memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第6部分

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　　　　　〃and　I　trust　they　were　satisfied。　　For　my　part；　my　dear　friend；　I
　　　　　never　spent　so　glorious　a　day。　　What　a　reception　the　Emperor　gave　me
　　　　　when　I　returned　to　inform　him　that　we　had　won　the　battle！　　My　sword
　　　　　was　broken；　and　a　wound　which　I　received　on　my　head　was　bleeding
　　　　　copiously；　so　that　I　was　covered　with　blood！　　He　made　me　a　General
　　　　　of　Division。　　The　Russians　did　not　return　to　the　charge；　we　had
　　　　　taken　all　their　cannon　and　baggage；　and　Prince　Repnin　was　among　the
　　　　　prisoners。〃

Thus　it　was　that　Rapp　related　to　me　this　famous　battle　of　which　he　was
the　hero；　as　Kellerman　had　been　the　hero　of　Marengo。　　What　now　remains　of
Austerlitz？　　The　recollection；　the　glory；　and　the　magnificent　picture　of
Gerard；　the　idea　of　which　was　suggested　to　the　Emperor　by　the　sight　of
Rapp　with　the　blood　streaming　from　his　wound。

I　cannot　forbear　relating　here　a　few　particulars　which　I　learned　from
Rapp　respecting　his　mission　after　the　cure　of　his　wound；　and　the　marriage
of　Prince　Eugene　to　the　Princess　Augusta　of　Bavaria。　　The　friendship
which　Rapp　cherished　for　me　was　of　the　most　sincere　kind。　　During　my
disgrace　he　did　not　even　conceal　it　from　Napoleon；　and　whoever　knows
anything　of　the　Emperor's　Court　will　acknowledge　that　that　was　a　greater
mark　of　courage　than　the　carrying　of　a　redoubt　or　making　the　most
brilliant　charge　of　cavalry。　　Rapp　possessed　courage　of　every　kind；　an
excellent　heart；　and　a　downright　frankness；　which　for　a　time　brought　him
into　disgrace　with　Napoleon。　　The　only　thing　for　which　Rapp　could　be
reproached　was　his　extreme　prejudice　against　the　nobility；　which　I　am
convinced　was　the　sole　reason　why　he　was　not　created　a　Duke。　　The　Emperor
made　him　a　Count　because　he　wished　that　all　his　aides　de　camp　should　have
titles。

　　　　　〃He　had　been　a　fortnight　at　Schoenbrunn；〃　said　Rapp　to　me；　and　I　had
　　　　　not　yet　resumed　my　duties；　when　the　Emperor　sent　for　me。　　He　asked
　　　　　me　whether　I　was　able　to　travel；　and　on　my　replying　in　the
　　　　　affirmative；　he　said；　'Go　then；　and　give　an　account　of　the　battle　of
　　　　　Austerlitz　to　Marmont；　and　vex　him　for　not　having　been　at　it。'　I　set
　　　　　off；　and　in　conformity　with　the　instructions　I　had　received　from　the
　　　　　Emperor　I　proceeded　to　Gratz；　where　I　found　Marmont；　who　was　indeed
　　　　　deeply　mortified　at　not　having　had　a　share　in　the　great　battle。
　　　　　I　told　him；　as　the　Emperor　had　directed　me；　that　the　negotiations
　　　　　were　commenced；　but　that　nothing　was　yet　concluded；　and　that
　　　　　therefore；　at　all　events；　he　must　hold　himself　in　readiness。　　I
　　　　　ascertained　the　situation　of　his　army　in　Styria；　and　the　amount　of
　　　　　the　enemy's　force　before　him：　The　Emperor　wished　him　to　send　a
　　　　　number　of　spies　into　Hungary；　and　to　transmit　to　him　a　detailed
　　　　　report　from　their　communications。　　I　next　proceeded　to　Laybach；
　　　　　where　I　found　Massena　at　the　head　of　the　eighth　corps；　and　I
　　　　　informed　him　that　the　Emperor　wished　him　to　march　in　all　haste　upon
　　　　　Vienna；　in　case　he　should　hear　of　the　rupture　of　the　negotiations。
　　　　　I　continued　the　itinerary　marked　out　for　me　until　I　reached　Venice；
　　　　　and　thence　till　I　met　the　troops　of　Carra　St。　Cyr；　who　had　received
　　　　　orders　to　march　back　upon　Naples　as　soon　as　the　Emperor　heard　of　the
　　　　　treachery　of　the　King　of　Naples　and　the　landing　of　the　English　and
　　　　　Russians。　　Having　fulfilled　these　different　missions　I　proceeded　to
　　　　　Klagenfurth；　where　I　saw　Marshal　Ney；　and　I　afterwards　rejoined　the
　　　　　Emperor　at　Munich。　　There　I　had　the　pleasure　of　finding　our　friends
　　　　　assembled；　and　among　them　Josephine；　still　as　affable　and　amiable　as
　　　　　ever。　　How　delighted　I　was　when；　an　my　arrival；　I　learned　that　the
　　　　　Emperor　had　adopted　Eugene。　　I　was　present　at　his　marriage　with　the
　　　　　Princess　Augusta　of　Bavaria。　　As　to　me；　you　know　I　am　not　very　fond
　　　　　of　fetes；　and　the　Emperor　might　have　dispensed　with　my　performing
　　　　　the　duties　of　Chamberlain；　Eugene　had　no　idea　of　what　was　going　on
　　　　　when　the　Emperor　sent　to　desire　his　presence　at　Munich　with　all
　　　　　possible　speed。　　He；　too；　remains　unchanged；　he　is　still　our　old
　　　　　comrade。　　At　first　he　was　not　much　pleased　with　the　idea　of　a
　　　　　political　marriage；　but　when　he　saw　his　bride　he　was　quite
　　　　　enchanted；　and　no　wonder；　for　I　assure　you　she　is　a　very　charming
　　　　　woman。〃




CHAPTER　IV。

1805。

　　　　　Depreciation　of　the　Bank　paperOuvrardHis　great　discretion
　　　　　Bonaparte'e　opinion　of　the　richOuvrard's　imprisonmentHis
　　　　　partnership　with　the　King　of　SpainHis　connection　with　Waalenberghe
　　　　　and　DesprezBonaparte's　return　to　Paris　after　the　campaign　of
　　　　　ViennaHasty　dismissal　of　M。　Barbe　Marbois。

At　the　moment　when　the　Emperor　had　reason　to　hope　that　the　news　of　his
extraordinary　success　would　animate　public　spirit　he　was　informed　that
considerable　disquietude　prevailed；　and　that　the　Bank　of　France　was
assailed　by　demands　for　the　payment　of　its　paper；　which　had　fallen；　more
than　5　per　cent。　　I　was　not　ignorant　of　the　cause　of　this　decline。　　I　had
been　made　acquainted；　through　the　commercial　correspondence　between
Hamburg　and　Paris；　with　a　great　financial　operation；　planned　by　M。
Ouvrard；　in　consequence　of　which　he　was　to　obtain　piastres　from　Spanish
America　at　a　price　much　below　the　real　value；　and　I　had　learned　that　he
was　obliged　to　support　this　enterprise　by　the　funds　which　he　and　his
partners　previously　employed　in　victualling　the　forces。　　A　fresh
investment　of　capital　was　therefore　necessary　for　this　service；　which；
when　on　a　large　scale；　requires　extensive　advances；　and　the　tardy　payment
of　the　Treasury　at　that　period　was　well　known。

I　was　well　acquainted　with　M。　Ouvrard；　and　in　what　I　am　about　to　say　I　do
not　think　there　will　be　found　anything　offensive　or　disagreeable　to　him。
I　observed　the　greater　number　of　the　facts　to　which　I　shall　refer　in
their　origin；　and　the　rest　I　learned　from　M。　Ouvrard　himself；　who；　when
he　visited　Hamburg　in　1808；　communicated　to　me　a　variety　of　details
respecting　his　immense　transaction　with　the　King　of　Spain。　　Among　other
things　I　recollect　he　told　me　that　before　the　18th　Brumaire　he　was
possessed　of　60；000；000；　without　owing　a　franc　to　any　person。

This　celebrated　financier　has　been　the　object　of　great　public　attention。
The　prodigious　variations　of　fortune　which　he　has　experienced；　the
activity　of　his　life；　the　immense　commercial　operations　in　which　he　has
been　engaged；　the　extent　and　the　boldness　of　his　enterprises；　render　it
necessary；　in　forming　a　judgment　of　M。　Ouvrard；　to　examine　his　conduct
with　due　care　and　deliberation。　　The　son　of　a　stationer；　who　was　able
merely　through　his　own　resources　to　play　so　remarkable　a　part；　could　be
no　ordinary　man。　　It　may　be　said　of　M。　Ouvrard　what　Beaumarchais　said　of
himself；　that　his　life　was　really　a　combat。　　I　have　known　him　long；　and　I
saw　much　of　him　in　his　relations　with　Josephine。　　He　always　appeared　to
me　to　possess　great　knowledge　of　the　world；　accompanied　by　honourable
principles；　and　a　high　degree　of　generosity；　which　added　greatly　to　the
value　of　his　prudence　and　discretion。　　No　human　power；　no　consideration；
not　even　the　ingratitude　of　those　whom　he　had　obliged；　could　induce　him
to　disclose　any　sacrifice　which　he　had　made　at　the　time　when；　under　the
Directory；　the　public　revenue　may　be　said　to　have　been　always　at　the
disposal　of　the　highest　bidder；　and　when　no　business　could　be　brought　to
a　conclusion　except　by　him　who　set　about　it　with　his　hands　full　of　money。
To　this　security；　with　which　M。　Ouvrard　impressed　all　official　persons
who　rendered　him　services；　I　attribute　the　facility　with　which　be
obtained　the　direction　of　the　numerous　enterprises　in　which　he　engaged；
and　which　produced　so　many　changes　in　his　fortune。　　The　discretion　of　M。
Ouvrard　was　not　quite　agreeable　to　the　First　Consul；　who　found　it
impossible　to　extract　from　him　the　information　he　wanted。　　He　tried　every
method　to　obtain　from　him　the　names　of　persons　to　whom　he　had　given　those
kind　of　subsidies　which　in　vulgar　language　are　called　sops　in　the　pan；
and　by　ladies　pin　money。　　Often　have　I　seen　Bonaparte　resort　to　every
possible　contrivance　to　gain　his　object。　　He　would　sometimes　endeavour　to
alarm　M。　Ouvrard　by　menaces；　and　at　other　times　to　flatter　him　by
promises；　but　he　was　in　no　instance　successful。

While　we　were　at　the　Luxembourg；　on；　as　I　recollect；　the　25th　of　January
1800；　Bonaparte　said　to　me　during　breakfast；　〃Bourrienne；　my　resolution
is　taken。　　I　shall　have　Ouvrard　arrested。〃〃General；　have　you　proofs
against　him？〃〃Proofs；　indeed！　　He　is　a　money…dealer；　a　monopoliser；　we
must　make　him　disgorge。　　All　the　contractors；　the　provision　agents；　are
rogues。　　How　have　they　made　their　fortunes？　　At　the　expense　of　the
country；　to　be　sure。　　I　will　not　suffer　such　doings。　　They　possess
millions；　they　roll　in　an　insolent　luxury；　while　my　soldiers　have　neither
bread　nor　shoes！　　I　will　have　no　more　of　that！　　I　intend　to　speak　on　the
business　to…day　in　the　Council；　and　we　shall　see　what　can　be　done。〃

I　waited　with　impatience　for　his　return　from　the　Council　to　know　what　had
passed。　　〃Well；　General？〃　　said　I　〃The　order　is　given。〃　　On　hearing　this
I　became　anxious　about　the　fate　of　M。　Ouvrard；　who　was　thus　to　be　treated
more　like　a　subject　of　the　Grand　Turk　than　a　citizen　of　the　Republic；　but
I　soon　learned　that　the　order　had　not　been　executed　because　he　could　not
be　found。

Next　day　I　learned　that　a　person；　whom　I　shall　not　name；　who　was　present
at　the　Council；　and　who　probably　was　under　obligations　to　Ouvrard；　wrote
him　a　note　in　pencil　to　inform　him　of　the　vote　for　his　arrest　carried　by
the　First　Consul。　　This　individual　stepped　out　for　a　moment　and
despatched　his　servant　with　the　note　to　Ouvrard。　　Having　thus　escaped　the
writ　of　arrest；　Ouvrard；　after　a　few　days　had　passed　over；　reappeared；
and　surrendered　himself　prisoner。　　Bonaparte　was　at　first　furious　on
learning　that　he　had　got　out　of　the　way；　but　on　hearing　that　Ouvrard　had
surrendered　himself　he　said　to　me；　〃The　fool！　　he　does　not　know　what　is
awaiting　him！　　He　wishes　to　make　the　public　believe　that　he　has　nothing
to　fear；　that　his　hands　are　clean。　　But　he　is　pl