memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v2-第10部分

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preceded　it　had　been；　it　would　be　difficult　in　October　to　strike　a　blow
at　the　house　of　Austria　on　the　side　of　Carinthia。　　The　Austrian　Cabinet
perceived　with　satisfaction　the　approach　of　the　bad　weather；　and　insisted
more　strongly　on　its　ultimatum；　which　was　the　Adige；　with　Venice。

Before　the　18th　Fructidor　the　Emperor　of　Austria　hoped　that　the　movement
which　was　preparing　in　Paris　would　operate　badly　for　France　and
favourably　to　the　European　cause。　　The　Austrian　plenipotentiaries；　in
consequence；　raised　their　pretensions；　and　sent　notes　and　an　ultimatum
which　gave　the　proceedings　more　an　air　of　trifling　than　of　serious
negotiation。　　Bonaparte's　original　ideas；　which　I　have　under　his　hand；
were　as　follows：

　　　　　1。　　The　Emperor　to　have　Italy　as　far　as　the　Adda。
　　　　　2。　　The　King　of　Sardinia　as　far　as　the　Adda。
　　　　　3。　　The　Genoese　Republic　to　have　the　boundary　of　Tortona　as　far　as
　　　　　the　Po　（Tortona　to　be　demolished）；　as　also　the　imperial　fiefs。
　　　　　（Coni　to　be　ceded　to　France；　or　to　be　demolished。）
　　　　　4。　　The　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany　to　be　restored。
　　　　　5。　　The　Duke　of　Parma　to　be　restored。




CHAPTER　X。

1797。

　　　　　Influence　of　the　18th　Fructidor　on　the　negotiationsBonaparte's
　　　　　suspicion　of　BottotHis　complaints　respecting　the　non…erasure　of
　　　　　BourrienneBourrienne's　conversation　with　the　Marquis　of　Gallo
　　　　　Bottot　writes　from　Paris　to　Bonaparte　on　the　part　of　the　Directory
　　　　　Agents　of　the　Directory　employed　to　watch　BonaparteInfluence　of
　　　　　the　weather　on　the　conclusion　of　peaceRemarkable　observation　of
　　　　　BonaparteConclusion　of　the　treatyThe　Directory　dissatisfied　with
　　　　　the　terms　of　the　peaceBonaparte's　predilection　for　representative
　　　　　governmentOpinion　on　Bonaparte。

After　the　18th　Fructidor　Bonaparte　was　more　powerful；　Austria　less
haughty　and　confident。　　Venice　was　the　only　point　of　real　difficulty。
Austria　wanted　the　line　of　the　Adige；　with　Venice；　in　exchange　for
Mayence；　and　the　boundary　of　the　Rhine　until　that　river　enters　Holland。
The　Directory　wished　to　have　the　latter　boundary；　and　to　add　Mantua　to
the　Italian　Republic；　without　giving　up　all　the　line　of　the　Adige　and
Venice。　　The　difficulties　were　felt　to　be　so　irreconcilable　that　within
about　a　month　of　the　conclusion　of　peace　the　Directory　wrote　to　General
Bonaparte　that　a　resumption　of　hostilities　was　preferable　to　the　state　of
uncertainty　which　was　agitating　and　ruining　France。　　The　Directory；
therefore；　declared　that　both　the　armies　of　the　Rhine　should　take　the
field。　　It　appears　from　the　Fructidorian　correspondence；　which　has　been
already　given；　that　the　majority　of　the　Directory　then　looked　upon　a
peace　such　as　Bonaparte　afterwards　made　as　infamous。

But　Bonaparte；　from　the　moment　the　Venetian　insurrection　broke　out；
perceived　that　Venice　might　be　used　for　the　pacification。　　Bonaparte；
who　was　convinced　that；　in　order　to　bring　matters　to　an　issue；　Venice　and
the　territory　beyond　the　Adige　must　fall　beneath　the　Hapsburg　sceptre；
wrote　to　the　Directory　that　he　could　not　commence　operations；
advantageously；　before　the　end　of　March；　1798；　but　that　if　the　objections
to　giving　Venice　to　the　Emperor　of　Austria　were　persisted　in；　hostilities
would　certainly　be　resumed　in　the　month　of　October；　for　the　Emperor　would
not　renounce　Venice。　　In　that　case　it　would　be　necessary　to　be　ready　on
the　Rhine　for　an　advance　in　Germany；　as　the　army　of　Italy；　if　it　could
make　head　against　the　Archduke　Charles；　was　not　sufficiently　strong　for
any　operations　on　a　grand　scale。　　At　this　period　the　conclusion　of　peace
was　certainly　very　doubtful；　it　was　even　seriously　considered　in；　what
form　the　rupture　should　be　notified。

Towards　the　end　of　September　Bottot；　Barras'　secretary；　arrived　at
Passeriano。　　He　was　despatched　by　the　Directory。　　Bonaparte　immediately
suspected　he　was　a　new　spy；　come　on　a　secret　mission；　to　watch　him。　　He
was　therefore　received　and　treated　with　coolness；　but　Bonaparte　never
had；　as　Sir　Walter　Scott　asserts；　the　idea　of　ordering　him　to　be　shot。
That　writer　is　also　in　error　when　he　says　that　Bottot　was　sent　to
Passeriano　to　reproach　Bonaparte　for　failing　to　fulfil　his　promise　of
sending　money　to　the　Directory。

Bonaparte　soon　gave　Bottot　an　opportunity　of　judging　of　the　kind　of
spirit　which　prevailed　at　headquarters。　　He　suddenly　tendered　his
resignation；　which　he　had　already　several　times　called　upon　the　Directory
to　accept。　　He　accused　the　Government；　at　table；　in　Bottot's　presence；
of　horrible　ingratitude。　　He　recounted　all　his　subjects　of　complaint；
in　loud　and　impassioned　language；　without　any　restraint；　and　before
twenty　or　thirty　persons。

Indignant　at　finding　that　his　reiterated　demands　for　the　erasure　of　my
name　from　the　list　of　emigrants　had　been　slighted；　and　that；　in　spite　of
his　representations；　conveyed　to　Paris　by　General　Bernadotte；　Louis
Bonaparte；　and　others；　I　was　still　included　in　that　fatal　list；　he
apostrophised　M。　Bottot　at　dinner　one　day；　before　forty　individuals；
among　whom　were　the　diplomatists　Gallo；　Cobentzel；　and　Meerweldt。　　The
conversation　turned　upon　the　Directory。　　〃Yes；　truly；〃　cried　Bonaparte；
in　a　loud　voice；　〃I　have　good　reason　to　complain；　and；　to　pass　from　great
to　little　things；　look；　I　pray　you；　at　Bourrienne's　case。　　He　possesses
my　most　unbounded　confidence。　　He　alone　is　entrusted；　under　my　orders；
with　all　the　details　of　the　negotiation。　　This　you　well　know；　and　yet
your　Directory　will　not　strike　him　off　the　list。　　In　a　word　it　is　not
only　an　inconceivable；　but　an　extremely　stupid　piece　of　business；　for　he
has　all　my　secrets；　he　knows　my　ultimatum；　and　could　by　a　single　word
realize　a　handsome　fortune；　and　laugh　at　your　obstinacy。　　Ask　M。　de　Gallo
if　this　be　not　true。〃

Bottot　wished　to　offer　some　excuse；　but　the　general　murmur　which　followed
this　singular　outburst　reduced　him　to　silence。

The　Marquis　de　Gallo　had　conversed　with　me　but　three　days　before；　in　the
park　of　Passeriano；　on　the　subject　of　my　position　with　regard　to　France；
of　the　determination　expressed　by　the　Directory　not　to　erase　my　name；　and
of　the　risk　I　thereby　ran。　　〃We　have　no　desire；〃　continued　he；　〃to　renew
the　war；　we　wish　sincerely　for　peace；　but　it　must　be　an　honourable　one。
The　Republic　of　Venice　presents　a　large　territory　for　partition；　which
would　be　sufficient　for　both　parties。　　The　cessions　at　present　proposed
are　not；　however；　satisfactory。　　We　want　to　know　Bonaparte's　ultimatum；
and　I　am　authorised　to　offer　an　estate　in　Bohemia；　with　a　title　and
residence；　and　an　annual　revenue　of　90；000　florins。〃

I　quickly　interrupted　M。　de　Gallo；　and　assured　him　that　both　my
conscience　and　my　duty　obliged　me　to　reject　his　proposal；　and　so　put　at
once　an　end　to　the　conversation。

I　took　care　to　let　the　General…in…Chief　know　this　story；　and　he　was　not
surprised　at　my　reply。　　His　conviction；　however；　was　strong；　from　all
that　M。　de　Gallo　had　said；　and　more　particularly　from　the　offer　he　had
made；　that　Austria　was　resolved　to　avoid　war；　and　was　anxious　for　peace。

After　I　had　retired　to　rest　M。　Bottot　came　to　my　bedroom　and　asked　me；
with　a　feigned　surprise；　if　it　was　true　that　my　name　was　still　on　the
list　of　emigrants。　　On　my　replying　in　the　affirmative；　he　requested　me　to
draw　up　a　note　on　the　subject。　　This　I　declined　doing；　telling　him　that
twenty　notes　of　the　kind　he　required　already　existed；　that　I　would　take
no　further　steps；　and　that　I　would　henceforth　await　the　decision　in　a
state　of　perfect　inaction。

General　Bonaparte　thought　it　quite　inexplicable　that　the　Directory　should
express　dissatisfaction　at　the　view　he　took　of　the　events　of　the　18th
Fructidor；　as；　without　his　aid；　they　would　doubtless　have　been　overcome。
He　wrote　a　despatch；　in　which　he　repeated　that　his　health　and　his　spirits
were　affectedthat　he　had　need　of　some　years'　repose…that　he　could　no
longer　endure　the　fatigue　of　riding；　but　that　the　prosperity　and　liberty
of　his　country　would　always　command　his　warmest　interests。　　In　all　this
there　was　not　a　single　word　of　truth。　　The　Directory　thought　as　much；　and
declined　to　accept　his　resignation　in　the　most　flattering　terms。

Bottot　proposed　to　him；　on　the　part　of　the　Directory；　to　revolutionise
Italy。　　The　General　inquired　whether　the　whole　of　Italy　would　be　included
in　the　plan。　　The　revolutionary　commission　had；　however；　been　entrusted
to　Bottot　in　so　indefinite　a　way　that　he　could　only　hesitate；　and　give　a
vague　reply。　　Bonaparte　wished　for　more　precise　orders。　　In　the　interval
peace　was　concluded；　and　the　idea　of　that　perilous　and　extravagant
undertaking　was　no　longer　agitated。　　Bottot；　soon　after　his　return　to
Paris；　wrote　a　letter　to　General　Bonaparte；　in　which　he　complained　that
the　last　moments　he　had　passed　at　Passeriano　had　deeply　afflicted　his
heart。　　He　said　that　cruel　suspicions　had　followed　him　even　to　the　gates
of　the　Directory。　　These　cruel　suspicions　had；　however；　been　dissipated
by　the　sentiments　of　admiration　and　affection　which　he　had　found　the
Directory　entertained　for　the　person　of　Bonaparte。

These　assurances；　which　were　precisely　what　Bonaparte　had　expected；　did
not　avail　to　lessen　the　contempt　he　entertained　for　the　heads　of　the
Government；　nor　to　change　his　conviction　of　their　envy　and　mistrust　of
himself。　　To　their　alleged　affection　he　made　no　return。　　Bottot　assured
the　hero　of　Italy　of　〃the　Republican　docility〃　of　the　Directory；　and
touched　upon　the　reproaches　Bonaparte　had　thrown　out　against　them；　and
upon　his　demands　which　had　not　been　granted。　　He　said：

〃The　three　armies；　of　the　North；　of　the　Rhine；　and　of　the　Sambre…et…
Meuse；　are　to　form　only　one；　the　army　of　Germany。Augereau？　　But　you
yourself　sent　him。　　The　fault　committed　by　the　Directory　is　owing　to
yourself！　　Bernadotte？he　is　gone　to　join　you。　　Cacault？he　is
recalled。　　Twelve　thousand　men　for　your　army？they　are　on　their　march。
The　treaty　with　Sardinia？it　is　ratified。　　Bourrienne？he　is　erased。
The　revolution　of　Italy？it　is　adjourned。　　Advise　the　Directory；　then：　I
repeat　it；　they　have　need　of　information；　and　it　is　to　you　they　look　for
it。〃

The　assertion　regarding　me　was　false。　　For　six　months　Bonaparte　demanded
my　erasure　without　being　able　to　obtain　it。　　I　was