memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-第10部分

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Josephine　afterwards　informed　me　of　the　only　act　of　courage　which
occurred　at　this　periodnamely；　the　resignation　which　M。　de
Chateaubriand　had　sent　to　Bonaparte。　　She　admired　his　conduct　greatly；
and　said：　〃What　a　pity　he　is　not　surrounded　by　men　of　this　description！
It　would　be　the　means　of　preventing　all　the　errors　into　which　he　is　led
by　the　constant　approbation　of　those　about　him。〃　　Josephine　thanked　me
for　my　attention　in　coming　to　see　her　at　such　an　unhappy　juncture；　and　I
confess　that　it　required　all　the　regard　I　cherished　for　her　to　induce　me
to　do　so；　for　at　that　moment　I　should　not　have　wished　to　see　the　First
Consul；　since　the　evil　was　irreparable。　　On　the　evening　of　that　day
nothing　was　spoken　of　but　the　transaction　of　the　21st　of　March；　and　the
noble　conduct　of　M。　de　Chateaubriand。　　As　the　name　of　that　celebrated　man
is　for　ever　written　in　characters　of　honour　in　the　history　of　that
period；　I　think　I　may　with　propriety　relate　here　what　I　know　respecting
his　previous　connection　with　Bonaparte。

I　do　not　recollect　the　precise　date　of　M。　de　Chateaubriand's　return　to
France；　I　only　know　that　it　was　about　the　year　1800；　for　we　were；
I　think；　still　at　the　Luxembourg：　However；　I　recollect　perfectly　that
Bonaparte　began　to　conceive　prejudices　against　him；　and　when　I　one　day
expressed　my　surprise　to　the　First　Consul　that　M。　de　Chateaubriand's　name
did　not　appear　on　any　of　the　lists　which　he　had　ordered　to　be　presented
to　him　for　filling　up　vacant　places；　he　said：　〃He　has　been　mentioned　to
me；　but　I　replied　in　a　way　to　check　all　hopes　of　his　obtaining　any
appointment。　　He　has　notions　of　liberty　and　independence　which　will　not
suit　my　system。　　I　would　rather　have　him　my　enemy　than　my　forced　friend。
At　all　events；　he　must　wait　awhile；　I　may；　perhaps；　try　him　first　in　a
secondary　place；　and；　if　he　does　well；　I　may　advance　him。〃

The　above　is；　word　for　word；　what　Bonaparte　said　the：　first　time　I
conversed　with　him　about　M。　de　Chateaubriand。　　The　publication　of　'Atala'
and　the　'Genie　du　Christianisme'　suddenly　gave　Chateaubriand　celebrity；
and　attracted　the　attention　of　the　First　Consul。　　Bonaparte　who　then
meditated　the　restoration　of　religious　worship：　in　France；　found　himself
wonderfully　supported　by　the　publication　of　a　book　which　excited　the
highest　interest；　and　whose　superior　merit　led　the　public　mind　to　the
consideration　of　religious　topics。　　I　remember　Madame　Bacciocchi　coming
one　day　to　visit　her　brother　with　a　little　volume　in　her　hand；　it　was
'Atala'。　　She　presented　it　to　the　First　Consul；　and　begged　he　would　read
it。　　〃What；　more　romances！〃　exclaimed　he。　　〃Do　you　think　I　have　time　to
read　all　your　fooleries？〃　　He；　however；　took　the　book　from　his　sister　and
laid　it　down　on　my　desk。　　Madame　Bacciocchi　then　solicited　the　erasure　of
M。　de　Chateaubriand's　name　from　the　list　of　emigrants。　　〃Oh！　　oh！〃　said
Bonaparte；　〃it　is　Chateaubriand's　　book；　is　it？　　I　will　read　it；　then。
Bourrienne；　write　to　Fouche　to　erase　his　name　from　the　list。〃

Bonaparte；　at　that　time　paid　so　little　attention　to　what　was　doing　in　the
literary　world　that　he　was　not　aware　of　Chateaubriand　being　the　author　of
'Atala'。　　It　was　on　the　recommendation　of　M。　de　Fontanel　that　Madame
Bacciocchi　tried　this　experiment；　which　was　attended　by　complete　success。
The　First　Consul　read　'Atala'；　and　was　much　pleased　with　it。　　On　the
publication　of　the　'Genie　du　Christianisme'　some　time　after；　his　first
prejudices　were　wholly　removed。　　Among　the　persons　about　him　there　were
many　who　dreaded　to　see　a　man　of　de　Chateaubriand's　talent　approach　the
First　Consul；　who　knew　how　to　appreciate　superior　merit　when　it　did　not
exite　his　envy。

Our　relations　with　the　Court　of　the　Vatican　being　renewed；　and　Cardinal
Fesch　appointed　Ambassador　to　the　Holy　See；　Bonaparte　conceived　the　idea
of　making　M。　de　Chateaubriand　first　secretary　to　the　Embassy；　thinking
that　the　author　of　the　'Genie　du　Christianisme'　was　peculiarly　fitted　to
make　up　for　his　uncle's　deficiency　of　talent　in　the　capital　of　the
Christian　world；　which　was　destined　to　become　the　second　city　of　the
Empire。

It　was　not　a　little　extraordinary　to　let　a　man；　previously；　a　stranger　to
diplomatic　business；　stepping　over　all　the　intermediate　degrees；　and
being　at　once　invested　with　the　functions　of　first　secretary　to　an
important　Embassy。　　I　oftener　than　once　heard　the　First　Consul
congratulate　himself　on　having　made　the　appointment。　　I　knew；　though
Bonaparte　was　not　aware　of　the　circumstance　at　the　time；　that
Chateaubriand　at　first　refused　the　situation；　and　that　he　was　only
induced　to　accept　it　by　the　entreaties　of　the　head　of　the　clergy；
particularly　of　the　Abby　Emery；　a　man　of　great　influence。　　They
represented　to　the　author　of　the'　Genie　du　Christianisme　that　it　was
necessary　he　should　accompany　the　uncle　of　the　First　Consul　to　Rome；　and
M。　de　Chateaubriand　accordingly　resolved　to　do　so。

However；　clouds；　gathered；　I　do　not　know　from　what　cause；　between　the
ambassador　and　his　secretary。　　All　I　know　is；　that　on　Bonaparte　being
informed　of　the　circumstance　he　took　the　part　of　the　Cardinal；　and　the
friends　of　M。　de　Chateaubriand　expected　to　see　him　soon　deprived　of　his
appointment；　when；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　every　one；　the　secretary
to　the　Roman　Embassy；　far　from　being　disgraced；　was　raised　by　the　First
Consul　to　the　rank　of　Minister　Plenipotentiary　to　the　Valais；　with　leave
to　travel　in　Switzerland　and　Italy；　together　with　the　promise　of　the
first　vacant　Embassy。

This　favour　excited　a　considerable　sensation　at　the　Tuileries；　but　as　it
was　known　to　be　the　will　and　pleasure　of　the　First　Consul　all　expression
of　opinion　on　the　subject　was　confined　to　a　few　quiet　murmurs　that
Bonaparte　had　done　for　the　name　of　Chateaubriand　what；　in　fact；　he　had
done　only　on　account　of　his　talent。　　It　was　during　the　continuance　of
this　favour　that　the　second　edition　of　the　'Genie　du　Christianisme'　was
dedicated　to　the　First　Consul。

M。　de　Chateaubriand　returned　to　France　previously　to　entering　on　the
fulfilment　of　his　new　mission。　　He　remained　for　some　months　in　Paris；　and
on　the　day　appointed　for　his　departure　he　went　to　take　leave　of　the　First
Consul。　　By　a　singular　chance　it　happened　to　be　the　fatal　morning　of　the
21st　of　March；　and　consequently　only　a　few　hours　after　the　Duc　d'Enghien
had　been　shot。　　It　is　unnecessary　to　observe　that　M。　de　Chateaubriand　was
ignorant　of　the　fatal　event。　　However；　on　his　return　home　he　said　to　his
friends　that　he　had　remarked　a　singular　change　in　the　appearance　of　the
First　Consul；　and　that　there　was　a　sort　of　sinister　expression　in　his
countenance。　　Bonaparte　saw　his　new　minister　amidst　the　crowd　who
attended　the　audience；　and　several　times　seemed　inclined　to　step　forward
to　speak　to　him；　but　as　often　turned　away；　and　did　not　approach　him　the
whole　morning。　　A　few　hours　after；　when　M。　de　Chatenubriand　mentioned　his
observations　to　some　of　his　friends；　he　was　made　acquainted　with　the
cause　of　that　agitation　which；　in　spite　of　all　his　strength　of　mind　and
self…command；　Bonaparte　could　not　disguise。

M。　de　Chateaubriand　instantly　resigned　his　appointment　of　Minister
Plenipotentiary　to　the　Valais。　　For　several　days　his　friends　were　much
alarmed　for　his　safety；　and　they　called　every　morning　early　to　ascertain
whether　he　had　not　been　carried　off　during　the　night。　　Their　fears　were
not　without　foundation。　　I　must　confess　that　I；　who　knew　Bonaparte　well；
was　somewhat　surprised　that　no　serious　consequence　attended　the　anger　he
manifested　on　receiving　the　resignation　of　the　man　who　had　dedicated　his
work　to　him。　　In　fact；　there　was　good　reason　for　apprehension；　and　it　was
not　without　considerable　difficulty　that　Elisa　succeeded　in　averting　the
threatened　storm。　　From　this　time　began　a　state　of　hostility　between
Bonaparte　and　Chateaubriand　which　only　terminated　at　the　Restoration。

I　am　persuaded；　from　my　knowledge　of　Bonaparte's　character；　that　though
he　retained　implacable　resentment　against　a　returned　emigrant　who　had
dared　to　censure　his　conduct　in　so　positive　a　manner；　yet；　his　first
burst　of　anger　being　soothed；　that　which　was　the　cause　of　hatred　was　at
the　same　time　the　ground　of　esteem。　　Bonaparte's　animosity　was；
I　confess；　very　natural；　for　he　could　not　disguise　from　himself　the　real
meaning　of　a　resignation　made　under　such　circumstances。　　It　said　plainly；
〃You　have　committed　a　crime；　and　I　will　not　serve　your　Government；　which
is　stained　with　the　blood　of　a　Bourbon！〃　　I　can　therefore　very　well
imagine　that　Bonaparte　could　never　pardon　the　only　man　who　dared　to　give
him　such　a　lesson　in　the　midst　of　the　plenitude　of　his　power。　　But；　as　I
have　often　had　occasion　to　remark；　there　was　no　unison　between
Bonaparte's　feelings　and　his　judgment。

I　find　a　fresh　proof　of　this　in　the　following　passage；　which　he　dictated
to　M。　de　Montholon　at　St。　Helena　（Memoires；　tome　iv。　　p　248）。　　〃If；〃　said
he；　〃the　royal　confidence　had　not　been　placed　in　men　whose　minds　were
unstrung　by　too　important　circumstances；　or　who；　renegade　to　their
country；　saw　no　safety　or　glory　for　their　master's　throne　except　under
the　yoke　of　the　Holy　Alliance；　if　the　Duc　de　Richelieu；　whose　ambition
was　to　deliver　his　country　from　the　presence　of　foreign　bayonets；　if
Chateaubriand；　who　had　just　rendered　valuable　services　at　Ghent；　if　they
had　had　the　direction　of　affairs；　France　would　have　emerged　from　these
two　great　national　crises　powerful　and　redoubtable。　　Chateaubriand　had
received　from　Nature　the　sacred　fire…his　works　show　it！　　His　style　is　not
that　of　Racine　but　of　a　prophet。　　Only　he　could　have　said　with　impunity
in　the　chamber　of　peers；　'that　the　redingote　and　cocked　hat　of　Napoleon；
put　on　a　stick　on　the　coast　of　Brest；　would　make　all　Europe　run　to
arms。'〃

The　immediate　consequences　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien's　death　were　not　confined
to　the　general　consternation　which　that　unjustifiable　stroke　of　state
policy　produced　in　the　capital。　　The　news　spread　rapidly　through　the
provinces　and　foreign　countries；　and　was　everywhere　accompanied　by
astonishment　and　sorrow。　　There　is　in　the　departments　a　separate　class　of
society；　possessing　great　influence；　and　constituted　entirely　of　persons
usually　c