memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v10-第3部分

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　　　　　English　merchandiseNine　millions　gained　to　FranceM。　Caulaincourt
　　　　　Ambassador　to　RussiaRepugnance　of　England　to　the　intervention　of
　　　　　RussiaAffairs　of　PortugalJunot　appointed　to　command　the　army
　　　　　The　Prince　Regent's　departure　for　the　BrazilsThe　Code　Napoleon
　　　　　Introduction　of　the　French　laws　into　GermanyLeniency　of　Hamburg
　　　　　JuriesThe　stolen　cloak　and　the　Syndic　Doormann。

The　Treaty　of　Tilsit；　as　soon　as　it　was　known　at　Altona；　spread
consternation　amongst　the　emigrants。　　As　to　the　German　Princes；　who　were
awaiting　the　issue　of　events　either　at　Altolna　or　Hamburg；　when　they
learned　that　a　definitive　treaty　of　peace　had　been　signed　between　France
and　Russia；　and　that　two　days　after　the　Treaty　of　Tilsit　the　Prussian
monarchy　was　placed　at　the　mercy　of　Napoleon；　every　courier　that　arrived
threw　them　into　indescribable　agitation。　　It　depended　on　the　Emperor's
will　whether　they　were　to　be　or　not　to　be。　　The　Duke　of　Mecklenburg…
Schwerin　had　not　succeeded　in　getting　himself　re…established　in　his
states；　by　an　exceptional　decision；　like　the　Duke　of　Weimar；　but　at
length　he　obtained　the　restitution　of　his　territory　at　the　request　of　the
Emperor　Alexander；　and　on　the　28th　of　July　he　quitted　Hamburg　to　return
to　his　Duchy。

The　Danish　charge　d'affaires　communicated　to　me　about　the　same　time　an
official　report　from　his　Government。　　This　report　announced　that　on
Monday；　the　3d　of　August；　a　squadron　consisting　of　twelve　ships　of　the
line　and　twelve　frigates；　commanded　by　Admiral　Gambier；　had　passed　the
Sound。　　The　rest　of　the　squadron　was　seen　in　the　Categat。　　At　the　same
time　the　English　troops　which　were　in　the　island　of　Rugen　had　reembarked。
We　could　not　then　conceive　what　enterprise　this　considerable　force　had
been　sent　upon。　　But　our　uncertainty　was　soon　at　an　end。　　M。　Didelot；　the
French　Ambassador　at　Copenhagen；　arrived　at　Hamburg；　at　nine　o'clock　in
the　evening　of　the　12th　of　August。　　He　had　been　fortunate　enough　to　pass
through　the　Great　Belt；　though　in　sight　of　the　English；　without　being
stopped。　　I　forwarded　his　report　to　Paris　by　an　extraordinary　courier。

The　English　had　sent　20；000　men　and　twenty…seven　vessels　into　the　Baltic；
Lord　Cathcart　commanded　the　troops。　　The　coast　of　Zealand　was　blockaded
by　ninety　vessels。　　Mr。　Jackson；　who　had　been　sent　by　England　to
negotiate　with　Denmark；　which　she　feared　would　be　invaded　by　the　French
troops；　supported　the　propositions　he　was　charged　to　offer　to　Denmark　by
a　reference　to　this　powerful　British　force。　　Mr。　Jackson's　proposals　had
for　their　object　nothing　less　than　to　induce　the　King　of　Denmark　to　place
in　the　custody　of　England　the　whole　of　his　ships　and　naval　stores。　　They
were；　it　is　true；　to　be　kept　in　deposit；　but　the　condition　contained　the
words；　〃until　the　conclusion　of　a　general　peace；〃　which　rendered　the
period　of　their　restoration　uncertain。　　They　were　to　be　detained　until
such　precautions　should　be　no　longer　necessary。　　A　menace　and　its
execution　followed　close　upon　this　demand。　　After　a　noble　but　useless
resistance；　and　a　terrific　bombardment；　Copenhagen　surrendered；　and　the
Danish　fleet　was　destroyed。　　It　would　be　difficult　to　find　in　history　a
more　infamous　and　revolting　instance　of　the　abuse　of　power　against
weakness。

Sometime　after　this　event　a　pamphlet　entitled　〃Germania〃　appeared；　which
I　translated　and　sent　to　the　Emperor。　　It　was　eloquently　written；　and
expressed　the　indignation　which　the　conduct　of　England　had　excited　in　the
author　as　in　every　one　else。

　　　　　＇〃That　expedition；〃　said　Napoleon　at　St。　　Helena；　〃showed　great
　　　　　energy　on　the　part　of　your　Ministers：　but　setting　aside　the
　　　　　violation　of　the　laws　of；　nations　which　you　committedfor　in　fact
　　　　　it　was　nothing　but　a　robberyI　think　that　it　was；　injurious　to　your
　　　　　interests；　as　it　made　the　Danish　nation　irreconcilable　enemies　to
　　　　　you；　and　in　fact　shut　you　out　of　the　north　for　three　years。　　When　I
　　　　　heard　of　it　I　said；　I　am　glad　of　it；　as　it　will　embroil　England
　　　　　irrecoverably　with　the　Northern　Powers。　　The　Danes　being　able　to
　　　　　join　me　with　sixteen　sail　of　the　line　was　of　but　little　consequence。
　　　　　I　had　plenty　of　ships；　and　only　wanted　seamen；　whom　you　did　not
　　　　　take；　and　whom　I　obtained　afterwards；　while　by　the　expedition　your
　　　　　Ministers　established　their　characters　as　faithless；　and　as　persons
　　　　　with　whom　no　engagements；　no　laws　were　binding。〃　　（Voice　from　St。
　　　　　Helena。）＇

I　have　stated　what　were　the　principal　consequences　of　the　Treaty　of
Tilsit；　it　is　more　than　probable　that　if　the　bombardment　of　Copenhagen
had　preceded　the　treaty　the　Emperor　would　have　used　Prussia　even　worse
than　he　did。　　He　might　have　erased　her　from　the　list　of　nations；　but　he
did　not　do　so；　out　of　regard　to　the　Emperor　Alexander。　　The　destruction
of　Prussia　was　no　new　project　with　Bonaparte。　　I　remember　an　observation
of　his　to　M。　Lemercier　upon　that　subject　when　we　first　went　to　reside　at
Malmaison。　　M。　Lemercier　had　been　reading　to　the　First　Consul　some　poem
in　which　Frederick　the　Great　was　spoken　of。　　〃You　seem　to　admire　him
greatly；〃　said　Bonaparte　to　M。　Lemercier；　〃what　do　you　find　in　him　so
astonishing？　　He　is　not　equal　to　Turenne。〃〃General；〃　replied　M。
Lemercier；　〃it　is　not　merely　the　warrior　that　I　esteem　in　Frederick；　it
is　impossible　to　refrain　from　admiring　a　man　who　was　a　philosopher　even
on　the　throne。〃　　To　this　the　First　Consul　replied；　in　a　half　ill…humoured
tone；　〃Certainly；　Lemercier；　but　Frederick's　philosophy　shall　not　prevent
me　from　erasing　his　kingdom　from　the　map　of　Europe。〃　　The　kingdom　of
Frederick　the　Great　was　not；　however；　obliterated　from　the　map；　because
the　Emperor　of　Russia　would　not　basely　abandon　a　faithful　ally　who　had
incurred　with　him　the　chances　of　fortune。　　Prussia　then　bitterly　had　to
lament　the　tergiversations　which　had　prevented　her　from　declaring　herself
against　France　during　the　campaign　of　Austerlitz。

Napoleon　returned　to　Paris　about　the　end　of　July　after　an　absence　of　ten
months；　the　longest　he　had　yet　made　since　he　had　been　at　the　head　of　the
French　Government；　whether　as　Consul　or　Emperor。　　The　interview　at
Tilsit；　the　Emperor　Alexander's　friendship；　which　was　spoken　of
everywhere　in　terms　of　exaggeration；　and　the　peace　established　on　the
Continent；　conferred　on　Napoleon　a　moral　influence　in　public　opinion
which　he　had　not　possessed　since　his　coronation。　　Constant　in　his　hatred
of　deliberative　assemblies；　which　he　had　often　termed　collections　of
babblers；　ideologists；　and　phrasemongers；　Napoleon；　on　his　return　to
Paris；　suppressed　the　Tribunate；　which　had　been　an　annoyance　to　him　ever
since　the　first　day　of　his　elevation。　　The　Emperor；　who　was　'skillful
above　all　men　in　speculating　on　the　favourable　disposition　of　opinion；
availed　himself　at　this　conjuncture　of　the　enthusiasm　produced　by　his
interview　on　the　Niemen。　　He　therefore　discarded　from　the　fundamental
institutions　of　the　government　that　which　still　retained　the　shadow　of　a
popular　character。　　But　it　was　necessary　that　he　should　possess　a　Senate
merely　to　vote　men；　a　mute　Legislative　Body　to　vote　money；　that　there
should　be　no　opposition　in　the　one　and　no　criticism　in　the　other；　no
control　over　him　of　any　description；　the　power　of　arbitrarily　doing
whatever　he　pleased；　an　enslaved　press；this　was　what　Napoleon　wished；
and　this　be　obtained。　　But　the　month　of　March　1814　resolved　the　question
of　absolute　power！

In　the　midst　of　these　great　affairs；　and　while　Napoleon　was　dreaming　of
universal　monarchy；　I　beheld　in　a　less　extensive　sphere　the　inevitable
consequences　of　the　ambition　of　a　single　man。　　Pillage　and　robbery　were
carried　on　in　all　parts　over　which　my　diplomatic　jurisdiction　extended。
Rapine　seemed　to　be　legally　authorised；　and　was　perpetrated　with　such
fury；　and　at　the　same　time　with　such　ignorance；　that　the　agents　were
frequently　unacquainted　with　the　value　of　the　articles　which　they　seized。
Thus；　for　example；　the　Emperor　ordered　the　seizure　at　Hamburg；　Bremen；
and　Lubeck　of　all　English　merchandise；　whatever　might　be　its　nature　or
origin。　　The　Prince　of　Neufchatel　（Berthier）　wrote　to　me　from　the　Emperor
that　I　must　procure　10；000；000　francs　from　the　Hanse　Towns。　　M。　Daru；　the
Intendant…General；　whose　business　it　was　to　collect　this　sort　of　levy；
which　Napoleon　had　learned　to　make　in　Egypt；　wrote　to　urge　me　to　obtain　a
prompt　and　favourable　decision。　　The　unfortunate　towns　which　I　was　thus
enjoined　to　oppress　had　already　suffered　sufficiently。　　I　had　obtained；
by　means　of　negotiation；　more　than　was　demanded　for　the　ransom　of　the
English　merchandise；　which　had　been　seized　according　to　order。　　Before　I
received　the　letters　of　M。　Darn　and　the　Prince　of　Neufchatel　I　had
obtained　from　Hamburg　16；000；000　instead　of　10；000；000；　besides　nearly
3；000；000　from　Bremen　and　Lubeck。　　Thus　I　furnished　the　Government　with
9；000；000　more　than　had　been　required；　and　yet　I　had　so　managed　that
those　enormous　sacrifices　were　not　overoppressive　to　those　who　made　them。
I　fixed　the　value　of　the　English　merchandise　because　I　knew　that　the　high
price　at　which　it　sold　on　the　Continent　would　not　only　cover　the　proposed
ransom　but　also　leave　a　considerable　profit。　　Such　was　the　singular
effect　of　the　Continental　system　that　when　merchandise　was　confiscated；
and　when　afterwards　the　permission　to　sell　it　freely　was　given；　the　price
fetched　at　the　sale　was　so　large　that　the　loss　was　covered；　and　even
great　advantage　gained。

Peace　being　concluded　with　Russia　it　was　necessary　to　make　choice　of　an
Ambassador；　not　only　to　maintain　the　new　relations　of　amity　between
Napoleon　and　Alexander；　but　likewise　to　urge　on　the　promised　intervention
of　Russia　with　England；to　bring　about　reconciliation　and　peace　between
the　Cabinets　of　Paris　and　London。　　The　Emperor　confided　this　mission　to
Caulaincourt；　with　respect　to　whom　there　existed　an　unfounded　prejudice
relating　to　some　circumstances　which　preceded　the　death　of　the　Duc
d'Enghien。　　This　unfortunate　and　unjust　impression　had　preceded
Caulaincourt　to　St。　Petersburg；　and　it　was　feared　that　he　would　not
experience　the　reception　due　to　the　French　Ambassador　and　to　his　own
personal　qualities。　　I　knew　at　the　time；