memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v13-第15部分

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entirely　devoted　to　Bonaparte；　sent　to　request　that　Madame　de　Bourrienne
would　call　on　him；　as　he　wished　to　speak　to　her　on　most　important　and
urgent　business。　　My　sister…in…law　informed　the　messenger　that　my　wife
had　left　Paris；　but；　begging　a　friend　to　accompany　her；　she　went　herself
to　the　individual；　whose　name　will　be　probably　guessed；　though　I　do　not
mention　it。　　The　person　who　came　with　the　message　to　my　house　put　many
questions　to　Madame　de　Bourrienne's　sister　respecting　my　absence；　and
advised　her；　above　all　things；　to　conjure　me　not　to　follow　the　King；
observing　that　the　cause　of　Louis　XVIII。　was　utterly　lost；　and　that　I
should　do　well　to　retire　quietly　to　Burgundy；　as　there　was　no　doubt　of　my
obtaining　the　Emperor's　pardon。

Nothing　could　be　more　gloomy　than　Bonaparte's　entrance　into　Paris。　　He
arrived　at　night　in　the　midst　of　a　thick　fog。　　The　streets　were　almost
deserted；　and　a　vague　feeling　of　terror　prevailed　almost　generally　in　the
capital。

At　nine　o'clock　on　the　same　evening；　the　very　hour　of　Bonaparte's　arrival
at　the　Tuileries；　a　lady；　a　friend；　of　my　family；　and　whose　son　served　in
the　Young　Guard；　called　and　requested　to　see　Madame　de　Bourrienne。　　She
refused　to　enter　the　house　lest　she　should　be　seen；　and　my　sister…in…law
went　down　to　the　garden　to　speak　to　her　without　a　light。　　This　lady's
brother　had　been　on　the　preceding　night　to　Fontainebleau　to　see
Bonaparte；　and　he　had　directed　his　sister　to　desire　me　to　remain　in
Paris；　and　to　retain　my　post　in　the　Prefecture　of　the　Police；　as　I　was
sure　of　a　full　and　complete　pardon。

On　the　morning　of　the　21st　General　Becton；　who　has　since　been　the　victim
of　his　mad　enterprises；　called　at　my　house　and　requested　to　speak　with　me
and　Madame　de　Bourrienne。　　He　was　received　by　my　wife's　sister　and
brothers；　and　stated　that　he　came　from　M。　de　Caulaincourt　to　renew　the
assurances　of　safety　which　had　already　been　given　to　me。　　I　was；　I
confess；　very　sensible　of　these　proofs　of　friendship　when　they　came　to　my
knowledge；　but　I　did　not　for　a　single　moment　repent　the　course　I　adopted。
I　could　not　forget　the　intrigues　of　which　I　had　been　the　object　since
1811；　nor　the　continual　threats　of　arrest　which；　during　that　year；　had
not　left　me　a　moment's　quiet；　and　since　I　now　revert　to　that　time；　I　may
take　the　opportunity　of　explaining　how　in　1814　I　was　made　acquainted　with
the　real　causes　of　the　persecution　to　which　I　had　been　a　prey。　　A　person；
whose　name　prudence　forbids　me　mentioning；　communicated　to　me　the
following　letter；　the　original　copy　of　which　is　in　my　possession：

　　　　　MONSIEUR　LE　DUC　DE　BASSANOI　send　you　some　very　important　documents
　　　　　respecting　the　Sieur　Bourrienne；　and　beg　you　will　make　me　a
　　　　　confidential　report　on　this　affair。　　Keep　these　documents　for
　　　　　yourself　alone。　　This　business　demands　the　utmost　secrecy。
　　　　　Everything　induces　me　to　believe　that　Bourrienne　has　carried　a
　　　　　series　of　intrigues　with　London。　　Bring　me　the　report　on　Thursday。
　　　　　I　pray　God；　etc。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　NAPOLEON
　　　　　PARIS；　25th　December　1811。


I　could　now　clearly　perceive　what　to　me　had　hitherto　been　enveloped　in
obscurity；　but　I　was　not；　as　yet；　made　acquainted　with　the　documents
mentioned　in　Napoleon's　epistle。　　Still；　however；　the　cause　of　his
animosity　was　an　enigma　which　I　was　unable　to　guess；　but　I　obtained　its
solution　some　time　afterwards。

General　Driesen；　who　was　the　Governor　of　Mittau　while　Louis　XVIII。
resided　in　that　town；　came　to　Paris　in　1814。　　I　had　been　well　acquainted
with　him　in　1810　at　Hamburg；　where　he　lived　for　a　considerable　time。
While　at　Mittau　he　conceived　a　chivalrous　and　enthusiastic　friendship　for
the　King　of　France。　　We　were　at　first　distrustful　of　each　other；　but
afterwards　the　most　intimate　confidence　arose　between　us。　　General
Driesen　looked　forward　with　certainty　to　the　return　of　the　Bourbons　to
France；　and　in　the　course　of　our　frequent　conversations　on　his　favourite
theme　he　gradually　threw　off　all　reserve；　and　at　length　disclosed　to　me
that　he　was　maintaining　a　correspondence　with　the　King。

He　told　me　that　he　had　sent　to　Hartwell　several　drafts　of　proclamations；
with　none　of　which；　he　said；　the　King　was　satisfied。　　On　allowing　me　the
copy　of　the　last　of　these　drafts　I　frankly　told　him　that　I　was　quite　of
the　King's　opinion　as　to　its　unfitness。　　I　observed　that　if　the　King
should　one　day　return　to　France　and　act　as　the　general　advised　he　would
not　keep　possession　of　his　throne　six　months。　　Driesen　then　requested　me
to　dictate　a　draft　of　a　proclamation　conformably　with　my　ideas。　　This　I
consented　to　do　on　one　condition；　viz。　　that　he　would　never　mention　my
name　in　connection　with　the　business；　either　in　writing　or　conversation。
General　Driesen　promised　this；　and　then　I　dictated　to　him　a　draft　which　I
would　now　candidly　lay　before　the　reader　if　I　had　a　copy　of　it。　　I　may
add　that　in　the　different　proclamations　of　Louis　XVIII。　　I　remarked
several　passages　precisely　corresponding　with　the　draft　I　had　dictated　at
Hamburg。

During　the　four　years　which　intervened　between　my　return　to　Paris　and　the
downfall　of　the　Empire　it　several　times　occurred　to　me　that　General
Driesen　had　betrayed　my　secret；　and　on　his　very　first　visit　to　me　after
the　Restoration；　our　conversation　happening　to　turn　on　Hamburg；　I　asked
him　whether　he　had　not　disclosed　what　I　wished　him　to　conceal？　　〃Well；〃
said　he；　〃there　is　no　harm　in　telling　the　truth　now。　　After　you　had　left
Hamburg　the　King　wrote　to　me　inquiring　the　name　of　the　author　of　the　last
draft　I　had　sent　him；　which　was　very　different　from　all　that　had　preceded
it。　　I　did　not　answer　this　question；　but　the　King　having　repeated　it　in　a
second　letter；　and　having　demanded　an　answer；　I　was　compelled　to　break　my
promise　to　you；　and　I　put　into　the　post…office　of　Gothenberg　in　Sweden　a
letter　for　the　King；　in　which　I　mentioned　your　name。〃

The　mystery　was　now　revealed　to　me。　　I　clearly　saw　what　had　excited　in
Napoleon's　mind　the　suspicion　that　I　was　carrying　on　intrigues　with
England。　　I　have　no　doubt　as　to　the　way　in　which　the　affair　came　to　his
knowledge。　　The　King　must　have　disclosed　my　name　to　one　of　those　persons
whose　situations　placed　them　above　the　suspicion　of　any　betrayal　of
confidence；　and　thus　the　circumstance　must　have　reached　the　ear　of
Bonaparte。　　This　is　not　a　mere　hypothesis；　for　I　well　know　how　promptly
and　faithfully　Napoleon　was　informed　of　all　that　was　said　and　done　at
Hartwell。

Having　shown　General　Drieaen　Napoleon's　accusatory　letter；　he　begged　that
I　would　entrust　him　with　it　for　a　day　or　two；　saying　he　would　show　it　to
the　King　at　a　private　audience。　　His　object　was　to　serve　me；　and　to
excite　Louis　XVIII。's　interest　in　my　behalf；　by　briefly　relating　to　him
the　whole　affair。　　The　general　came　to　me　on　leaving　tile　Tuileries；　and
assured　me　that　the　King　after　perusing　the　letter；　had　the　great
kindness　to　observe　that　I　might　think　myself　very　happy　in　not　having
been　shot。　　I　know　not　whether　Napoleon　was　afterwards　informed　of　the
details　of　this　affair；　which　certainly　had　no　connection　with　any
intrigues　with　England；　and　which；　after　all；　would　have　been　a　mere
peccadillo　in　comparison；　with　the　conduct　I　thought　it　my　duty　to　adopt
at　the　time　of　the　Restoration。

Meanwhile　Madame　de　Bourrienne　informed　me　by　an　express　that　seals　were
to　be　placed　on　the　effects　of　all　the　persons　included　in　the　decree　of
Lyons；　and　consequently　upon　mine。　　As　soon　as　my　wife　received
information　of　this　she　quitted　her　retreat　and　repaired　to　Paris　to　face
the　storm。　　On　the　29th　of　March；　at　nine　in　the　evening；　the　police
agents　presented　themselves　at　my　house。　　Madame　de　Bourrienne
remonstrated　against　the　measure　and　the　inconvenient　hour　that　was
chosen　for　its　execution；　but　all　was　in　vain；　and　there　was　no
alternative　but　to　submit。

But　the　matter　did　not　end　with　the　first　formalities　performed　by
Fouche's　alguazils。　　During　the　month　of　May　seven　persons　were　appointed
to　examine；　my　papers；　and　among　the　inquisitorial　septemvirate　were　two
men　well　known　and　filling　high　situations。　　One　of　these　executed　his
commission；　but　the　other；　sensible　of　the　odium　attached　to　it；　wrote　to
say　he　was　unwell；　and　never　came。　　The　number　of　my　inquisitors；　'in
domo'；　was　thus　reduced　to　six。　　They　behaved　with　great　rudeness；　and
executed　their　mission　with　a　rigour　and　severity　exceedingly　painful　to
my　family。　　They　carried　their　search　so　far　as　to　rummage　the　pockets　of
my　old　clothes；　and　even　to　unrip　the　linings。　　All　this　was　done　in　the
hope　of　finding　something　that　would　commit　me　in　the　eyes　of　the　new
master　of　France。　　But　I　was　not　to　be　caught　in　that　way；　and　before
leaving　home　I　had　taken　such　precautions　as　to　set　my　mind　perfectly　at
ease。

However；　those　who　had　declared　themselves　strongly　against　Napoleon　were
not　the　only　persons　who　had　reason　to　be　alarmed　at　his　return。　　Women
even；　by　a　system　of　inquisition　unworthy　of　the　Emperor；　but
unfortunately　quite　in　unison　with　his　hatred　of　all　liberty；　were
condemned　to　exile；　and　had　cause　to　apprehend　further　severity。　　It　is
for　the　exclusive　admirers　of　the　Chief　of　the　Empire　to　approve　of
everything　which　proceeded　from　him；　even　his　rigour　against　a
defenceless　sex；　it　is　for　them　to　laugh　at　the　misery　of　a　woman；　and　a
writer　of　genius；　condemned　without　any　form　of　trial　to　the　most　severe
punishment　short　of　death。　　For　my　part；　I　saw　neither　justice　nor
pleasantry　in　the　exile　of　Madame　de　Chevreuse　for　having　had　the　courage
（and　courage　was　not　common　then　even　among　men）　to　say　that　she　was　not
made　to　be　the　gaoler　of　the　Queen　of　Spain。　　On　Napoleon's　return　from。
the　isle　of　Elba；　Madame　de　Stael　was　in　a　state　of　weakness；　which
rendered　her　unable　to　bear　any　sudden　and　violent　emotion。　　This
debilitated　state　of　health　had　been　produced　by　her　flight　from　Coppet
to　Russia　immediately　after　the　birth　of　the　son　who　was　the　fruit　of　her
marriage　with　M。　Rocca。　　In　spite　of　the　danger　of　a　journey　in　such
circumstances　she　saw　greater　danger　in　staying　where　she　was；　and　she
set　out　on　her　new　exile。　　That　exile　was　not　of　long　du