memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第6部分

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opinion　was　correct　in　this　respect；　namely；　that　no　man　ever　displayed
such　ability　in　making　it　be　supposed　that　he　really　possessed　talent。
Fouche's　secret　in　this　particular　is　the　whole　secret　of　the　greater
part　of　those　persons　who　are　called　statesmen。

Be　this　as　it　may；　the　First　Consul　did　not　behold　with　pleasure　the
factitious　influence　of　which　Fouche　had　possessed　himself。　　For　some
time　past；　to　the　repugnance　which　at　bottom　he　had　felt　towards。
Fouche；　were　added　other　causes　of　discontent。　　In　consequence　of　having
been　deceived　by　secret　reports　and　correspondence　Bonaparte　began　to
shrug　up　his　shoulders　with　an　expression　of　regret　when　he　received
them；　and　said；　〃Would　you　believe；　Bourrienne；　that　I　have　been　imposed
on　by　these　things？　　All　such　denunciations　are　uselessscandalous。
All　the　reports　from　prefects　and　the　police；　all　the　intercepted
letters；　are　a　tissue　of　absurdities　and　lies。　　I　desire　to　have　no　more
of　them。〃　　He　said　so；　but　he　still　received　them。　　However；　Fouche's
dismissal　was　resolved　upon。　　But　though　Bonaparte　wished　to　get　rid　of
him；　still；　under　the　influence　of　the　charm；　he　dared　not　proceed
against　him　without　the　greatest　caution。　　He　first　resolved　upon　the
suppression　of　the　office　of　Minister　of　Police　in　order　to　disguise　the
motive　for　the　removal　of　the　Minister。　　The　First　Consul　told　Fouche
that　this　suppression；　which　he　spoke　of　as　being　yet　remote；　was
calculated　more　than　anything　else　to　give　strength　to　the　Government；
since　it　would　afford　a　proof　of　the　security　and　internal　tranquillity
of　France。　　Overpowered　by　the　arguments　with　which　Bonaparte　supported
his　proposition；　Fouche　could　urge　no　good　reasons　in　opposition　to　it；
but　contented　himself　with　recommending　that　the　execution　of　the　design；
which　was　good　in　intention；　should；　however；　be　postponed　for　two　years。
Bonaparte　appeared　to　listen　favourably　to　Fouche's　recommendation；　who；
as　avaricious　for　money　as　Bonaparte　of　glory；　consoled　himself　by
thinking　that　for　these　two　years　the　administration　of　the　gaming　tables
would　still　be　for　him　a　Pactolus　flowing　with　gold。　　For　Fouche；　already
the　possessor　of　an　immense　fortune；　always　dreamed　of　increasing　it；
though　he　himself　did　not　know　how　to　enjoy　it。　　With　him　the　ambition　of
enlarging　the　bounds　of　his　estate　of　Pont…Carre　was　not　less　felt　than
with　the　First　Consul　the　ambition　of　extending　the　frontier　of　France。

Not　only　did　the　First　Consul　not　like　Fouche；　but　it　is　perfectly　true
that　at　this　time　the　police　wearied　and　annoyed　him。　　Several　times　he
told　me　he　looked　on　it　as　dangerous；　especially　for　the　possessor　of
power。　　In　a　Government　without　the　liberty　of　the　press　he　was　quite
right。　　The　very　services　which　the　police　had　rendered　to　the　First
Consul　were　of　a　nature　to　alarm　him；　for　whoever　had　conspired　against
the　Directory　in　favour　of　the　Consulate　might　also　conspire　against　the
Consulate　in　favour　of　any　other　Government。　　It　is　needless　to　say　that
I　only　allude　to　the　political　police；　and　not　to　the　municipal　police；
which　is　indispensable　for　large　towns；　and　which　has　the　honourable
mission　of　watching　over　the　health　and　safety　of　the　citizens。

Fouche；　as　has　been　stated；　had　been　Minister　of　Police　since　the　18th
Brumaire。　　Everybody　who　was　acquainted　with；　the　First　Consul's
character　was　unable　to　explain　the　ascendency　which　he　had　suffered
Fouche　to　acquire　over　him；　and　of　which　Bonaparte　himself　was　really
impatient。　　He　saw　in　Fouche　a　centre　around　which　all　the　interests　of
the　Revolution　concentrated　themselves；　and　at　this　he　felt　indignant；
but；　subject　to　a　species　of　magnetism；　he　could　not　break　the　charm
which　enthralled　him。　　When　he　spoke　of　Fouche　in　his　absence　his
language　was　warm；　bitter；　and　hostile。　　When　Fouche　was　present；
Bonaparte's　tone　was　softened；　unless　some　public　scene　was　to　be　acted
like　that　which　occurred　after　the　attempt　of　the　3d　Nivose。

The　suppression　of　the　Ministry　of　Police　being　determined　on；　Bonaparte
did　not　choose　to　delay　the　execution　of　his　design；　as　he　had　pretended
to　think　necessary。　　On　the　evening　of　the　12th　of　September　we　went　to
Mortfontaine。　　We　passed　the　next　day；　which　was　Monday；　at　that　place；
and　it　was　there；　far　removed　from　Fouche；　and　urged　by　the　combined
persuasions　of　Joseph　and　Lucien；　that　the　First　Consul　signed　the　decree
of　suppression。　　The　next　morning　we　returned　to　Paris。　　Fouche　came　to
Malmaison；　where　we　were；　in　the　regular　execution　of　his　duties。　　The
First　Consul　transacted　business　with　him　as　usual　without　daring　to　tell
him　of　his　dismissal；　and　afterwards　sent　Cambaceres　to　inform　him　of　it。
After　this　act；　respecting　which　he　had　hesitated　so　long；　Bonaparte
still　endeavoured　to　modify　his　rigour。　　Having　appointed　Fouche　a
Senator；　he　said　in　the　letter　which　he　wrote　to　the　Senate　to　notify　the
appointment：

　　　　　〃Fouche；　as　Minister　of　Police；　in　times　of　difficulty；　has　by　his
　　　　　talent；　his　activity；　and　his　attachment　to　the　Government　done　all
　　　　　that　circumstances　required　of　him。　　Placed　in　the　bosom　of　the
　　　　　Senate；　if　events　should　again　call　for　a　Minister　of　Police　the
　　　　　Government　cannot　find　one　more　worthy　of　its　confidence。〃

From　this　moment　the　departments　of　Justice　and　Police　united　were
confided　to　the　hands　of　Regnier。'　Bonaparte's　aversion　for　Fouche
strangely　blinded　him　with　respect　to　the　capabilities　of　his　successor。
Besides；　how　could　the　administration　of　justice；　which　rests　on　fixed；
rigid；。　　and　unchangeable　bases；　proceed　hand　in　hand　with　another
administration　placed　on　the　quicksand　of　instantaneous　decisions；　and
surrounded　by　stratagems　and　deceptions？　　Justice　should　never　have
anything　to　do　with　secret　police；　unless　it　be　to　condemn　it。

　　　　　＇M。　Abrial；　Minister　of　Justice；　was　called　to　the　Senate　at　the
　　　　　same　time　as　Fouche。　　Understanding　that　the　assimilation　of　the　two
　　　　　men　was　more　a　disgrace　to　Abrial　than　the　mere　loss　of　the
　　　　　Ministry；　the　First　Consul　said　to　M。　Abrial：　〃In　uniting　the
　　　　　Ministry　of　Police　to　that　of　Justice　I　could　not　retain　yon　in　the
　　　　　Ministry；　you　are　too　upright　a　man　to　manage　the　police。〃　　Not　a
　　　　　flattering　speech　for　Regnier。Bourrienne。＇


What　could　be　expected　from　Regnier；　charged　as　he　was　with　incompatible
functions？　　What；　under　such　circumstances；　could　have　been　expected　even
from　a　man　gifted　with　great　talents？　　Such　was　the　exact　history　of
Fouche's　disgrace。　　No　person　was　more　afflicted　at　it　than　Madame
Bonaparte；　who　only　leaned　the　news　when　it　was　announced　to　the　public。
Josephine；　on　all　occasions；　defended　Fouche　against　her　husband's
sallies。　　She　believed　that　he　was　the　only　one　of　his　Ministers　who　told
him　the　truth。　　She　had　such　a　high　opinion　of　the　way　in　which　Fouche
managed　the　police　that　the　first　time　I　was　alone　with　her　after　our
return　from　Mortfontaine　she　said　to　me；　〃　My　dear　Bourrienne；　speak
openly　to　me；　will　Napoleon　know　all　about　the　plots　from　the　police　of
Moncey；　Duroc；　Junot；　and　of　Davoust？　　You　know　better　than　I　do　that
these　are　only　wretched　spies。　　Has　not　Savary　also　eventually　got　his
police？　　How　all　this　alarms　me。　　They　take　away　all　my　supports；　and
surround　me　only　with　enemies。〃〃To　justify　your　regrets　we　should　be
sure　that　Fouche　has　never　been　in　agreement　with　Lucien　in　favour　of　the
divorce。〃〃Oh；　I　do　not　believe　that。　　Bonaparte　does　not　like　him；　and
he　would　have　been　certain　to　tell　me　of　it　when　I　spoke　favourably　to
him　of　Fouche。　　You　will　see　that　his　brothers　will　end　by　bringing　him
into　their　plan。〃

I　have　already　spoken　of　Josephine's　troubles；　and　of　the　bad　conduct　of
Joseph；　but　more　particularly　of　Lucien；　towards　her；　I　will　therefore
describe　here；　as　connected　with　the　disgrace　of　Fouche；　whom　Madame
Bonaparte　regretted　as　a　support；　some　scenes　which　occurred　about　this
period　at　Malmaison。　　Having　been　the　confidant　of　both　parties；　and　an
involuntary　actor　in　those　scenes；　now　that　twenty…seven　years　have
passed　since　they　occurred　what　motive　can　induce　me　to　disguise　the
truth　in　any　respect？

Madame　Louis　Bonaparte　was　enceinte。　　Josephine；　although　she　tenderly
loved　her　children；　did　not　seem　to　behold　the　approaching　event　which
the　situation　of　her　daughter　indicated　with　the　interest　natural　to　the
heart　of　a　mother。　　She　had　long　been　aware　of　the　calumnious　reports
circulated　respecting　the　supposed　connection　between　Hortense　and　the
First　Consul；　and　that　base　accusation　cost　her　many　tears。　　Poor
Josephine　paid　dearly　for　the　splendour　of　her　station！　　As　I　knew　how
devoid　of　foundation　these　atrocious　reports　were；　I　endeavoured　to
console　her　by　telling　her　what　was　true；　that　I　was　exerting　all　my
efforts　to　demonstrate　their　infamy　and　falsehood。　　Bonaparte；　however；
dazzled　by　the　affection　which　was　manifested　towards　him　from　all
quarters；　aggravated　the　sorrow　of　his　wife　by　a　silly　vanity。　　He
endeavoured　to　persuade　her　that　these　reports　had　their　origin　only　in
the　wish　of　the　public　that　he　should　have　a　child；　so　that　these　seeming
consolations　offered　by　self…love　to　Josephine's　grief　gave　force　to
existing　conjugal　alarms；　and　the　fear　of　divorce　returned　with　all　its
horrors。　　Under　the　foolish　illusion　of　his　vanity　Bonaparte　imagined
that　France　was　desirous　of　being　governed　even　by　a　bastard　if　supposed
to　be　a　child　of　his；a　singular　mode　truly　of　founding　a　new
legitimacy！

Josephine；　whose　susceptibility　appears　to　me　even　now　excusable；　well
knew　my　sentiments　on　the　subject　of　Bonaparte's　founding　a　dynasty；　and
she　had　not　forgotten　my　conduct　when　two　years　before　the　question　had
been　agitated　on　the　occasion　of　Louis　XVIII。's　letters　to　the　First
Consul。　　I　remember　that　one　day；　after　the　publication　of　the　parallel
of　Caesar；　Cromwell；　and　Bonaparte；　Josephine　having　entered　our　cabinet
without　being　announced；　which　she　sometimes　did　when　from　the　good
humour　exhibited　at　breakfast　she　reckoned　upon　its　continuance；
approached　Bonaparte　softly；　seated　herself　on　his　knee；　passed　her　hand
gently　through　hi