memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v11-第15部分

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　　　　　temper　of　his　army。　　The　contest　between　Count　Romanzov　and　the
　　　　　party　opposed　to　that　Minister　seems　on　the　point　of　precipitating　a
　　　　　war　between　Russia　and　France。〃　　This；　from　Metternich；　is　strong
　　　　　evidence。＇

language；　religion；　and　interests；　all　ready　to　fight　for　one　man　against
a　power　who　had　done　nothing　to　offend　them。　　Prussia　herself；　though　she
could　not　pardon　the　injuries　he　had　inflicted　upon　her；　joined　his
alliance；　but　with　the　intention　of　breaking　it　on　the　first　opportunity。
When　the　war　with　Russia　was　first　spoken　of　Savary　and　I　had　frequent
conversations　on　the　subject。　　I　communicated　to　him　all　the　intelligence
I　received　from　abroad　respecting　that　vast　enterprise。　　The　Duc　de
Rovigo　shared　all　my　forebodings；　and　if　he　and　those　who　thought　like
him　had　been　listened　to；　the　war　would　probably　have　been　avoided。
Through　him　I　learnt　who　were　the　individuals　who　urged　the　invasion。
The　eager　ambition　with　which　they　looked　forward　to　Viceroyalties；
Duchies；　and　endowments　blinded　them　to　the　possibility　of　seeing　the
Cossacks　in　Paris。

The　gigantic　enterprise　being　determined　on；　vast　preparations　were　made
for　carrying　it　into　effect。　　Before　his　departure　Napoleon；　who　was　to
take　with　him　all　the　disposable　troops；　caused　a　'Senatus…consulte'　to
be　issued　for　levying　the　National　Guards；　who　were　divided　into　three
corps。　　He　also　arranged　his　diplomatic　affairs　by　concluding；　in
February　1812；　a　treaty　of　alliance；　offensive　and　defensive；　with
Prussia；　by　virtue　of　which　the　two　contracting　powers　mutually
guaranteed　the　integrity　of　their　own　possessions；　and　the　European
possessions　of　the　Ottoman　Porte；　because　that　power　was　then　at　war　with
Russia。　　A　similar　treaty　was　concluded　about　the　beginning　of　March　with
Austria；　and　about　the　end　of　the　same　month　Napoleon　renewed　the
capitulation　of　France　and　Switzerland。　　At　length；　in　the　month　of
April；　there　came　to　light　an　evident　proof　of　the　success　which　had
attended　M。　Czernischeff's　intrigues　in　Paris。　　It　was　ascertained　that　a
clerk　in　the　War　Office；　named　Michel；　had　communicated　to　him　the
situation　of　the　French　forces　in　Germany。　　Michel　was　condemned　to
death；　for　the　time　was　gone　by　when　Bonaparte；　confident　in　his　genius
and　good　fortune；　could　communicate　his　plans　to　the　spy　of　General
Melas。

In　March　1812；　when　I　saw　that　the　approaching　war　would　necessarily　take
Napoleon　from　France；　weary　of　the　persecutions　and　even　threats　by　which
I　was　every　day　assailed；　I　addressed　to　the　Emperor　a　memorial
explaining　my　conduct　and　showing　the　folly　and　wickedness　of　my
accusers。　　Among　them　was　a　certain　Ogier　de　la　Saussaye；　who　had　sent　a
report　to　the　Emperor；　in　which　the　principal　charge　was；　that　I　had
carried　off　a　box　containing　important　papers　belonging　to　the　First
Consul。　　The　accusation　of　Ogier　de　la　Saussaye　terminated　thus：　〃I　add
to　my　report　the　interrogatories　of　MM。　Westphalen；　Osy；　Chapeau　Rouge；
Aukscher；　Thierry；　and　Gumprecht…Mores。　　The　evidence　of　the　latter　bears
principally　on　a　certain　mysterious　box；　a　secret　upon　which　it　is
impossible　to　throw　any　light；　but　the　reality　of　which　we　are　bound　to
believe。〃　　These　are　his　words。　　The　affair　of　the　mysterious　box　has
been　already　explained。　　I　have　already　informed　the　reader　that　I　put　my
papers　into　a　box；　which　I　buried　lest　it　should　be　stolen　from　me。
But　for　that　precaution　I　should　not　have　been　able　to　lay　before　the
reader　the　autograph　documents　in　my　possession；　and　which　I　imagine　form
the　most　essential　part　of　these　volumes。　　In　my　memorial　to　the　Emperor
I　said；　in　allusion　to　the　passage　above　quoted；　〃This；　Sire；　is　the　most
atrocious　part　of　Ogier's　report。

〃Gumprecht　being　questioned　on　this　point　replies　that　the　accuser　has
probably；　as　well　as　himself；　seen　the　circumstance　mentioned　in　an
infamous　pamphlet　which　appeared　seven　or　eight　years；　ago。　　It　was；　I
think；　entitled　'Le　Secret　du　Cabinet　des　Tuileries；'　and　was　very　likely
at　the　time　of　its　appearance　denounced　by　the　police。　　In　that　libel　it
is　stated；　among　a　thousand　other　calumnies　equally　false　and　absurd；
'that　when　I　left　the　First　Consul　I　carried　away　a　box　full　of　important
papers；　that　I　was　in　consequence　sent　to　the　Temple；　where　your　brother
Joseph　came　to　me　and　offered　me　my　liberation；　and　a　million　of　francs；
if　I　would　restore　the　papers；　which　I　refused　to　do；'　etc。　　Ogier；
instead　of　looking　for　this　libel　in　Hamburg；　where　I　read　it；　has　the
impudence　to　give　credit　to　the　charge；　the　truth　of　which　could　have
been　ascertained　immediately：　and　he　adds；　'This　secret　we　are　bound　to
believe。'　Your　Majesty　knows　whether　I　was　ever　in　the　Temple；　and
whether　Joseph　ever　made　such　an　offer　to　me。〃　　I　entreated　that　the
Emperor　would　do　me　the　favour　to　bring　me　to　trial；　for　certainly　I
should　have　regarded　that　as　a　favour　rather　than　to　remain　as　I　was；
exposed　to　vague　accusations；　yet　all　my　solicitations　were　in　vain。
My　letter　to　the　Emperor　remained　unanswered；　but　though　Bonaparte　could
not　spare　a　few　moments　to　reply　to　an　old　friend；　I　learned　through
Duroc　the　contempt　he　cherished　for　my　accusers。　　Duroc　advised　me　not　to
be　uneasy；　and　that　in　all　probability　the　Emperor's　prejudices　against
me　would　be　speedily　overcome；　and　I　must　say　that　if　they　were　not
overcome　it　was　neither　the　fault　of　Duroc　nor　Savary；　who　knew　how　to
rightly　estimate　the　miserable　intrigues　just　alluded　to。

Napoleon　was　at　length　determined　to　extend　the　limits　of　his　Empire；　or
rather　to　avenge　the　injuries　which　Russia　had　committed　against　his
Continental　system。　　Yet；　before　he　departed　for　Germany；　the　resolute
refusal　of　the　Pope　to　submit　to　any　arrangement　urgently　claimed　his
consideration。　　Savona　did　not　appear　to　him　a　sufficiently　secure
residence　for　such　a　prisoner。　　He　feared　that　when　all　his　strength
should　be　removed　towards　the　Niemen　the　English　might　carry　off　the
Pope；　or　that　the　Italians；　excited　by　the　clergy；　whose　dissatisfaction
was　general　in　Italy；　would　stir　up　those　religious　dissensions　which　are
always　fatal　and　difficult　to　quell。　　With　the　view；　therefore；　of
keeping　the　Pope　under　his　control　he　removed　him　to　Fontainebleau；　and
even　at　one　time　thought　of　bringing　him　to　Paris。

The　Emperor　appointed　M。　Denon　to　reside　with　the　Pope　at　Fontainebleau；
and　to　afford　his　illustrious　prisoner　the　society　of　such　a　man　was
certainly　a　delicate　mark　of　attention　on　the　part　of　Napoleon。　　When
speaking　of　his　residence　with　Pius　VII。　　M。　Denon　related　to　me　the
following　anecdote。　　〃The　Pope；〃　said　he；　〃was　much　attached　to　me。　　He
always　addressed　me　by　the　appellation　'my　son；'　and　he　loved　to　converse
with　me；　especially　on　the　subject　of　the　Egyptian　expedition。　　One　day
he　asked　me　for　my　work　on　Egypt；　which　he　said　he　wished　to　read；　and　as
you　know　it　is　not　quite　orthodox；　and　does　not　perfectly　agree　with　the
creation　of　the　world　according　to　Genesis；　I　at　first　hesitated；　but　the
Pope　insisted；　and　at　length　I　complied　with　his　wish。　　The　Holy　Father
assured　me　that　he　had　been　much　interested　by　the　perusal　of　the　book。
I　made　some　allusion　to　the　delicate　points；　upon　which　he　said；　〃No
matter；　no　matter；　my　son；　all　that　is　exceedingly　curious；　and　I　must
confess　entirely　new　to　me。〃　　I　then；〃　continued　M。　Denon；　　told　His
Holiness　why　I　hesitated　to　lend　him　the　work；　which；　I　observed；　he　had
excommunicated；　together　with　its　author。　　〃Excommunicated　you；　my　son？〃
resumed　the　Pope　in　a　tone　of　affectionate　concern。　　〃I　am　very　sorry　for
it；　and　assure　you　I　was　far　from　being　aware　of　any　such　thing。〃

When　M。　Denon　related　to　me　this　anecdote　he　told　me　how　greatly　he　had
admired　the　virtues　and　resignation　of　the　Holy　Father；　but　he　added　that
it　would　nevertheless　have　been　easier　to　make　him　a　martyr　than　to
induce　him　to　yield　on　any　point　until　he　should　be　restored　to　the
temporal　sovereignty　of　Rome；　of　which　he　considered　himself　the
depositary；　and　which　he　would　not　endure　the　reproach　of　having
willingly　sacrificed。　　After　settling　the　place　of　the　Pope's　residence
Napoleon　set　off　for　Dresden；　accompanied　by　Maria　Louisa；　who　had
expressed　a　wish　to　see　her　father。

The　Russian　enterprise；　the　most　gigantic；　perhaps；　that　the　genius　of
man　ever　conceived　since　the　conquest　of　India　by　Alexander；　now　absorbed
universal　attention；　and　defied　the　calculations　of　reason。　　The
Manzanares　was　forgotten；　and　nothing　was　thought　of　but　the　Niemen；
already　so　celebrated　by　the　raft　of　Tilsit。　　Thither；　as　towards　a
common　centre；　were　moving　men；　horses；　provisions；　and　baggage　of　every
kind；　from　all　parts　of　Europe。　　The　hopes　of　our　generals　and　the　fears
of　all　prudent　men　were　directed　to　Russia。　　The　war　in　Spain；　which　was
becoming　more　and　more　unfortunate；　excited　but　a　feeble　interest；　and
our　most　distinguished　officers　looked　upon　it　as　a　disgrace　to　be　sent
to　the　Peninsula。　　In　short；　it　was　easy　to　foresee　that　the　period　was
not　far　distant　when　the　French　would　be　obliged　to　recross　the　Pyrenees。
Though　the　truth　was　concealed　from　the　Emperor　on　many　subjects；　yet　he
was　not　deceived　as　to　the　situation　of　Spain　in　the　spring　of　1812。　　In
February　the　Duke　of　Ragusa　had　frankly　informed　him　that　the　armies　of
Spain　and　Portugal　could　not；　without　considerable　reinforcements　of　men
and　money；　hope　for　any　important　advantages　since　Ciudad…Rodrigo　and
Badajoz　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　English。

Before　he　commenced　his　great　operations　on　the　Niemen　and　the　Volga
Napoleon　made　a　journey　to　Dantzic；　and　Rapp；　who　was　then　Governor　of
that　city；　informed　me　of　some　curious　particulars　connected　with　the
Imperial　visit。　　The　fact　is；　that　if　Rapp's　advice　had　been　listened　to；
and　had　been　supported　by　men　higher　in　rank　than　himself；　Bonaparte
would　not　have　braved　the　chances　of　the　Russian　war　until　those　chances
turned　against　him。　　Speaking　to　me　of　the　Russians　Rapp　said；　〃They　will
soon　be　as　wise　as　we　are！　　Every　time　we　go　to　war　with　them　we　teach
them　how　to　beat　us。〃　　I　was　struck　with　the　originality　and　truth　of