napoleon bonaparte, v11-第5章

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assassins。

I　know　nothing　remarkable　in　relation　to　the　Carbonari；　since　no
circumstance　connected　our　affairs　with　those　of　Italy。　　In　regard　to　the
secret　societies　of　Germany；　I　remember　that　during　our　stay　at　Dresden　I
heard　them　mentioned　with　much　interest；　and　not　without　fears　for　the
future；　by　a　Saxon　magistrate　with　whom　I　had　the　honor　of　associating
frequently。　　He　was　a　man　about　sixty　years　of　age；　who　spoke　French
well；　and　united　in　the　highest　degree　German　stolidity　with　the　gravity
natural　to　age。　　In　his　youth　he　had　lived　in　France；　and　part　of　his
education　had　been　received　at　the　College　of　Soreze；　and　I　attributed
the　friendship　which　he　showed　for　me　to　the　pleasure　he　experienced　in
conversing　about　a　country　the　memory　of　which　seemed　very　dear　to　him。
I　remember　perfectly　well　to…day　the　profound　veneration　with　which　this
excellent　man　spoke　to　me　of　one　of　his　former　professors　of　Soreze；　whom
he　called　Don　Ferlus；　and　I　must　have　had　a　defective　memory　indeed　had　I
forgotten　a　name　which　I　heard　repeated　so　often。

My　Saxon　friend　was　named　M。　Gentz；　but　was　no　relation　of　the　diplomat
of　the　same　name　attached　to　the　Austrian　chancellery。　　He　was　of　the
Reformed　religion；　very　faithful　in　the　performance　of　his　religious
duties；　and　I　can　assert　that　I　never　knew　a　man　with　more　simple　tastes；
or　who　was　more　observant　of　his　duties　as　a　man　and　a　magistrate。　　I
would　not　like　to　risk　saying　what　were　his　inmost　thoughts　concerning
the　Emperor；　for　he　rarely　spoke　of　him；　and　if　he　had　anything
unpleasant　to　say　it　may　be　readily　understood　that　he　would　not　have
chosen　me　as　his　confidant。　　One　day　when　we　were　together　examining　the
fortifications　which　his　Majesty　had　erected　at　many　points　on　the　left
bank　of　the　Elbe；　the　conversation　for　some　reason　happened　to　fall　on
the　secret　societies　of　Germany；　a　subject　with　which　I　was　perfectly
unacquainted。　　As　I　was　questioning　him　in　order　to　obtain　information；
M。　Gentz　said　to　me；　〃It　must　not　be　believed　that　the　secret　societies
which　are　multiplying　in　Germany　in　such　an　extraordinary　manner　have
been　protected　by　the　sovereigns；　for　the　Prussian　government　sees　them
grow　with　terror；　although　it　now　seeks　to　use　them　in　order　to　give　a
national　appearance　to　the　war　it　has　waged　against　you。　　Societies　which
are　to…day　tolerated　have　been；　even　in　Prussia；　the　object　of　bitter
persecutions。　　It　has　not　been　long；　for　instance；　since　the　Prussian
government　used　severe　measures　to　suppress　the　society　called
'Tugendverein'；　taking　the　precaution；　nevertheless；　to　disguise　it　under
a　different　title。　　Doctor　Jahn　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　Black
Chevaliers；　who　were　the　precursors　of　a　body　of　partisans　known　under
the　name　of　the　Black　Chasseurs；　and　commanded　by　Colonel　Lutzow。　　In
Prussia　the　still　vivid　memory　of　the　late　queen　exercised　a　great
influence　over　the　new　direction　given　to　its　institutions；　in　which　she
occupied　the　place　of　an　occult　divinity。　　During　her　lifetime　she　gave
to　Baron　Nostitz　a　silver　chain；　which　as　her　gift　became　the　decoration；
or　we　might　rather　say　the　rallying　signal；　of　a　new　society；　to　which
was　given　the　name　of　the　Conederation　of　Louise。　　And　lastly；　M。　Lang
declared　himself　the　chief　of　an　order　of　Concordists；　which　he
instituted　in　imitation　of　the　associations　of　that　name　which　had　for
some　time　existed　in　the　universities。

〃My　duties　as　magistrate；〃　added　M。　Gentz；　〃have　frequently　enabled　me　to
obtain　exact　information　concerning　these　new　institutions；　and　you　may
consider　the　information　which　I　give　you　on　this　subject　as　perfectly
authentic。　　The　three　chiefs　whom　I　have　just　mentioned　apparently　direct
three　separate　societies；　but　it　is　very　certain　that　the　three　are　in
reality　only　one；　since　these　gentlemen　engage　themselves　to　follow　in
every　particular　the　vagaries　of　the　Tugendverein；　and　are　scattered
throughout　Germany　in　order　that　by　their　personal　presence　they　may　have
a　more　direct　influence。　　M。　Jahn　is　more　especially　in　control　of
Prussia；　M。　Lang　of　the　north；　and　Baron　de　Nostitz　of　the　south；　of
Germany。　　The　latter；　knowing　perhaps　the　influence　of　a　woman　over　young
converts；　associated　with　himself　a　beautiful　actress　named　Madame　Brede；
and　she　has　already　been　the　means　of　making　a　very　important　acquisition
to　the　Confederation　of　Louise；　and　one　which　might　become　still　more　so
in　the　future　if　the　French　should　meet　with　reverses。　　The　former
Elector　of　Hesse；　admitted　through　the　influence　of　Madame　Brede；
accepted　almost　immediately　after　his　reception　the　grand　chieftancy　of
the　Confederation　of　Louise；　and　the　very　day　of　his　installation　placed
in　the　hands　of　M。　de　Nostitz　the　sum　necessary　to　create　and　equip　a
free　corps　of　seven　hundred　men　destined　to　enter　the　service　of　Prussia。
It　is　true　that　having　once　obtained　possession　of　this　sum　the　baron　did
nothing　towards　the　formation　of　the　corps；　which　greatly　incensed　the
ex…elector；　but　by　dint　of　skill　and　diplomacy　Madame　Brede　succeeded　in
reconciling　them。　　It　has　been　proved；　in　fact；　that　M；　de　Nostitz　did
not　appropriate　the　funds　deposited　with　him；　but　used　them　for　other
purposes　than　the　arming　of　a　free　corps。　　M。　de　Nostitz　is　beyond　doubt
the　most　zealous；　ardent；　and　capable　of　the　three　chiefs。　　I　do　not　know
him　personally；　but　I　know　he　is　one　of　those　men　best　calculated　to
obtain　unbounded　influence　over　all　with　whom　he　comes　in　contact。　　He
succeeded　in　gaining　such　dominion　over　M。　Stein；　the　Prussian　minister；
that　the　latter　placed　two　of　his　secretaries　at　the　disposal　of　Baron　de
Nostitz　to　prepare　under　his　direction　the　pamphlets　with　which　Germany
is　flooded；　but　I　cannot　too　often　repeat；〃　continued　M。　Gentz；　〃that　the
hatred　against　the　French　avowed　by　these　various　societies　is　simply　an
accidental　thing；　a　singular　creation　of　circumstances；　since　their　prime
object　was　the　overthrow　of　the　government　as　it　existed　in　Germany；　and
their　fundamental　principle　the　establishment　of　a　system　of　absolute
equality。　　This　is　so　true　that　the　question　has　been　earnestly　debated
amongst　the　members　of　the　Tugendverein　of　proclaiming　the　sovereignty　of
the　people　throughout　Germany；　and　they　have　openly　declared　that　the　war
should　not　be　waged　in　the　name　of　the　governments；　which　according　to
their　belief　are　only　the　instruments。　　I　do　not　know　what　will　be　the
final　result　of　all　these　machinations；　but　it　is　very　certain　that　by
giving　themselves　an　assumed　importance　these　secret　societies　have　given
themselves　a　very　real　one。　　According　to　their　version　it　is　they　alone
who　have　decided　the　King　of　Prussia　to　openly　declare　himself　against
France；　and　they　boast　loudly　that　they　will　not　stop　there。　　After　all；
the　result　will　probably　be　the　same　as　in　nearly　all　such　cases；if
they　are　found　useful　they　will　be　promised　wonderful　things　in　order　to
gain　their　allegiance；　and　will　be　abandoned　when　they　no　longer　serve
the　intended　purposes；　for　it　is　an　entire　impossibility　that　reasonable
governments　should　lose　sight　of　the　real　end　for　which　they　are
instituted。〃

This　is；　I　think；　an　exact　summary；　not　of　all　M。　Gentz　said　to　me
concerning　the　secret　societies　of　Germany；　but　of　what　I　recall；　and　I
also　remember　that　when　I　gave　the　Emperor　an　account　of　this
conversation；　his　Majesty　deigned　to　give　most　earnest　attention；　and
even　made　me　repeat　certain　parts；　which；　however；　I　do　not　now　remember
positively。　　As　to　the　Carbonari；　there　is　every　reason　to　think　that
they　belonged　by　secret　ramifications　to　the　German　societies；　but　as　I
have　already　said；　I　have　not　been　able　to　obtain　exact　information　as　to
them。　　Nevertheless；　I　will　endeavor　to　repeat　here　what　I　heard
concerning　the　initiation　of　a　Carbonari。

This　story；　which　may　perhaps　be　only　imaginary；　struck　my　attention
deeply。　　Moreover；　I　give　it　here　with　much　hesitation；　not　knowing
whether　some　one　has　not　already　profited　by　it；　as　I　was　by　no　means　the
only　auditor　of　this　narration。　　I　obtained　it　from　a　Frenchman　who　lived
in　the　north　of　Italy　at　the　time　my　conversation　with　M。　Gentz　occurred。

〃A　French　officer；　formerly　attached　to　General　Moreau；　a　man　of
enthusiastic　but　at　the　same　time　gloomy　and　melancholy　character；　left
the　service　after　the　trial　instituted　against　his　general　at　Paris。　　He
took　no　part　in　the　conspiracy；　but　unalterably　attached　to　republican
principles；　this　officer；　whose　tastes　were　very　simple；　and　who
possessed　an　ample　competence；　left　France　when　the　Empire　was
established；　and　took　no　pains　to　disguise　his　aversion　to　the　head　of　an
absolute　government。　　Finally；　although　of　most　inoffensive　conduct；　he
was　one　of　those　designated　under　the　name　of　malcontents。　　After
traveling　several　years　in　Greece；　Germany；　and　Italy；　he　settled　himself
in　a　little　village　in　the　Venetian　Tyrol。　　There　he　lived　a　very　retired
life；　holding　little　communication　with　his　neighbors；　occupied　in　the
study　of　natural　science；　given　up　to　meditation；　and　no　longer　occupying
himself；　so　to　speak；　with　public　affairs。　　This　was　his　position；　which
appeared　mysterious　to　some　persons；　at　the　time　the　institution　of　the
ventes　of　the　Carbonari　were　making　such　incredible　progress　in　most　of
the　Italian　provinces；　especially　in　those　on　the　borders　of　the
Adriatic。　　Several　notable　inhabitants　of　the　country；　who　were　ardent
Carbonari；　conceived　the　plan　of　enrolling　in　their　society　this　French
officer；　whom　they　knew；　and　being　aware　of　his　implacable　resentment
against　the　chief　of　the　Imperial　government；　whom　he　regarded　as　a　great
man；　in　fact；　but　at　the　same　time　as　the　destroyer　of　his　beloved
republic。　　In　order　not　to　rouse　the　supposed　susceptibilities　of　this
officer；　they　organized　a　hunting…party　to　meet　in　the　locality　where　he
usually　took　his　solitary　rambles。　　This　plan　was　adopted；　and　so　well
carried　out　that　the　intended　meeting　took　place　apparently　by　chance。
The　officer　did　not　hesitate　to　engage　in　conversation　with　the　hunters；
some　of　whom　he　already　knew；　and　after　some　desultory　remarks　the
conversation　turned　on　the　Carbonari；　those　new　votaries　of　secret
liberty。　　The　magic　word　liberty　had　not　lost　its　power　to　stir　to　its
depths　the　heart　of　this　officer；　and　consequently　produced　upon　him　the
exact　effect　they　desired；　by　awaking　enthusiastic　memories　of　his　youth；
and　a　joy　to　which　he　had　long　been　a　stranger；　and　consequently　when
they　proposed　to　add　his　name　to　the　brotherhood　which　was　now　around
him；　no　difficulty　was　experienced。　　The　officer　was　received；　the　secret
signs　and　words　of　recognition　were　given　him；　and　he　took　the　oath　by
which　he　engaged　to　be　always　and　at　every　hour　at　the　disposal　of　his
brethren；　and　to　perish　rather　than　betray　their　secrets；　and　was　then
initiated　and　continued　to　live　as　in　the　past；　but　expecting　every
moment　a　summons。

The　adventurous　character　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　Venetian　Tyrol　afford
a　striking　contrast　to　the　character　of　the　inhabitants　of　Italy；　but
they　have　in　common　suspicious　natures；　and　from　suspicion　to　revenge　t