memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v2-第11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！


my　erasure　without　being　able　to　obtain　it。　　I　was　not　struck　off　the
list　until　the　11th　of　November　1797。

Just　before　the　close　of　the　negotiation　Bonaparte；　disgusted　at　the
opposition　and　difficulties　with　which　he　was　surrounded；　reiterated
again　and　again　the　offer　of　his　resignation；　and　his　wish　to　have　a
successor　appointed。　　What　augmented　his　uneasiness　was　an　idea　he
entertained　that　the　Directory　had　penetrated　his　secret；　and　attributed
his　powerful　concurrence　on　the　18th　Fructidor　to　the　true　causehis
personal　views　of　ambition。　　In　spite　of　the　hypocritical　assurances　of
gratitude　made　to　him　in　writing；　and　though　the　Directory　knew　that　his
services　were　indispensable；　spies　were　employed　to　watch　his　movements；
and　to　endeavour　by　means　of　the　persons　about　him　to　discover　his　views。
Some　of　the　General's　friends　wrote　to　him　from　Paris；　and　for　my　part　I
never　ceased　repeating　to　him　that　the　peace；　the　power　of　making　which
he　had　in　his　own　hands；　would　render　him　far　more　popular　than　the
renewal　of　hostilities　undertaken　with　all　the　chances　of　success　and
reverse。　　The　signing　of　the　peace；　according　to　his　own　ideas；　and　in
opposition　to　those　of　the　Directory；　the　way　in　which　he　just　halted　at
Rastadt；　and　avoided　returning　to　the　Congress；　and；　finally；　his
resolution　to　expatriate　himself　with　an　army　in　order　to　attempt　new
enterprises；　sprung　more　than　is　generally　believed　from　the　ruling　idea
that　he　was　distrusted；　and　that　his　ruin　was　meditated。　　He　often
recalled　to　mind　what　La　Vallette　had　written　to　him　about　his
conversation　with　Lacuee；　and　all　he　saw　and　heard　confirmed　the
impression　he　had　received　on　this　subject。

The　early　appearance　of　bad　weather　precipitated　his　determination。　　On
the　13th　of　October；　at　daybreak；　on　opening　my　window；　I　perceived　the
mountains　covered　with　snow。　　The　previous　night　had　been　superb；　and　the
autumn　till　then　promised　to　be　fine　and　late。　　I　proceeded；　as　I　always
did；　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　to　the　General's　chamber。　　I　woke
him；　and　told　him　what　I　had　seen。　　He　feigned　at　first　to　disbelieve　me；
then　leaped　from　his　bed；　ran　to　the　window；　and；　convinced　of　the　sudden
change；　he　calmly　said；　〃What！　　before　the　middle　of　October！　　What　a
country　is　this！　　Well；　we　must　make　peace！〃　　While　he　hastily　put　on　his
clothes　I　read　the　journals　to　him；　as　was　my　daily　custom。　　He　paid　but
little　attention　to　them。

Shutting　himself　up　with　me　in　his　closet；　he　reviewed　with　the　greatest
care　all　the　returns　from　the　different　corps　of　his　army。　　〃Here　are；〃
said　he；　〃nearly　80；000　effective　men。　　I　feed；　I　pay　them：　but　I　can
bring　but　60；000　into　the　field　on　the　day　of　battle。　　I　shall　gain　it；
but　afterwards　my　force　will　be　reduced　20；000　menby　killed；　wounded；
and　prisoners。　　Then　how　oppose　all　the　Austrian　forces　that　will　march
to　the　protection　of　Vienna？　　It　would　be　a　month　before　the　armies　of
the　Rhine　could　support　me；　if　they　should　be　able；　and　in　a　fortnight
all　the　roads　and　passages　will　be　covered　deep　with　snow。　　It　is
settledI　will　make　peace。　　Venice　shall　pay　for　the　expense　of　the　war
and　the　boundary　of　the　Rhine：　let　the　Directory　and　the　lawyers　say　what
they　like。〃

He　wrote　to　the　Directory　in　the　following　words：　〃The　summits　of　the
hills　are　covered　with　snow；　I　cannot；　on　account　of　the　stipulations
agreed　to　for　the　recommencement　of　hostilities；　begin　before　five…and…
twenty　days；　and　by　that　time　we　shall　be　overwhelmed　with　snow。〃

Fourteen　years　after；　another　early　winter；　in　a　more　severe　climate；　was
destined　to　have　a　fatal　influence　on　his　fortunes。　　Had　he　but　then
exercised　equal　foresight！

It　is　well　known　that；　by　the　treaty　of　Campo…Formio；　the　two　belligerent
powers　made　peace　at　the　expense　of　the　Republic　of　Venice；　which　had
nothing　to　do　with　the　quarrel　in　the　first　instance；　and　which　only
interfered　at　a　late　period；　probably　against　her　own　inclination；　and
impelled　by　the　force　of　inevitable　circumstances。　　But　what　has　been　the
result　of　this　great　political　spoliation？　　A　portion　of　the　Venetian
territory　was　adjudged　to　the　Cisalpine　Republic；　it　is　now　in　the
possession　of　Austria。

Another　considerable　portion；　and　the　capital　itself；　fell　to　the　lot　of
Austria　in　compensation　for　the　Belgic　provinces　and　Lombard；　which　she
ceded　to　France。　　Austria　has　now　retaken　Lombard；　and　the　additions　then
made　to　it；　and　Belgium　is　in　the　possession　of　the　House　of　Orange。
France　obtained　Corfu　and　some　of　the　Ionian　isles；　these　now　belong　to
England。

　　　　　＇Afterwards　to　be　ceded　by　her　to　Greece。　　Belgium　is　free。＇

Romulus　never　thought　he　was　founding　Rome　for　Goths　and　priests。
Alexander　did　not　foresee　that　his　Egyptian　city　would　belong　to　the
Turks；　nor　did　Constantine　strip　Rome　for　the　benefit　of　Mahomet　II。　　Why
then　fight　for　a　few　paltry　villages？

Thus　have　we　been　gloriously　conquering　for　Austria　and　England。　　An
ancient　State　is　overturned　without　noise；　and　its　provinces；　after　being
divided　among　different　bordering　States；　are　now　all　under　the　dominion
of　Austria。　　We　do　not　possess　a　foot　of　ground　in　all　the　fine　countries
we　conquered；　and　which　served　as　compensations　for　the　immense
acquisitions　of　the　House　of　Hapsburgh　in　Italy。　　Thus　that　house　was
aggrandised　by　a　war　which　was　to　itself　most　disastrous。　　But　Austria
has　often　found　other　means　of　extending　her　dominion　than　military
triumphs；　as　is　recorded　in　the　celebrated　distich　of　Mathias　Corvinus：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Bella　gerunt　alli；　to　felix　Austria　nube；
　　　　　　　　　　Nam　quae　Mars　allis；　dat　tibi　regna　Venus。〃

　　　　　　　　　＇Glad　Austria　wins　by　Hymen's　silken　chain
　　　　　　　　　　What　other　States　by　doubtful　battle　gain；
　　　　　　　　　　And　while　fierce　Mars　enriches　meaner　lands；
　　　　　　　　　　Receives　possession　from　fair　Venus'　hands。〃＇

The　Directory　was　far　from　being　satisfied　with　the　treaty　of　Campo…
Formio；　and　with　difficulty　resisted　the　temptation　of　not　ratifying　it。
A　fortnight　before　the　signature　the　Directors　wrote　to　General　Bonaparte
that　they　would　not　consent　to　give　to　the　Emperor　Venice；　Frioul；　Padua；
and　the　'terra　firma'　with　the　boundary　of　the　Adige。　　〃That；〃　said　they；
〃would　not　be　to　make　peace；　but　to　adjourn　the　war。　　We　shall　be
regarded　as　the　beaten　party；　independently　of　the　disgrace　of　abandoning
Venice；　which　Bonaparte　himself　thought　so　worthy　of　freedom。　　France
ought　not；　and　never　will　wish；　to　see　Italy　delivered　up　to　Austria。
The　Directory　would　prefer　the　chances　of　a　war　to　changing　a　single　word
of　its　ultimatum；　which　is　already　too　favourable　to　Austria。〃

All　this　was　said　in　vain。　　Bonaparte　made　no　scruple　of　disregarding　his
instructions。　　It　has　been　said　that　the　Emperor　of　Austria　made　an　offer
of　a　very　considerable　sum　of　money；　and　even　of　a　principality；　to
obtain　favourable　terms。　　I　was　never　able　to　find　the　slightest　ground
for　this　report；　which　refers　to　a　time　when　the　smallest　circumstance
could　not　escape　my　notice。　　The　character　of　Bonaparte　stood　too　high
for　him　to　sacrifice　his　glory　as　a　conqueror　and　peacemaker　for　even　the
greatest　private　advantage。　　This　was　so　thoroughly　known；　and　he　was　so
profoundly　esteemed　by　the　Austrian　plenipotentiaries；　that　I　will
venture　to　say　none　of　them　would　have　been　capable　of　making　the
slightest　overture　to　him　of　so　debasing　a　proposition。　　Besides；　it
would　have　induced　him　to　put　an　end　to　all　intercourse　with　the
plenipotentiaries。　　Perhaps　what　I　have　just　stated　of　M。　de　Gallo　will
throw　some　light　upon　this　odious　accusation。　　But　let　us　dismiss　this
story　with　the　rest；　and　among　them　that　of　the　porcelain　tray；　which　was
said　to　have　been　smashed　and　thrown　at　the　head　of　M。　de　Cobentzel。
I　certainly　know　nothing　of　any　such　scene；　our　manners　at　Passeriano
were　not　quite　so　bad！

The　presents　customary　on　such　occasions　were　given；　and　the　Emperor　of
Austria　also　took　that　opportunity　to　present　to　General　Bonaparte　six
magnificent　white　horses。

Bonaparte　returned　to　Milan　by　way　of　Gratz；　Laybach；　Thrust；　Mestre；
Verona；　and　Mantua。

At　this　period　Napoleon　was　still　swayed　by　the　impulse　of　the　age。　　He
thought　of　nothing　but　representative　governments。　　Often　has　he　said　to
me；　〃I　should　like　the　era　of　representative　governments　to　be　dated　from
my　time。〃　　His　conduct　in　Italy　and　his　proclamations　ought　to　give；　and
in　fact　do　give；　weight　to　this　account　of　his　opinion。　　But　there　is　no
doubt　that　this　idea　was　more　connected　with　lofty　views　of　ambition　than
a　sincere　desire　for　the　benefit　of　the　human　race；　for；　at　a　later
period；　he　adopted　this　phrase：　〃I　should　like　to　be　the　head　of　the　most
ancient　of　the　dynasties　cf　Europe。〃　　What　a　difference　between
Bonaparte；　the　author　of　the　'Souper　de　Beaucaire'；　the　subduer　of
royalism　at　Toulon；　the　author　of　the　remonstrance　to　Albitte　and
Salicetti；　the　fortunate　conqueror　of　the　13th　Vendemiaire；　the
instigator　and　supporter　of　the　revolution　of　Fructidor；　and　the　founder
of　the　Republics　of　Italy；　the　fruits　of　his　immortal　victories；and
Bonaparte；　First　Consul　in　1800；　Consul　for　life　in　1802；　and；　above　all；
Napoleon；　Emperor　of　the　French　in　1804；　and　King　of　Italy　in　1805！




CHAPTER　XI。

1797

　　　　　Effect　of　the　18th　Fructidor　on　the　peaceThe　standard　of　the　army
　　　　　of　ItalyHonours　rendered　to　the　memory　of　General　Hoche　and　of
　　　　　Virgil　at　MantuaRemarkable　letterIn　passing　through　Switzerland
　　　　　Bonaparte　visits　the　field　of　MoratArrival　at　RastadtLetter　from
　　　　　the　Directory　calling　Bonaparte　to　ParisIntrigues　against
　　　　　JosephineGrand　ceremony　on　the　reception　of　Bonaparte　by　the
　　　　　DirectoryThe　theatresModesty　of　BonaparteAn　assassination
　　　　　Bonaparte's　opinion　of　the　ParisiansHis　election　to　the　National
　　　　　InstituteLetter　to　CamusProjectsReflections。

The　day　of　the　18th　Fructidor　had；　without　any　doubt；　mainly　contributed
to　the　conclusion　of　peace　at　Campo　Formio。　　On　the　one　hand；　the
Directory；　hitherto　not　very　pacifically　inclined；　after　having　effected
a　'coup　d'etat'；　at　length　saw　the　necessity　of　appeasing　the
discontented　by　giving　pe