memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-第8部分

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　　　　　they　represented　to　me　that　it　was　time　at　last　to　give　a　lesson　to
　　　　　those　who　had　been　day　after　day　conspiring　against　my　life；　that
　　　　　this　end　could　only　be　attained　by　shedding　the　blood　of　one　of
　　　　　them；　and　that　the　Due　d'Enghien；　who　might　now　be　convicted　of
　　　　　forming　part　of　this　new　conspiracy；　and　taken　in　the　very　act；
　　　　　should　be　that　one。　　It　was　added　that　he　had　been　seen　at
　　　　　Strasburg；　that　it　was　even　believed　that　he　had　been　in　Paris；　and
　　　　　that　the　plan　was　that　he　should　enter　France　by　the　east　at　the
　　　　　moment　of　the　explosion；　whilst　the　Due　de　Berri　was　disembarking　in
　　　　　the　west。　　I　should　tell　you；〃　observed　the　Emperor；　〃that　I　did　not
　　　　　even　know　precisely　who　the　Due　d'Enghien　was　（the　Revolution　having
　　　　　taken　place　when　I　was　yet　a　very　young　man；　and　I　having　never　been
　　　　　at　Court）；　and　that　I　was　quite　in　the　dark　as　to　where　he　was　at
　　　　　that　moment。　　Having　been　informed　on　those　points　I　exclaimed　that
　　　　　if　such　were　the　case　the　Duke　ought　to　be　arrested；　and　that　orders
　　　　　should　be　given　to　that　effect。　　Everything　had　been　foreseen　and
　　　　　prepared；　the　different　orders　were　already　drawn　up；　nothing
　　　　　remained　to　be　done　but　to　sign　them；　and　the　fate　of　the　young
　　　　　Prince　was　thus　decided。〃

Napoleon　next　asserts　that　in　the　Duke's　arrest　and　condemnation　all　the
usual　forms　were　strictly　observed。　　But　he　has　also　declared　that　the
death　of　that　unfortunate　Prince　will　be　an　eternal　reproach　to　those
who；　carried　away　by　a　criminal　zeal；　waited　not　for　their　Sovereign's
orders　to　execute　the　sentence　of　the　court…martial。　　He　would；　perhaps；
have　allowed　the　Prince　to　live；　but　yet　he　said；　〃It　is　true　I　wished　to
make　an　example　which　should　deter。〃

It　has　been　said　that　the　Due　d'Enghien　addressed　a　letter　to　Napoleon；
which　was　not　delivered　till　after　the　execution。　　This　is　false　and
absurd！　　How　could　that　Prince　write　to　Bonaparte　to　offer　him　his
services　and　to　solicit　the　command　of　an　army？　　His　interrogatory　makes
no　mention　of　this　letter；　and　is　in　direct　opposition　to　the　sentiments
which　that　letter　would　attribute　to　him。　　The　truth　is；　no　such　letter
ever　existed。　　The　individual　who　was　with　the　Prince　declared　he　never
wrote　it。　　It　will　never　be　believed　that　any　one　would　have　presumed　to
withhold　from　Bonaparte　a　letter　on　which　depended　the　fate　of　so　august
a　victim。

In　his　declarations　to　his　companions　in　exile　Napoleon　endeavoured
either　to　free　himself　of　this　crime　or　to　justify　it。　　His　fear　or　his
susceptibility　was　such；　that　in　discoursing　with　strangers　he　merely
said；　that　had　he　known　of　the　Prince's　letter；　which　was　not　delivered
to　him。God　knows　why！until　after　he　had　breathed　his　last；　he　would
have　pardoned　him。　　But　at　a　subsequent　date　he　traced；　with　his　own
hand；　his　last　thoughts；　which　he　supposed　would　be　consecrated　in　the
minds　of　his　contemporaries；　and　of　posterity。　　Napoleon；　touching　on　the
subject　which　he　felt　would　be　one　of　the　most　important　attached　to　his
memory；　said　that　if　the　thing　were　to　do　again　he　would　act　as　he　then
did。　　How　does　this　declaration　tally　with　his　avowal；　that　if　he　had
received　the　Prince's　letter　he　should　have　lived？　　This　is
irreconcilable。　　But　if　we　compare　all　that　Napoleon　said　at　St。　Helena；
and　which　has　been　transmitted　to　us　by　his　faithful　followers；　if　we
consider　his　contradictions　when　speaking　of　the　Due　d'Enghien's　death　to
strangers；　to　his　friends；　to　the　public；　or　to　posterity；　the　question
ceases　to　be　doubtful　Bonaparte　wished　to　strike　a　blow　which　would
terrify　his　enemies。　　Fancying　that　the　Duc　de　Berri　was　ready　to　land　in
France；　he　despatched　his　aide　de　camp　Savary；　in　disguise；　attended　by
gendarmes；　to　watch　the　Duke's　landing　at　Biville；　near　Dieppe。　　This
turned　out　a　fruitless　mission。　　The　Duke　was　warned　in　time　not　to
attempt　the　useless　and　dangerous　enterprise；　and　Bonaparte；　enraged　to
see　one　prey　escape　him；　pounced　upon　another。　　It　is　well　known　that
Bonaparte　often；　and　in　the　presence　even　of　persons　whom　he　conceived　to
have　maintained　relations　with　the　partisans　of　the　Bourbons　at　Paris；
expressed　himself　thus：　〃I　will　put　an　end　to　these　conspiracies。　　If　any
of　the　emigrants　conspire　they　shall　be　shot。　　I　have　been　told　that
Cobentzel　harbours　some　of　them。　　I　do　not　believe　this；　but　if　it　be
true；　Cobentzel　shall　be　arrested　and　shot　along　with　them。　　I　will　let
the　Bourbons　know　I　am　not　to　be　trifled　with。〃　　The　above　statement　of
facts　accounts　for　the　suppositions　respecting　the　probable　influence　of
the　Jacobins　in　this　affair。　　It　has　been　said；　not　without　some
appearance　of　reason；　that　to　get　the　Jacobins　to　help　him　to　ascend　the
throne　Bonaparte　consented　to　sacrifice　a　victim　of　the　blood　royal；　as
the　only　pledge　capable　of　ensuring　them　against　the　return　of　the
proscribed　family。　　Be　this　as　it　may；　there　are　no　possible　means　of
relieving　Bonaparte　from　his　share　of　guilt　in　the　death　of　the　Due
d'Enghien。

To　the　above　facts；　which　came　within　my　own　knowledge；　I　may　add　the
following　curious　story；　which　was　related　to　me　by　an　individual　who
himself　heard　it　from　the　secretary　of　General　Davoust。

Davoust　was　commanding　a　division　in　the　camp　of　Boulogne；　and　his
secretary　when　proceeding　thither　to　join　him　met　in　the　diligence　a　man
who　seemed　to　be　absorbed　in　affliction。　　This　man　during　the　whole
journey　never　once　broke　silence　but　by　some　deep　sighs；　which　he　had　not
power　to　repress。　　General　Davoust's　secretary　observed　him　with
curiosity　and　interest；　but　did　not　venture　to　intrude　upon　his　grief　by
any　conversation。　　The　concourse　of　travellers　from　Paris　to　the　camp
was；　however；　at　that　time　very　great；　and　the　inn　at　which　the　diligence
stopped　in　the　evening　was　so　crowded　that　it　was　impossible　to　assign　a
chamber　to　each　traveller。　　Two；　therefore；　were　put　into　one　room；　and
it　so　happened　that　the　secretary　was　lodged　with　his　mysterious
travelling　companion。

When　they　were　alone　he　addressed　him　in　a　torso　of　interest　which
banished　all　appearance　of　intrusion。　　He　inquired　whether　the　cause　of
his　grief　was　of　a　nature　to　admit　of　any　alleviation；　and　offered　to
render　him　any　assistance　in　his　power。　　〃Sir；〃　replied　the　stranger；
〃I　am　much　obliged　for　the　sympathy　you　express　for　meI　want　nothing。
There　is　no　possible　consolation　for　me。　　My　affliction　can　end　only　with
my　life。　　You　shall　judge　for　yourself；　for　the　interest　you　seem　to　take
in　my　misfortune　fully　justifies　my　confidence。　　I　was　quartermaster　in
the　select　gendarmerie；　and　formed　part　of　a　detachment　which　was　ordered
to　Vincennes。　　I　passed　the　night　there　under　arms；　and　at　daybreak　was
ordered　down　to　the　moat　with　six　men。　　An　execution　was　to　take　place。
The　prisoner　was　brought　out；　and　I　gave　the　word　to　fire。　　The　man　fell；
and　after　the　execution　I　learned　that　we　had　shot　the　Due　d'Enghien。
Judge　of　my　horror！　　。　　。　　。　　I　knew　the　prisoner　only　by　the　name　of　the
brigand　of　La　Vendee！　。　　。　　。　　I　could　no　longer　remain　in　the　service
I　obtained　my　discharge；　and　am　about　to　retire　to　my　family。　　Would
that　I　had　done　so　sooner！〃　　The　above　has　been　related　to　me　and　other
persons　by　Davoust's　secretary；　whom　I　shall　not　name。




CHAPTER　XXIII。

1804。

　　　　　General　Ordener's　missionArrest　of　the　Due　d'EnghienHorrible
　　　　　night…scene…Harrel's　account　of　the　death　of　the　PrinceOrder　for
　　　　　digging　the　graveThe　foster…sister　of　the　Duo　d'EnghienReading
　　　　　the　　sentenceThe　lanternGeneral　SavaryThe　faithful　dog　and　the
　　　　　policeMy　visit　to　MalmaisonJosephine's　grief
　　　　　The　Duc　d'Enghien's　portrait　and　lock　of　hairSavary's　emotion
　　　　　M。　de　Chateaubriand's　resignationM。　de　Chatenubriand's　connection
　　　　　with　BonaparteMadame　Bacciocchi　and　M。　de　FontanesCardinal　Fesch
　　　　　Dedication　of　the　second　edition　of　the　'Genie　du　Christianisme'
　　　　　M。　de　Chateaubriand's　visit　to　the　First　Consul　on　the　morning　of
　　　　　the　Due　d'Enghien's　deathConsequences　of　the　Duo　d'Enghien's
　　　　　deathChange　of　opinion　in　the　provincesThe　Gentry　of　the
　　　　　ChateausEffect　of　the　Due　d'Enghien's　death　on　foreign　Courts
　　　　　Remarkable　words　of　Mr。　PittLouis　XVIII。　sends　back　the　insignia
　　　　　of　the　Golden　Fleece　to　the　King　of　Spain。

I　will　now　narrate　more　fully　the　sanguinary　scene　which　took　place　at
Vincennes。　　General　Ordener；　commanding　the　mounted　grenadiers　of　the
Guard；　received　orders　from　the　War　Minister　to　proceed　to　the　Rhine；　to
give　instructions　to　the　chiefs　of　the　gendarmerie　of　New　Brissac；　which
was　placed　at　his　disposal。　　General　Ordener　sent　a　detachment　of
gendarmerie　to　Ettenheim；　where　the　Due　d'Enghien　was　arrested　on　the
15th　of　March。　　He　was　immediately　conducted　to　the　citadel　of　Strasburg；
where　he　remained　till　the　18th；　to　give　time　for　the　arrival　of　orders
from　Paris。　　These　orders　were　given　rapidly；　and　executed　promptly；　for
the　carriage　which　conveyed　the　unfortunate　Prince　arrived　at　the　barrier
at　eleven　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　20th；　where　it　remained　for　five
hours；　and　afterwards　proceeded　by　the　exterior　boulevards　on　the　road　to
Vincennes；　where　it　arrived　at　night。　　Every　scene　of　this　horrible　drama
was　acted　under　the　veil　of　night：　the　sun　did　not　even　shine　upon　its
tragical　close。　　The　soldiers　received　orders　to　proceed　to　Vincennes　at
night。　　It　was　at　night　that　the　fatal　gates　of　the　fortress　were　closed
upon　the　Prince。　　At　night　the　Council　assembled　and　tried　him；　or　rather
condemned　him　without　trial。　　When　the　clock　struck　six　in　the　morning
the　orders　were　given　to　fire；　and　the　Prince　ceased　to　exist。

Here　a　reflection　occurs　to　me。　　Supposing　one　were　inclined　to　admit
that　the　Council　held　on　the　10th　of　March　had　some　connection　with　the
Due　d'Enghien's　arrest；　yet　as　no　Council　was　held　from　the　time　of　the
Duke's　arrival　at　the　barrier　to　the　moment　of　his　execution；　it　could
only　be　Bonaparte　himself　who　issued　the　orders　which　were　too　punctually
obeyed。　　When　the　dreadful　intelligence　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien's　death　was
spread　in　Paris　it　excited　a　feeling　of　cons