memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第5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！


Do　not　deprive　me　of　this　pleasure。　　I　have　not　over　much　amusement；　as
you　well　know。〃〃All；　truly！　　I　would　not　deprive　you　of　any　pleasure。
I　am　delighted　to　be　able　to　contribute　to　your　amusement。〃　　After　a
conversation　of　this　sort　I　could　not　do　less　than　set　about　studying　my
part。

At　this　period；　during　summer；　I　had　half　the　Sunday　to　myself。　　I　was；
however；　obliged　to　devote　a　portion　of　this　precious　leisure　to　pleasing
Bonaparte　by　studying　a　new　part　as　a　surprise　for　him。　　Occasionally；
however；　I　passed　the　time　at　Ruel。　　I　recollect　that　one　day；　when　I　had
hurried　there　from　Malmaison；　I　lost　a　beautiful　watch　made　by　Breguet。
It　was　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　the　road　was　that　day　thronged
with　people。　　I　made　my　loss　publicly　known　by　means　of　the　crier　of
Ruel。　　An　hour　after；　as　I　was　sitting　down　to　table；　a　young　lad
belonging　to　the　village　brought　me　my　watch。　　He　had　found　it　on　the
high　road　in　a　wheel　rut。　　I　was　pleased　with　the　probity　of　this　young
man；　and　rewarded　both　him　and　his　father；　who　accompanied　him。　　I
reiterated　the　circumstance　the　same　evening　to　the　First　Consul；　who　was
so　struck　with　this　instance　of　honesty　that　he　directed　me　to　procure
information　respecting　the　young　man　and　his　family。　　I　learned　that　they
were　honest　peasants。　　Bonaparte　gave　employment　to　three　brothers　of
this　family；　and；　what　was　most　difficult　to　persuade　him　to；　he　exempted
the　young　man　who　brought　me　the　watch　from　the　conscription。

When　a　fact　of　this　nature　reached　Bonaparte's　ear　it　was　seldom　that　he
did　not　give　the　principal　actor　in　it　some　proof　of　his　satisfaction。
Two　qualities　predominated　in　his　characterkindness　and　impatience。
Impatience；　when　he　was　under　its　influence；　got　the　better　of　him；　it
was　then　impossible　for　him　to　control　himself。　　I　had　a　remarkable　proof
of　it　about　this　very　period。

Canova　having　arrived　in　Paris　came　to　St。　Cloud　to　model　the　figure　of
the　First　Consul；　of　whom　he　was　about　to　make　a　colossal　statue。　　This
great　artist　came　often；　in　the　hope　of　getting　his　model　to　stand　in　the
proper　attitude；　but　Bonaparte　was　so　tired；　disgusted；　and　fretted　by
the　process；　that　he　very　seldom　put　himself　in　the　required　attitude；
and　then　only　for　a　short　time。　　Bonaparte　notwithstanding　had　the
highest　regard　for　Canova。　　Whenever　he　was　announced　the　First　Consul
sent　me　to　keep　him　company　until　he　was　at　leisure　to　give　him　a
sitting；　but　he　would　shrug　up　his　shoulders　and　say；　〃More　modeling！
Good　Heavens；　how　vexatious！〃　　Canova　expressed　great　displeasure　at　not
being　able　to　study　his　model　as　he　wished　to　do；　and　the　little　anxiety
of　Bonaparte　on　the　subject　damped　the　ardour　of　his　imagination。
Everybody　agrees　in　saying　that　he　has　not　succeeded　in　the　work；　and　I
have　explained　the　reason。　　The　Duke　of　Wellington　afterwards　possessed
this　colossal　statue；　which　was　about　twice　his　own　height。




CHAPTER　XI。

1802。

　　　　　Bonaparte's　principle　as　to　the　change　of　MinistersFoucheHis
　　　　　influence　with　the　First　ConsulFouche's　dismissalThe　departments
　　　　　of　Police　and　Justice　united　under　RegnierMadame　Bonaparte's
　　　　　regret　for　the　dismissal　of　FoucheFamily　scenesMadame　Louis
　　　　　Bonaparte's　pregnancyFalse　and　infamous　reports　to　Josephine
　　　　　Legitimacy　and　a　bastardRaederer　reproached　by　JosephineHer
　　　　　visit　to　RuelLong　conversation　with　herAssertion　at　St。　Helena
　　　　　respecting　a　great　political　fraud。

It　is　a　principle　particularly　applicable　to　absolute　governments　that　a
prince　should　change　his　ministers　as　seldom　as　possible；　and　never
except　upon　serious　grounds。　　Bonaparte　acted　on　this　principle　when
First　Consul；　and　also　when　he　became　Emperor。　　He　often　allowed　unjust
causes　to　influence　him；　but　he　never　dismissed　a　Minister　without　cause；
indeed；　he　more　than　once；　without　any　reason；　retained　Ministers　longer
than　he　ought　to　have　done　in　the　situations　in　which　he　had　placed　them。
Bonaparte's　tenacity　in　this　respect；　in　some　instances；　produced　very
opposite　results。　　For　instance；　it　afforded　M。　Gaudin'　time　to　establish
a　degree　of　order　in　the　administration　of　Finance　which　before　his　time
had　never　existed；　and　on　the　other　hand；　it　enabled　M。　Decres　to　reduce
the　Ministry　of　Marine　to　an　unparalleled　state　of　confusion。

Bonaparte　saw　nothing　in　men　but　helps　and　obstacles。　　On　the　18th
Brumaire　Fouche　was　a　help。　　The　First　Consul　feared　that　he　would　become
an　obstacle；　it　was　necessary；　therefore；　to　think　of　dismissing　him。
Bonaparte's　most　sincere　friends　had　from　the　beginning　been　opposed　to
Fouche's　having　any　share　in　the　Government。　　But　their　disinterested
advice　produced　no　other　result　than　their　own　disgrace；　so　influential　a
person　had　Fouche　become。　　How　could　it　be　otherwise？　　Fouche　was
identified　with　the　Republic　by　the　death　of　the　King；　for　which　he　had
voted；　with　the　Reign　of　Terror　by　his　sanguinary　missions　to　Lyons　and
Nevers；　with　the　Consulate　by　his　real　though　perhaps　exaggerated
services；　with　Bonaparte　by　the　charm　with　which　he　might　be　said　to　have
fascinated　him；　with　Josephine　by　the　enmity　of　the　First　Consul's
brothers。　　Who　would　believe　it？　　Fouche　ranked　the　enemies　of　the
Revolution　amongst　his　warmest　partisans。　　They　overwhelmed　him　with
eulogy；　to　the　disparagement　even　of　the　Head　of　the　State；　because　the
cunning　Minister；　practising　an　interested　indulgence；　set　himself　up　as
the　protector　of　individuals　belonging　to　classes　which；　when　he　was
proconsul；　he　had　attacked　in　the　mass。　　Director　of　public　opinion；　and
having　in　his　hands　the　means　at　his　pleasure　of　inspiring　fear　or　of
entangling　by　inducements；　it　was　all　in　his　favour　that　he　had　already
directed　this　opinion。　　The　machinery　he　set　in　motion　was　so　calculated
that　the　police　was　rather　the　police　of　Fouche　than　that　of　the　Minister
of　the　General　Police。　　Throughout　Paris；　and　indeed　throughout　all
France；　Fouche　obtained　credit　for　extraordinary　ability；　and　the　popular
opinion　was　correct　in　this　respect；　namely；　that　no　man　ever　displayed
such　ability　in　making　it　be　supposed　that　he　really　possessed　talent。
Fouche's　secret　in　this　particular　is　the　whole　secret　of　the　greater
part　of　those　persons　who　are　called　statesmen。

Be　this　as　it　may；　the　First　Consul　did　not　behold　with　pleasure　the
factitious　influence　of　which　Fouche　had　possessed　himself。　　For　some
time　past；　to　the　repugnance　which　at　bottom　he　had　felt　towards。
Fouche；　were　added　other　causes　of　discontent。　　In　consequence　of　having
been　deceived　by　secret　reports　and　correspondence　Bonaparte　began　to
shrug　up　his　shoulders　with　an　expression　of　regret　when　he　received
them；　and　said；　〃Would　you　believe；　Bourrienne；　that　I　have　been　imposed
on　by　these　things？　　All　such　denunciations　are　uselessscandalous。
All　the　reports　from　prefects　and　the　police；　all　the　intercepted
letters；　are　a　tissue　of　absurdities　and　lies。　　I　desire　to　have　no　more
of　them。〃　　He　said　so；　but　he　still　received　them。　　However；　Fouche's
dismissal　was　resolved　upon。　　But　though　Bonaparte　wished　to　get　rid　of
him；　still；　under　the　influence　of　the　charm；　he　dared　not　proceed
against　him　without　the　greatest　caution。　　He　first　resolved　upon　the
suppression　of　the　office　of　Minister　of　Police　in　order　to　disguise　the
motive　for　the　removal　of　the　Minister。　　The　First　Consul　told　Fouche
that　this　suppression；　which　he　spoke　of　as　being　yet　remote；　was
calculated　more　than　anything　else　to　give　strength　to　the　Government；
since　it　would　afford　a　proof　of　the　security　and　internal　tranquillity
of　France。　　Overpowered　by　the　arguments　with　which　Bonaparte　supported
his　proposition；　Fouche　could　urge　no　good　reasons　in　opposition　to　it；
but　contented　himself　with　recommending　that　the　execution　of　the　design；
which　was　good　in　intention；　should；　however；　be　postponed　for　two　years。
Bonaparte　appeared　to　listen　favourably　to　Fouche's　recommendation；　who；
as　avaricious　for　money　as　Bonaparte　of　glory；　consoled　himself　by
thinking　that　for　these　two　years　the　administration　of　the　gaming　tables
would　still　be　for　him　a　Pactolus　flowing　with　gold。　　For　Fouche；　already
the　possessor　of　an　immense　fortune；　always　dreamed　of　increasing　it；
though　he　himself　did　not　know　how　to　enjoy　it。　　With　him　the　ambition　of
enlarging　the　bounds　of　his　estate　of　Pont…Carre　was　not　less　felt　than
with　the　First　Consul　the　ambition　of　extending　the　frontier　of　France。

Not　only　did　the　First　Consul　not　like　Fouche；　but　it　is　perfectly　true
that　at　this　time　the　police　wearied　and　annoyed　him。　　Several　times　he
told　me　he　looked　on　it　as　dangerous；　especially　for　the　possessor　of
power。　　In　a　Government　without　the　liberty　of　the　press　he　was　quite
right。　　The　very　services　which　the　police　had　rendered　to　the　First
Consul　were　of　a　nature　to　alarm　him；　for　whoever　had　conspired　against
the　Directory　in　favour　of　the　Consulate　might　also　conspire　against　the
Consulate　in　favour　of　any　other　Government。　　It　is　needless　to　say　that
I　only　allude　to　the　political　police；　and　not　to　the　municipal　police；
which　is　indispensable　for　large　towns；　and　which　has　the　honourable
mission　of　watching　over　the　health　and　safety　of　the　citizens。

Fouche；　as　has　been　stated；　had　been　Minister　of　Police　since　the　18th
Brumaire。　　Everybody　who　was　acquainted　with；　the　First　Consul's
character　was　unable　to　explain　the　ascendency　which　he　had　suffered
Fouche　to　acquire　over　him；　and　of　which　Bonaparte　himself　was　really
impatient。　　He　saw　in　Fouche　a　centre　around　which　all　the　interests　of
the　Revolution　concentrated　themselves；　and　at　this　he　felt　indignant；
but；　subject　to　a　species　of　magnetism；　he　could　not　break　the　charm
which　enthralled　him。　　When　he　spoke　of　Fouche　in　his　absence　his
language　was　warm；　bitter；　and　hostile。　　When　Fouche　was　present；
Bonaparte's　tone　was　softened；　unless　some　public　scene　was　to　be　acted
like　that　which　occurred　after　the　attempt　of　the　3d　Nivose。

The　suppression　of　the　Ministry　of　Police　being　determined　on；　Bonaparte
did　not　choose　to　delay　the　execution　of　his　design；　as　he　had　pretended
to　think　necessary。　　On　the　evening　of　the　12th　of　September　we　went　to
Mortfontaine。　　We　passed　the　next　day；　which　was　Monday；　at　that　place；
and　it　was　there；　far　removed　from　Fouche；　and　urged　by　the　combined
persuasions　of　Joseph　and　Lucien；　that　the　First　Consul　signed　the　decree
of　suppression。　　The　next　morning　we　returned　to　Paris。　　Fouche　came　to
Malmaison；　where　we　were；　in　the　regular　execution　of　his　duties。　　The
First　Consul　transacted　business　with　him　as　usual　without　daring　to　tell
him　of　his　dismissal；　and　afterwards　sent　Cambaceres　to　inform　him　of　it。
After　this　act；　respecting　which　he　had　hesitated　so　long；　Bonaparte
still　endeavoured　to　modify　his　rigour。　　Having　appointed　Fouche　a
Senator；　he　said　in　the　letter　which　he　wrote　to　the　Senate　to　notify　the
appointment：

　　　　　〃Fouche；　as　Minister　of　Police；　in　times　of　difficulty；　has　by　his
　　　　　talent；　his　activity；　and　his　attachment　to　the　Government　done　all
　　　　　that　circumstances　required　of　him。　　Placed　in　the　bosom　of　the
　　　　　Senate；