memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v11-第5部分

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to　misery　by　taxation　and　exactions；　and　were　no　longer　able　to　provide
the　funds。

During　this　year　Napoleon；　in　a　fit　of　madness；　issued　a　decree　which　I
cannot　characterise　by　any　other　epithet　than　infernal。　　I　allude　to　the
decree　for　burning　all　the　English　merchandise　in　France；　Holland；　the
Grand　Duchy　of　Berg；　the　Hanse　Towns；　in　short；　in　all　places　subject　to
the　disastrous　dominion　of　Napoleon。　　In　the　interior　of　France　no　idea
could　possibly　be　formed　of　the　desolation　caused　by　this　measure　in
countries　which　existed　by　commerce；　and　what　a　spectacle　was　it　to；　the；
destitute　inhabitants　of　those　countries　to　witness　the　destruction　of
property　which；　had　it　been　distributed；　would　have　assuaged　their
misery！

Among　the　emigrants　whom　I　was　ordered　to　watch　was　M。　de　Vergennes；　who
had　always　remained　at　or　near　Hamburg　Since　April　1808。　　I　informed　the
Minister　that　M。　de　Vergennes　had　presented　himself　to　me　at　this　time。
I　even　remember　that　M。　de　Vergennes　gave　me　a　letter　from　M。　de　Remusat；
the　First　Chamberlain　of　the　Emperor。　　M。　de　Remusat　strongly　recommended
to　me　his　connection；　who　was　called　by　matters　of　importance　to　Hamburg。
Residence　in　this　town　was；　however；　too　expensive；　and　he　decided　to
live　at　Neumuhl；　a　little　village　on　the　Elbe；　rather　to　the　west　of
Altona。　　There　he　lived　quietly　in　retirement　with　an　opera　dancer　named
Mademoiselle　Ledoux；　with　whom　he　had　become　acquainted　in　Paris；　and
whom　he　had　brought　with　him。　　He　seemed　much　taken　with　her。　　His　manner
of　living　did　not　denote　large　means。

One　duty　with　which　I　was　entrusted；　and　to　which　great　importance　was
attached；　was　the　application　and　execution　of　the　disastrous　Continental
system　in　the　north。　　In　my　correspondence　I　did　not　conceal　the
dissatisfaction　which　this　ruinous　measure　excited；　and　the　Emperor's
eyes　were　at　length　opened　on　the　subject　by　the　following　circumstance。
In　spite　of　the　sincerity　with　which　the　Danish　Government　professed　to
enforce　the　Continental　system；　Holstein　contained　a　great　quantity　of
colonial　produce；　and；　notwithstanding　the　measures　of　severity；　it　was
necessary　that　that　merchandise　should　find　a　market　somewhere。　　The
smugglers　often　succeeded　in　introducing　it　into　Germany；　and　the　whole
would　probably　soon　have　passed　the　custom…house　limits。　　All　things
considered；　I　thought　it　advisable　to　make　the　best　of　an　evil　that　could
not　be　avoided。　　I　therefore　proposed　that　the　colonial　produce　then　in
Holstein；　and　which　had　been　imported　before　the　date　of　the　King's　edict
for　its　prohibition；　should　be　allowed　to　enter　Hamburg　on　the　payment　of
30；　and　on　some　articles　40；　per　cent。　　This　duty　was　to　be　collected　at
the　custom…house；　and　was　to　be　confined　entirely　to　articles　consumed　in
Germany。　　The　colonial　produce　in　Altona；　Glnckstadt；　Husum；　and　other
towns　of　Holstein；　lead　been　estimated；　at　about　30；000；000　francs；　and
the　duty　would　amount　to　10；000；000　or　12；000；000。　　The　adoption　of　the
plan　I　proposed　would　naturally　put　a　stop　to　smuggling；　for　it　could　not
be　doubted　that　the　merchants　would　give　30　or　33　per　cent　for　the　right
of　carrying　on　a　lawful　trade　rather　than　give　40　per　cent。　to　the
smugglers；　with　the　chance　of　seizure。

The　Emperor　immediately　adopted　my　idea；　for　I　transmitted　my　suggestions
to　the　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs　on　the　18th　of　September；　and　on　the
4th　of　October　a　decree　was　issued　conformable　to　the　plan　I　proposed。
Within　six　weeks　after　the　decree　came　into　operation　the　custom…house
Director　received　1300　declarations　from　persons　holding　colonial　produce
in　Holstein。　　It　now　appeared　that　the　duties　would　amount　to　40；000；000
francs；　that　is　to　say；　28；000；000　or　30；000；000　more　than　my　estimate。

Bernadotte　had　just　been　nominated　Prince　Royal　of　Sweden。　　This
nomination；　with　all　the　circumstances　connected　with　it；　as　well　as
Bernadotte's　residence　in　Hamburg；　before　he　proceeded　to　Stockholm；　will
be　particularly　noticed　in　the　next　chapter。　　I　merely　mention　the
circumstance　here　to　explain　some　events　which　took　place　in　the　north；
and　which　were；　more　or　less；　directly　connected　with　it。　　For　example；
in　the　month　of　September　the　course　of　exchange　on　St。　Petersburg
suddenly　fell。　　All　the　letters　which　arrived　in　Hamburg　from　the　capital
of　Russia　and　from　Riga；　attributed　the　fall　to　the　election　of　the
Prince　of　Ponte…Corvo　as　Prince　Royal　of　Sweden。　　Of　thirty　letters　which
I　received　there　was　not　one　but　described　the　consternation　which　the
event　had　created　in　St。　Petersburg。　　This　consternation；　however；　might
have　been　excited　less　by　the　choice　of　Sweden　than　by　the　fear　that　that
choice　was　influenced　by　the　French　Government。




CHAP　XXII。

1809…1810。

　　　　　Bernadotte　elected　Prince　Royal　of　SwedenCount　Wrede's　overtures
　　　　　to　BernadotteBernadottes's　three　days'　visit　to　Hamburg
　　　　　Particulars　respecting　the　battle　of　WagramSecret　Order　of　the
　　　　　dayLast　intercourse　of　the　Prince　Royal　of　Sweden　with　Napoleon
　　　　　My　advice　to　Bernadotte　respecting　the　Continental　system。

I　now　come　to　one　of　the　periods　of　my　life　to　which　I　look　back　with
moat　satisfaction；　the　time　when　Bernadotte　was　with　me　in　Hamburg。　　I
will　briefly　relate　the　series　of　events　which　led　the　opposer　of　the
18th　Brumaire　to　the　throne　of　Sweden。

On　the　13th　of　march　1809　Gustavus　Adolphus　was　arrested；　and　his　uncle；
the　Duke　of　Sudermania；　provisionally　took　the　reins　of　Government。　　A
few　days　afterwards　Gustavus　published　his　act　of　abdication；　which　in
the　state　of　Sweden　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　refuse。　　In　May
following；　the　Swedish　Diet　having　been　convoked　at　Stockholm；　the　Duke
of　Sudermania　was　elected　King。　　Christian　Augustus；　the　only　son　of　that
monarch；　of　course　became　Prince　Royal　on　the　accession　of　his　father　to
the　throne。　　He；　however；　died　suddenly　at　the　end　of　May　1810；　and　Count
Fersen　（the　same　who　at　the　Court　of　Marie　Antoinette　was　distinguished
by　the　appellation　of　'le　beau　Fersen'）；　was　massacred　by　the　populace；
who　suspected；　perhaps　unjustly；　that　he　had　been　accessory　to　the
Prince's　death。

　　　　　＇Count　Fereen；　alleged　to　have　been　one　of　the　favoured　lovers　of
　　　　　Marie　Antoinette；　and　who　was　certainly　deep　in　her　confidence；　had
　　　　　arranged　most　of　the　details　of　the　attempted　flight　to　Varennes　in
　　　　　1791；　and　he　himself　drove　the　Royal　family　their　first　stage　to　the
　　　　　gates　of　Paris。＇

On　the　21st　of　August　following　Bernadotte　was　elected　Prince　Royal　of
Sweden。

After　the　death　of　the　Prince　Royal　the　Duke　of　Sudermania's　son；　Count
Wrede；　a　Swede；　made　the　first　overtures　to　Bernadotte；　and　announced　to
him　the　intention　entertained　at　Stockholm　of　offering　him　the　throne　of
Sweden。　　Bernadotte　was　at　that　time　in　Paris；　and　immediately　after　his
first　interview　with　Count　Wrede　he　waited　on　the　Emperor　at　St。　Cloud；
Napoleon　coolly　replied　that　he　could　be　of　no　service　to　him；　that
events　must　take　their　course；　that　he　might　accept　or　refuse　the　offer
as　he　chose；　that　he　（Bonaparte）　would　place　no　obstacles　in　his　way；　but
that　he　could　give　him　no　advice。　　It　was　very　evident　that　the　choice　of
Sweden　was　not　very　agreeable　to　Bonaparte；　and　though　he　afterwards
disavowed　any　opposition　to　it；　he　made　overtures　to　Stockholm；　proposing
that　the　crown　of　Sweden　should　be　added　to　that　of　Denmark。

Bernadotte　then　went　to　the　waters　of　Plombieres；　and　on　his　return　to
Paris　he　sent　me　a　letter　announcing　his　elevation　to　the　rank　of　Prince
Royal　of　Sweden。

On　the　11th　of　October　he　arrived　in　Hamburg；　where　he　stayed　only　three
days。　　He　passed　nearly　the　whole　of　that　time　with　me；　and　he
communicated　to　me　many　curious　facts　connected　with　the　secret　history
of　the　times；　and　among　other　things　some　particulars　respecting　the
battle　of　Wagram。　　I　was　the　first　to　mention　to　the　new　Prince　Royal　of
Sweden　the　reports　of　the　doubtful　manner　in　which　the　troops　under　his
command　behaved。　　I　reminded　him　of　Bonaparte's　dissatisfaction　at　these
troops；　for　there　was　no　doubt　of　the　Emperor　being　the　author　of　the
complaints　contained　in　the　bulletins；　especially　as　he　had　withdrawn　the
troops　from　Bernadotte's　command。　　Bernadotte　assured　me　that　Napoleon's
censure　was　unjust；　during　the　battle　he　had　complained　of　the　little
spirit　manifested　by　the　soldiers。　　〃He　refused　to　see　me；〃　added
Bernadotte；　〃and　I　was　told；　as　a　reason　for　his　refusal；　that　he　was
astonished　and　displeased　to　find　that；　notwithstanding　his　complaints；
of　which　I　must　have　heard；　I　had　boasted　of　having　gained　the　battle；
and　had　publicly　complimented　the　Saxons　whom　I　commanded。〃

Bernadotte　then　showed　me　the　bulletin　he　drew　up　after　the　battle　of
Wagram。　　I　remarked　that　I　had　never　heard　of　a　bulletin　being　made　by
any　other　than　the　General　who　was　Commander…in…Chief　during　a　battle；
and　asked　how　the　affair　ended。　　He　then　handed　to　me　a　copy　of　the　Order
of　the　day；　which　Napoleon　said　he　had　sent　only　to　the　Marshals
commanding　the　different　corps。

Bernadotte's　bulletin　was　printed　along　with　Bonaparte's　Order　of　the
Day；　a　thing　quite　unparalleled。

Though　I　was　much　interested　in　this　account　of　Bonaparte's　conduct　after
the　battle　of　Wagram；　yet　I　was　more　curious　to　hear　the　particulars　of
Bernadotte's　last　communication　with　the　Emperor。　　The　Prince　informed　me
that　on　his　return　from　Plombieres　he　attended　the　levee；　when　the
Emperor　asked　him；　before　every　one　present；　whether　he　had　received　any
recent　news　from　Sweden。

He　replied　in　the　affirmative。　　〃What　is　it？〃　inquired　Napoleon。　　〃Sire；
I　am　informed　that　your　Majesty's　charge　d'afaires　at　Stockholm　opposes
my　election。　　It　is　also　reported　to　those　who　choose　to　believe　it　that
your　Majesty　gives　the　preference　to　the　King　of　Denmark。〃〃At　these
words；〃　continued　Bernadotte；　〃the　Emperor　affected　surprise；　which　you
know　he　can　do　very　artfully。　　He　assured　me　it　was　impossible；　and　then
turned　the　conversation　to　another　subject。

〃I　know　not　what　to　think　of　his　conduct　in　this　affair。　I　am　aware　he
does　not　like　me；but　the　interests　of　his　policy　may　render　hi