memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-第9部分

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obeyed。　　When　the　dreadful　intelligence　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien's　death　was
spread　in　Paris　it　excited　a　feeling　of　consternation　which　recalled　the
recollection　of　the　Reign　of　Terror。　　Could　Bonaparte　have　seen　the　gloom
which　pervaded　Paris；　and　compared　it　with　the　joy　which　prevailed　on　the
day　when　he　returned　victorious　from　the　field　of　Marengo；　he　would　have
felt　that　he　had　tarnished　his　glory　by　a　stain　which　could　never　be
effaced。

About　half…past　twelve　on　the　22d　of　March　I　was　informed　that　some　one
wished　to　speak　with　me。　　It　was　Harrel。

　　　　　＇Harrel；　who　had　been　unemployed　till　the　plot　of　Arena　and
　　　　　Ceracchi　on　the　18th　Vendemiairean　IX　（10th　October　1800）　which　he
　　　　　had　feigned　to　join；　and　had　then　revealed　to　the　police　（see　ante）；
　　　　　had　been　made　Governor　of　Vincennes。＇

I　will　relate　word　for　word　what　he　communicated　to　me。　　Harrel　probably
thought　that　he　was　bound　in　gratitude　to　acquaint　me　with　these　details；
but　he　owed　me　no　gratitude；　for　it　was　much　against　my　will　that　he　had
encouraged　the　conspiracy　of　Ceracchi；　and　received　the　reward　of　his
treachery　in　that　crime。　　The　following　is　Harrel's　statement：

〃On　the　evening　of　the　day　before　yesterday；　when　the　Prince　arrived；
I　was　asked　whether　I　had　a　room　to　lodge　a　prisoner　in；　I　replied；　No
that　there　were　only　my　apartments　and　the　Council…chamber。　　I　was　told
to　prepare　instantly　a　room　in　which　a　prisoner　could　sleep　who　was　to
arrive　that　evening。　　I　was　also　desired　to　dig　a　pit　in　the　courtyard。

　　　　　＇This　fact　must　be　noted。　　Harrel　is　told　to　dig　a　trench　before
　　　　　the　sentence。　　Thus　it　was　known　that　they　had　come　to　kill　the　Duc
　　　　　d'Enghien。　　How　can　this　be　answered？　　Can　it　possibly　be　supposed
　　　　　that　anyone；　whoever　it　was；　would　have　dared　to　give　each　an　order
　　　　　in　anticipation　if　the　order　had　not　been　the　carrying　out　of　a
　　　　　formal　command　of　Bonaparte？　　That　is　incredible。Bourrienne。＇

I　replied　that　that　could　not　be　easily　done；　as　the　courtyard　was　paved。
The　moat　was　then　fixed　upon；　and　there　the　pit　was　dug。　　The　Prince
arrived　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　he　was　perishing　with　cold　and
hunger。　　He　did　not　appear　dispirited。　　He　said　he　wanted　something　to
eat；　and　to　go　to　bed　afterwards。　　His　apartment　not　being　yet
sufficiently　aired；　I　took　him　into　my　own；　and　sent　into　the　village　for
some　refreshment。　　The　Prince　sat　down　to　table；　and　invited　me　to　eat
with　him。　　He　then　asked　me　a　number　of　questions　respecting　Vincennes
what　was　going　on　there；　and　other　particulars。　　He　told　me　that　he　had
been　brought　up　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　castle；　and　spoke　to　me　with
great　freedom　and　kindness。　　'What　do　they　want　with　me？'　he　said。　　What
do　they　mean　to　do　with　me？'　But　these　questions　betrayed　no　uneasiness
or　anxiety。　　My　wife；　who　was　ill；　was　lying　in　the　same　room　in　an
alcove；　closed　by　a　railing。　　She　heard；　without　being　perceived；　all　our
conversation；　and　she　was　exceedingly　agitated；　for　she　recognised　the
Prince；　whose　foster…sister　she　was；　and　whose　family　had　given　her　a
pension　before　the　Revolution。

〃The　Prince　hastened　to　bed；　but　before　he　could　have　fallen　asleep　the
judges　sent　to　request　his　presence　in　the　Council…chamber。　　I　was　not
present　at　his　examination；　but　when　it　was　concluded　he　returned　to　his
chamber；　and　when　they　came　to　read　his　sentence　to　him　he　was　in　a
profound　sleep。　　In　a　few　moments　after　he　was　led　out　for　execution。
He　had　so　little　suspicion　of　the　fate　that　awaited　him　that　on
descending　the　staircase　leading　to　the　moat　he　asked　where　they　were
taking　him。　　He　received　no　answer。　　I　went　before　the　Prince　with　a
lantern。　　Feeling　the　cold　air　which　came　up　the　staircase　he　pressed　my
arm　and　said；　'Are　they　going　to　put　me　into　a　dungeon？'〃

The　rest　is　known。　　I　can　yet　see　Harrel　shuddering　while　thinking　of
this　action　of　the　Prince's。

Much　has　been　said　about　a　lantern　which　it　is　pretended　was　attached　to
one　of　the　Due　d'Enghien's　button…holes。　　This　is　a　pure　invention。
Captain　Dautancourt；　whose　sight　was　not　very　good；　took　the　lantern　out
of　Harrel's　hand　to　read　the　sentence　to　the　victim；　who　had　been
condemned　with　as　little　regard　to　judicial　forms　as　to　justice。　　This
circumstance　probably　gave　rise　to　the　story　about　the　lantern　to　which　I
have　just　alluded。　　The　fatal　event　took　place　at　six　o'clock　on　the
morning　of　the　21st　of　March；　and　it　was　then　daylight。

General　Savary　did　not　dare　to　delay　the　execution　of　the　sentence；
although　the　Prince　urgently　demanded　to　have　an　interview　with　the　First
Consul。　　Had　Bonaparte　seen　the　prince　there　can　be　little　doubt　but　that
he　would　have　saved　his　life。　　Savary；　however；　thought　himself　bound　to
sacrifice　his　own　opinions　to　the　powerful　faction　which　then　controlled
the　First　Consul；　and　whilst　he　thought　he　was　serving　his　master；　he　was
in　fact　only　serving　the　faction　to　which；　I　must　say；　he　did　not　belong。
The　truth　is；　that　General　Savary　can　only　be　reproached　for　not　having
taken　upon　himself　to　suspend　the　execution；　which　very　probably　would
not　have　taken　place　had　it　been　suspended。　　He　was　merely　an　instrument；
and　regret　on　his　part　would；　perhaps；　have　told　more　in　his　favour　than
his　vain　efforts　to　justify　Bonaparte。　　I　have　just　said　that　if　there
had　been　any　suspension　there　would　have　been　no　execution；　and　I　think
this　is　almost　proved　by　the　uncertainty　which　must　have　existed　in　the
mind　of　the　First　Consul。　　If　he　had　made　up　his　mind　all　the　measures
would　have　been　taken　in　advance；　and　if　they　had　been；　the　carriage　of
the　Duke　would　certainly　not　have　been　kept　for　five　hours　at　the
barriers。　　Besides；　it　is　certain　that　the　first　intention　was　to　take
the　Prince　to　the　prison　of　the　Temple。

From　all　that　I　have　stated；　and　particularly　from　the　non…suspension　of
the　execution；　it　appears　to　me　as　clear　as　day　that　General　Savary　had
received　a　formal　order　from　Bonaparte　for　the　Due　d'Enghien's　death；　and
also　a　formal　order　that　it　should　be　so　managed　as　to　make　it　impossible
to　speak　to　Bonaparte　again　on　the　subject　until　all　should　be　over。　　Can
there　be　a　more　evident；　a　more　direct　proof　of　this　than　the　digging　of
the　grave　beforehand？　　I　have　repeated　Harrel's　story　just　as　he　related
it　to　me。　　He　told　it　me　without　solicitation；　and　he　could　not　invent　a
circumstance　of　this　nature。

General　Savary　was　not　in　the　moat　during　the　execution；　but　on　the　bank；
from　whence　he　could　easily　see　all　that　passed。　　Another　circumstance
connected　with　the　Due　d'Enghien's　death　has　been　mentioned；　which　is
true。　　The　Prince　had　a　little　dog；　this　faithful　animal　returned
incessantly　to　the　fatal　spot　in　the　moat。　　There　are　few　who　have　not
seen　that　spot。　　Who　has　not　made　a　pilgrimage　to　Vincennes　and　dropped　a
tear　where　the　victim　fell？　　The　fidelity　of　the　poor　dog　excited　so　much
interest　that　the　police　prevented　any　one　from　visiting　the　fatal　spot；
and　the　dog　was　no　longer　heard　to　howl　over　his　master's　grave。

I　promised　to　state　the　truth　respecting　the　death　of　the　Due　d'Enghien；
and　I　have　done　so；　though　it　has　cost　me　some　pain。　　Harrel's　narrative；
and　the　shocking　circumstance　of　the　grave　being　dug　beforehand；　left　me
no　opportunity　of　cherishing　any　doubts　I　might　have　wished　to　entertain；
and　everything　which　followed　confirmed　the　view　I　then　took　of　the
subject。　　When　Harrel　left　me　on　the　22d　I　determined　to　go　to　Malmaison
to　see　Madame　Bonaparte；　knowing；　from　her　sentiments　towards　the　House
of　Bourbon；　that　she　would　be　in　the　greatest　affliction。　　I　had
previously　sent　to　know　whether　it　would　be　convenient　for　her　to　see　me；
a　precaution　I　had　never　before　observed；　but　which　I　conceived　to　be
proper　upon　that　occasion。　　On　my　arrival　I　was　immediately　introduced　to
her　boudoir；　where　she　was　alone　with　Hortense　and　Madame　de　Remusat。
They　were　all　deeply　afflicted。　　〃Bourrienne；〃　exclaimed　Josephine；
as　soon　as　she　perceived　me；　〃what　a　dreadful　event！　　Did　you　but　know
the　state　of　mind　Bonaparte　is　in！　　He　avoids；　he　dreads　the　presence　of
every　one！　　Who　could　have　suggested　to　him　such　an　act　as　this？〃
I　then　acquainted　Josephine　with　the　particulars　which　I　had　received
from　Harrel。　　〃What　barbarity！〃　　she　resumed。　　〃But　no　reproach　can　rest
upon　me；　for　I　did　everything　to　dissuade　him　from　this　dreadful　project。
He　did　not　confide　the　secret　to　me；　but　I　guessed　it；　and　he
acknowledged　all。　　How　harshly　he　repelled　my　entreaties！　　I　clung　to
him！　　I　threw　myself　at　his　feet！　　'Meddle　with　what　concerns　you！'
he　exclaimed　angrily。　　'This　is　not　women's　business！　　Leave　me！'　　And　he
repulsed　me　with　a　violence　which　be　had　never　displayed　since　our　first
interview　after　your　return　from　Egypt。　　Heavens！　　what　will　become　of
us？〃

I　could　say　nothing　to　calm　affliction　and　alarm　in　which　I　participated；
for　to　my　grief　for　the　death　of　the　Due　d'Enghien　was　added　my　regret
that　Bonaparte　should　be　capable　of　such　a　crime。　　〃What；〃　said
Josephine；　〃can　be　thought　of　this　in　Paris？　　He　must　be　the　object　of
universal；　imprecation；　for　even　here　his　flatterers　appear　astounded
when　they　are　out　of　his　presence。　　How　wretched　we　have　been　since
yesterday；　and　he！。。。。　You　know　what　he　is　when　be　is　dissatisfied　with
himself。　　No　one　dare　speak　to　him；　and　all　is　mournful　around　us。　　What
a　commission　he　gave　to　Savary！　　You　know　I　do　not　like　the　general；
because　he　is　one　of　those　whose　flatteries　will　contribute　to　ruin
Bonaparte。　　Well！　　I　pitied　Savary　when　he　came　yesterday　to　fulfil　a
commission　which　the　Due　d'Enghien　had　entrusted　to　him。　　Here；〃　added
Josephine；　〃is　his　portrait　and　a　lock　of　his　hair；　which　he　has
requested　me　to　transmit　to　one　who　was　dear　to　him。　　Savary　almost　shed
tears　when　he　described　to　me　the　last　moments　of　the　Duke；　then；
endeavouring　to　resume　his　self…possession；　he　said：　'It　is　in　vain　to
try　to　be　indifferent；　Madame！　　It　is　impossible　to　witness　the　death　of
such　a　man　unmoved！'〃

Josephine　afterwards　informed　me　of　the　only　act　of　courage　which
occurred　at　this　periodnamely；　the　resignation　which　M。　de
Chateaub