napoleon bonaparte, v11-第11章

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it。　　I　would　not　dare　to　assert　that　he　kept　his　word　scrupulously；　but　I
can　affirm　that　all　I　have　just　said　is　the　exact　truth；　and　I　am　sure
that　if　this　passage　in　my　Memoirs　falls　under　the　eyes　of　the　Duke　of
Rovigo　it　will　remind　him　of　an　occurrence　which　he　may　perhaps　have
forgotten；　but　which　he　will　readily　recall。

Meanwhile　the　commission；　composed　as　I　have　said　of　five　senators　and
five　members　of　the　Corps　Legislatif；　devoted　itself　assiduously　to　the
duty　with　which　it　was　charged。　　Each　of　these　two　grand　bodies　of　the
state　presented　to　his　Majesty　a　separate　address。　　The　senate　had
received　the　report　made　by　M。　de　Fontanes；　and　their　address　contained
nothing　which　could　displease　the　Emperor；　but　was　on　the　contrary
expressed　in　most　proper　terms。　　In　it　a　peace　was　indeed　demanded；　but　a
peace　which　his　Majesty　could　obtain　by　an　effort　worthy　of　him　and　of
the　French　people。　　〃Let　that　hand　so　many　times　victorious；〃　they　said；
〃lay　down　its　arms　after　having　assured　the　repose　of　the　world。〃　　The
following　passage　was　also　noteworthy：　〃No；　the　enemy　shall　not　destroy
this　beautiful　and　noble　France；　which　for　fourteen　hundred　years　has
borne　itself　gloriously　through　such　diverse　fortunes；　and　which　for　the
interest　of　the　neighboring　nations　themselves　should　always　bear
considerable　weight　in　the　balance　of　power　in　Europe。　　We　have　as
pledges　of　this　your　heroic　constancy　and　the　national　honor。〃　　Then
again；　〃Fortune　does　not　long　fail　nations　which　do　not　fail　in　their
duty　to　themselves。〃

This　language；　worthy　of　true　Frenchmen；　and　which　the　circumstances　at
least　required；　was　well　pleasing　to　the　Emperor；　as　is　evident　from　the
answer　he　made　on　the　29th　of　December　to　the　deputation　from　the　senate
with　the　prince　archchancellor　at　its　head：

〃Senators；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃I　am　deeply　sensible　of　the　sentiments　you
express。　　You　have　seen　by　the　articles　which　I　have　communicated　to　you
what　I　am　doing　towards　a　peace。　　The　sacrifices　required　by　the
preliminary　basis　which　the　enemy　had　proposed　to　me　I　have　accepted；　and
I　shall　make　them　without　regret；　since　my　life　has　only　one　object；the
happiness　of　the　French　people。

〃Meanwhile　Bearn；　Alsace；　Franche…Comte；　and　Brabant　have　been　entered；
and　the　cries　of　that　part　of　my　family　rend　my　soul。　　I　call　the　French
to　the　aid　of　the　French！　　I　call　the　Frenchmen　of　Paris；　Brittany；
Normandy；　Champagne；　Burgundy；　and　the　other　departments　to　the　aid　of
their　brothers。　　Will　they　abandon　them　in　misfortune？　　Peace　and　the
deliverance　of　our　territory　should　be　our　rallying　cry。　　At　the　sight　of
this　whole　people　in　arms　the　foreigner　will　flee；　or　will　consent　to
peace　on　the　terms　I　have　proposed　to　him。　　The　question　is　no　longer　the
recovery　of　the　conquests　we　have　made。〃

It　was　necessary　to　be　in　a　position　to　thoroughly　know　the　character　of
the　Emperor　to　understand　how　much　it　must　have　cost　him　to　utter　these
last　words；　but　from　a　knowledge　of　his　character　also　resulted　the
certainty　that　it　would　have　cost　him　less　to　do　what　he　promised　than　to
say　them。　　It　would　seem　that　this　was　well　understood　in　Paris；　for　the
day　on　which　the　'Moniteur'　published　the　reply　of　his　Majesty　to　the
senate；　stocks　increased　in　value　more　than　two　francs；　which　the　Emperor
did　not　fail　to　remark　with　much　satisfaction；　for　as　is　well　known；　the
rise　and　decline　of　stocks　was　with　him　the　real　thermometer　of　public
opinion。

In　regard　to　the　conduct　of　the　Corps　Legislatif；　I　heard　it　condemned　by
a　man　of　real　merit　deeply　imbued　with　republican　principles。　　He　uttered
one　day　in　my　presence　these　words　which　struck　me：　〃The　Corps　Legislatif
did　then　what　it　should　have　done　at　all　times；　except　under　these
circumstances。〃　　From　the　language　used　by　the　spokesman　of　the
commission；　it　is　only　too　evident　that　the　speaker　believed　in　the　false
promises　of　the　declaration　of　Frankfort。　　According　to　him；　or　rather
according　to　the　commission　of　which　he　was　after　all　only　the　organ；
the　intention　of　the　foreigners　was　not　to　humiliate　France；　they　only
wished　to　keep　us　within　our　proper　limits；　and　annul　the　effects　of　an
ambitious　activity　which　had　been　so　fatal　for　twenty　years　to　all　the
nations　of　Europe。　　〃The　propositions　of　the　confederated　powers；〃　said
the　commission；　〃seem　to　us　honorable　for　the　nation；　since　they　prove
that　foreigners　both　fear　and　respect　us。〃　　Finally　the　speaker；
continuing　his　reading；　having　reached　a　passage　in　which　allusion　was
made　to　the　Empire　of　the　Lily；　added　in　set　phrase　that　the　Rhine；　the
Alps；　the　Pyrenees；　and　the　two　seas　inclosed　a　vast　territory；　several
provinces　of　which　had　not　belonged　to　ancient　France；　and　that
nevertheless　the　crown　royal　of　France　shone　brilliantly　with　glory　and
majesty　among　all　other　diadems。

At　these　words　the　Duke　of　Massa　interrupted　the　speaker；　exclaiming；
〃What　you　say　is　unconstitutional；〃　to　which　the　speaker　vehemently
replied；　〃I　see　nothing　unconstitutional　here　except　your　presence；〃　and
continued　to　read　his　report。　　The　Emperor　was　each　day　informed　of　what
took　place　in　the　sitting　of　the　Corps　Legislatif；　and　I　remember　that
the　day　on　which　their　report　was　read　he；　appeared　much　disturbed；　and
before　retiring　walked　up　and　down　the　room　in　much　agitation；　like　one
trying　to　make　some　important　decision。　　At　last　he　decided　not　to　allow
the　publication　of　the　address　of　the　Corps　Legislatif；　which　had　been
communicated　to　him　according　to　custom。　　Time　pressed；　the　next　day
would　have　been　too　late；　as　the　address　would　be　circulated　in　Paris；
where　the　public　mind　was　already　much　disturbed。　　The　order　was
consequently　given　to　the　minister　of　general　police　to　have　the　copy　of
the　report　and　the　address　seized　at　the　printing　establishment；　and　to
break　the　forms　already　set　up。　　Besides　this　the　order　was　also　given　to
close　the　doors　of　the　Corps　Legislatif；　which　was　done；　and　the
legislature　thus　found　itself　adjourned。

I　heard　many　persons　at　this　time　deeply　regret　that　his　Majesty　had
taken　these　measures；　and；　above　all；　that　having　taken　them　he　had　not
stopped　there。　　It　was　said　that　since　the　Corps　Legislatif　was　now
adjourned　by　force；　it　was　better；　whatever　might　be　the　result；　to
convoke　another　chamber；　and　that　the　Emperor　should　not　recognize　the
members　of　the　one　he　had　dismissed。　　His　Majesty　thought　otherwise；　and
gave　the　deputies　a　farewell　audience。　　They　came　to　the　Tuileries；　and
there　his　only　too　just　resentment　found　vent　in　these　words：

〃I　have　suppressed　your　address；　as　it　was　incendiary。　　Eleven…twelfths
of　the　Corps　Legislatif　are　composed　of　good　citizens　whom　I　know　and　for
whom　I　have　much　regard；　the　other　twelfth　is　composed　of　seditious
persons　who　are　devoted　to　England。　　Your　Commission　and　its　chairman；
M。　Laine；　are　of　this　number。　　He　corresponds　with　the　Prince　Regent；
through　the　lawyer　Deseze。　　I　know　it；　and　have　proof　of　it。　　The　other
four　are　of　the　same　faction。　　If　there　are　abuses　to　be　remedied；　is
this　a　time　for　remonstrances；　when　two　hundred　thousand　Cossacks　are
crossing　our　frontiers？　　Is　this　the　moment　to　dispute　as　to　individual
liberty　and　safety；　when　the　question　is　the　preservation　of　political
liberty　and　national　independence？　　The　enemy　must　be　resisted；　you　must
follow　the　example　of　the　Alsatians；　Vosges；　and　inhabitants　of　Franche…
Comte；　who　wish　to　march　against　them；　and　have　applied　to　me…for　arms。
You　endeavor　in　your　address　to　separate　the　sovereign　from　the　nation。
It　is　I　who　here　represent　the　people；　who　have　given　me　four　million　of
their　suffrages。　　If　I　believed　you　I　should　cede　to　the　enemy　more　than
he　demands。　　You　shall　have　peace　in　three　months　or　I　shall　perish。
Your　address　was　an　insult　to　me　and　to　the　Corps　Legislatif。〃

Although　the　journals　were　forbidden　to　repeat　the　details　of　this　scene；
the　rumors　of　it　spread　through　Paris　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning。
The　Emperor's　words　were　repeated　and　commented　on；　the　dismissed
deputies　sounded　them　through　all　the　departments。　　I　remember　seeing　the
prime　arch…chancellor　next　day　come　to　the　Emperor　and　request　an
audience；　it　was　in　favor　of　M。　Deseze；　whose　protector　he　then　was。　　In
spite　of　the　threatening　words　of　his　Majesty；　he　found　him　not　disposed
to　take　severe　measures；　for　his　anger　had　already　exhausted　itself；　as
was　always　the　case　with　the　Emperor　when　he　had　abandoned　himself　to　his
first　emotions　of　fury。　　However；　the　fatal　misunderstanding　between　the
Corps　Legislatif　and　the　Emperor；　caused　by　the　report　of　the　committee
of　that　body；　produced　the　most　grievous　effects；　and　it　is　easy　to
conceive　how　much　the　enemy　must　have　rejoiced　over　this；　as　they　never
failed　to　be　promptly　informed　by　the　numerous　agents　whom　they　employed
in　France。　　It　was　under　these　sad　circumstances　that　the　year　1813
closed。　　We　will　see　in　future　what　were　the　consequences　of　it；　and　in
fact　the　history；　until　now　unwritten；　of　the　Emperor's　inner　life　at
Fontainebleau；　that　is　to　say；　of　the　most　painful　period　of　my　life。




CHAPTER；　XXI。

In　order　to　neutralize　the　effects　which　might　be　produced　in　the
provinces　by　the　reports　of　the　members　of　the　Corps　Legislatif　and　the
correspondence　of　the　alarmists；　his　Majesty　appointed　from　the　members
of　the　conservative　senate　a　certain　number　of　commissioners　whom　he
charged　to　visit　the　departments　and　restore　public　confidence。　　This　was
a　most　salutary　measure；　and　one　which　circumstances　imperiously
demanded；　for　discouragement　began　to　be　felt　among　the　masses　of　the
population；　and　as　is　well　known　in　such　cases　the　presence　of　superior
authority　restores　confidence　to　those　who　are　only　timid。　　Nevertheless；
the　enemy　were　advancing　at　several　points；　and　had　already　pressed　the
soil　of　Old　France。　　When　this　news　reached　the　Emperor；　it　afflicted　him
deeply　without　overcoming　him。　　At　times；　however；　his　indignation　broke
forth；　above　all；　when　he　learned　from　the　reports　that　French　emigrants
had　entered　the　enemy's　ranks；　whom　he　stigmatized　by　the　name　of
traitors；　infamous　and　wretched　creatures；　unworthy　of　pity。　　I　remember
that　on　the　occasion　of　the　capture　of　Huningen　he　thus　characterized　a
certain　M。　de　Montjoie；　who　was　now　serving　in　the　Bavarian　army　after
taking　a　German　name；　which　I　have　forgotten。　　The　Emperor　added；
however：　〃At　least；　he　has　had　the　modesty　not　to　keep　his　French　name。〃
In　general　easy　to　conciliate　on　nearly　all　points；　the　Emperor　was
pitiless　towards　all　those　who　bore　arms　against　their　country；　and
innumerable　times　I　have　heard　him　say　that　there　was　no　greater　crime　in
his　eyes。

In　order　not　to　add　to　the　complication　of　so　many　conflicting　interests
which　encountered　and　ran　contrary　to　each　other　still　more　each　day；　the
Emperor　already　had　the　thought　of　sending　Ferdinand　VII。　back　into
Spain。　　I　have　the　certainty　that　his　Majesty　had　even　made　some
overtures　to　him　on　this　subject　during　his　last　stay　in　Paris；　but　it
was　the　Spanish　prince　who　objected　to　this；　not　ceasing；　on　the
contrary；　to　demand　the　Emperor's　protectio