memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第7部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


approached　Bonaparte　softly；　seated　herself　on　his　knee；　passed　her　hand
gently　through　his　hair　and　over　his　face；　and　thinking　the　moment
favourable；　said　to　him　in　a　burst　of　tenderness；　〃I　entreat　of　you；
Bonaparte；　do　not　make　yourself　a　King！　　It　is　that　wretch　Lucien　who
urges　you　to　it。　　Do　not　listen　to　him！〃　　Bonaparte　replied；　without
anger；　and　even　smiling　as　he　pronounced　the　last　words；　〃You　are　mad；
my　poor　Josephine。　　It　is　your　old　dowagers　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；
your　Rochefoucaulds；　who　tell　you　all　these　fables！。。。。。。　Come　now；　you
interrupt　meleave　me　alone。〃

What　Bonaparte　said　that　day　good…naturedly　to　his　wife　I　have　often
heard　him　declare　seriously。　　I　have　been　present　at　five　or　six
altercations　on　the　subject。　　That　there　existed；　too；　an　enmity
connected　with　this　question　between　the　family　of　BEAUHARNAIS　and　the
family　of　Bonaparte　cannot　be　denied。

Fouche；　as　I　have　stated；　was　in　the　interest　of　Josephine；　and　Lucien
was　the　most　bitter　of　her　enemies。　　One　day　Raederer　inveighed　with　so
much　violence　against　Fouche　in　the　presence　of　Madame　Bonaparte　that　she
replied　with　extreme　warmth；　〃The　real　enemies　of　Bonaparte　are　those　who
feed　him　with　notions　of　hereditary　descent；　of　a　dynasty；　of　divorce；
and　of　marriage！〃　　Josephine　could　not　check　this　exclamation；　as　she
knew　that　Roederer　encouraged　those　ideas；　which　he　spread　abroad　by
Lucien's　direction。　　I　recollect　one　day　when　she　had　been　to　see　us　at
our　little　house　at　Ruel：　as　I　walked　with　her　along　the　high　road　to　her
carriage；　which　she　had　sent　forward；　I　acknowledged　too　unreservedly　my
fears　on　account　of　the　ambition　of　Bonaparte；　and　of　the　perfidious
advice　of　his　brothers。　　〃Madame；〃　said　I；　〃if　we　cannot　succeed　in
dissuading　the　General　from　making　himself　a　King；　I　dread　the　future　for
his　sake。　　If　ever　he　re…establishes　royalty　he　will　in　all　probability
labour　for　the　Bourbons；　and　enable　them　one　day　to　re…ascend　the　throne
which　he　shall　erect。　　No　one；　doubtless；　without　passing　for　a　fool；　can
pretend　to　say　with　certainty　what　series　of　chances　and　events　such　a
proceeding　will　produce；　but　common　sense　alone　is　sufficient　to　convince
any　one　that　unfavourable　chances　must　long　be　dreaded。　　The　ancient
system　being　re…established；　the　occupation　of　the　throne　will　then　be
only　a　family　question；　and　not　a　question　of　government　between　liberty
and　despotic　power。　　Why　should　not　France；　if　it　ceases　to　be　free；
prefer　the　race　of　her　ancient　kings？　　You　surely　know　it。　　You　had　not
been　married　two　years　when；　on　returning　from　Italy；　your　husband　told
me　that　he　aspired　to　royalty。　　Now　he　is　Consul　for　life。　　Would　he　but
resolve　to　stop　there！　　He　already　possesses　everything　but　an　empty
title。　　No　sovereign　in　Europe　has　so　much　power　as　he　has。　　I　am　sorry
for　it；　Madame；　but　I　really　believe　that；　in　spite　of　yourself；　you　will
be　made　Queen　or　Empress。〃

Madame　Bonaparte　had　allowed　me　to　speak　without　interruption；　but　when　I
pronounced　the　words　Queen　and　Empress　she　exclaimed；　〃My　God！
Bourrienne；　such　ambition　is　far　from　my　thoughts。　　That　I　may　always
continue　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul　is　all　I　desire。　　Say　to　him　all
that　you　have　said　to　me。　　Try　and　prevent　him　from　making　himself
King。〃〃Madame；〃　I　replied；　times　are　greatly　altered。　　The　wisest　men；
the　strongest　minds；　have　resolutely　and　courageously　opposed　his
tendency　to　the　hereditary　system。　　But　advice　is　now　useless。　　He　would
not　listen　to　me。　　In　all　discussions　on　the　subject　he　adheres
inflexibly　to　the　view　he　has　taken。　　If　he　be　seriously　opposed　his
anger　knows　no　bounds；　his　language　is　harsh　and　abrupt；　his　tone
imperious；　and　his　authority　bears　down　all　before　him。〃〃Yet；
Bourrienne；　he　has　so　much　confidence　in　you　that　of　you　should　try　once
more！〃〃Madame；　I　assure　you　he　will　not　listen　to　me。　　Besides；　what
could　I　add　to　the　remarks　I　made　upon　his　receiving　the　letters　of　Louis
XVIII。；　when　I　fearlessly　represented　to　him　that　being　without　children
he　would　have　no　one　to　whom　to　bequeath　the　thronethat；　doubtless；
from　the　opinion　which　be　entertained　of　his　brothers；　he　could　not
desire　to　erect　it　for　them？〃　　Here　Josephine　again　interrupted　me　by
exclaiming；　〃My　kind　friend；　when　you　spoke　of　children　did　he　say
anything　to　you？　　Did　he　talk　of　a　divorce？〃〃　Not　a　word；　Madame；　I
assure　you。〃〃If　they　do　not　urge　him　to　it；　I　do　not　believe　he　will
resolve　to　do　such　a　thing。　　You　know　how　he　likes　Eugene；　and　Eugene
behaves　so　well　to　him。　　How　different　is　Lucien。　　It　is　that　wretch
Lucien；　to　whom　Bonaparte　listens　too　much；　and　of　whom；　however；　he
always　speaks　ill　to　me。〃〃I　do　not　know；　Madame；　what　Lucien　says　to
his　brother　except　when　he　chooses　to　tell　me；　because　Lucien　always
avoids　having　a　witness　of　his　interviews　with　your　husband；　but　I　can
assure　you　that　for　two　years　I　have　not　heard　the　word　'divorce'　from
the　General's　mouth。〃〃I　always　reckon　on　you；　my　dear　Bourrienne；　to
turn　him　away　from　it；　as　you　did　at　that　time。〃〃I　do　not　believe　he　is
thinking　of　it；　but　if　it　recurs　to　him；　consider；　Madame；　that　it　will
be　now　from　very　different　motives：　He　is　now　entirely　given　up　to　the
interests　of　his　policy　and　his　ambition；　which　dominate　every　other
feeling　in　him。　　There　will　not　now　be　any　question　of　scandal；　or　of　a
trial　before　a　court；　but　of　an　act　of　authority　which　complaisant　laws
will　justify　and　which　the　Church　perhaps　will　sanction。〃〃That's　true。
You　are　right。　　Good　God！　　how　unhappy　I　am。〃

　　　　　＇When　Bourrienne　complains　of　not　knowing　what　passed　between
　　　　　Lucien　and　Napoleon；　we　can　turn　to　Lucien's　account　of　Bourrienne；
　　　　　apparently　about　this　very　time。　　〃After　a　stormy　interview　with
　　　　　Napoleon；〃　says　Lucien；　〃I　at　once　went　into　the　cabinet　where
　　　　　Bourrienne　was　working；　and　found　that　unbearable　busybody　of　a
　　　　　secretary；　whose　star　had　already　paled　more　than　once；　which　made
　　　　　him　more　prying　than　ever；　quite　upset　by　the　time　the　First　Consul
　　　　　had　taken　to　come　out　of　his　bath。　　He　must；　or　at　least　might；　have
　　　　　heard　some　noise；　for　enough　had　been　made。　　Seeing　that　he　wanted
　　　　　to　know　the　cause　from　me；　I　took　up　a　newspaper　to　avoid　being
　　　　　bored　by　his　conversation〃　（Iung's　Lucien；　tome　ii。　p。156＇

Such　was　the　nature　of　one　of　the　conversations　I　had　with　Madame
Bonaparte　on　a　subject　to　which　she　often　recurred。　　It　may　not　perhaps
be　uninteresting　to　endeavour　to　compare　with　this　what　Napoleon　said　at
St。　Helena；　speaking　of　his　first　wife。　　According　to　the　Memorial
Napoleon　there　stated　that　when　Josephine　was　at　last　constrained　to
renounce　all　hope　of　having　a　child；　she　often　let　fall　allusions　to　a
great　political　fraud；　and　at　length　openly　proposed　it　to　him。　　I　make
no　doubt　Bonaparte　made　use　of　words　to　this　effect；　but　I　do　not　believe
the　assertion。　　I　recollect　one　day　that　Bonaparte；　on　entering　our
cabinet；　where　I　was　already　seated；　exclaimed　in　a　transport　of　joy
impossible　for　me　to　describe；　〃Well；　Bourrienne；　my　wife　is　at　last
enceinte！　　I　sincerely　congratulated　him；　more；　I　own；　out　of　courtesy
than　from　any　hope　of　seeing　him　made　a　father　by　Josephine；　for　I　well
remembered　that　Corvisart；　who　had　given　medicines　to　Madame　Bonaparte；
had　nevertheless　assured　me　that　he　expected　no　result　from　them。
Medicine　was　really　the　only　political　fraud　to　which　Josephine　had
recourse；　and　in　her　situation　what　other　woman　would　not　have　done　as
much？　　Here；　then；　the　husband　and　the　wife　are　in　contradiction；　which
is　nothing　uncommon。　　But　on　which　side　is　truth？　　I　have　no　hesitation
in　referring　it　to　Josephine。　　There　is　indeed　an　immense　difference
between　the　statements　of　a　womentrusting　her　fears　and　her　hopes　to
the　sole　confidant　of　her　family　secrets；　and　the　tardy　declaration　of　a
man　who；　after　seeing　the　vast　edifice　of　his　ambition　leveled　with　the
dust；　is　only　anxious；　in　his　compulsory　retreat；　to　preserve　intact　and
spotless　the　other　great　edifice　of　his　glory。　　Bonaparte　should　have
recollected　that　Caesar　did　not　like　the　idea　of　his　wife　being　even
suspected。




CHAPTER　XII。

1802。

　　　　　Citizen　Fesch　created　Cardinal　FeschArts　and　industryExhibition
　　　　　in　the　LouvreAspect　of　Paris　in　1802The　Medicean　Venus　and　the
　　　　　Velletrian　PallasSigns　of　general　prosperityRise　of　the　funds
　　　　　Irresponsible　MinistersThe　BourbonsThe　military　Government
　　　　　Annoying　familiarity　of　LannesPlan　laid　for　his　disgrace
　　　　　Indignation　of　LannesHis　embassy　to　PortugalThe　delayed
　　　　　despatchBonaparte's　rageI　resign　my　situationDuroc
　　　　　I　breakfast　with　BonaparteDuroc's　intercessionTemporary
　　　　　reconciliation。

Citizen　Fesch；　who；　when　we　were　forced　to　stop　at　Ajaccio　on　our　return
from　Egypt；　discounted　at　rather　a　high　rate　the　General…in…Chief's
Egyptian　sequins；　became　again　the　Abbe　Fesch；　as　soon　as　Bonaparte　by
his　Consular　authority　re…erected　the　altars　which　the　Revolution　had
overthrown。　　On　the　15th　of　August　1802　he　was　consecrated　Bishop；　and
the　following　year　received　the　Cardinal's　hat。　　Thus　Bonaparte　took
advantage　of　one　of　the　members　of　his　family　being　in　orders　to　elevate
him　to　the　highest　dignities　of　the　Church。　　He　afterwards　gave　Cardinal
Fesch　the　Archbishopric　of　Lyons；　of　which　place　he　was　long　the　titular。

　　　　　＇Like　Cambaceres　the　Cardinal　was　a　bit　of　a　gourmet；　and　on　one
　　　　　occasion　had　invited　a　large　party　of　clerical　magnates　to　dinner。
　　　　　〃By　a　coincidence　two　turbots　of　singular　beauty　arrived　as　presents
　　　　　to　his　Eminence　on　the　very　morning　of　the　feast。　　To　serve　both
　　　　　would　have　appeared　ridiculous；　but　the　Cardinal　was　most　anxious　to
　　　　　have　the　credit　of　both。　　He　imparted　his　embarrassment　to　his　chef：

　　　　　'Be　of　good　faith；　your　Eminence；'　was　the　reply；　'both　shall　appear
　　　　　and　enjoy　the　reception　so　justly　their　due。'　　The　dinner　was
　　　　　served：　one　of　the　turbots　relieved　the　soup。　　Delight　was　on　every
　　　　　faceit　was　the　moment　of　the　'eprouvette　positive'。　　The　'maitre
　　　　　a'hotel'　advances；　two　attendants　raise　the　turbot　and　carry　him　off
　　　　　to　cut　him