memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v10-第12部分

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In　this　journey　to　the　Kingdom　of　Italy　Napoleon　had　several　important
objects　in　view。　　He　was　planning　great　alliances；　and　he　loaded　Eugene
with　favours　for　the　purpose　of　sounding　him　and　preparing　him　for　his
mother's　divorce。　　At　the　same　time　he　intended　to　have　an　interview　with
his　brother　Lucien；　because；　wishing　to　dispose　of　the　hand　of　his
brother's　daughter；　he　thought　of　making　her　marry　the　Prince　of　the
Asturias　（Ferdinand）；　who　before　the　Spanish　war；　when　the　first
dissensions　between　father　and　son　had　become　manifest；　had　solicited　an
alliance　with　the　Emperor　in　the　hope　of　getting　his　support。　　This　was
shortly　after　the　eldest　son　of　Louis　had　died　in　Holland　of　croup。　　It
has　been　wrongly　believed　that　Napoleon　had　an　affection　for　this　child
beyond　that　of　an　uncle　for　a　nephew。　　I　have　already　said　the　truth
about　this。

However　this　may　be；　it　is　certain　that　Napoleon　now　seriously
contemplated　a　divorce　from　Josephine。　　If　there　had　been　no　other　proof
of　this　I；　who　from　long　habit　knew　how　to　read　Napoleon's　thoughts　by
his　acts；　found　a　sufficient　one　in　the　decree　issued　at　Milan　by　which
Napoleon　adopted　Eugene　as　his　son　and　successor　to　the　crown　of　Italy；
in　default　of　male　and　legitimate　children　directly　descended　from　him。
Lucien　went　to　Mantua　on　his　brother's　invitation；　and　this　was　the　last
interview　they　had　before　the　Cent　Tours。　　Lucien　consented　to　give　his
daughter　to　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias；　but　this　marriage　did　not　take
place。　　I　learned　from　Duroc　to　what　a　height　the　enmity　of　Lucien
towards　the　Beauharnais　family；　an　enmity　which　I　have　often　had　occasion
to　speak　of；　had　been　renewed　on　this　occasion。　　Lucien　could　not　pardon
Josephine　for　the　rebuff　of　the　counsels　which　he　had　given　her；　and
which　she　had　rejected　with　such　proper　indignation。　　Lucien　had　besides
another　special　reason　for　giving　his　daughter　to　the　Prince　of　the
Asturias。　　He　particularly　wished　to　prevent　that　Prince　marrying
Mademoiselle　de　Tascher；　the　niece　of　Josephine；　a　marriage　for　which　M。
de　Beauharnais；　then　Ambassador　of　France　at　Madrid；　was　working　with　all
his　might。　　Lucien　also；　with　his　Republican　stolidity；　submitted　without
too　much　scruple　to　the　idea　of　having　a　Bourbon　King　as　son…in…law。　　It
was　also　during　this　journey　of　Napoleon　that　he　annexed　Tuscany　to　the
Empire。

Bonaparte　returned　to　Paris　on　the　1st　of　January　1808。　　On　his　way　he
stopped　for　a　short　time　at　Chambery；　where　a　young　man　had　been　waiting
for　him　several　days。　　This　was　Madame　de　Stael's　son；　who　was　then　not
more　than　seventeen　years　of　age。　　M。　Auguste　de　Stael　lodged　at　the
house　of　the　postmaster　of　Chambery；　and　as　the　Emperor　was　expected　in
the　course　of　the　night；　he　gave　orders　that　he　should　be　called　up　on
the　arrival　of　the　first　courier。　　The　couriers；　who　had　been　delayed　on
the　road；　did　not　arrive　until　six　in　the　morning；　and　were　almost
immediately　followed　by　the　Emperor　himself；　so　that　M；　de　Stael　was
awakened　by　the　cries　of　Vive　l'Empereur！　　He　had　just　time　to　dress
himself　hastily；　and　fly　to　meet　Napoleon；　to　whom　he　delivered　a　letter；
which　he　had　prepared　beforehand　for　the　purpose　of　soliciting　an
audience。　　Lauriston；　the　aide　de　camp　on　duty；　took　the　letter；　it　being
his　business　to　receive　all　the　letters　and　petitions　which　were
presented　to　Napoleon　on　his　way。　　Before　breakfast　the　Emperor　opened
the　letters　which　Lauriston　had　laid　on　the　table；　he　merely　looked　at
the　signatures；　and　then　laid　them　aside。　　On　opening　M。　de　Stael's
letter　he　said；　〃Ah！　ah！　　what　have　we　here？　　a　letter　from　M。　de　Stael！
。　　。　　。　　He　wishes　to　see　me：　。　　。　　。　　What　can　he　want？　　。　　。　　。　　Can
there　be　anything　in　common　between　me　and　the　refugees　of　Geneva？〃
〃Sire；〃　observed　Lauriston；　〃he　is　a　very　young　man；　and；　as　well　as　I
could　judge　from　the　little　I　saw　of　him；　there　is　something　very
prepossessing　in　his　appearance。〃〃A　very　young　man；　say　you？　　。　　。　　。
Oh；　then　I　will　see　him　。　　。　　。　　。　　Rustan；　tell　him　to　come　in。〃
M。　de　Stael　presented　himself　to　Napoleon　with　modesty；　but　without　any
unbecoming　timidity。　　When　he　had　respectfully　saluted　the　Emperor　a
conversation　ensued　between　them；　which　Duroc　described　to　me　in　nearly
the　following　manner。

As　M。　de　Stael　advanced　towards　the　Emperor　the　latter　said；　〃Whence　do
you　come？〃〃From　Geneva；　Sire。〃〃Where　is　your　mother？〃〃She　is　either
in　Vienna　or　will　soon　be　there。〃〃At　Vienna！　　。　　。　　。　　Well；　that　is
where　she　ought　to　be；　and　I　suppose　she　is　happy　。　　。　　。　　。　　She　will
now　have　a　good　opportunity　of　learning　German。〃〃Sire；　how　can　you
imagine　my　mother　is　happy　when　she　is　absent　from　her　country　and　her
friends？　　If　I　were　permitted　to　lay　before　your　Majesty　my　mother's
confidential　letter　you　would　see　how　unhappy　she　is　in　her　exile。〃
〃Ah；　bah！　your　mother　unhappy；　indeed！　　。　　。　　。　　However；　I　do　not　mean
to　say　she　is　altogether　a　bad　woman　。　　。　　。　　。　　She　has　talentperhaps
too　much；　and　hers　is　an　unbridled　talent。　　She　was　educated　amidst　the
chaos　of　the　subverted　monarchy　and　the　Revolution；　and　out　of　these
events　she　makes　an　amalgamation　of　her　own！　　All　this　might　become　very
dangerous。　　Her　enthusiasm　is　likely　to　make　proselytes。　　I　must　keep
watch　upon　her。　　She　does　not　like　me；　and　for　the　interests　of　those
whom　she　would　endanger　I　must　prohibit　her　coming　to　Paris。〃

Young　De　Stael　stated　that　his　object　in　seeking　the　interview　with　the
Emperor　was　to　petition　for　his　mother's　return　to　Paris。　　Napoleon
having　listened　without　impatience　to　the　reasons　he　urged　in　support　of
his　request；　said；　〃But　supposing　I　were　to　permit　your　mother　to　return
to　Pairs；　six　months　would　not　elapse　before　I　should　be　obliged　to　send
her　to　the　Bicetre　or　to　the　Temple。　　This　I　should　be　sorry　to　do；
because　the　affair　would　make　a　noise；　and　injure　me　in　public　opinion。
Tell　your　mother　that　my　determination　is　formed；　that　my　decision　is
irrevocable。　　She　shall　never　set　foot　in　Paris　as　long　as　I　live。〃
〃Sire；　I　cannot　believe　that　you　would　arbitrarily　imprison　my　mother　if
she　gave　you　no　reason　for　such　severity。〃〃She　would　give　me　a　dozen！
。　　。　　。　　I　know　her　well。〃〃Sire；　permit　me　to　say　that　I　am　certain　my
mother　would　live　in　Paris　in　a　way　that　would　afford　no　ground　of
reproach；　she　would　live　retired；　and　would　see　only　a　very　few　friends。
In　spite　of　your　Majesty's　refusal　I　venture　to　entreat　that　you　will
give　her　a　trial；　were　it　only　for　six　weeks　or　a　month。　　Permit　her；
Sire；　to　pass　that　time　in　Paris；　and　I　conjure　you　to　come　to　no　final
decision　beforehand。〃〃Do　you　think　I　am　to　be　deceived　by　these　fair
promises？　　。　　。　　。　　I　tell　you　it　cannot　be。　　She　would　serve　as　a
rallying　point　for　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain。　　She　see　nobody；　indeed！
Could　she　make　that　sacrifice？　　She　would　visit　and　receive　company。　　She
would　be　guilty　of　a　thousand　follies。　　She　would　be　saying　things　which
she　may　consider　as　very　good　jokes；　but　which　I　should　take　seriously。
My　government　is　no　joke：　I　wish　this　to　be　well　known　by　everybody。〃
〃Sire；　will　your　Majesty　permit　me　to　repeat　that　my　mother　has　no　wish
whatever　to　mingle　in　society？　　She　would　confine　herself　to　the　circle
of　a　few　friends；　a　list　of　whom　she　would　give　to　your　Majesty。　You；
Sire；　who　love　France　so　well；　may　form　some　idea　of　the　misery　my　mother
suffers　in　her　banishment。　　I　conjure　your　Majesty　to　yield　to　my
entreaties；　and　let　us　be　included　in　the　number　of　your　faithful
subjects。〃〃You！〃〃Yes；　Sire；　or　if　your　Majesty　persist　in　your
refusal；　permit　a　son　to　inquire　what　can　have　raised　your　displeasure
against　his　mother。　　Some　say　that　it　was　my　grandfather's　last　work；　but
I　can　assure　your　Majesty　that　my　mother　had　nothing　to　do　with　that。〃
〃Yes；　certainly；〃　added　Napoleon；　with　more　ill…humour　than　he　had
hitherto　manifested。　　〃Yes；　certainly；　that　work　is　very　objectionable。
Your　grandfather　was　an　ideologist；　a　fool；　an　old　lunatic。　　At　sixty
years　of　age　to　think　of　forming　plans　to　overthrow　my　constitution！
States　would　be　well　governed；　truly；　under　such　theorists；　who　judge　of
men　from　books　and　the　world　from　the　map。〃〃Sire；　since　my
grandfather's　plans　are；　in　your　Majesty's　eyes；　nothing　but　vain
theories；　I　cannot　conceive　why　they　should　so　highly　excite　your
displeasure。　　There　is　no　political　economist　who　has　not　traced　out
plans　of　constitutions。〃〃Oh！　as　to　political　economists；　they　are　mere…
visionaries；　who　are　dreaming　of　plans　of　finance　while　they　are　unfit　to
fulfil　the　duties　of　a　schoolmaster　in　the　most　insignificant　village　in
the　Empire。　　Your　grandfather's　work　is　that　of　an　obstinate　old　man　who
died　abusing　all　governments。〃〃Sire；　may　I　presume　to　suppose；　from　the
way　in　which　you　speak　of　it；　that　your　Majesty　judges　from　the　report　of
malignant　persons；　and　that　you　have　not　yourself　read　it。〃

〃That　is　a　mistake。　　I　have　read　it　myself　from　beginning　to　end。〃
〃Then　your　Majesty　must　have　seen　how　my　grandfather　renders　justice　to
your　genius。〃〃Fine　justice；　truly！　　。　　。　　。　　He　calls　me　the
indispensable　man；　but；　judging　from　his　arguments；　the　best　thing　that
could　be　done　would　be　to　cut　my　throat！　　Yes；　I　was　indeed　indispensable
to　repair　the　follies　of　your　grandfather；　and　the　mischief　he　did　to
France。　　It　was　he　who　overturned　the　monarchy　and　led　Louis　XVI。　to　the
scaffold。〃〃Sire；　you　seem　to　forget　that　my　grandfather's　property　was
confiscated　because　he　defended　the　King。〃〃　Defended　the　King！　A　fine
defence；　truly！　　You　might　as　well　say　that　if　I　give　a　man　poison　and
present　him　with　an　antidote　when　he　is　in　the　agonies　of　death　I　wish　to
save　him！　　Yet　that　is　the　way　your　grandfather　defended　Louis　XVI。。。。。
As　to　the　confiscation　you　speak　of；　what　does　that　prove？　　Nothing。
Why；　the　property　of　Robespierre　was　confiscated！　　And　let　me　tell　you
that　Robespierre　himself；　Marat；　and　Danton　did　much　less　mischief　to
France　than　M。　Necker。　　It　was　he　who　brought　about　the　Revolution。　　You；
Monsieur　de　Stael；　did　not　see　this；　but　I　did。　　I　witnessed　all　that
passed　in　those　days　of　terror　and　public　calamity。　　But　as　long　as　I
live　those　da