memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v14-第6部分

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Separated　from　the　Chambers；　he　could　only　be　considered　as　a　military
chief：　but　the　army　would　be　for　him；　that　would　always　join　him　who　can
lead　it　against　foreign　banners；　and　to　this　might　be　added　all　that　part
of　the　population　which　is　equally　powerful　and　easily；　led　in　such　a
state　of　things。　　As　if　chance　intended　to　strengthen　Napoleon　in　this
train　of　thought；　while　he　was　speaking　the　avenue　of　Marigny　resounded
with　the　cries　of　'Vive　l'Empereur！'　A　crowd　of　men；　chiefly　of　the　poor
and　labouring　class；　pressed　forward　into　the　avenue；　full　of　wild
enthusiasm；　and　trying　to　scale　the　walls　to　make　an　offer　to　Napoleon　to
rally　round　and　defend　him。　　Bonaparte　for　some　time　looked　attentively
at　this　group。　　'You　see　it　is　so；'　said　he；　〃those　are　not　the　men　whom
I　have　loaded　with　honours　and　riches。　　What　do　these　people　owe　me？　　I
found　themI　left　thempoor。　　The　instinct　of　necessity　enlightens
them；　the　voice　of　the　country　speaks　by　their　months；　and　if　I　choose；
if　I　permit　it；　in　an　hour　the　refractory　Chambers　will　have　ceased　to
exist。　　But　the　life　of　a　man　is　not　worth　purchasing　at　such　a　price：　I
did　not　return　from　the　Isle　of　Elba　that　Paris　should　be　inundated　with
blood：　　He　did　not　like　the　idea　of　flight。　　'Why　should　I　not　stay
here？'　he　repeated。　　'What　do　you　suppose　they　would　do　to　a　man　disarmed
like　me？　　I　will　go　to　Malmaison：　I　can　live　there　in　retirement　with
some　friends；　who　most　certainly　will　come　to　see　me　only　for　my　own
sake。'

〃He　then　described　with　complacency　and　even　with　a　sort　of　gaiety　this
new　kind　of　life。　　Afterwards；　discarding　an　idea　which　sounded　like　mere
irony；　he　went　on。　　'If　they　do　not　like　me　to　remain　in　France；　where　am
I　to　go？　　To　England？　　My　abode　there　would　be　ridiculous　or　disquieting。
I　should　be　tranquil；　no　one　would　believe　it。　　Every　fog　would　be
suspected　of　concealing　my　landing　on　the　coast。　　At　the　first　sign　of　a
green　coat　getting　out　of　a　boat　one　party　would　fly　from　France；　the
other　would　put　France　out　of　the　pale　of　the　law。　　I　should　compromise
everybody；　and　by　dint　of　the　repeated　〃Behold　he　comes！〃　I　should　feel
the　temptation　to　set　out。　　America　would　be　more　suitable；　I　could　live
there　with　dignity。　　But　once　more；　what　is　there　to　fear？　　What
sovereign　can；　without　injuring　himself；　persecute　me？　　To　one　I　have
restored　half　his　dominions；　how　often　has　the　other　pressed　my　hand；
calling　me　a　great　man！　　And　as　to　the　third；　can　he　find　pleasure　or
honour　in　humiliation　of　his　son…in…law？　　Would　they　wish　to　proclaim　in
the　face　of　the　world　that　all　they　did　was　through　fear？　　As　to　the
rest；　I　shall　see：　I　do　not　wish　to　employ　open　force。　　I　came　in　the
hope　of　combining　our　last　resources：　they　abandoned　me；　they　do　so　with
the　same　facility　with　which　they　received　me　back。　　Well；　then；　let　them
efface；　if　possible；　this　double　stain　of　weakness　and　levity！　　Let　them
cover　it　over　with　some　sacrifice；　with　some　glory！　　Let　them　do　for　the
country　what　they　will　not　do　for　me。　　I　doubt　it。　　To…day；　those　who
deliver　up　Bonaparte　say　that　it　is　to　save　France：　to…morrow；　by
delivering　up　France；　they　will　prove　that　it　was　to　save　their　own
heads。'〃

The　humiliating　scenes　which　rapidly　succeeded　one　another；　and　which
ended　in　Napoleon's　unconditional　surrender；　may　be　briefly　told。　　As
soon　as　possible　after　his　arrival　at　Paris　he　assembled　his　counsellors；
when　he　declared　himself　in　favour　of　still　resisting。　　The　question；
however；　was；　whether　the　Chambers　would　support　him；　and　Lafayette　being
treacherously　informed；　it　is　said　by　Fouche；　that　it　was　intended　to
dissolve　the　Chambers；　used　his　influence　to　get　the　chambers　to　adopt
the　propositions　he　laid　before　them。　　By　these　the　independence　of　the
nation　was　asserted　to　be　in　danger；　the　sittings　of　the　Chamber　were
declared　permanent；　and　all　attempts　to　dissolve　it　were　pronounced
treasonable。　　The　propositions　were　adopted；　and　being　communicated　to
the　Chamber　of　Peers；　that　body　also　declared　itself　permanent。　　Whatever
might　have　been　the　intentions　of　Bonaparte；　it　was　now　manifest　that
there　were　no　longer　any　hopes　of　his　being　able　to　make　his　will　the　law
of　the　nation；　after　some　vacillation；　therefore；　on　22d　June　he
published　the　following　declaration：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TO　THE　FRENCH　PEOPLE

　　　　　FRENCHMEN！In　commencing　war　for　maintaining　the　national
　　　　　independence；　I　relied　on　the　union　of　all　efforts；　of　all　wills；
　　　　　and　the　concurrence　of　all　the　national　authorities。　　I　had　reason
　　　　　to　hope　for　success；　and　I　braved　all　the　declarations　of　the　powers
　　　　　against　me。　　Circumstances　appear　to　me　changed。　　I　offer　myself　a
　　　　　sacrifice　to　the　hatred　of　the　enemies　of　France。　　May　they　prove
　　　　　sincere　in　their　declarations；　and　really　have　directed　them　only
　　　　　against　my　power。　　My　political　life　is　terminated；　and　I　proclaim
　　　　　my　son　under　the　title　of：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NAPOLEON　II。；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　EMPEROR　OF　THE　FRENCH。

　　　　　The　present　Ministers　will　provisionally　form　the　Council　of　the
　　　　　Government。　　The　interest　which　I　take　in　my　son　induces　me　to
　　　　　invite　the　Chambers　to　form　without　delay　the　Regency　by　a　law。
　　　　　Unite　all　for　the　public　safety；　that　you　may　continue　an
　　　　　independent　nation。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　　　NAPOLEON。


This　declaration　was　conveyed　to　both　the　Chambers；　which　voted
deputations　to　the　late　Emperor；　accepting　this　abdication；　but　in　their
debates　the　nomination　of　his　son　to　the　succession　was　artfully　eluded。
The　Chamber　of　Representatives　voted　the　nomination　of　a　Commission　of
five　persons；　three　to　be　chosen　from　that　Chamber；　and　two　from　the
Chamber　of　Peers；　for　the　purpose　of　provisionally　exercising　the
functions　of　Government；　and　also　that　the　Ministers　should　continue
their　respective　functions　under　the　authority　of　this　Commission。　　The
persons　chosen　by　the　Chamber　of　Representatives　were　Carnot；　Fouche；　and
Grenier；　those　nominated　by　the　Peers　were　the　Duke　of　Vicenza
（Caulaincourt）　and　Baron　Quinette。　　The　Commission　nominated　five　persons
to　the　Allied　army　for　the　purpose　of　proposing　peace。　　These　proceedings
were；　however；　rendered　of　little　importance　by　the　resolution　of　the
victors　to　advance　to　Paris。

Napoleon's　behaviour　just　before　and　immediately　after　the　crisis　is　well
described　by　Lavallette。　　〃The　next　day；〃　he　observes；　〃I　returned　to　the
Emperor。　　He　had　received　the　most　positive　accounts　of　the　state　of
feeling　in　the　Chamber　of　Representatives。　　The　reports　had；　however；
been　given　to　him　with　some　little　reserve；　for　he　did　not　seem　to　me
convinced　that　the　resolution　was　really　formed　to　pronounce　his
abdication；　I　was　better　informed　on　the　matter；　and　I　came　to　him
without　having　the　least　doubt　in　my　mind　that　the　only　thing　he　could　do
was　to　descend　once　more　from　the　throne。　　I　communicated　to　him　all　the
particulars　I　had　just　received；　and　I　did　not　hesitate　to　advise　him　to
follow　the　only　course　worthy　of　him。　　He　listened　to　me　with　a　sombre
air；　and　though　he　was　in　some　measure　master　of　himself；　the　agitation
of　his　mind　and　the　sense　of　his　position　betrayed　themselves　in　his　face
and　in　all　his　motions。　　'I　know；'　said　I；　'that　your　Majesty　may　still
keep　the　sword　drawn；　but　with　whom；　and　against　whom？　　Defeat　has
chilled　the　courage　of　every　one；　the　army　is　still　in　the　greatest
confusion。　　Nothing　is　to　be　expected　from　Paris；　and　the　coup　d'etat　of
the　18th　Brumaire　cannot　be　renewed。''That　thought；'　he　replied；
stopping；　'is　far　from　my　mind。　　I　will　hear　nothing　more　about　myself。
But　poor　France！'　　At　that　moment　Savary　and　Caulaincourt　entered；　and
having　drawn　a　faithful　picture　of　the　exasperation　of　the　Deputies；　they
persuaded　him　to　assent　to　abdication。　　Some　words　he　uttered　proved　to
us　that　he　would　have　considered　death　preferable　to　that　step；　but　still
he　took　it。

〃The　great　act　of　abdication　being　performed；　he　remained　calm　during　the
whole　day；　giving　his　advice　on　the　position　the　army　should　take；　and　on
the　manner　in　which　the　negotiations　with　the　enemy　ought　to　be
conducted。　　He　insisted　especially　on　the　necessity　of　proclaiming　his
son　Emperor；　not　so　much　for　the　advantage　of　the　child　as　with　a　view　to
concentrate　all　the　power　of　sentiments　and　affections。　　Unfortunately；
nobody　would　listen　to　him。　　Some　men　of　sense　and　courage　rallied　found
that　proposition　in　the　two　Chambers；　but　fear　swayed　the　majority；　and
among　those　who　remained　free　from　it　many　thought　that　a　public
declaration　of　liberty；　and　the　resolution　to　defend　it　at　any　price；
would　make　the　enemy　and　the　Bourbons　turn　back。　　Strange　delusion　of
weakness　and　want　of　experience！　　It　must；　however；　be　respected；　for　it
had　its　source　in　love　of　their　country；　but；　while　we　excuse　it；　can　it
be　justified？　　The　population　of　the　metropolis　had　resumed　its　usual
appearance；　which　was　that　of　complete　indifference；　with　a　resolution　to
cry　'Long　live　the　King！'　provided　the　King　arrived　well　escorted；　for
one　must　not　judge　of　the　whole　capital　by　about　one…thirtieth　part　of
the　inhabitants；　who　called　for　arms；　and　declared　themselves　warmly
against　the　return　of　the　exiled　family。

〃On　the　23d　I　returned　to　the　Elysee。　　The　Emperor　had　been　for　two　hours
in　his　bath。　　He　himself　turned　the　discourse　on　the　retreat　he　ought　to
choose；　and　spoke　of　the　United　States。　　I　rejected　the　idea　without
reflection；　and　with　a　degree　of　vehemence　that　surprised　him。　　'Why　not
America？'　he　asked。　　I　answered；　'Because　Moreau　retired　there。'　　The
observation　was　harsh；　and　I　should　never　have　forgiven　myself　for　having
expressed　it；　if　I　had　not　retracted　my　advice　a　few　days　afterwards。　　He
heard　it　without　any　apparent　ill…humour；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　it
must　have　made　an　unfavourable　impression　on　his　mind。　　I　strongly　urged
on　his　choosing　England　for　his　asylum。

〃The　Emperor　went　to　Malmaison。　　He　was　accompanied　thither　by　the
Duchesse　de　St。　Leu；　Bertrand　and　his　family；　and　the　Duc　de　Bassano。
The　day　that　he　arri