memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v10-第4部分

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experience　the　reception　due　to　the　French　Ambassador　and　to　his　own
personal　qualities。　　I　knew　at　the　time；　from　positive　information；　that
after　a　short　explanation　with　Alexander　that　monarch　retained　no
suspicion　unfavourable　to　our　Ambassador；　for　whom　he　conceived　and
maintained　great　esteem　and　friendship。

Caulaincourt's　mission　was　not；　in　all　respects；　easy　of　fulfilment；　for
the　invincible　repugnance　and　reiterated　refusal　of　England　to　enter　into
negotiations　with　France　through　the　medium　of　Russia　was　one　of　the
remarkable　circumstances　of　the　period　of　which　I　am　speaking。　　I　knew
positively　that　England　was　determined　never　to　allow　Napoleon　to　possess
himself　of　the　whole　of　the　Continent；a　project　which　he　indicated　too
undisguisedly　to　admit　of　any　doubt　respecting　it。　　For　two　years　he　had
indeed　advanced　with　rapid　strides；　but　England　was　not　discouraged。　　She
was　too　well　aware　of　the　irritation　of　the　sovereigns　and　the　discontent
of　the　people　not　be　certain　that　when　she　desired　it；　her　lever　of　gold
would　again　raise　up　and　arm　the　Continent　against　the　encroaching　power
of　Napoleon。　　He；　on　his　part；　perceiving　that　all　his　attempts　were
fruitless；　and　that　England　would　listen　to　no　proposals；　devised　fresh
plans　for　raising　up　new　enemies　against　England。

It　probably　is　not　forgotten　that　in　1801　France　compelled　Portugal　to
make　common　cause　with　her　against　England。　　In　1807　the　Emperor　did
again　what　the　First　Consul　had　done。　　By　an　inexplicable　fatality　Junot
obtained　the　command　of　the　troops　which　were　marching　against　Portugal。
I　say　against　Portugal；　for　that　was　the　fact；　though　France　represented
herself　as　a　protector　to　deliver　Portugal　from　the　influence　of　England。
Be　that　as　it　may；　the　choice　which　the　Emperor　made　of　a　commander
astonished　everybody。　　Was　Junot；　a　compound　of　vanity　and　mediocrity；
the　fit　man　to　be　entrusted　with　the　command　of　an　army　in　a　distant
country；　and　under　circumstances　in　which　great　political　and　military
talents　were　requisite？　　For　my　own　part；　knowing　Junot's　incapacity；　I
must　acknowledge　that　his　appointment　astonished　me。　　I　remember　one　day；
when　I　was　speaking　on　the　subject　to　Bernadotte；　he　showed　me　a　letter
he　had　received　from　Paris；　in　which　it　was　said　that　the　Emperor　had
sent　Junot　to　Portugal　only　for　the　sake　of　depriving　him　of　the
government　of　Paris。　　Junot　annoyed　Napoleon　by　his　bad　conduct；　his
folly；　and　his　incredible　extravagance。　　He　was　alike　devoid　of　dignity…
either　in　feeling　or　conduct。　　Thus　Portugal　was　twice　the　place　of　exile
selected　by　Consular　and　Imperial　caprice：　first；　when　the　First　Consul
wished　to　get　rid　of　the　familiarity　of　Lannes；　and　next；　when　the
Emperor　grew　weary　of　the　misconduct　of　a　favourite。

The　invasion　of　Portugal　presented　no　difficulty。　　It　was　an　armed
promenade　and　not　a　war；　but　how　many　events　were　connected　with　the
occupation　of　that　country！　　The　Prince　Regent　of　Portugal；　unwilling　to
act　dishonourably　to　England；　to　which　he　was　allied　by　treaties；　and
unable　to　oppose　the　whole　power　of　Napoleon；　embarked　for　Brazil；
declaring　that　all　defence　was　useless。　　At　the　same　time　he　recommended
his　subjects　to　receive　the　French　troops　in　a　friendly　manner；　and　said
that　he　consigned　to　Providence　the　consequences　of　an　invasion　which　was
without　a　motive。　　He　was　answered　in　the　Emperor's　name　that；　Portugal
being　the　ally　of　England；　we　were　only　carrying　on　hostilities　against；
the　latter　country　by　invading　his　dominions。

It　was　in　the　month　of　November　that　the　code　of　French　jurisprudence；
upon　which　the　most　learned　legislators　had　indefatigably　laboured；　was
established　as　the　law　of　the　State；　under　the　title　of　the　Code
Napoleon。　　Doubtless　this　legislative　monument　will　redound　to　Napoleon's
honour　in　history；　but　was　it　to　be　supposed　that　the　same　laws　would　be
equally　applicable　throughout　so　vast　an　extent　as　that　comprised　within
the　French　Empire？　　Impossible　as　this　was；　as　soon　as　the　Code　Napoleon
way　promulgated　I　received　orders　to　establish　it　in　the　Hanse　Towns。

　　　　　＇This　great　code　of　Civil　Law　was　drawn　up　under　Napoleon's　orders
　　　　　and　personal　superintendence。　　Much　had　been　prepared　under　the
　　　　　Convention；　and　the　chief　merits　of　it　were　due　to　the　labours　of
　　　　　such　men　as　Tronchet；　Partatis；　Bigot　de　Preameneu；　Maleville；
　　　　　Cambaceres；　etc。　　But　it　was　debated　under　and　by　Napoleon；　who　took
　　　　　a　lively　interest　in　it。　　It　was　first　called　the　〃　Code　Civil；〃　but
　　　　　is　1807　was　named　〃Code　Napoleon；〃　or　eventually　〃Les　Cinq　Codes　de
　　　　　Napoleon。　　When　completed　in　1810　it　included　five　Codesthe　Code
　　　　　Civil；　decreed　March　1803；　Code　de　Procedure　Civile；　decreed　April
　　　　　1806；　Code　de　Commerce；　decreed　September　1807；　Code　d'Instruction
　　　　　Criminelle；　decreed　November　1808；　and　the　Code　Penal；　decreed
　　　　　February　1810。　　It　had　to　be　retained　by　the　Bourbons；　and　its
　　　　　principles　have　worked　and　are　slowly　working　their　way　into　the　law
　　　　　of　every　nation。　　Napoleon　was　justly　proud　of　this　work。　　The
　　　　　Introduction　of　the　Code　into　the　conquered　countries　was；　as
　　　　　Bourrienne　says；　made　too　quickly。　　Puymaigre；　who　was　employed　in
　　　　　the　administration　of　Hamburg　after　Bourrienne　left；　says；　〃I　shall
　　　　　always　remember　the　astonishment　of　the　Hamburgers　when　they　were
　　　　　invaded　by　this　cloud　of　French　officials；　who；　under　every　form；
　　　　　made　researches　is　their　houses；　and　who　came　to　apply　the
　　　　　multiplied　demands　of　the　fiscal　system。　　Like　Proteus；　the
　　　　　administration　could　take　any　shape。　　To　only　speak　of　my
　　　　　department；　which　certainly　was　not　the　least　odious　one；　for　it　was
　　　　　opposed　to　the　habits　of　the　Hamburgers　and　annoyed　all　the
　　　　　industries；　no　idea　can　be　formed　of　the　despair　of　the　inhabitants；
　　　　　subjected　to　perpetual　visits；　and　exposed　to　be　charged　with
　　　　　contraventions　of　the　law；　of　which　they　knew　nothing。

　　　　　〃Remembering　their　former　laws；　they　used　to　offer　to　meet　a　charge
　　　　　of　fraud　by　the　proof　of　their　oath；　and　could　not　imagine　that　such
　　　　　a　guarantee　could　be　repulsed。　　When　they　were　independent　they　paid
　　　　　almost　nothing；　and　such　was　the　national　spirit；　that　in　urgent
　　　　　cases　when　money　was　wanted　the　senate　taxed　every　citizen　s　certain
　　　　　proportion　of　his　income；　the　tenth　or　twentieth。　　A　donator
　　　　　presided　over　the　recovery　of　this　tax；　which　was　done　in　a　very
　　　　　strange　manner。　　A　box；　covered　with　a　carpet；　received　the　offering
　　　　　of　every　citizen；　without　any　person　verifying　the　sum；　and　only　on
　　　　　the　simple　moral　guarantee　of　the　honesty　of　the　debtor；　who　himself
　　　　　judged　the　sum　he　ought　to　pay。　　When　the　receipt　was　finished　the
　　　　　senate　always　obtained　more　than　it　had　calculated　on。〃　（Puymaigre；
　　　　　pp；　181。）＇

The　long　and　frequent　conversations　I　had　on　this　subject　with　the
Senators　and　the　most　able　lawyers　of　the　country　soon　convinced　me　of
the　immense　difficulty　I　should　have　to　encounter；　and　the　danger　of
suddenly　altering　habits　and　customs　which　had　been　firmly　established　by
time。

The　jury　system　gave　tolerable　satisfaction；　but　the　severe　punishments
assigned　to　certain　offences　by　the　Code　were　disapproved　of。　　Hence
resulted　the　frequent　and　serious　abuse　of　men　being　acquitted　whose
guilt　was　evident　to　the　jury；　who　pronounced　them　not　guilty　rather　than
condemn　them　to　a　punishment　which　was　thought　too　severe。　　Besides；
their　leniency　had　another　ground；　which　was；　that　the　people　being
ignorant　of　the　new　law　were　not　aware　of　the　penalties　attached　to
particular　offences。　　I　remember　that　a　man　who　was　accused　of　stealing　a
cloak　at　Hamburg　justified　himself　on　the　ground　that　he　committed　the
offence　in　a　fit　of　intoxication。　　M。　Von　Einingen；　one　of　the　jury；
insisted　that　the　prisoner　was　not　guilty；　because；　as　he　said；　the
Syndic　Doormann；　when　dining　with　him　one　day；　having　drunk　more　wine
than　usual；　took　away　his　cloak。　　This　defence　per　Baccho　was　completely
successful。　　An　argument　founded　on　the　similarity　between　the　conduct　of
the　Syndic　and　the　accused；　could　not　but　triumph；　otherwise　the　little
debauch　of　the　former　would　have　been　condemned　in　the　person　of　the
latter。　　This　trial；　which　terminated　so　whimsically；　nevertheless　proves
that　the　best　and　the　gravest　institutions　may　become　objects　of　ridicule
when　suddenly　introduced　into　a　country　whose　habits　are　not　prepared　to
receive　them。

The　Romans　very　wisely　reserved　in　the　Capitol　a　place　for　the　gods　of
the　nations　they　conquered。　　They　wished　to　annex　provinces　and　kingdoms
to　their　empire。　　Napoleon；　on　the　contrary；　wished　to　make　his　empire
encroach　upon　other　states；　and　to　realise　the　impossible　Utopia　of　ten
different　nations；　all　having　different　customs　and　languages；　united
into　a　single　State。　　Could　justice；　that　safeguard　of　human　rights；　be
duly　administered　in　the　Hanse　Towns　when　those　towns　were　converted　into
French　departments？　　In　these　new　departments　many　judges　had　been
appointed　who　did　not　understand　a　word　of　German；　and　who　had　no
knowledge　of　law。　　The　presidents　of　the　tribunals　of　Lilbeck；　Stade；
Bremerlehe；　and　Minden　were　so　utterly　ignorant　of　the　German　language
that　it　was　necessary　to　explain　to　them　all　the　pleadings　in　the
council…chamber。　　Was　it　not　absurd　to　establish　such　a　judicial　system；
and　above　all；　to　appoint　such　men　in　a　country　so　important　to　France　as
Hamburg　and　the　Hanse　Towns？　　Add　to　this　the　impertinence　of　some
favourites　who　were　sent　from　Paris　to　serve　official　and　legal
apprenticeships　in　the　conquered　provinces；　and　it　may　be　easily
conceived　what　was　the　attachment　of　the　people　to　Napoleon　the　Great。




CHAPTER　XIII。

1807…1808。

　　　　　Disturbed　state　of　SpainGodoy；　Prince　of　the　PeaceReciprocal
　　　　　accusations　between　the　King　of　Spain　and　his　sonFalse　promise　of
　　　　　NapoleonDissatisfaction　occasioned　by　the　presence　of　the　French
　　　　　troopsAbdication　of　Charles　IV。The　Prince　of　the　Peace　made
　　　　　prisonerMurat　at　MadridImportant　news　transmitted　by　a
　　　　　commercial　letterMurat