memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v10-第8部分

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　　　　　obscurity。　　He　afterwards　went　to　Holland；　provided　with　a　passport
　　　　　from　Bourrienne；　who　was　Napoleon's　Minister；　though　in　disgrace；
　　　　　and　who；　foreseeing　what　was　to　happen；　sought　to　ingratiate　himself
　　　　　in　the　favour　of　the　Bourbons。〃

The　above　passage　contains　a　falsehood　in　almost　every　line。　　M。　Hue
wished　to　reside　in　Hamburg；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　conceal　himself。
I　invited　him　to　visit　me；　and　assured　him　that　he　might　remain　in
Hamburg　without　apprehension；　provided　he　acted　prudently。　　He　wished　to
go　to　Holland；　and　I　took　upon　myself　to　give　him　a　passport。　　I　left　M。
Hue　in　the　free　management　of　his　business；　the　nature　of　which　I　knew
very　well；　and　which　was　very　honourable；　he　was　deputed　to　pay　the
pensions　which　Louis　XVIII。　granted　to　the　emigrants。　　As　for　myself；　I
had　tendered　my　resignation　of　private　secretary　to　Bonaparte；　and　even
admitting　I　was　in　disgrace　in　that　character；　I　was　not　so　as　Minister
and　Consul…General　at　Hamburg。　　My　situation；　which　was　of　little
consequence　at　the　time　I　was　appointed　to　it；　was　later　on　rendered
exceedingly　important　by　circumstances。　　It　was；　in　fact；　a　sort　of
watch…tower　of　the　Government；　whence　all　the　movements　of　northern
Germany　were　observed；　and　during　my　residence　in　the　Hanse　Towns　I
continually　experienced　the　truth　of　what　Bonaparte　said　to　me　at　my
farewell　audience〃Yours　is　a　place　independent　and　apart。〃

It　is　absurd　to　say　that　the　kindness　I　showed　to　M。　Hue　was　an　attempt
to　ingratiate　myself　with　the　Bourbons。　　My　attentions　to　him　were
dictated　solely　by　humanity；　unaccompanied　by　any　afterthought。　　Napoleon
had　given　me　his　confidence；　and　by　mitigating　the　verity　of　his　orders
I　served　him　better　than　they　who　executed　them　in　a　way　which　could　not
fail　to　render　the　French　Government　odious。　　If　I　am　accused　of
extending　every　possible　indulgence　to　the　unfortunate　emigrants；　I　plead
guilty；　and；　far　from　wishing　to　defend　myself　against　the　charge；　I
consider　it　honourable　to　me。　　But　I　defy　any　one　of　them　to　say　that　I
betrayed　in　their　favour　the　interests　with　which　I　was　entrusted。　　They
who　urged　Bonaparte　to　usurp　the　crown　of　France　served；　though　perhaps
unconsciously；　the　cause　of　the　Bourbons。　　I；　on　the　contrary；　used　all
my　endeavours　to　dissuade　him　from　that　measure；　which　I　clearly　saw
must；　in　the　end；　lead　to　the　restoration；　though　I　do　not　pretend　that　I
was　sufficiently　clear…sighted　to　guess　that　Napoleon's　fall　was　so　near
at　hand。　　The　kindness　I　showed　to　M。　Hue　and　his　companions　in
misfortune　was　prompted　by　humanity；　and　not　by　mean　speculation。
As　well　might　it　be　said　that　Bernadotte；　who；　like　myself；　neglected
no　opportunity　of　softening　the　rigour　of　the　orders　he　was　deputed　to
execute；　was　by　this　means　working　his　way　to　the　throne　of　Sweden。

Bernadotte　had　proceeded　to　Denmark　to　take　the　command　of　the　Spanish
and　French　troops　who　had　been　removed　from　the　Hanse　Towns　to　occupy
that　kingdom；　which　was　then　threatened　by　the　English。　　His　departure
was　a　great　loss　to　me；　for　we　had　always　agreed　respecting　the　measures
to　be　adopted；　and　I　felt　his　absence　the　more　sensibly　when　I　was
enabled　to　make　a　comparison　between　him　and　his　successor。　　It　is
painful　to　me　to　detail　the　misconduct　of　those　who　injured　the　French
name　in　Germany；　but　in　fulfilment　of　the　task　I　have　undertaken；　I　am
bound　to　tell　the　truth。

In　April　1808　General　Dupas　came　to　take　the　command　of　Hamburg；　but　only
under　the　orders　of　Bernadotte；　who　retained　the　supreme　command　of　the
French　troops　in　the　Hanse　Towns。　　By　the　appointment　of　General　Dupas
the　Emperor　cruelly　thwarted　the　wishes　and　hopes　of　the　inhabitants　of
Lower　Saxony。　　That　General　said　of　the　people　of　Hamburg；　〃As　long　as　I
see　those　。　　。　　。　　driving　in　their　carriages　I　can　get　money　from　them。〃
It　is；　however；　only　just　to　add；　that　his　dreadful　exactions　were　not
made　on　his　own　account；　but　for　the　benefit　of　another　man　to　whom　he
owed　his　all；　and　to　whom　he　had　in　some　measure　devoted　his　existence。

I　will　state　some　particulars　respecting　the　way　in　which　the　generals
who　commanded　the　French　troops　at　Hamburg　were　maintained。　　The　Senate
of　Hamburg　granted　to　the　Marshals　thirty　friederichs　a　day　for　the
expenses　of　their　table　exclusive　of　the　hotel　in　which　they　were　lodged
by　the　city。　　The　generals　of　division　had　only　twenty　friederichs。
General　Dupas　wished　to　be　provided　for　on　the　same　footing　as　the
Marshals。　　The　Senate　having；　with　reason；　rejected　this　demand；　Dupas
required　that　he　should　be　daily　served　with　a　breakfast　and　a　dinner　of
thirty　covers。　　This　was　an　inconceivable　burden；　and　Dupas　cost　the　city
more　than　any　of　his　predecessors。

I　saw　an　account　of　his　expenses；　which　during　the　twenty…one　weeks　he
remained　at　Hamburg　amounted　to　122；000　marks；　or　about　183；000　francs。
None　but　the　most　exquisite　wines　were　drunk　at　the　table　of　Dupas。　　Even
his　servants　were　treated　with　champagne；　and　the　choicest　fruits　were
brought　from　the　fine　hothouses　of　Berlin。　　The　inhabitants　were
irritated　at　this　extravagance；　and　Dupas　accordingly　experienced　the
resistance　of　the　Senate。

Among　other　vexations　there　was　one　to　which　the　people　could　not　readily
submit。　　In　Hamburg；　which　had　formerly　been　a　fortified　town；　the　custom
was　preserved　of　closing　the　gates　at　nightfall。　　On　Sundays　they　were
closed　three…quarters　of　an　hour　later；　to　avoid　interrupting　the
amusements　of　the　people。

While　General　Dupas　was　Governor　of　Hamburg　an　event　occurred　which
occasioned　considerable　irritation　in　the　public　mind；　and　might　have
been　attended　by　fatal　consequences。　　From　some　whim　or　other　the　General
ordered　the　gates　to　be　closed　at　seven　in　the　evening；　and　consequently
while　it　was　broad　daylight；　for　it　was　in　the　middle　of　spring；　no
exception　was　made　in　favour　of　Sunday；　and　on　that　day　a　great　number　of
the　inhabitants　who　had　been　walking　in　the　outskirts　of　the　city
presented　themselves　at　the　gate　of　Altona　for　admittance。　　To　their
surprise　they　found　the　gate　closed；　though　it　was　a　greater　thoroughfare
than　any　other　gate　in　Hamburg。　　The　number　of　persons；　requiring
admittance　increased；　and　a　considerable　crowd　soon　collected。　　After
useless　entreaties　had　been　addressed　to　the　chief　officer　of　the　post
the　people　were　determined　to　send　to　the　Commandant　for　the　keys。　　The
Commandant　arrived；　accompanied　by　the　General。　　When　they　appeared　it
was　supposed　they　had　come　for　the　purpose　of　opening　the　gates；　and　they
were　accordingly　saluted　with　a　general　hurrah！　　which　throughout　almost
all　the　north　is　the　usual　cry　for　expressing　popular　satisfaction。
General　Dupas　not　understanding　the　meaning　of　this　hurrah！　　supposed　it
to　be　a　signal　for　sedition；　and　instead　of　ordering　the　gates　to　be
opened　he　commanded　the　military　to　fire　upon　the　peaceful　citizens；。
who　only　wanted　to　return　to　their　homes。　　Several　persons　were　killed；
and　others　more　or　less　seriously　wounded。　　Fortunately；　after　this　first
discharge　the　fury　of　Dupas　was　appeased；　but　still　he　persisted　in
keeping　the　gates　closed　at　night。　　Next　day　an　order　was　posted　about
the　city　prohibiting　the　cry　of　hurrah！　under　pain　of　a　severe
punishment。　　It　was　also　forbidden　that　more　than　three　persona　should
collect　together　in　the　streets。　　Thus　it　was　that　certain　persons
imposed　the　French　yoke　upon　towns　and　provinces　which　were　previously
happy。

Dupas　was　as　much　execrated　in　the　Hanse　Towns　as　Clarke　had　been　in
Berlin　when　he　was　governor　of　that　capital　during　the　campaign　of　1807。
Clarke　had　burdened　the　people　of　Berlin　with　every　kind　of　oppression
and　exaction。　　He；　as　well　as　many　others；　manifested　a　ready　obedience
in　executing　the　Imperial　orders；　however　tyrannical　they　might　be；　and
Heaven　knows　what　epithets　invariably　accompanied　the　name　of　Clarke　when
pronounced　by　the　lips　of　a　Prussian。

Dupas　seemed　to　have　taken　Clarke　as　his　model。　　An　artillery　officer；
who　was　in　Hamburg　at　the　time　of　the　disturbance　I　have　just　mentioned；
told　me　that　it　was　he　who　was　directed　to　place　two　pieces　of　light…
artillery　before　the　gate　of　Altona。　　Having　executed　this　order；　he　went
to　General　Dupas；　whom　he　found　in　a　furious　fit　of　passion；　breaking　and
destroying　everything　within　his　reach。　　In　the　presence　of　the　officer
he　broke　more　than　two　dozen　plates　which　were　on　the　table　before　him：
these　plates；　of　course；　had　cost　him　very　little！

On　the　day　after　the　disturbance　which　had　so　fatal　a　termination　I　wrote
to　inform　the　Prince　of　Porte…Corvo　of　what　had　taken　place；　and　in　my
letter　I　solicited　the　suppression　of　an　extraordinary　tribunal　which　had
been　created　by　General　Dupas。　　He　returned　me　an　immediate　answer；
complying　with　my　request。　　His　letter　was　as　follows：

　　　　　I　have　received　your　letter；　my　dear　Minister：　it　forcibly　conveys
　　　　　the　expression　of　your　right　feeling；　which　revolts　against
　　　　　oppression；　severity；　and　the　abase　of　power。　　I　entirely　concur　in
　　　　　your　view　of　the　subject；　and　I　am　distressed　whenever　I　see　such
　　　　　acts　of　injustice　committed。　　On　an　examination　of　the　events　which
　　　　　took　place　on　the　19th　it　is　impossible　to　deny　that　the　officer　who
　　　　　ordered　the　gates　to　be　closed　so　soon　was　in　the　wrong；　and　next；
　　　　　it　may　be　asked；　why　were　not　the　gates　opened　instead　of　the；
　　　　　military　being　ordered　to　fire　on　the　people？　　But；　on　the　other
　　　　　hand；　did　not　the　people　evince　decided　obstinacy　and
　　　　　insubordination？　were　they　not　to　blame　in　throwing　stones　at　the
　　　　　guard；　forcing　the　palisades；　and　even　refusing　to　listen　to　the
　　　　　voice　of　the　magistrates？　　It　is　melancholy　that　they　should　have
　　　　　fallen　into　these　excesses；　from　which；　doubtless；　they　would　have
　　　　　refrained　had　they　listened　to　the　civil　chiefs；　who　ought　to　be
　　　　　their　first　directors。　　Finally；　my　dear　Minister；　the　Senator　who
　　　　　distributed　money　at　the　gate　of　Altona　to　appease　the　multitude
　　　　　would　have　done　better　had　he　advised　them　to　wait　patiently　until
　　　　　the　gates　were　opened；　and　he　might；　I　think；　h