napoleon bonaparte, v11-第12章

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was　the　Spanish　prince　who　objected　to　this；　not　ceasing；　on　the
contrary；　to　demand　the　Emperor's　protection。　　He　desired　most　of　all　to
become　the　ally；　of　his　Majesty；　and　it　was　well　known　that　in　his
letters　to　his　Majesty　he　urged　him　incessantly　to　give　him　a　wife　of　the
Emperor's　selection。　　The　Emperor　had　seriously　thought　of　marrying　him
to　the　eldest　daughter　of　King　Joseph；　which　seemed　a　means　of
conciliating　at　the　same　time　the　rights　of　Prince　Joseph　and　those　of
Ferdinand　VII。；　and　King　Joseph　asked　nothing　better　than　to　be　made　a
party　to　this　arrangement；　and　from　the　manner　in　which　he　had　used　his
royalty　since　the　commencement　of　his　reign；　we　may　be　permitted　to　think
that　his　Majesty　did　not　greatly　object　to　this。　　Prince　Ferdinand　had
acquiesced　in　this　alliance；　which　appeared　very　agreeable　to　him；　when
suddenly　at　the　end　of　the　year　1813　he　demanded　time；　and　the　course　of
events　placed　this　affair　among　the　number　of　those　which　existed　only　in
intention。　　Prince　Ferdinand　left　Valencay　at　last；　but　later　than　the
Emperor　had　authorized　him　to　do；　and　for　some　time　his　presence　had　been
only　an　additional　embarrassment。　　However；　the　Emperor　had　no　reason　to
complain　of　his　conduct　towards　him　until　after　the　events　of
Fontainebleau。

At　any　rate；　in　the　serious　situation　of　affairs；　matters　concerning　the
Prince　of　Spain　were　only　an　incidental　matter；　no　more　important　than
the　stay　of　the　Pope　at　Fontainebleau；　the　great　point；　the　object　which
predominated　everything；　was　the　defense　of　the　soil　of　France；　which　the
first　days　of　January　found　invaded　at　many　points。　　This　was　the　one
thought　of　his　Majesty；　which　did　not　prevent　him；　nevertheless；　from
entering　according　to　custom　into　all　the　duties　of　his　administration；
and　we　will　soon　see　the　measures　he　took　to　re…establish　the　national
guard　of　Paris。　　I　have　on　this　subject　certain　documents　and　particulars
which　are　little　known；　from　a　person　whose　name　I　am　not　permitted　to
give；　but　whose　position　gave　him　the　opportunity　of　learning　all　the
intricacies　of　its　formation。　　As　all　these　duties　still　required　for
more　than　a　month　the　presence　of　his　Majesty　at　Paris；　he　remained　there
until　the　25th　of　January。

But　what　fatal　news　he　received　during　those　twenty…five　days！

First　the　Emperor　learned　that　the　Russians；　as　unscrupulous　as　the
Austrians　in　observing　the　conditions　of　a　capitulation　which　are　usually
considered　sacred；　had　just　trampled　under　their　feet　the　stipulations
made　at　Dantzic。　　In　the　name　of　the　Emperor　Alexander；　the　Prince　of
Wurtemberg　who　commanded　the　siege　had　acknowledged　and　guaranteed　to
General　Rapp　and　the　troops　placed　under　his　command　the　right　to　return
to　France；　which　agreement　was　no　more　respected　than　had　been　a　few
months　before　that　made　with　Marshal　Saint…Cyr　by　the　Prince　of
Schwarzenberg；　thus　the　garrison　of　Dantzic　were　made　prisoners　with　the
same　bad　faith　as　that　of　Dresden　had　been。　　This　news；　which　reached　him
at　almost　the　same　time　as　that　of　the　surrender　of　Torgau；　distressed
his　Majesty　so　much　the　more　as　it　contributed　to　prove　to　him　that　these
powerful　enemies　wished　to　treat　of　peace　only　in　name；　with　a　resolution
to　retire　always　before　a　definite　conclusion　was　reached。

At　the　same　period　the　news　from　Lyons　was　in　no　wise　reassuring。　　The
command　of　this　place　had　been　confided　to　Marshal　Augereau；　and　he　was
accused　of　having　lacked　the　energy　necessary　to　foresee　or　arrest　the
invasion　of　the　south　of　France。　　Further　I　will　not　now　dwell　on　this
circumstance；　proposing　in　the　following　chapter　to　collect　my　souvenirs
which　relate　more　especially　to　the　beginning　of　the　campaign　in　France；
and　some　circumstances　which　preceded　it。　　I　limit　myself　consequently　to
recalling；　as　far　as　my　memory　serves；　events　which　occurred　during　the
last　days　the　Emperor　passed　in　Paris。

From　the　4th　of　January　his　Majesty；　although　having　lost；　as　I　said　a
while　since；　all　hope　of　inducing　the　invaders　to　conclude　a　peace；　which
the　whole　world　so　much　needed；　gave　his　instructions　to　the　Duke　of
Vicenza；　and　sent　him　to　the　headquarters　of　the　allies；　but　he　was
compelled　to　wait　a　long　time　for　his　passports。　　At　the　same　time
special　orders　were　sent　to　the　prefects　of　departments　in　the　invaded
territory　as　to　the　conduct　they　should　pursue　under　such　difficult
circumstances。　　Thinking　at　the　same　time　that　it　was　indispensable　to
make　an　example　in　order　to　strengthen　the　courage　of　the　timid；　the
Emperor　ordered　the　creation　of　a　commission　of　inquiry；　charged　to
inquire　into　the　conduct　of　Baron　Capelle；　prefect　of　the　department　of
the　Leman　at　the　time　of　the　entrance　of　the　enemy　into　Geneva。　　Finally
a　decree　mobilized　one　hundred　and　twenty　battalions　of　the　National
Guard　of　the　Empire；　and　ordered　a　levy　en　masse　on　all　the　departments
of　the　east　of　all　men　capable　of　bearing　arms。　　Excellent　measures
doubtless；　but　vain！　　Destiny　was　stronger　than　even　the　genius　of　a
great　man。

Meanwhile　on　the　8th　of　January　appeared　the　decree　which　called　out　for
active　duty　thirty　thousand　men　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris　on　the
very　day　when　by　a　singular　and　fatal　coincidence　the　King　of　Naples
signed　a　treaty　of　alliance　with　Great　Britain。　　The　Emperor　reserved　for
himself　the　chief　command　of　the　National　Parisian　Guard；　and　constituted
the　staff　as　follows：　a　vice…commander…in…chief；　four　aides　who　were
major…generals；　four　adjutant　commandants；　and　eight　assistant　captains。
A　legion　was　formed　in　each　district；　and　each　legion　was　divided　into
four　battalions　subdivided　into　five　companies。　Next　the　Emperor
appointed　the　following　to　superior　grades：

General　vice…commander…in…chief。　Marshal　de　Moncey；　Duke　of　Conegliano。

Aidesmajor…generals。　General　of　division；　Count　Hullin；　Count
Bertrand；　grand　marshal　of　the。　　palace；　Count　of　Montesquieu；　grand
chamberlain；　Count　de　Montmorency；　chamberlain　of　the　Emperor。

Adjutant…commandants。　Baron　Laborde；　adjutant…commandant　of　the　post　of
Paris；　Count　Albert　de　Brancas；　chamberlain　of　the　Emperor；　　Count
Germain；　chamberlain　of　the　Emperor；　M。　Tourton。

Assistant　captains。　Count　Lariboisiere；　Chevalier　Adolphe　de　Maussion；
Messieurs　Jules　de　Montbreton；　son　of　the　equerry　of　the　Princess
Borghese；　Collin；　junior；　the　younger；　Lecordier；　junior；　Lemoine；
junior；　Cardon；　junior；　Malet；　junior。

Chiefs　of　the　twelve　Legions。　First　legion；　Count　de　Gontaut；　senior；
second　legion；　Count　Regnault　de　Saint　Jean　d'Angely；　third　legion；　Baron
Hottinguer；　banker；　fourth　legion；　Count　Jaubert；　governor　of　the　bank　of
France；　fifth　legion；　M。　Dauberjon　de　Murinais；　sixth　legion；　M。　de
Fraguier；　seventh　legion；　M。　Lepileur　de　Brevannes；　eighth　legion；　M。
Richard　Lenoir；　ninth　legion；　M。　Devins　de　Gaville；　tenth　legion；　the
Duke　of　Cadore；　eleventh　legion；　Count　de　Choiseul…Praslin；　chamberlain
of　the　Emperor；　twelfth　legion；　M。　Salleron。

From　the　names　we　have　just　read；　we　may　judge　of　the　incredible　insight
by　which　his　Majesty　was　enabled　to　choose；　among　the　most　distinguished
persons　of　the　different　classes　of　society；　those　most　popular　and　most
influential　from　their　positions。　　By　the　side　of　the　names　which　had
gained　glory　under　the　eyes　of　the　Emperor；　and　by　seconding　him　in　his
great　undertakings；　could　be　found　those　whose　claim　to　distinction　was
more　ancient　and　recalled　noble　memories；　and　finally　the　heads　of　the
principal　industries　in　the　capital。　　This　species　of　amalgamation
delighted　the　Emperor　greatly；　and　he　must　have　attached　to　it　great
political　importance；　for　this　idea　occupied　his　attention　to　such　an
extent　that　I　have　often　heard　him　say；　〃I　wish　to　confound　all　classes；
all　periods；　all　glories。　　I　desire　that　no　title　may　be　more　glorious
than　the　title　of　Frenchman。〃　　Why　is　it　fate　decreed　that　the　Emperor
should　not　be　allowed　time　to　carry　out　his　extensive　plans　for　the　glory
and　happiness　of　France　of　which　he　so　often　spoke？　　The　staff　of　the
National　Guard　and　the　chiefs　of　the　twelve　legions　being　appointed；　the
Emperor　left　the　nomination　of　the　other　officers；　as　well　as　the
formation　of　the　legions；　to　the　selection　of　M。　de　Chabrol；　prefect　of
the　Seine。　　This　worthy　magistrate；　to　whom　the　Emperor　was　much
attached；　displayed　under　these　circumstances　the　greatest　zeal　and
activity；　and　in　a　short　time　the　National　Guard　presented　an　imposing
appearance。　　They　were　armed；　equipped；　and　clothed　in　the　best　possible
manner；　and　this　ardor；　which　might　be　called　general；　was　in　these　last
days　one　of　the　consolations　which　most　deeply　touched　the　heart　of　the
Emperor；　since　he　saw　in　it　a　proof　of　the　attachment　of　the　Parisians　to
his　person；　and　an　additional　motive　for　feeling　secure　as　to　the
tranquillity　of　the　capital　during　his　approaching　absence。　　Be　that　as
it　may；　the　bureau　of　the　National　Guard　was　soon　formed；　and　established
in　the　residence　which　Marshal　Moncey　inhabited　on　the　Rue　du　Faubourg
Saint…Honore；　near　the　square　Beauveau；　and　one　master　of　requests　and
two　auditors　of　the　council　of　state　were　attached　to　it。　　The　master　of
requests；　a　superior　officer　of　engineers；　the　Chevalier　Allent；　soon　be
came　the　soul　of　the　whole　administration　of　the　National　Guard；　no　one
being　more　capable　than　he　of　giving　a　lively　impulse　to　an　organization
which　required　great　promptness。　　The　person　from　whom　I　obtained　this
information；　which　I　intermingle　with　my　personal　souvenirs；　has　assured
me　that　following　upon；　that　is　to　say；　after　our　departure　for　Chalons…
sur…Marne；　M。　Allent　became　still　more　influential　in　the　National　Guard；
of　which　he　was　the　real　head。　　In　fact；　when　King　Joseph　had　received
the　title　of　lieutenant…general　to　the　Emperor；　which　his　Majesty
conferred　on　him　during　the　time　of　his　absence；　M。　Allent　found　himself
attached　on　one　hand　to　the　staff　of　King　Joseph　as　officer　of　engineers；
and　on　the　other　to　the　vice…general…in…chief　in　his　quality　of　master　of
requests。　　It　resulted　that　he　was　the　mediator　and　counselor　in　all
communications　which　were　necessarily　established　between　the　lieutenant…
general　of　the　Emperor　and　Marshal　Moncey；　and　the　promptness　of　his
decisions　was　a　source　of　great　benefit　to　that　good　and　grave　marshal。
He　signed　all　letters；　〃The　Marshal；　Duke　de　Conegliano；　〃　and　wrote　so
slowly　that　M。　Allent　had；　so　to　speak；　　time　to　write　the　correspondence
while　the　marshal　was　signing　his　name。　　The　auditors　to　the　council　of
state　duties　of　the　two　were　nothing；　or　nearly　so；　but　these　men　were　by
no　means　nobodies；　as　has　been　asserted；　though　a　few　of　that　character
of　course　slipped　into　the　council；　since　the　first　condition　for　holding
this　office　was　simply　to　prove　an　income　of　at　least　six　thousand
francs。　　These　were　Messieurs　Ducancel；　the　dean　of　the　auditors；　and　M。
Robert　de　Sainte…Croix。　　A　shell　had　broken　the　latter's　leg　during　the
return　from　Moscow；　and　this　brave　young　man；　a　captain　of　cavalry；　had
returned；　seated　astride　a　cannon；　from　the　banks　of　the　Beresina　to
Wilna。　　Having　little　physical　strength；　but　gifted　with　a　strong　mind；