memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第16章

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to　give　a　faithful　report　of　the　facts　as　they　had　happened。

M。　Doormann　was　a　very　worthy　man；　and　I　gave　a　favourable　representation
of　his　excuses　and　of　the　readiness　which　he　had　always　evinced　to　keep
out　of　the　Correspondent　articles　hostile　to　France；　as；　for　example；　the
commencement　of　a　proclamation　of　the　Emperor　of　Germany　to　his　subjects；
and　a　complete　proclamation　of　the　King　of　Sweden。　　As　it　happened；　the
good　Syndic　escaped　with　nothing　worse　than　a　fright；　I　was　myself
astonished　at　the　success　of　my　intercession。　　I　learned　from　the
Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs　that　the　Emperor　was　furiously　indignant　on
reading　the　article；　in　which　the　French　army　was　outraged　as　well　as　he。
Indeed；　he　paid　but　little　attention　to　insults　directed　against　himself
personally。　　Their　eternal　repetition　had　inured　him　to　them；　but　at　the
idea　of　his　army　being　insulted　he　was　violently　enraged；　and　uttered　the
most　terrible　threats。

It　is　worthy　of　remark　that　the　Swedish　and　English　Ministers；　as　soon　as
they　read　the　article；　waited　upon　the　editor　of　the　Correspondent；　and
expressed　their　astonishment　that　such　a　libel　should　have　been
published。　　〃Victorious　armies；〃　said　they；　〃should　be　answered　by
cannonballs　and　not　by　insults　as　gross　as　they　are　ridiculous。〃　　This
opinion　was　shared　by　all　the　foreigners　at　that　time　in　Hamburg。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

1805

　　　　　Difficulties　of　my　situation　at　HamburgToil　and　responsibility
　　　　　Supervision　of　the　emigrantsForeign　MinistersJournalsPacket
　　　　　from　StrasburgBonaparte　fond　of　narrating　Giulio；　an　extempore
　　　　　recitation　of　a　story　composed　by　the　Emperor。

The　brief　detail　I　have　given　in　the　two　or　three　preceding　chapters　of
the　events　which　occurred　previously　to　and　during　the　campaign　of
Austerlitz；　with　the　letters　of　Duroc　and　Bernadotte；　may　afford　the
reader　some　idea　of　my　situation　during　the　early　part　of　my　residence　in
Hamburg。　　Events　succeeded　each　other　with　such　incredible　rapidity　as　to
render　my　labour　excessive。　　My　occupations　were　different；　but　not　less
laborious；　than　those　which　I　formerly　performed　when　near　the　Emperor；
and；　besides；　I　was　now　loaded　with　a　responsibility　which　did　not　attach
to　me　as　the　private　secretary　of　General　Bonaparte　and　the　First　Consul。
I　had；　in　fact；　to　maintain　a　constant　watch　over　the　emigrants　in
Altona；　which　was　no　easy　matterto　correspond　daily　with　the　Minister
for　Foreign　Affairs　and　the　Minister　of　Policeto　confer　with　the
foreign　Ministers　accredited　at　Hamburgto　maintain　active　relations
with　the　commanders　of　the　French　armyto　interrogate　my　secret　agents；
and　keep　a　strict　surveillance　over　their　proceedings；　it　was；　besides；
necessary　to　be　unceasingly　on　the　watch　for　scurrilous　articles　against
Napoleon　in　the　Hamburg　'Corespondent'。　　I　shall　frequently　have　occasion
to　speak　of　all　these　things；　and　especially　of　the　most　marked
emigrants；　in　a　manner　less　irregular；　because　what　I　have　hitherto　said
may；　in　some　sort；　be　considered　merely　as　a　summary　of　all　the　facts
relating　to　the　occurrences　which　daily　passed　before　my　eyes。

In　the　midst　of　these　multifarious　and　weighty　occupations　I　received　a
packet　with　the　Strasburg　postmark　at　the　time　the　Empress　was　in　that
city。　　This　packet　had　not　the　usual　form　of　a　diplomatic　despatch；　and
the　superscription　announced　that　it　came　from　the　residence　of
Josephine。　　My　readers；　I　venture　to　presume；　will　not　experience　less
gratification　than　I　did　on　a　perusal　of　its　contents；　which　will　be
found　at　the　end　of　this　chapter；　but　before　satisfying　the　curiosity　to
which　I　have　perhaps　given　birth；　I　may　here　relate　that　one　of　the
peculiarities　of　Bonaparte　was　a　fondness　of　extempore　narration；　and　it
appears　he　had　not　discontinued　the　practice　even　after　he　became
Emperor。

In　fact；　Bonaparte；　during　the　first　year　after　his　elevation　to　the
Imperial　throne；　usually　passed　those　evenings　in　the　apartments　of　the
Empress　which　he　could　steal　from　public　business。　　Throwing　himself　on　a
sofa；　he　would　remain　absorbed　in　gloomy　silence；　which　no　one　dared　to
interrupt。　　Sometimes；　however；　on　the　contrary；　he　would　give　the　reins
to　his　vivid　imagination　and　his　love　of　the　marvelous；　or；　to　speak　more
correctly；　his　desire　to　produce　effect；　which　was　perhaps　one　of　his
strongest　passions；　and　would　relate　little　romances；　which　were　always
of　a　fearful　description　and　in　unison　with　the　natural　turn　of　his
ideas。　　During　those　recitals　the　ladies…in…waiting　were　always　present；
to　one　of　whom　I　am　indebted　for　the　following　story；　which　she　had
written　nearly　in　the　words　of　Napoleon。　　〃Never；〃　said　this　lady　in　her
letter　to　me；　〃did　the　Emperor　appear　more　extraordinary。　　Led　away　by
the　subject；　he　paced　the　salon　with　hasty　strides；　the　intonations　of
his　voice　varied　according　to　the　characters　of　the　personages　he　brought
on　the　scene；　he　seemed　to　multiply　himself　in　order　to　play　the
different　parts；　and　no　person　needed　to　feign　the　terror　which　he　really
inspired；　and　which　he　loved　to　see　depicted　in　the　countenances　of　those
who　surrounded　him。〃　　In　this　tale　I　have　made　no　alterations；　as　can　be
attested　by　those　who；　to　my　knowledge；　have　a　copy　of　it。　　It　is　curious
to　compare　the　impassioned　portions　of　it　with　the　style　of　Napoleon　in
some　of　the　letters　addressed　to　Josephine。







End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Napoleon；　V8；　1805
by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne