memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-第12部分

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his　negotiations　with　the　Prince　de　Conde　prior　to　the　18th　Fructidor。
However；　I　became　acquainted　with　a　trait　respecting　him　while　he　was　in
Paris　which　I　think　does　him　much　honour。　　A　son　of　M。　Lagrenee；　formerly
director　of　the　French　Academy　at　Rome；　had　been　one　of　Pichegru's　aides
de　camp。　　This　young　man；　though　he　had　obtained　the　rank　of　captain；
resigned　on　the　banishment　of　his　general；　and　resumed　the　pencil；　which
he　had　lad　aside　for　the　sword。　　Pichegru；　while　he　was　concealed　in
Paris；　visited　his　former　aide　de　camp；　who　insisted　upon　giving　him　an
asylum；　but　Pichegru　positively　refused　to　accept　M。　Lagrenee's　offer；
being　determined　not　to　commit　a　man　who　had　already　given　him　so　strong
a　proof　of　friendship。　　I　learned　this　fact　by　a　singular　coincidence。
At　this　period　Madame　de　Bourrienne　wished　to　have　a　portrait　of　one　of
our　children；　she　was　recommended　to　M。　Lagrenee；　and　he　related　the
circumstance　to　her。

It　was　on　the　night　of　the　22d　of　February　that　Pichegru　was　arrested　in
the　manner　I　have　described。　　The　deceitful　friend　who　gave　him　up　was
named　Le　Blanc；　and　he　went　to　settle　at　Hamburg　with　the　reward　of　his
treachery；　I　had　entirely　lost　sight　of　Pichegru　since　we　left　Brienne；
for　Pichegru　was　also　a　pupil　of　that　establishment；　but；　being　older
than　either　Bonaparte　or　I；　he　was　already　a　tutor　when　we　were　only
scholars；　and　I　very　well　recollect　that　it　was　he　who　examined　Bonaparte
in　the　four　first　rules　of　arithmetic。

Pichegru　belonged　to　an　agricultural　family　of　Franche…Comte。　　He　had　a
relation；　a　minim；'　in　that　country。　　The　minim；　who　had　the　charge　of
educating　the　pupils　of　the　Military　School　of　Brienne；　being　very　poor；
and　their　poverty　not　enabling　them　to　hold　out　much　inducement　to　other
persons　to　assist　them；　they　applied　to　the　minims　of　Franche…Comte。　　In
consequence　of　this　application　Pichegru's　relation；　and　some　other
minims；　repaired　to　Brienne。　　An　aunt　of　Pichegru；　who　was　a　sister　of
the　order　of　charity；　accompanied　them；　and　the　care　of　the　infirmary　was
entrusted　to　her。　　This　good　woman　took　her　nephew　to　Brienne　with　her；
and　he　was　educated　at　the　school　gratuitously。　　As　soon　as　his　age
permitted；　Pichegru　was　made　a　tutor；　but　all；　his　ambition　was　to　become
a　minim。　　He　was；　however；　dissuaded　from　that　pursuit　by　his　relation；
and　he　adopted　the　military　profession。　　There　is　this　further　remarkable
circumstance　in　the　youth　of　Pichegru；　that；　though　he　was　older　by
several　years　than　Bonaparte；　they　were　both　made　lieutenants　of
artillery　at　the　same　time。　　What　a　difference　in　their　destiny！　　While
the　one　was　preparing　to　ascend　a　throne　the　other　was　a　solitary
prisoner　in　the　dungeon　of　the　Temple。

I　had　no　motive　to　induce　me　to　visit　either　the　Temple　or　La　Force；　but
I　received　at　the　time　circumstantial　details　of　what　was　passing　in
those　prisons；　particularly　in　the　former；　I　went；　however；　frequently　to
St。　Pelagie；　where　M。　Carbonnet　was　confined。　　As　soon　as　I　knew　that　he
was　lodged　in　that　prison　I　set　about　getting　an　admission　from　Real；　who
smoothed　all　difficulties。　　M。　Carbonnet　was　detained　two　months　in
solitary　confinement。　　He　was　several　times　examined；　but　the
interrogatories　produced　no　result；　and；　notwithstanding　the　desire　to
implicate　him　in　consequence　of　the　known　intimacy　between　him　and
Moreau；　it　was　at　last　found　impossible　to　put　him　on　trial　with　the
other　parties　accused。

The　Temple　had　more　terrors　than　St。　Pelagie；　but　not　for　the　prisoners
who　were　committed　to　it；　for　none　of　those　illustrious　victims　of　police
machination　displayed　any　weakness；　with　the　exception　of　Bouvet　de
Lozier；　who；　being　sensible　of　his　weakness；　wished　to　prevent　its
consequences　by　death。　　The　public；　however；　kept　their　attention　riveted
on　the　prison　in　which　Moreau　was　confined。　　I　have　already　mentioned
that　Pichegru　was　conveyed　thither　on　the　night　of　the　22d　of　February；　a
fortnight　later　Georges　was　arrested；　and　committed　to　the　same　prison。

Either　Real　or　Desmarets；　and　sometimes　both　together；　repaired　to　the
Temple　to　examine　the　prisoners。　　In　vain　the　police　endeavoured　to
direct　public　odium　against　the　prisoners　by　placarding　lists　of　their
names　through　the　whole　of　Paris；　even　before　they　were　arrested。　　In
those　lists　they　were　styled　〃brigands；〃　and　at　the　head　of　〃the
brigands；〃　the　name　of　General　Moreau　shone　conspicuously。　　An　absurdity
without　a　parallel。　　The　effect　produced　was　totally　opposite　to　that
calculated　on；　for；　as　no　person　could　connect　the　idea　of　a　brigand　with
that　of　a　general　who　was　the　object　of　public　esteem；　it　was　naturally
concluded　that　those　whose　names　were　placarded　along　with　his　were　no
more　brigands　than　he。

Public　opinion　was　decidedly　in　favour　of　Moreau；　and　every　one　was
indignant　at　seeing　him　described　as　a　brigand。　　Far　from　believing　him
guilty；　he　was　regarded　as　a　victim　fastened　on　because　his　reputation
embarrassed　Bonaparte；　for　Moreau　had　always　been　looked　up　to　as　capable
of　opposing　the　accomplishment　of　the　First　Consul's　ambitious　views。
The　whole　crime　of　Moreau　was　his　having　numerous　partisans　among　those
who　still　clung　to　the　phantom　of　the　Republic；　and　that　crime　was
unpardonable　in　the　eyes　of　the　First　Consul；　who　for　two　years　had　ruled
the　destinies　of　France　as　sovereign　master。　　What　means　were　not
employed　to　mislead　the　opinion　of　the　public　respecting　Moreau？　　The
police　published　pamphlets　of　all　sorts；　and　the　Comte　de　Montgaillard
was　brought　from　Lyons　to　draw　up　a　libel　implicating　him　with　Pichegru
and　the　exiled　Princes。　　But　nothing　that　was　done　produced　the　effect
proposed。

The　weak　character　of　Moreau　is　known。　　In　fact；　he　allowed　himself　to　be
circumvented　by　a　few　intriguers；　who　endeavoured　to　derive　advantage
from　the　influence　of　his　name。　　But　he　was　so　decidedly　opposed　to　the
reestablishment　of　the　ancient　system　that　he　replied　to　one　of　the
agents　who　addressed'　him；　〃I　cannot　put　myself　at　the　head　of　any
movement　for　the　Bourbons；　and　such　an　attempt　would　not　succeed。　　If
Pichegru　act　on　another　principleand　even　in　that　case　I　have　told　him
that　the　Consuls　and　the　Governor　of　Paris　must　disappearI　believe　that
I　have　a　party　strong　enough　in　the　Senate　to　obtain　possession　of
authority；　and　I　will　immediately　make　use　of　it　to　protect　his　friends；
public　opinion　will　then　dictate　what　may　be　fit　to　be　done；　but　I　will
promise　nothing　in　writing。〃　　Admitting　these　words　attributed　to　Moreau
to　be　true；　they　prove　that　he　was　dissatisfied　with　the　Consular
Government；　and　that　he　wished　a　change；　but　there　is　a　great　difference
between　a　conditional　wish　and　a　conspiracy。

The　commander　of　the　principal　guard　of　the　Temple　was　General　Savory；
and　he　had　reinforced　that　guard　by　his　select　gendarmerie。　　The
prisoners　did　not　dare　to　communicate　one　with　another　for　fear　of　mutual
injury；　but　all　evinced　a　courage　which　created　no　little　alarm　as　to　the
consequences　of　the　trial。　　Neither　offers　nor　threats　produced　any
confessions　in　the　course　of　the　interrogatories。　　Pichegru；　in
particular；　displayed　an　extraordinary　firmness；　and　Real　one　day；　on
leaving　the　chamber　where　he　had　been　examining　him；　said　aloud　in　the
presence　of　several　persons；　〃What　a　man　that　Pichegru　is！〃

Forty　days　elapsed　after　the　arrest　of　General　Pichegru　when；　on　the
morning　of　the　6th　of　April；　he　was　found　dead　in　the　chamber　he　occupied
in　the　Temple。　　Pichegru　had　undergone　ten　examinations；　but　he　had　made
no　confessions；　and　no　person　was　committed　by　his　replies。

All　his　declarations；　however；　gave　reason　to　believe　that　he　would　speak
out；　and　that　too　in　a　lofty　and　energetic　manner　during　the　progress　of
the　trial。　　〃When　I　am　before　my　judges；〃　said　he；　〃my　language　shall　be
conformable　to　truth　and　the　interests　of　my　country。〃　　What　would　that
language　have　been？　　Without　doubt　there　was　no　wish　that　it　should　be
heard。　　Pichegru　would　have　kept　his　promise；　for　he　was　distinguished
for　his　firmness　of　character　above　everything；　even　above　his　qualities
as　a　soldier；　differing　in　this　respect　from　Moreau；　who　allowed　himself
to　be　guided　by　his　wife　and　mother…in…law；　both　of　whom　displayed
ridiculous　pretensions　in　their　visits　to　Madame　Bonaparte。

The　day　on　which　Real　spoke　before　several　persons　of　Pichegru　in　the　way
I　have　related　was　the　day　of　his　last　examination。　　I　afterwards
learned；　from　a　source　on　which　I　can　rely；　that　during　his　examination
Pichegru；　though　careful　to　say　nothing　which　could　affect　the　other
prisoners；　showed　no　disposition　to　be　tender　of　him　who　had　sought　and
resolved　his　death；　but　evinced　a　firm　resolution　to　unveil　before　the
public　the　odious　machinery　of　the　plot　into　which　the　police　had　drawn
him。　　He　also　declared　that　he　and　his　companions　had　no　longer　any
object　but　to　consider　of　the　means　of　leaving　Paris；　with　the　view　of
escaping　from　the　snares　laid　for　them　when　their　arrest　took　place。
He　declared　that　they　had　all　of　them　given　up　the　idea　of　overturning
the　power　of　Bonaparte；　a　scheme　into　which　they　had　been　enticed　by
shameful　intrigues。　　I　am　convinced　the　dread　excited　by　his
manifestation　of　a　resolution　to　speak　out　with　the　most　rigid　candour
hastened　the　death　of　Pichegru。　　M。　Real；　who　is　still　living；　knows
better　than　any　one　else　what　were　Pichegru's　declarations；　as　he
interrogated　him。　　I　know　not　whether　that　gentleman　will　think　fit；
either　at　the　present　or　some　future　period；　to　raise　the　veil　of　mystery
which　hangs　over　these　events；　but　of　this　I　am　sure；　he　will　be　unable
to　deny　anything　I　advance。　　There　is　evidence　almost　amounting　to
demonstration　that　Pichegru　was　strangled　in　prison；　and　consequently　all
idea　of　suicide　must　be　rejected　as　inadmissible。　　Have　I　positive　and
substantive　proof　of　what　I　assert？　　I　have　not；　but　the　concurrence　of
facts　and　the　weight　of　probabilities　do　not　leave　me　in　possession　of
the　doubts　I　should　wish　to　entertain　on　that　tragic　event。　　Besides；
there　exists　a　certain　popular　instinct；　which　is　rarely　at　fault；　and　it
must　be　in　the　recollecti