memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v10-第5部分

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　　　　　prisonerMurat　at　MadridImportant　news　transmitted　by　a
　　　　　commercial　letterMurat's　ambitionHis　protection　of　Godoy
　　　　　Charles　IV；　denies　his　voluntary　abdicationThe　crown　of　Spain
　　　　　destined　for　JosephGeneral　disapprobation　of　Napoleon's　conduct
　　　　　The　Bourbon　cause　apparently　lostLouis　XVIII。　after　his　departure
　　　　　from　FranceAs　Comte　de　Provence　at　CoblentzHe　seeks　refuge　in
　　　　　Turin　and　VeronaDeath　of　Louis　XVIILouis　XVIII。　refused　an
　　　　　asylum　in　Austria；　Saxony；　and　PrussiaHis　residence　at　Mittan　and
　　　　　WarsawAlexander　and　Louis　XVIIIThe　King's　departure　from　Milan
　　　　　and　arrival　at　YarmouthDetermination　of　the　King　of　EnglandM。
　　　　　Lemercier's　prophecy　to　BonaparteFouche's　inquiries　respecting
　　　　　Comte　de　RechterenNote　from　JosephineNew　demands　on　the　Hanse
　　　　　TownsOrder　to　raise　3000　sailors　in　Hamburg。

The　disorders　of　Spain；　which　commenced　about　the　close　of　the　year　1807；
in　a　short　time　assumed　a　most　complicated　aspect。　　Though　far　from　the
theatre　of　events　I　obtained　an　intimate　knowledge　of　all　the　important
facts　connected　with　the　extraordinary　transactions　in　the　Peninsula。
However；　as　this　point　of　history　is　one　of　the　most　generally；　though　I
cannot　say　the　best；　known；　I　shall　omit　in　my　notes　and　memoranda　many
things　which　would　be　but　repetitions　to　the　reading　portion　of　the
public。　　It　is　a　remarkable　fact　that　Bonaparte；　who　by　turns　cast　his
eyes　on　all　the　States　of　Europe；　never　directed　his　attention　to　Spain
as　long　as　his　greatness　was　confined　to　mere　projects。　　Whenever　he
spoke　of　his　future　destiny　he　alluded　to　Italy；　Germany；　the　East；　and
the　destruction　of　the　English　power；　but　never　to　Spain。　　Consequently；
when　he　heard　of　the　first　symptoms　of　disorder　in　the　Peninsula　he　paid
but　little　attention　to　the　business；　and　some　time　elapsed　before　he
took　any　part　in　events　which　subsequently　had　so　great　an　influence　on
his　fate。

Godoy　reigned　in　Spain　under　the　name　of　the　imbecile　Charles　IV。　　He　was
an　object　of　execration　to　all　who　were　not　his　creatures；　and　even　those
whose　fate　depended　upon　him　viewed　him　with　the　most　profound　contempt。
The　hatred　of　a　people　is　almost　always　the　just　reward　of　favourites。
What　sentiments；　therefore；　must　have　been　inspired　by　a　man　who；　to　the
knowledge　of　all　Spain；　owed　the　favour　of　the　king　only　to　the　favours
of　the　queen！

　　　　　＇Manuel　Godoy；　originally　a　private　in　the　guards；　became　the
　　　　　paramour　of　Charles　IV。's　Queen；　then　a　grandee；　and　then　the
　　　　　supreme　ruler　of　the　State。Editor　of　1836　edition。＇

Godoy's　ascendancy　over　the　royal　family　was　boundless；　his　power　was
absolute：　the　treasures；　of　America　were　at　his　command；　and　he　made　the
most　infamous　use　of　them。　　In　short；　he　had　made　the　Court　of　Madrid　one
of　those　places　to　which　the　indignant　muse　of　Juvenal　conducts　the
mother　of　Britanicus。　　There　is　no　doubt　that　Godoy　was　one　of　the
principal　causes　of　all　the　misfortunes　which　have　overwhelmed　Spain
under　so　many　various　forms。

The　hatred　of　the　Spaniards　against　the　Prince　of　the　Peace　was　general。
This　hatred　was　shared　by　the　Prince　the　Asturias；＇Afterwards　Ferdinand
VII。＇　who　openly　declared　himself　the　enemy　of　Godoy。　　The　latter
allied　himself　with　France；　from　which　he　hoped　to　obtain　powerful
protection　against　his　enemies。　　This　alliance　gave　rise　to　great
dissatisfaction　in　Spain；　and　caused　France　to　be　regarded　with　an
unfavourable　eye。　　The　Prince　of　the　Asturias　was　encouraged　and
supported　by　the　complaints　of　the　Spaniards；　who　wished　to　see　the
overthrow　of　Godoy's　power。　　Charles　IV。；　on　his　part；　regarded　all
opposition　to　the　Prince　of　the　Peace　as　directed　against　himself；　and　in
November　1807　he　accused　his　son　of　wishing　to　dethrone　him。

The　King　of　Spain　did　not　confine　himself　to　verbal　complaints。　　He；　or
rather　the　Prince　of　the　Peace；　acting　in　his　name；　arrested　the　warmest
partisans　of　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias。　　The　latter；　understanding　the
sentiments　of　his　father；　wrote　to　Napoleon；　soliciting　his　support。
Thus　the　father　and　son；　at　open　war；　were　appealing　one　against　another
for　the　support　of　him　who　wished　only　to　get　rid　of　them　both；　and　to
put　one　of　his　brothers　in　their　place；　that　he　might　have　one　junior
more　in　the　college　of　European　kings：　but；　as　I　have　already　mentioned；
this　new　ambition　was　not　premeditated；　and　if　he　gave　the　throne　of
Spain　to　his　brother　Joseph　it　was　only　on　the　refusal　of　his　brother
Louis　（King　of　Holland）　to　accept　it。

The　Emperor　had　promised　to　support　Charles　IV　against　his　son；　and；　not
wishing　to　take　part　in　these　family　quarrels；　he　had　not　answered　the
first　letters　of　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias。　　But　finding　that　the
intrigues　of　Madrid　were　taking　a　serious　turn；　he　commenced
provisionally　by　sending　troops　to　Spain。　　This　gave　offence　to　the
people；　who　were　averse　to　the　interference　of　France。　　In　the　provinces
through　which　the　French　troops　passed　it　was　asked　what　was　the　object：
of　the　invasion。　　Some　attributed　it　to　the　Prince　of　the　Peace；　others
to　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias；　but　it　excited　general　indignation；　and
troubles　broke　out　at　Madrid　accompanied　by　all　the　violence　peculiar　to
the　Spanish　character。

In　these　fearful　circumstances　Godoy　proposed　that　Charles　IV。　should
remove　to　Seville；　where　he　would　be　the　better　enabled　to　visit　the
factious　with　punishment。　　A　proposition　from　Godoy　to　his　master　was；　in
fact；　a　command；　and　Charles　IV。　accordingly　resolved　to　depart。　　The
people　now　looked　upon　Godoy　as　a　traitor。　　An　insurrection　broke　out；
the　palace　was；　surrounded；　and　the；　Prince　of　the　Peace　was　on　the　point
of　being　massacred　in　an　upper　apartment；　where　he　had　taken　refuge。

　　　　　＇French　troops　had　appeared　in　again　some　months　before；　on　their
　　　　　way　to　Portugal；　the　conquest　of　which　country　by　Junot　was　to　be
　　　　　aided　by　Godoy　and　a　Spanish　force　of　27；000　men；　according　to　a
　　　　　treaty　（more　disgraceful　to　the　Court　of　Spain　than　to　Bonaparte）
　　　　　which　had　been　ratified　at　Fontainebleau　on　the　27th　of　October
　　　　　1807。　　Charles　IV。　was　little　better　than　an　idiot；　and　Godoy　and
　　　　　the　French　made　him　believe　that　Bonaparte　world　give　part；　or　the
　　　　　whole　of　Portugal；　to　Spain。　　At　the　time　of　Junot's　march　on　Lisbon
　　　　　a　reserve　of　40；000　French　troops　were　assembled　at　Bayonne
　　　　　a　pretty　clear　indication；　though　the　factious　infatuated　Court　of
　　　　　Madrid　would　not　see　it；　that　Bonaparte　intended　to　seize　the　whole
　　　　　of　the　Peninsula。Editor　of　1838　edition。＇

One　of　the　mob　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　invoke　in　his　favour　the　name
of　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias：　this　saved　his　life。

Charles　IV。　did　not　preserve　his　crown；　he　was　easily　intimidated；　and
advantage　was　taken　of　a　moment　of　alarm　to　demand　that　abdication　which
he　had　not　spirit　to　refuse。　　He　surrendered　up　his　rights　to　his　son；
and　thus　was　overthrown　the　insolent　power　of　the　Prince　of　the　Peace；
the　favourite　was　made　prisoner；　and　the　Spaniards；　who；　like　all
ignorant　people；　are　easily　excited；　manifested　their　joy　on　the　occasion
with　barbarous　enthusiasm。　　Meanwhile　the　unfortunate　King；　who　had
escaped　from　imaginary　rather　than　real　dangers；　and　〃who　was　at　first
content　with　having　exchanged　the　right　of　reigning　for　the　right　of
living；　no　sooner　found　himself　in　safety　than　he　changed；　his　mind。
He　wrote　to　the　Emperor　protesting　against　his　abdication；　and　appealed。
to　him　as　the　arbiter　of　his　future　fate。

During　these　internal　dissensions　the　French　army　was　continuing　its
march　towards　the　Pyrenees。　　Those　barriers　were　speedily　crossed；　and
Murat　entered　Madrid　in　the　beginning　of　April　1808。　　Before　I　received
any　despatch　from　our　Government　I　learned　that　Murat's　presence　in
Madrid；　far　from　producing　a　good　effect；　had　only　increased　the
disorder。　　I　obtained　this　information　from　a　merchant　of　Lubeck　who　came
to　Hamburg　on　purpose　to　show　me　a　letter　he　had　received　from　his
correspondent　in　Madrid。　　In　this　letter　Spain　was　said　to　be　a　prey
which　Murat　wished　to　appropriate　to　himself；　and　all　that　afterwards
came　to　my　knowledge　served　only　to　prove　the　accuracy　of　the　writer's
information。　　It　was　perfectly　true　that　Murat　wished　to　conquer　Spain
for　himself；　and　it　is　not　astonishing　that　the　inhabitants　of　Madrid
should　have　understood　his　designs；　for　he　carried　his　indiscretion　so
far　as　openly　to　express　his　wish　to　become　King　of　Spain。　　The　Emperor
was　informed　of　this；　and　gave　him　to　understand；　in　very　significant
terms；　that　the　throne　of　Spain　was　not　destined　for　him；　but　that　he
should　not　be　forgotten　in　the　disposal　of　other　crowns。

However；　Napoleon's　remonstrances　were　not　sufficient　to　restrain　the
imprudence　of　Murat；　and　if　he　did　not　gain　the　crown　of　Spain　for
himself　he　powerfully　contributed　to　make　Charles　IV。　lose　it。　　That
monarch；　whom　old　habits　attached　to　the　Prince　of　the　Peace；　solicited
the　Emperor　to　liberate　his　favourite；　alleging　that　he　and　his　family
would　be　content　to　live　in　any　place　of　security　provided　Godoy　were
with　them。　　The　unfortunate　Charles　seemed　to　be　thoroughly　disgusted
with　greatness。

Both　the　King　and　Queen　so　earnestly　implored　Godoy's　liberation　that
Murat；　whose　vanity　was　flattered　by　these　royal　solicitations；　took　the
Prince　of　the　Peace　under　his　protection；　but　he　at　the　same　time
declared　that；　in　spite　of　the　abdication　of　Charles　IV。；　he　would
acknowledge　none　but　that　Prince　as　King　of　Spain　until　he　should　receive
contrary　；orders　from　the　Emperor。　　This　declaration　placed　Murat　in
formal　opposition　to　the　Spanish　people；　who；　through　their　hatred　of
Godoy；　embraced　the　cause　of　the　heir　of　the　throne；　in　whose　favour
Charles　IV。　had　abdicated。

It　has　been　remarked　that　Napoleon　stood　in　a　perplexing　situation　in
this　conflict　between　the　King　and　his　son。　　This　is　not　correct。　　King
Charles；　though　he　afterwards　said　that　his　abdication　had　been　forced
from　him　by　violence　and　threats；　had　nevertheless　tendered　it。　　By　this
act　Ferdinand　was　King；　but　Charles　declared　it　was　done　against　his
will；　and　he　retracted。