memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第16部分

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would　have　lost　all　credit　but　that　the　extensive　trade　carried　on
between　Russia　and　Hamburg　forced　the　inhabitants　and　magistrates　of　that
city　to　bear　with　a　man　who　might　have　done　them；　individually；
considerable　injury。

The　recollection　of　Duroc's　successful　mission　to　Berlin　during　the
Consulate　induced　Napoleon　to　believe　that　that　general　might　appease　the
King　of　Prussia；　who　complained　seriously　of　the　violation　of　the
territory　of　Anspach；　which　Bernadotte；　in　consequence　of　the　orders　he
received；　had　not　been　able　to　respect。　　Duroc　remained　about　six　weeks
in　Berlin。

The　following　letter　from　Duroc　will　show　that　the　facility　of　passing
through　Hesse　seemed　to　excuse　the　second　violation　of　the　Prussian
territory；　but　there　was　a　great　difference　between　a　petty　Prince　of
Hesse　and　the　King　of　Prussia。

　　　　　I　send　you；　my　dear　Bourrienne；　two　despatches；　which　I　have
　　　　　received　for　you。　　M。　de　Talleyrand；　who　sends　them；　desires　me　to
　　　　　request　that　you　will　transmit　General　Victor's　by　a　sure
　　　　　conveyance。

　　　　　I　do　not　yet　know　whether　I　shall　stay　long　in　Berlin。　　By　the　last
　　　　　accounts　I　received　the　Emperor　is　still　in　Paris；　and　numerous
　　　　　forces　are　assembling　on　the　Rhine。　　The　hopes　of　peace　are
　　　　　vanishing　every　day；　and　Austria　does　everything　to　promote　war。

　　　　　I　have　received　accounts　from　Marshal　Bernadotte。　　He　has　effected
　　　　　his　passage　through　Hesse。　　Marshal　Bernadotte　was　much　pleased　with
　　　　　the　courtesy　he　experienced　from　the　Elector。

The　junction　of　the　corps　commanded　by　Bernadotte　with　the　army　of　the
Emperor　was　very　important；　and　Napoleon　therefore　directed　the　Marshal
to　come　up　with　him　as　speedily　as　possible；　and　by　the　shortest　road。
It　was　necessary　he　should　arrive　in　time　for　the　battle　of　Austerlitz。
Gustavus；　King　of　Sweden；　who　was　always　engaged　in　some　enterprise；
wished　to　raise　an　army　composed　of　Swedes；　Prussians；　and　English；　and
certainly　a　vigorous　attack　in　the　north　would　have　prevented　Bernadotte
from　quitting　the　banks　of　the　Elbe　and　the　Weser；　and　reinforcing　the
Grand　Army　which　was　marching　on　Vienna。　　But　the　King　of　Sweden's
coalition　produced　no　other　result　than　the　siege　of　the　little　fortress
of　Hameln。

Prussia　would　not　come　to　a　rupture　with　France；　the　King　of　Sweden　was
abandoned；　and　Bonaparte's　resentment　against　him　increased。　　This
abortive　project　of　Gustavus　contributed　not　a　little　to　alienate　the
affections　of　his　subjects；　who　feared　that　they　might　be　the　victims　of
the　revenge　excited　by　the　extravagant　plans　of　their　King；　and　the
insults　he　had　heaped　upon　Napoleon；　particularly　since　the　death　of　the
Due　d'Enghien。

On　the　13th　of　September　1805　I　received　a　letter　from　the　Minister　of
Police　soliciting　information　about　Swedish　Pomerania。

Astonished　at　not　obtaining　from　the　commercial　Consuls　at　Lubeck　and
Stettin　any　accounts　of　the　movements　of　the　Russians；　I　had　sent　to
those　ports；　four　days　before　the　receipt　of　the　Police　Minister's
letter；　a　confidential　agent；　to　observe　the　Baltic：　though　we　were　only
64　leagues　from　Stralsund　the　most　uncertain　and　contradictory　accounts
came　to　hand。　　It　was；　however；　certain　that　a　landing　of　the　Russians
was　expected　at　Stralsund；　or　at　Travemtinde；　the　port　of　Lubeck；　at　the
mouth　of　the　little　river　Trave。　　I　was　positively　informed　that　Russia
had　freighted　a　considerable　number　of　vessels　for　those　ports。

The　hatred　of　the　French　continued　to　increase　in　the　north　of　Europe。
About　the　end　of　September　there　appeared　at　Kiel；　in　Denmark；　a
libellous　pamphlet；　which　was　bought　and　read　with　inconceivable　avidity。
This　pamphlet；　which　was　very　ably　written；　was　the　production　of　some
fanatic　who　openly　preached　a　crusade　against　France。　　The　author
regarded　the　blood　of　millions　of　men　as　a　trifling　sacrifice　for　the
great　object　of　humiliating　France　and　bringing　her　back　to　the　limits　of
the　old　monarchy。　　This　pamphlet　was　circulated　extensively　in　the　German
departments　united　to　France；　in　Holland；　and　in　Switzerland。　　The　number
of　incendiary　publications　which　everywhere　abounded　indicated　but　too
plainly　that　if　the　nations　of　the　north　should　be　driven　back　towards
the　Arctic　regions　they　would　in　their　turn　repulse　their　conquerors
towards　the　south；　and　no　man　of　common　sense　could　doubt　that　if　the
French　eagles　were　planted　in　foreign　capitals；　foreign　standards　would
one　day　wave　over　Paris。

On　the　30th　of　September　1805　I　received；　by　an　'estafette'；　intelligence
of　the　landing　at　Stralsund　of　6000　Swedes；　who　had　arrived　from
Stockholm　in　two　ships　of　war。

About　the　end　of　September　the　Hamburg　exchange　on　Paris　fell　alarmingly。
The　loss　was　twenty　per　cent。　　The　fall　stopped　at　seventeen　below　par。
The　speculation　for　this　fall　of　the　exchange　had　been　made　with　equal
imprudence　and　animosity　by　the　house　of　Osy　and　Company

The　head　of　that　house；　a　Dutch　emigrant；　who　had　been　settled　at　Hamburg
about　six　years；　seized　every　opportunity　of　manifesting　his　hatred　of
France。　　An　agent　of　that　rich　house　at　Rotterdam　was　also　very　hostile
to　us；　a　circumstance　which　shows　that　if　many　persons　sacrifice　their
political　opinions　to　their　interests　there　are　others　who　endanger　their
interests　for　the　triumph　of　their　opinions。

On　the　23d　of　October　1805　I　received　official　intelligence　of　the　total
destruction　of　the　first　Austrian　army：　General　Barbou；　who　was　in
Hanover；　also　informed　me　of　that　event　in　the　following　terms：　〃　The
first　Austrian　army　has　ceased　to　exist。〃　　He　alluded　to　the　brilliant
affair　of　Ulm。　　I　immediately　despatched　twelve　estafettes　to　different
parts；　among　other　places　to　Stralsund　and　Husum。　　I　thought　that　these
prodigies；　which　must　have　been　almost　incredible　to　those　who　were
unacquainted　with　Napoleon's　military　genius；　might　arrest　the　progress
of　the　Russian　troops；　and　produces　some　change　in　the　movements　of　the
enemy's　forces。　　A　second　edition　of　the　'Correspondent'　was　published
with　this　intelligence；　and　6000　copies　were　sold　at　four　times　the　usual
price。

I　need　not　detain　the　reader　with　the　details　of　the　capitulation　of　Ulm；
which　have　already　been　published；　but　I　may　relate　the　following
anecdote；　which　is　not　generally　known。　　A　French　general　passing　before
the　ranks　of　his　men　said　to　them；　〃Well；　comrades；　we　have　prisoners
enough　here。〃〃yes　indeed；〃　replied　one　of　the　soldiers；　〃we　never　saw
so　many　。　　。　　。　collected　together　before。〃　　It　was　stated　at　the　time；
and　I　believe　it；　that　the　Emperor　was　much　displeased　when　he　heard　of
this；　and　remarked　that　it　was　〃atrocious　to　insult　brave　men　to　whom　the
fate　of　arms　had　proved　unfavourable。〃

In　reading　the　history　of　this　period　we　find　that　in　whatever　place
Napoleon　happened　to　be；　there　was　the　central　point　of　action。　　The
affairs　of　Europe　were　arranged　at　his　headquarters　in　the　same　manner　as
if　he　had　been　in　Paris。　　Everything　depended　on　his　good　or　bad　fortune。
Espionage；　seduction；　false　promises；　exactions；all　were　put　in　force
to　promote　the　success　of　his　projects；　but　his　despotism；　which　excited
dissatisfaction　in　France；　and　his　continual　aggressions；　which
threatened　the　independence　of　foreign　States；　rendered　him　more　and　more
unpopular　everywhere。

The　battle　of　Trafalgar　took　place　while　Napoleon　was　marching　on　Vienna；
and　on　the　day　after　the　capitulation　of　Ulm。　　The　southern　coast　of
Spain　then　witnessed　an　engagement　between　thirty…one　French　and　about　an
equal　number　of　English　ships；　and　in　spite　of　this　equality　of　force　the
French　fleet　was　destroyed。＇The　actual　forces　present　were　27　English
ships　of　the　line　and　38　Franco…Spanish　ships　of　the　line；　see　James'
Naval　History；　vol。　iii。　p。　459。＇

This　great　battle　afforded　another　proof　of　our　naval　inferiority。
Admires　Calder　first　gave　us　the　lesson　which　Nelson　completed；　but　which
cost　the　latter　his　life。　　According　to　the　reports　which　Duroc
transmitted　to　me；　courage　gave　momentary　hope　to　the　French；　but　they
were　at　length　forced　to　yield　to　the　superior　naval　tactics　of　the
enemy。　　The　battle　of　Trafalgar　paralysed　our　naval　force；　and　banished
all　hope　of　any　attempt　against　England。

The　favour　which　the　King；　of　Prussia　had　shown　to　Duroc　was　withdrawn
when　his　Majesty　received　intelligence　of　the　march　of　Bernadotte's
troops　through　the　Margravate　of　Anspach。　　All　accounts　concurred
respecting　the　just　umbrage　which　that　violation　of　territory　occasioned
to　the　King　of　Prussia。　　The　agents　whom　I　had　in　that　quarter
overwhelmed　me　with　reports　of　the　excesses　committed　by　the　French　in
passing　through　the　Margravate。　　A　letter　I　received　from　Duroc　contains
the　following　remarks　on　this　subject：

　　　　　The　corps　of　Marshal　Bernadotte　has　passed　through　Anapach　and　by
　　　　　some　misunderstanding　this　has　been　regarded　at　Berlin　as　an　insult
　　　　　to　the　King；　a　violence　committed　upon　his　neutrality。　　How　can　it
　　　　　be　supposed；　especially　under　present　circumstances；　that　the
　　　　　Emperor　could　have　any　intention　of　insulting　or　committing　violence
　　　　　upon　his　friend？　　Besides；　the　reports　have　been　exaggerated；　and
　　　　　have　been　made　by　persons　who　wish　to　favour　our　enemies　rather　than
　　　　　us。　　However；　I　am　perfectly　aware　that　Marshal　Bernadotte's　70；000
　　　　　men　are　not　70；000　virgins。　　Be　this　as　it　may；　the　business　might
　　　　　have　been　fatal；　and　will；　at　all　events；　be　very　injurious　to　us。
　　　　　Laforeat　and　I　are　treated　very　harshly；　though　we　do　not　deserve
　　　　　it。　　All　the　idle　stories　that　have　been　got　up　here　must　have
　　　　　reached　you。　　Probably　Prussia　will　not　forget　that　France　was；　and
　　　　　still　may　be；　the　only　power　interested　in　her　glory　and
　　　　　aggrandisement。

At　the　end　of　October　the　King　of　Prussia；　far　from　thinking　of　war；　but
in　case　of　its　occurrence　wishing　to　check　its　disasters　as　far　as
possible；　proposed　to　establish　a　line　of　neutrality。　　This　was　the　first
idea　of　the　Confederation　of　the　North。　　Duroc；　fearing　lest　the　Russians
should　enter　Hamburg；　advised　me；　as　a　friend；　to　adopt　precautions。　　But
I　was　on　the　spot；　I　knew　al