memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第8部分

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make　a　set　at　me；　and　God　knows　how　often　she　has　tried　to　cajole　me！'〃

The　words　of　Lauriston　brought　to　my　recollection　the　conversations　I　had
often　had　with　Bonaparte　respecting　Madame　de　Stael；　of　whose　advances
made　to　the　First　Consul；　and　even　to　the　General　of　the　Army　of　Italy；
I　had　frequently　been　witness。　　Bonaparte　knew　nothing　at　first　of　Madame
de　Stael　but　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　M。　Necker；　a　man　for　whom；　as　I
have　already　shown；　he　had　very　little　esteem。　　Madame　de　Stael　had　not
been　introduced　to　him；　and　knew　nothing　more　of　him　than　what　fame　had
published　respecting　the　young　conqueror　of　Italy；　when　she　addressed　to
him　letters　full　of　enthusiasm。　　Bonaparte　read　some　passages　of　them　to
me；　and；　laughing；　said；　〃What　do　you　think；　Bourrienne；　of　these
extravagances。　　This　woman　is　mad。〃　　I　recollect　that　in　one　of　her
letters　Madame　de　Stael；　among　other　things；　told　him　that　they　certainly
were　created　for　each　otherthat　it　was　in　consequence　of　an　error　in
human　institutions　that　the　quiet　and　gentle　Josephine　was　united　to　his
fatethat　nature　seemed　to　have　destined　for　the　adoration　of　a　hero
such　as　he；　a　soul　of　fire　like　her　own。　　These　extravagances　disgusted
Bonaparte　to　a　degree　which　I　cannot　describe。　　When　he　had　finished
reading　these　fine　epistles　he　used　to　throw　them　into　the　fire；　or　tear
them　with　marked　ill…humour；　and　would　say；　〃Well；　here　is　a　woman　who
pretends　to　geniusa　maker　of　sentiments；　and　she　presumes　to　compare
herself　to　Josephine！　　Bourrienne；　I　shall　not　reply　to　such　letters。〃

I　had；　however；　the　opportunity　of　seeing　what　the　perseverance　of　a
woman　of　talent　can　effect。　　Notwithstanding　Bonaparte's　prejudices
against　Madame　de　Stael；　which　he　never　abandoned；　she　succeeded　in
getting　herself　introduced　to　him；　and　if　anything　could　have　disgusted
him　with　flattery　it　would　have　been　the　admiration；　or；　to　speak　more
properly；　the　worship；　which　she　paid　him；　for　she　used　to　compare　him　to
a　god　descended　on　earth；a　kind　of　comparison　which　the　clergy；　I
thought；　had　reserved　for　their　own　use。　　But；　unfortunately；　to　please
Madame　de　Stael　it　would　have　been　necessary　that　her　god　had　been
Plutua；　for　behind　her　eulogies　lay　a　claim　for　two　millions；　which　M。
Necker　considered　still　due　to　him　on　account　of　his　good　and　worthy
services。　　However；　Bonaparte　said　on　this　occasion　that　whatever　value
he　might　set　on　the　suffrage　of　Madame　de　Stael；　he　did　not　think　fit　to
pay　so　dear　for　it　with　the　money　of　the　State。　　The　conversion　of　Madame
de　Stael's　enthusiasm　into　hatred　is　well　known；　as　are　also　the　petty
vexations；　unworthy　of　himself；　with　which　the　Emperor　harassed　her　in
her　retreat　at　Coppet。

Lauriston　had　arrived　at　Paris；　where　he　made　but　a　short　stay；　some　days
before　Caffarelli；　who　was　sent　on　a　mission　to　Rome　to　sound　the　Papal
Court；　and　to　induce　the　Holy　Father　to　come　to　Paris　to　consecrate
Bonaparte　at　his　coronation。　　I　have　already　described　the　nature　of
Bonaparte's　ideas　on　religion。　　His　notions　on　the　subject　seemed　to
amount　to　a　sort　of　vague　feeling　rather　than　to　any　belief　founded　on
reflection。　　Nevertheless；　he　had　a　high　opinion　of　the　power　of　the
Church；　but　not　because　he　considered　it　dangerous　to　Governments；
particularly　to　his　own。　　Napoleon　never　could　have　conceived　how　it　was
possible　that　a　sovereign　wearing　a　crown　and　a　sword　could　have　the
meanness　to　kneel　to　a　Pope；　or　to　humble　his　sceptre　before　the　keys　of
St。　Peter。　　His　spirit　was　too　great　to　admit　of　such　a　thought。　　On　the
contrary；　he　regarded　the　alliance　between　the　Church　and　his　power　as　a
happy　means　of　influencing　the　opinions　of　the　people；　and　as　an
additional　tie　which　was　to　attach　them　to　a　Government　rendered
legitimate　by　the　solemn　sanction　of　the　Papal　authority。　　Bonaparte　was
not　deceived。　　In　this；　as　well　as　in　many　other　things；　the　perspicacity
of　his　genius　enabled　him　to　comprehend　all　the　importance　of　a
consecration　bestowed　on　him　by　the　Pope；　more　especially　as　Louis
XVIII。；　without　subjects；　without　territory；　and　wearing　only　an　illusory
crown；　had　not　received　that　sacred　unction　by　which　the　descendants　of
Hugh　Capet　become　the　eldest　sons　of　the　Church。

As　soon　as　the　Emperor　was　informed　of　the　success　of　Caffarelli's
mission；　and　that　the　Pope；　in　compliance　with　his　desire；　was　about　to
repair　to　Paris　to　confirm　in　his　hands　the　sceptre　of　Charlemagne；
nothing　was　thought　of　but　preparations　for　that　great　event；　which　had
been　preceded　by　the　recognition　of　Napoleon　as　Emperor　of　the　French　on
the　part　of　all　the　States　of　Europe；　with　the　exception　of　England。

On　the　conclusion　of　the　Concordat　Bonaparte　said　to　me；　〃I　shall　let　the
Republican　generals　exclaim　as　much　as　they　like　against　the　Mass。　　I
know　what　I　am　about；　I　am　working　for　posterity。〃　　He　was　now　gathering
the　fruits　of　his　Concordat。　　He　ordered　that　the　Pope　should　be
everywhere　treated　in　his　journey　through　the　French　territory　with　the
highest　distinction；　and　he　proceeded　to　Fontainebleau　to　receive　his
Holiness。　　This　afforded　an　opportunity　for　Bonaparte　to　re…establish　the
example　of　those　journeys　of　the　old　Court；　during　which　changes　of
ministers　used　formerly　to　be　made。　　The　Palace　of　Fontainebleau；　now
become　Imperial；　like　all　the　old　royal　chateaux；　had　been　newly
furnished　with　a　luxury　and　taste　corresponding　to　the　progress　of　modern
art。　　The　Emperor　was　proceeding　on　the　road　to　Nemours　when　courtiers
informed　him　of　the　approach　of　Pius　VII。　　Bonaparte's　object　was　to
avoid　the　ceremony　which　had　been　previously　settled。　　He　had　therefore
made　the　pretext　of　going　on　a　hunting…party；　and　was　in　the　way　as　it
were　by　chance　when　the　Pope's　carriage　was　arriving。　　He　alighted　from
horseback；　and　the　Pope　came　out　of　his　carriage。　　Rapp　was　with　the
Emperor；　and　I　think　I　yet　hear　him　describing；　in　his　original　manner
and　with　his　German　accent；　this　grand　interview；　upon　which；　however；　he
for　his　part　looked　with　very　little　respect。　　Rapp；　in　fact；　was　among
the　number　of　those　who；　notwithstanding　his　attachment　to　the　Emperor；
preserved　independence　of　character；　and　he　knew　he　had　no　reason　to
dissemble　with　me。　　〃Fancy　to　yourself；〃　said　he；　〃the　amusing　comedy
that　was　played。〃　　After　the　Emperor　and　the　Pope　had　well　embraced　they
went　into　the　same　carriage；　and；　in　order　that　they　might　be　upon　a
footing　of　equality；　they　were　to　enter　at　the　same　time　by　opposite
doors。　　All　that　was　settled；　but　at　breakfast　the　Emperor　had　calculated
how　he　should　manage；　without　appearing　to　assume　anything；　to　get　on　the
righthand　side　of　the　Pope；　and　everything　turned　out　as　he　wished。　　As
to　the　Pope；〃　said　Rapp；　〃I　must　own　that　I　never　saw　a　man　with　a　finer
countenance　or　more　respectable　appearance　than　Pius　VII。〃

After　the　conference　between　the　Pope　and　the　Emperor　at　Fontainebleau；
Pius　VII。　set　off　for　Paris　first。　　On　the　road　the　same　honours　were
paid　to　him　as　to　the　Emperor。　　Apartments　were　prepared　for　him　in　the
Pavilion　de　Flore　in　the　Tuileries；　and　his　bedchamber　was　arranged　and
furnished　in　the　same　manner　as　his　chamber　in　the　Palace　of　Monte…
Cavallo；　his　usual　residence　in　Rome。　　The　Pope's　presence　in　Paris　was
so　extraordinary　a　circumstance　that　it　was　scarcely　believed；　though　it
had　some　time　before　been　talked　of。　　What；　indeed；　could　be　more
singular　than　to　see　the　Head　of　the　Church　in　a　capital　where　four　years
previously　the　altars　had　been　overturned；　and　the　few　faithful　who
remained　had　been　obliged　to　exercise　their　worship　in　secret！

The　Pope　became　the　object　of　public　respect　and　general　curiosity。　　I
was　exceedingly　anxious　to　see　him；　and　my　wish　was　gratified　on　the　day
when　he　went　to　visit　the　Imperial　printing　office；　then　situated　where
the　Bank　of　France　now　is。

A　pamphlet；　dedicated　to　the　Pope；　containing　the　〃Pater　Noster；〃　in　one
hundred　and　fifty　different　languages；　was　struck　off　in　the　presence　of
his　Holiness。　　During　this　visit　to　the　printing　office　an　ill…bred　young
man　kept　his　hat　on　in　the　Pope's　presence。　　Several　persons；　indignant
at　this　indecorum；　advanced　to　take　off　the　young　man's　hat。　　A　little
confusion　arose；　and　the　Pope；　observing　the　cause　of　it；　stepped　up　to
the　young　man　and　said　to　him；　in　a　tone　of　kindness　truly　patriarchal；
〃Young　man；　uncover；　that　I　may　give　thee　my　blessing。　　An　old　man's
blessing　never　yet　harmed　any　one。〃　　This　little　incident　deeply　affected
all　who　witnessed　it。　　The　countenance　and　figure　of　Pope　Pius　VII。
commanded　respect。　　David's　admirable　portrait　is　a　living　likeness　of
him。

The　Pope's　arrival　at　Paris　produced　a　great　sensation　in　London；　greater
indeed　there　than　anywhere　else；　notwithstanding　the　separation　of　the
English　Church　from　the　Church　of　Rome。　　The　English　Ministry　now　spared
no　endeavours　to　influence　public　opinion　by　the　circulation　of　libels
against　Bonaparte。　　The　Cabinet　of　London　found　a　twofold　advantage　in
encouraging　this　system；　which　not　merely　excited　irritation　against　the
powerful　enemy　of　England；　but　diverted　from　the　British　Government　the
clamour　which　some　of　its　measures　were　calculated　to　create。
Bonaparte's　indignation　against　England　was　roused　to　the　utmost　extreme；
and　in　truth　this　indignation　was　in　some　degree　a　national　feeling　in
France。

Napoleon　had　heard　of　the　success　of　Caffarelli's　negotiations　previous
to　his　return　to　Paris；　after　his　journey　to　the　Rhine。　　On　arriving　at
St。　Cloud　he　lost　no　time　in　ordering　the　preparations　for　his
coronation。　　Everything　aided　the　fulfilment　of　his　wishes。　　On　28th
November　the　Pope　arrived　at　Paris；　and　two　days　after；　viz。　on　the　1st
of　December；　the　Senate　presented　to　the　Emperor　the　votes　of　the　people
for　the　establishment　of　hereditary　succession　in　his　family：　for　as　it
was　pretended　that　the　assumption　of　the　title　of　Emperor　was　no　way
prejudicial　to　the　Republic；　the　question　of　hereditary　succession　only
had　been　proposed　for　public　sanction。　　Sixty　thousand　registers　had　been
opened　in　different　parts　of　France；at　the　offices　of　the　ministers；
the　prefects；