memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-第18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！


occasionally　burst　from　him。　　I　recollect　the　effect　he　produced　upon　the
Court　and　the　auditors　at　one　of　the　sittings；　when　the　President　had
accused　him　of　the　design　of　making　himself　Dictator。　　He　exclaimed；
〃I　Dictator！　　What；　make　myself　Dictator　at　the　head　of　the　partisans　of
the　Bourbons！　　Point　out　my　partisans！　　My　partisans　would　naturally　be
the　soldiers　of　France；　of　whom　I　have　commanded　nine…tenths；　and　saved
more　than　fifty　thousand。　　These　are　the　partisans　I　should　look　to！　　All
my　aides　de　camp；　all　the　officers　of　my　acquaintance；　have　been
arrested；　not　the　shadow　of　a　suspicion　could　be　found　against　any　of
them；　and　they　have　been　set　at　liberty。　　Why；　then；　attribute　to　me　the
madness　of　aiming　to　get　myself　made　Dictator　by　the　aid　of　the　adherents
of　the　old　French　Princes；　of　persons　who　have　fought　in　their　cause
since　1792？　　You　allege　that　these　men；　in　the　space　of　four…and…twenty
hours；　formed　the　project　of　raising　me　to　the　Dictatorship！　　It　is
madness　to　think　of　it！　　My　fortune　and　my　pay　have　been　alluded　to；　I
began　the　world　with　nothing；　I　might　have　had　by　this　time　fifty
millions；　I　have　merely　a　house　and　a　bit　of　ground；　as　to　my　pay；　it　is
forty　thousand　francs。　　Surely　that　sum　will　not　be　compared　with　my
services。〃

During　the　trial　Moreau　delivered　a　defence；　which　I　knew　had　been
written　by　his　friend　Garat；　whose　eloquence　I　well　remember　was　always
disliked　by　Bonaparte。　　Of　this　I　had　a　proof　on　the　occasion　of　a　grand
ceremony　which　took　place　in　the　Place　des　Victoires；　on　laying　the　first
stone　of　a　monument　which　was　to　have　been　erected　to　the　memory　of
Desaix；　but　which　was　never　executed。　　The　First　Consul　returned　home　in
very　ill…humour；　and　said　to　me；　〃Bourrienne；　what　a　brute　that　Garat　is！
What　a　stringer　of　words！　　I　have　been　obliged　to　listen　to　him　for
three…quarters　of　an　hour。　　There　are　people　who　never　know　when　to　hold
their　tongues！〃

Whatever　might　be　the　character　of　Garat's　eloquence　or　Bonaparte's
opinion　of　it；　his　conduct　was　noble　on　the　occasion　of　Moreau's　trial；
for　he　might　be　sure　Bonaparte　would　bear　him　a　grudge　for　lending　the
aid　of　his　pen　to　the　only　man　whose　military　glory；　though　not　equal　to
that　of　the　First　Consul；　might　entitle　him　to　be　looked　upon　as　his
rival　in　fame。　　At　one　of　the　sittings　a　circumstance　occurred　which
produced　an　almost　electrical　effect。　　I　think　I　still　see　General
Lecourbe；　the　worthy　friend　of　Moreau；　entering　unexpectedly　into　the
Court；　leading　a　little　boy。　　Raising　the　child　in　his　arms；　he　exclaimed
aloud；　and　with　considerable　emotion；　〃Soldiers；　behold　the　son　of　your
general！

　　　　　＇This　action　of　Lecourbe；　together　with　the　part　played　in　this
　　　　　trial　by　his　brother；　one　of　the　judges；　was　most　unfortunate；　not
　　　　　only　for　Lecourbe　but　for　France；　which　consequently　lost　the
　　　　　services　of　its　best　general　of　mountain　warfare。　　His　campaigns　of
　　　　　Switzerland　in　1799　on　the　St。　Gothard　against　Suwarrow　are　well
　　　　　known。　　Naturally　disgraced　for　the　part　he　took　with　Moreau；　he　was
　　　　　not　again　employed　till　the　Cent　Jours；　when　he　did　good　service；
　　　　　although　he　had　disapproved　of　the　defection　of　Ney　from　the
　　　　　Royalist　cause。　　He　died　in　1816；　his　brother；　the　judge；　had　a　most
　　　　　furious　reception　from　Napoleon；　who　called　him　a　prevaricating
　　　　　judge；　and　dismissed　him　from　his　office　（Remusat；　tome　ii。　　p。
　　　　　8）。＇

〃At　this　unexpected　movement　all　the　military　present　spontaneously　rose
and　presented　arms；　while　a　murmur　of　approbation　from　the　spectators
applauded　the　act。　　It　is　certain　that　had　Moreau　at　that　moment　said　but
one　word；　such　was　the　enthusiasm　in　his　favour；　the　tribunal　would　have
been　broken　up　and　the　prisoners　liberated。　　Moreau；　however；　was　silent；
and　indeed　appeared　the　only　unconcerned　person　in　Court。　　Throughout　the
whole　course　of　the　trial　Moreau　inspired　so　much　respect　that　when　he
was　asked　a　question　and　rose　to　reply　the　gendarmes　appointed　to　guard
him　rose　at　the　same　time　and　stood　uncovered　while　he　spoke。

Georges　was　far　from　exciting　the　interest　inspired　by　Moreau。　　He　was　an
object　of　curiosity　rather　than　of　interest。　　The　difference　of　their
previous　conduct　was　in　itself　sufficient　to　occasion　a　great　contrast　in
their　situation　before　the　Court。　　Moreau　was　full　of　confidence　and
Georges　full　of　resignation。　　The　latter　regarded　his　fate　with　a　fierce
kind　of　resolution。　　He　occasionally　resumed　the　caustic　tone　which　he
seemed　to　have　renounced　when　he　harangued　his　associates　before　their
departure　from　the　Temple。　　With　the　most　sarcastic　bitterness　he　alluded
to　the　name　and　vote　of　Thuriot；　one　of　the　most　violent　of　the　judges；
often　terming　him　'Tue…roi'；

　　　　　＇Thuriot　and　the　President　Hemart　both　voted　for　the　death　of　the
　　　　　King。　　Merlin；　the　imperial　Procureur…General；　was　one　of　the
　　　　　regicides。　Bourrienne。＇

and　after　pronouncing　his　name；　or　being　forced　to　reply　to　his
interrogatories；　he　would　ask　for　a　glass　of　brandy　to　wash　his　mouth。

Georges　had　the　manners　and　bearing　of　a　rude　soldier；　but　under　his
coarse　exterior　he　concealed　the　soul　of　a　hero。　　When　the　witnesses　of
his　arrest　had　answered　the　questions　of　the　President　Hemart；　this　judge
turned　towards　the　accused；　and　inquired　whether　he　had　anything　to　say
in　reply。　〃No。〃〃Do　you　admit　the　facts？〃〃Yes。〃　　Here　Georges　busied
himself　in　looking　over　the　papers　which　lay　before　him；　when　Hemart
warned　him　to　desist；　and　attend　to　the　questions。　　The　following
dialogue　then　commenced。　　〃Do　you　confess　having　been　arrested　in　the
place　designated　by　the　witness？〃〃I　do　not　know　the　name　of　the
place。〃〃Do　you　confess　having　been　arrested？〃〃Yes。〃〃　Did　you　twice
fire　a　pistol？〃〃Yes。〃〃Did　you　kill　a　man？〃〃Indeed　I　do　not　know。〃
〃Had　you　a　poniard？〃〃Yes。〃〃And　two　pistols？〃〃　Yes。〃〃Who　was　in
company　with　you？〃〃I　do　not　know　the　person。〃〃　Where　did　you　lodge　in
Paris？〃〃　Nowhere。〃〃At　the　time　of　your　arrest　did　you　not　reside　in
the　house　of　a　fruiterer　in　the　Rue　de　la　Montagne　St。　Genevieve？〃
〃At　the　time　of　my　arrest　I　was　in　a　cabriolet。　　I　lodged　nowhere。〃
〃Where　did　you　sleep　on　the　evening　of　your　arrest？〃〃Nowhere。〃〃What
were　you　doing　in　Paris？〃〃I　was　walking　about。〃〃　Whom　have　you　seen
in　Paris？〃〃　I　shall　name　no　one；　I　know　no　one。〃

From　this　short　specimen　of　the　manner　in　which　Georges　replied　to　the
questions　of　the　President　we　may　judge　of　his　unshaken　firmness　during
the　proceedings。　　In　all　that　concerned　himself　he　was　perfectly　open；
but　in　regard　to　whatever　tended　to　endanger　his　associates　he　maintained
the　moat　obstinate　silence；　notwithstanding　every　attempt　to　overcome　his
firmness。

That　I　was　not　the　only　one　who　justly　appreciated　the　noble　character　of
Georges　is　rendered　evident　by　the　following　circumstance。　　Having
accompanied　M。　Carbonnet　to　the　police；　where　he　went　to　demand　his
papers；　on　the　day　of　his　removal　to　St。　Pelagic；　we　were　obliged　to
await　the　return　of　M。　Real；　who　was　absent。　　M。　Desmarets　and　several
other　persons　were　also　in　attendance。　　M。　Real　had　been　at　the
Conciergerie；　where　he　had　seen　Georges　Cadoudal；　and　on　his　entrance
observed　to　M。　Desmarets　and　the　others；　sufficiently　loud　to　be
distinctly　heard　by　M。　Carbonnet　and　myself；　〃I　have　had　an　interview
with　Georges　who　is　an　extraordinary　man。　　I　told　him　that　I　was　disposed
to　offer　him　a　pardon　if　he　would　promise　to　renounce　the　conspiracy　and
accept　of　employment　under　Government。　　But　to　my　arguments　and
persuasions　he　only　replied；　'My　comrades　followed　me　to　France；　and　I
shall　fellow　them；　to　death。'〃　　In　this　he　kept　his　word。

Were　we　to　judge　these　memorable　proceedings　from　the　official　documents
published　in　the　Moniteur　and　other　journals　of　that　period；　we　should
form　a　very　erroneous　opinion。　　Those　falsities　were　even　the　object　of　a
very　serious　complaint　on　the　part　of　Cosier　St。　Victor；　one　of　the
accused。

After　the　speech　of　M。　　Gauthier；　the　advocate　of　Coster　St。　Victor；　the
President　inquired　of　the　accused　whether　he　had　anything　further　to　say
in　his　defence；　to　which　he　replied；　〃I　have　only　to　add　that　the
witnesses　necessary　to　my　exculpation　have　not　yet　appeared。　　I　must
besides　express　my　surprise　at　the　means　which　have　been　employed　to　lead
astray　public　opinion；　and　to　load　with　infamy　not　only　the　accused　but
also　their　intrepid　defenders。　　I　have　read　with　pain　in　the　journals　of
to…day　that　the　proceedings〃　　Here　the　President　interrupting；　observed
that　〃these　were　circumstances　foreign　to　the　case。〃〃　Not　in　the
least；〃　replied　Cosier　St。　Victor；　〃on　the　contrary；　they　bear　very
materially　on　the　cause；　since　mangling　and　misrepresenting　our　defence
is　a　practice　assuredly　calculated　to　ruin　us　in　the　estimation　of　the
public。　　In　the　journals　of　to…day　the　speech　of　M。　Gauthier　is
shamefully　garbled；　and　I　should　be　deficient　in　gratitude　were　I　not
here　to　bear　testimony　to　the　zeal　and　courage　which　he　has　displayed　in
my　defence。　　I　protest　against　the　puerilities　and　absurdities　which　have
been　put　into　his　mouth；　and　I　entreat　him　not　to　relax　in　his　generous
efforts。　　It　is　not　on　his　account　that　I　make　this　observation；　he　does
not　require　it　at　my　hands；　it　is　for　'myself；　it　is　for　the　accused；
whom　such　arts　tend　to　injure　in　the　estimation　of　the　public。〃

Coster　St。　Victor　had　something　chivalrous　in　his　language　and　manners
which　spoke　greatly　in　his　favour；　he　conveyed　no　bad　idea　of　one　of　the
Fiesco　conspirators；　or　of　those　leaders　of　the　Fronds　who　intermingled
gallantry　with　their　politics。

An　anecdote　to　this　effect　was　current　about　the　period　of　the　trial。
Coster　St。　Victor；　it　is　related；　being　unable　any　longer　to　find　a
secure　asylum　in　Paris；　sought　refuge　for　a　single　night　in　the　house　of
a　beautiful　actress；　formerly　in　the　good　graces　of　the　First　Consul；　and
it　is　added　that　Bonaparte；　on　the　same　night；　having　secretly　arrived　on
a　visit　to　the　lady；　found　himself　unexpectedly　in　the　presence　of　Coster
St。　Victor；　who　might　have　taken　his　life；　but　that　only　an　interchange
of　courtesy　took　place　betwixt　the