memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v2-第6部分

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　　　　　idea　of　communicating　his　plan　to　Wurmser　and　sharing　his　glory　with
　　　　　him　rendered　him　blind　and　deaf　to　every　consideration。　　However；　it
　　　　　was　necessary　to　report　to　Pichegru　the　observations　of　the　Prince
　　　　　de　Conde；　and　Courant　was　commissioned　to　do　so。

This　document　appeared　so　interesting　to　me　that　while　Bonaparte　was
sleeping　I　was　employed　in　copying　it。　　Notwithstanding　posterior　and
reiterated　denials　of　its　truth；　I　believe　it　to　be　perfectly　correct。

Napoleon　had　ordered　plans　of　his　most　famous　battles　to　be　engraved；　and
had　paid　in　advance　for　them。　　The　work　was　not　done　quickly　enough　for
him。　　He　got　angry；　and　one　day　said　to　his　geographer；　Bacler　d'Albe；
whom　he　liked　well　enough；　〃Ah！　　do　hurry　yourself；　and　think　all　this　is
only　the　business　of　a　moment。　　If　you　make　further　delay　you　will　sell
nothing；　everything　is　soon　forgotten！〃

We　were　now　in　July；　and　the　negotiations　were　carried　on　with　a
tardiness　which　showed　that　something　was　kept　in　reserve　on　both　sides。
Bonaparte　at　this　time　was　anything　but　disposed　to　sign　a　peace；　which
be　always　hoped　to　be　able　to　make　at　Vienna；　after　a　campaign　in
Germany；　seconded　by　the　armies　of　the　Rhine　and　the　Sambre…et…Meuse。
The　minority　of　the　Directory　recommended　peace　on　the　basis　of　the
preliminaries；　but　the　majority　wished　for　more　honourable　and
advantageous　terms；　while　Austria；　relying　on　troubles　breaking　out　in
France；　was　in　no　haste　to　conclude　a　treaty。　　In　these　circumstances
Bonaparte　drew　up　a　letter　to　be　sent　to　the　Emperor　of　Austria；　in　which
he　set　forth　the　moderation　of　France；　but　stated　that；　in　consequence　of
the　many　delays；　nearly　all　hope　of　peace　had　vanished。　　He　advised　the
Emperor　not　to　rely　on　difficulties　arising　in　France；　and　doubted；　if
war　should　continue　and　the　Emperor　be　successful　in　the　next　campaign；
that　he　would　obtain　a　more　advantageous　peace　than　was　now　at　his
option。　　This　letter　was　never　sent　to　the　Emperor；　but　was　communicated
as　the　draft　of　a　proposed　despatch　to　the　Directory。　　The　Emperor
Francis；　however；　wrote　an　autograph　letter　to　the　General…in…Chief　of
the　army　of　Italy；　which　will　be　noticed　when　I　come　to　the　period　of　its
reception：　It　is　certain　that　Bonaparte　at　this　time　wished　for　war。　　He
was　aware　that　the　Cabinet　of　Vienna　was　playing　with　him；　and　that　the
Austrian　Ministers　expected　some　political　convulsion　in　Paris；　which
they　hoped　would　be　favourable　to　the　Bourbons。　　He　therefore　asked　for
reinforcements。　　His　army　consisted　of　35；900　men；　and　he　desired　it　to
be　raised　to　60；000　infantry　and　10；000　cavalry　ready　for　the　field。

General　Desaix；　profiting　by　the　preliminaries　of　Leoben；　came　in　the　end
of　July　to　visit　the　scene　of　the　army　of　Italy's　triumphs。　　His
conversations　with　Bonaparte　respecting　the　army　of　the　Rhine　were　far
from　giving　him　confidence　in　his　military　situation　in　Italy；　or
assurance　of　support　from　that　army　in　the　event　of　hostilities
commencing　beyond　the　mountains。　　It　was　at　this　period　that　their
intimacy　began。　　Bonaparte　conceived　for　Desaix　the　greatest　esteem　and
the　sincerest　friendship。

　　　　　＇Desaix　discontented　with　the　conduct　of　affairs　in　Germany；
　　　　　seceded　from　the　army　of　the　Rhine；　to　which　he　belonged；　to　join
　　　　　that　of　Napoleon。　　He　was　sent　to　Italy　to　organise　the　part　of　the
　　　　　Egyptian　expedition　starting　from　Civita　Vecchia。　　He　took　with　him
　　　　　his　two　aides　de　camp；　Rapp　and　Savary　（later　Duc　de　Rovigo）；　both
　　　　　of　whom；　on　his　death；　were　given　the　same　post　with　Bonaparte。＇

When　Desaix　was　named　temporary　commander　of　the　force　called　the　army　of
England；　during　the　absence　of　General　Bonaparte；　the　latter　wrote　to　the
Directory　that　they　could　not　have　chosen　a　more　distinguished　officer
than　Desaix；　these　sentiments　he　never　belied。　　The　early　death　of　Desaix
alone　could　break　their　union；　which；　I　doubt　not；　would　eventually　have
had　great　influence　on　the　political　and　military　career　of　General
Bonaparte。

All　the　world　knows　the　part　which　the　General…in…Chief　of　the　army　of
Italy　took　at　the　famous　crisis　of　the　18th　Fructidor；　his　proclamation；
his　addresses　to　the　army；　and　his　celebrated　order　of　the　day。
Bonaparte　went　much　into　detail　on　this　subject　at　St。　Helena；　and　I
shall　now　proceed　to　state　what　I　knew　at　the　time　respecting　that
memorable　event；　which　was　in　preparation　in　the　month　of　June。




CHAPTER　VIII。

1797。

　　　　　The　royalists　of　the　interiorBonaparte's　intention　of　marching　on
　　　　　Paris　with　25；000　menHis　animosity　against　the　emigrants　and　the
　　　　　Clichy　ClubHis　choice　between　the　two　parties　of　the　Directory
　　　　　Augereau's　order　of　the　day　against　the　word　'Monsieur'Bonaparte
　　　　　wishes　to　be　made　one　of　the　five　DirectorsHe　supports　the
　　　　　majority　of　the　DirectoryLa　Vallette；　Augereau；　and　Bernadotte
　　　　　sent　to　ParisInteresting　correspondence　relative　to　the　18th
　　　　　Fructidor。

Bonaparte　had　long　observed　the　struggle　which　was　going　on　between　the
partisans　of　royalty　and　the　Republic。　　He　was　told　that　royalism　was
everywhere　on　the　increase。　　All　the　generals　who　returned　from　Paris　to
the　army　complained　of　the　spirit　of　reaction　they　had　noticed。
Bonaparte　was　constantly　urged　by　his　private　correspondents　to　take　one
side　or　the　other；　or　to　act　for　himself。　　He　was　irritated　by　the
audacity　of　the　enemies　of　the　Republic；　and　he　saw　plainly　that　the
majority　of　the　councils　had　an　evident　ill…will　towards　him。　　The
orators　of　the　Club　of　Clichy　missed　no　opportunity　of　wounding　his　self…
love　in　speeches　and　pamphlets。　　They　spared　no　insults；　disparaged　his
success；　and　bitterly　censured　his　conduct　in　Italy；　particularly　with
respect　to　Venice。　　Thus　his　services　were　recompensed　by　hatred　or
ingratitude。　　About　this　time　he　received　a　pamphlet；　which　referred　to
the　judgments　pronounced　upon　him　by　the　German　journals；　and　more
particularly　by　the　Spectator　of　the　North；　which　he　always　made　me
translate。

Bonaparte　was　touched　to　the　quick　by　the　comparison　make　between　him　and
Moreau；　and　by　the　wish　to　represent　him　as　foolhardy　（〃savants　sous
Moreau；　fougueuse　sous　Buonaparte〃）。　　In　the　term　of　〃brigands；〃　applied
to　the　generals　who　fought　in　La　Vendee；　he　thought　he　recognized　the
hand　of　the　party　he　was　about　to　attack　and　overthrow。　　He　was　tired　of
the　way　in　which　Moreau's　system　of　war　was　called　〃savants。〃　　But　what
grieved　him　still　more　was　to　see　sitting　in　the　councils　of　the　nation
Frenchmen　who　were　detractors　and　enemies　of　the　national　glory。

He　urged　the　Directory　to　arrest　the　emigrants；　to　destroy　the　influence
of　foreigners；　to　recall　the　armies；　to　suppress　the　journals　sold　to
England；　such　as　the　'Quotidienne'；　the　'Memorial'；　and　the　'The'；　which
he　accused　of　being　more　sanguinary　than　Marat　ever　was。　　In　case　of
there　being　no　means　of　putting　a　stop　to　assassinations　and　the
influence　of　Louis　XVIII。；　he　offered　to　resign。

His　resolution　of　passing　the　Alps　with　25；000　men　and　marching　by　Lyons
and　Paris　was　known　in　the　capital；　and　discussions　arose　respecting　the
consequences　of　this　passage　of　another　Rubicon。　　On　the　17th　of　August
1797　Carnot　wrote　to　him：　〃People　attribute　to　you　a　thousand　absurd
projects。　　They　cannot　believe　that　a　man　who　has　performed　so　many　great
exploits　can　be　content　to　live　as　a　private　citizen。〃　　This　observation
applied　to　Bonaparte's　reiterated　request　to　be　permitted　to　retire　from
the　service　on　account　of　the　state　of　his　health；　which；　he　said；
disabled　him　from　mounting　his　horse；　and　to　the　need　which　he　constantly
urged　of　having　two　years'　rest。

The　General…in…Chief　was　justly　of　opinion　that　the　tardiness　of　the
negotiations　and　the　difficulties　which　incessantly　arose　were　founded　on
the　expectation　of　an　event　which　would　change　the　government　of　France；
and　render　the　chances　of　peace　more　favourable　to　Austria。　　He　still
urgently　recommended　the　arrest　of　the　emigrants；　the　stopping　of　the
presses　of　the　royalist　journals；　which　he　said　were　sold　to　England　and
Austria；　the　suppression　of　the　Clichy　Club。　　This　club　was　held　at　the
residence　of　Gerard　Desodieres；　in　the　Rue　de　Clichy。　　Aubry；　was　one　of
its　warmest　partisans；　and　he　was　the　avowed　enemy　of　the　revolutionary
cause　which　Bonaparte　advocated　at　this　period。　　Aubry's　conduct　at　this
time；　together　with　the　part　he　had　taken　in　provoking　Bonaparte's
dismissal　in　1795；　inspired　the　General　with　an　implacable　hatred　of　him。

Bonaparte　despised　the　Directory；　which　he　accused　of　weakness；
indecision；　pusillanimity；　wasteful　expenditure；　of　many　errors；　and
perseverance　in　a　system　degrading　to　the　national　glory。

　　　　　＇The　Directory　merited　those　accusations。　　The　following　sketches
　　　　　of　two　of　their　official　sittings　present　a　singular　contrast：

　　　　　At　the　time　that　the　Directory　were　first　installed　in　the
　　　　　Luxembourg　（27th　October　1795）。〃　　says　M。　Baileul；　〃there　was　hardly
　　　　　a　single　article　of　furniture　in　it。　　In　a　small　room；　round　a
　　　　　little　broken　table；　one　of　the　legs　of　which　had　given　way　from
　　　　　age；　on　which　table　they　had　deposited　a　quire　of　letter…paper；　and
　　　　　a　writing　desk　'a　calamet'；　which　luckily　they　had　had　the
　　　　　precaution　to　bring　with　them　from　the　Committee　of　Public　safety；
　　　　　seated　on　four　rush…bottomed　chairs；　in　front　of　some　logs　of　wood
　　　　　ill…lighted；　the　whole　borrowed　from　the　porter　Dupont；　who　would
　　　　　believe　that　it　was　in　this　deplorable　condition　that　the　member's
　　　　　of　the　new　Government；　after　having　examined　all　the　difficulties；
　　　　　nay；　let　me　add；　all　the　horrors　of　their　situation；　resolved　to
　　　　　confront　all　obstacles；　and　that　they　would　either　deliver　France
　　　　　from　the　abyss　in　which　she　was　plunged　or　perish　in　the　attempt？
　　　　　They　drew　up　on　a　sheet　of　letter…paper　the　act　by　which　they
　　　　　declared　themselves　constituted；　and　immediately　forwarded　it　to　the
　　　　　Legislative　Bodies。〃

　　　　　And　the　Comte　de　La　Vallette；　writing　to　M。　Cuvillier　Fleury；　says：
　　　　　〃I　saw　our　five　kings；　dressed　in　the　robes　of　Francis　I。；　his　hat；
　　　　　his