memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


a　project　for　refounding　all　the　field…pieces；　caused　much　anxiety　to
Bonaparte。　　He　had　recourse　to　the　conscription　to　fill　up　the
deficiencies　of　the　army；　and　the　project　of　refounding　the　artillery　was
abandoned。　　Supplies　of　money　were　obtained　from　the　large　towns；　and
Hanover；　which　was　soon　after　occupied；　furnished　abundance　of　good
horses　for　mounting　the　cavalry。

War　had　now　become　inevitable；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　declared　the　First
Consul　set　out　to　visit　Belgium　and　the　seaboard　departments　to　ascertain
the　best　means　of　resisting　the　anticipated　attacks　of　the　English。　　In
passing　through　Compiegne　he　received　a　visit　from　Father　Berton；
formerly　principal　of　the　military　school　of　Brienne。　　He　was　then　rector
of　the　school　of　arts　at　Compiegne；　a　situation　in　which　he　had　been
placed　by　Bonaparte。　　I　learned　the　particulars　of　this　visit　through
Josephine。　　Father　Berton；　whose　primitive　simplicity　of　manner　was
unchanged　since　the　time　when　he　held　us　under　the　authority　of　his
ferule；　came　to　invite　Bonaparte　and　Josephine　to　breakfast　with　him；
which　invitation　was　accepted。　　Father　Berton　had　at　that　time　living
with　him　one　of　our　old　comrades　of　Brienne；　named　Bouquet；　but　he
expressly　forbade　him　to　show　himself　to　Bonaparte　or　any　one　of　his
suite；　because　Bouquet；　who　had　been　a　commissary　at　headquarters　in
Italy；　was　in　disgrace　with　the　First　Consul。　　Bouquet　promised　to
observe　Father　Berton's　injunctions；　but　was　far　from　keeping　his
promise。　　As　soon　as　he　saw　Bonaparte's　carriage　drive　up；　he　ran　to　the
door　and　gallantly　handed　out　Josephine。　　Josephine；　as　she　took　his
hand；　said；　〃Bouquet；you　have　ruined　yourself！〃　　Bonaparte；　indignant
at　what　he　considered　an　unwarrantable　familiarity；　gave　way　to　one　of
his　uncontrollable　fits　of　passion；　and　as　soon　as　he　entered　the　room
where　the　breakfast　was　laid；　he　seated　himself；　and　then　said　to　his
wife　in　an　imperious　tone；　〃Josephine；　sit　there！〃　He　then　commenced
breakfast；　without　telling　Father　Becton　to　sit　down；　although　a　third
plate　had　been　laid　for　him。　　Father　Becton　stood　behind　his　old　pupil's
chair　apparently　confounded　at　his　violence。　　The　scene　produced　such　an
effect　on　the　old　man　that　he　became　incapable　of　discharging　his　duties
at　Compiegne。　　He　retired　to　Rheims；　and　his　intellect　soon　after　became
deranged。　　I　do　not　pretend　to　say　whether　this　alienation　of　mind　was
caused　by　the　occurrence　I　have　just　related；　and　the　account　of　which　I
received　from　Josephine。　　She　was　deeply　afflicted　at　what　had　passed。
Father　Berton　died　insane。　　What　I　heard　from　Josephine　was　afterwards
confirmed　by　the　brother　of　Father　Becton。　　The　fact　is；　that　in
proportion　as　Bonaparte　acquired　power　he　was　the　more　annoyed　at　the
familiarity　of　old　companions；　and；　indeed；　I　must　confess　that　their
familiarity　often　appeared　very　ridiculous。

The　First　Consul's　visit　to　the　northern　coast　took　place　towards　the　end
of　the　year　1803；　at　which　time　the　English　attacked　the　Dutch
settlements　of　Surinam；　Demerara；　and　Essequibo；　and　a　convention　of
neutrality　was　concluded　between　France；　Spain；　and　Portugal。　　Rapp
accompanied　the　First　Consul；　who　attentively　inspected　the　preparations
making　for　a　descent　on　England；　which　it　was　never　his　intention　to
effect；　as　will　be　shortly　shown。

On　the　First　Consul's　return　I　learned　from　Rapp　that　I　had　been　spoken
of　during　the　journey；　and　in　the　following　way：Bonaparte；　being　at
Boulogne；　wanted　some　information　which　no　one　there　could　give；　him。
Vexed　at　receiving　no　satisfactory　answer　to　his　inquiries　he　called
Rapp；　and　said；　〃Do　you　know；　Rapp；　where　Bourrienne　is？〃〃General；　he
is　in　Paris。〃〃　Write　to　him　to　come　here　immediately；　and　send　off　one
of　my　couriers　with　the　letter。〃　　The　rumour　of　the　First　Consul's　sudden
recollection　of　me　spread　like　lightning；　and　the　time　required　to　write
the　letter　and　despatch　the　courier　was　more　than　sufficient　for　the
efforts　of　those　whom　my　return　was　calculated　to　alarm。　　Artful
representations　soon　checked　these　spontaneous　symptoms　of　a　return　to
former　feelings　and　habits。　　When　Rapp　carried　to　the　First　Consul　the
letter　he　had　been　directed　to　write　the　order　was　countermanded。
However；　Rapp　advised　me　not　to　leave　Paris；　or　if　I　did；　to　mention　the
place　where　I　might　be　found；　so　that　Duroc　might　have　it　in　his　power　to
seize　on　any　favourable　circumstance　without　delay。　　I　was　well　aware　of
the　friendship　of　both　Rapp　and　Duroc；　and　they　could　as　confidently　rely
on　mine。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

1803。

　　　　　Vast　works　undertakenThe　French　and　the　Roman　soldiersItinerary
　　　　　of　Bonaparte's　journeys　to　the　coastTwelve　hours　on　horseback
　　　　　Discussions　in　CouncilOpposition　of　TruguetBonaparte'a　opinion
　　　　　on　the　point　under　discussionTwo　divisions　of　the　worldEurope　a
　　　　　provinceBonaparte's　jealousy　of　the　dignity　of　FranceThe
　　　　　Englishman　in　the　dockyard　of　BrestPublic　audience　at　the
　　　　　TuilleriesThe　First　Consul's　remarks　upon　EnglandHis　wish　to
　　　　　enjoy　the　good　opinion　of　the　English　peopleBall　at　Malmaison
　　　　　Lines　on　Hortense's　dancingSingular　motive　for　giving　the　ball。

At　the　time　of　the　rupture　with　England　Bonaparte　was；　as　I　have
mentioned；　quite　unprepared　in　most　branches　of　the　service；　yet
everything　was　created　as　if　by　magic；　and　he　seemed　to　impart　to　others
a　share　of　his　own　incredible　activity。　　It　is　inconceivable　how　many
things　had　been　undertaken　and　executed　since　the　rupture　of　the　peace。
The　north　coast　of　France　presented　the　appearance　of　one　vast　arsenal；
for　Bonaparte　on　this　occasion　employed　his　troops　like　Roman　soldiers；
and　made　the　tools　of　the　artisan　succeed　to　the　arms　of　the　warrior。

On　his　frequent　journeys　to　the　coast　Bonaparte　usually　set　off　at　night；
and　on　the　following　morning　arrived　at　the　post　office　of　Chantilly；
where　he　breakfasted。　　Rapp；　whom　I　often　saw　when　he　was　in　Paris；
talked　incessantly　of　these　journeys；　for　he　almost　always　accompanied
the　First　Consul；　and　it　would　have　been　well　had　he　always　been
surrounded　by　such　men。　　In　the　evening　the　First　Consul　supped　at
Abbeville；　and　arrived　early　next　day　at　the　bridge　of　Brique。　　〃It　would
require　constitutions　of　iron　to　go　through　what　we　do；〃　said　Rapp。
〃We　no　sooner　alight　from　the　carriage　than　we　mount　on　horseback；　and
sometimes　remain　in　our　saddles　for　ten　or　twelve　hours　successively。
The　First　Consul　inspects　and　examines　everything；　often　talks　with　the
soldiers。　　How　he　is　beloved　by　them！　　When　shall　we　pay　a　visit　to
London　with　those　brave　fellows？〃

Notwithstanding　these　continual　journeys　the　First　Consul　never　neglected
any　of　the　business　of　government；　and　was　frequently　present　at　the
deliberations　of　the　Council。　　I　was　still　with　him　when　the　question　as
to　the　manner　in　which　the　treaties　of　peace　should　be　concluded　came
under　the　consideration　of　the　Council。　　Some　members；　among　whom　Truguet
was　conspicuous；　were　of　opinion　that；　conformably　with　an　article　of　the
Constitution；　the　treaties　should　be　proposed　by　the　Head　of　the
Government；　submitted　to　the　Legislative　Body；　and　after　being　agreed　to
promulgated　as　part　of　the　laws。　　Bonaparte　thought　differently。　　I　was
entirely　of　his　opinion；　and　he　said　to　me；　〃It　is　for　the　mere　pleasure
of　opposition　that　they　appeal　to　the　Constitution；　for　if　the
Constitution　says　so　it　is　absurd。　　There　are　some　things　which　cannot
become　the　subject　of　discussion　in　a　public　assembly；　for　instance；　if　I
treat　with　Austria；　and　my　Ambassador　agrees　to　certain　conditions；　can
those　conditions　be　rejected　by　the　Legislative　Body？　　It　is　a　monstrous
absurdity　！　　Things　would　be　brought　to　a　fine　pass　in　this　way！
Lucchesini　and　Markow　would　give　dinners　every　day　like　Cambaceres；
scatter　their　money　about；　buy　men　who　are　to　be　sold；　and　thus　cause　our
propositions　to　be　rejected。　　This　would　be　a　fine　way　to　manage
matters！〃

When　Bonaparte；　according　to　his　custom；　talked　to　me　in　the　evening　of
what　had　passed　in　the　Council；　his　language　was　always　composed　of　a
singular　mixture　of　quotations　from　antiquity；　historical　references；　and
his　own　ideas。　　He　talked　about　the　Romans；　and　I　remember　when　Mr。　Fox
was　at　Paris　that　he　tried　to　distinguish　himself　before　that　Foreign
Minister；　whom　he　greatly　esteemed。　　In　his　enlarged　way　of　viewing　the
world　Bonaparte　divided　it　into　two　large　states；　the　East　and　the　West：
〃What　matters；〃　he　would　often　say；　〃that　two　countries　are　separated　by
rivers　or　mountains；　that　they　speak　different　languages？　　With　very
slight　shades　of　variety　France；　Spain；　England；　Italy；　and　Germany；　have
the　same　manners　and　customs；　the　same　religion；　and　the　same　dress。　　In
them　a　man　can　only　marry　one　wife；　slavery　is　not　allowed；　and　these　are
the　great　distinctions　which　divide　the　civilised　inhabitants　of　the
globe。　　With　the　exception　of　Turkey；　Europe　is　merely　a　province　of　the
world；　and　our　warfare　is　but　civil　strife。　　There　is　also　another　way　of
dividing　nations；　namely；　by　land　and　water。〃　　Then　he　would　touch　on　all
the　European　interests；　speak　of　Russia；　whose　alliance　he　wished　for；
and　of　England；　the　mistress　of　the　seas。　　He　usually　ended　by　alluding
to　what　was　then　his　favourite　schemean　expedition　to　India。

When　from　these　general　topics　Bonaparte　descended　to　the　particular
interests　of　France；　he　still　spoke　like　a　sovereign；　and　I　may　truly　say
that　he　showed　himself　more　jealous　than　any　sovereign　ever　was　of　the
dignity　of　France；　of　which　he　already　considered　himself　the　sole
representative。　　Having　learned　that　a　captain　of　the　English　navy　had
visited　the　dockyard　of　Brest　passing　himself　off　as　a　merchant；　whose
passport　he　had　borrowed；　he　flew　into　a　rage　because　no　one　had　ventured
to　arrest　him。＇see　James'　Naval　History　for　an　account　of　Sir　Sidney
Smith's　daring　exploit。＇　　Nothing　was　lost　on　Bonaparte；　and　he　made
use　of　this　fact　to　prove　to　the　Council　of　State　the　necessity　of
increasing　the　number　of　commissary…generals　of　police。　　At　a　meeting　of
the　Council　he　said；　〃If　there　had　been　a　commissary　of　police　at　Brest
he　would　have　arrested　the　English　captain　and　sent　him　at　once　to　Paris。
As　he　was　acting　the　part　of　a　spy　I　would　have　had　him　shot　as　such。
No　Englishman；　not　even　a　nobleman；　or　the　English　Ambassador；　should　be
admitted　into　our　dockyards。　　I　will　soon　regulate　all　this。〃　　He
afterwards　said　to　me；　〃There　are　plenty　of　wretches　who　are　selling　me
every　day　to　the　English　without　my　being　subjected　to　English　spying。〃

　　　　　＇During　the　short　and　hollow　peace　of　Amiens　Bonaparte　sent　over
　　　　　to　England　as　consuls　and　vice…consuls；　a　number　of　engineers　and
　　　　　military　men；　who　were　instructed　to　make　plans　of　all　the　harbours
　　　　　and　coasts　of　the　United　Kingdom。　　They　worked　in　secrecy；　yet　not
　　　　　so　secretly　but　that　they　were　soon　suspected：　the　facts　were
　　　　　proved；　and　they　were　sent　out　of　the　country　without　ceremony。
　　　　　Editor　of　1836　edition。＇

He　had　on　one　occasion　said　before　an　assemblage　of　generals；　senators；
and　high　officers　of　State；　who　were　at　an　audience　of　the　Diplo