memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v14-第7部分

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Duchesse　de　St。　Leu；　Bertrand　and　his　family；　and　the　Duc　de　Bassano。
The　day　that　he　arrived　there　he　proposed　to　me　to　accompany　him　abroad。
Drouot；'　he　said；　'remains　in　France。　　I　see　the　Minister　of　War　wishes
him　not　to　be　lost　to　his　country。　　I　dare　not　complain；　but　it　is　a
great　loss　for　me；　I　never　met　with　a　better　head；　or　a　more　upright
heart。　　That　man　was　formed　to　be　a　prime　minister　anywhere。'　　I　declined
to　accompany　him　at　the　time；　saying；　'My　wife　is　enceinte；　I　cannot　make
up　my　mind　to　leave　her。　　Allow　me　some　time；　and　I　will　join　you
wherever　you　may　be。　　I　have　remained　faithful　to　your　Majesty　in　better
times；　and　you　may　reckon　upon　me　now。　　Nevertheless；　if　my　wife　did　not
require　all　my　attention；　I　should　do　better　to　go　with　you；　for　I　have
sad　forebodings　respecting　my　fate。〃

〃The　Emperor　made　no　answer；　but　I　saw　by　the　expression　of　his
countenance　that　he　had　no　better　augury　of　my　fate　than　I　had。　　However；
the　enemy　was　approaching；　and　for　the　last　three　days　he　had　solicited
the　Provisional　Government　to　place　a　frigate　at　his　disposal；　with　which
he　might　proceed　to　America。　　It　had　been　promised　him；　he　was　even
pressed　to　set　off；　but　he　wanted　to　be　the　bearer　of　the　order　to　the
captain　to　convey　him　to　the　United　States；　and　that　order　did　not
arrive。　　We　all　felt　that　the　delay　of　a　single　hour　might　put　his
freedom　in　jeopardy。

〃After　we　had　talked　the　subject　over　among　ourselves；　I　went　to　him　and
strongly　pointed　out　to　him　how　dangerous　it　might　be　to　prolong　his
stay。　　He　observed　that　he　could　not　go　without　the　order。　　'Depart；
nevertheless；'　I　replied；　your　presence　on　board　the　ship　will　still　have
a　great　influence　over　Frenchmen；　cut　the　cables；　promise　money　to　the
crew；　and　if　the　captain　resist　have　him　put　on　shore；　and　hoist　your
sails。　　I　have　no　doubt　but　Fouche　has　sold　you　to　the　Allies。'
'I　believe　it　also；　but　go　and　make　the　last　effort　with　the　Minister　of
Marine。'　I　went　off　immediately　to　M。　Decres。　　He　was　in　bed；　and
listened　to　me　with　an　indifference　that　made　my　blood　boil。　　He　said　to
me；　'I　am　only　a　Minister。　　Go　to　Fouche；　speak　to　the　Government。　　As
for　me；　I　can　do　nothing。　　Good…night。'　　And　so　saying　he　covered　himself
up　again　in　his　blankets。　　I　left　him；　but　I　could　not　succeed　in
speaking　either　to　Fouche　or　to　any　of　the　others。　　It　was　two　o'clock　in
the　morning　when　I　returned　to　Malmaison；　the　Emperor　was　in　bed。　　I　was
admitted　to　his　chamber；　where　I　gave　him　an　account　of　the　result　of　my
mission；　and　renewed　my　entreaties。　　He　listened　to　me；　but　made　no
answer。　　He　got　up；　however；　and　spent　a　part　of　the　night　in　walking　up
and　down　the　room。

〃The　following　day　was　the　last　of　that　sad　drama。　　The　Emperor　had　gone
to　bed　again；　and　slept　a　few　hours。　　I　entered　his　cabinet　at　about
twelve　o'clock。　　'If　I　had　known　you　were　here；'　he　said；　'I　would　have
had　you　called　in。'　He　then　gave　me；　on　a　subject　that　interested　him
personally；　some　instructions　which　it　is　needless　for　me　to　repeat。
Soon　after　I　left　him；　full　of　anxiety　respecting　his　fate；　my　heart
oppressed　with　grief；　but　still　far　from　suspecting　the　extent　to　which
both　the　rigour　of　fortune　and　the　cruelty　of　his　enemies　would　be
carried。〃

All　the　morning　of　the　29th　of　June　the　great　road　from　St。　Germain　rung
with　the　cries　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　　proceeding　from　the　troops　who
passed　under　the　walls　of　Malmaison。　　About　mid…day　General　Becker；　sent
by　the　Provisional　Government；　arrived。　　He　had　been　appointed　to　attend
Napoleon。　　Fouche　knew　that　General　Becker　had　grievances　against　the
Emperor；　and　thought　to　find　in　him　willing　agent。　　He　was　greatly
deceived；　for　the　General　paid　to　the　Emperor　a　degree　of　respect　highly
to　his　honour。　　Time　now　became　pressing。　　The　Emperor；　at　the　moment　of
departure；　sent　a　message　by　General　Becker　himself　to　the　Provisional
Government；　offering　to　march　as　a　private　citizen　at　the　head　of　the
troops。　　He　promised　to　repulse　Blucher；　and　afterwards　to　continue　his
route。　　Upon　the　refusal　of　the　Provisional　Government　he　quitted
Malmaison　on　the　29th。　　Napoleon　and　part　of　his　suite　took　the　road　to
Rochefort。　　He　slept　at　Rambouillet　on　the　29th　of　June；　on　the　30th　at
Tours；　on　the　1st　of　July　he　arrived　at　Niort；　and　on　the　3d　reached
Rochefort；　on　the　western　coast　of　France；　with　the　intention　of　escaping
to　America；　but　the　whole　western　seaboard　was　so　vigilantly　watched　by
British　men…of…war　that；　after　various　plans　and　devices；　he　was　obliged
to　abandon　the　attempt　in　despair。　　He　was　lodged　at　the　house　of　the
prefect；　at　the　balcony　of　which　he　occasionally　showed　himself　to
acknowledge　the　acclamations　of　the　people。

During　his　stay　here　a　French　naval　officer；　commanding　a　Danish　merchant
vessel；　generously　offered　to　some　of　Napoleon's　adherents　to　further　his
escape。　　He　proposed　to　take　Napoleon　alone；　and　undertook　to　conceal　his
person　so　effectually　as　to　defy　the　most　rigid　scrutiny；　and　offered　to
sail　immediately　to　the　United　States　of　America。　　He　required　no　other
compensation　than　a　small　sum　to　indemnify　the　owners　of　his　ship　for　the
loss　this　enterprise　might　occasion　them。　　This　was　agreed　to　by　Bertrand
upon　certain　stipulations。

On　the　evening　of　the　8th　of　July　Napoleon　reached　Fouras；　receiving
everywhere　testimonies　of　attachment。　　He　proceeded　on　board　the　Saale；
one　of　the　two　frigates　appointed　by　the　Provisional　Government　to　convey
him　to　the　United　States；　and　slept　on　board　that　night。　　Very　early　on
the　following　morning　he　visited　the　fortifications　of　that　place；　and
returned　to　the　frigate　for　dinner。　　On　the　evening　of　the　9th　of　July　he
despatched　Count　Las　Cases　and　the　Duke　of　Rovigo　to　the　commander　of　the
English　squadron；　for　the　purpose　of　ascertaining　whether　the　passports
promised　by　the　Provisional　Government　to　enable　him　to　proceed　to
America　had　been　received。　　A　negative　answer　was　returned；　it　was　at　the
same　time　signified　that　the　Emperor　would　be　attacked　by　the　English
squadron　if　he　attempted　to　sail　under　a　flag　of　truce；　and　it　was
intimated　that　every　neutral　vessel　would　be　examined；　and　probably　sent
into　an　English　port。　　Las　Cases　affirms　that　Napoleon　was　recommended　to
proceed　to　England　by　Captain　Maitland；　who　assured　him　that　he　would
experience　no　ill…treatment　there。　　The　English　ship　'Bellerophon'　then
anchored　in　the　Basque　roads；　within　sight　of　the　French　vessels　of　war。
The　coast　being；　as　we　have　stated；　entirely　blockaded　by　the　English
squadron；　the　Emperor　was　undecided　as　to　the　course　he　should　pursue。
Neutral　vessels　and　'chasse…marees'；　manned　by　young　naval　officers；　were
proposed；　and　many　other　plans　were　devised。

Napoleon　disembarked　on　the　12th　at　the　Isle　of　Aix　with　acclamations
ringing　on　every　side。　　He　had　quitted　the　frigates　because　they　refused
to　sail；　owing　either　to　the　weakness　of　character　of　the　commandant；　or
in　consequence　of　his　receiving　fresh　orders　from　the　Provisional
Government。　　Many　persons　thought　that　the　enterprise　might　be　undertaken
with　some　probability　of　success；　the　wind；　however；　remained　constantly
in　the　wrong　quarter。

Las　Cases　returned　to　the　Bellerophon　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　of
the　14th；　to　inquire　whether　any　reply　had　been　received　to　the
communication　made　by　Napoleon。　　Captain　Maitland　stated　that　he　expected
to　receive　it　every　moment；　and　added　that；　if　the　Emperor　would　then
embark　for　England；　he　was　authorized　to　convey　him　thither。　　He　added；
moreover；　that　in　his　own　opinion；　and　many　other　officers　present
concurred　with　him；　be　had　no　doubt　Napoleon　would　be　treated　in　England
with　all…possible　attention　and　respect；　that　in　England　neither　the　King
nor　Ministers　exercised　the　same　arbitrary　power　as　on　the　Continent；
that　the　English　indeed　possessed　generosity　of　sentiment　and　a
liberality　of　opinions　superior　even　to　those　of　the　King。　　Las　Cases
replied　that　he　would　make　Napoleon　acquainted　with　Captain　Maitland's
offer；　and　added；　that　he　thought　the　Emperor　would　not　hesitate　to
proceed　to　England；　so　as　to　be　able　to　continue　his　voyage　to　the　United
States。　　He　described　France；　south　of　the　Loire；　to　be　in　commotion；　the
hopes　of　the　people　resting　on　Napoleon　as　long　as　he　was　present；　the
propositions　everywhere　made　to　him；　and　at　every　moment；　his　decided
resolution　not　to　become　the　pretest　of　a　civil　war；　the　generosity　he
had　exhibited　in　abdicating；　in　order　to　render　the　conclusion　of　a　peace
more　practicable；　and　his　settled　determination　to　banish　himself；　in
order　to　render　that　peace　more　prompt　and　more　lasting。

The　messengers　returned　to　their　Master；　who；　after　some　doubt　and
hesitation；　despatched　General　Gourgaud　with　the　following　well…known
letter　to　the　Prince　Regent：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ROCHEFORT；　13th　July　1815。

　　　　　ROYAL　HIGHNESSA　victim　to　the　factions　which　divide　my　country；
　　　　　and　to　the　hostility　of　the　greatest　Powers　of　Europe；　I　have
　　　　　terminated　my　political　career；　and　come；　like　Themistocles；　to
　　　　　share　the　hospitality　of　the　British　people。　　I　place　myself　under
　　　　　the　protection　of　their　laws；　and　I　claim　that　from　your　Royal
　　　　　Highness　as　the　most　powerful；　the　most　constant；　and　the　most
　　　　　generous　of　my　enemies。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　NAPOLEON。


About　four　P。M。　Las　Cases　and　Savory　returned　to　the　'Bellerophon'；　where
they　had　a　long　conversation　with　Captain　Maitland；　in　the　presence　of
Captains　Sartorius　and　Gambler；　who　both　declare　that　Maitland　repeatedly
warned　Napoleon's　adherents　not　to　entertain　the　remotest　idea　that　he
was　enabled　to　offer　any　pledge　whatever　to　their　Master　beyond　the
simple　assurance　that　he　would　convey　him　in　safety　to　the　English　coast；
there　to　await　the　determination　of　the　British　Government。

Napoleon　had　begun　to　prepare　for　his　embarkation　before　daylight　on　the
15th。　　It　was　time　that　he　did　so；　for　a　messenger　charged　with　orders　to
arrest　him　had　already　arrived　at　Rochefort　from　the　new　Government。
The　execution　of　this　order　was　delayed　by　General　Becker　for　a　few　hou