memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第4部分

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　　　　　Napoleon's　designsCaesar's　TowerDistribution　of　the　crosses　of
　　　　　the　Legion　of　HonourThe　military　throneBonaparte's　charlatanism
　　　　　Intrepidity　of　two　English　sailorsThe　decennial　prizes　and　the
　　　　　Polytechnic　SchoolMeeting　of　the　Emperor　and　EmpressFirst
　　　　　negotiation　with　the　Holy　SeaThe　Prefect　of　Arras　and　Comte　Louis
　　　　　de　NarbonneChange　in　the　French　Ministry。

Louis　XVIII。；　being　at　Warsaw　when　he　was　informed　of　the　elevation　of
Napoleon　to　the　Imperial　dignity；　addressed　to　the　sovereigns　of　Europe　a
protest　against　that　usurpation　of　his　throne。　　Fouche；　being　the　first
who　heard　of　this　protest；　immediately　communicated　the　circumstance　to
the　Emperor；　observing　that　doubtless　the　copies　would　be　multiplied　and
distributed　amongst　the　enemies　of　his　Government；　in　the　Faubourg　St。
Germain；　which　might　produce　the　worst　effects；　and　that　he　therefore
deemed　it　his　duty　to　inform　him　that　orders　might　be　given　to　Regnier
and　Real　to　keep　a　strict　watch　over　those　engaged　in　distributing　this
document。

〃You　may　judge　of　my　surprise；〃　added　Fouche；　〃you　who　know　so　well　that
formerly　the　very　mention　of　the　Bourbons　rendered　Bonaparte　furious；
when；　after　perusing　the　protest；　he　returned　it　to　me；　saying；　'Ah；　ah；
so　the　Comte　de　Lille　makes　his　protest！　　Well；　well；　all　in　good　time。
I　hold　my　right　by　the　voice　of　the　French　nation；　and　while　I　wear　a
sword　I　will　maintain　it！　　The　Bourbons　ought　to　know　that　I　do　not　fear
them；　let　them；　therefore；　leave　me　in　tranquillity。　　Did　you　say　that
the　fools　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain　would　multiply　the　copies　of　this
protest　of　Comte　de　Lille？　　well；　they　shall　read　it　at　their　ease。　　Send
it　to　the　Moniteur；　Fouche；　and　let　it　be　inserted　to…morrow　morning。'〃
This　passed　on　the　30th　of　June；　and　the　next　day　the　protest　of　Louis
XVIII。　did　actually　appear　in　that　paper。

Fouche　was　wholly　indifferent　respecting　the　circulation　of　this　protest；
he　merely　wished　to　show　the　Emperor　that　he　was　better　informed　of
passing　events　than　Regnier；　and　to　afford　Napoleon　another　proof　of　the
inexperience　and　inability　of　the　Grand　Judge　in　police；　and　Fouche　was
not　long　in　receiving　the　reward　which　he　expected　from　this　step。　　In
fact；　ten　days　after　the　publication　of　the　protest；　the　Emperor
announced　to　Regnier　the　re…establishment　of　the　Ministry　of　General
Police。

The　formula；　I　Pray　God　to　have　you　in　His　holy　keeping；　with　which　the
letter　to　Regnier　closed；　was　another　step　of　Napoleon　in　the　knowledge
of　ancient　usages；　with　which　he　was　not　sufficiently　familiar　when　he
wrote　Cambaceres　on　the　day　succeeding　his　elevation　to　the　Imperial
throne；　at　the　same　time　it　must　be　confessed　that　this　formula　assorted
awkwardly　with　the　month　of　〃Messidor；〃　and　the　〃twelfth　year　of　the
Republic！〃

The　errors　which　Regnier　had　committed　in　the　affair　of　Georges　were　the
cause　which　determined　Bonaparte　to　re…establish　the　Ministry　of　Police；
and　to　bestow　it　on　a　man　who　had　created　a　belief　in　the　necessity　of
that　measure；　by　a　monstrous　accumulation　of　plots　and　intrigues。　　I　am
also　certain　that　the　Emperor　was　swayed　by　the　probability　of　a　war
breaking　out；　which　would　force　him　to　leave　France；　and　that　he
considered　Fouche　as　the　most　proper　person　to　maintain　the　public
tranquillity　during　his　absence；　and　detect　any　cabala　that　might　be
formed　in　favour　of　the　Bourbons。

At　this　period；　when　Bonaparte　had　given　the　finishing　blow　to　the
Republic；　which　had　only　been　a　shadow　since　the　19th　Brumaire；　it　was
not　difficult　to　foresee　that　the　Bourbons　would　one　day　remount　the
throne　of　their　ancestors；　and　this　presentiment　was　not；　perhaps；
without　its　influence　in　rendering　the　majority　greater　in　favour　of　the
foundation　of　the　Empire　than　for　the　establishment　of　a　Consulate　for
life。　　The　reestablishment　of　the　throne　was　a　most　important　step　in
favour　of　the　Bourbons；　for　that　was　the　thing　most　difficult　to　be　done。
But　Bonaparte　undertook　the　task；　and；　as　if　by　the　aid　of　a　magic　rod；
the　ancient　order　of　things　was　restored　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye。　　The
distinctions　of　rankorderstitles；　the　noblessedecorationsall　the
baubles　of　vanityin　short；　all　the　burlesque　tattooing　which　the　vulgar
regard　as　an　indispensable　attribute　of　royalty；　reappeared　in　an
instant。　　The　question　no　longer　regarded　the　form　of　government；　but　the
individual　who　should　be　placed　at　its　head。　　By　restoring　the　ancient
order　of　things；　the　Republicans　had　themselves　decided　the　question；　and
it　could　no　longer　be　doubted　that　when　an　occasion　presented　itself　the
majority　of　the　nation　would　prefer　the　ancient　royal　family；　to　whom
France　owed　her　civilisation；　her　greatness；　and　her　power；　and　who　had
exalted　her　to　such　a　high　degree　of　glory　and　prosperity。

It　was　not　one　of　the　least　singular　traits　in　Napoleon's　character　that
during　the　first　year　of　his　reign　he　retained　the　fete　of　the　14th　of
July。　　It　was　not　indeed　strictly　a　Republican　fate；　but　it　recalled。the
recollection　of　two　great　popular　triumphs；the　taking　of　the　Bastille
and　the　first　Federation。　　This　year　the　14th　of　July　fell　on　a　Saturday；
and　the　Emperor　ordered　its　celebration　to　be　delayed　till　the　following
day；　because　it　was　Sunday；　which　was　in　conformity　with　the　sentiments
he　delivered　respecting　the　Concordat。　　〃What　renders　me；〃　he　said；　〃most
hostile　to　the　re…establishment　of　the　Catholic　worship　is　the　number　of
festivals　formerly　observed。　　A　saint's　day　is　a　day　of　indolence；　and　I
wish　not　for　that；　the　people　must　labour　in　order　to　live。　　I　consent　to
four　holidays　in　the　year；　but　no　more；　if　the　gentlemen　from　Rome　are
not　satisfied　with　this；　they　may　take　their　departure。〃

The　loss　of　time　seemed　to　him　so　great　a　calamity　that　he　seldom　failed
to　order　an　indispensable　solemnity　to　be　held　on　the　succeeding　holiday。
Thus　he　postponed　the　Corpus　Christi　to　the　following　Sunday。

On　Sunday；　the　15th　of　July　1804；　the　Emperor　appeared　for　the　first　time
before　the　Parisians　surrounded　by　all　the　pomp　of　royalty。　　The　members
of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　then　in　Paris；　took　the　oath　prescribed　by　the
new　Constitution；　and　on　this　occasion　the　Emperor　and　Empress　appeared
attended　for　the　first　time　by　a　separate　and　numerous　retinue。

The　carriages　in　the　train　of　the　Empress　crossed　the　garden　of　the
Tuileries；　hitherto　exclusively　appropriated　to　the　public；　then　followed
the　cavalcade　of　the　Emperor；　who　appeared　on　horseback；　surrounded　by
his　principal　generals；　whom　he　had　created　Marshals　of　the　Empire。
M。　de　Segur；　who　held　the　office　of　Grand　Master　of　Ceremonies；　had　the
direction　of　the　ceremonial　to　be　observed　on　this　occasion；　and　with；
the　Governor　received　the　Emperor　on　the　threshold　of　the　Hotel　des
Invalides。　　They　conducted　the　Empress　to　a　tribune　prepared　for　her
reception；　opposite　the　Imperial　throne　which　Napoleon　alone　occupied；　to
the　right　of　the　altar。　　I　was　present　at　this　ceremony；　notwithstanding
the　repugnance　I　have　to　such　brilliant　exhibitions；　but　as　Duroc　had　two
days　before　presented　me　with　tickets；　I　deemed　it　prudent　to　attend　on
the　occasion；　lest　the　keen　eye　of　Bonaparte　should　have　remarked　my
absence　if　Duroc　had　acted　by　his　order。

I　spent　about　an　hour　contemplating　the　proud　and　sometimes　almost
ludicrous　demeanour　of　the　new　grandees　of　the　Empire；　I　marked　the
manoeuvring　of　the　clergy；　who；　with　Cardinal　Belloy　at　their　head；
proceeded　to　receive　the　Emperor　on　his　entrance　into　the　church。　　What　a
singular　train　of　ideas　was　called　up　to　my　mind　when　I　beheld　my　former
comrade　at　the　school　of　Brienne　seated　upon　an　elevated　throne；
surrounded　by　his　brilliant　staff；　the　great　dignitaries　of　his　Empire
his　Ministers　and　Marshals！　　I　involuntarily　recurred　to　the　19th
Brumaire；　and　all　this　splendid　scene　vanished；　when　I　thought　of
Bonaparte　stammering　to　such　a　degree　that　I　was　obliged　to　pull　the
skirt　of　his　coat　to　induce　him　to　withdraw。

It　was　neither　a　feeling　of　animosity　nor　of　jealousy　which　called　up
such　reflections；　at　no　period　of　our　career　would　I　have　exchanged　my
situation　for　his；　but　whoever　can　reflect；　whoever　has　witnessed　the
unexpected　elevation　of　a　former　equal；　may　perhaps　be　able　to　conceive
the　strange　thoughts　that　assailed　my　mind；　for　the　first　time；　on　this
occasion。

When　the　religious　part　of　the　ceremony　terminated；　the　church　assumed；
in　some　measure；　the　appearance　of　a　profane　temple。　　The　congregation
displayed　more　devotion　to　the　Emperor　than　towards　the　God　of　the
Christians；more　enthusiasm　than　fervour。　　The　mass　had　been　heard　with
little　attention；　but　when　M。　de　Lacepede；　Grand　Chancellor　of　the　Legion
of　Honour；　after　pronouncing　a　flattering　discourse；　finished　the　call　of
the　Grand　Officers　of　the　Legion；　Bonaparte　covered；　as　did　the　ancient
kings　of　France　when　they　held　a　bed　of　justice。　　A　profound　silence；　a
sort　of　religious　awe；　then　reigned　throughout　the　assembly；　and
Napoleon；　who　did　not　now　stammer　as　in　the　Council　of　the　Five　Hundred；
said　in　a　firm　voice：

〃Commanders；　officers；　legionaries；　citizens；　soldiers；　swear　upon　your
honour　to　devote　yourselves　to　the　service　of　the　Empireto　the
preservation　of　the　integrity　of　the　French　territoryto　the　defence　of
the　Emperor；　of　the　laws　of　the　Republic；　and　of　the　property　which　they
have　made　sacredto　combat　by　all　the　means　which　justice；　reason；　and
the　laws　authorise　every　attempt　to　reestablish　the　feudal　system；　in
short；　swear　to　concur　with　all　your　might　in　maintaining　liberty　and
equality；　which　are　the　bases　of　all　our　institutions。　　Do　you　swear？〃

Each　member　of　the　Legion　of　Honour　exclaimed；　〃I　swear；〃　adding；　〃Vive
l'Empereur！〃　with　an　enthusiam　it　is　impossible　to　describe；　and　in　which
all　present　joined。

What；　after　all；　was　this　new　oath？　　It　only　differed　from　that　taken　by
the　Legion　of　Honour；　under　the　Consulate；　in　putting　the　defence　of　the
Emperor　before　that　of　the　laws　of　the　Republic；　and　this　was　not　merely
a　form。　　It　was；　besides；　sufficiently　laughable　and　somewhat　audacious；
to　make　them　swear　to　support　equality　at　the