memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-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！


society；　possessing　great　influence；　and　constituted　entirely　of　persons
usually　called　the　〃Gentry　of　the　Chateaux；〃　who　may　be　said　to　form　the
provincial　Faubourg　St。　Germain；　and　who　were　overwhelmed　by　the　news。
The　opinion　of　the　Gentry　of　the　Chateaux　was　not　hitherto　unfavourable
to　the　First　Consul；　for　the　law　of　hostages　which　he　repealed　had　been
felt　very　severely　by　them。　　With　the　exception　of　some　families
accustomed　to　consider　themselves；　in　relation　to　the　whole　world；　what
they　were　only　within　the　circle　of　a　couple　of　leagues；　that　is　to　say；
illustrious　personages；　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　provinces；　though　they
might　retain　some　attachment　to　the　ancient　order　of　things；　had　viewed
with　satisfaction　the　substitution　of　the　Consular　for　the　Directorial
government；　and　entertained　no　personal　dislike　to　the　First　Consul。
Among　the　Chateaux；　more　than　anywhere　else；　it　had　always　been　the
custom　to　cherish　Utopian　ideas　respecting　the　management　of　public
affairs；　and　to　criticise　the　acts　of　the　Government。　　It　is　well　known
that　at　this　time　there　was　not　in　all　France　a　single　old　mansion
surmounted　by　its　two　weathercocks　which　had　not　a　systems　of　policy
peculiar　to　itself；　and　in　which　the　question　whether　the　First　Consul
would　play　the　part　of　Cromwell　or　Monk　was　not　frequently　canvassed。
In　those　innocent　controversies　the　little　news　which　the　Paris　papers
were　allowed　to　publish　was　freely　discussed；　and　a　confidential　letter
from　Paris　sometimes　furnished　food　for　the　conversation　of　a　whole　week。

While　I　was　with　Bonaparte　he　often　talked　to　me　about　the　life　in　the
Chateaux；　which　he　considered　as　the　happiest　for　men　with　sufficient
income　and　exempt　from　ambition。　　He　knew　and　could　appreciate　this　sort
of　life；　for　he　often　told　me　the　period　of　his　life　which　he　remembered。
with　the　greatest　pleasure　was　that　which　he　had　passed　in　a　Chateau　of
the　family　of　Boulat　du　Colombier　near　Valence。　　Bonaparte　set　great
value　on　the　opinion　of　the　Chateaux；　because　while　living　in　the　country
he　had　observed　the　moral　influence　which　their　inhabitants　exercise　over
their　neighbourhood。　　He　had　succeeded　to　a　great　degree　in　conciliating
them；　but　the　news　of　the　death　of　the　Due　d'Enghien　alienated　from　him
minds　which　were　still　wavering；　and　even　those　which　had　already
declared　in　his　favour。　　That　act　of　tyranny　dissolved　the　charm　which
had　created　hope　from　his　government　and　awakened　affections　which　had　as
yet　only　slumbered。　　Those　to　whom　this　event　was　almost　indifferent　also
joined　in　condemning　it；　for　there　are　certain　aristocratic　ideas　which
are　always　fashionable　in　a　certain　class　of　society。　　Thus　for　different
causes　this　atrocity　gave　a　retrograde　direction　to　public　opinion；　which
had　previously　been　favourably　disposed　to　Bonaparte　throughout　the　whole
of　France。

The　consequences　were　not　less　important；　and　might　have　been　disastrous
with　respect　to　foreign　Courts。　　I　learned；　through　a　channel　which　does
not　permit　me　to　entertain　any　doubt　of　the　correctness　of　my
information；　that　as　soon　as　the　Emperor　Alexander　received　the　news　it
became　clear　that　England　might　conceive　a　well…founded　hope　of　forming　a
new　coalition　against　France。　　Alexander　openly　expressed　his
indignation。　　I　also　learned　with　equal　certainty　that　when　Mr。　Pitt　was
informed　of　the　death　of　the　French　Prince　he　said；　〃Bonaparte　has　now
done　himself　more　mischief　than　we　have　done　him　since　the　last
declaration　of　war。〃

　　　　　＇The　remark　made　on　this　murder　by　the　astute　cold…blooded　Fouche
　　　　　is　well　known。　　He　said；　〃It　was　worse　than　a　crimeit　was　a
　　　　　blunder！〃Editor　of　1836　Edition。＇

Pitt　was　not　the　man　to　feel　much　concern　for　the　death　of　any　one；　but
he　understood　and　seized　all　the　advantages　afforded　to　him　by　this　great
error　of　policy　committed　by　the　most　formidable　enemy　of　England。　　In
all　the　Treasury　journals　published　in　London　Bonaparte　was　never　spoken
of　under　any　other　name　than　that　of　the　〃assassin　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien。〃
The　inert　policy　of　the　Cabinet　of　Vienna　prevented　the　manifestation　of
its　displeasure　by　remonstrances；　or　by　any　outward　act。　　At　Berlin；　in
consequence　of　the　neighbourhood　of　the　French　troops　in　Hanover；　the
commiseration　for　the　death　of　the　Due　d'Enghien　was　also　confined　to　the
King's　cabinet；　and　more　particularly　to　the　salons　of　the　Queen　of
Prussia；　but　it　is　certain　that　that　transaction　almost　everywhere
changed　the　disposition　of　sovereigns　towards　the　First　Consul；　and　that
if　it　did　not　cause；　it　at　least　hastened　the　success　of　the　negotiations
which　England　was　secretly　carrying　on　with　Austria　and　Prussia。　　Every
Prince　of　Germany　was　offended　by　the　violation　of　the　Grand　Duke　of
Baden's　territory；　and　the　death　of　a　Prince　could　not　fail　everywhere　to
irritate　that　kind　of　sympathy　of　blood　and　of　race　which　had　hitherto
always　influenced　the　crowned　heads　and　sovereign　families　of　Europe；　for
it　was　felt　as　an　injury　to　all　of　them。

When　Louis　XVIII。　learned　the　death　of　the　Due　d'Enghien　he　wrote　to　the
King　of　Spain；　returning　him　the　insignia　of　the　Order　of　the　Golden
Fleece　（which　had　also　been　conferred　on　Bonaparte）；　with　the
accompanying　letter：

　　　　　SIRE；　MONSIEUR；　AND　DEAR　COUSINIt　is　with　regret　that　I　send　back
　　　　　to　you　the　insignia　of　the　Order　of　the　Golden　Fleece　which　his
　　　　　Majesty；　your　father；　of　glorious　memory　conferred　upon　me。　　There
　　　　　can　be　nothing　in　common　between　me　and　the　great　criminal　whom
　　　　　audacity　and　fortune　have　placed　on　my　throne；　since　he　has　had　the
　　　　　barbarity　to　stain　himself　with　the　blood　of　a　Bourbon；　the　Duc
　　　　　d'Enghien。

　　　　　Religion　might　make　me　pardon　an　assassin；　but　the　tyrant　of　my
　　　　　people　must　always　be　my　enemy。

　　　　　In　the　present　age　it　is　more　glorious　to　merit　a　sceptre　than　to
　　　　　possess　one。

　　　　　Providence；　for　incomprehensible　reasons；　may　condemn　me　to　end　my
　　　　　days　in　exile；　but　neither　my　contemporaries　nor　posterity　shall
　　　　　ever　have　to　say；　that　in　the　period　of　adversity　I　showed　my　self
　　　　　unworthy　of　occupying　the　throne　of　my　ancestors。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LOUIS

The　death　of　the　Due　d'Enghien　was　a　horrible　episode　in　the　proceedings
of　the　great　trial　which　was　then　preparing；　and　which　was　speedily
followed　by　the　accession　of　Bonaparte　to　the　Imperial　dignity。　　It　was
not　one　of　the　least　remarkable　anomalies　of　the　epoch　to　see　the
judgment　by　which　criminal　enterprises　against　the　Republic　were
condemned　pronounced　in　the　name　of　the　Emperor　who　had　so　evidently
destroyed　that　Republic。　　This　anomaly　certainly　was　not　removed　by　the
subtlety；　by　the　aid　of　which　he　at　first　declared　himself　Emperor　of　the
Republic；　as　a　preliminary　to　his　proclaiming　himself　Emperor　of　the
French。　　Setting　aside　the　means；　it　must　be　acknowledged　that　it　is
impossible　not　to　admire　the　genius　of　Bonaparte；　his　tenacity　in
advancing　towards　his　object；　and　that　adroit　employment　of　suppleness
and　audacity　which　made　him　sometimes　dare　fortune；　sometimes　avoid
difficulties　which　he　found　insurmountable；　to　arrive；　not　merely　at　the
throne　of　Louis　XVI。；　but　at　the　reconstructed　throne　of　Charlemagne。




CHAPTER　XXIV。

1804。

　　　　　Pichegru　betrayedHis　arrestHis　conduct　to　his　old　aide　de　camp
　　　　　Account　of　Pichegru's　family；　and　his　education　at　Brienne
　　　　　Permission　to　visit　M。　CarbonnetThe　prisoners　in　the　Temple
　　　　　Absurd　application　of　the　word　〃brigand〃Moreau　and　the　state　of
　　　　　public　opinion　respecting　himPichegru's　firmnessPichegru
　　　　　strangled　in　prisonPublic　opinion　at　the　timeReport　on　the　death
　　　　　of　Pichegru。

I　shall　now　proceed　to　relate　what　I　knew　at　the　time　and　what　I　have
since　learnt　of　the　different　phases　of　the　trial　of　Georges；　Pichegru；
Moreau　and　the　other　persons　accused　of　conspiracy；a　trial　to　all　the
proceedings　of　which　I　closely　attended。　　From　those　proceedings　I　was
convinced　that　Moreau　was　no　conspirator；　but　at　the　same　time　I　must
confess　that　it　is　very　probable　the　First　Consul　might　believe　that　he
had　been　engaged　in　the　plot；　and　I　am　also　of　opinion　that　the　real
conspirators　believed　Moreau　to　be　their　accomplice　and　their　chief；　for
the　object　of　the　machinations　of　the　police　agents　was　to　create　a
foundation　for　such　a　belief；　it　being　important　to　the　success　of　their
scheme。

It　has　been　stated　that　Moreau　was　arrested　on　the　day　after　the
confessions　made　by　Bouvet　de　Lozier；　Pichegru　was　taken　by　means　of　the
most　infamous　treachery　that　a　man　can　be　guilty　of。　　The　official　police
had　at　last　ascertained　that　he　was　in　Paris；　but　they　could　not　learn
the　place　of　his　concealment。　　The　police　agents　had　in　vain　exerted　all
their　efforts　to　discover　him；　when　an　old　friend；　who　had　given　him　his
last　asylum；　offered　to　deliver　him　up　for　100；000　crowns。　　This　infamous
fellow　gave　an　enact　description　of　the　chamber　which　Pichegru　occupied
in　the　Rue　de　Chabanais；　and　in　consequence　of　his　information　Comminges；
commissary　of　police；　proceeded　thither；　accompanied　by　some　determined
men。　　Precautions　were　necessary；　because　it　was　known　that　Pichegru　was
a　man　of　prodigious　bodily　strength；　and　that　besides；　as　he　possessed
the　means　of　defence；　he　would　not　allow　himself　to　be　taken　without
making　a　desperate　resistance。　　The　police　entered　his　chamber　by　using
false　keys；　which　the　man　who　had　sold　him　had　the　baseness　to　get　made
for　them。　　A　light　was　burning　on　his　night　table。　　The　party　of　police；
directed　by　Comminges；　overturned　the　table；　extinguished　the　light；　and
threw　themselves　on　the　general；　who　struggled　with　all　his　strength；　and
cried　out　loudly。　　They　were　obliged　to　bind　him；　and　in　this　state　the
conqueror　of　Holland　was　removed　to　the　Temple；　out　of　which　he　was
destined　never　to　come　alive。

It　must　be　owned　that　Pichegru　was　far　from　exciting　the　same　interest　as
Moreau。　　The　public；　and　more　especially　the　army；　never　pardoned　him　for
his　negotiations　with　the　Prince　de　Conde　prior　to　the　18th　Fructidor。
However；　I　became　acquainted　with　a　trait　res