memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v2-第17部分

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by　the　Sicilians。　　M。　Poussielgue　had　done　all　he　could　in　the　way　of
seduction；　but　he　had　not　completely　succeeded。　　There　was　some
misunderstanding；　and；　in　consequence；　some　shots　were　interchanged。
Bonaparte　was　very　much　pleased　with　General　Baraguay　d'Hilliers'
services　in　Italy。　　He　could　not　but　praise　his　military　and　political
conduct　at　Venice　when；　scarcely　a　year　before；　he　had　taken　possession
of　that　city　by　his　orders。　　General　Baraguay　d'Hilliers　joined　us　with
his　division；which　had　embarked　in　the　convoy　that　sailed　from　Genoa。
The　General…in…Chief　ordered　him　to　land　and　attack　the　western　part　of
the　island。　　He　executed　this　order　with　equal　prudence　and　ability；　and
highly　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　General…in…Chief。　　As　every　person　in
the　secret　knew　that　all　this　was　a　mere　form；　these　hostile
demonstrations　produced　no　unpleasant　consequences。　　We　wished　to　save
the　honour　of　the　knightsthat　was　all；　for　no　one　who　has　seen　Malta
can　imagine　that　an　island　surrounded　with　such　formidable　and　perfect
fortifications　would　have　surrendered　in　two　days　to　a　fleet　which　was
pursued　by　an　enemy。　　The　impregnable　fortress　of　Malta　is　so　secure
against　a　'coup　de　main'　that　General　Caffarelli；　after　examining　its
fortifications；　said　to　the　General…in…Chief；　in　my　presence；　〃Upon　my
word；　General；　it　is　luck：　there　is　some　one　in　the　town　to　open　the
gates　for　us。〃

By　comparing　the　observation　of　General　Caffarelli　with　what　has　been
previously　stated　respecting　the　project　of　the　expedition　to　Egypt　and
Malta；　an　idea　may　be　formed　of　the　value　of　Bonaparte's　assertion　at　St。
Helena：

〃The　capture　of　Malta　was　not　owing　to　private　intrigues；　but　to　the
sagacity　of　the　Commander…in…chief。　　I　took　Malta　when　I　was　in　Mantua！〃

It　is　not　the　less　true；　however；　that　I　wrote；　by　his　dictation；　a　mass
of　instructions　for　private　intrigues。　　Napoleon　also　said　to　another
noble　companion　of　his　exile　at　St　Helena；　〃Malta　certainly　possessed
vast　physical　means　of　resistance；　but　no　moral　means。　　The　knights　did
nothing　dishonourable　nobody　is　obliged　to　do　impossibilities。　　No；　but
they　were　sold；　the　capture　of　Malta　was　assured　before　we　left　Toulon。〃

The　General…in…Chief　proceeded　to　that　part　of　the　port　where　the　Turks
made　prisoners　by　the　knights　were　kept。

The　disgusting　galleys　were　emptied　of　their　occupants：　The　same
principles　which；　a　few　days　after；　formed　the　basis　of　Bonaparte's
proclamation　to　the　Egyptians；　guided　him　in　this　act　of　reason　and
humanity。

He　walked　several　times　in　the　gardens　of　the　grandmaster。　　They　were　in
beautiful　order；　and　filled　with　magnificent　orange…trees。　　We　regaled
ourselves　with　their　fruit；　which　the　great　heat　rendered　most　delicious。

On　the　19th　of　June；　after　having　settled　the　government　and　defence　of
the　island；　the　General　left　Malta；　which　he　little　dreamed　he　had　taken
for　the　English；　who　have　very　badly　requited　the　obligation。　　Many　of
the　knights　followed　Bonaparte　and　took　civil　and　military　appointments。

During　the　night　of　the　22d　of　June　the　English　squadron　was　almost　close
upon　us。　　It　passed　at　about　six　leagues　from　the　French　fleet。　　Nelson；
who　learned　the　capture　of　Malta　at　Messina　on　the　day　we　left　the
island；　sailed　direct　for　Alexandria；　without　proceeding　into　the　north。
He　considered　that　city　to　be　the　place　of　our　destination。　　By　taking
the　shortest　course；　with　every　sail　set；　and　unembarrassed　by　any
convoy；　he　arrived　before　Alexandria　on　the　28th　of　June；　three　days
before　the　French　fleet；　which；　nevertheless；　had　sailed　before　him　from
the　shores　of　Malta。　　The　French　squadron　took　the　direction　of　Candia；
which　we　perceived　on　the　25th　of　June；　and　afterwards　stood　to　the
south；　favoured　by　the　Etesian　winds；　which　regularly　prevail　at　that
season。　　The　French　fleet　did　not　reach　Alexandria　till　the　30th　of　June。

When　on　board　the　'Orient'　he　took　pleasure　in　conversing　frequently　with
Monge　and　Berthollet。　　The　subjects　on　which　they　usually　talked　were
chemistry；　mathematics；　and　religion。　　General　Caffarelli；　whose
conversation；　supplied　by　knowledge；　was　at　once　energetic；　witty；　and
lively；　was　one　of　those　with　whom　he　most　willingly　discoursed。
Whatever　friendship　he　might　entertain　for　Berthollet；　it　was　easy　to
perceive　that　he　preferred　Monge；　and　that　he　was　led　to　that　preference
because　Monge；　endowed　with　an　ardent　imagination；　without　exactly
possessing　religious　principles；　had　a　kind　of　predisposition　for
religious　ideas　which　harmonised　with　the　notions　of　Bonaparte。　　On　this
subject　Berthollet　sometimes　rallied　his　inseparable　friend　Monge。
Besides；　Berthollet　was；　with　his　cold　imagination；　constantly　devoted　to
analysis　and　abstractions；　inclined　towards　materialism；　an　opinion　with
which　the　General　was　always　much　dissatisfied。

Bonaparte　sometimes　conversed　with　Admiral　Brueys。　　His　object　was　always
to　gain　information　respecting　the　different　manoeuvres；　and　nothing
astonished　the　Admiral　more　than　the　sagacity　of　his　questions。
I　recollect　that　one　day；　Bonaparte　having　asked　Brueys　in　what　manner
the　hammocks　were　disposed　of　when　clearing　for　action；　he　declared；
after　he　had　received　an　answer；　that　if　the　case　should　occur　he　would
order　every　one　to　throw　his　baggage　overboard。

He　passed　a　great　part　of　his　time　in　his　cabin；　lying　on　a　bed；　which；
swinging　on　a　kind　of　castors；　alleviated　the　severity　of　the　sea…
sickness　from　which　he　frequently　suffered　much　when　the　ship　rolled。

I　was　almost　always　with　him　in　his　cabin；　where　I　read　to　him　some　of
the　favourite　works　which　he　had　selected　for　his　camp　library。　　He　also
frequently　conversed；　for　hours　together；　with　the　captains　of　the
vessels　which　he　hailed。　　He　never　failed　to　ask　whence　they　came？　what
was　their　destination？　what　ships　they　had　met？　what　course　they　had
sailed？　　His　curiosity　being　thus　satisfied；　he　allowed　them　to　continue
their　voyage；　after　making　them　promise　to　say　nothing　of　having　seen　the
French　squadron。

Whilst　we　were　at　sea　he　seldom　rose　before　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。
The　'Orient'　had　the　appearance　of　a　populous　town；　from　which　women　had
been　excluded；　and　this　floating　city　was　inhabited　by　2000　individuals；
amongst　whom　were　a　great　number　of　distinguished　men。　　Bonaparte　every
day　invited　several　persons　to　dine　with　him；　besides　Brueys；　Berthier；
the　colonels；　and　his　ordinary　household；　who　were　always　present　at　the
table　of　the　General…in…Chief。　　When　the　weather　was　fine　he　went　up　to
the　quarter…deck；　which；　from　its　extent；　formed　a　grand　promenade。

I　recollect　once　that　when　walking　the　quarter…deck　with　him　whilst　we
were　in　Sicilian　waters　I　thought　I　could　see　the　summits　of　the　Alps
beautifully　lighted　by　the　rays　of　the　setting　sun。　　Bonaparte　laughed
much；　and　joked　me　about　it。　　He　called　Admiral　Brueys；　who　took　his
telescope　and　soon　confirmed　my　conjecture。　　The　Alps！

At　the　mention　of　that　word　by　the　Admiral　I　think　I　can　see　Bonaparte
still。　　He　stood　for　a　long　time　motionless；　then；　suddenly　bursting　from
his　trance；　exclaimed；　〃No！　I　cannot　behold　the　land　of　Italy　without
emotion！　　There　is　the　East：　and　there　I　go；　a　perilous　enterprise
invites　me。　　Those　mountains　command　the　plains　where　I　so　often　had　the
good　fortune　to　lead　the　French　to　victory。　　With　them　we　will　conquer
again。〃

One　of　Bonaparte's　greatest　pleasures　during　the　voyage　was；　after
dinner；　to　fix　upon　three　or　four　persons　to　support　a　proposition　and　as
many　to　oppose　it。　　He　had　an　object　in　view　by　this。　　These　discussions
afforded　him　an　opportunity　of　studying　the　minds　of　those　whom　he　had　an
interest　in　knowing　well；　in　order　that　he　might　afterwards　confide　to
each　the　functions　for　which　he　possessed　the　greatest　aptitude：　It　will
not　appear　singular　to　those　who　have　been　intimate　with　Bonaparte；　that
in　these　intellectual　contests　he　gave　the　preference　to　those　who　had
supported　an　absurd　proposition　with　ability　over　those　who　had
maintained　the　cause　of　reason；　and　it　was　not　superiority　of　mind　which
determined　his　judgment；　for　he　really　preferred　the　man　who　argued　well
in　favour　of　an　absurdity　to　the　man　who　argued　equally　well　in　support
of　a　reasonable　proposition。　　He　always　gave　out　the　subjects　which　were
to　be　discussed；　and　they　most　frequently　turned　upon　questions　of
religion；　the　different　kinds　of　government；　and　the　art　of　war。　　One　day
he　asked　whether　the　planets　were　inhabited；　on　another；　what　was　the　age
of　the　world；　then　he　proposed　to　consider　the　probability　of　the
destruction　of　our　globe；　either　by　water　or　fire；　at　another　time；
the　truth　or　fallacy　of　presentiments；　and　the　interpretation　of　dreams。
I　remember　the　circumstance　which　gave　rise　to　the　last　proposition　was
an　allusion　to　Joseph；　of　whom　he　happened　to　speak；　as　he　did　of　almost
everything　connected　with　the　country　to　which　we　were　bound；　and　which
that　able　administrator　had　governed。　　No　country　came　under　Bonaparte's
observation　without　recalling　historical　recollections　to　his　mind。
On　passing　the　island　of　Candia　his　imagination　was　excited；　and　he　spoke
with　enthusiasm　of　ancient　Crete　and　the　Colossus；　whose　fabulous　renown
has　surpassed　all　human　glories。　　He　spoke　much　of　the　fall　of　the　empire
of　the　East；　which　bore　so　little　resemblance　to　what　history　has
preserved　of　those　fine　countries；　so　often　moistened　with　the　blood　of
man。　　The　ingenious　fables　of　mythology　likewise　occurred　to　his　mind；
and　imparted　to　his　language　something　of　a　poetical；　and；　I　may　say；　of
an　inspired　character。　　The　sight　of　the　kingdom　of　Minos　led　him　to
reason　on　the　laws　best　calculated　for　the　government　of　nations；　and　the
birthplace　of　Jupiter　suggested　to　him　the　necessity　of　a　religion　for
the　mass　of　mankind。　　This　animated　conversation　lasted　until　the
favourable　north　winds；　which　drove　the　clouds　into　the　valley　of　the
Nile；　caused　us　to　lose　sight　of　the　island　of　Candia。

The　musicians　on　board　the　Orient　sometimes　played　serenades；　but　only
between　decks；　for　Bonaparte　was　not　yet　sufficiently　fond　of　music　to
wish　to　hear　it　i