memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-第7部分

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affair；　had　no　communication　whatever　with　those　who　were　concocting　a
plot　in　the　interior。　　Machiavelli　says　that　when　the　author　of　a　crime
cannot　be　discovered　we　should　seek　for　those　to　whose　advantage　it
turns。　　In　the　present　case　Machiavelli's　advice　will　find　an　easy
application；　since　the　Duke's　death　could　be　advantageous　only　to
Bonaparte；　who　considered　it　indispensable　to　his　accession　to　the　crown
of　France。　　The　motives　may　be　explained；　but　can　they　be　justified？
How　could　it　ever　be　said　that　the　Due　d'Enghien　perished　as　a　presumed
accomplice　in　the　conspiracy　of　Georges？

Moreau　was　arrested　on　the　15th　of　February　1804；　at　which　time　the
existence　of　the　conspiracy　was　known。　　Pichegru　and　Georges　were　also
arrested　in　February；　and　the　Due　d'Enghien　not　till　the　15th　of　March。
Now　if　the　Prince　had　really　been　concerned　in　the　plot；　if　even　he　had　a
knowledge　of　it；　would　he　have　remained　at　Ettenheim　for　nearly　a　month
after　the　arrest　of　his　presumed　accomplices；　intelligence　of　which　he
might　have　obtained　in　the　space　of　three　days？　　Certainly　not。　　So
ignorant　was　he　of　that　conspiracy　that　when　informed　at　Ettenheim　of
the　affair　he　doubted　it；　declaring　that　if　it　were　true　his　father　and
grandfather　would　have　made　him　acquainted　with　it。　　Would　so　long　an
interval　have　been　suffered　to　elapse　before　he　was　arrested？　　Alas！
cruel　experience　has　shown　that　that　step　would　have　been　taken　in　a　few
hours。

The　sentence　of　death　against　Georges　and　his　accomplices　was　not
pronounced　till　the　10th　of　June　1804；　and　the　Due　d'Enghien　was　shot　on
the　21st　of　March；　before　the　trials　were　even　commenced。　　How　is　this
precipitation　to　be　explained？　　If；　as　Napoleon　has　declared；　the　young
Bourbon　was　an　accomplice　in　the　crime；　why　was　he　not　arrested　at　the
time　the　others　were？　　Why　was　he　not　tried　along　with　them；　on　the
ground　of　his　being　an　actual　accomplice；　or　of　being　compromised；　by
communications　with　them；　or；　in　short；　because　his　answers　might　have
thrown　light　on　that　mysterious　affair？　　How　was　it　that　the　name　of　the
illustrious　accused　was　not　once　mentioned　in　the　course　of　that　awful
trial？

It　can　scarcely　be　conceived　that　Napoleon　could　say　at　St。　Helena；
〃Either　they　contrived　to　implicate　the　unfortunate　Prince　in　their
project；　and　so　pronounced　his　doom；　or；　by　omitting　to　inform　him　of
what　was　going　on；　allowed　him　imprudently　to　slumber　on　the　brink　of　a
precipice；　for　he　was　only　a　stone's　cast　from　the　frontier　when　they
were　about　to　strike　the　great　blow　in　the　name　and　for　the　interest　of
his　family。〃

This　reasoning　is　not　merely　absurd；　it　is　atrocious。　　If　the　Duke　was
implicated　by　the　confession　of　his　accomplices；　he　should　have　been
arrested　and　tried　along　with　them。　　Justice　required　this。　　If　he　was
not　so　implicated；　where　is　the　proof　of　his　guilt？　　Because　some
individuals；　without　his　knowledge；　plotted　to　commit　a　crime　in　the　name
of　his　family　he　was　to　be　shot！　　Because　he　was　130　leagues　from　the
scene　of　the　plot；　and　had　no　connection　with　it；　he　was　to　die！　　Such
arguments　cannot　fail　to　inspire　horror。　　It　is　absolutely　impossible　any
reasonable　person　can　regard　the　Due　d'Enghien　as　an　accomplice　of
Cadoudal；　and　Napoleon　basely　imposed　on　his　contemporaries　and　posterity
by　inventing　such　falsehoods；　and　investing　them　with　the　authority　of
his　name。

Had　I　been　then　in　the　First　Consul's　intimacy　I　may　aver；　with　as　much
confidence　as　pride；　that　the　blood　of　the　Due　d'Enghien　would　not　have
imprinted　an　indelible　stain　on　the　glory　of　Bonaparte。　　In　this　terrible
matter　I　could　have　done　what　no　one　but　me　could　even　attempt；　and　this
on　account　of　my　position；　which　no　one　else　has　since　held　with
Bonaparte。　　I　quite　admit　that　he　would　have　preferred　others　to　me；　and
that　he　would　have　had　more　friendship　for　them　than　for　me；　supposing
friendship　to　be　compatible　with　the　character　of　Bonaparte；　but　I　knew
him　better　than　any　one　else。　　Besides；　among　those　who　surrounded　him　I
alone　could　have　permitted　myself　some　return　to　our　former　familiarity
on　account　of　our　intimacy　of　childhood。　　Certainly；　in　a　matter　which
permanently　touched　the　glory　of　Bonaparte；　I　should　not　have　been
restrained　by　the　fear　of　some　transitory　fit　of　anger；　and　the　reader
has　seen　that　I　did　not　dread　disgrace。　　Why　should　I　have　dreaded　it？
I　had　neither　portfolio；　nor　office；　nor　salary；　for；　as　I　have　said；　I
was　only　with　Bonaparte　as　a　friend；　and　we　had；　as　it　were；　a　common
purse。　　I　feel　a　conviction　that　it　would　have　been　very　possible　for　me
to　have　dissuaded　Bonaparte　from　his　fatal　design；　inasmuch　as　I
positively　know　that　his　object；　after　the　termination　of　the　peace；　was
merely　to　frighten　the　emigrants；　in　order　to　drive　them　from　Ettenheim；
where　great　numbers；　like　the　Due　d'Enghien；　had　sought　refuge。　　His
anger　was　particularly　directed　against　a　Baroness　de　Reith　and　a
Baroness　d'Ettengein；　who　had　loudly　vituperated　him；　and　distributed
numerous　libels　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Rhine。　　At　that　period　Bonaparte
had　as　little　design　against　the　Due　d'Enghien's　life　as　against　that　of
any　other　emigrant。　　He　was　more　inclined　to　frighten　than　to　harm　him；
and　certainly　his　first　intention　was　not　to　arrest　the　Prince；　but；
as　I　have　said；　to　frighten　the　'emigres'；　and　to　drive　them　to　a
distance。　　I　must；　however；　admit　that　when　Bonaparte　spoke　to　Rapp　and
Duroc　of　the　emigrants　on　the　other　side　of　the　Rhine　he　expressed
himself　with　much　irritability：　so　much　so；　indeed；　that　M。　de
Talleyrand；　dreading　its　effects　for　the　Due　d'Enghien；　warned　that
Prince；　through　the　medium　of　a　lady　to　whom　he　was　attached；　of　his
danger；　and　advised　him　to　proceed　to　a　greater　distance　from　the
frontier。　　On　receiving　this　notice　the　Prince　resolved　to　rejoin　his
grandfather；　which　he　could　not　do　but　by　passing　through　the　Austrian
territory。　　Should　any　doubt　exist　as　to　these　facts　it　may　be　added　that
Sir　Charles　Stuart　wrote　to　M。　de　Cobentzel　to　solicit　a　passport　for　the
Duc　d'Enghien；　and　it　was　solely　owing　to　the　delay　of　the　Austrian
Cabinet　that　time　was　afforded　for　the　First　Consul　to　order　the　arrest
of　the　unfortunate　Prince　as　soon　as　he　had　formed　the　horrible
resolution　of　shedding　the　blood　of　a　Bourbon。　　This　resolution　could
have　originated　only　with　himself；　for　who　would　have　dared　to　suggest　it
to　him？　　The　fact　is；　Bonaparte　knew　not　what　he　did。　　His　fever　of
ambition　amounted　to　delirium；　and　he　knew　not　how　he　was　losing　himself
in　public　opinion　because　he　did　not　know　that　opinion；　to　gain　which　he
would　have　made　every　sacrifice。

When　Cambaceres　（who；　with　a　slight　reservation；　had　voted　the　death　of
Louis　XVI。）　warmly　opposed　in　the　Council　the　Duc　d'Enghien's　arrest；　the
First　Consul　observed　to　him；　〃Methinks；　Sir；　you　have　grown　very　chary
of　Bourbon　blood！〃

Meanwhile　the　Due　d'Enghien　was　at　Ettenheim；　indulging　in　hope　rather
than　plotting　conspiracies。　　It　is　well　known　that　an　individual　made　an
offer　to　the　Prince　de　Conde　to　assassinate　the　First　Consul；　but　the
Prince　indignantly　rejected　the　proposition；　and　nobly　refused　to　recover
the　rights　of　the　Bourbons　at　the　price　of　such　a　crime。　　The　individual
above…mentioned　was　afterwards　discovered　to　be　an　agent　of　the　Paris
police；　who　had　been　commissioned　to　draw　the　Princes　into　a　plot　which
would　have　ruined　them；　for　public　feeling　revolts　at　assassination　under
any　circumstances。

It　has　been　alleged　that　Louis　XVIII。's　refusal　to　treat　with　Bonaparte
led　to　the　fatal　catastrophe　of　the　Due　d'Enghien's　death。　　The　first
correspondence　between　Louis　XVIII。　and　the　First　Consul；　which　has　been
given　in　these　Memoirs；　clearly　proves　the　contrary。　　It　is　certainly
probable　that　Louis　XVIII。's　refusal　to　renounce　his　rights　should　have
irritated　Bonaparte。　　But　it　was　rather　late　to　take　his　revenge　two
years　after；　and　that　too　on　a　Prince　totally　ignorant　of　those
overtures。　　It　is　needless　to　comment　on　such　absurdities。　　It　is　equally
unnecessary　to　speak　of　the　mysterious　being　who　often　appeared　at
meetings　in　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；　and　who　was　afterwards　discovered
to　be　Pichegru。

A　further　light　is　thrown　on　this　melancholy　catastrophe　by　a
conversation　Napoleon　had；　a　few　days　after　his　elevation　to　the　imperial
throne；　with　M。　Masaias；　the　French　Minister　at　the　Court　of　the　Grand
Duke　of　Baden。　　This　conversation　took　place　at　Aix…la…Chapelle。　　After
some　remarks　on　the　intrigues　of　the　emigrants　Bonaparte　observed；　〃You
ought　at　least　to　have　prevented　the　plots　which　the　Due　d'Enghien　was
hatching　at　Ettenheim。〃〃Sire；　I　am　too　old　to　learn　to　tell　a
falsehood。　　Believe　me；　on　this　subject　your　Majesty's　ear　has　been
abused。〃〃Do　you　not　think；　then；　that　had　the　conspiracy　of　Georges　and
Pichegru　proved　successful；　the　Prince　would　have　passed　the　Rhine；　and
have　come　post　to　Paris？〃

M。　Massias；　from　whom　I　had　these　particulars；　added；　〃At　this　last
question　of　the　Emperor　I　hung　down　my　head　and　was　silent；　for　I　saw　he
did　not　wish　to　hear　the　truth。〃

Now　let　us　consider；　with　that　attention　which　the　importance　of　the
subject　demands；　what　has　been　said　by　the　historians　of　St。　Helena。

Napoleon　said　to　his　companions　in　exile　that　〃the　Due　d'Enghien's　death
must　be　attributed　either　to　an　excess　of　zeal　for　him　（Napoleon）；　to
private　views；　or　to　mysterious　intrigues。　　He　had　been　blindly　urged　on；
he　was；　if　he　might　say　so；　taken　by　surprise。　　The　measure　was
precipitated；　and　the　result　predetermined。〃

This　he　might　have　said；　but　if　he　did　so　express　himself；　how　are　we　to
reconcile　such　a　declaration　with　the　statement　of　O'Meara？　　How　give
credit　to　assertions　so　very　opposite？

Napoleon　said　to　M。　de　Las　Casas：

　　　　　〃One　day　when　alone；　I　recollect　it　well；　I　was　taking　my　coffee；
　　　　　half　seated　on　the　table　at　which　I　had　just　dined；　when　suddenly
　　　　　information　was　brought　to　me　that　a　new　conspiracy　had　been
　　　　　discovered。　　I　was　warmly　urged　to　put　an　end　to　these　enormities；
　　　　　they　represented　to　me　that　it　was　time　at　last　to　give　a　lesson　to
　　　　　those　who　h