memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第15章

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of　incendiary　publications　which　everywhere　abounded　indicated　but　too
plainly　that　if　the　nations　of　the　north　should　be　driven　back　towards
the　Arctic　regions　they　would　in　their　turn　repulse　their　conquerors
towards　the　south；　and　no　man　of　common　sense　could　doubt　that　if　the
French　eagles　were　planted　in　foreign　capitals；　foreign　standards　would
one　day　wave　over　Paris。

On　the　30th　of　September　1805　I　received；　by　an　'estafette'；　intelligence
of　the　landing　at　Stralsund　of　6000　Swedes；　who　had　arrived　from
Stockholm　in　two　ships　of　war。

About　the　end　of　September　the　Hamburg　exchange　on　Paris　fell　alarmingly。
The　loss　was　twenty　per　cent。　　The　fall　stopped　at　seventeen　below　par。
The　speculation　for　this　fall　of　the　exchange　had　been　made　with　equal
imprudence　and　animosity　by　the　house　of　Osy　and　Company

The　head　of　that　house；　a　Dutch　emigrant；　who　had　been　settled　at　Hamburg
about　six　years；　seized　every　opportunity　of　manifesting　his　hatred　of
France。　　An　agent　of　that　rich　house　at　Rotterdam　was　also　very　hostile
to　us；　a　circumstance　which　shows　that　if　many　persons　sacrifice　their
political　opinions　to　their　interests　there　are　others　who　endanger　their
interests　for　the　triumph　of　their　opinions。

On　the　23d　of　October　1805　I　received　official　intelligence　of　the　total
destruction　of　the　first　Austrian　army：　General　Barbou；　who　was　in
Hanover；　also　informed　me　of　that　event　in　the　following　terms：　〃　The
first　Austrian　army　has　ceased　to　exist。〃　　He　alluded　to　the　brilliant
affair　of　Ulm。　　I　immediately　despatched　twelve　estafettes　to　different
parts；　among　other　places　to　Stralsund　and　Husum。　　I　thought　that　these
prodigies；　which　must　have　been　almost　incredible　to　those　who　were
unacquainted　with　Napoleon's　military　genius；　might　arrest　the　progress
of　the　Russian　troops；　and　produces　some　change　in　the　movements　of　the
enemy's　forces。　　A　second　edition　of　the　'Correspondent'　was　published
with　this　intelligence；　and　6000　copies　were　sold　at　four　times　the　usual
price。

I　need　not　detain　the　reader　with　the　details　of　the　capitulation　of　Ulm；
which　have　already　been　published；　but　I　may　relate　the　following
anecdote；　which　is　not　generally　known。　　A　French　general　passing　before
the　ranks　of　his　men　said　to　them；　〃Well；　comrades；　we　have　prisoners
enough　here。〃〃yes　indeed；〃　replied　one　of　the　soldiers；　〃we　never　saw
so　many　。　　。　　。　collected　together　before。〃　　It　was　stated　at　the　time；
and　I　believe　it；　that　the　Emperor　was　much　displeased　when　he　heard　of
this；　and　remarked　that　it　was　〃atrocious　to　insult　brave　men　to　whom　the
fate　of　arms　had　proved　unfavourable。〃

In　reading　the　history　of　this　period　we　find　that　in　whatever　place
Napoleon　happened　to　be；　there　was　the　central　point　of　action。　　The
affairs　of　Europe　were　arranged　at　his　headquarters　in　the　same　manner　as
if　he　had　been　in　Paris。　　Everything　depended　on　his　good　or　bad　fortune。
Espionage；　seduction；　false　promises；　exactions；all　were　put　in　force
to　promote　the　success　of　his　projects；　but　his　despotism；　which　excited
dissatisfaction　in　France；　and　his　continual　aggressions；　which
threatened　the　independence　of　foreign　States；　rendered　him　more　and　more
unpopular　everywhere。

The　battle　of　Trafalgar　took　place　while　Napoleon　was　marching　on　Vienna；
and　on　the　day　after　the　capitulation　of　Ulm。　　The　southern　coast　of
Spain　then　witnessed　an　engagement　between　thirty…one　French　and　about　an
equal　number　of　English　ships；　and　in　spite　of　this　equality　of　force　the
French　fleet　was　destroyed。＇The　actual　forces　present　were　27　English
ships　of　the　line　and　38　Franco…Spanish　ships　of　the　line；　see　James'
Naval　History；　vol。　iii。　p。　459。＇

This　great　battle　afforded　another　proof　of　our　naval　inferiority。
Admires　Calder　first　gave　us　the　lesson　which　Nelson　completed；　but　which
cost　the　latter　his　life。　　According　to　the　reports　which　Duroc
transmitted　to　me；　courage　gave　momentary　hope　to　the　French；　but　they
were　at　length　forced　to　yield　to　the　superior　naval　tactics　of　the
enemy。　　The　battle　of　Trafalgar　paralysed　our　naval　force；　and　banished
all　hope　of　any　attempt　against　England。

The　favour　which　the　King；　of　Prussia　had　shown　to　Duroc　was　withdrawn
when　his　Majesty　received　intelligence　of　the　march　of　Bernadotte's
troops　through　the　Margravate　of　Anspach。　　All　accounts　concurred
respecting　the　just　umbrage　which　that　violation　of　territory　occasioned
to　the　King　of　Prussia。　　The　agents　whom　I　had　in　that　quarter
overwhelmed　me　with　reports　of　the　excesses　committed　by　the　French　in
passing　through　the　Margravate。　　A　letter　I　received　from　Duroc　contains
the　following　remarks　on　this　subject：

　　　　　The　corps　of　Marshal　Bernadotte　has　passed　through　Anapach　and　by
　　　　　some　misunderstanding　this　has　been　regarded　at　Berlin　as　an　insult
　　　　　to　the　King；　a　violence　committed　upon　his　neutrality。　　How　can　it
　　　　　be　supposed；　especially　under　present　circumstances；　that　the
　　　　　Emperor　could　have　any　intention　of　insulting　or　committing　violence
　　　　　upon　his　friend？　　Besides；　the　reports　have　been　exaggerated；　and
　　　　　have　been　made　by　persons　who　wish　to　favour　our　enemies　rather　than
　　　　　us。　　However；　I　am　perfectly　aware　that　Marshal　Bernadotte's　70；000
　　　　　men　are　not　70；000　virgins。　　Be　this　as　it　may；　the　business　might
　　　　　have　been　fatal；　and　will；　at　all　events；　be　very　injurious　to　us。
　　　　　Laforeat　and　I　are　treated　very　harshly；　though　we　do　not　deserve
　　　　　it。　　All　the　idle　stories　that　have　been　got　up　here　must　have
　　　　　reached　you。　　Probably　Prussia　will　not　forget　that　France　was；　and
　　　　　still　may　be；　the　only　power　interested　in　her　glory　and
　　　　　aggrandisement。

At　the　end　of　October　the　King　of　Prussia；　far　from　thinking　of　war；　but
in　case　of　its　occurrence　wishing　to　check　its　disasters　as　far　as
possible；　proposed　to　establish　a　line　of　neutrality。　　This　was　the　first
idea　of　the　Confederation　of　the　North。　　Duroc；　fearing　lest　the　Russians
should　enter　Hamburg；　advised　me；　as　a　friend；　to　adopt　precautions。　　But
I　was　on　the　spot；　I　knew　all　the　movement　the　little　detached　corps；　and
I　was　under　no　apprehension。

The　editor　of　the　Hamburg　'Correspondent'　sent　me　every　evening　a　proof
of　the　number　which　was　to　appear　next　day；a　favour　which　was　granted
only　to　the　French　Minister。　　On　the　20th　of　November　I　received　the
proof　as　usual；　and　saw　nothing　objectionable　in　it。　　How　great；
therefore；　was　my　astonishment　when　next　morning　I　read　in　the　same
journal　an　article　personally　insulting　to　the　Emperor；　and　in　which　the
legitimate　sovereigns　of　Europe　were　called　upon　to　undertake　a　crusade
against　the　usurper　etc。　　I　immediately　sent　for　M。　Doormann；　first
Syndic　of　the　Senate　of　Hamburg。　　When　he　appeared　his　mortified　look
sufficiently　informed　me　that　he　knew　what　I　had　to　say　to　him。　　I
reproached　him　sharply；　and　asked　him　how；　after　all　I　had　told　him　of
the　Emperor's　susceptibility；　he　could　permit　the　insertion　of　such　an
article。　　I　observed　to　him　that　this　indecorous　diatribe　had　no　official
character；　since　it　had　no　signature；　and　that；　therefore；　he　had　acted
in　direct　opposition　to　a　decree　of　the　Senate；　which　prohibited　the
insertion　in　the　journals　of　any　articles　which　were　not　signed。　　I　told
him　plainly　that　his　imprudence　might　be　attended　with　serious
consequences。　　M。　Doormann　did　not　attempt　to　justify　himaelt　but　merely
explained　to　me　how　the　thing　had　happened。

On　the　20th　of　November；　in　the　evening；　M。　Forshmann；　the　Russian　charge
d'affaires　who　had　in　the　course　of　the　day　arrived　from　the　Russian
headquarters　presented　to　the　editor　of　the　Correspondent　the　article　in
question。　　The　editor；　after　reading　the　article；　which　he　thought
exceedingly　indecorous；　observed　to　M。　Forshmann　that　his　paper　was
already　made　up；　which　was　the　fact；　for　I　had　seen　a　proof。
M。　Forshmann；　however；　insisted　on　the　insertion　of　the　article。　　The
editor　then　told　him　that　he　could　not　admit　it　without　the　approbation
of　the　Syndic　Censor。　　M。　Forshmann　immediately　waited　upon　M。　Doormann；
and　when　the　latter　begged　that　he　would　not　insist　on　the　insertion　of
the　article；　M。　Forshmann　produced　a　letter　written　in　French；　which；
among　other　things；　contained　the　following：　〃You　will　get　the　enclosed
article　inserted　in　the　Correspondent　without　suffering　a　single　word　to
be　altered。　　Should　the　censor　refuse；　you　must　apply　to　the　directing
Burgomaster；　and；　in　case　of　his　refusal；　to　General　Tolstoy；　who　will
devise　some　means　of　rendering　the　Senate　more　complying；　and　forcing　it
to　observe　an　impartial　deference。〃

M。　Doorman；　thinking　he　could　not　take　upon　himself　to　allow　the
insertion　of　the　article；　went；　accompanied　by　M。　Forshmann；　to　wait　upon
M。　Von　Graffen；　the　directing　Burgomaster。　　MM。　Doorman　and　Von　Graffen
earnestly　pointed　out　the　impropriety　of　inserting　the　article；　but　M。
Forshmann　referred　to　his　order；　and　added　that　the　compliance　of　the
Senate　on　this　point　was　the　only　means　of　avoiding　great　mischief。　　The
Burgomaster　and　the　Syndic；　finding　themselves　thus　forced　to　admit　the
article；　entreated　that　the　following　passage　at　least　might　be
suppressed：　〃I　know　a　certain　chief；　who；　in　defiance　of　all　laws　divine
and　human；in　contempt　of　the　hatred　he　inspires　in　Europe；　as　well　as
among　those　whom　he　has　reduced　to　be　his　subjects；　keeps　possession　of
a　usurped　throne　by　violence　and　crime。　　His　insatiable　ambition　would
subject　all　Europe　to　his　rule。　　But　the　time　is　come　for　avenging　the
rights　of　nations　。　　。　　。　　。〃　　M。　Forshmann　again　referred　to　his　orders；
and　with　some　degree　of　violence　insisted　on　the　insertion　of　the　article
in　its　complete　form。　　The　Burgomaster　then　authorised　the　editor　of　the
Correspondent　to　print　the　article　that　night；　and　M。　Forshmann；　having
obtained　that　authority；　carried　the　article　to　the　office　at　half…past
eleven　o'clock。

Such　was　the　account　given　me　by　M。　Doormann。　　I　observed　that　I　did　not
understand　how　the　imaginary　apprehension　of　any　violence　on　the　part　of
Russia　should　have　induced　him　to　admit　so　insolent　an　attack　upon　the
most　powerful　sovereign　in　Europe；　whose　arms　would　soon　dictate　laws　to
Germany。　　The　Syndic　did　not　dissemble　his　fear　of　the　Emperor's
resentment；　while　at　the　same　time　he　expressed　a　hope　that　the　Emperor
would　take　into　consideration　the　extreme　difficulty　of　a　small　power
maintaining　neutrality　in　the　extraordinary　circumstances　in　which
Hamburg　was　placed；　and　that　the　articles　might　be　said　to　have　been
presented　almost　at　the　point　of　the　Cossacks'　spears。　　M。　Doormann　added
that　a　refusal；　which　world　have　brought　Russian　troops　to　Hamburg；　might
have　been　attended　by　very　unpleasant　consequences　to　me；　and　might　have
committed　the　Senate　in　a　very　different　way。　　I　begged　of　him；　once　for
all；　to　set　aside　in　these　affairs　all　consideration　of　my　personal
danger：　and　the　Syndic；　after　a　conversation　of　more　than　two　hours；
departed　more　uneasy　in　his　mind　than　when　he　arrived；　and　conjuring　me
to　give　a　faithful　report　of　the　facts　as　they　had　happened。

M。　Doormann　was　a　very　worthy　man；　and　I　gave　a　favourable　r