memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v11-第2部分

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　　　　　pleasure。　　I　shall　then　be　able　to　smooth　all　obstacles　to　the　loan
　　　　　I　wish　to　contract　in　the　Hanse　Town。　　I　flatter　myself　you　will　do
　　　　　all　in　your　power　to　forward　that　object；　which　at　the　present
　　　　　crisis　is　very　important　to　my　States。　　More　than　ample　security　is
　　　　　offered；　but　the　money　will　be　of　no　use　to　me　if　I　cannot　have　it
　　　　　at　least　for　two　years。〃

Jerome　wanted　to　contract　at　Hamburg　a　loan　of　3；000；000　francs。
However；　the　people　did　not　seem　to　think　like　his　Westphalian　Majesty；
that　the　contract　presented　more　than　ample　security。　　No　one　was　found
willing　to　draw　his　purse…strings；　and　the　loan　was　never　raised。

Though　I　would　not；　without　the　Emperor's　authority；　exert　the　influence
of　my　situation　to　further　the　success　of　Jerome's　negotiation；　yet　I　did
my　best　to　assist　him。　　I　succeeded　in　prevailing　on　the　Senate　to
advance　one　loan　of　100；000　francs　to　pay　a　portion　of　the　arrears　due　to
his　troops；　and　a　second　of　200；000　francs　to　provide　clothing　for　his
army；　etc。　　This　scanty　supply　will　cease　to　be　wondered　at　when　it　is
considered　to　what　a　state　of　desolation　the　whole　of　Germany　was　reduced
at　the　time；　as　much　in　the　allied　States　as　in　those　of　the　enemies　of
France。　　I　learnt　at　the　time　that　the　King　of　Bavaria　said　to　an　officer
of　the　Emperor's　household　in　whom　he　had　great　confidence；　〃If　this
continues　we　shall　have　to　give　up；　and　put　the　key　under　the　door。〃
These　were　his　very　words。

As　for　Jerome；　he　returned　to　Cassel　quite　disheartened　at　the
unsuccessful　issue　of　his　loan。　　Some　days　after　his　return　to　his
capital　I　received　from　him　a　snuffbox　with　his　portrait　set　in　diamonds；
accompanied　by　a　letter　of　thanks　for　the　service　I　had　rendered　him。
I　never　imagined　that　a　token　of　remembrance　from　a　crowned　head　could
possibly　be　declined。　　Napoleon；　however；　thought　otherwise。　　I　had　not；
it　is　true；　written　to　acquaint　our　Government　with　the　King　of
Westphalia's　loan；　but　in　a　letter；　which　I　addressed　to　the　Minister　for
Foreign　Affairs　on　the　22d　of　September；　I　mentioned　the　present　Jerome
had　sent　me。　　Why　Napoleon　should　have　been　offended　at　this　I　know　not；
but　I　received　orders　to　return　Jerome's　present　immediately；　and　these
orders　were　accompanied　with　bitter　reproaches　for　my　having　accepted　it
without　the　Emperor's　authority。　　I　sent　back　the　diamonds；　but　kept　the
portrait。　　Knowing　Bonaparte's　distrustful　disposition；　I　thought　he　must
have　suspected　that　Jerome　had　employed　threats；　or　at　any　rate；　that　he
had　used　some　illegal　influence　to　facilitate　the　success　of　his　loan。
At　last；　after　much　correspondence；　Napoleon　saw　clearly　that　everything
was　perfectly　regular；　in　a　word；　that　the　business　had　been　transacted
as　between　two　private　persons。　　As　to　the　300；000　francs　which　the
Senate　had　lent　to　Jerome；　the　fact　is；　that　but　little　scruple　was　made
about　it；　for　this　simple　reason；　that　it　was　the　means　of　removing　from
Hamburg　the　Westphalian　division；　whose　presence　occasioned　a　much
greater　expense　than　the　loan。




CHAPTER　XX。

1809。

　　　　　Visit　to　the　field　of　Wagram。Marshal　MacdonaldUnion　of　the　Papal
　　　　　States　with　the　EmpireThe　battle　of　TalaveraSir　Arthur
　　　　　WellesleyEnglish　expedition　to　HollandAttempt　to　assassinate　the
　　　　　Emperor　at　SchoenbrunnStaps　Interrogated　by　NapoleonPardon
　　　　　offered　and　rejectedFanaticism　and　patriotismCorvisart's
　　　　　examination　of　StapsSecond　interrogatoryTirade　against　the
　　　　　illuminatiAccusation　of　the　Courts　of　Berlin　and　WeimarFirmness
　　　　　and　resignation　of　StapsParticulars　respecting　his　death
　　　　　Influence　of　the　attempt　of　Staps　on　the　conclusion　of　peace
　　　　　M。　de　Champagny。

Napoleon　went　to　inspect　all　the　corps　of　his　army　and　the　field　of
Wagram；　which　a　short　time　before　had　been　the　scene　of　one　of　those
great　battles　in　which　victory　was　the　more　glorious　in　proportion　as　it
had　been　valiantly　contested。

　　　　　＇The　great　battle　of　Wagram　was　fought　on　the　6th　of　July　1809。
　　　　　The　Austrians；　who　committed　a　mistake　in　over…extending　their　line；
　　　　　lost　20；000　men　as　prisoners；　besides　a　large　number　in　killed　and
　　　　　wounded。　　There　was　no　day；　perhaps；　on　which　Napoleon　showed　more
　　　　　military　genius　or　more　personal　courage。　　He　was　in　the　hottest　of
　　　　　the　fight；　and　for　a　long　time　exposed　to　showers　of　grapeshot。…
　　　　　Editor　of　1836　edition。＇

On　that　day　＇the　type＇　of　French　honour；　Macdonald；　who；　after　achieving
a　succession　of　prodigies；　led　the　army　of　Italy　into　the　heart　of　the
Austrian　States；　was　made　a　marshal　on　the　field　of　battle。　　Napoleon
said　to　him；　〃With　us　it　is　for　life　and　for　death。〃　　The　general　opinion
was　that　the　elevation　of　Macdonald　added　less　to　the　marshal's　military
reputation　than　it　redounded　to　the　honour　of　the　Emperor。　　Five　days
after　the　bombardment　of　Vienna；　namely；　on　the　17th　of　May；　the　Emperor
had　published　a　decree；　by　virtue　of　which　the　Papal　States　were　united
to　the　French　Empire；　and　Rome　was　declared　an　Imperial　City。　　I　will　not
stop　to　inquire　whether　this　was　good　or　bad　in　point　of　policy；　but　it
was　a　mean　usurpation　on　the　part　of　Napoleon；　for　the　time　was　passed
when　a　Julius　II。　laid　down　the　keys　of　St。　Peter　and　took　up　the　sword
of　St。　Paul。　　It　was；　besides；　an　injustice；　and；　considering　the　Pope's
condescension　to　Napoleon；　an　act　of　ingratitude。　　The　decree　of　union
did　not　deprive　the　Pope　of　his　residence；　but　he　was　only　the　First
Bishop　of　Christendom；　with　a　revenue　of　2；000；000。

Napoleon　while　at　Vienna　heard　of　the　affair　of　Talavera　de　la　Reyna。　　I
was　informed；　by　a　letter　from　headquarters；　that　he　was　much　affected　at
the　news；　and　did　not　conceal　his　vexation。　　I　verily　believe　that　he　was
bent　on　the　conquest　of　Spain；　precisely　on　account　of　the　difficulties
he　had　to　surmount。　　At　Talavera　commenced　the　celebrity　of　a　man　who；
perhaps；　would　not　have　been　without　some　glory　even　if　pains　had　not
been　taken　to　build　him　up　a　great　reputation。　　That　battle　commenced　the
career　of　Sir　Arthur　Wellesley；　whose　after…success；　however；　has　been
attended　by　such　important　consequences。

　　　　　＇The　battle　of　Talavera　took　place　on　the　28th　of　July；　twenty…two
　　　　　days　after　the　fatal　defeat　of　the　Austrians　at　Wagram。＇

Whilst　we　experienced　this　check　in　Spain　the　English　were　attempting　an
expedition　to　Holland；　where　they　had　already　made　themselves　masters　of
Walcheren。　　It　is　true　they　were　obliged　to　evacuate　it　shortly　after；
but　as　at　that　time　the　French　and　Austrian　armies　were　in　a　state　of
inaction；　in　consequence　of　the　armistice　concluded　at　Znaim；　in　Moravia；
the　news　unfavourable　to　Napoleon　had　the　effect　of　raising　the　hopes　of
the　Austrian　negotiators；　who　paused　in　the　expectation　that　fresh
defeats　would　afford　them　better　chances。

It　was　during　these　negotiations；　the　termination　of　which　seemed　every
day　to　be　farther　distant；　that　Napoleon　was　exposed　to　a　more　real
danger　than　the　wound　he　had　received　at　Ratisbon。　　Germany　was　suffering
under　a　degree　of　distress　difficult　to　be　described。　　Illuminism　was
making　great　progress；　and　had　filled　some　youthful　minds　with　an
enthusiasm　not　less　violent　than　the　religious　fanaticism　to　which　Henry
IV。　fell　a　victim。　　A　young　man　formed　the　design　of　assassinating
Napoleon　in　order　to　rid　Germany　of　one　whom　he　considered　her　scourge。
Rapp　and　Berthier　were　with　the　Emperor　when　the　assassin　was　arrested；
and　in　relating　what　I　heard　from　them　I　feel　assured　that　I　am　giving
the　most　faithful　account　of　all　the　circumstances　connected　with　the
event。

〃We　were　at　Schoenbrunn；〃　said　Rapp；　〃when　the　Emperor　had　just　reviewed
the　troops。　　I　observed　a　young　man　at　the　extremity　of　one　of　the
columns　just　as　the　troops　were　about　to　defile。　　He　advanced　towards　the
Emperor；　who　was　then　between　Berthier　and　me。　　The　Prince　de　Neufchatel；
thinking　he　wanted　to　present　a　petition；　went　forward　to　tell　him　that　I
was　the　person　to　receive　it　as　I　was　the　aide　de　camp　for　the　day。　　The
young　man　replied　that　he　wished　to　speak　with　Napoleon　himself；　and
Berthier　again　told　him　that　he　must　apply　to　me。　　He　withdrew　a　little；
still　repeating　that　he　wanted　to　speak　with　Napoleon。　　He　again　advanced
and　came　very　near　the　Emperor；　I　desired　him　to　fall　back；　telling　him
in　German　to　wait　till　after　the　parade；　when；　if　he　had　anything　to　say；
it　would　be　attended　to。　　I　surveyed　him　attentively；　for　I　began　to
think　his　conduct　suspicious。　　I　observed　that　he　kept　his　right　hand　in
the　breast　pocket　of　his　coat；　out　of　which　a　piece　of　paper　appeared。
I　know　not　how　it　was；　but　at　that　moment　my　eyes　met　his；　and　I　was
struck　with　his　peculiar　look　and　air　of　fixed　determination。　　Seeing　an
officer　of　gendarmerie　on　the　spot；　I　desired　him　to　seize　the　young　man；
but　without　treating　him　with　any　severity；　and　to　convey　him　to　the
castle　until　the　parade　was　ended。

All　this　passed　in　less　time　than　I　have　taken　to　tell　it；　and　as　every
one's　attention　was　fixed　on　the　parade　the　scene　passed　unnoticed。　　I
was　shortly　afterwards　told　that　a　large　carving…knife　had　been　found　on
the　young　man；　whose　name　was　Staps。　　I　immediately　went　to　find　Duroc；
and　we　proceeded　together　to　the　apartment　to　which　Staps　had　been　taken。
We　found　him　sitting　on　a　bed；　apparently　in　deep　thought；　but　betraying
no　symptoms　of　fear。　　He　had　beside　him　the　portrait　of　a　young　female；
his　pocket…book；　and　purse　containing　only　two　pieces　of　gold。　　I　asked
him　his　name；　but　he　replied　that　he　would　tell　it　to　no　one　but
Napoleon。　　I　then　asked　him　what　he　intended　to　do　with　the　knife　which
had　been　found　upon　him？　　But　he　answered　again；　'I　shall　tell　only
Napoleon。''Did　you　mean　to　attempt　his　life？'‘Yes。'‘　Why？'‘I　can
tell　no　one　but　Napoleon。'

〃This　appeared　to　me　so　strange　that　I　thought　right　to　inform　the
Emperor　of　it。　　When　I　told　him　what　had　passed　he　appeared　a　little
agitated；　for　you　know　how　he　was　haunted　with　the　idea　of　assassination。
He　desired　that　the　young　man　should　be　taken　into　his　cabinet；　whither
he　was　accordingly　conducted　by　two　gens　d'armes。　　Not