memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第8章

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family　which　had　occupied　it　for　so　many　ages。　　Bonaparte　fully　felt　the
delicacy　of　his　position；　but　he　knew　how　to　face　obstacles；　and　had　been
accustomed　to　overcome　them：　he；　however；　always　proceeded　cautiously；　as
when　obstacles　induced　him　to　defer　the　period　of　the　Consulship　for
life。

Bonaparte　laboured　to　establish　iii　France　not　only　an　absolute
government；　but；　what　is　still　worse；　a　military　one。　　He　considered　a
decree　signed　by　his　hand　possessed　of　a　magic　virtue　capable　of
transforming　his　generals　into　able　diplomatists；　and　so　he　sent　them　on
embassies；　as　if　to　show　the　Sovereigns　to　whom　they　were　accredited　that
he　soon　meant　to　take　their　thrones　by　assault。　　The　appointment　of
Lannes　to　the　Court　of　Lisbon　originated　from　causes　which　probably　will
be　read　with　some　interest；　since　they　serve　to　place　Bonaparte's
character　in；　its　true　light；　and　to　point　out；　at　the　same　time；　the
means　he　disdained　not　to　resort　to；　if　he　wished　to　banish　his　most
faithful　friends　when　their　presence　was　no　longer　agreeable　to　him。

Bonaparte　had　ceased　to　address　Lannes　in　the　second　person　singular；　but
that　general　continued　the　familiarity　of　thee　and　thou　in　speaking　to
Napoleon。　　It　is　hardly　possible　to　conceive　how　much　this　annoyed　the
First　Consul。　　Aware　of　the　unceremonious　candour　of　his　old　comrade；
whose　daring　spirit　he　knew　would　prompt　him　to　go　as　great　lengths　in
civil　affairs　as　on　the　field　of　battle；　Bonaparte；　on　the　great　occasion
of　the　18th　Brumaire；　fearing　his　reproaches；　had　given　him　the　command
of　Paris　in　order　to　ensure　his　absence　from　St。　Cloud。

After　that　time；　notwithstanding　the　continually　growing　greatness　of　the
First　Consul；　which；　as　it　increased；　daily　exacted　more　and　more
deference；　Lannes　still　preserved　his　freedom　of　speech；　and　was　the　only
one　who　dared　to　treat　Bonaparte　as　a　comrade；　and　tell　him　the　truth
without　ceremony。　　This　was　enough　to　determine　Napoleon　to　rid　himself
of　the　presence　of　Lannes。　　But　under　what　pretest　was　the　absence　of　the
conqueror　of　Montebello　to　be　procured？　　It　was　necessary　to　conjure　up
an　excuse；　and　in　the　truly　diabolical　machination　resorted　to　for　that
purpose；　Bonaparte　brought　into　play　that　crafty　disposition　for　which　he
was　so　remarkable。

Lannes；　who　never　looked　forward　to　the　morrow；　was　as　careless　of　his
money　as　of　his　blood。　　Poor　officers　and　soldiers　partook　largely　of　his
liberality。　　Thus　he　had　no　fortune；　but　plenty　of　debts　when　he　wanted
money；　and　this　was　not　seldom；　he　used　to　come；　as　if　it　were　a　mere
matter　of　course；　to　ask　it　of　the　First　Consul；　who；　I　must　confess；
never　refused　him。　　Bonaparte；　though　he　well　knew　the　general's
circumstances；　said　to　him　one　day；　〃My　friend；　you　should　attend　a
little　more　to　appearances。　　You　must　have　your　establishment　suitable　to
your　rank。　　There　is　the　Hotel　de　Noailleswhy　don't　you　take　it；　and
furnish　it　in　proper　style？〃　　Lannes；　whose　own　candour　prevented　him
from　suspecting　the　artful　designs　of　others；　followed　the　advice　of　the
First　Consul　The　Hotel　de　Noailles　was　taken　and　superbly　fitted　up。
Odiot　supplied　a　service　of　plate　valued　at　200；000　francs。

General　Lannes　having　thus　conformed　to　the　wishes　of　Bonaparte　came　to
him　and　requested　400；000　francs；　the　amount　of　the　expense　incurred；　as
it　were；　by　his　order。　　〃But；〃　said　the　First　Consul；　〃I　have　no　money。〃
〃You　have　no　money！　　What　the　devil　am　I　to　do；　then？〃

But　is　there　none　in　the　Guard's　chest？　　Take　what　you　require；　and　we
will　settle　it；　hereafter。〃

Mistrusting　nothing；　Lannes　went　to　the　treasurer　of　the　Guards；　who　made
some　objections　at　first　to　the　advance　required；　but　who　soon　yielded　on
learning　that　the　demand　was　made　with　the　consent　of　the　First　Consul。

Within　twenty…four　hours　after　Lannes　had　obtained　the　400；000　francs　the
treasurer　received　from　the　head　commissary　an　order　to　balance　his
accounts。　　The　receipt　for　the　400；000　francs　advanced　to　Lannes；　was　not
acknowledged　as　a　voucher。　　In　vain　the　treasurer　alleged　the　authority
of　the　First　Consul　for　the　transaction。　　Napoleon's　memory　had　suddenly
failed　him；　he　had　entirely　forgotten　all　about　it。　　In　a　word；　it　was
incumbent　on　Lannes　to　refund　the　400；000　francs　to　the　Guards'　chest；
and；　as　I　have　already　said；　he　had　no　property　on　earth；　but　debts　in
abundance。　　He　repaired　to　General　Lefebre；　who　loved　him　as　his　son；　and
to　him　he　related　all　that　had　passed。　　〃　Simpleton；〃　said　Lefebvre；　〃
why　did　you　not　come　to　me？　　Why　did　you　go　and　get　into　debt　with　that
…？　　Well；　here　are　the　400；000　francs；　take　them　to　him；　and　let　him
go　to　the　devil！〃

Lannes　hastened　to　the　First　Consul。　　〃What！〃he　exclaimed；　〃is　it
possible　you　can　be　guilty　of　such　baseness　as　this？　　To　treat　me　in　such
a　manner！　　To　lay　such　a　foul　snare　for　me　after　all　that　I　have　done　for
you；　after　all　the　blood　I　have　shed　to　promote　your　ambition！　　Is　this
the　recompense　you　had　in　store　for　me？　　You　forget　the　13th　Vendemiaire；
to　the　success　of　which　I　contributed　more　than　you！　　You　forget
Millesimo：　I　was　colonel　before　you！　　For　whom　did　I　fight　at　Bassano？
You　were　witness　of　what　I　did　at　Lodi　and　at　Governolo；　where　I　was
wounded；　and　yet　you　play　me　such　a　trick　as　this！　　But　for　me；　Paris
would　have　revolted　on　the　18th　Brumaire。　　But　for　me；　you　would　have
lost　the　battle　of　Marengo。　　I　alone；　yes；　I　alone；　passed　the　Po；　at
Montebello；　with　my　whole　division。　　You　gave　the　credit　of　that　to
Berthier；　who　was　not　there；　and　this　is　my　rewardhumiliation。　　This
cannot；　this　shall　not　be。　　I　will〃　　Bonaparte；　pale　with　anger；
listened　without　stirring；　and　Lannes　was　on　the　point　of　challenging　him
when　Junot；　who　heard　the　uproar；　hastily　entered。　　The　unexpected
presence　of　this　general　somewhat　reassured　the　First　Consul；　and　at　the
same　time　calmed；　in　some　degree；　the　fury　of　Lannes。　　〃Well；〃　said
Bonaparte；　〃go　to　Lisbon。　　You　will　get　money　there；　and　when　you　return
you　will　not　want　any　one　to　pay　your　debts　for　you。〃　　Thus　was
Bonaparte's　object　gained。　　Lannes　set　out　for　Lisbon；　and　never
afterwards　annoyed　the　First　Consul　by　his　familiarities；　for　on　his
return　he　ceased　to　address　him　with　thee　and　thou。

Having　described　Bonaparte's　ill…treatment　of　Lannes　I　may　here　subjoin　a
statement　of　the　circumstances　which　led　to　a　rupture　between　the　First
Consul　and　me。　　So　many　false　stories　have　been　circulated　on　the　subject
that　I　am　anxious　to　relate　the　facts　as　they　really　were。

Nine　months　had　now　passed　since　I　had　tendered　my　resignation　to　the
First　Consul。　　The　business　of　my　office　had　become　too　great　for　me；
and　my　health　was　so　much　endangered　by　over…application　that　my
physician；　M。　Corvisart；　who　had　for　a　long　time　impressed　upon　me　the
necessity　of　relaxation；　now　formally　warned　me　that　I　should　not　long
hold　out　under　the　fatigue　I　underwent。　　Corvisart　had　no　doubt　spoken　to
the　same　effect　to　the　First　Consul；　for　the　latter　said　to　me　one　day；
in　a　tone　which　betrayed　but　little　feeling；　〃Why；　Corvisart　says　you
have　not　a　year　to　live。〃　　This　was　certainly　no　very　welcome　compliment
in　the　mouth　of　an　old　college　friend；　yet　I　must　confess　that　the　doctor
risked　little　by　the　prediction。

I　had　resolved；　in　fact；　to　follow　the　advice　of　Corvisart；　my　family
were　urgent　in　their　entreaties　that　I　would　do　so；　but　I　always　put　off
the　decisive　step。　　I　was　loath　to　give　up　a　friendship　which　had
subsisted　so　long；　and　which　had　been　only　once　disturbed：　on　that
occasion　when　Joseph　thought　proper　to　play　the　spy　upon　me　at　the　table
of　Fouche。　　I　remembered　also　the　reception　I　had　met　with　from　the
conqueror　of　Italy；　and　I　experienced；　moreover；　no　slight　pain　at　the
thought　of　quitting　one　from　whom　I　had　received　so　many　proofs　of
confidence；　and　to　whom　I　had　been　attached　from　early　boyhood。　　These
considerations　constantly　triumphed　over　the　disgust　to　which　I　was
subjected　by　a　number　of　circumstances；　and　by　the　increasing　vexations
occasioned　by　the　conflict　between　my　private　sentiments　and　the　nature
of　the　duties　I　had　to　perform。

I　was　thus　kept　in　a　state　of　perplexity；　from　which　some　unforeseen
circumstance　alone　could　extricate　me。　　Such　a　circumstance　at　length
occurred；　and　the　following　is　the　history　of　my　first　rupture　with
Napoleon：

On　the　27th　of　February　1802；　at　ten　at　night；　Bonaparte　dictated　to　me　a
despatch　of　considerable　importance　and　urgency；　for　M。　de　Talleyrand；
requesting　the　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs　to　come　to　the　Tuileries　next
morning　at　an　appointed　hour。　　According　to　custom；　I　put　the　letter　into
the　hands　of　the　office　messenger　that　it　might　be　forwarded　to　its
destination。

This　was　Saturday。　　The　following　day；　Sunday；　M。　de　Talleyrand　came　as
if　for　an　audience　about　mid…day。　　The　First　Consul　immediately　began　to
confer　with　him　on　the　subject　of　the　letter　sent　the　previous　evening；
and　was　astonished　to　learn　that　the　Minister　had　not　received　it
until　the　morning。　　He　immediately　rang　for　the　messenger；　and　ordered　me
to　be　sent　for。　　Being　in　a　very。　　bad　humour；　he　pulled　the　bell　with　so
much　fury　that　he　struck　his　hand　violently　against　the　angle　of　the
chimney…piece。　I　hurried　to　his　presence。　　〃　Why；〃　he　said；　addressing　me
hastily；　〃why　was　not　my　letter　delivered　yesterday　evening？〃〃I　do　not
know：　I　put　it　at　once　into　the　hands　of　the　person　whose　duty　it　was　to
see　that　it　was　sent。〃〃Go　and　find　the　cause　of　the　delay；　and　come
back　quickly。〃　　Having　rapidly　made　my　inquiries；　I　returned　to　the
cabinet。　　〃Well？〃　said　the　First　Consul；　whose　irritation　seemed　to　have
increased。　　〃　Well；　General；　it　is　not　the　fault　of　anybody；　　M。　de
Talleyrand　was　not　to　be　found；　either　at　the　office　or　at　his　own
residence；　or　at　the　houses　of　any　of　his　friends　where　he　was　thought
likely　to　be。〃　　Not　knowing　with　whom　to　be　angry；　restrained　by　the
coolness　of　M。　de　Talleyrand；　yet　at　the　same　time　ready　to　burst　with
rage；　Bonaparte　rose　from　his　seat；　and　proceeding　to　the　hall；　called
the　messenger　and　questioned　him　sharply。　　The　man；　disconcerted　by　the
anger　of　the　First　Consul；　hesitated　in　his　replies；　and　gave　confused
answers。　　Bonaparte　returned　to　his　cabinet　still　more　irritated　than　he
had　left　it。

I　had　followed　him　to　the　hall；　and　on　my　way　back　to　the　cabinet　I
attempted　to　soothe　him；　and　I　begged　him　not　to　be　thus　discomposed　by　a
circumstance　which；　after　all；　was　of　no　great　moment。　　I　do　not　know
whether　his　anger　was　increased　by　the　sight　of　the　blood　which　flowed
from　his　hand；　and　which　he　was　every　moment　looking　at；　but　however　that
might　be；　a　transport　of　furious　passion；　such　as　I　had　never　before
witnessed；　seized　him；　and　as　I　was　about　to　enter　the　cabinet　after　him
he　threw　back　the　door　with　so　much　violence　that；　had　I　been　two　or
three　inches　nearer　him；　it　must　infallibly　have　struck　me　in　the　face。
He　accompanied　this　action；　which　was　almost　convulsive；　with　an
appellation；　not　to　be　borne；　he　exclaimed　before　M。　de　Talleyrand；
〃Leave　me　alone；　you　are　a　fool。〃　　At　an　insult　so　atrocious　I　confess
that　the　anger　which　had　a