memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


all　his　confidence　he　tried　to　outwit　me。　　He　put　into　the　hands　of　a
number　of　persons　various　matters　of　police　which　were　worse　than
useless。　　Most　of　their　agents；　who　were　my　creatures；　obeyed　my
instructions　in　their　reports；　and　it　often　happened　that　the　First
Consul　　thought　he　had　discovered；　through　the　medium　of　others；
information　that　came　from　me；　and　of　the　falsehood　of　which　I　easily
convinced　him。　　I　confess　I　was　at　fault　on　the　3d　Nivoise；　but　are　there
any　human　means　of　preventing　two　men；　who　have　no　accomplices；　from
bringing　a　plot　to　execution？　　You　saw　the　First　Consul　on　his　return
from　the　opera；　you　heard　all　his　declamations。　　I　felt　assured　that　the
infernal　machine　was　the　work　of　the　Royalists。　　I　told　the　Emperor　this；
and　he　was；　I　am　sure；　convinced　of　it；　but　he；　nevertheless；　proscribes
a　number　of　men　on　the　mere　pretence　of　their　old　opinions。　　Do　you
suppose　I　am　ignorant　of　what　he　said　of　me　and　of　my　vote　at　the
National　Convention？　　Most　assuredly　it　ill　becomes　him　to　reproach　the
Conventionists。　　It　was　that　vote　which　placed　the　crown　upon　his　head。
But　for　the　situation　in　which　we　were　placed　by　that　event；　which
circumstances　had　rendered　inevitable；　what　should　we　have　cared　for　the
chance　of　seeing　the　Bourbons　return？　　You　must　have　remarked　that　the
Republicans；　who　were　not　Conventionists；　were　in　general　more　averse
than　we　to　the　proceedings　of　the　18th　Brumaire；　as；　for　example；
Bernadotte　and　Moreau。　　I　know　positively　that　Moreau　was　averse　to　the
Consulate；　and　that　it　was　only　from　irresolution　that　he　accepted　the
custody　of　the　Directory。　　I　know　also　that　he　excused　himself　to　his
prisoners　for　the　duty　which　had　devolved　upon　him。　　They　themselves　told
me　this。

Fouche　entered　further　into　many　details　respecting　his　conduct；　and　the
motives　which　had　urged　him　to　do　what　he　did　in　favour　of　the　First
Consul。　　My　memory　does　not　enable　me　to　report　all　he　told　me；　but　I
distinctly　recollect　that　the　impression　made　on　my　mind　by　what　fell
from　him　was；　that　he　had　acted　merely　with　a　view　to　his　own　interests。
He　did　not　conceal　his　satisfaction　at　having　outwitted　Regnier；　and
obliged　Bonaparte　to　recall　him；　that　he　set　in　motion　every　spring
calculated　to　unite　the　conspirators；　or　rather　to　convert　the
discontented　into　conspirators；　is　evident　from　the　following　remarks
which　fell　from　him：　〃With　the　information　I　possessed；　had　I　remained　in
office　it　is　probable　that　I　might　have　prevented　the　conspiracy；　but
Bonaparte　would　still　have　had　to　fear　the　rivalry　of　Moreau。　　He　would
not　have　been　Emperor；　and　we　should　still　have　had　to　dread　the　return
of　the　Bourbons；　of　which；　thank　God；　there　is　now　no　fear。〃

During　my　stay　at　Pont…Carry　I　said　but　little　to　Fouche　about　my　long
audience　with　the　Emperor。　　However；　I　thought　I　might　inform　him　that　I
was　authorised　to　correspond　directly　with　his　Majesty。　　I　thought　it
useless　to　conceal　this　fact；　since　he　would　soon　learn　it　through　his
agents。　　I　also　said　a　few　words　about　Bonaparte's　regret　at　not　having
children。　　My　object　was　to　learn　Fouche's　opinion　on　this　subject；　and
it　was　not　without　a　feeling　of　indignation　that　I　heard　him　say；　〃It　is
to　be　hoped　the　Empress　will　soon　die。　　Her　death　will　remove　many
difficulties。　　Sooner　or　later　he　must　take　a　wife　who　will　bear　him　a
child；　for　as　long　as　he　has　no　direct　heir　there　is　every　chance　that
his　death　will　be　the　signal　for　a　Revolution。　　His　brothers　are
perfectly　incapable　of　filling　his　place；　and　a　new　party　would　rise　up
in　favour　of　the　Bourbons；　which　must　be　prevented　above　all　things。　　At
present　they　are　not　dangerous；　though　they　still　have　active　and　devoted
agents。　　Altona　is　full　of　them；　and　you　will　be　surrounded　by　them。
I　beg　of　you　to　keep　a　watchful　eye　upon　them；　and　render　me　a　strict
account　of　all　their　movements；　and　even　of　their　most　trivial　actions。
As　they　have　recourse　to　all　sorts　of　disguises；　you　cannot　be　too
vigilant；　therefore　it　will　be　advisable；　in　the　first　place；　to
establish　a　good　system　of　espionage；　but　have　a　care　of　the　spies　who
serve　both　sides；　for　they　swarm　in　Germany。〃

This　is　all　I　recollect　of　my；　conversations　with　Fouche　at　Pont…Carre。
I　returned　to　Paris　to　make　preparations　for　my　journey　to　Hamburg。




CHAPTER　XXXII。

1805。

　　　　　Capitulation　of　SublingenPreparations　for　warUtility　of
　　　　　commercial　informationMy　instructionsInspection　of　the　emigrants
　　　　　and　the　journalsA　pamphlet　by　KotzebueOffers　from　the　Emperor　of
　　　　　Russia　to　MoreauPortrait　of　Gustavus　Adolphus　by　one　of　his
　　　　　ministersFouche's　denunciationsDuels　at　HamburgM。　de　Gimel
　　　　　The　Hamburg　CorrespondentLetter　from　Bernadotte。

I　left　Paris　on　the　20th　of　May　1805。　　On　the　5th　of　June　following　I
delivered　my　credentials　to　the　Senate　of　Hamburg；　which　was　represented
by　the　Syndic　Doormann　and　the　Senator　Schutte。　　M。　Reinhart；　my
predecessor；　left　Hamburg　on　the　12th　of　June。

The　reigning　Dukes　of　Mecklenburg…Schwerin　and　Brunswick；　to　whom　I　had
announced　my　arrival　as　accredited　Minister　to　them；　wrote　me　letters
recognising　me　in　that　character。　　General　Walmoden　had　just　signed　the
capitulation　of　Sublingen　with　Marshal　Mortier；　who　had　the　command　in
Hanover。　　The　English　Government　refused　to　ratify　this；　because　it
stipulated　that　the　troops　should　be　prisoners　of　war。　　Bonaparte　had　two
motives　for　relaxing　this　hard　condition。　　He　wished　to　keep　Hanover　as　a
compensation　for　Malta；　and　to　assure　the　means　of　embarrassing　and
attacking　Prussia；　which　he　now　began　to　distrust。　　By　advancing　upon
Prussia　he　would　secure　his　left；　so　that　when　convenient　he　might　march
northward。　　Mortier；　therefore；　received　orders　to　reduce　the　conditions
of　the　capitulation　to　the　surrender　of　the　arms；　baggage；　artillery；　and
horses。　　England；　which　was　making　great　efforts　to　resist　the　invasion
with　which　she　thought　herself　threatened；　expended　considerable　sums　for
the　transport　of　the　troops　from　Hanover　to　England。　　Her　precipitation
was　indescribable；　and　she　paid　the　most　exorbitant　charges　for　the　hire
of　ships。　　Several　houses　in　Hamburg　made　fortunes　on　this　occasion。
Experience　has　long　since　proved　that　it　is　not　at　their　source　that
secret　transactions　are　most　readily　known。　　The　intelligence　of　an　event
frequently　resounds　at　a　distance；　while　the　event　itself　is　almost
entirely　unknown　in　the　place　of　its　occurrence。　　The　direct　influence　of
political　events　on　commercial　speculations　renders　merchants　exceedingly
attentive　to　what　is　going　on。　　All　who　are　engaged　in　commercial
pursuits　form　a　corporation　united　by　the　strongest　of　all　bonds；　common
interest；　and　commercial　correspondence　frequently　presents　a　fertile
field　for　observation；　and　affords　much　valuable　information；　which　often
escapes　the　inquiries　of　Government　agents。

I　resolved　to　form　a　connection　with　some　of　the　mercantile　houses　which
maintained　extensive　and　frequent　communications　with　the　Northern
States。　　I　knew　that　by　obtaining　their　confidence　I　might　gain　a
knowledge　of　all　that　was　going　on　in　Russia；　Sweden；　England；　and
Austria。　　Among　the　subjects　upon　which　it　was　desirable　to　obtain
information　I　included　negotations；　treaties；　military　measuressuch　as
recruiting　troops　beyond　the　amount　settled　for　the　peace　establishment；
movements　of　troops；　the　formation　of　camps　and　magazines；　financial
operations；　the　fitting…out　of　ships；　and　many　other　things；　which；
though　not　important　in　themselves；　frequently　lead　to　the　knowledge　of
what　is　important。

I　was　not　inclined　to　place　reliance　on　all　public　reports　and　gossiping
stories　circulated　on　the　Exchange　without　close　investigation；　for　I
wished　to　avoid　transmitting　home　as　truths　what　might　frequently　be　mere
stock…jobbing　inventions。　　I　was　instructed　to　keep　watch　on　the
emigrants；　who　were　exceedingly　numerous　in　Hamburg　and　its
neighbourhood；　Mecklenburg；　Hanover；　Brunswick；　and　Holstein；　but　I　must
observe　that　my　inspection　was　to　extend　only　to　those　who　were　known　to
be　actually　engaged　in　intrigues　and　plots。

I　was　also　to　keep　watch　on　the　state　of　the　public　mind；　and　on　the
journals　which　frequently　give　it　a　wrong　direction；　and　to　point　out
those　articles　in　the　journals　which　I　thought　censurable。　　At　first　I
merely　made　verbal　representations　and　complaints；　but　I　could　not　always
confine　myself　to　this　course。　　I　received　such　distinct　and　positive
orders　that；　in　spite　of　myself；　inspection　was　speedily　converted　into
oppression。　　Complaints　against　the　journals　filled　one…fourth　of　my
despatches。

As　the　Emperor　wished　to　be　made　acquainted　with　all　that　was　printed
against　him；　I　sent　to　Paris；　in　May　1805；　and　consequently　a　very　few
days　after　my　arrival　in　Hamburg；　a　pamphlet　by　the　celebrated　Kotzebue；
entitled　'Recollections　of　my　Journey　to　Naples　and　Rome'。　　This
publication；　which　was　printed　at　Berlin；　was　full　of　indecorous　attacks
and　odious　allusions　on　the　Emperor。

I　was　informed　at　that　time；　through　a　certain　channel；　that　the　Emperor
Alexander　had　solicited　General　Moreau　to　enter　his　service；　and　take　the
command　of　the　Russian　infantry。　　He　offered　him　12；000　roubles　to　defray
his　travelling　expenses。　　At　a　subsequent　period　Moreau　unfortunately
accepted　these　offers；　and　died　in　the　enemy's　ranks。

On　the　27th　of　June　M。　Bouligny　arrived　at　Hamburg。　　He　was　appointed　to
supersede　M。　d'Ocariz　at　Stockholm。　　The　latter　minister　had　left　Hamburg
on　the　11th　of　June　for　Constantinople；　where　he　did　not　expect　to　stay
three　months。　　I　had　several　long　conversations　with　him　before　his
departure；　and　he　did　not　appear　to　be　satisfied　with　his　destination。
We　frequently　spoke　of　the　King　of　Sweden；　whose　conduct　M。　d'Ocariz
blamed。　　He　was；　he　said；　a　young　madman；　who；　without　reflecting　on　the
change　of　time　and　circumstances；　wished　to　play　the　part　of　Gustavus
Adolphus；　to　whom　he　bore　no　resemblence　but　in　name。　　M。　d'Ocariz　spoke
of　the　King　of　Sweden's　camp　in　a　tone　of　derision。　　That　Prince　had
returned　to　the　King　of　Prussia　the　cordon　of　the　Black　Eagle　becau