memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第7章

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was　intended；　and　the　Government　exhausted　itself　in　efforts　for　raising
men　and　money　to　guard　against　the　danger　of　being　taken　by　surprise。
Such；　indeed；　is　the　advantage　always　possessed　by　the　assailant。　　He　can
choose　the　point　on　which　he　thinks　it　most　convenient　to　act；　while　the
party　which　stands　on　the　defence；　and　is　afraid　of　being　attacked；　is
compelled　to　be　prepared　in　every　point。　　However；　Napoleon；　who　was　then
in　the　full　vigour　of　his　genius　and　activity；　had　always　his　eyes　fixed
on　objects　remote　from　those　which　surrounded　him；　and　which　seemed　to
absorb　his　whole　attention。　　Thus；　during　the　journey　of　which　I　have
spoken；　the　ostensible　object　of　which　was　the　organisation　of　the
departments　on　the　Rhine；　he　despatched　two　squadrons　from　Rochefort　and
Boulogne；　one　commanded　by　Missiessy；　the　other　by　VilleneuveI　shall
not　enter　into　any　details　about　those　squadrons；　I　shall　merely　mention
with　respect　to　them　that；　while　the　Emperor　was　still　in　Belgium；
Lauriston　paid　me　a　sudden　and　unexpected　visit。　　He　was　on　his　way　to
Toulon　to　take　command　of　the　troops　which　were　to　be　embarked　on
Villeneuve's　squadron；　and　he　was　not　much　pleased　with　the　service　to
which　he　had　been　appointed。

Lauriston's　visit　was　a　piece　of　good　fortune　for　me。　　We　were　always　on
friendly　terms；　and　I　received　much　information　from　him；　particularly
with　respect　to　the　manner　in　which　the　Emperor　spent　his　time。　　〃You　can
have　no　idea；〃　said　he；　〃how　much　the　Emperor　does；　and　the　sort　of
enthusiasm　which　his　presence　excites　in　the　army。　　But　his　anger　at　the
contractors　is　greater　than　ever；　and　he　has　been　very　severe　with　some
of　them。〃　　These　words　of　Lauriaton　did　not　at　all　surprise　me；　for　I
well　knew　Napoleon's　dislike　to　contractors；　and　all　men　who　had
mercantile　transactions　with　the　army。　　I　have　often　heard　him　say　that
they　were　a　curse　and　a　leprosy　to　nations；　that　whatever　power　he　might
attain；　he　never　would　grant　honours　to　any　of　them；　and　that　of　all
aristocracies；　theirs　was　to　him　the　moat　insupportable。　　After　his
accession　to　the　Empire　the　contractors　were　no　longer　the　important
persons　they　had　been　under　the　Directory；　or　even　during　the　two　first
years　of　the　Consulate。　　Bonaparte　sometimes　acted　with　them　as　he　had
before　done　with　the　Beya　of　Egypt；　when　he　drew　from　them　forced
contributions。

　　　　　＇Lauriston；　one　of　Napoleon's　aides　de　camp；　who　was　with　him　at
　　　　　the　Military　School　of　Paris；　and　who　had　been　commissioned　in　the
　　　　　artillery　at　the　same　time　as　Napoleon；　considered　that　he　should
　　　　　have　had　the　post　of　Grand　Ecuyer　which　Caulaincourt　had　obtained。
　　　　　He　had　complained　angrily　to　the　Emperor；　and　after　a　stormy
　　　　　interview　was　ordered　to　join　the　fleet　of　VilleneuveIn
　　　　　consequence　he　was　at　Trafalgar。　　On　his　return　after　Austerlitz
　　　　　his　temporary　disgrace　was　forgotten；　and　he　was　sent　as　governor　to
　　　　　Venice。　　He　became　marshal　under　the　Restoration。＇

I　recollect　another　somewhat　curious　circumstance　respecting　the　visit　of
Lauriston；　who　had　left　the　Emperor　and　Empress　at　Aix…la…Chapelle。
Lauriston　was　the　best　educated　of　the　aides　de　camp；　and　Napoleon　often
conversed　with　him　on　such　literary　works　as　he　chose　to　notice。
〃He　sent　for　me　one　day；〃　said　Lauriston；　〃when　I　was　on　duty　at　the
Palace　of　Lacken；　and　spoke　to　me　of　the　decennial　prizes；　and　the
tragedy　of　'Carion　de　Nisas'；　and　a　novel　by　Madame　de　Stael；　which　he
had　just　read；　but　which　I　had　not　seen；　and　was　therefore　rather
embarrassed　in　replying　to　him。　　Respecting　Madame　de　Stael　and　her
Delphine；　he　said　some　remarkable　things。　　'I　do　not　like　women；'　he
observed；　'who　make　men　of　themselves；　any　more　than　I　like　effeminate
men。　　There　is　s　proper　part　for　every　one　to　play　in　the　world。　　What
does　all　this　flight　of　imagination　mean？　　What　is　the　result　of　it？
Nothing。　　It　is　all　sentimental　metaphysics　and　disorder　of　the　mind。　　I
cannot　endure　that　woman；　for　one　reason；　that　I　cannot　bear　women　who
make　a　set　at　me；　and　God　knows　how　often　she　has　tried　to　cajole　me！'〃

The　words　of　Lauriston　brought　to　my　recollection　the　conversations　I　had
often　had　with　Bonaparte　respecting　Madame　de　Stael；　of　whose　advances
made　to　the　First　Consul；　and　even　to　the　General　of　the　Army　of　Italy；
I　had　frequently　been　witness。　　Bonaparte　knew　nothing　at　first　of　Madame
de　Stael　but　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　M。　Necker；　a　man　for　whom；　as　I
have　already　shown；　he　had　very　little　esteem。　　Madame　de　Stael　had　not
been　introduced　to　him；　and　knew　nothing　more　of　him　than　what　fame　had
published　respecting　the　young　conqueror　of　Italy；　when　she　addressed　to
him　letters　full　of　enthusiasm。　　Bonaparte　read　some　passages　of　them　to
me；　and；　laughing；　said；　〃What　do　you　think；　Bourrienne；　of　these
extravagances。　　This　woman　is　mad。〃　　I　recollect　that　in　one　of　her
letters　Madame　de　Stael；　among　other　things；　told　him　that　they　certainly
were　created　for　each　otherthat　it　was　in　consequence　of　an　error　in
human　institutions　that　the　quiet　and　gentle　Josephine　was　united　to　his
fatethat　nature　seemed　to　have　destined　for　the　adoration　of　a　hero
such　as　he；　a　soul　of　fire　like　her　own。　　These　extravagances　disgusted
Bonaparte　to　a　degree　which　I　cannot　describe。　　When　he　had　finished
reading　these　fine　epistles　he　used　to　throw　them　into　the　fire；　or　tear
them　with　marked　ill…humour；　and　would　say；　〃Well；　here　is　a　woman　who
pretends　to　geniusa　maker　of　sentiments；　and　she　presumes　to　compare
herself　to　Josephine！　　Bourrienne；　I　shall　not　reply　to　such　letters。〃

I　had；　however；　the　opportunity　of　seeing　what　the　perseverance　of　a
woman　of　talent　can　effect。　　Notwithstanding　Bonaparte's　prejudices
against　Madame　de　Stael；　which　he　never　abandoned；　she　succeeded　in
getting　herself　introduced　to　him；　and　if　anything　could　have　disgusted
him　with　flattery　it　would　have　been　the　admiration；　or；　to　speak　more
properly；　the　worship；　which　she　paid　him；　for　she　used　to　compare　him　to
a　god　descended　on　earth；a　kind　of　comparison　which　the　clergy；　I
thought；　had　reserved　for　their　own　use。　　But；　unfortunately；　to　please
Madame　de　Stael　it　would　have　been　necessary　that　her　god　had　been
Plutua；　for　behind　her　eulogies　lay　a　claim　for　two　millions；　which　M。
Necker　considered　still　due　to　him　on　account　of　his　good　and　worthy
services。　　However；　Bonaparte　said　on　this　occasion　that　whatever　value
he　might　set　on　the　suffrage　of　Madame　de　Stael；　he　did　not　think　fit　to
pay　so　dear　for　it　with　the　money　of　the　State。　　The　conversion　of　Madame
de　Stael's　enthusiasm　into　hatred　is　well　known；　as　are　also　the　petty
vexations；　unworthy　of　himself；　with　which　the　Emperor　harassed　her　in
her　retreat　at　Coppet。

Lauriston　had　arrived　at　Paris；　where　he　made　but　a　short　stay；　some　days
before　Caffarelli；　who　was　sent　on　a　mission　to　Rome　to　sound　the　Papal
Court；　and　to　induce　the　Holy　Father　to　come　to　Paris　to　consecrate
Bonaparte　at　his　coronation。　　I　have　already　described　the　nature　of
Bonaparte's　ideas　on　religion。　　His　notions　on　the　subject　seemed　to
amount　to　a　sort　of　vague　feeling　rather　than　to　any　belief　founded　on
reflection。　　Nevertheless；　he　had　a　high　opinion　of　the　power　of　the
Church；　but　not　because　he　considered　it　dangerous　to　Governments；
particularly　to　his　own。　　Napoleon　never　could　have　conceived　how　it　was
possible　that　a　sovereign　wearing　a　crown　and　a　sword　could　have　the
meanness　to　kneel　to　a　Pope；　or　to　humble　his　sceptre　before　the　keys　of
St。　Peter。　　His　spirit　was　too　great　to　admit　of　such　a　thought。　　On　the
contrary；　he　regarded　the　alliance　between　the　Church　and　his　power　as　a
happy　means　of　influencing　the　opinions　of　the　people；　and　as　an
additional　tie　which　was　to　attach　them　to　a　Government　rendered
legitimate　by　the　solemn　sanction　of　the　Papal　authority。　　Bonaparte　was
not　deceived。　　In　this；　as　well　as　in　many　other　things；　the　perspicacity
of　his　genius　enabled　him　to　comprehend　all　the　importance　of　a
consecration　bestowed　on　him　by　the　Pope；　more　especially　as　Louis
XVIII。；　without　subjects；　without　territory；　and　wearing　only　an　illusory
crown；　had　not　received　that　sacred　unction　by　which　the　descendants　of
Hugh　Capet　become　the　eldest　sons　of　the　Church。

As　soon　as　the　Emperor　was　informed　of　the　success　of　Caffarelli's
mission；　and　that　the　Pope；　in　compliance　with　his　desire；　was　about　to
repair　to　Paris　to　confirm　in　his　hands　the　sceptre　of　Charlemagne；
nothing　was　thought　of　but　preparations　for　that　great　event；　which　had
been　preceded　by　the　recognition　of　Napoleon　as　Emperor　of　the　French　on
the　part　of　all　the　States　of　Europe；　with　the　exception　of　England。

On　the　conclusion　of　the　Concordat　Bonaparte　said　to　me；　〃I　shall　let　the
Republican　generals　exclaim　as　much　as　they　like　against　the　Mass。　　I
know　what　I　am　about；　I　am　working　for　posterity。〃　　He　was　now　gathering
the　fruits　of　his　Concordat。　　He　ordered　that　the　Pope　should　be
everywhere　treated　in　his　journey　through　the　French　territory　with　the
highest　distinction；　and　he　proceeded　to　Fontainebleau　to　receive　his
Holiness。　　This　afforded　an　opportunity　for　Bonaparte　to　re…establish　the
example　of　those　journeys　of　the　old　Court；　during　which　changes　of
ministers　used　formerly　to　be　made。　　The　Palace　of　Fontainebleau；　now
become　Imperial；　like　all　the　old　royal　chateaux；　had　been　newly
furnished　with　a　luxury　and　taste　corresponding　to　the　progress　of　modern
art。　　The　Emperor　was　proceeding　on　the　road　to　Nemours　when　courtiers
informed　him　of　the　approach　of　Pius　VII。　　Bonaparte's　object　was　to
avoid　the　ceremony　which　had　been　previously　settled。　　He　had　therefore
made　the　pretext　of　going　on　a　hunting…party；　and　was　in　the　way　as　it
were　by　chance　when　the　Pope's　carriage　was　arriving。　　He　alighted　from
horseback；　and　the　Pope　came　out　of　his　carriage。　　Rapp　was　with　the
Emperor；　and　I　think　I　yet　hear　him　describing；　in　his　original　manner
and　with　his　German　accent；　this　grand　interview；　upon　which；　however；　he
for　his　part　looked　with　very　little　respect。　　Rapp；　in　fact；　was　among
the　number　of　those　who；　notwithstanding　his　attachment　to　the　Emperor；
preserved　independence　of　character；　and　he　knew　he　had　no　reason　to
dissemble　with　me。　　〃Fancy　to　yourself；〃　said　he；　〃the　amusing　comedy
that　was　played。〃　　After　the　Emperor　and　the　Pope　had　well　embraced　they
went　into　the　same　carriage；　and；　in　order　that　they　might　be　upon　a
footing　of　equality；　they　were　to　enter　at　the　same　time　by　opposite
doors。　　All　that　was　settled；　but　at　breakfast　the　Emperor　had　calculated
how　he　should　manage；　without　appearing　to　assume　anything；　to　get　on　the
righthand　side　of　the　Pope；　and　everything　turned　out　as　he　wished。　　As
to　the　Pope；〃　said　Rapp；　〃I　must　own　that　I　never　saw　a　man　with　a　finer
countenance　or　more　respectable　appearance　than　Pius　VII。〃

After　the　conference　between　the　Pope　and　the　Emperor　at　Fontainebleau；
Pius　VII。　set　off　for　Paris　first。　　On　the　road　the　same　honours　were
paid　to　him　as　to　the　Emperor。　　Apartments　were　prepared　for　him　in　the
Pavilion　de　Flore　in　the　Tuileries；　and　his　bedchamber　was　arranged　and
furnished　i