memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第10章

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Consul。　　The　treaty　was　adopted　almost　unanimously；　there　being　only
fourteen　dissentient　voices；　and　the　proportion　of　black　balls　in　the
Legislative　Body　was　even　less。

Though　this　discussion　passed　off　almost　unnoticed；　yet　it　greatly
displeased　the　First　Consul；　who　expressed　his　dissatisfaction　in　the
evening。　　〃What　is　it；〃　said　he；　〃these　babblers　want？　　They　wish　to　be
citizenswhy　did　they　not　know　how　to　continue　so？　　My　government　must
treat　on　an　equal　footing　with　Russia。　　I　should　appear　a　mere　puppet　in
the　eyes　of　foreign　Courts　were　I　to　yield　to　the　stupid　demands　of　the
Tribunate。。　　Those　fellows　tease　me　so　that　I　have　a　great　mind　to　end
matters　at　once　with　them。〃　　I　endeavoured　　to　soothe　his　anger；　and
observed；　that　one　precipitate　act　might　injure　him。　　〃You　are　right；〃　he
continued；　〃but　stay　a　little；　they　shall　lose　nothing　by　waiting。〃

The　Tribunate　pleased　Bonaparte　better　in　the　great　question　of　the
Consulate　for　life；　because　he　had　taken　the　precaution　of　removing　such
members　as　were　most　opposed　to　the　encroachments　of　his　ambition。　　The
Tribunate　resolved　that　a　marked　proof　of　the　national　gratitude　should
be　offered　to　the　First　Consul；　and　the　resolution　was　transmitted　to　the
Senate。　　Not　a　single　voice　was　raised　against　this　proposition；　which
emanated　from　Chabot　de　l'Allier；　the　President　of　the　Tribunate。　　When
the　First　Consul　came　back　to　his　cabinet　after　receiving　the　deputation
of　the　Tribunate　he　was　very　cheerful；　and　said　to　me；　〃Bourrienne；　it　is
a　blank　cheque　that　the　Tribunate　has　just　offered　me；　I　shall　know　how
to　fill　it　up。　　That　is　my　business。〃

The　Tribunate　having　adopted　the　indefinite　proposition　of　offering　to
the　First　Consul　a　marked　proof　of　the　national　gratitude；　it　now　only
remained　to　determine　what　that　proof　should　be。　　Bonaparte　knew　well
what　he　wanted；　but　he　did　not　like　to　name　it　in　any　positive　way。
Though　in　his　fits　of　impatience；　caused　by　the　lingering　proceedings　of
the　Legislative　Body　and　the　indecision　of　some　of　its　members；　he　often
talked　of　mounting　on　horseback　and　drawing　his　sword；　yet　he　so　far
controlled　himself　as　to　confine　violence　to　his　conversations　with　his
intimate　friends。　　He　wished　it　to　be　thought　that　he　himself　was
yielding　to　compulsion；　that　he　was　far　from　wishing　to　usurp　permanent
power　contrary　to　the　Constitution；　and　that　if　he　deprived　France　of
liberty　it　was　all　for　her　good；　and　out　of　mere　love　for　her。　　Such
deep…laid　duplicity　could　never　have　been　conceived　and　maintained　in　any
common　mind；　but　Bonaparte's　was　not　a　mind　of　the　ordinary　cast。　　It
must　have　required　extraordinary　self…command　to　have　restrained　so　long
as　he　did　that　daring　spirit　which　was　so　natural　to　him；　and　which　was
rather　the　result　of　his　temperament　than　his　character。　　For　my　part；　I
confess　that　I　always　admired　him　more　for　what　he　had　the　fortitude　not
to　do　than　for　the　boldest　exploits　he　ever　performed。

In　conformity　with　the　usual　form；　the　proposition　of　the　Tribunate　was
transmitted　to　the　Senate。　　From　that　time　the　Senators　on　whom　Bonaparte
most　relied　were　frequent　in　their　visits　to　the　Tuileries。　　In　the
preparatory　conferences　which　preceded　the　regular　discussions　in　the
Senate　it　has　been　ascertained　that　the　majority　was　not　willing　that　the
marked　proof　of　gratitude　should　be　the　Consulate　for　life；　it　was
therefore　agreed　that　the　reporter　should　limit　his　demand　to　a　temporary
prolongation　of　the　dignity　of　First　Consul　in　favour　of　Bonaparte。　　The
reporter；　M。　de　Lacepede；　acted　accordingly；　and　limited　the　prolongation
to　ten　years；　commencing　from　the　expiration　of　the　ten　years　granted　by
the　Constitution。　　I　forget　which　of　the　Senators　first　proposed　the
Consulate　for　life；　but　I　well　recollect　that　Cambaceres　used　all　his
endeavours　to　induce　those　members　of　the　Senate　whom　he　thought　he　could
influence　to　agree　to　that　proposition。　　Whether　from　flattery　or
conviction　I　know　not；　but　the　Second　Consul　held　out　to　his　colleague；
or　rather　his　master；　the　hope　of　complete　success　Bonaparte　on　hearing
him　shook　his　head　with　an　air　of　doubt；　but　afterwards　said　to　me；　〃They
will　perhaps　make　some　wry　faces；　but　they　must　come　to　it　at　last！〃

It　was　proposed　in　the　Senate　that　the　proposition　of　the　Consulate　for
life　should　take　the　priority　of　that　of　the　decennial　prolongation；　but
this　was　not　agreed　to；　and　the　latter　proposition　being　adopted；　the
other；　of　course；　could　not　be　discussed。

There　was　something　very　curious　in　the　'Senatus…consulte'　published　on
the　occasion。　　It　spoke　in　the　name　of　the　French　people；　and　stated
that；　〃in　testimony　of　their　gratitude　to　the　Consuls　of　the　Republic；〃
the　Consular　reign　was　prolonged　for　ten　years；　but　that　the　prolongation
was　limited　to　the　First　Consul　only。

Bonaparte；　though　much　dissatisfied　with　the　decision　of　the　Senate；
disguised　his　displeasure　in　ambiguous　language。　　When　Tronchet；　then
President　of　the　Senate；　read　to　him；　in　a　solemn　audience；　at　the　head
of　the　deputation；　the　'Senatus…consulte'　determining　the　prorogation；
he　said　in　reply　that　he　could　not　be　certain　of　the　confidence　of　the
people　unless　his　continuance　in　the　Consulship　were　sanctioned　by　their
suffrages。　　〃The　interests　of　my　glory　and　happiness；〃　added　he；　〃would
seem　to　have　marked　the　close　of　my　public　life　at　the　moment　when　the
peace　of　the　world　is　proclaimed。　　But　the　glory　and　the　happiness　of　the
citizen　must　yield　to　the　interests　of　the　State　and　wishes　of　the
public。　　You；　Senators；　conceive　that　I　owe　to　the　people　another
sacrifice。　　I　will　make　it　if　the　voice　of　the　people　commands　what　your
suffrage　authorises。〃

The　true　meaning　of　these　words　was　not　understood　by　everybody；　and　was
only　manifest　to　those　who　were　initiated　in　the　secret　of　Bonaparte's
designs。　　He　did　not　accept　the　offer　of　the　Senate；　because　he　wished
for　something　more。　　The　question　was　to　be　renewed　and　to　be　decided　by
the　people　only；　and　since　the　people　had　the　right　to　refuse　what　the
Senate　offered；　they　possessed；　for　the　same　reason；　the　right　to　give
what　the　Senate　did　not　offer。

The　moment　now　arrived　for　consulting　the　Council　of　State　as　to　the　mode
to　be　adopted　for　invoking　and　collecting　the　suffrages　of　the　people。
For　this　purpose　au　extraordinary　meeting　of　the　Council　of　State　was
summoned　on　the　10th　of　May。　　Bonaparte　wished　to　keep　himself　aloof　from
all　ostensible　influence；　but　his　two　colleagues　laboured　for　him　more
zealously　than　he　could　have　worked　for　himself；　and　they　were　warmly
supported　by　several　members　of　the　Council。　　A　strong　majority　were　of
opinion　that　Bonaparte　should　not　only　be　invested　with　the　Consulship
for　life；　but　that　he　should　be　empowered　to　nominate　his　successor。　　But
he；　still　faithful　to　his　plan；　affected　to　venerate　the　sovereignty　of
the　people；　which　he　held　in　horror；　and　he　promulgated　the　following
decree；　which　was　the　first　explanation　of　his　reply　to　the　Senate

　　　　　The　Consuls　of　the　Republic；　considering　that　the　resolution　of　the
　　　　　First　Consul　is　an　homage　rendered　to　the　sovereignty　of　the　People；
　　　　　and　that　the　People；　when　consulted　on　their　dearest　interests；　will
　　　　　not　go　beyond　the　limits　of　those　interests；　decree　as　follows：…
　　　　　First；　that　the　French　people　shall　be　consulted　on　the　question
　　　　　whether　Napoleon　Bonaparte　is　to　be　made　Consul　for　life；　etc。

The　other　articles　merely　regulated　the　mode　of　collecting　the　votes。

This　decree　shows　the　policy　of　the　First　Consul　in　a　new　point　of　view；
and　displays　his　art　in　its　fullest　extent。　　He　had　just　refused　the　less
for　the　sake　of　getting　the　greater；　and　now　he　had　contrived　to　get　the
offer　of　the　greater　to　show　off　his　moderation　by　accepting　only　the
less。　　The　Council　of　State　sanctioned　the　proposition　for　conferring　on
the　First　Consul　the　right　of　nominating　his　successor；　and；　of　his　own
accord；　the　First　Consul　declined　this。　　Accordingly　the　Second　Consul；
when　he；　the　next　day；　presented　the　decree　to　the　Council　of　State；　did
not　fail　to　eulogise　this　extreme　moderation；　which　banished　even　the
shadow　of　suspicion　of　any　ambitious　after…thought。　　Thus　the　Senate
found　itself　out…manoeuvred；　and　the　decree　of　the　Consuls　was
transmitted　at　once　to　the　Legislative　Body　and　to　the　Tribunate。

In　the　Legislative　Body；　M。　de　Vaublanc　was　distinguished　among　all　the
deputies　who　applauded　the　conduct　of　the　Government；　and　it　was　he　who
delivered　the　apologetic　harangue　of　the　deputation　of　the　Legislative
Body　to　the　First　Consul。　　After　having　addressed　the　Government
collectively　he　ended　by　addressing　the　First　Consul　individuallya　sort
of　compliment　which　had　not　hitherto　been　put　in　practice；　and　which　was
far　from　displeasing　him　who　was　its　object。　　As　M。　de　Vaublanc's　speech
had　been　communicated　beforehand　to　the　First　Consul；　the　latter　prepared
a　reply　to　it　which　sufficiently　showed　how　much　it　had　gratified　him。
Besides　the　flattering　distinction　which　separated　him　from　the
Government；　the　plenitude　of　praise　was　not　tempered　by　anything　like
advice　or　comment。　　It　was　not　so　with　the　address　of　the　Tribunate。
After　the　compliments　which　the　occasion　demanded；　a　series　of　hopes　were
expressed　for　the　future；　which　formed　a　curious　contrast　with　the　events
which　actually　ensued。　　The　Tribunate；　said　the　address；　required　no
guarantee；　because　Bonaparte's　elevated　and　generous　sentiments　would
never　permit　him　to　depart　from　those　principles　which　brought　about　the
Revolution　and　founded　the　Republic；　he　loved　real　glory　too　well　ever
to　stain　that　which　he　had　acquired　by　the　abuse　of　power；the　nation
which　he　was　called　to　govern　was　free　and　generous　he　would　respect　and
consolidate　her　liberty；　he　would　distinguish　his　real　friends；　who　spoke
truth　to　him；　from　flatterers　who　might　seek　to　deceive　him。　　In　short；
Bonaparte　would　surround　himself　with　the　men　who；　having　made　the
Revolution；　were　interested　in　supporting　it。

To　these　and　many　other　fine　things　the　Consul　replied；　〃This　testimony
of　the　affection　of　the　Tribunate　is　gratifying　to　the　Government。　　The
union　of　all　bodies　of　the　State　is　a　guarantee　of　the　stability　and
happiness　of　the　nation。　　The　efforts　of　the　Government　will　be
constantly　directed　to　the　interests　of　the　people；　from　whom　all　power
is　derived；　and　whose　welfare　all　good　men　have　at　heart。〃

So　much　for　the　artifice　of　governments　and　the　credulity　of　subjects！
It　is　certain　that；　from　the　moment　Bonaparte　gained　his　point　in
submitting　the　question　of　the　Consulate　for　life　to　the　decision　of　the
people；　there　was　no　longer　a　doubt　of　the　result　being　in　his　favour。
This　was　evident；　not　only　on　account　of　the　influential　means　which　a
government　always　has　at　its　command；　and　of　which　its　agents　extend　the
ramifications　from　the　centre　to　the　extremities；　but　because　the
proposition　was　in　accordance　with　the　wishes　of　the　majority。　　The
Republicans　were　rather　shy　in　avowing　principles　with　which　people　were
now　disenchanted；the　partisans　of　a　monarchy　without　distinction　of
family　saw　thei