——[AtthetimeofthisattemptIwasnotwithNapoleon;buthedirectedmetoseethemadmenwhohadformedthedesignofassassinatinghim.ItwillbeseeninthecoarseoftheseMemoirswhatwerehasplans，andwhatwastheresultofthem——Bourrienne]——
ThefollowingisacorrectstatementofthefactsrelativetoCeracchi’sconspiracy.Theplotitselfwasamereshadow;butitwasdeemedadvisabletogiveitsubstance，toexaggerate，atleastinappearance，thedangertowhichtheFirstConsulhadbeenexposed：——
TherewasatthattimeinParisanidlefellowcalledHarrel;hehadbeena’chefdebattalion’，buthehadbeendismissedtheservice，andwasconsequentlydissatisfied.HebecameconnectedwithCerracchi，Arena，Topino—Lebrun，andDemerville.FromdifferentmotivesalltheseindividualswereviolentlyhostiletotheFirstConsul，whoonhispart，wasnofriendtoCerracchiandArena，butscarcelyknewthetwoothers.
Thesefourindividualsformed，inconjunctionwithHarrel，thedesignofassassinatingtheFirstConsul，andthetimefixedfortheperpetrationofthedeedwasoneeveningwhenBonaparteintendedtovisittheopera.
Onthe20thofSeptember1804HarrelcametomeattheTuileries.Herevealedtometheplotinwhichhewasengaged，andpromisedthathisaccomplicesshouldbeapprehendedintheveryactifIwouldsupplyhimwithmoneytobringtheplottomaturity.Iknewnothowtoactuponthisdisclosure，whichI，however，couldnotrejectwithoutincurringtoogreataresponsibility.IimmediatelycommunicatedthebusinesstotheFirstConsul，whoorderedmetosupplyHarrelwithmoney;butnottomentiontheaffairtoFouche，towhomhewishedtoprovethatheknewbetterhowtomanagethepolicethanhedid.
Harrelcamenearlyeveryeveningateleveno’clocktoinformmeoftheprogressoftheconspiracy，whichIimmediatelycommunicatedtotheFirstConsul，whowasnotsorrytofindArenaandCeracchideeplycommitted.
Butthetimepassedon，andnothingwasdone.TheFirstConsulbegantogrowimpatient.AtlengthHarrelcametosaythattheyhadnomoneytopurchasearms.Moneywasgivenhim.He，however，returnednextdaytosaythatthegunsmithrefusedtosellthemarmswithoutauthority.ItwasnowfoundnecessarytocommunicatethebusinesstoFoucheinorderthathemightgrantthenecessarypermissiontothegunsmith，whichIwasnotempoweredtodo.
Onthe10thofOctobertheConsuls，afterthebreakingupoftheCouncil，assembledinthecabinetoftheircolleague.Bonaparteaskedtheminmypresencewhethertheythoughtheoughttogototheopera.Theyobservedthataseveryprecautionwastakennodangercouldbeapprehended，andthatitwasdesirabletoshowthefutilityofattemptsagainsttheFirstConsul’slife.AfterdinnerBonaparteputonagreatcoatoverhisgreenuniformandgotintohiscarriageaccompaniedbymeandDuroc.Heseatedhimselfinfrontofhisbox，whichatthattimewasontheleftofthetheatrebetweenthetwocolumnswhichseparatedthefrontandsideboxes.
WhenwehadbeeninthetheatreabouthalfanhourtheFirstConsuldirectedmetogoandseewhatwasdoinginthecorridor.ScarcelyhadI
lefttheboxthanIheardagreatuproar，andsoondiscoveredthatanumberofpersons，whosenamesIcouldnotlearn，hadbeenarrested.I
informedtheFirstConsulofwhatIhadheard，andweimmediatelyreturnedtotheTuileries.
ItiscertainthattheobjectoftheconspiracywastotaketheFirstConsul’slife，andthattheconspiratorsneglectednothingwhichcouldfurthertheaccomplishmentoftheiratrociousdesign.Theplot，however，wasknownthroughthedisclosuresofHarrel;anditwouldhavebeeneasytoavertinsteadofconjuringupthestorm.Suchwas，andsuchstillis，myopinion.Harrel’snamewasagainrestoredtothearmylist，andhewasappointedcommandantofVincennes.ThispostheheldatthetimeoftheDucd’Enghien’sassassination.Iwasafterwardstoldthathiswifewasfoster—sistertotheunfortunateprince，andthatsherecognisedhimwhenheenteredtheprisonwhichinafewshorthourswastoprovehisgrave.
Carbonneau，oneoftheindividualscondemned，candidlyconfessedtheparthehadtakenintheplot，whichhesaidwasbroughttomaturitysolelybytheagentsofthepolice，whowerealwayseagertoprovetheirzealtotheiremployersbysomenewdiscovery.
AlthoughthreemonthsintervenedbetweenthemachinationsofCeracchiandArenaandthehorribleattemptofthe3dNivose，Ishallrelatethesetwoeventsinimmediatesuccession;foriftheyhadnootherpointsofresemblancetheywereatleastalikeintheirobject.Theconspiratorsinthefirstaffairwereoftherevolutionaryfaction.TheysoughtBonaparte’slifeasifwiththeviewofrenderinghisresemblancetoCaesarsocompletethatnotevenaBrutusshouldbewanting.Thelatter，itmustwithregretbeconfessed，wereoftheRoyalistparty，andintheirwishtodestroytheFirstConsultheywerenotdeterredbythefearofsacrificingagreatnumberofcitizens.
Thepoliceknewnothingoftheplotofthe3dNivosefortworeasons;
first，becausetheywerenopartiestoit，andsecondly，becausetwoconspiratorsdonotbetrayandselleachotherwhentheyareresoluteintheirpurpose.Insuchcasesthegivingofinformationcanariseonlyfromtwocauses，theoneexcusable，theotherinfamous，viz.thedreadofpunishment，andthehopeofreward.Butneitherofthesecausesinfluencedtheconspiratorsofthe3dNivose，theinventorsandconstructorsofthatmachinewhichhassojustlybeendenominatedinfernal！
Onthe3dNivose（24thDecember1800）thefirstperformanceofHaydn’smagnificentoratorioofthe"Creation"tookplaceattheopera，andtheFirstConsulhadexpressedhisintentionofbeingpresent.Ididnotdinewithhimthatday，butasheleftmehesaid，"Bourrienne，youknowIamgoingtotheoperato—night，andyoumaygotoo;butIcannottakeyouinthecarriage，asLannes，Berthier，andLauristonaregoingwithme."Iwasverygladofthis，forImuchwishedtohearoneofthemasterpiecesoftheGermanschoolofcomposition.IgottotheoperabeforeBonaparte，whoonhisentranceseatedhimself，accordingtocustom，infrontofthebox.Theeye’sofallpresentwerefixeduponhim，andheappearedtobeperfectlycalmandself—possessed.Lauriston，assoonashesawme，cametomybox，andtoldmethattheFirstConsul，onhiswaytotheopera，hadnarrowlyescapedbeingassassinatedintheRueSt.Nicaisebytheexplosionofabarrelofgunpowder，theconcussionofwhichhadshatteredthewindowsofhiscarriage."Withintensecondsafterourescape，"addedLauriston，"thecoachmanhavingturnedthecorneroftheRueStHonore，stoppedtotaketheFirstConsul’sorders;
andhecoollysaid，’Totheopera.’"
——[ThefollowingparticularsrespectingtheaffairoftheinfernalmachinearerelatedbyRapp，whoattendedMadameBonapartetotheopera.HediffersfromBourrienneastothetotalignoranceofthepolice：
"Theaffairoftheinfernalmachinehasneverbeenpropertyunderstoodbythepublic.ThepolicehadintimatedtoNapoleonthatanattemptwouldbemadeagainsthislifeandcautionedhimnottogoout.MadameBonaparte，MademoiselleBeauharnais，MadameMurat，Lannes，Bessieres，theaidedecamponduty，LieutenantLebrun，nowdukeofPlacenzawereallassembledinthesalon，whiletheFirstConsulwaswritinginhiscabinet.Haydn’soratoriowastobeperformedthatevening;theladieswereanxioustohearthemusic，andwealsoexpressedawishtothateffect.Theescortpiquetwasorderedout;andLannesrequestedthatNapoleonwouldjointheparty.Heconsented;hiscarriagewasready，andhetookalongwithhimBessieresandtheaidedecamponduty.Iwasdirectedtoattendtheladies.JosephinehadreceivedamagnificentshawlfromConstantinopleandshethateveningworeitforthefirsttime.
’Permitmetoobserve，’saidI，’thatyourshawlisnotthrownonwithyourusualelegance.’Shegood—humouredlybeggedthatIwouldfolditafterthefashionoftheEgyptianladies.WhileIwasengagedinthisoperationweheardNapoleondepart.’Comesister，’
saidMadameMurat，whowasimpatienttogettothetheatre：
’Bonaparteisgoing：’Westoppedintothecarriage：theFirstConsul’sequipagehadalreadyreachedthemiddleofthePlaceduCarrousel.Wedroveafterit，butwehadscarcelyenteredtheplacewhenthemachineexploded.Napoleonescapedbyasingularchance，St.Regent，orhisservantFrancois，hadstationedhimselfinthemiddleofthoRueNicaise.Agrenadieroftheescort，supposinghewasreallywhatheappearedtobe，awater—carrier，gavehimafewblowswiththeflatofhissabreanddrovehimoff.Thecartwasturnedround，andthemachineexplodedbetweenthecarriagesofNapoleonandJosephine.Theladiesshriekedonhearingthereport;
thecarriagewindowswerebroken，andMademoiselleBeauharnaisreceivedaslighthurtonherhand.IalightedandcrossedtheRueNicaisewhichwasstrewedwiththebodiesofthosewhohadbeenthrowndown，andthefragmentsofthewallsthathadbeenshatteredwiththeexplosion.Neithertheconsulnoranyindividualofhis，suitesustainedanyseriousinjury.WhenIenteredthetheatreNapoleonwasseatedinhisbox;calmandcomposed，andlookingattheaudiencethroughhisopera—glass.Fouchewasbesidehim.
’Josephine’saidheassoonasheobservedme.Sheenteredatthatinstantandhedidnotfinishhisquestion’Therascals’saidheverycooly，wantedtoblowmeup：Bringmeabookoftheoratorio’"
（MemoirsofGeneralCountRape.P.19）]——
OnhearingthisIleftthetheatreandreturnedtothePalace，undertheexpectationthatIshouldspeedilybewanted.Bonapartesoonreturnedhome;andasintelligenceoftheaffairhadspreadthroughParisthegrandsalonontheground—floorwasfilledwithacrowdoffunctionaries，eagertoreadintheeyeoftheirmasterwhattheyweretothinkandsayontheoccasion.Hedidnotkeepthemlonginsuspense."This，"
exclaimedhevehemently，"istheworkoftheJacobins：theyhaveattemptedmylifeThereareneithernobles，priests，norChouansinthisaffair！IknowwhatIamabout，andtheyneednotthinktoimposeonme.ThesearetheSeptembrizerswhohavebeeninopenrevoltandconspiracy，andarrayedagainsteverysucceedingGovernment.ItisscarcethreemonthssincemylifewasattemptedbyUracchi，Arena;
Topino—Lebrun，andDemerville.Theyallbelongtoonegang！ThecutthroatsofSeptember，theassassinsofVersailles，thebrigandsofthe81stofMay，theconspiratorsofPrairialaretheauthorsofallthecrimescommittedagainstestablishedGovernments！Iftheycannotbecheckedtheymustbecrashed！Francemustbepurgedoftheseruffians！"
ItisimpossibletoformanyideaofthebitternesswithwhichBonaparte，pronouncedthesewords.InvaindidsomeoftheCouncillorsofState，andFoucheinparticular，endeavourtopointouttohimthattherewasnoevidenceagainstanyone，andthatbeforehepronouncedpeopletobeguiltyitwouldberighttoascertainthefact.BonaparterepeatedwithincreasedviolencewhathehadbeforesaidoftheJacobins;thusadding;
notwithoutsomegroundofsuspicion，onecrimemoreto，thelongcatalogueforwhichtheyhadalreadytoanswer.
Fouchehadmanyenemies，andIwasnot，therefore，surprisedtofindsomeoftheMinistersendeavouringtotakeadvantageofthedifferencebetweenhisopinionandthatoftheFirstConsul;anditmustbeownedthattheutterignoranceofthepolicerespectingthiseventwasacircumstancenotveryfavourabletoFouche.He，however，waslikethereedinthefable——hebentwiththewind，butwassoonerectagain.ThemostskilfulactorcouldscarcelyimitatetheinflexiblecalmnesshemaintainedduringBonaparte’sparoxysmofrage，andthepatiencewithwhichheallowedhimselftobeaccused.
Fouche，whenafterwardsconversingwithme，gavemeclearlytounderstandthathedidnotthinktheJacobinsguilty.ImentionedthistotheFirstConsul，butnothingcouldmakehimretracthisopinion."Fouche，"saidhe，"hasgoodreasonforhissilence.Heisservinghisownparty.Itisverynaturalthatheshouldseektoscreenasetofmenwhoarepollutedwithbloodandcrimes！Hewasoneoftheirleaders.DonotI
knowwhathedidatLyonsandtheLoire？ThatexplainsFouche’sconductnow！"
Thisistheexacttruth;andnowletmecontradictoneofthethousandfictionsaboutthisevent.Ithasbeensaidandprintedthat"thedignitariesandtheMinisterswereassembledattheTuileries.’Well，’
saidtheFirstConsul，advancingangrilytowardsFouche，’willyoustillsaythatthisistheRoyalistparty？’Fouche，betterinformedthanwasbelieved，answeredcoolly，’Yes，certainly，Ishallsayso;and，whatismore，Ishallproveit.’Thisspeechcausedgeneralastonishment，butwasafterwardsfullyborneout."Thisispureinvention.TheFirstConsulonlysaidtoFouche;"Idonottrusttoyourpolice;Iguardmyself，andIwatchtilltwointhemorning."Thishowever，wasveryrarelythecase.
OnthedayaftertheexplosionoftheinfernalmachineaconsiderableconcourseassembledattheTuileries.Therewasabsolutelyatorrentofcongratulations.TheprefectoftheSeineconvokedthetwelvemayorsofParisandcameattheirheadtowaitontheFirstConsul.InhisreplytotheiraddressBonapartesaid，"AslongasthisgangofassassinsconfinedtheirattackstomepersonallyIleftthelawtotakeitscourse;butsince，byanunparalleledcrime，theyhaveendangeredthelivesofaportionofthepopulationofParis，theirpunishmentmustbeaspromptasexemplary.Ahundredofthesewretcheswhohavelibeledlibertybyperpetratingcrimesinhernamemustbeeffectuallypreventedfromrenewingtheiratrocities."HethenconversedwiththeMinisters，theCouncillorsofState，etc.，ontheeventoftheprecedingday;andasallknewtheFirstConsul’sopinionoftheauthorsofthecrimeeachwaseagertoconfirmit.TheCouncilwasseveraltimesassembledwhentheSenatewasconsulted，andtheadroitFouche，whoseconscienceyieldedtothedelicacyofhissituation，addressedtotheFirstConsulareportworthyofaMazarin.AtthesametimethejournalswerefilledwithrecollectionsoftheRevolution，rakedupforthepurposeofconnectingwithpastcrimestheindividualsonwhomitwasnowwishedtocastodium.
Itwasdecreedthatahundredpersonsshouldbebanished;andthesenateestablisheditscharacterforcomplaisancebypassinga’Senatus—
consulte’conformabletothewishesoftheFirstConsul.
AlistwasdrawnupofthepersonsstyledJacobins，whowerecondemnedtotransportation.Iwasfortunateenoughtoobtaintheerasureofthenamesofseveralwhoseopinionshadperhapsbeenviolent，butwhoseeducationandprivatecharacterpresentedclaimstorecommendation.Someofmyreadersmayprobablyrecollectthemwithoutmynamingthem，andI
shallonlymentionM.Tissot，forthepurposeofrecording，nottheserviceIrenderedhim，butaninstanceofgratefulacknowledgment.
Whenin1815NapoleonwasonthepointofenteringParisM.Tissotcametotheprefectureofpolice，whereIthenwas，andofferedmehishouseasasafeasylum;assuringmeIshouldthererunnoriskofbeingdiscovered.ThoughIdidnotaccepttheofferyetIgladlyseizeonthisopportunityofmakingitknown.Itisgratifyingtofindthatdifferenceofpoliticalopiniondoesnotalwaysexcludesentimentsofgenerosityandhonour！IshallneverforgetthewayinwhichtheauthoroftheessaysonVirgilutteredthewords’Domusmea’.
Buttoreturntothefatallist.EvenwhileIwritethisIshuddertothinkofthewayinwhichmenutterlyinnocentwereaccusedofarevoltingcrimewithouteventheshadowofaproof.Thenameofanindividual，hisopinions，perhapsonlyassumed，weresufficientgroundsforhisbanishment.AdecreeoftheConsuls，dated4thofJanuary1801，confirmedbya’Senates—consulte’onthenextday，banishedfromtheterritoryoftheRepublic，andplacedunderspecialinspectors，130
individuals，nineofwhomweremerelydesignatedinthereportasSeptembrizers.
Theexiles，whointhereportsandinthepublicactsweresounjustlyaccusedofbeingtheauthorsoftheinfernalmachine，werereceivedatNantes，withsomuchindignationthatthemilitarywerecompelledtointerferetosavethemfrombeingmassacred.
InthediscussionswhichprecededthedecreeoftheConsulsfewpersonshadthecouragetoexpressadoubtrespectingtheguiltoftheaccused.
Truguetwasthefirsttomountthebreach.HeobservedthatwithoutdenyingtheGovernmenttheextraordinarymeansfor，gettingridofitsenemieshecouldnotbutacknowledgethattheemigrantsthreatenedthepurchasersofnationaldomains，thatthepublicmindwascorruptedbypamphlets，andthat——HeretheFirstConsul，interruptinghim，exclaimed，"Towhatpamphletsdoyouallude？"——"Topamphletswhicharepubliclycirculated."——"Namethem！"——"YouknowthemaswellasIdo."
——[TheParallelbetweenCaesar，Cromwell，andBonaparte，ofwhichI
shallspeakalittlefartheron，isherealludedto.——Bourrienne.]——
AfteralongandangryebullitiontheFirstConsulabruptlydismissedtheCouncil.Heobservedthathewouldnotbeduped;thatthevillainswereknown;thattheywereSeptembrizers，thehatchersofeverymischief.Hehadsaidatasittingthreedaysbefore，"Ifproofshouldfail，wemusttakeadvantageofthepublicexcitement.Theeventistomemerelytheopportunity.Theyshallbebanishedforthe2dSeptember，forthe31stMay，forBaboeuf’sconspiracy——oranythingelse."
OnleavingoneofthesittingsoftheCouncil，atwhichthequestionofaspecialtribunalhadbeendiscussed，hetoldmethathehadbeenalittleruffled;thathehadsaidaviolentblowmustbestruck;thatbloodmustbespilt;andthatasmanyoftheguiltyshouldbeshotastherehadbeenvictimsoftheexplosion（fromfifteentotwenty）;that200shouldbebanished，andtheRepublicpurgedofthesescoundrels.
Thearbitrarinessandillegalityoftheproceedingweresoevidentthatthe’Senatus—consulte’containednomentionofthetransactionsofthe3dNivose，whichwasveryremarkable.Itwas，however，declaredthatthemeasureofthepreviousdayhadbeenadoptedwithaviewtothepreservationoftheConstitution.Thiswaspromising.
TheFirstConsulmanifestedthemostviolenthatredoftheJacobins;
forthishecouldnothavebeenblamedifunderthetitleofJacobinshehadnotcomprisedeverydevotedadvocateofpublicliberty.Theiroppositionannoyedhimandhecouldneverpardonthemforhavingpresumedtocondemnhistyrannicalacts，andtoresistthedestructionofthefreedomwhichhehadhimselfsworntodefend，butwhichhewasincessantlylabouringtooverturn.Thesewerethetruemotivesofhisconduct;and，consciousofhisownfaults，heregardedwithdislikethosewhosawanddisapprovedofthem.ForthisreasonhewasmoreafraidofthosewhomhecalledJacobinsthanoftheRoyalists.
IamhererecordingthefaultsofBonaparte，butIexcusehim;situatedashewas，anyotherpersonwouldhaveactedinthesameway.Truthnowreachedhimwithdifficulty，andwhenitwasnotagreeablehehadnodispositiontohearit.Hewassurroundedbyflatterers;and，thegreaternumberofthosewhoapproachedhim，farfromtellinghimwhattheyreallythought;onlyrepeatedwhathehadhimselfbeenthinking.
HenceheadmiredthewisdomofhisCounsellors.ThusFouche，tomaintainhimselfinfavour，wasobligedtodeliveruptohismaster130nameschosenfromamonghisownmostintimatefriendsasobjectsofproscription.
MeanwhileFouche，stillbelievingthathewasnotdeceivedastotherealauthorsoftheattemptofthe3dNivose，setinmotionwithhisusualdexterityallthespringsofthepolice.Hisefforts，however，wereforsometimeunsuccessful;butatlengthonSaturday，the31stJanuary1801，abouttwohoursafterourarrivalatMalmaison，Fouchepresentedhimselfandproducedauthenticproofsoftheaccuracyofhisconjectures.Therewasnolongeranydoubtonthesubject;andBonapartesawclearlythattheattemptofthe3dNivosewastheresultofaplothatchedbythepartisansofroyalty.ButastheactofproscriptionagainstthosewhowerejumbledtogetherunderthetitleoftheJacobinshadbeenexecuted，itwasnottoberevoked.
Thustheconsequenceofthe3dNivosewasthatboththeinnocentandguiltywerepunished;withthisdifference，however，thattheguiltyatleasthadthebenefitofatrial.
WhentheJacobins，astheywerecalled，wereaccusedwithsuchprecipitation，Fouchehadnopositiveproofsoftheir，innocence;andthereforetheirillegalcondemnationoughtnottobeattributedtohim.
Sufficientodiumisattachedtohismemorywithouthisbeingchargedwithacrimehenevercommitted.Still，ImustsaythathadheboldlyopposedtheopinionofBonaparteinthefirstburstofhisfuryhemighthaveavertedtheblow.EverytimehecametotheTuileries，evenbeforehehadacquiredanytracesofthetruth，Fouchealwaysdeclaredtomehisconvictionoftheinnocenceofthepersonsfirstaccused.ButhewasafraidtomakethesameobservationtoBonaparte.IoftenmentionedtohimtheopinionoftheMinisterofPolice;butasproofwaswantingherepliedtomewithatriumphantair，"Bah！bah！ThisisalwaysthewaywithFouche.Besides，itisoflittleconsequence.Atanyrateweshallgetridofthem.ShouldtheguiltybediscoveredamongtheRoyaliststheyalsoshallbepunished."
"TherealcriminalsbeingatlengthdiscoveredthroughtheresearchesofFouche，St.RegentandCarbonexpiatedtheircrimesbytheforfeitoftheirheads.ThustheFirstConsulgainedhispoint，andjusticegainedhers.
——[ItwasSt.Regent，orSt.Rejeant，whofiredtheinfernalmachine.Theviolenceoftheshockflunghimagainsta...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：