memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第9章

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〃Leave　me　alone；　you　are　a　fool。〃　　At　an　insult　so　atrocious　I　confess
that　the　anger　which　had　already　mastered　the　First　Consul　suddenly
seized　on　me。　　I　thrust　the　door　forward　with　as　much　impetuosity　as　he
had　used　in　throwing　it　back；　and；　scarcely　knowing　what　I　said；
exclaimed；　〃You　are　a　hundredfold　a　greater　fool　than　I　am！〃　　I　then
banged　the　door　and　went　upstairs　to　my　apartment；　which　was　situated
over　the　cabinet。

I　was　as　far　from　expecting　as　from　wishing　such　an　occasion　of
separating　from　the　First　Consul。　　But　what　was　done　could　not　be　undone；
and　therefore；　without　taking　time　for　reflection；　and　still　under　the
influence　of　the　anger　that　had　got　the　better　of　me；　I　penned　the
following　positive　resignation：

GENERALThe　state　of　my　health　no　longer　permits　me　to　continue　in　your
service。　　I　therefore　beg　you　to　accept　my　resignation。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOURRIENNE。

Some　moments　after　this　note　was　written　I　saw　Bonaparte's　saddle…horses
brought　up　to　the　entrance　of　the　Palace。　　It　was　Sunday　morning；　and；
contrary　to　his　usual　custom　on　that　day；　he　was　going　to　ride　out。

Duroc　accompanied　him。　　He　was　no　sooner　done　than　I；　went　down　into　his
cabinet；　and　placed　my　letter　on　his　table。　　On　returning　at　four　o'clock
with　Duroc　Bonaparte　read　my　letter。　　〃Ah！　　ah！〃　said　he；　before　opening
it；　〃a　letter　from　Bourrienne。〃　　And　he　almost　immediately　added；　for　the
note　was　speedily　perused；　〃He　is　in　the　sulks。Accepted。〃　　I　had　left
the　Tuileries　at　the　moment　he　returned；　but　Duroc　sent　to　me　where　I　was
dining　the　following　billet：

The　First　Consul　desires　me；　my　dear　Bourrienne；　to　inform　you　that　he
accepts　your　resignation；　and　to　request　that　you　will　give　me　the
necessary　information　respecting　your　papers。Yours；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DUROC。

P。S。：I　will　call　on　you　presently。

Duroc　came　to　me　at　eight　o'clock　the　same　evening。　　The　First　Consul　was
in　his　cabinet　when　we　entered　it。　　I　immediately　commenced　giving　my
intended　successor　the　necessary　explanations　to　enable　him　to　enter　upon
his　new　duties。　　Piqued　at　finding　that　I　did　not　speak　to　him；　and　at
the　coolness　with　which　I　instructed　Duroc；　Bonaparte　said　to　me　in　a
harsh　tone；　〃Come；　I　have　had　enough　of　this！　　Leave　me。〃　　I　stepped　down
from　the　ladder　on　which　I　had　mounted　for　the　purpose　of　pointing　out　to
Duroc　the　places　in　which　the　various　papers　were　deposited　and　hastily
withdrew。　　I　too　had　quite　enough　of　it！

I　remained　two　more　days　at　the　Tuileries　until　I　had　suited　myself　with
lodgings。　　On　Monday　I　went　down　into　the　cabinet　of　the　First　Consul　to
take　my　leave　of　him。　　We　conversed　together　for　a　long　time；　and　very
amicably。　　He　told　me　he　was　very　sorry　I　was　going　to　leave　him；　and
that　he　would　do　all　he　could　for　me。　　I　pointed　out　several　places　to
him；　at　last　I　mentioned　the　Tribunate。　　〃That　will　not　do　for　you；〃　he
said；　the　members　are　a　set　of　babblers　and　phrasemongers；　whom　I　mean　to
get　rid　of。　　All　the　troubles　of　States　proceed　from　such　debatings。　　I
am　tired　of　them。〃　　He　continued　to　talk　in　a　strain　which　left　me　in　no
doubt　as　to　his　uneasiness　about　the　Tribunate；　which；　in　fact；　reckoned
among　its　members　many　men　of　great　talent　and　excellent　character。

　　　　　＇In　1802　the　First　Consul　made　a　reduction　of　fifty　members　of　the
　　　　　Tribunate；　and　subsequently　the　whole　body　was　suppressed。
　　　　　Bourrienne。＇

The　following　day；　Tuesday；　the　First　Consul　asked　me　to　breakfast　with
him。　　After　breakfast；　while　he　was　conversing　with　some　other　person；
Madame　Bonaparte　and　Hortense　pressed　me　to　make　advances　towards
obtaining　a　re…instalment　in　my　office；　appealing　to　me　on　the　score　of
the　friendship　and　kindness　they　had　always　shown　me。　　They　told　me　that
I　had　been　in　the　wrong；　and　that　I　had　forgotten　myself。　　I　answered
that　I　considered　the　evil　beyond　remedy；　and　that；　besides；　I　had　really
need　of　repose。　　The　First　Consul　then　called　me　to　him；　and　conversed　a
considerable　time　with　me；　renewing　his　protestations　of　goodwill　towards
me。

At　five　o'clock　I　was　going　downstairs　to　quit　the　Tuileries　for　good
when　I　was　met　by　the　office　messenger；　who　told　me　that　the　First　Consul
wished　to　see　me。　　Duroc；　who　was　in　the　room　leading　to　the　cabinet；
stopped　me　as　I　passed；　and　said；　〃He　wishes　you　to　remain。　　I　beg　of　you
not　to　refuse；　do　me　this　favour。　　I　have　assured　him　that　I　am　incapable
of　filling　your　office。　　It　does　not　suit　my　habits；　and　besides；　to　tell
you　the　truth；　the　business　is　too　irksome　for　me。〃　　I　proceeded　to　the
cabinet　without　replying　to　Duroc。　　The　First　Consul　came　up　to　me
smiling；　and　pulling　me　by　the　ear；　as　he　did　when　he　was　in　the　best　of
humours；　said　to　me；　〃Are　you　still　in　the　sulks？〃　and　leading　me　to　my
usual　seat　he　added；　〃Come；　sit　down。〃

Only　those　who　knew　Bonaparte　can　judge　of　my　situation　at　that　moment。
He　had　at　times；　and　when　he　chose；　a　charm　in　his　manners　which　it　was
quite　impossible　to　resist。　　I　could　offer　no　opposition；　and　I　resumed
my　usual　office　and　my　accustomed　labours。　　Five　minutes　afterwards　it
was　announced　that　dinner　was　on　table。　　〃You　will　dine　with　me？〃　he
said。　　〃I　cannot；　I　am　expected　at　the　place　where　I　was　going　when　Duroc
called　me　back。　　It　is　an　engagement　that　I　cannot　break。〃〃Well；　I　have
nothing　to　say；　then。　　But　give　me　your　word　that　you　will　be　here　at
eight　o'clock。〃〃I　promise　you。〃　　Thus　I　became　again　the　private
secretary　of　the　First　Consul；　and　I　believed　in　the　sincerity　of　our
reconciliation。




CHAPTER　XIII。

1802…1803。

　　　　　The　Concordat　and　the　Legion　of　HonourThe　Council　of　State　and　the
　　　　　TribunateDiscussion　on　the　word　'subjects'ChenierChabot　de
　　　　　l'Allier's　proposition　to　the　TribunateThe　marked　proof　of
　　　　　national　gratitudeBonaparte's　duplicity　and　self…commandReply　to
　　　　　the　'Senatus…consulte'The　people　consultedConsular　decree
　　　　　The　most；　or　the　leastM。　de　Vanblanc's　speechBonaparte's　reply
　　　　　The　address　of　the　TribunateHopes　and　predictions　thwarted。

It　may　truly　be　said　that　history　affords　no　example　of　an　empire　founded
like　that　of　France；　created　in　all　its　parts　under　the　cloak　of　a
republic。　　Without　any　shock；　and　in　the　short　space　of　four　years；　there
arose　above　the　ruins　of　the　short…lived　Republic　a　Government　more
absolute　than　ever　was　Louis　XIV。's。　　This　extraordinary　change　is　to　be
assigned　to　many　causes；　and　I　had　the　opportunity　of　observing　the
influence　which　the　determined　will　of　one　man　exercised　over　his　fellow…
men。

The　great　object　which　Bonaparte　had　at　heart　was　to　legitimate　his
usurpations　by　institutions。　　The　Concordat　had　reconciled　him　with　the
Court　of　Rome；　the　numerous　erasures　from　the　emigrant　list　gathered
round　him　a　large　body　of　the　old　nobility；　and　the　Legion　of　Honour；
though　at　first　but　badly　received；　soon　became　a　general　object　of
ambition。　　Peace；　too；　had　lent　her　aid　in　consolidating　the　First
Consul's　power　by　affording　him　leisure　to　engage　in　measures　of　internal
prosperity。

The　Council　of　State；　of　which　Bonaparte　had　made　me　a　member；　but　which
my　other　occupations　did　not　allow　me　to　attend；　was　the　soul　of　the
Consular　Government。　　Bonaparte　felt　much　interest　in　the　discussions　of
that　body；　because　it　was　composed　of　the　most　eminent　men　in　the
different　branches　of　administration；　and　though　the　majority　evinced　a
ready　compliance　with　his　wishes；　yet　that　disposition　was　often　far　from
being　unanimous。　　In　the　Council　of　State　the　projects　of　the　Government
were　discussed　from　the　first　with　freedom　and　sincerity；　and　when　once
adopted　they　were　transmitted　to　the　Tribunate；　and　to　the　Legislative
Body。　　This　latter　body　might　be　considered　as　a　supreme　Legislative
Tribunal；　before　which　the　Tribunes　pleaded　as　the　advocates　of　the
people；　and　the　Councillors　of　State；　whose　business　it　was　to　support
the　law　projects；　as　the　advocates　of　the　Government。　　This　will　at　once
explain　the　cause　of　the　First　Consul's　animosity　towards　the　Tribunate；
and　will　show　to　what　the　Constitution　was　reduced　when　that　body　was
dissolved　by　a　sudden　and　arbitrary　decision。

During　the　Consulate　the　Council　of　State　was　not　only　a　body　politic
collectively；　but　each　individual　member　might　be　invested　with　special
power；　as；　for　example；　when　the　First　Consul　sent　Councillors　of　State
on　missions　to　each　of　the　military　divisions　where　there　was　a　Court　of
Appeal；　the　instructions　given　them　by　the　First　Consul　were　extensive；
and　might　be　said　to　be　unlimited。　　They　were　directed　to　examine　all　the
branches　of　the　administration；　so　that　their　reports　collected　and
compared　together　presented　a　perfect　description　of　the　state　of　France。
But　this　measure；　though　excellent　in　itself；　proved　fatal　to　the　State。
The　reports　never　conveyed　the　truth　to　the　First　Consul；　or　at　least　if
they　did；　it　was　in　such　a　disguised　form　as　to　be　scarcely　recognisable；
for　the　Councillors　well　knew　that　the　best　way　to　pay　their　court　to
Bonaparte　was　not　to　describe　public　feeling　as　it　really　was；　but　as　he
wished　it　to　be。　　Thus　the　reports　of　the　councillors　of　State　only
furnished　fresh　arguments　in　favour　of　his　ambition。

I　must；　however；　observe　that　in　the　discussions　of　the　Council　of　State
Bonaparte　was　not　at　all　averse　to　the　free　expression　of　opinion。　　He；
indeed；　often　encouraged　it；　for　although　fully　resolved　to　do　only　what
he　pleased；　he　wished　to　gain　information；　indeed；　it　is　scarcely
conceivable　how；　in　the　short　space　of　two　years；　Bonaparte　adapted　his
mind　so　completely　to　civil　and　legislative　affairs。　　But　he　could　not
endure　in　the　Tribunate　the　liberty　of　opinion　which　he　tolerated　in　the
Council；　and　for　this　reasonthat　the　sittings　of　the　Tribunate　were
public；　while　those　of　the　Council　of　State　were　secret；　and　publicity
was　what　he　dreaded　above　all　things。　　He　was　very　well　pleased　when　he
had　to　transmit　to　the　Legislative　Body　or　to　the　Tribunate　any　proposed
law　of　trifling　importance；　and　he　used　then　to　say　that　he　had　thrown
them　a　bone　to　gnaw。

Among　the　subjects　submitted　to　the　consideration　of　the　Council　and　the
Tribunate　was　one　which　gave　rise　to　a　singular　discussion；　the　ground　of
which　was　a　particular　word；　inserted　in　the　third　article　of　the　treaty
of　Russia　with　France。　　This　word　seemed　to　convey　a　prophetic　allusion
to　the　future　condition　of　the　French　people；　or　rather　an　anticipated
designation　of　what　they　afterwards　became。　　The　treaty　spoke　of　〃the
subjects　of　the　two　Governments。〃　　This　term　applied　to　those　who　still
considered　themselves　citizens；　and　was　highly　offensive　to　the
Tribunate。　　Chenier　moat　loudly　remonstrated　against　the　introduction　of
this　word　into　the　dictionary　of　the　new　Government。　　He　said　that　the
armies　of　France　had　shed　their　blood　that　the　French　people　might　be
citizens　and　not　subjects。　　Chenier's　arguments；　however；　had　no　effect
on　the　decision　of　the　Tribunate；　and　only　served　to　irritate　the　First
Consul。　　The　treaty　was　adopted　almost　unanimously；　there　being　only
fourteen　dissentien