memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v11-第12部分

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emboldened　by　success；　increases　in　a　still　more　marked　progression。
Insurrection　was　now　regarded　by　the　Spaniards　as　a　holy　and　sacred　duty；
to　which　the　recent　meetings　of　the　Cortes　in　the　Isle　of　Leon　had　given；
as　it　were；　a　legitimate　character；　since　Spain　found　again；　in　the
remembrance　of　her　ancient　privileges；　at　least　the　shadow　of　a
Governmenta　centre　around　which　the　defenders　of　the　soil　of　the
Peninsula　could　rally。

　　　　　＇Lord　Wellington　gave　Massena　a　beating　at　Fuentes　d'Onore　on　the
　　　　　5th　of　May　1811。　　It　was　soon　after　this　battle　that　Napoleon　sent
　　　　　Marmont　to　succeed　Massena。　　Advancing　on　the　southern　frontier　of
　　　　　Portugal　the　skillful　Soult　contrived　to　take　Badajoz　from　a
　　　　　wavering　Spanish　garrison。　　About　this　time；　however；　General
　　　　　Graham；　with　his　British　corps；　sallied　out　of　Cadiz；　and　beat　the
　　　　　French　on　the　heights　of　Barrosa；　which　lie　in　front　of　Cadiz；　which
　　　　　city　the　French　were　then　besieging。　　Encouraged　by　the　successes　of
　　　　　our　regular　armies；　the　Spanish　Guerillas　became　more　and　more
　　　　　numerous　and　daring。　　By　the　end　of　1811　Joseph　Bonaparte　found　so
　　　　　many　thorns　in　his　usurped　crown　that　he　implored　his　brother　to　put
　　　　　it　on　some　other　head。　　Napoleon　would　not　then　listen　to　his
　　　　　prayer。　　In　the　course　of　1811　a　plan　was　laid　for　liberating
　　　　　Ferdinand　from　his　prison　in　France　and　placing　him　at　the　head　of
　　　　　affairs　in　Spain；　but　was　detected　by　the　emissaries　of　Bonaparte's
　　　　　police。　　Ferdinand's　sister；　the　ex…Queen　of　Etruria；　had　also
　　　　　planned　an　escape　to　England。　　Her　agents　were　betrayed；　tried　by　a
　　　　　military　commission；　and　shotthe　Princess　herself　was　condemned　to
　　　　　close　confinement　in　a　Roman　convent。Editor　of　1836　edition。＇

The　Continental　system　was　the　cause；　if　not　of　the　eventual　fall；　at
least　of　the　rapid　fall　of　Napoleon。　　This　cannot　be　doubted　if　we
consider　for　a　moment　the　brilliant　situation　of　the　Empire　in　1811；
and　the　effect　simultaneously　produced　throughout　Europe　by　that　system；
which　undermined　the　most　powerful　throne　which　ever　existed。　　It　was　the
Continental　system　that　Napoleon　upheld　in　Spain；　for　he　had　persuaded
himself　that　this　system；　rigorously　enforced；　would　strike　a　death　blow
to　the　commerce　of　England；　and　Duroc　besides　informed　me　of　a
circumstance　which　is　of　great　weight　in　this　question。　　Napoleon　one　day
said　to　him；　〃I　am　no　longer　anxious　that　Joseph　should　be　King　of　Spain；
and　he　himself　is　indifferent　about　it。　　I　would　give　the　crown　to　the
first　comer　who　would　shut　his　ports　against　the　English。〃

Murat　had　come　to　Paris　on　the　occasion　of　the　Empress'　accouchement；　and
I　saw　him　several　times　during　his　stay；　for　we　had　always　been　on　the
best　terms；　and　I　must　do　him　the　justice　to　say　that　he　never　assumed
the　King　but　to　his　courtiers；　and　those　who　had　known　him　only　as　a
monarch。　　Eight　or　ten　days　after　the　birth　of　the　King　of　Rome；　as　I　was
one　morning　walking　in　the　Champs　Elysees；　I　met　Murat。　　He　was　alone；
and　dressed　in　a　long　blue　overcoat。　　We　were　exactly　opposite　the
gardens　of　his　sister…in…law；　the　Princess　Borghese。　　〃Well；　Bourrienne；〃
said　Murat；　after　we　had　exchanged　the　usual　courtesies；　〃well；　what　are
you　about　now？〃　　I　informed　him　how　I　had　been　treated　by　Napoleon；　who；
that　I　might　not　be　in　Hamburg　when　the　decree　of　union　arrived　there；
had　recalled　me　to　Paris　under　a　show　of　confidence。　　I　think　I　still　see
the　handsome　and　expressive　countenance　of　Joachim　when；　having　addressed
him　by　the　titles　of　Sire　and　Your　Majesty；　he　said　to　me；　〃Pshaw！
Bourrienne；　are　we　not　old　comrades？　　The　Emperor　has　treated　you
unjustly；　and　to　whom　has　he　not　been　unjust？　　His　displeasure　is
preferable　to　his　favour；　which　costs　so　dear！　　He　says　that　he　made　us
Kings；　but　did　we　not　make　him　an　Emperor？　　To　you；　my　friend；　whom　I
have　known　long　and　intimately；　I　can　make　my　profession　of　faith。　　My
sword；　my　blood；　my　life　belong　to　the　Emperor。　　When　he　calls　me　to　the
field　to　combat　his　enemies　and　the　enemies　of　France　I　am　no　longer　a
King；　I　resume　the　rank　of　a　Marshal　of　the　Empire；　but　let　him　require
no　more。　　At　Naples　I　will　be　King　of　Naples；　and　I　will　not　sacrifice　to
his　false　calculations　the　life；　the　well…being；　and　the　interests　of　my
subjects。　　Let　him　not　imagine　that　he　can　treat　me　as　he　has　treated
Louis！　　For　I　am　ready　to　defend；　even　against　him；　if　it　must　be　so；　the
rights　of　the　people　over　whom　he　has　appointed　me　to　rule。　　Am　I　then　an
advance…guard　King？〃　　These　last　words　appeared　to　me　peculiarly
appropriate　in　the　mouth　of　Murat；　who　had　always　served　in　the　advance…
guard　of　our　armies；　and　I　thought　expressed　in　a　very　happy　manner　the
similarity　of　his　situation　as　a　king　and　a　soldier。

I　walked　with　Murat　about　half　an　hour。　　In　the　course　of　our
conversation　he　informed　me　that　his　greatest　cause　of　complaint　against
the　Emperor　was　his　having　first　put　him　forward　and　then　abandoned　him。
〃Before　I　arrived　in　Naples；〃　continued　he；　〃it　was　intimated　to　me　that
there　was　a　design　of　assassinating　me。　　What　did　I　do？　　I　entered　that
city　alone；　in　full　daylight；　in　an　open　carriage；　for　I　would　rather
have　been　assassinated　at　once　than　have　lived　in　the　constant　fear　of
being　so。　　I　afterwards　made　a　descent　on　the　Isle　of　Capri；　which
succeeded。　　I　attempted　one　against　Sicily；　and　am　curtain　it　would　have
also　been　successful　had　the　Emperor　fulfilled　his　promise　of　sending　the
Toulon　fleet　to　second　my　operations；　but　he　issued　contrary　orders：　he
enacted　Mazarin；　and　unshed　me　to　play　the　part　of　the　adventurous　Duke
of　Guise。　　But　I　see　through　his　designs。　　Now　that　he　has　a　son；　on　whom
he　has　bestowed　the　title　of　King　of　Rome；　he　merely　wishes　the　crown　of
Naples　to　be　considered　as　a　deposit　in　my　hands。　　He　regards　Naples　as　a
future　annexation　to　the　Kingdom　of　Rome；　to　which　I　foresee　it　is　his
design　to　unite　the　whole　of　Italy。　　But　let　him　not　urge　me　too　far；　for
I　will　oppose　him；　and　conquer；　or　perish　in　the　attempt；　sword　in　hand。〃

I　had　the　discretion　not　to　inform　Murat　how　correctly　he　had　divined　the
plans　of　the　Emperor　and　his　projects　as　to　Italy；　but　in　regard　to　the
Continental　system；　which；　perhaps；　the　reader　will　be　inclined　to　call
my　great　stalking…horse；　I　spoke　of　it　as　I　had　done　to　the　Prince　of
Sweden；　and　I　perceived　that　he　was　fully　disposed　to　follow　my　advice；
as　experience　has　sufficiently　proved。　　It　was　in　fact　the　Continental
system　which　separated　the　interests　of　Murat　from　those　of　the　Emperor；
and　which　compelled　the　new　King　of　Naples　to　form　alliances　amongst　the
Princes　at　war　with　France。　　Different　opinions　have　been　entertained　on
this　Subject；　mine　is；　that　the　Marshal　of　the　Empire　was　wrong；　but　the
King　of　Naples　right。

The　Princes　and　Dukes　of　the　Empire　must　pardon　me　for　so　often
designating　them　by　their　Republican　names。　　The　Marshals　set　less　value
on　their　titles　of　nobility　than　the　Dukes　and　Counts　selected　from　among
the　civilians。　　Of　all　the　sons　of　the　Republic　Regnault　de　St。　　Jean
d'Angely　was　the　most　gratified　at　being　a　Count；　whilst；　among　the
fathers　of　the　Revolution　no　one　could　regard　with　greater　disdain　than
Fouche　his　title　of　Duke　of　Otranto；　　he　congratulated　himself　upon　its
possession　only　once；　and　that　was　after　the　fall　of　the　Empire。

I　have　expressed　my　dislike　of　Fouche；　and　the　reason　of　that　feeling
was；　that　I　could　not　endure　his　system　of　making　the　police　a　government
within　a　government。　　He　had　left　Paris　before　my　return　thither；　but　I
had　frequent　occasion　to　speak　of　that　famous　personage　to　Savary；　whom；
for　the　reason　above　assigned；　I　do　not　always　term　Duc　de　Rovigo。
Savary　knew　better　than　any　one　the　fallacious　measures　of　Fouche's
administration；　since　he　was　his　successor。　　Fouche；　under　pretence　of
encouraging　men　of　letters；　though　well　aware　that　the　Emperor　was
hostile　to　them；　intended　only　to　bring　them　into　contempt　by　making　them
write　verses　at　command。　　It　was　easily　seen　that　Napoleon　nourished　a
profound　dislike　of　literary　men；　though　we　must　not　conclude　that　he
wished　the　public　to　be　aware　of　that　dislike。　　Those；　besides；　who
devoted　their　pens　to　blazon　his　glory　and　his　power　were　sure　to　be
received　by　him　with　distinction。　　On　the　other　hand；　as　Charlemagne　and
Louis　XIV。　owed　a　portion　of　the　splendour　of　their　reigns　to　the　lustre
reflected　on　them　by　literature；　he　wished　to　appear　to　patronise
authors；　provided　that　they　never　discussed　questions　relating　to
philosophy；　the　independence　of　mankind；　and　civil　and　political　rights。
With　regard　to　men　of　science　it　was　wholly　different；　those　he　held　in
real　estimation；　but　men　of　letters；　properly　so　called；　were　considered
by　him　merely　as　a　sprig　in　his　Imperial　crown。

The　marriage　of　the　Emperor　with　an　Archduchess　of　Austria　had　set　all
the　Court　poets　to　work；　and　in　this　contest　of　praise　and　flattery　it
must　be　confessed　that　the　false　gods　were　vanquished　by　the　true　God；
for；　in　spite　of　their　fulsome　verses；　not　one　of　the　disciples　of　Apollo
could　exceed　the　extravagance　of　the　Bishops　in　their　pastoral　letters。
At　a　time　when　so　many　were　striving　to　force　themselves　into　notice
there　still　existed　a　feeling　of　esteem　in　the　public　mind　for　men　of
superior　talent　who　remained　independent　amidst　the　general　corruption；
such　was　M。　Lemercier；　such　was　M。　de　Chateaubriand。　　I　was　in　Paris　in
the　spring　of　1811；　at　the　period　of　Chenier's　death；　when　the　numerous
friends　whom　Chateaubriand　possessed　in　the　second　class　of　the　Institute
looked　to　him　as　the　successor　of　Chenier。　　This　was　more　than　a　mere
literary　question；　not　only　on　account　of　the　high　literary　reputation
M。　de　Chateaubriand　already　possessed；　but　of　the　recollection　of　his
noble　conduct　at　the　period　of　Duc　d'Enghien's　death；　which　was　yet　fresh
in　the　memory　of　every　one；　and；　besides；　no　person　could　be　ignorant　of
the　immeasurable　difference　of　opinion　between　Chenier　and　M。　de
Chateaubriand。

M。　de　Chateaubriand　obtained　a　great　majority　of　votes；　and　was　elected　a
Member　of　the　I