memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v11-第13部分

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Chateaubriand。

M。　de　Chateaubriand　obtained　a　great　majority　of　votes；　and　was　elected　a
Member　of　the　Institute。　　This　opened　a　wide　field　for　conjecture　in
Paris。　　Every　one　was　anxious　to　see　how　the　author　of　the　Genie　du
Christianisme；　the　faithful　defender　of　the　Bourbons；　would　bend　his
eloquence　to　pronounce　the　eulogium　of　a　regicide。　　The　time　for　the
admission　of　the　new　Member　of　the　Institute　arrived；　but　in　his
discourse；　copies　of　which　were　circulated　in　Paris；　he　had　ventured　to
allude　to　the　death　of　Louis　XVI。；　and　to　raise　his　voice　against　the
regicides。　　This　did　not　displease　Napoleon；　but　M。　de　Chateaubriand　also
made　a　profession　of　faith　in　favour　of　liberty；　which；　he　said；　found
refuge　amongst　men　of　letters　when　banished　from　the　politic　body。　　This
was　great　boldness　for　the　time；　for　though　Bonaparte　was　secretly
gratified　at　seeing　the　judges　of　Louis　XVI。　scourged　by　an　heroic　pen；
yet　those　men　held　the　highest　situations　under　the　Government。
Cambaceres　filled　the　second　place　in　the　Empire；　although　at　a　great
distance　from　the　first；　Merlin　de　Douai　was　also　in　power；　and　it　is
known　how　much　liberty　was　stifled　and　hidden　beneath　the　dazzling
illusion　of　what　is　termed　glory。　　A　commission　was　named　to　examine　the
discourse　of　Chateaubriand。　　MM。　Suard；　de　Segur；　de　Fontanes；　and　two　or
three　other　members　of　the　same　class　of　the　Institute　whose　names　I
cannot　recollect；　were　of　opinion　that　the　discourse　should　be　read；　but
it　was　opposed　by　the　majority。

When　Napoleon　was　informed　of　what　had　passed　he　demanded　a　sight　of　the
address；　which　was　presented　to　him　by　M。　Daru。　　After　having　perused　it
he　exclaimed；　〃Had　this　discourse　been　delivered　I　would　have　shut　the
gates　of　the　Institute；　and　thrown　M。　de　Chateaubriand　into　a　dungeon　for
life。〃　　The　storm　long　raged；　at　length　means　of　conciliation　were　tried。
The　Emperor　required　M。　de　Chateaubriand　to　prepare　another　discourse；
which　the　latter　refused　to　do；　in　spite　of　every　menace。　　Madame　Gay
applied　to　Madame　Regnault　de　St。　Jean　d'Angely；　who　interested　her
husband　in　favour　of　the　author　of　the　Genie　du　Christianisme。　　M。　de
Montalivet　and　Savary　also　acted　on　this　occasion　in　the　most
praiseworthy　manner；　and　succeeded　in　appeasing　the　first　transports　of
the　Emperor's　rage。　　But　the　name　of　Chateaubriand　constantly　called　to
mind　the　circumstances　which　had　occasioned　him　to　give　in　his
resignation；　and；　besides；　Napoleon　had　another　complaint　against　him。
He　had　published　in　the　'Merceure'　an　article　on　a　work　of　M。　Alexandre
de　Laborde。　　In　that　article；　which　was　eagerly　read　in　Paris；　and　which
caused　the　suppression　of　the　'Merceure'；　occurred　the　famous　phrase
which　has　been　since　so　often　repeated：　〃In　vain　a　Nero　triumphs：　Tacitus
is　already　born　in　his　Empire。〃　　This　quotation　leads　me　to　repeat　an
observation；　which；　I　believe；　I　have　already　made；　viz。　that　it　is　a
manifest　misconception　to　compare　Bonaparte　to　Nero。　　Napoleon's　ambition
might　blind　his　vision　to　political　crimes；　but　in　private　life　no　man
could　evince　less　disposition　to　cruelty　or　bloodshed。　　A　proof　that　he
bore　little　resemblance　to　Nero　is　that　his　anger　against　the　author　of
the　article　in　question　vented　itself　in　mere　words。　　〃What！〃　exclaimed
he；　〃does　Chateaubriand　think　I　am　a　fool；　and　that　I　do　not　know　what　he
means？　　If　he　goes　on　this　way　I　will　have　him　sabred　on　the　steps　of　the
Tuileries。〃　　This　language　is　quite　characteristic　of　Bonaparte；　but　it
was　uttered　in　the　first　ebullition　of　his　wrath。　　Napoleon　merely
threatened；　but　Nero　would　have　made　good　his　threat；　and　in　such　a　case
there　is　surely　some　difference　between　words　and　deeds。

The　discourse　of　M。　de　Chateaubriand　revived　Napoleon's　former　enmity
against　him；　he　received　an　order　to　quit　Paris：　M。　Daru　returned　to　him
the　manuscript　of　his　discourse；　which　had　been　read　by　Bonaparte；　who
cancelled　some　passages　with　a　pencil。　　We　can　be　sure　that　the　phrase
about　liberty　was　not　one　of　those　spared　by　the　Imperial　pencil。
However　that　may　be；　written　copies　were　circulated　with　text　altered　and
abbreviated；　and　I　have　even　been　told　that　a　printed　edition　appeared；
but　I　have　never　seen　any　copies；　and　as　I　do　not　find　the　discourse　in
the　works　of　M。　de　Chateaubriand　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　the　author
has　not　yet　wished　to　publish　it。

Such　were　the　principal　circumstances　attending　the　nomination　of
Chateaubriand　to　the　Institute。　　I　shall　not　relate　some　others　which
occurred　on　a　previous　occasion；　viz。　on　the　election　of　an　old　and
worthy　visitor　at　Malmaison；　M。　Lemercier；　and　which　will　serve　to　show
one　of　those　strange　inconsistencies　so　frequent　in　the　character　of
Napoleon。

After　the　foundation　of　the　Empire　M。　Lemercier　ceased　to　present　himself
at　the　Tuileries；　St。　Cloud；　or　at　Malmaison；　though　he　was　often　seen　in
the　salons　of　Madame　Bonaparte　while　she　yet　hoped　not　to　become　a　Queen。
Two　places　were　vacant　at　once　in　the　second　class　of　the　Institute；
which　still　contained　a　party　favourable　to　liberty。　　This　party；　finding
it　impossible　to　influence　the　nomination　of　both　members；　contented
itself　with　naming　one；　it　being　the　mutual　condition；　in　return　for
favouring　the　Government　candidate；　that　the　Government　party　should　not
oppose　the　choice　of　the　liberals。　　The　liberal　party　selected　M。
Lemercier；　but　as　they　knew　his　former　connection　with　Bonaparte　had　been
broken　off　they　wished　first　to　ascertain　that　he　would　do　nothing　to
commit　their　choice。　　Chenier　was　empowered　to　inquire　whether　M。
Lemercier　would　refuse　to　accompany　them　to　the　Tuileries　when　they
repaired　thither　in　a　body；　and　whether；　on　his　election；　he　would　comply
with　the　usual　ceremony　of　being　presented　to　the　Emperor。　　M。　Lemercier
replied　that　he　would　do　nothing　contrary　to　the　customs　and　usages　of
the　body　to　which　he　might　belong：　he　was　accordingly　elected。　　The
Government　candidate　was　M。　Esmenard；　who　was　also　elected。　　The　two　new
members　were　presented　to　the　Emperor　on　the　same　day。　　On　this　occasion
upwards　of　400　persons　were　present　in　the　salon；　from　one　of　whom　I
received　these　details。　　When　the　Emperor　saw　M。　Lemercier；　for　whom　he
had　long　pretended　great　friendship；　he　said　to　him　in　a　kind　tone；
〃Well；　Lemercier；　you　are　now　installed。〃　　Lemercier　respectfully　bowed
to　the　Emperor；　but　without　uttering　a　word　of　reply。　　Napoleon　was
mortified　at　this　silence；　but　without　saying　anything　more　to　Lemercier
he　turned　to　Esmenard；　the　member　who　should　have　been　most　acceptable　to
him；　and　vented　upon　him　the　whole　weight　of　his　indignation　in　a　manner
equally　unfeeling　and　unjust。　　〃Well；　Esmenard；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　still
hold　your　place　in　the　police？〃　　These　words　were　spoken　in　so　loud　a
tone　as　to　be　heard　by　all　present；　and　it　was　doubtless　this　cruel　and
ambiguous　speech　which　furnished　the　enemies　of　Esmenard　with　arms　to
attack　his　reputation　as　a　man　of　honour；　and　to　give　an　appearance　of
disgrace　to　those　functions　which　he　exercised　with　so　much　zeal　and
ability。

When；　at　the　commencement　of　1811；　I　left　Paris　I　had　ceased　to　delude
myself　respecting　the　brilliant　career　which　seemed　opening　before　me
during　the　Consulate。　　I　clearly　perceived　that　since　Bonaparte；　instead
of　receiving　me　as　I　expected；　had　refused　to　see　me　at　all；　the
calumnies　of　my　enemies　were　triumphant；　and　that　I　had　nothing　to　hope
for　from　an　absolute　ruler；　whose　past　injustice　rendered　him　the　more
unjust。　　He　now　possessed　what　he　had　so　long　and　ardently　wished　for；
a　son　of　his　own；　an　inheritor　of　his　name；　his　power；　and　his　throne。
I　must　take　this　opportunity　of　stating　that　the　malevolent　and　infamous
rumours　spread　abroad　respecting　the　birth　of　the　King　of　Rome　were
wholly　without　foundation。　　My　friend　Corvisart；　who　did　not　for　a　single
instant　leave　Maria　Louisa　during　her　long　and　painful　labour；　removed
from　my　mind　every　doubt　on　the　subject。　　It　is　as　true　that　the　young
Prince；　for　whom　the　Emperor　of　Austria　stood　sponsor　at　the　font；　was
the　son　of　Napoleon　and　the　Archduchess　Maria　Louisa　as　it　is　false　that
Bonaparte　was　the　father　of　the　first　child　of　Hortense。　　The　birth　of
the　son　of　Napoleon　was　hailed　with　general　enthusiasm。　　The　Emperor　was
at　the　height　of　his　power　from　the　period　of　the　birth　of　his　son　until
the　reverse　he　experienced　after　the　battle　of　the　Moskowa。　　The　Empire；
including　the　States　possessed　by　the　Imperial　family；　contained　nearly
57；000；000　of　inhabitants；　but　the　period　was　fast　approaching　when　this
power；　unparalleled　in　modern　times；　was　to　collapse　under　its　own
weight。

　　　　　＇The　little　King　of　Rome；　Napoleon　Francis　Bonaparte；　was　born　on
　　　　　the　20th　of　March　1811。　　Editor　of　1836　edition。＇




CHAPTER　XXVI。

　　　　　My　return　to　HamburgGovernment　Committee　established　there
　　　　　Anecdote　of　the　Comte　de　ChabanNapoleon's　misunderstanding　with
　　　　　the　PopeCardinal　FeschConvention　of　a　CouncilDeclaration
　　　　　required　from　the　BishopsSpain　in　1811Certainty　of　war　with
　　　　　RussiaLauriston　supersedes　Caulaincourt　at　St。　PetersburgThe　war
　　　　　in　Spain　neglectedTroops　of　all　nations　at　the　disposal　of
　　　　　BonaparteLevy　of　the　National　GuardTreaties　with　Prussia　and
　　　　　AustriaCapitulation　renewed　with　SwitzerlandIntrigues　with
　　　　　CzernischeffAttacks　of　my　enemiesMemorial　to　the　EmperorOgier
　　　　　de　la　Saussaye　and　the　mysterious　boxRemoval　of　the　Pope　to
　　　　　FontainebleauAnecdote　of　His　Holiness　and　M。　DenonDeparture　of
　　　　　Napoleon　and　Maria　Louisa　for　DresdenSituation　of　affairs　in　Spain
　　　　　and　PortugalRapp's　account　of　the　Emperor's　journey　to　Dantzic
　　　　　Mutual　wish　for　war　on　the　part　of　Napoleon　and　AlexanderSweden
　　　　　and　TurkeyNapoleon's　vain　attempt　to　detach　Sweden　from　her
　　　　　alliance　with　Russia。

As　I　took　the　most　lively　interest　in　all　that　concerned　the　Hanse　Towns；
my　first　care　on　returning　to　Hamburg　was　to　collect　information　from　the
most　respectable　sources　concerning　the　influential　members　of　the　new
Government。　　Davoust　was　at　its　head。　　On　his　arrival　he　had　established
in　the　Duchy　of　Mecklenburg；　in　Swed