memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-第5部分

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to　prepare　his　return　to　office。

To　corroborate　my　opinion　respecting　Fouche's　conduct　and　his　manoeuvres
I　must　remind　the　reader　that　about　the　close　of　1803　some　persons
conceived　the　project　of　reconciling　Moreau　and　Pichegru。　　Fouche；　who
was　then　out　of　the　Ministry；　caused　Moreau　to　be　visited　by　men　of　his
own　party；　and　who　were　induced；　perhaps　unconsciously；　by　Fouche's　art；
to　influence　and　irritate　the　general's　mind。　　It　was　at　first　intended
that　the　Abbe　David；　the　mutual　friend　of　Moreau　and　Pichegru；　should
undertake　to　effect　their　reconciliation；　but　he；　being　arrested　and
confined　in　the　Temple；　was　succeeded　by　a　man　named　Lajolais；　whom　every
circumstance　proves　to　have　been　employed　by　Fouche。　　He　proceeded　to
London；　and；　having　prevailed　on　Pichegru　and　his　friends　to　return　to
France；　he　set　off　to　announce　their　arrival　and　arrange　everything　for
their　reception　and　destruction。　　Moreau's　discontent　was　the　sole
foundation　of　this　intrigue。　　I　remember　that　one　day；　about　the　end　of
January　1804；　I　called　on　Fouche；　who　informed　me　that　he　had　been　at　St。
Cloud；　where　he　had　had　a　long　conversation　with　the　First　Consul　on　the
situation　of　affairs。　　Bonaparte　told　him　that　he　was　satisfied　with　the
existing　police；　and　hinted　that　it　was　only　to　make　himself　of
consequence　that　he　had　given　a　false　colouring　to　the　picture。　　Fouche
asked　him　what　he　would　say　if　he　told　him　that　Georges　and　Pichegru　had
been　for　some　time　in　Paris　carrying　on　the　conspiracy　of　which　he　had
received　information。　　The　First　Consul；　apparently　delighted　at　what　he
conceived　to　be　Fouche's　mistake；　said；　with　an　air　of　contempt；　〃You　are
well　informed；　truly！　　Regnier　has　just　received　a　letter　from　London
stating　that　Pichegru　dined　three　days　ago　at　Kingston　with　one　of　the
King　of　England's　ministers。〃

As　Fouche；　however；　persisted　in　his　assertion；　the　First　Consul　sent　to
Paris　for　the　Grand　Judge；　Regnier；　who　showed　Fouche　the　letter　he　had
received。　　The　First　Consul　triumphed　at　first　to　see　Fouche　at　fault；
but　the　latter　so　clearly　proved　that　Georges　and　Pichegru　were　actually
in　Paris　that　Regnier　began　to　fear　he　had　been　misled　by　his　agents；
whom　his　rival　paid　better　than　he　did。　　The　First　Consul；　convinced　that
his　old　minister　knew　more　than　his　new　one；　dismissed　Regnier；　and
remained　a　long　time　in　consultation　with　Fouche；　who　on　that　occasion
said　nothing　about　his　reinstatement　for　fear　of　exciting　suspicion。
He　only　requested　that　the　management　of　the　business　might　be　entrusted
to　Real；　with　orders　to　obey　whatever　instructions　he　might　receive　from
him。　　I　will　return　hereafter　to　the　arrest　of　Moreau　and　the　other
persons　accused；　and　will　now　subjoin　the　account　of　a　long　interview
which　I　had　with　Bonaparte　in　the　midst　of　these　important　events。

On　the　8th　of　March　1804；　some　time　after　the　arrest　but　before　the　trial
of　General　Moreau；　I　had　an　audience　of　the　First　Consul；　which　was
unsought　on　my　part。　　Bonaparte；　after　putting　several　unimportant
questions　to　me　as　to　what　I　was　doing；　what　I　expected　he　should　do　for
me；　and　assuring　me　that　he　would　bear　me　in　mind；　gave　a　sudden　turn　to
the　conversation；　and　said；　〃By　the　by；　the　report　of　my　connection　with
Hortense　is　still　kept　up：　the　most　abominable　rumours　have　been　spread
as　to　her　first　child。　　I　thought　at　the　time　that　these　reports　had　only
been　admitted　by　the　public　in　consequence　of　the　great　desire　that　I
should　not　be　childless。　　Since　you　and　I　separated　have　you　heard　them
repeated？〃〃Yes；　General；　oftentimes；　and　I　confess　I　could　not　have
believed　that　this　calumny　would　have　existed　so　long。〃〃It　is　truly
frightful　to　think　of！　　You　know　the　truthyou　have　seen　allheard　all
nothing　could　have　passed　without　your　knowledge；　you　were　in　her　full
confidence　during　the　time　of　her　attachment　to　Duroc。　　I　therefore
expect；　if　you　should　ever　write　anything　about　me；　that　you　will　clear
me　from　this　infamous　imputation。　　I　would　not　have　it　accompany　my　name
to　posterity。　　I　trust　in　you。　　You　have　never　given　credit　to　the　horrid
accusation？〃〃No；　General；　never。〃　　Napoleon　then　entered　into　a　number
of　details　on　the　previous　life　of　Hortense；　on　the　way　in　which　she
conducted　herself；　and　on　the　turn　which　her　marriage　had　taken。　　〃It　has
not　turned　out；〃　he　said；　〃as　I　wished：　the　union　has　not　been　a　happy
one。　　I　am　sorry　for　it；　not　only　because　both　are　dear　to　me；　but
because　the　circumstance　countenances　the　infamous　reports　that　are
current　among　the　idle　as　to　my　intimacy　with　her。〃　　He　concluded　the
conversation　with　these　words：〃Bourrienne；　I　sometimes　think　of
recalling　you；　but　as　there　is　no　good　pretext　for　so　doing；　the　world
would　say　that　I　have　need　of　you；　and　I　wish　it　to　be　known　that　I　stand
in　need　of　nobody。〃　　He　again　said　a　few　words　about　Hortense。
I　answered　that　it　would　fully　coincide　with　my　conviction　of　the　truth
to　do　what　he　desired；　and　that　I　would　do　it；　but　that　suppressing　the
false　reports　did　not　depend　on　me。

Hortense；　in　fact；　while　she　was　Mademoiselle　BEAUHARNAIS；　regarded
Napoleon　with　respectful　awe。　　She　trembled　when　she　spoke　to　him；　and
never　dared　to　ask　him　a　favour。　　When　she　had　anything　to　solicit　she
applied　to　me；　and　if　I　experienced　any　difficulty　in　obtaining　for　her
what　she　sought；　I　mentioned　her　as　the　person　for　whom　I　pleaded。
〃The　little　simpleton！〃　　Napoleon　would　say；　〃why　does　she　not　ask　me
herself：　is　the　girl　afraid　of　me？〃　　Napoleon　never　cherished　for　her　any
feeling　but　paternal　tenderness。　　He　loved　her　after　his　marriage　with
her　mother　as　he　would　have　loved　his　own　child。　　During　three　years　I
was　a　witness　to　all　their　most　private　actions；　and　I　declare　that　I
never　saw　or　heard　anything　that　could　furnish　the　least　ground　for
suspicion；　or　that　afforded　the　slightest　trace　of　the　existence　of　a
culpable　intimacy。　　This　calumny　must　be　classed　among　those　with　which
malice　delights　to　blacken　the　characters　of　men　more　brilliant　than
their　fellows；　and　which　are　so　readily　adopted　by　the　light…minded　and
unreflecting。　　I　freely　declare　that　did　I　entertain　the　smallest　doubt
with　regard　to　this　odious　charge；　of　the　existence　of　which　I　was　well
aware　before　Napoleon　spoke　to　me　on　the　subject；　I　would　candidly　avow
it。　　He　is　no　more：　and　let　his　memory　be　accompanied　only　by　that；　be　it
good　or　bad；　which　really　belongs　to　it。　　Let　not　this　reproach　be　one　of
those　charged　against　him　by　the　impartial　historian。　　I　must　say；　in
concluding　this　delicate　subject；　that　the　principles　of　Napoleon　on
points　of　this　kind　were　rigid　in　the　utmost　degree；　and　that　a
connection　of　the　nature　of　that　charged　against　him　was　neither　in
accordance　with　his　morals　nor　his　tastes。

I　cannot　tell　whether　what　followed　was　a　portion　of　his　premeditated
conversation　with　me；　or　whether　it　was　the　result　of　the　satisfaction　he
had　derived　from　ascertaining　my　perfect　conviction　of　the　purity　of　his
conduct　with　regard　to　Hortense；　and　being　assured　that　I　would　express
that　conviction。　　Be　this　as　it　may；　as　I　was　going　out　at　the　door　he
called　me　back；　saying；　〃Oh！　　I　have　forgotten　something。〃　　I　returned。
〃Bourrienne；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　still　keep　up　your　acquaintance　with　the
Fauchers？〃〃Yes；　General；　I　see　them　frequently。〃〃You　are　wrong。〃
〃Why　should　I　not？　　They　are　clever；　well…educated　men；　and　exceedingly
pleasant　company；　especially　Caesar。　　I　derive　great　pleasure　from　their
society；　and　then　they　are　almost　the　only　persons　whose　friendship　has
continued　faithful　to　me　since　I　left　you。　　You　know　people　do　not　care
for　those　who　can　render　them　no　service。〃〃Maret　will　not　see　the
Fauchers。〃〃That　may　be；　General；　but　it　is　nothing　to　me；　and　you　must
recollect　that　as　it　was　through　him　I　was　introduced　to　them　at　the
Tuileries；　I　think　he　ought　to　inform　me　of　his　reasons　for　dropping
their　acquaintance。〃〃I　tell　you　again　he　has　closed　his　door　against
them。　　Do　you　the　same；　I　advise　you。〃　　As　I　did　not　seem　disposed　to
follow　this　advice　without　some　plausible　reason；　the　First　Consul　added；
〃You　must　know；　then；　that　I　learn　from　Caesar　all　that　passes　in　your
house。　　You　do　not　speak　very　ill　of　me　yourself；　nor　does　any　one
venture　to　do　so　in　your　presence。　　You　play　your　rubber　and　go　to　bed。
But　no　sooner　are　you　gone　than　your　wife；　who　never　liked　me；　and　most
of　those　who　visit　at　your　house；　indulge　in　the　most　violent　attacks
upon　me。　　I　receive　a　bulletin　from　Caesar　Faucher　every　day　when　he
visits　at　your　house；　this　is　the　way　in　which　he　requites　you　for　your
kindness；　and　for　the　asylum　you　afforded　his　brother。＇Constantine
Rancher　had　been　condemned　in　contumacy　for　the　forgery　of　a　public
document。Bourrienne。＇　But　enough；　you　see　I　know　allfarewell；〃　and
he　left　me。

The　grave　having　closed　over　these　two　brothers；＇The　Fauchers　were　twin
brothers；　distinguished　in　the　war　of　the　Revolution；　and　made　brigadier…
generals　at　the　same　time　on　the　field　of　battle。　　After　the　Cent　Jours
they　refused　to　recognise　the　Bourbons；　and　were　shot　by　sentence　of
court…martial　at　Bordeaux。　（Bouillet）＇　I　shall　merely　state　that　they
wrote　me　a　letter　the　evening　preceding　their　execution；　in　which　they
begged　me　to　forgive　their　conduct　towards　me。　　The　following　is　an
extract　from　this　letter：

In　our　dungeon　we　hear　our　sentence　of　death　being　cried　in　the　streets。
To…morrow　we　shall　walk　to　the　scaffold；　but　we　will　meet　death　with　such
calmness　and　courage　as　shall　make　our　executioners　blush。　　We　are　sixty
years　old；　therefore　our　lives　will　only　be　shortened　by　a　brief　apace。
During　our　lives　we　have　shared　in　common；　illness；　grief；　pleasure；
danger；　and　good　fortune。　　We　both　entered　the　world　on　the　same　day；　and
on　the　same　day　we　shall　both　depart　from　it。　　As　to　you；　sir。。。。

I　suppress　what　relates　to　myself。

The　hour　of　the　grand　levee　arrived　just　as　the　singular　interview　which
I　have　described　terminated。　　I　remained　a　short　time　to　look　at　this
phantasmagoria。　　Duroc　was　there。　　As　soon　as　he　saw　me　he　came　up；　and
taking　me　into　the　recess　of　a　window　told　me　that　Moreau'