napoleon bonaparte, v11-第6部分

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their　fundamental　principle　the　establishment　of　a　system　of　absolute
equality。　　This　is　so　true　that　the　question　has　been　earnestly　debated
amongst　the　members　of　the　Tugendverein　of　proclaiming　the　sovereignty　of
the　people　throughout　Germany；　and　they　have　openly　declared　that　the　war
should　not　be　waged　in　the　name　of　the　governments；　which　according　to
their　belief　are　only　the　instruments。　　I　do　not　know　what　will　be　the
final　result　of　all　these　machinations；　but　it　is　very　certain　that　by
giving　themselves　an　assumed　importance　these　secret　societies　have　given
themselves　a　very　real　one。　　According　to　their　version　it　is　they　alone
who　have　decided　the　King　of　Prussia　to　openly　declare　himself　against
France；　and　they　boast　loudly　that　they　will　not　stop　there。　　After　all；
the　result　will　probably　be　the　same　as　in　nearly　all　such　cases；if
they　are　found　useful　they　will　be　promised　wonderful　things　in　order　to
gain　their　allegiance；　and　will　be　abandoned　when　they　no　longer　serve
the　intended　purposes；　for　it　is　an　entire　impossibility　that　reasonable
governments　should　lose　sight　of　the　real　end　for　which　they　are
instituted。〃

This　is；　I　think；　an　exact　summary；　not　of　all　M。　Gentz　said　to　me
concerning　the　secret　societies　of　Germany；　but　of　what　I　recall；　and　I
also　remember　that　when　I　gave　the　Emperor　an　account　of　this
conversation；　his　Majesty　deigned　to　give　most　earnest　attention；　and
even　made　me　repeat　certain　parts；　which；　however；　I　do　not　now　remember
positively。　　As　to　the　Carbonari；　there　is　every　reason　to　think　that
they　belonged　by　secret　ramifications　to　the　German　societies；　but　as　I
have　already　said；　I　have　not　been　able　to　obtain　exact　information　as　to
them。　　Nevertheless；　I　will　endeavor　to　repeat　here　what　I　heard
concerning　the　initiation　of　a　Carbonari。

This　story；　which　may　perhaps　be　only　imaginary；　struck　my　attention
deeply。　　Moreover；　I　give　it　here　with　much　hesitation；　not　knowing
whether　some　one　has　not　already　profited　by　it；　as　I　was　by　no　means　the
only　auditor　of　this　narration。　　I　obtained　it　from　a　Frenchman　who　lived
in　the　north　of　Italy　at　the　time　my　conversation　with　M。　Gentz　occurred。

〃A　French　officer；　formerly　attached　to　General　Moreau；　a　man　of
enthusiastic　but　at　the　same　time　gloomy　and　melancholy　character；　left
the　service　after　the　trial　instituted　against　his　general　at　Paris。　　He
took　no　part　in　the　conspiracy；　but　unalterably　attached　to　republican
principles；　this　officer；　whose　tastes　were　very　simple；　and　who
possessed　an　ample　competence；　left　France　when　the　Empire　was
established；　and　took　no　pains　to　disguise　his　aversion　to　the　head　of　an
absolute　government。　　Finally；　although　of　most　inoffensive　conduct；　he
was　one　of　those　designated　under　the　name　of　malcontents。　　After
traveling　several　years　in　Greece；　Germany；　and　Italy；　he　settled　himself
in　a　little　village　in　the　Venetian　Tyrol。　　There　he　lived　a　very　retired
life；　holding　little　communication　with　his　neighbors；　occupied　in　the
study　of　natural　science；　given　up　to　meditation；　and　no　longer　occupying
himself；　so　to　speak；　with　public　affairs。　　This　was　his　position；　which
appeared　mysterious　to　some　persons；　at　the　time　the　institution　of　the
ventes　of　the　Carbonari　were　making　such　incredible　progress　in　most　of
the　Italian　provinces；　especially　in　those　on　the　borders　of　the
Adriatic。　　Several　notable　inhabitants　of　the　country；　who　were　ardent
Carbonari；　conceived　the　plan　of　enrolling　in　their　society　this　French
officer；　whom　they　knew；　and　being　aware　of　his　implacable　resentment
against　the　chief　of　the　Imperial　government；　whom　he　regarded　as　a　great
man；　in　fact；　but　at　the　same　time　as　the　destroyer　of　his　beloved
republic。　　In　order　not　to　rouse　the　supposed　susceptibilities　of　this
officer；　they　organized　a　hunting…party　to　meet　in　the　locality　where　he
usually　took　his　solitary　rambles。　　This　plan　was　adopted；　and　so　well
carried　out　that　the　intended　meeting　took　place　apparently　by　chance。
The　officer　did　not　hesitate　to　engage　in　conversation　with　the　hunters；
some　of　whom　he　already　knew；　and　after　some　desultory　remarks　the
conversation　turned　on　the　Carbonari；　those　new　votaries　of　secret
liberty。　　The　magic　word　liberty　had　not　lost　its　power　to　stir　to　its
depths　the　heart　of　this　officer；　and　consequently　produced　upon　him　the
exact　effect　they　desired；　by　awaking　enthusiastic　memories　of　his　youth；
and　a　joy　to　which　he　had　long　been　a　stranger；　and　consequently　when
they　proposed　to　add　his　name　to　the　brotherhood　which　was　now　around
him；　no　difficulty　was　experienced。　　The　officer　was　received；　the　secret
signs　and　words　of　recognition　were　given　him；　and　he　took　the　oath　by
which　he　engaged　to　be　always　and　at　every　hour　at　the　disposal　of　his
brethren；　and　to　perish　rather　than　betray　their　secrets；　and　was　then
initiated　and　continued　to　live　as　in　the　past；　but　expecting　every
moment　a　summons。

The　adventurous　character　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　Venetian　Tyrol　afford
a　striking　contrast　to　the　character　of　the　inhabitants　of　Italy；　but
they　have　in　common　suspicious　natures；　and　from　suspicion　to　revenge　the
descent　is　rapid。　　The　French　officer　had　hardly　been　admitted；　than
there　were　found　among　them　some　who　condemned　this　action；　and　regarded
it　as　dangerous；　and　there　were　some　who　even　went　so　far　as　to　say　that
his　being　a　Frenchman　should　have　been　a　sufficient　impediment；　and　that；
besides；　at　a　time　when　the　police　were　employing　their　best　men　to
uncover　all　disguises；　it　was　necessary　that　the　firmness　and　constancy
of　the　newly　elected　should　be　put　to　some　other　proof　than　the　simple
formalities　they　had　required。　　The　sponsors　of　the　officer；　those　who
had；　so　to　speak；　earnestly　desired　him　as　a　brother；　raised　no
objections；　being　perfectly　satisfied　as　to　the　correctness　of　their
choice。

This　was　the　state　of　affairs　when　news　of　the　disaster　of　the　French
army　at　Leipzig　were　received　in　the　neighboring　provinces　of　the
Adriatic；　and　redoubled　the　zeal　of　the　Carbonari。　　About　three　months
had　passed　since　the　reception　of　the　French　officer；　and　having　received
no　news　from　his　brethren；　he　thought　that　the　duties　of　the　Carbonari
must　be　very　inconsiderable；　when　one　day　he　received　a　mysterious　letter
enjoining　him　to　be　the　following　night　in　a　neighboring　wood；　at　a
certain　spot　exactly　at　midnight；　and　to　wait　there　until　some；　one　came
to　him。　　The　officer　was　promptly　at　the　rendezvous　at　the　appointed
hour；　and　remained　until　daylight；　though　no　one　appeared。　　He　then
returned　to　his　home；　thinking　that　this　had　been　simply　a　proof　of　his
patience。　　His　convictions；　in　this　respect；　were　somewhat　changed；
however；　when　a　few　days　afterwards　he　received　another　letter　ordering
him　to　present　himself　in　the　same　manner　at　the　same　spot；　and　he　again
passed　the　night　there　in　vain　expectation。

Nothing　further　had　occurred；　when　a　third　and　similar　rendezvous　was
appointed；　at　which　the　French　officer　presented　himself　with　the　same
punctuality　and　inexhaustible　patience。　　He　had　waited　several　hours；
when　suddenly；　instead　of　witnessing　the　arrival　of　his　brethren；　he
heard　the　clash　of　swords；　and　moved　by　irresistible　impulse；　he　rushed
towards　the　spot　from　which　the　noise　issued　and　seemed　to　recede　as　he
advanced。　　He　soon　arrived　at　a　spot　where　a　frightful　crime　had　just
been　committed；　and　saw　a　man　weltering　in　his　blood；　attacked　by　two
assassins。　　Quick　as　lightning　he　threw　himself；　sword　in　hand；　on　the
two　murderers；　but；　as　they　immediately　disappeared　in　the　thick　woods；
he　was　devoting　his　attention　to　their　victim；　when　four　gendarmes
arrived　on　the　scene；　and　the　officer　then　found　himself　alone　with
unsheathed　sword　near　the　murdered　man。　　The　latter；　who　still　breathed；
made　a　last　effort　to　speak；　and　expired　while　indicating　his　defender　as
his　murderer；　wherepon　the　gendarmes　arrested　him；　and　two　of　them　took
up　the　corpse；　while　the　others　fastened　the　arms　of　the　officer　with
ropes；　and　escorted　him　to　a　neighboring　village；　one　league　distant；
where　they　arrived　at　break　of　day。　　He　was　there　conducted　before　a
magistrate；　questioned；　and　incarcerated　in　the　prison　of　the　place。

Imagine　the　situation　of　this　officer；　with　no　friends　in　that　country；
not　daring　to　recommend　himself　to　his　own　government；　by　whom　his　well…
known　opinions　had　rendered　him　suspected；　accused　of　a　horrible　crime；
well　aware　of　all　the　proofs　against　him；　and；　above　all；　completely
crushed　by　the　last　words　of　the　dying　man！　　Like　all　men　of　firm　and
resolute　character；　he　accepted　the　situation　without　complaint；　saw　that
it　was　without　remedy；　and　resigned　himself　to　his　fate。　　Meanwhile；　a
special　commission　had　been　appointed；　in　order　to　make　at　least　a
pretense　of　justice；　but　when　he　was　led　before　this　commission；　he　could
only　repeat　what　he　had　already　said；　that　is　to　say；　give　an　exact
account　of　the　occurrence；　protest　his　innocence；　and　admit　at　the　same
time　that　appearances　were　entirely　against　him。　　What　could　he　reply
when　asked　wherefore；　and　with　what　motive；　he　had　been　found　alone　in
the　night；　armed　with　a　sword；　in　the　thickest　of　the　wood？　　Here　his
oath　as　Carbonari　sealed　his　lips；　and　his　hesitation　was　taken　as
additional　proof。　　What　could　he　reply　to　the　deposition　of　the　gendarmes
who　had　arrested　him　in　the　very　act？　　He　was　consequently　unanimously
condemned　to　death；　and　reconducted　to　his　prison　until　the　time　fixed
for　the　execution　of　his　sentence。

A　priest　was　first　sent　to　him。　　The　officer　received　him　with　the　utmost
respect；　but　refused　to　make　confession；　and　was　next　importuned　by　the
visit　of　a　brotherhood　of　penitents。　　At　last　the　executioner　came　to
conduct　him　to　the　place　of　punishment；　and　while　he　was　on　the　way；
accompanied　by　several　gendarmes　and　a　long　line　of　penitents；　the
funeral　procession　was　interrupted　by　the　unexpected　arrival　of　the
colonel　of　the　gendarmerie；　whom　chance　brought　to　the　scene。　　This
officer　bore　the　name　of　Colonel　Boizard；　a　man　well　known　in　all　upper
Italy；　and　the　terror　of　all　malefactors。　　The