memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第2章

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　　　　　Electeur；　that　a　new　and　serious　philosophy　is　rising　in　my
　　　　　university；　which　may　do　us　great　honour　and　disembarrass　us
　　　　　completely　of　the　ideologues；　slaying　them　on　the　spot　by
　　　　　reasoning？〃　　It　is　with　something　of　the　same　satisfaction　that
　　　　　Renan；　writing　of　1898；　says　that　the　finer　dreams　had　been
　　　　　disastrous　when　brought　into　the　domain　of　facts；　and　that　human
　　　　　concerns　only　began　to　improve　when　the　ideologues　ceased　to　meddle
　　　　　with　them　（Souvenirs；　p。　　122）。＇

or　terrorists。　　Madame　Bonaparte　opposed　with　fortitude　the　influence　of
counsels　which　she　believed　fatal　to　her　husband。　　He　indeed　spoke
rarely；　and　seldom　confidentially；　with　her　on　politics　or　public
affairs。　　〃Mind　your　distaff　or　your　needle；〃　was　with　him　a　common
phrase。　　The　individuals　who　applied　themselves　with　most　perseverance　in
support　of　the　hereditary　question　were　Lucien；　Roederer；　Regnault　de　St。
Jean　d'Angely；　and　Fontanel。　　Their　efforts　were　aided　by　the　conclusion
of　peace　with　England；　which；　by　re…establishing　general　tranquillity　for
a　time；　afforded　the　First　Consul　an　opportunity　of　forwarding　any　plan。

While　the　First　Consul　aspired　to　the　throne　of　France；　his　brothers；
especially　Lucien；　affected　a　ridiculous　pride　and　pretension。　　Take　an
almost　incredible　example　of　which　I　was　witness。　　On　Sunday；　the　9th　of
May；　Lucien　came　to　see　Madame　Bonaparte；　who　said　to　him；　〃Why　did　you
not　come　to　dinner　last　Monday？〃〃Because　there　was　no　place　marked　for
me：　the　brothers　of　Napoleon　ought　to　have　the　first　place　after　him。〃
〃What　am　I　to　understand　by　that？〃　answered　Madame　Bonaparte。　　〃If　you
are　the　brother　of　Bonaparte；　recollect　what　you　were。　　At　my　house　all
places　are　the　same。　　Eugene　world　never　have　committed　such　a　folly。〃

　　　　　＇On　such　points　there　was　constant　trouble　with　the　Bonapartist
　　　　　family；　as　will　be　seen　in　Madame　de　Remusat's　Memoirs。　　For　an
　　　　　instance；　in　1812；　where　Joseph　insisted　on　his　mother　taking
　　　　　precedence　of　Josephine　at　a　dinner　in　his　house；　when　Napoleon
　　　　　settled　the　matter　by　seizing　Josephine's　arm　and　leading　her　in
　　　　　first；　to　the　consternation　of　the　party。　　But　Napoleon；　right　in
　　　　　this　case；　had　his　own　ideas　on　such　points；　〃The　place　of　the
　　　　　Princess　Elisa；　the　eldest　of　his　sisters；　had　been　put　below　that
　　　　　of　Caroline；　Queen　of　Naples。　　Elisa　was　then　only　princess　of
　　　　　Lucca。　　The　Emperor　suddenly　rose；　and　by　a　shift　to　the　right
　　　　　placed　the　Princess　Elisa　above　the　Queen。　　'Now；'　said　he；　'do　not
　　　　　forget　that　in　the　imperial　family　I　am　the　only　King　'　（Iung's
　　　　　Lucien；　tome　ii。　　p。　　251）；　This　rule　he　seems　to　have　adhered　to；
　　　　　for　when　he　and　his　brothers　went　in　the　same　carriage　to　the　Champ
　　　　　de　Mai　in　1815；　Jerome；　titular　King　of　Westphalia；　had　to　take　the
　　　　　front　seat；　while　his　elder　brother；　Lucien；　only　bearing　the　Roman
　　　　　title　of　Prince　de　Canino；　sat　on　one　of　the　seats　of　honour
　　　　　alongside　Napoleon。　　Jerome　was　disgusted；　and　grumbled　at　a　King
　　　　　having　to　give　way　to　a　mere　Roman　Prince；　See　Iung's　Lucien；　tome
　　　　　ii。　　p；　190。＇

At　this　period；　when　the　Consulate　for　life　was　only　in　embryo；
flattering　counsels　poured　in　from　all　quarters；　and　tended　to　encourage
the　First　Consul　in　his　design　of　grasping　at　absolute　power。

Liberty　rejected　an　unlimited　power；　and　set　bounds　to　the　means　he
wished　and　had　to　employ　in　order　to　gratify　his　excessive　love　of　war
and　conquest。　　〃The　present　state　of　things；　this　Consulate　of　ten
years；〃　said　he　to　me；　does　not　satisfy　me；　I　consider　it　calculated　to
excite　unceasing　troubles。〃　　On　the　7th　of　July　1801；　he　observed；　〃The
question　whether　France　will　be　a　Republic　is　still　doubtful：　it　will　be
decided　in　five　or　six　years。〃　　It　was　clear　that　he　thought　this　too
long　a　term。　　Whether　he　regarded　France　as　his　property；　or　considered
himself　as　the　people's　delegate　and　the　defender　of　their　rights；　I　am
convinced　the　First　Consul　wished　the　welfare　of　France；　but　then　that
welfare　was　in　his　mind　inseparable　from　absolute　power。　　It　was　with
pain　I　saw　him　following　this　course。　　The　friends　of　liberty；　those　who
sincerely　wished　to　maintain　a　Government　constitutionally　free；　allowed
themselves　to　be　prevailed　upon　to　consent　to　an　extension　of　ten　years
of　power　beyond　the　ten　years　originally　granted　by　the　constitution。
They　made　this　sacrifice　to　glory　and　to　that　power　which　was　its
consequence；　and　they　were　far　from　thinking　they　were　lending　their
support　to　shameless　intrigues。　　They　were　firm；　but　for　the　moment　only；
and　the　nomination　for　life　was　rejected　by　the　Senate；　who　voted　only
ten　years　more　power　to　Bonaparte；　who　saw　the　vision　of　his　ambition
again　adjourned。

The　First　Consul　dissembled　his　displeasure　with　that　profound　art　which；
when　he　could　not　do　otherwise；　he　exercised　to　an　extreme　degree。　　To　a
message　of　the　Senate　on　the　subject　of　that　nomination　he　returned　a
calm　but　evasive　and　equivocating　answer；　in　which；　nourishing　his
favourite　hope　of　obtaining　more　from　the　people　than　from　the　Senate；
he　declared　with　hypocritical　humility；　〃That　he　would　submit　to　this　new
sacrifice　if　the　wish　of　the　people　demanded　what　the　Senate　authorised。〃
Such　was　the　homage　he　paid　to　the　sovereignty　of　the　people；　which　was
soon　to　be　trampled　under　his　feet！

An　extraordinary　convocation　of　the　Council　of　State　took　place　on
Monday；　the　10th　of　May。　　A　communication　was　made　to　them；　not　merely　of
the　Senate's　consultation；　but　also　of　the　First　Consul's　adroit　and
insidious　reply。　　The　Council　regarded　the　first　merely　as　a
notification；　and　proceeded　to　consider　on　what　question　the　people
should　be　consulted。　　Not　satisfied　with　granting　to　the　First　Consul　ten
years　of　prerogative；　the　Council　thought　it　best　to　strike　the　iron
while　it　was　hot；　and　not　to　stop　short　in　the　middle　of　so　pleasing　a
work。　　In　fine；　they　decided　that　the　following　question　should　be　put　to
the　people：　〃Shall　the　First　Consul　be　appointed　for　life；　and　shall　he
have　the　power　of　nominating　his　successor？〃　　The　reports　of　the　police
had　besides　much　influence　on　the　result　of　this　discussion；　for　they　one
and　all　declared　that　the　whole　of　Paris　demanded　a　Consul　for　life；　with
the　right　of　naming　a　successor。　　The　decisions　on　these　two　questions
were　carried　as　it　were　by　storm。　　The　appointment　for　life　passed
unanimously；　and　the　right　of　naming　the　successor　by　a　majority。　　The
First　Consul；　however；　formally　declared　that　he　condemned　this　second
measure；　which　had　not　originated　with　himself。　　On　receiving　the
decision　of　the　Council　of　State　the　First　Consul；　to　mask　his　plan　for
attaining　absolute　power；　thought　it　advisable　to　appear　to　reject　a　part
of　what　was　offered　him。　　He　therefore　cancelled　that　clause　which
proposed　to　give　him　the　power　of　appointing　a　successor；　and　which　had
been　carried　by　a　small　majority。




CHAPTER　X。

1802。

　　　　　General　Bernadotte　pacifies　La　vendee　and　suppresses　a　mutiny　at
　　　　　ToursBonaparte's　injustice　towards　himA　premeditated　scene
　　　　　Advice　given　to　Bernadotte；　and　Bonaparte　disappointedThe　First
　　　　　Consul's　residence　at　St。　CloudHis　rehearsals　for　the　Empire
　　　　　His　contempt　of　mankindMr。　Fox　and　BonaparteInformation　of　plans
　　　　　of　assassinationA　military　dinner　given　by　BonaparteMoreau　not
　　　　　of　the　partyEffect　of　the　'Senates…consultes'　on　the　Consulate　for
　　　　　lifeJourney　to　PlombieresPrevious　scene　between　Lucien　and
　　　　　JosephineTheatrical　representations　at　Neuilly　and　Malmaison
　　　　　Loss　of　a　watch；　and　honesty　rewardedCanova　at　St。　Cloud
　　　　　Bonaparte's　reluctance　to　stand　for　a　model。

Having　arrived　at　nearly　the　middle　of　the　career　which　I　have　undertaken
to　trace；　before　I　advance　farther　I　must　go　back　for　a　few　moments；　as　I
have　already　frequently　done；　in　order　to　introduce　some　circumstances
which　escaped　my　recollection；　or　which　I　purposely　reserved；　that　I
might　place　them　amongst　facts　analogous　to　them：　Thus；　for　instance；　I
have　only　referred　in　passing　to　a　man　who；　since　become　a　monarch；　has
not　ceased　to　honour　me　with　his　friendship；　as　will　be　seen　in　the
course　of　my　Memoirs；　since　the　part　we　have　seen　him　play　in　the　events
of　the　18th　Brumaire。　　This　man；　whom　the　inexplicable　combination　of
events　has　raised　to　a　throne　for　the　happiness　of　the　people　he　is
called　to　govern；　is　Bernadotte。

It　was　evident　that　Bernadotte　must　necessarily　fall　into　a　kind　of
disgrace　for　not　having　supported　Bonaparte's　projects　at　the　period　of
the　overthrow　of　the　Directory。　　The　First　Consul；　however；　did　not　dare
to　avenge　himself　openly；　but　he　watched　for　every　opportunity　to　remove
Bernadotte　from　his　presence；　to　place　him　in　difficult　situations；　and
to　entrust　him　with　missions　for　which　no　precise　instructions　were
given；　in　the　hope　that　Bernadotte　would　commit　faults　for　which　the
First　Consul　might　make　him　wholly　responsible。

At　the　commencement　of　the　Consulate　the　deplorable　war　in　La　Vendee
raged　in　all　its　intensity。　　The　organization　of　the　Chouans　was
complete；　and　this　civil　war　caused　Bonaparte　much　more　uneasiness　than
that　which　he　was　obliged　to　conduct　on　the　Rhine　and　in　Italy；　because；
from　the　success　of　the　Vendeans　might　arise　a　question　respecting
internal　government；　the　solution　of　which　was　likely　to　be　contrary　to
Bonaparte's　views。　　The　slightest　success　of　the　Vendeans　spread　alarm
amongst　the　holders　of　national　property；　and；　besides；　there　was　no　hope
of　reconciliation　between　France　and　England；　her　eternal　and　implacable
enemy；　as　long　as　the　flame　of　insurrection　remained　unextinguished。

The　task　of　terminating　this　unhappy　struggle　was　obviously　a　difficult
one。　　Bonaparte　therefore　resolved　to　impose　it　on　Bernadotte；　but　this
general's　conciliatory　disposition；　his　chivalrous　manners；　his　tendency
to　indulgence；　and　a　happy　mixture　of　prudence　and　firmness；　made　him
succeed　where　others　would　have　failed。　　He　finally　established　good
order　and　submission　to　the　laws。

Some　time　after　the　pacification　of　La　Vendee　a　rebellious　disposition
manifested　itself　at　Tours　amongst　the　soldiers　of　a　regiment　stationed
there。　　The　men　refused　to　march　until　they　received　their　arrears　of
pay。　　Bernadotte；　as　commander…in…chief　of　the　army　of　the　west；　without
being　alarmed　at　the　disturbance；　ordered　the　fifty…second　demi…brigade
the　one　in　questionto　be　drawn　up　in　the　square　of　Tours；　where；　at　the
very　head　of　the　corps；　the　leaders　of　the　mutiny　were　by　his　orders
arrested　without　any　resistance　being　offered。　　Carnot　who　was　then
Minister　of　War；　made　a　report　to　the　First　Consul　on　this　affair；　which；
but　for　the　firmness　of　Bernadotte；　might　have　been　attended　with
disagreeable　results。　　Carnet's　report　contained　a　plain　statement　of　the
facts；　and　of　General　Bernadotte's　conduct。　　Bonaparte　was；　however；
desirous　to　find　in　it　some　pretext　for　blaming　him；　and　made　me　write
these　words　on　the　margin　of　the　report：　〃General　Bernadotte　did　not　act
discreetly　in　adopting　such　severe　measures　against　the　fifty…second
demi…br