memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第11章

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now　disenchanted；the　partisans　of　a　monarchy　without　distinction　of
family　saw　their　hopes　almost　realised　in　the　Consulate　for　life；　the
recollection　of　the　Bourbons　still　lived　in　some　hearts　faithful　to
misfortune　but　the　great　mass　were　for　the　First　Consul；　and　his　external
acts　in　the　new　step　he　had　taken　towards　the　throne　had　been　so
cautiously　disguised　as　to　induce　a　belief　in　his　sincerity。　　If　I　and　a
few　others　were　witness　to　his　accomplished　artifice　and　secret　ambition；
France　beheld　only　his　glory；　and　gratefully　enjoyed　the　blessings　of
peace　which　he　had　obtained　for　her。　　The　suffrages　of　the　people
speedily　realised　the　hopes　of　the　First　Consul；　and　thus　was　founded　the
CONSULATE　FOR　LIFE。




CHAPTER　XIV

1802…1803。

　　　　　Departure　for　MalmaisonUnexpected　question　relative　to　the
　　　　　BourbonsDistinction　between　two　opposition　partiesNew　intrigues
　　　　　of　LucienCamille　Jordan's　pamphlet　seizedVituperation　against
　　　　　the　liberty　of　the　pressRevisal　of　the　ConstitutionNew　'Senatus…
　　　　　consulteDeputation　from　the　SenateAudience　of　the　Diplomatic
　　　　　BodyJosephine's　melancholyThe　discontentedSecret　meetings
　　　　　Fouche　and　the　police　agentsThe　Code　NapoleonBonaparte's　regular
　　　　　attendance　at　the　Council　of　StateHis　knowledge　of　mankind；　and
　　　　　the　science　of　governmentNapoleon's　first　sovereign　actHis　visit
　　　　　to　the　SenateThe　Consular　processionPolite　etiquetteThe　Senate
　　　　　and　the　Council　of　StateComplaints　against　LucienThe　deaf　and
　　　　　dumb　assemblyCreation　of　senatorships。

When　nothing　was　wanting　to　secure　the　Consulate　for　life　but　the　votes
of　the　people；　which　there　was　no　doubt　of　obtaining；　the　First　Consul
set　off　to　spend　a　few　days　at　Malmaison。

On　the　day　of　our　arrival；　as　soon　as　dinner　was　ended；　Bonaparte　said　to
me；　〃Bourrienne；　let　us　go　and　take　a　walk。〃　　It　was　the　middle　of　May；
so　that　the　evenings　were　long。　　We　went　into　the　park：　he　was　very
grave；　and　we　walked　for　several　minutes　without　his　uttering　a　syllable。
Wishing　to　break　silence　in　a　way　that　would　be　agreeable　to　him；　I
alluded　to　the　facility　with　which　he　had　nullified　the　last　'Senatus…
consulte'。　　He　scarcely　seemed　to　hear　me；　so　completely　was　his　mind
absorbed　in　the　subject　on　which　he　was　meditating。　　At　length；　suddenly
recovering　from　his　abstraction；　he　said；　〃Bourrienne；　do　you　think　that
the　pretender　to　the　crown　of　France　would　renounce　his　claims　if　I　were
to　offer　him　a　good　indemnity；　or　even　a　province　in　Italy？〃　　Surprised
at　this　abrupt　question　on　a　subject　which　I　was　far　from　thinking　of；
I　replied　that　I　did　not　think　the　pretender　would　relinquish　his　claims；
that　it　was　very　unlikely　the　Bourbons　would　return　to　France　as　long　as
he；　Bonaparte；　should　continue　at　the　head　of　the　Government；　though　they
would　look　forward　to　their　ultimate　return　as　probable。　　〃How　so？〃
inquired　he。　　〃For　a　very　simple　reason；　General。　　Do　you　not　see　every
day　that　your　agents　conceal　the　truth　from　you；　and　flatter　you　in　your
wishes；　for　the　purpose　of　ingratiating　themselves　in　your　favour？　　are
you　not　angry　when　at　length　the　truth　reaches　your　ear？〃〃And　what
then？〃〃why；　General；　it　must　be　just　the　same　with　the　agents　of　Louis
XVIII。　in　France。　　It　is　in　the　course　of　things；　in　the　nature　of　man；
that　they　should　feed　the　Bourbons　with　hopes　of　a　possible　return；　were
it　only　to　induce　a　belief　in　their　own　talent　and　utility。〃〃That　is
very　true！　　You　are　quite　right；　but　I　am　not　afraid。　　However；　something
might　perhaps　be　donewe　shall　see。〃　　Here　the　subject　dropped；　and　our
conversation　turned　on　the　Consulate　for　life；　and　Bonaparte　spoke　in
unusually　mild　terms　of　the　persons　who　had　opposed　the　proposition。
I　was　a　little　surprised　at　this；　and　could　not　help　reminding　him　of　the
different　way　in　which　he　had　spoken　of　those　who　opposed　his　accession
to　the　Consulate。　　〃There　is　nothing　extraordinary　in　that；〃　said　he。
〃Worthy　men　may　be　attached　to　the　Republic　as　I　have　made　it。　　It　is　a
mere　question　of　form。　　I　have　nothing　to　say　against　that；　but　at　the
time　of　my　accession　to　the　Consulate　it　was　very　different。　　Then；　none
but　Jacobins；　terrorists；　and　rogues　resisted　my　endeavours　to　rescue
France　from　the　infamy　into　which　the　Directory　had　plunged　her。　　But　now
I　cherish　no　ill…will　against　those　who　have　opposed　me。〃

During　the　intervals　between　the　acts　of　the　different　bodies　of　the
State；　and　the　collection　of　the　votes；　Lucien　renewed　his　intrigues；　or
rather　prosecuted　them　with　renewed　activity；　for　the　purpose　of　getting
the　question　of　hereditary　succession　included　in　the　votes。　　Many
prefects　transmitted　to　M。　Chaptal　anonymous　circulars　which　had　been
sent　to　them：　all　stated　the　ill　effect　produced　by　these　circulars；
which　had　been　addressed　to　the　principal　individuals　of　their
departments。　　Lucien　was　the　originator　of　all　this；　though　I　cannot
positively　say　whether　his　brother　connived　with　him；　as　in　the　case　of
the　pamphlet　to　which　I　have　already　alluded。　　I　believe；　however；　that
Bonaparte　was　not　entirely　a　stranger　to　the　business；　for　the　circulars
were　written　by　Raederer　at　the　instigation　of　Lucien；　and　Raederer　was
at　that　time　in　favour　at　the　Tuileries。　　I　recollect　Bonaparte　speaking
to　me　one　day　very　angrily　about　a　pamphlet　which　had　just；　been
published　by　Camille　Jordan　on　the　subject　of　the　national　vote　on　the
Consulate　for　life。　　Camille　Jordan　did　not　withhold　his　vote；　but　gave
it　in　favour　of　the　First　Consul；　and　instead　of　requiring　preliminary
conditions；　he　contented　himself；　like　the　Tribunate；　with　enumerating
all　the　guarantees　which　he　expected　the　honour　of　the　First　Consul　would
grant。　　Among　these　guarantees　were　the　cessation　of　arbitrary
imprisonments；　the　responsibility　of　the　agents　of　Government；　and　the
independence　of　the　judges。　　But　all　these　demands　were　mere　peccadilloes
in　comparison　with　Camille　Jordan's　great　crime　of　demanding　the　liberty
of　the　press。

The　First　Consul　had　looked　through　the　fatal　pamphlet；　and　lavished
invectives　upon　its　author。　　〃How！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃am　I　never　to　have
done　with　these　fire　brands？These　babblers；　who　think　that　politics　may
be　shown　on　a　printed　page　like　the　world　on　a　map？　　Truly；　I　know　not
what　things　will　come　to　if　I　let　this　go　on。　Camille　Jordan；　whom　I
received　so　well　at　Lyons；　to　think　that　he　shouldask　for　the　liberty
of　the　press！

Were　I　to　accede　to　this　I　might　as　well　pack　up　at　once　and　go　and　live
on　a　farm　a　hundred　leagues　from　Paris。〃　　Bonaparte's　first　act　in　favour
of　the　liberty　of　the　press　was　to　order　the　seizure　of　the　pamphlet　in
which　Camille　Jordan　had　extolled　the　advantages　of　that　measure。
Publicity；　either　by　words　or　writing；　was　Bonaparte's　horror。　　Hence　his
aversion　to　public　speakers　and　writers。

Camille　Jordan　was　not　the　only　person　who　made　unavailing　efforts　to
arrest　Bonaparte　in　the　first　steps　of　his　ambition。　　There　were　yet　in
France　many　men　who；　though　they　had　hailed　with　enthusiasm　the　dawn　of
the　French　Revolution；　had　subsequently　been　disgusted　by　its　crimes；　and
who　still　dreamed　of　the　possibility　of　founding　a　truly　Constitutional
Government　in　France。　　Even　in　the　Senate　there　were　some　men　indignant
at　the　usual　compliance　of　that　body；　and　who　spoke　of　the　necessity　of
subjecting　the　Constitution　to　a　revisal；　in　order　to　render　it
conformable　to　the　Consulate　for　life。

The　project　of　revising　the　Constitution　was　by　no　means　unsatisfactory
to　Bonaparte。　　It　afforded　him　an　opportunity　of　holding　out　fresh
glimmerings　of　liberty　to　those　who　were　too　shortsighted　to　see　into　the
future。　　He　was　pretty　certain　that　there　could　be　no　change　but　to　his
advantage。　　Had　any　one　talked　to　him　of　the　wishes　of　the　nation　he
would　have　replied；　〃3；577；259　citizens　have　voted。　　Of　these　how　many
were　for　me？　　3；368；185。　　Compare　the　difference！　　There　is　but　one　vote
in　forty…five　against　me。　　I　must　obey　the　will　of　the　people！〃　　To　this
he　would　not　have　failed　to　add；　〃Whose　are　the　votes　opposed　to　me？
Those　of　ideologists；　Jacobins；　and　peculators　under　the　Directory。〃　　To
such　arguments　what　could　have　been　answered？　　It　must　not　be　supposed
that　I　am　putting　these　words　into　Bonaparte's　mouth。　　They　fell　from　him
oftener　than　once。

As　soon　as　the　state　of　the　votes　was　ascertained　the　Senate　conceived
itself　under　the　necessity　of　repairing　the　only　fault　it　had　committed
in　the　eyes　of　the　First　Consul；　and　solemnly　presented　him　with　a　new
'Senatus…consulte'；　and　a　decree　couched　in　the　following　terms：

ARTICLE　I。　　The　French　people　nominate　and　the　Senate　proclaim　Napoleon
Bonaparte　Consul　for　life。

ARTICLE　II。　　A　statue　representing　Peace；　holding　in　one　hand　the　laurel
of　victory；　and　in　the　other　the　decree　of　the　senate；　shall　commemorate
to　posterity　the　gratitude　of　the　Nation。

ARTICLE　III。　　The　Senate　will　convey　to　the　First　Consul　the　expression
of　the　confidence；　the　love；　and　the　admiration　of　the　French　people。

Bonaparte　replied　to　the　deputation　from　the　Senate；　in　the　presence　of
the　Diplomatic　Body；　whose　audience　had　been　appointed　for　that　day　in
order　that　the　ambassadors　might　be　enabled　to　make　known　to　their
respective　Courts　that　Europe　reckoned　one　King　more。　　In　his　reply　he
did　not　fail　to　introduce　the　high…sounding　words　〃liberty　and　equality。〃
He　commenced　thus：　〃A　citizen's　life　belongs　to　his　country。　　The　French
people　wish　that　mine　should　be　entirely　devoted　to　their　service。　　I
obey。〃

On　the　day　this　ceremony　took　place；　besides　the　audience　of　the
Diplomatic　Body　there　was　an　extraordinary　assemblage　of　general　officers
and　public　functionaries。　　The　principal　apartments　of　the　Tuileries's
presented　the　appearance　of　a　fete。　　This　gaiety　formed　a　striking
contrast　with　the　melancholy　of　Josephine；　who　felt　that　every　step　of
the　First　Consul　towards　the　throne　removed　him　farther　from　her。

She　had　to　receive　a　party　that　evening；　and　though　greatly　depressed　in
spirits　she　did　the　honours　with　her　usual　grace。

Let　a　Government　be　what　it　may；　it　can　never　satisfy　everyone。　　At　the
establishment　of　the　Consulate　for　life；　those　who　were　averse　to　that
change　formed　but　a　feeble　minority。　　But　still　they　met；　debated；
corresponded；　and　dreamed　of　the　possibility　of　overthrowing　the　Consular
Government。

During　the　first　six　months　of　the　year　1802　there　were　meetings　of　the
discontented；　which　Fouche；　who　was　then　Minister　of　the　Police；　knew　and
would　not　condescend　to　notice；　but；　on　the　contrary；　all　the　inferior
agents　of　the　police　contended　for　a　prey　which　was　easily　seized；　and；
with　the　view　of　magnifying　their　services；　represented　these　secret
meetings　as　the　effect　of　a　vast　plot　against　the　Government。　　Bonaparte；
whenever　he　spoke　to　me　on　the　subject；　expressed　himself　weary　of　the
efforts　which　were　made　to　give　importance　to　trifles；　and　yet　he
received　the　reports　of　the　police　agents　as　if　he　thought　them　of
consequence。　　This　was　because　he　thought　Fouche　badly　informed；　and　he
was　glad　to　find　him　at　fault；　but　when　he　sent　for　the　Minister　of
Police　the　latter　told　him