memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v10-第13部分

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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　days　shall　never　return。　　Your　speculators　trace　their　Utopian
schemes　upon　paper；　fools　read　and　believe　them。　　All　are　babbling　about
general　happiness；　and　presently　the　people　have　not　bread　to　eat；　then
comes　a　revolution。　　Such　is　usually　the　fruit　of　all　these　fine
theories！　　Your　grandfather　was　the　cause　of　the　saturnalia　which
desolated　France。　　He　is　responsible　for　all　the　blood　shed　in　the
Revolution！〃

Duroc　informed　me　that　the　Emperor　uttered　these　last　words　in　a　tone　of
fury　which　made　all　present　tremble　for　young　De　Stael。　　Fortunately　the
young　man　did　not　lose　his　self…possession　in　the　conflict；　while　the
agitated　expression　of　his　countenance　evidently　showed　what　was　passing
in　his　mind。　　He　was　sufficiently　master　of　himself　to　reply　to　the
Emperor　in　a　calm　though　rather　faltering　voice：　〃Sire；　permit　me　to　hope
that　posterity　will　judge　of　my　grandfather　more　favourably　than　your
Majesty　does。　　During　his　administration　he　was　ranked　by　the　side　of
Sully　and　Colbert；　and　let　me　repeat　again　that　I　trust　posterity　will
render　him　justice。〃〃Posterity　will；　probably；　say　little　about　him。〃
〃I　venture　to　hope　the　contrary；　Sire。〃

Then；　added　Duroc；　the　Emperor　turning　to　us　said　with　a　smile；　〃After
all；　gentlemen；　it　is　not　for　me　to　say　too　much　against　the　Revolution
since　I　have　gained　a　throne　by　it。〃　　Then　again　turning　to　M。　de　Stael
he　said；　〃The　reign　of　anarchy　is　at　au　end。　　I　must　have　subordination。
Respect　the　sovereign　authority；　since　it　comes　from　God。　　You　are　young；
and　well　educated；　therefore；　follow　a　better　course；　and　avoid　those　bad
principles　which　endanger　the　welfare　of　society。〃〃Sire；　since　your
Majesty　does　me　the　honour　to　think　me　well　educated；　you　ought　not　to
condemn　the　principles　of　my　grandfather　and　my　mother；　for　it　is　in
those　principles　that　I　have　been　brought　up。〃〃　Well；　I　advise　you　to
keep　right　in　politics；　for　I　will　not　pardon　any　offences　of　the　Necker
kind。　　Every　one　should　keep　right　in　politics。〃

This　conversation；　Duroc　informed　me；　had　continued　the　whole　time　of
breakfast；　and　the　Emperor　rose　just　as　he　pronounced　these　last　words：
〃Every　one　should　keep　right　in　politics。〃　　At　that　moment　young　De　Stael
again　renewed　his　solicitations　for　his　mother's　recall　from　exile。
Bonaparte　then　stepped　up　to　him　and　pinched　his　ear　with　that　air　of
familiarity　which　was　customary　to　him　when　he　was　in　good　humour　or
wished　to　appear　so。

〃You　are　young；〃　said　he；　〃if　you　had　my　age　and　experience　you　would
judge　of　things　more　correctly。　　I　am　far　from　being　displeased　with　your
frankness。　　I　like　to　see　a　son　plead　his　mother's　cause。　　Your　mother
has　given　you　a　difficult　commission；　and　you　have　executed　it　cleverly。
I　am　glad　I　have　had　this　opportunity　of　conversing　with　you。　　I　love　to
talk　with　young　people　when　they　are　unassuming　and　not　too　fond　of
arguing。　　But　in　spite　of　that　I　will　not　hold　out　false　hopes　to　you。
Murat　has　already　spoken　to　me　on　the　subject；　and　I　have　told　him；　as　I
now　tell　you；　that　my　will　is　irrevocable。　　If　your　mother　were　in　prison
I　should　not　hesitate　to　liberate　her；　but　nothing　shall　induce　me　to
recall　her　from　exile。〃〃　But；　Sire；　is　she　not　as　unhappy　in　being
banished　from　her　country　and　her　friends　as　if　she　were　in　prison？〃
〃Oh！　these　are　your　mother's　romantic　ideas。　　She　is　exceedingly　unhappy；
and　much　to　be　pitied；　no　doubt！　　。　　。　　。　　With　the　exception　of　Paris
she　has　all　Europe　for　her　prison。〃〃But；　Sire；　her　friends　are　in
Paris。〃〃　With　her　talents　she　may　make　friends　anywhere。　　After　all；　I
cannot　understand　why　she　should　be　so　anxious　to　come　to　Paris。　　Why
should　she　wish　to　place　herself　immediately　within　the　reach　of　my
tyranny？　　Can　she　not　go　to　Rome；　to　Berlin；　to　Vienna；　to　Milan；　or　to
London？　　Yes；　let　her　go　to　London；　that　is　the　place　for　her。　　There　she
may　libel　me　as　much　as　she　pleases。　　In　short；　she　has　my　full　liberty
to　be　anywhere　but　in　Paris。　　You　see；　Monsieur　de　Stael；　that　is　the
place　of　my　residence；　and　there　I　will　have　only　those　who　are　attached
to　me。　　I　know　from　experience　that　if　I　were　to　allow　your　mother　to
come　to　Paris　she　would　spoil　everybody　about　me。　　She　would　finish　the
spoiling　of　Garat。　　It　was　she　who　ruined　the　Tribunate。　　I　know　she
would　promise　wonders；　but　she　cannot　refrain　from　meddling　with
politics。〃〃　I　can　assure　your　Majesty　that　my　mother　does　not　now
concern　herself　about　politics。　She　devotes　herself　exclusively　to　the
society　of　her　friends　and　to　literature。〃〃　Ah；　there　it　is！　　。　　。　　。
Literature！　Do　you　think　I　am　to　be　imposed　upon　by　that　word？　　While
discoursing　on　literature；　morals；　the　fine　arts；　and　such　matters；　it　is
easy　to　dabble　in　politics。　　Let　women　mind　their　knitting。　　If　your
mother　were　in　Paris　I　should　hear　all　sorts　of　reports　about　her。
Things　might；　indeed；　be　falsely　attributed　to　her；　but；　be　that　as　it
may；　I　will　have　nothing　of　the　kind　going　on　in　the　capital　in　which　I
reside。　　All　things　considered；　advise　your　mother　to　go　to　London。　　That
is　the　best　place　for　her。　　As　for　your　grandfather；　I　have　not　spoken
too　severely　of　him。　　M。　Necker　knew　nothing　of　the　art　of　government。
I　have　learned　something　of　the　matter　during　the　last　twenty　years。
〃All　the　world；　Sire；　renders　justice　to　your　Majesty's　genius；　and　there
is　no　one　but　acknowledges　that　the　finances　of　France　are　now　more
prosperous　than　ever　they　were　before　your　reign。　　But　permit　me　to
observe　that　your　Majesty　must；　doubtless；　have　seen　some　merit　in　the
financial　regulations　of　my　grandfather；　since　you　have　adopted　some　of
them　in　the　admirable　system　you　have　established。〃〃That　proves
nothing；　for　two　or　three　good　ideas　do　not　constitute　a　good　system。
Be　that　as　it　may；　I　say　again；　I　will　never　allow　your　mother　to　return
to　Paris。〃〃　But；　Sire；　if　sacred　interests　should　absolutely　require
her　presence　there　for　a　few　days　would　not〃　〃How！　Sacred　interests！
What　do　you　mean？〃〃Yes；　Sire；　if　you　do　not　allow　her　to　return　I　shall
be　obliged　to　go　there；　unaided　by　her　advice；　in　order　to　recover　from
your　Majesty's　Government　the　payment　of　a　sacred　debt。〃〃Ah！　bah！
Sacred！　　Are　not　all　the　debts　of　the　State　sacred？〃〃Doubtless；　Sire；
but　ours　is　attended　with　circumstances　which　give　it　a　peculiar
character。〃〃A　peculiar　character！　　Nonsense！　　Does　not　every　State
creditor　say　the　same　of　his　debt？　　Besides；　I　know　nothing　of　your
claim。　　It　does　not　concern　me；　and　I　will　not　meddle　with　it。　　If　you
have　the　law　on　your　side　so　much　the　better；　but　if　you　want　favour　I
tell　you　I　will　not　interfere。　　If　I　did；　I　should　be　rather　against　you
than　otherwise。〃〃Sire；　my　brother　and　myself　had　intended　to　settle　in
France；　but　how　can　we　live　in　a　country　where　our　mother　cannot　visit
us？〃〃I　do　not　care　for　that。　　I　do　not　advise　you　to　come　here。　　Go
to　England。　　The　English　like　wrangling　politicians。　　Go　there；　for　in
France；　I　tell　you　candidly；　that　I　should　be　rather　against　you　than　for
you。〃

〃After　this　conversation；〃　added　Duroc；　〃the　Emperor　got　into　the
carriage　with　me　without　stopping　to　look　to　the　other　petitions　which
had　been　presented　to　him。　　He　preserved　unbroken　silence　until　he　got
nearly　opposite　the　cascade；　on　the　left　of　the　road；　a　few　leagues　from
Chambery。　　He　appeared　to　be　absorbed　in　reflection。　　At　length　he　said；
'I　fear　I　have　been　somewhat　too　harsh　with　this　young　man　。　　。　　。　　。
But　no　matter；　it　will　prevent　others　from　troubling　me。　　These　people
calumniate　everything　I　do。　　They　do　not　understand　me；　Duroc；　their
place　is　not　in　France。　　How　can　Necker's　family　be　for　the　Bourbons；
whose　first　duty；　if　ever　they　returned　to　France；　would　be　to　hang　them
all。'〃

This　conversation；　related　to　me　by　Duroc；　interested　me　so　much　that　I
noted　it　down　on　paper　immediately　after　my　interview。




CHAR　XVII。

1808。

　　　　　The　Republic　of　BataviaThe　crown　of　Holland　offered　to　Louis
　　　　　Offer　and　refusal　of　the　crown　of　SpainNapoleon's　attempt　to　get
　　　　　possession　of　BrabantNapoleon　before　and　after　Erfart
　　　　　A　remarkable　letter　to　LouisLouis　summoned　to　ParisHis　honesty
　　　　　and　courageHis　bold　languageLouis'　return　to　Holland；　and　his
　　　　　letter　to　NapoleonHarsh　letter　from　Napoleon　to　LouisAffray　at
　　　　　AmsterdamNapoleon's　displeasure　and　last　letter　to　his　brother
　　　　　Louis'　abdication　in　favour　of　his　sonUnion　of　Holland　to　the
　　　　　French　EmpireProtest　of　Louis　against　that　measureLetter　from　M。
　　　　　Otto　to　Louis。

When　Bonaparte　was　the　chief　of　the　French　Republic　he　had　no　objection
to　the　existence　of　a　Batavian　Republic　in　the　north　of　France；　and　he
equally　tolerated　the　Cisalpine　Republic　in　the　south。　　But　after　the
coronation　all　the　Republics；　which　were　grouped　like　satellites　round
the　grand　Republic；　were　converted　into　kingdoms　subject　to　the　Empire；
if　not　avowedly；　at　least　in　fact。　　In　this　respect　there　was　no
difference　between　the　Batavian　and　Cisalpine　Republics。　The　latter
having　been　metamorphosed　into　the　Kingdom　of　Italy；　it　was　necessary　to
find　some　pretext　for　transforming　the　former　into　the　Kingdom　of
Holland。　　The　government　of　the　Republic　of　Batavia　had　been　for　some
time　past　merely　the　shadow　of　a　government；　but　still　it　preserved；　even
in　its　submission　to　France；　those　internal　forms　of　freedom　which
console　a　nation　for　the　loss　of　independence。　　The　Emperor　kept　up　such
an　extensive　agency　in　Holland　that　he　easily　got　up　a　deputation
soliciting　him　to　choose　a　king　for　the　Batavian　Republic。　　This
submissive　deputation　came　to　Paris　in　1806　to　solicit　the　Emperor；　as　a
favour；　to　place　Prince　Louis　on　the　throne　of　Holland。　　The　address　of
the　deputation；　the　answer　of　Napoleon；　and　the　speech　of　Louis　on　being
raised　to　the　sovereign　dignity；　have　all　been　published。

Louis　became　King　of　Holland　much　against　his　inclination；　for　he　opposed
the　proposition　as　much　as　he　dared；　alleging　as　an　objection　the　state
of　his　health；　to　which　certainly