemed　inclined　to　play　the　part　of　the
restorer　of　Germany；　and　to　make　himself　the　Don　Quixote　of　the　treaty　of
Westphalia。　　He　threatened　the　Senate　of　Hamburg　with　the　whole　weight　of
his　anger；　because　on　my　application　the　colours　which　used　to　be
suspended　over　the　door　of　the　house　for　receiving　Austrian　recruits　had
been　removed。　　The　poor　Senate　of　Hamburg　was　kept　in　constant　alarm　by
so　dangerous　a　neighbour。

The　King　of　Sweden　had　his　headquarters　at　Boetzenburg；　on　the　northern
bank　of　the　Elbe。　　In　order　to　amuse　himself　he　sent　for　Dr。　Gall；　who
was　at　Hamburg；　where　he　delivered　lectures　on　his　system　of　phrenology；
which　was　rejected　in　the　beginning　by　false　science　and　prejudice；　and
afterwards　adopted　in　consequence　of　arguments；　in　my　opinion；
unanswerable。　　I　had　the　pleasure　of　living　some　time　with　Dr。　Gall；　and
I　owe　to　the　intimacy　which　subsisted　between　us　the　honour　he　conferred
on　me　by　the　dedication　of　one　of　his　works。　　I　said　to　him；　when　he
departed　for　the　headquarters　of　the　King　of　Sweden；　〃My　dear　doctor；　you
will　certainly　discover　the　bump　of　vanity。〃　　The　truth　is；　that　had　the
doctor　at　that　period　been　permitted　to　examine　the　heads　of　the
sovereigns　of　Europe　they　would　have　afforded　very　curious　craniological
studies。

It　was　not　the　King　of　Sweden　alone　who　gave　uneasiness　to　Hamburg；　the
King　of　Prussia　threatened　to　seize　upon　that　city；　and　his　Minister
publicly　declared　that　it　would　very　soon　belong　to　his　master。　　The
Hamburgers　were　deeply　afflicted　at　this　threat；　in　fact；　next　to　the
loss　of　their　independence；　their　greatest　misfortune　would　have　been　to
fall　under　the　dominion　of　Prussia；　as　the　niggardly　fiscal　system　of　the
Prussian　Government　at　that　time　would　have　proved　extremely　detrimental
to　a　commercial　city。　　Hanover；　being　evacuated　by　the　French　troops；　had
become　a　kind　of　recruiting　mart　for　the　British　army；　where　every　man
who　presented　himself　was　enrolled；　to　complete　the　Hanoverian　legion
which　was　then　about　to　be　embodied。　　The　English　scattered　gold　by
handfuls。　　One　hundred　and　fifty　carriages；　each　with　six　horses；　were
employed　in　this　service；　which　confirmed　me　in　the　belief　I　had
previously　entertained；　that　the　English　were　to　join　with　the　Russians
in　an　expedition　against　Holland。　　The　aim　of　the　Anglo…Russians　was　to
make　a　diversion　which　might　disconcert　the　movements　of　the　French
armies　in　Germany；　the　allies　being　at　that　time　unacquainted　with　the
peace　concluded　at　Presburg。　　Not　a　moment　was　therefore　to　be　lost　in
uniting　the　whole　of　our　disposable　force　for　the　defence　of　Holland；　but
it　is　not　of　this　expedition　that　I　mean　to　speak　at　present。　　I　only
mention　it　to　afford　some　idea　of　our　situation　at　Hamburg；　surrounded；
as　we　then　were；　by　Swedish；　English；　and　Russian　troops。　　At　this　period
the　Russian　Minister　at　Hamburg；　M。　Forshmann；　became　completely　insane；
his　conduct　had　been　more　injurious　than　advantageous　to　his　Government。
He　was　replaced　by　M。　Alopcous；　the　Russian　Minister　at　Berlin；　and　they
could　not　have　exchanged　a　fool　for　a　more　judicious　and　able
diplomatist。

I　often　received　from　the　Minister　of　Marine　letters　said　packets　to
transmit　to　the　Isle　of　France；（Mauritius）　of　which　the　Emperor　was
extremely　anxious　to　retain　possession；　and　I　had　much　trouble　in　finding
any　vessels　prepared　for　that　colony　by　which　I　could　forward　the
Minister's　communications。　　The　death　of　Pitt　and　the　appointment　of
Fox　as　his　successor　had　created　a　hope　of　peace。　　It　was　universally
known　that　Mr。　Fox；　in　succeeding　to　his　office；　did　not　inherit　the
furious　hatred　of　the　deceased　Minister　against　France　and　her　Emperor。
There　moreover　existed　between　Napoleon　and　Mr。　Fox　a　reciprocal　esteem；
and　the　latter　had　shown　himself　really　disposed　to　treat。　　The
possibility　of　concluding　a　peace　had　always　been　maintained　by　that
statesman　when　he　was　in　opposition　to　Mr。　Pitt；　and　Bonaparte　himself
might　have　been　induced；　from　the　high　esteem　he　felt　for　Mr。　Fox；　to
make　concessions　from　which　he　would　before　have　recoiled。　　But　there
were　two　obstacles；　I　may　say　almost　insurmountable　ones。　　The　first　was
the　conviction　on　the　part　of　England　that　any　peace　which　might　be　made
would　only　be　a　truce；　and　that　Bonaparte　would　never　seriously
relinquish　his　desire　of　universal　dominion。　　On　the　other　side；　it　was
believed　that　Napoleon　had　formed　the　design　of　invading　England。　　Had　he
been　able　to　do　so　it　would　have　been　less　with　the　view　of　striking　a
blow　at　her　commerce　and　destroying　her　maritime　power；　than　of
annihilating　the　liberty　of　the　press；　which　he　had　extinguished　in　his
own　dominions。　　The　spectacle　of　a　free　people；　separated　only　by　six
leagues　of　sea；　was；　according　to　him；　a　seductive　example　to　the　French；
especially　to　those　among　them　who　bent　unwillingly　under　his　yoke。

At　an　early　period　of　Mr。　Fox's　ministry　a　Frenchman　made　the　proposition
to　him　of　assassinating　the　Emperor；　of　which　information　was　immediately
transmitted　to　M。　de　Talleyrand。　　In　this　despatch　the　Minister　said
that；　though　the　laws　of　England　did　not　authorise　the　permanent
detention　of　any　individual　not　convicted　of　a　crime；　he　had　on　this
occasion　taken　it　on　himself　to　secure　the　miscreant　till　such　time　as
the　French　Government　could　be　put　on　its　guard　against　his　attempts。
Mr。　Fox　said　in　his　letter　that　he　had　at　first　done　this　individual　〃the
honour　to　take　him　for　a　spy；〃　a　phrase　which　sufficiently　indicated　the
disgust　with　which　the　British　Minister　viewed　him。

This　information　was　the　key　which　opened　the　door　to　new　negotiations。
M。　de　Talleyrand　was　ordered　to　express；　in　reply　to　the　communication　of
Mr。　Fox；　that　the　Emperor　was　sensibly　affected　at　the　index　it　afforded
of　the　principles　by　which　the　British　Cabinet　was　actuated。　　Napoleon
did　not　limit　himself　to　this　diplomatic　courtesy；　he　deemed　it　a
favourable　occasion　to　create　a　belief　that　he　was　actuated　by　a　sincere
love　of　peace。　　He　summoned　to　Paris　Lord　Yarmouth；　one　of　the　most
distinguished　amongst　the　English　who　had　been　so　unjustly　detained
prisoners　at　Verdun　on　the　rupture　of　the　peace　of　Amiens。　　He　gave　his
lordship　instructions　to　propose　to　the　British　Government　a　new　form　of
negotiations；　offering　to　guarantee　to　England　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　and
Malta。　　Some　have　been　inclined　from　this　concession　to　praise　the
moderation　of　Bonaparte；　others　to　blame　him　for　offering　to　resign　these
two　places；　as　if　the　Cape　and　Malta　could　be　put　in　competition　with　the
title　of　Emperor；　the　foundation　of　the　Kingdom　of　Italy；　the　acquisition
of　Genoa　and　of　all　the　Venetian　States；　the　dethronement　of　the　King　of
Naples　and　the　gift　of　his　kingdom　to　Joseph；　and　finally；　the　new
partition　of　Germany。　　These　transactions；　of　which　Bonaparte　said　not　a
word；　and　from　which　he　certainly　had　no　intention　of　departing；　were　all
long　after　the　treaty　of　Amiens。

Every　day　brought　with　it　fresh　proofs　of　insatiable　ambition。　　In　fact；
Napoleon　longed　to　obtain　possession　of　the　Hanse　Towns。　　I　was；　however；
in　the　first　place；　merely　charged　to　make　overtures　to　the　Senates　of
each　of　these　towns；　and　to　point　out　the　advantages　they　would　derive
from　the　protection　of　Napoleon　in　exchange　for　the　small　sacrifice　of
6；000；000　francs　in　his　favour。　　I　had　on　this　subject　numerous
conferences　with　the　magistrates：　they　thought　the　sum　too　great；
representing；　to　me　that　the　city　was　not　so　rich　as　formerly；　because
their　commerce　had　been　much　curtailed　by　the　war；　in　short；　the　Senate
declared　that；　with　the　utmost　goodwill；　their　circumstances　would　not
permit　them　to　accept　the　〃generous　proposal〃　of　the　Emperor。

I　was　myself；　indeed；　at　a　loss　to　conceive　how　the　absurdity　of
employing　me　to　make　such　a　proposition　was　overlooked；　for　I　had；　really
no　advantage　to　offer　in　return　to　the　Hanse　Towns。　　Against　whom　did
Bonaparte　propose　to　protect　them？　　The　truth　is；　Napoleon　then　wished　to
seize　these　towns　by　direct　aggression；　which；　however；　he　was　not　able
to　accomplish　until　four　years　afterwards。

During　five　years　I　witnessed　the　commercial　importance　of　these　cities；
and　especially　of　Hamburg。　　Its　geographical　situation；　on　a　great　river
navigable　by　large　vessels　to　the　city；　thirty　leagues　from　the　mouth　of
the　Elbe；　the　complete　independence　it　enjoyed；　its　municipal　regulations
and　paternal　government；　we