memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v11-第16部分

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them　how　to　beat　us。〃　　I　was　struck　with　the　originality　and　truth　of
this　observation；　which　at　the　time　I　heard　it　was　new；　though　it　has
been　often　repeated　since。

〃On　leaving　Dresden；〃　said　Rapp　to　me；　〃Napoleon　came　to　Dantzic。　　I
expected　a　dressing；　for；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　had　treated　very
cavalierly　both　his　custom…house　and　its　officers；　who　were　raising　up　as
many　enemies　to　France　as　there　were　inhabitants　in　my　Government。　　I　had
also　warned　him　of　all　that　has　since　happened　in　Russia；　but　I　assure
you　I　did　not　think　myself　quite　so　good　a　prophet。　　In　the　beginning　of
1812　I　thus　wrote　to　him：　'If　your　Majesty　should　experience　reverses　you
may　depend　on　it　that　both　Russians　and　Germans　will　rise　up　in　a　mass　to
shake　off　the　yoke。　　There　will　be　a　crusade；　and　all　your　allies　will
abandon　you。　　Even　the　King　of　Bavaria；　on　whom　you　rely　so　confidently；
will　join　the　coalition。　　I　except　only　the　King　of　Saxony。　　He；　perhaps；
might　remain　faithful　to　you；　but　his　subjects　will　force　him　to　make
common　cause　with　your　enemies。　The　King　of　Naples；〃　continued　Rapp；　〃who
had　the　command　of　the　cavalry；　had　been　to　Dantzic　before　the　Emperor。
He　did　not　seem　to　take　a　more　favourable　view　of　the　approaching
campaign　than　I　did。　　Murat　was　dissatisfied　that　the　Emperor　would　not
consent　to　his　rejoining　him　in　Dresden；　and　he　said　that　he　would　rather
be　a　captain　of　grenadiers　than　a　King　such　as　he　was。〃

Here　I　interrupted　Rapp　to　tell　him　what　had　fallen　from　Murat　when　I　met
him　in　the　Champs　Elysees　〃Bah！〃　resumed　Rapp；　〃Murat；　brave　as　he　was；
was　a　craven　in　Napoleon's　presence！　　On　the　Emperor's　arrival　in　Dantzic
the　first　thing　of　which　he　spoke　to　me　was　the　alliance　he　had　just　then
concluded　with　Prussia　and　Austria。　　I　could　not　refrain　from　telling　him
that　we　did　a　great　deal　of　mischief　as　allies；　a　fact　of　which　I　was
assured　from　the　reports　daily　transmitted　to　me　respecting　the　conduct
of　our　troops。　　Bonaparte　tossed　his　bead；　as　you　know　he　was　in　the
habit　of　doing　when　he　was　displeased。　　After　a　moment's　silence；
dropping　the　familiar　thee　and　thou；　he　said；　'Monsieur　le　General；　this
is　a　torrent　which　must　be　allowed　to　run　itself　out。　　It　will　not　last
long。　　I　must　first　ascertain　whether　Alexander　decidedly　wishes　for
war。'　　Then；　suddenly　changing　the　subject　of　conversation；　he　said；
‘Have　you　not　lately　observed　something　extraordinary　in　Murat？　　I　think
he　is　quite　altered。　　Is　be　ill？'‘Sire；'　replied　I；　'Murat　is　not　ill；
but　he　is　out　of　spirits。'‘Out　of　spirits！　　but　why？　　Is　he　not
satisfied　with　being　a　King？'‘Sire；　Murat　says　he　is　no　King。'‘That
is　his　own　fault。　　Why　does　he　make　himself　a　Neapolitan？　　Why　is　he　not
a　Frenchman？　　When　he　is　in　his　Kingdom　he　commits　all　sorts　of　follies。
He　favours　the　trade　of　England；　that　I　will　not　suffer。'

〃When；〃　continued　Rapp；　〃he　spoke　of　the　favour　extended　by　Murat　to　the
trade　between　Naples　and　England　I　thought　my　turn　would　come　next；　but　I
was　deceived。　　No　more　was　said　on　the　subject；　and　when　I　was　about　to
take　my　leave　the　Emperor　said　to　me；　as　when　in　his　best　of　humours；
'Rapp；　you　will　sup　with　me　this　evening。'　I　accordingly　supped　that
evening　with　the　Emperor；　who　had　also　invited　the　King　of　Naples　and
Berthier。　　Next　day　the　Emperor　visited　the　fortress；　and　afterwards
returned　to　the　Government　Palace；　where　he　received　the　civil　and
military　authorities。　　He　again　invited　Murat；　Berthier；　and　me　to
supper。　　When　we　first　sat　down　to　table　we　were　all　very　dull；　for　the
Emperor　was　silent；　and；　as　you　well　know；　under　such　circumstances　not
even　Murat　himself　dared　to　be　the　first　to　speak　to　him。　　At　length
Napoleon；　addressing　me；　inquired　how　far　it　was　from　Cadiz　to　Dantzic。
'Too　far；　Sire；'　replied　I。　　'I　understand　you；　Monsieur　le　General；　but
in　a　few　months　the　distance　will　be　still　greater。''So　much　the　worse；
Sire！'　　Here　there　was　another　pause。　　Neither　Murat　nor　Berthier；　on
whom　the　Emperor　fixed　a　scrutinising　glance；　uttered　a　word；　and
Napoleon　again　broke　silence；　but　without　addressing　any　one　of　us　in
particular：　'Gentlemen；'　said　be　in　a　solemn　and　rather　low　tone　of
voice；　'I　see　plainly　that　you　are　none　of　you　inclined　to　fight　again。
The　King　of　Naples　does　not　wish　to　leave　the　fine　climate　of　his
dominions；　Berthier　wishes　to　enjoy　the　diversion　of　the　chase　at　his
estate　of　Gros　Bois；　and　Rapp　is　impatient　to　be　back　to　his　hotel　in
Paris。'　　Would　you　believe　it；〃　pursued　Rapp；　〃that　neither　Murat　nor
Berthier　said　a　word　in　reply？　　and　the　ball　again　came　to　me。　　I　told
him　frankly　that　what　he　said　was　perfectly　true；　and　the　King　of　Naples
and　the　Prince　of　Neufchatel　complimented　me　on　my　spirit；　and　observed
that　I　was　quite　right　in　saying　what　I　did。　　'Well；'　said　I；　〃since　it
was　so　very　right；　why　did　you　not　follow　my　example；　and　why　leave　me　to
say　all？'　You　cannot　conceive；〃　added　Rapp；　〃how　confounded　they　both
were；　and　especially　Murat；　though　be　was　very　differently　situated　from
Berthier。〃

The　negotiations　which　Bonaparte　opened　with　Alexander；　when　he　yet
wished　to　seem　averse　to　war；　resembled　those　oratorical　paraphrases
which　do　not　prevent　us　from　coming　to　the　conclusion　we　wish。　　The　two
Emperors　equally　desired　war；　the　one　with　the　view　of　consolidating　his
power；　and　the　other　in　the　hope　of　freeing　himself　from　a　yoke　which
threatened　to　reduce　him　to　a　state　of　vassalage；　for　it　was　little　short
of　this　to　require　a　power　like　Russia　to　close　her　ports　against　England
for　the　mere　purpose　of　favouring　the　interests　of　France。　　At　that　time
only　two　European　powers　were　not　tied　to　Napoleon's　fateSweden　and
Turkey。　　Napoleon　was　anxious　to　gain　the　alliance　of　these　two　powers。
With　respect　to　Sweden　his　efforts　were　vain；　and　though；　in　fact；　Turkey
was　then　at　war　with　Russia；　yet　the　Grand　Seignior　was　not　now；　as　at
the　time　of　Sebastiani's　embassy；　subject　to　the　influence　of　France。

The　peace；　which　was　soon　concluded　at　Bucharest；　between　Russia；　and
Turkey　increased　Napoleon's　embarrassment。　　The　left　of　the　Russian　army；
secured　by　the　neutrality　of　Turkey；　was　reinforced　by　Bagration's　corps
from　Moldavia：　it　subsequently　occupied　the　right　of　the　Beresina；　and
destroyed　the　last　hope　of　saving　the　wreck　of　the　French　army。　　It　is
difficult　to　conceive　how　Turkey　could　have　allowed　the　consideration　of
injuries　she　had　received　from　France　to　induce　her　to　terminate　the　war
with　Russia　when　France　was　attacking　that　power　with　immense　forces。
The　Turks　never　had　a　fairer　opportunity　for　taking　revenge　on　Russia；
and；　unfortunately　for　Napoleon；　they　suffered　it　to　escape。

Napoleon　was　not　more　successful　when　he　sought　the　alliance　of　a　Prince
whose　fortune　he　had　made；　and　who　was　allied　to　his　family；　but　with
whom　he　had　never　been　on　terms　of　good　understanding。　　The　Emperor
Alexander　had　a　considerable　corps　of　troops　in　Finland　destined　to
protect　that　country　against　the　Sweden；　Napoleon　having　consented　to
that　occupation　in　order　to　gain　the　provisional　consent　of　Alexander　to
the　invasion　of　Spain。　　What　was　the　course　pursued　by　Napoleon　when；
being　at　war　with　Russia；　he　wished　to　detach　Sweden　from　her　alliance
with　Alexander？　　He　intimated　to　Bernadotte　that　he　had　a　sure
opportunity　of　retaking　Finland；　a　conquest　which　would　gratify　his
subjects　and　win　their　attachment　to　him。　　By　this　alliance　Napoleon
wished　to　force　Alexander　not　to　withdraw　the　troops　who　were　in　the
north　of　his　Empire；　but　rather　to　augment　their　numbers　in　order　to
cover　Finland　and　St。　Petersburg。　　It　was　thus　that　Napoleon　endeavoured
to　draw　the　Prince　Royal　into　his　coalition。　　It　was　of　little
consequence　to　Napoleon　whether　Bernadotte　succeeded　or　not。　　The　Emperor
Alexander　would　nevertheless　have　been　obliged　to　increase　his　force　in
Finland；　that　was　all　that　Napoleon　wished。　　In　the　gigantic　struggle
upon　which　France　and　Russia　were　about　to　enter　the　most　trivial
alliance　was　not　to　be　neglected。　　In　January　1812　Davoust　invaded
Swedish　Pomerania　without　any　declaration　of　war；　and　without　any
apparent　motive。　　Was　this　inconceivable　violation　of　territory　likely　to
dispose　the　Prince　Royal　of　Sweden　to　the　proposed　alliance；　even　had
that　alliance　not　been　adverse　to　the　interests　of　his　country？　　That　was
impossible；　and　Bernadotte　took　the　part　which　was　expected　of　him。　　He
rejected　the　offers　of　Napoleon；　and　prepared　for　coming　events。

The　Emperor　Alexander　wished　to　withdraw　his　force　from　Finland　for　the
purpose　of　more　effectively　opposing　the　immense　army　which　threatened
his　States。　　Unwilling　to　expose　Finland　to　an　attack　on　the　part　of
Sweden；　he　had　an　interview　on　the　28th　of　August　1812；　at　Abo；　with　the
Prince…Royal；　to　come　to　an　arrangement　with　him　for　uniting　their
interests。　　I　know　that　the　Emperor　of　Russia　pledged　himself；　whatever
might　happen；　to　protect　Bernadotte　against　the　fate　of　the　new
dynasties；　to　guarantee　the　possession　of　his　throne；　and　promised　that
he　should　have　Norway　as　a　compensation　for　Finland。　　He　even　went　so　far
as　to　hint　that　Bernadotte　might　supersede　Napoleon。　　Bernadotte　adopted
all　the　propositions　of　Alexander；　and　from　that　moment　Sweden　made
common　cause　against　Napoleon。　　The　Prince　Royal's　conduct　has　been　much
blamed；　but　the　question　resolved　itself　into　one　of　mere　political
interest。　　Could　Bernadotte；　a　Swede　by　adoption；　prefer　the　alliance　of
an　ambitious　sovereign　whose　vengeance　he　had　to　fear；　and　who　had
sanctioned　the　seizure　of　Finland　to　that　of　a　powerful　monarch；　his
formidable　neighbour；　his　protector　in　Sweden；　and　where　hostility　might
effectually　support　the　hereditary　claims　of　young　Gustavus？　　Sweden；　in
joining　France；　would　thereby　have　declared　herself　the　enemy　of　England。
Where；　then；　would　have　been　her　navy；　her　trade　and　even　her　existence？




CHAPTER　XXVII。

1812。

　　　　　Changeableness　of　Bonaparte's　plans　and　opinionsArticles　for　the
　　　　　'Moniteur'　dictated　by　the　First　ConsulThe　Protocol　of　the
　　　　　Congress　of　ChatillonConversations　with　Davoust　at　Hamburg
　　　　　Promise　of　the　Viceroyalty　of