memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第12章

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delicious　voice；　and　if　his　imperious　duties　had　permitted　it　he　would
have　listened　　with　ecstasy　to　her　singing　for　hours　together。　　Whilst
Napoleon　was　at　Milan；　priding　himself　on　his　　double　sovereignty；　some
schemes　were　set　on　foot　at　Vienna　and　St。　Petersburg　which　I　shall
hereafter　have　occasion　to　notice。　　The　Emperor；　indeed；　gave　cause　for
just　complaint　by　the　fact　of　annexing　Genoa　to　the　　Empire　within　four
months　after　his　solemn　declaration　to　the　Legislative　Body；　in　which　he
pledged　himself　in　the　face　of　France　and　Europe　not　to　seek　any
aggrandisement　of　territory。　　The　pretext　of　a　voluntary　offer　on　the
part　of　Genoa　was　too　absurd　to　deceive　any　one。　　The　rapid　progress　of
Napoleon's　ambition　could　not　escape　the　observation　of　the　Cabinet　of
Vienna；　which　began　to　allow　increased　symptoms　of　hostility。　　The　change
which　was　effected　in　the　form　of　the　Government　of　the　Cisalpine
Republic　was　likewise　an　act　calculated　to　excite　remonstrance　on　the
part　of　all　the　powers　who　were　not　entirely　subject　to　the　yoke　of
France。　　He　disguised　the　taking　of　Genoa　under　the　name　of　a　gift；　and
the　possession　of　Italy　under　the　appearance　of　a　mere　change　of
denomination。　　Notwithstanding　these　flagrant　outrages　the　exclusive
apologists　of　Napoleon　have　always　asserted　that　he　did　not　wish　for　war；
and　he　himself　maintained　　that　assertion　at　St。　Helena。　　It　is　said　that
he　was　always　attacked；　and　hence　a　conclusion　is　drawn　in　favour　of　his
love　of　peace。　　I　acknowledge　Bonaparte　would　never　have　fired　a　single
musket…shot　if　all　the　powers　of　Europe　had　submitted　to　be　pillaged　by
him　one　after　the　other　without　opposition。　　It　was　in　fact　declaring　war
against　them　to　place　them　under　the　necessity　of　breaking　a　peace；
during　the　continuance　of　which　he　was　augmenting　his　power；　and
gratifying　his　ambition；　as　if　in　defiance　of　Europe。　　In　this　way
Napoleon　commenced　all　the　wars　in　which　he　was　engaged；　with　the
exception　of　that　which　followed　the　peace　of　Marengo；　and　which
terminated　in　Moreau's　triumph　at　Hohenlinden。　　As　there　was　no　liberty
of　the　press　in　France　he　found　it　easy　to　deceive　the　nation。　　He　was　in
fact　attacked；　and　thus　he　enjoyed　the　pleasure　of　undertaking　his　great
military　expeditions　without　being　responsible　in　the　event　of　failure。

During　the　Emperor's　stay　in　the　capital　of　the　new　kingdom　of　Italy　he
received　the　first　intelligence　of　the　dissatisfaction　of　Austria　and
Russia。　　That　dissatisfaction　was　not　of　recent　date。　　When　I　entered　on
my　functions　at　Hamburg　I　learned　some　curious　details　（which　I　will
relate　in　their　proper　place）　respecting　the　secret　negotiations　which
had　been　carried　on　for　a　considerable　time　previously　to　the
commencement　of　hostilities。　　Even　Prussia　was　no　stranger　to　the
dissatisfaction　of　Austria　and　Russia；　I　do　not　mean　the　King；　but　the
Cabinet　of　Berlin；　which　was　then　under　the　control　of　Chancellor
Hardenberg；　for　the　King　of　Prussia　had　always　personally　declared
himself　in　favour　of　the　exact　observance　of　treaties；　even　when　their
conditions　were　not　honourable。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　the　Cabinet　of
Berlin；　although　dissatisfied　in　1806　with　the　rapid　progress　of
Napoleon's　ambition；　was　nevertheless　constrained　to　conceal　its
discontent；　owing　to　the　presence　of　the　French　troops　in　Hanover。

On　returning　from　Milan　the　Emperor　ordered　the　erection；　of　a　monument
on　the　Great　St。　Bernard　in　commemoration　of　the　victory　of　Marengo。
M。　Denon　who　accompanied　Napoleon；　told　me　that　he　made　a　use　less　search
to　discover　the　body　of　Desaix；　which　Bonaparte　wished　to　be　buried
beneath　the　monument　and　that　it　was　at　length　found　by　General　Savary。
It　is　therefore　certain　that　the　ashes　of　the　brave　Desaix　repose　on　the
summit　of　the　Alps。

The　Emperor　arrived　in　Paris　about　the　end　of　June　and　instantly　set　off
for　the　camp　at　Boulogne。　　It　was　now　once　more　believed　that　the　project
of　invading　England　would　be　accomplished。　　This　idea　obtained　the
greater　credit　because　Bonaparte　caused　some　experiments　for　embarkation
to　be　made；　in　his　presence。　　These　experiments；　however；　led　to　no
result。　　About　this　period　a　fatal　event　but　too　effectually　contributed
to　strengthen　the　opinion　of　the　inferiority　of　our　navy。　　A　French
squadron　consisting　of　fifteen　ships；　fell　in　with　the　English　fleet
commanded　by　Admiral　Calder；　who　had　only　nine　vessels　under　his　command；
and　in　an　engagement；　which　there　was　every　reason　to　expect　would
terminate　in　our　favour；　we　had　the　misfortune　to　lose　two　ships。　　The
invasion　of　England　was　as　little　the　object　of　this　as　of　the　previous
journey　to　Boulogne；　all　Napoleon　had　in　view　was　to　stimulate　the
enthusiasm　of　the　troops；　and　to　hold　out　those　threats　against　England
when　conceived　necessary　for　diverting　attention　from　the　real　motive　of
his　hostile　preparations；　which　was　to　invade　Germany　and　repulse　the
Russian　troops；　who　had　begun　their　march　towards　Austria。　　Such　was　the
true　object　of　Napoleons　last　journey　to　Boulogne。

I　had　been　some　time　at　Hamburg　when　these　events　took　place；　and　it　was
curious　to　observe　the　effect　they　produced。　　But　I　must　not　forget　one
circumstance　in　which　I　am　personally　concerned；　and　which　brings　me　back
to　the　time　when　I　was　in　Paris。　　My　new　title　of　Minister
Plenipotentiary　obliged　me　to　see　a　little　more　of　society　than　during
the　period　when　prudence　required　me　to　live　as　it　were　in　retirement。
I　had　received　sincere　congratulations　from　Duroc；　Rape；　and　Lauriston；
the　three　friends　who　had　shown　the　greatest　readiness　to　serve　my
interests　with　the　Emperor；　and　I　had　frequent　occasion　to　see　M。
Talleyrand；　as　my　functions　belonged　to　his　department。　　The　Emperor；　on
my　farewell　audience；　having　informed　me　that　I　was　to　correspond
directly　with　the　Minister　of　the　General　Police；　I　called　on　Fouche；　who
invited　me　to　spend　some　days　at　his　estate　of　Pont…Carre。　　I　accepted
the　invitation　because　I　wanted　to　confer　with　him；　and　I　spent　Sunday
and　Monday；　the　28th　and　29th　of　April；　at　Pont…Carre。

Fouche；　like　the　Emperor；　frequently　revealed　what　he　intended　to
conceal；　but　he　had　such　a　reputation　for　cunning　that　this　sort　of
indiscretion　was　attended　by　no　inconvenience　to　him。　　He　was　supposed　to
be　such　a　constant　dissembler　that　those　who　did　not　know　him　well　looked
upon　the　truth　when　he　spoke　it　merely　as　an　artful　snare　laid　to　entrap
them。　　I；　however；　knew　that　celebrated　person　too　well　to　confound　his
cunning　with　his　indiscretion。　　The　best　way　to　get　out　of　him　more　than
he　was　aware　of　was　to　let　him　talk　on　without　interruption。　　There　were
very　few　visitors　at　Pont…Carre；　and　during　the　two　days　I　spent　there　I
had　several　conversations　with　Fouche。　　He　told　me　a　great　deal　about　the
events　of　1804；　and　he　congratulated　himself　on　having　advised　Napoleon
to　declare　himself　Emperor　〃I　have　no　preference；〃　says　Fouche；　〃for
one　form　of　government　more　than　another。　　Forms　signify　nothing。　　The
first　object　of　the　Revolution　was　not　the　overthrow　of　the　Bourbons；　but
merely　the　reform　of　abuses　and　the　destruction　of　prejudices。　　However；
when　it　was　discovered　that　Louis　XVI。　had　neither　firmness　to　refuse
what　he　did　not　wish　to　grant；　nor　good　faith　to　grant　what　his　weakness
had　led　him　to　promise；　it　was　evident　that　the　Bourbons　could　no　longer
reign　over　France　and　things　were　carried　to　such　a　length　that　we　were
under　the　necessity　of　condemning　Louis　XVI。　and　resorting　to　energetic
measures。　　You　know　all　that　passed　up　to　the　18th　Brumaire；　and　after。
We　all　perceived　that　a　Republic　could　not　exist　in　France；　the　question；
therefore；　was　to　ensure　the　perpetual　removal　of　the　Bourbons；　and　I
behaved　the　only　means　for　so　doing　was　to　transfer　the　inheritance　of
their　throne　to　another　family。　　Some　time　before　the　18th　Brumaire　I　had
a　conversation　with　Sieyes　and　Barras；　in　which　it　was　proposed；　in　case
of　the　Directory　being　threatened；　to　recall　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　and　I
could　see　very　well　that　Barras　favoured　that　suggestion；　although　he
alluded　to　it　merely　as　a　report　that　was　circulated　about；　and
recommended　me　to　pay　attention　to　it。　　Sieyes　said　nothing；　and　I
settled　the　question　by　observing；　that　if　any　such　thing　had　been
agitated　I　must　have　been　informed　of　it　through　the　reports　of　my
agents。　　I　added；　that　the　restoration　of　the　throne　to　a　collateral
branch　of　the　Bourbons　would　be　an　impolitic　act；　and　would　but
temporarily　change　the　position　of　those　who　had　brought　about　the
Revolution。　　I　rendered　an　account　of　this　interview　with　Barras　to
General　Bonaparte　the　first　time　I　had　an　opportunity　of　conversing　with
him　after　your　return　from　Egypt。　　I　sounded　him；　and　I　was　perfectly
convinced　that　in　the　state　of　decrepitude　into　which　the　Directory　had
fallen　he　was　just　the　man　we　wanted。　　I　therefore　adopted　such　measures
with　the　police　as　tended　to　promote　his　elevation　to　the　First
Magistracy。　　He　soon　showed　himself　ungrateful；　and　instead　of　giving　me
all　his　confidence　he　tried　to　outwit　me。　　He　put　into　the　hands　of　a
number　of　persons　various　matters　of　police　which　were　worse　than
useless。　　Most　of　their　agents；　who　were　my　creatures；　obeyed　my
instructions　in　their　reports；　and　it　often　happened　that　the　First
Consul　　thought　he　had　discovered；　through　the　medium　of　others；
information　that　came　from　me；　and　of　the　falsehood　of　which　I　easily
convinced　him。　　I　confess　I　was　at　fault　on　the　3d　Nivoise；　but　are　there
any　human　means　of　preventing　two　men；　who　have　no　accomplices；　from
bringing　a　plot　to　execution？　　You　saw　the　First　Consul　on　his　return
from　the　opera；　you　heard　all　his　declamations。　　I　felt　assured　that　the
infernal　machine　was　the　work　of　the　Royalists。　　I　told　the　Emperor　this；
and　he　was；　I　am　sure；　convinced　of　it；　but　he；　nevertheless；　proscribes
a　number　of　men　on　the　mere　pretence　of　their　old　opinions。　　Do　you
suppose　I　am　ignorant　of　what　he　said　of　me　and　of　my　vote　at　the
National　Convention？　　Most　assuredly　it　ill　becomes　him　to　reproach　the
Conventionists。　　It　was　that　vote　which　placed　the　crown　upon　his　head。
But　for　the　situation　in　which　we　were　placed　by　that　event；　which
circumstances　had　rendered　inevitable；　what　should　we　have　cared　for　the
chance　of　seeing　the　Bourbons　return？　　You　must　have　remarked　that　the
Republicans；　who　were　not　Conventionists；　were　in　general　more　averse
than　we　to　the　proceedings　of　the　18th　Brumaire；　as；　for　example；
Bernadotte　and　Moreau。　　I　know　positively　that　Moreau　was　averse　to　the
Consulate；　and　that　it　was　only　from　irresolution　that　he　accepted　the
custody　of　the　Directory。　　I　know　also　that　he　excused　himself　to　his
prisoners　for　the　duty　which　had　devolved　upon　him。　　They　themselves　told
me　this。

Fouche　entered　further　into　many　details　respecting　his　conduct；　and　the
motives　which　had　urged　him　to　do　what　he　did　in　favour　of　the　First
Consul。　　My　memory　does　not　enable　me　to　report　all　he　told　me；　but　I
distinctly　recollect　that　the　impression　made　on　my　mind　by　what　fell
from　him　was；　that　he　had　acted　merely　with　a　view　to　his　own　interests。
He　did　not　conceal　his