InsigningthetreatyofAmienstheBritishMinisterwaswellawarethathewouldbethefirsttobreakit.
Aboutthecommencementoftheyear1802Napoleonbegantofeelacutepainsinhisrightside.IhaveoftenseenhimatMalmaison，whensittingupatnight，leanagainsttherightarmofhischair，andunbuttoninghiscoatandwaistcoatexclaim，——WhatpainIfeel！"Iwouldthenaccompanyhimtohisbedchamber，andhaveoftenbeenobligedtosupporthimonthelittlestaircasewhichledfromhiscabinettothecorridor.Hefrequentlyusedtosayatthistime，"IfearthatwhenIamfortyIshallbecomeagreateater：IhaveaforebodingthatIshallgrowverycorpulent."Thisfearofobesity，thoughitannoyedhimverymuch，didnotappeartohavetheleastfoundation，judgingfromhishabitualtemperanceandsparehabitofbody.Heaskedmewhowasmyphysician.
ItoldhimM.Corvisart，whomhisbrotherLouishadrecommendedtome.
AfewdaysafterhecalledinCorvisart，whothreeyearslaterwasappointedfirstphysiciantotheEmperor.HeappearedtoderivemuchbenefitfromtheprescriptionsofCorvisart，whoseopenandgood—humouredcountenanceatoncemadeafavourableimpressiononhim.
ThepainwhichtheFirstConsulfeltatthistimeincreasedhisirritability.Perhapsmanyofthesetsofthisepochofhislifeshouldbeattributedtothisillness.Atthetimeinquestionhisideaswerenotthesameintheeveningastheyhadbeeninthemorning;andofteninthemorninghewouldtearup，evenwithouttheleastremark，noteshehaddictatedtomeatnightandwhichhehadconsideredexcellent.AtothertimesItookonmyselfnottosendtotheMoniteur，ashewishedmetodo，noteswhich，dictatedbyannoyanceandirascibility，mighthaveproducedabadeffectinEurope.Whenthenextdayhedidnotseethearticle，Iattributedthistothenotebeingtoolate，ortothelatearrivalofthecourier.ButItoldhimitwasnoloss，foritwouldbeinsertedthenextday.Hedidnotansweratonce，butaquarterofanhourafterwardshesaidtome，"Donotsendmynotetothe’Moniteur’
withoutshowingittome."Hetookitandrereadit.Sometimeshewasastonishedatwhathehaddictatedtome，andamusedhimselfbysayingthatIhadnotunderstoodhimproperly."Thatisnotmuchgood，isit？
"——"`Ponmyword，Idon’tquiteknow."——"Ohno，itisworthless;whatsayyou？"Thenhebowedhisheadalittle，andtoreupthepaper.OncewhenwewereattheTuilerieshesentmeattwoo’clockinthemorningasmallnoteinhisownwriting，inwhichwas，"ToBourrienne.WritetoMarettomakehimerasefromthenotewhichFleurieuhasreadtotheTribunatethephrase（speltfrase）concerningCostaz，andtosoftenasmuchaspossiblewhatconcernsthereporteroftheTribunate."
Thischange，aftertimeforreflection，arose，asoftenhappenedwithhim，fromobservationsIhadmadetohim，andwhichhehadatfirstangrilyrepulsed.
AfterthepeaceofAmienstheFirstConsul，wishingtosendanambassadortoEngland，casthiseyes——forwhatreasonIknownot——onGeneralAndreossi.Itookthelibertyofmakingsomeobservationonachoicewhichdidnotappeartometocorrespondwiththeimportanceofthemission.Bonapartereplied，"Ihavenotdeterminedonit;IwilltalktoTalleyrandonthesubject."WhenwewereatMalmaisonintheeveningM.deTalleyrandcametotransactbusinesswiththeFirstConsul.TheproposedappointmentofanambassadortoEnglandwasmentioned.AfterseveralpersonshadbeennamedtheFirstConsulsaid，"IbelieveImustsendAndreossi."M.deTalleyrand，whowasnotmuchpleasedwiththechoice，observedinadrysarcastictone，"YoumustsendAndre’aussi’，I
Pray，whoisthisAndre？"——"IdidnotmentionanyAndre;IsaidAndreossi.YouknowAndreossi，thegeneralofartillery？"——"Ah！true;
Andreossi：Ididnotthinkofhim：Iwasthinkingonlyofthediplomaticmen，anddidnotrecollectanyofthatname.Yes，yes;Andreossiisintheartillery！"Thegeneralwasappointedambassador，andwenttoLondonafterthetreatyofAmiens;buthereturnedagaininafewmonths.Hehadnothingofconsequencetodo，whichwasveryluckyforhim.
In1802JeromewasatBrestintherankof’enseignedevaisseau’——[A
rankinthenavyequivalenttothatofourlieutenant.]——Helaunchedintoexpensesfarbeyondwhathisfortuneorhispaycouldmaintain.HeoftendrewuponmeforsumsofmoneywhichtheFirstConsulpaidwithmuchunwillingness.OneofhislettersinparticularexcitedNapoleon’sanger.TheepistlewasfilledwithaccountsoftheentertainmentsJeromewasgivingandreceiving，andendedbystatingthatheshoulddrawonmefor17，000francs.TothisBonapartewrotethefollowingreply：——
Ihavereadyourletter，Monsieurl’EnseignedeVaisseau;andIamwaitingtohearthatyouarestudyingonboardyourcorvetteaprofessionwhichyououghttoconsiderasyourroadtoglory.Dieyoung，andIshallhavesomeconsolatoryreflection;butifyoulivetosixtywithouthavingservedyourcountry，andwithoutleavingbehindyouanyhonourablerecollections，youhadbetternothavelivedatall.
Jeromeneverfulfilledthewishesofhisbrother，whoalwayscalledhimalittleprofligate.Fromhisearliestyearshisconductwasoftenasourceofvexationtohisbrotherandhisfamily.WestphaliawillnotsoonforgetthathewasherKing;andhissubjectsdidnotwithoutreasonsurnamehim"Heliogabalusinminiature."
TheFirstConsulwasharassedbythecontinualdemandsformoneymadeonhimbyhisbrothers.TogetridofJoseph，whoexpendedlargesumsatMortfontaine，asLuciendidatNeuilly，hegaveM.Collotthecontractforvictuallingthenavy，ontheconditionofhispayingJoseph1，600，000
francsayearoutofhisprofits.IbelievethisarrangementansweredJoseph’spurposeverywell;butitwasanythingbutadvantageoustoM.
Collot.Ithinkawholeyearelapsedwithouthispocketingasinglefarthing.HeobtainedanaudienceoftheFirstConsul，towhomhestatedhisgrievances.Hisoutlaysheshowedwereenormous，andhecouldgetnopaymentfromthenavyoffice.UponwhichtheConsulangrilyinterruptedhim，saying，"DoyouthinkIamamerecapuchin？Decresmusthave100，000crowns，Duroc100，000，Bourrienne100，000;youmustmakethepayments，anddon’tcomeheretroublingmewithyourlongstories.ItisthebusinessofmyMinisterstogivemeaccountsofsuchmatters;IwillhearDecres，andthat’senough.Letmebeteasednolongerwiththesecomplaints;Icannotattendtothem."BonapartethenveryunceremoniouslydismissedM.Collot.Ilearnedafterwardsthathedidnotgetasettlementofthebusinessuntilafteragreatdealoftrouble.
M.Collotoncesaidtome，"Ifhehadaskedmeforasmuchmoneyaswouldhavebuiltafrigateheshouldhavehadit.AllIwantnowistobepaid，andtogetridofthebusiness."M.Collothadreasonandhonouronhisside;buttherewasnothingbutshufflingontheother.
EndofTheMemoirsofNapoleon，V5，1802
byLouisAntoineFauveletdeBourrienneMemoirsofNapoleonBonaparte，V6
byLouisAntoineFauveletdeBourrienneHisPrivateSecretaryEditedbyR.W.PhippsColonel，LateRoyalArtillery1891
CONTENTS：
CHAPTERIX.toCHAPTERXVIII.1802—1803
CHAPTERIX.
1802.
Proverbialfalsehoodofbulletins——M.Doublet——CreationoftheLegionofHonour——OppositiontoitintheCouncilandotherauthoritiesoftheState——Thepartisansofanhereditarysystem——
ThequestionoftheConsulshipforlife.
Thehistorianofthesetimesoughttoputnofaithinthebulletins，despatches，notes，andproclamationswhichhaveemanatedfromBonaparte，orpassedthroughhishands.Formypart，Ibelievethattheproverb，"Asgreataliarasabulletin，"hasasmuchtruthinitastheaxiom，twoandtwomakefour.
ThebulletinsalwaysannouncedwhatBonapartewishedtobebelievedtrue;
buttoformaproperjudgmentonanyfact，counter—bulletinsmustbesoughtforandconsulted.Itiswellknown，too，thatBonaparteattachedgreatimportancetotheplacewhencehedatedhisbulletins;thus，hedatedhisdecreesrespectingthetheatresandHamburgbeefatMoscow.
Theofficialdocumentswerealmostalwaysincorrect.Therewasfalsityintheexaggerateddescriptionsofhisvictories，andfalsityagaininthesuppressionorpalliationofhisreversesandlosses.Awriter，ifhetookhismaterialsfromthebulletinsandtheofficialcorrespondenceofthetime，wouldcomposearomanceratherthanatruehistory.Ofthismanyproofshavebeengiveninthepresentwork.
Anotherthingwhichalwaysappearedtomeveryremarkablewas，thatBonaparte，notwithstandinghisincontestablesuperiority，studiedtodepreciatethereputationsofhismilitarycommanders，andtothrowontheirshouldersfaultswhichhehadcommittedhimself.Itisnotoriousthatcomplaintsandremonstrances，asenergeticastheywerewellfounded，werefrequentlyaddressedtoGeneralBonaparteonthesubjectofhisunjustandpartialbulletins，whichoftenattributedthesuccessofadaytosomeonewhohadverylittletodowithit，andmadenomentionoftheofficerwhoactuallyhadthecommand.ThecomplaintsmadebytheofficersandsoldiersstationedatDamiettacompelledGeneralLanusse，thecommander，toremonstrateagainstthealterationofabulletin，bywhichanengagementwithabodyofArabswasrepresentedasaninsignificantaffair，andthelosstrifling，thoughtheGeneralhadstatedtheactiontobeoneofimportance，andthelossconsiderable.
Themisstatement，inconsequenceofhisspiritedandenergeticremonstrances，wascorrected.
BonapartetookMalta，asiswellknown，inforty—eighthours.TheempireoftheMediterranean，securedtotheEnglishbythebattleofAboukir，andtheirnumerouscruisingvessels，gavethemthemeansofstarvingthegarrison，andofthusforcingGeneralVaubois，thecommandantofMalta，whowascutofffromallcommunicationwithFrance，tocapitulate.
Accordinglyonthe4thofSeptember1800heyieldeduptheGibraltaroftheMediterranean，afteranobledefenceoftwoyears.Thesefactsrequiretobestatedinorderthebettertounderstandwhatfollows.
On22dFebruary1802apersonofthenameofDoublet，whowasthecommissaryoftheFrenchGovernmentatMaltawhenwepossessedthatisland，calleduponmeattheTuileries.HecomplainedbitterlythattheletterwhichhehadwrittenfromMaltatotheFirstConsulonthe2dVentose，yearVIII.（9thFebruary1800），hadbeenalteredinthe’Moniteur’."Icongratulatedhim，"saidM.Doublet，"onthe18thBrumaire，andinformedhimofthestateofMalta，whichwasveryalarming.Quitethecontrarywasprintedinthe’Moniteur’，andthatiswhatIcomplainof.ItplacedmeinaverydisagreeablesituationatMalta，whereIwasaccusedofhavingconcealedtherealsituationoftheisland，inwhichIwasdischargingapublicfunctionthatgaveweighttomywords."IobservedtohimthatasIwasnottheeditorofthe’Moniteur’itwasofnousetoapplytome;butItoldhimtogivemeacopyoftheletter，andIwouldmentionthesubjecttotheFirstConsul，andcommunicatetheanswertohim.Doubletsearchedhispocketfortheletter，butcouldnotfindit.Hesaidhewouldsendacopy，andbeggedmetodiscoverhowtheerrororiginated.Onthesamedayhesentmethecopyoftheletter，inwhich，aftercongratulatingBonaparteonhisreturn，thefollowingpassageoccurs：——"HastentosaveMaltawithmenandprovisions：notimeistobelost."Forthispassagethesewordsweresubstitutedinthe’Moniteur’："HisnameinspiresthebravedefendersofMaltawithfreshcourage;wehavemenandprovisions."
Ignorantofthemotivesofsostrangeaperversion，IshowedthislettertotheFirstConsul.Heshruggeduphisshouldersandsaid，laughing，"Takenonoticeofhim，heisafool;giveyourselfnofurthertroubleaboutit."
Itwascleartherewasnothingmoretobedone.Itwas，however，indespiteofmethatM.Doubletwasplayedthisillturn.IrepresentedtotheFirstConsultheinconvenienceswhichM.Doubletmightexperiencefromthisaffair.ButIveryrarelysawlettersorreportspublishedastheywerereceived.Icaneasilyunderstandhowparticularmotivesmightbeallegedinordertojustifysuchfalsifications;for，whenthepathofcandourandgoodfaithisdepartedfrom，anypretestisputforwardtoexcusebadconduct.Whatsortofahistorywouldhewritewhoshouldconsultonlythepagesofthe’Moniteur’？
AfterthevoteforaddingasecondtenyearstothedurationofBonaparte’sConsulshiphecreated，onthe19thofMay，theorderoftheLegionofHonour.Thisinstitutionwassoonfollowedbythatofthenewnobility.Thus，inashortspaceoftime，theConcordattotranquillizeconsciencesandre—establishharmonyintheChurch;thedecreetorecalltheemigrants;thecontinuanceoftheConsularpowerfortenyears，bywayofpreparationfortheConsulshipforlife，andthepossessionoftheEmpire;andthecreation，inacountrywhichhadabolishedalldistinctions，ofanorderwhichwastoengenderprodigies，followedcloselyontheheelsofeachother.TheBourbons，inrevivingtheabolishedorders，werewiseenoughtopreservealongwiththemtheLegionofHonour.
Ithasalreadybeenseenhow，incertaincircumstances，theFirstConsulalwaysescapedfromtheconsequencesofhisownprecipitation，andgotridofhisblundersbythrowingtheblameonothers——as，forexample，intheaffairoftheparallelbetweenCaesar，Cromwell，andBonaparte.Hewasindeedsoprecipitatethatonemightsay，hadhebeenagardener，hewouldhavewishedtoseethefruitsripenbeforetheblossomshadfallenoff.ThisinconsideratehastenearlyprovedfataltothecreationoftheLegionofHonour，aprojectwhichripenedinhismindassoonashebeheldtheordersglitteringatthebutton—holesoftheForeignMinisters.Hewouldfrequentlyexclaim，"Thisiswell！Thesearethethingsforthepeople！"
Iwas，Imustconfess，adecidedpartisanofthefoundationinFranceofanewchivalricorder，becauseIthink，ineverywell—conductedState，thechiefoftheGovernmentoughttodoallinhispowertostimulatethehonourofthecitizens，andtorenderthemmoresensibletohonorarydistinctionsthantopecuniaryadvantages.Itried，however，atthesametimetowarntheFirstConsulofhisprecipitancy.Heheardmenot;butImustwithequalfranknessconfessthatonthisoccasionIwassoonfreedfromallapprehensionwithrespecttotheconsequencesofthedifficultieshehadtoencounterintheCouncilandintheotherconstitutedordersoftheState.
Onthe4thofMay1801liebroughtforward，forthefirsttimeofficially，intheCouncilofStatethequestionoftheestablishmentoftheLegionofHonour，whichonthe19thMay1802wasproclaimedalawoftheState.Theoppositiontothismeasurewasverygreat，andallthepoweroftheFirstConsul，theforceofhisarguments，andtheimmenseinfluenceofhisposition，couldprocurehimnomorethan14votesoutof24.ThesamefeelingwasdisplayedattheTribunate;wherethemeasureonlypassedbyavoteof56to38.ThebalancewasaboutthesameintheLegislativeBody，wherethevoteswere166to110.Itfollows，then，thatoutofthe394votersinthosethreeseparatebodiesamajorityonlyof78wasobtained.Surprisedatsofeebleamajority，theFirstConsulsaidintheevening，"Ah！Iseeveryclearlytheprejudicesarestilltoostrong.Youwereright;Ishouldhavewaited.Itwasnotathingofsuchurgency.Butthen，itmustbeowned，thespeakersforthemeasuredefendeditbadly.Thestrongminorityhasnotjudgedmefairly."——
"Becalm，"rejoinedI："withoutdoubtitwouldhavebeenbettertowait;
butthethingisdone，andyouwillsoonfindthatthetasteforthesedistinctionsisnotneargoneby.Itisatastewhichbelongstothenatureofman.Youmayexpectsomeextraordinarycircumstancesfromthiscreation——youwillsoonseethem."
InApril1802theFirstConsulleftnostoneunturnedtogethimselfdeclaredConsulforlife.ItisperhapsatthisepochofhiscareerthathemostbroughtintoplaythoseprinciplesofduplicityanddissimulationwhicharecommonlycalledMachiavellian.Neverweretrickery，falsehood，cunning，andaffectedmoderationputintoplaywithmoretalentorsuccess.
InthemonthofMarchhereditarysuccessionandadynastywereineverybody’smouths.Lucienwasthemostviolentpropagatoroftheseideas，andhepursuedhisvocationofapostlewithconstancyandaddress.
Ithasalreadybeenmentionedthat，byhisbrother’sconfession;hepublishedin1800apamphletenforcingthesameideas;whichworkBonaparteafterwardscondemnedasaprematuredevelopmentofhisprojects.M.deTalleyrand，whoseideascouldnotbeotherwisethanfavourabletothemonarchicalformofgovernment，wasreadytoenterintoexplanationswiththeCabinetsofEuropeonthesubject.Thewordswhichnowconstantlyresoundedineveryearwere"stabilityandorder，"undercloakofwhichthedownfallofthepeople’srightwastobeconcealed.
AtthesametimeBonaparte，withtheviewofdisparagingtherealfriendsofconstitutionalliberty，alwayscalledthemideologues，——[IhaveclassedallthesepeopleunderthedenominationofIdeologues，which，besides，iswhatspeciallyandliterallyfitsthem，——searchersafterideas（ideasgenerallyempty）.TheyhavebeenmademoreridiculousthanevenIexpectedbythisapplication，acorrectone，ofthetermideologuetothem.Thephrasehasbeensuccessful，Ibelieve，becauseitwasmine（NapoleoninIung’sLucien，tomeii.p，293）.Napoleonwelcomedeveryattackonthisdescriptionofsage.MuchpleasedwithadiscoursebyRoyerCollard，hesaidtoTalleyrand，"Doyouknow，MonsieurisGrandElecteur，thatanewandseriousphilosophyisrisinginmyuniversity，whichmaydousgreathonouranddisembarrassuscompletelyoftheideologues，slayingthemonthespotbyreasoning？"ItiswithsomethingofthesamesatisfactionthatRenan，writingof1898，saysthatthefinerdreamshadbeendisastrouswhenbroughtintothedomainoffacts，andthathumanconcernsonlybegantoimprovewhentheideologuesceasedtomeddlewiththem（Souvenirs，p.122）.]——
orterrorists.MadameBonaparteopposedwithfortitudetheinfluenceofcounselswhichshebelievedfataltoherhusband.Heindeedspokerarely，andseldomconfidentially，withheronpoliticsorpublicaffairs."Mindyourdistafforyourneedle，"waswithhimacommonphrase.TheindividualswhoappliedthemselveswithmostperseveranceinsupportofthehereditaryquestionwereLucien，Roederer，RegnaultdeSt.
Jeand’Angely，andFontanel.TheireffortswereaidedbytheconclusionofpeacewithEngland，which，byre—establishinggeneraltranquillityforatime，affordedtheFirstConsulanopportunityofforwardinganyplan.
WhiletheFirstConsulaspiredtothethroneofFrance，hisbrothers，especiallyLucien，affectedaridiculousprideandpretension.TakeanalmostincredibleexampleofwhichIwaswitness.OnSunday，the9thofMay，LuciencametoseeMadameBonaparte，whosaidtohim，"WhydidyounotcometodinnerlastMonday？"——"Becausetherewasnoplacemarkedforme：thebrothersofNapoleonoughttohavethefirstplaceafterhim."——
"WhatamItounderstandbythat？"answeredMadameBonaparte."IfyouarethebrotherofBonaparte，recollectwhatyouwere.Atmyhouseallplacesarethesame.Eugeneworldneverhavecommittedsuchafolly."
——[OnsuchpointstherewasconstanttroublewiththeBonapartistfamily，aswillbeseeninMadamedeRemusat’sMemoirs.Foraninstance，in1812，whereJosephinsistedonhismothertakingprecedenceofJosephineatadinnerinhishouse，whenNapoleonsettledthematterbyseizingJosephine’sarmandleadingherinfirst，totheconsternationoftheparty.ButNapoleon，rightinthiscase，hadhisownideasonsuchpoints，"TheplaceofthePrincessElisa，theeldestofhissisters，hadbeenputbelowthatofCaroline，QueenofNaples.ElisawasthenonlyprincessofLucca.TheEmperorsuddenlyrose，andbyashifttotherightplacedthePrincessElisaabovetheQueen.’Now，’saidhe，’donotforgetthatintheimperialfamilyIamtheonlyKing’（Iung’sLucien，tomeii.p.251），Thisruleheseemstohaveadheredto，forwhenheandhisbrotherswentinthesamecarriagetotheChampdeMaiin1815，Jerome，titularKingofWestphalia，hadtotakethefrontseat，whilehiselderbrother，Lucien，onlybearingtheRomantitleofPrincedeCanino，satononeoftheseatsofhonouralongsideNapoleon.Jeromewasdisgusted，andgrumbledataKinghavingtogivewaytoamereRomanPrince，SeeIung’sLucien，tomeii.p，190.]——
Atthisperiod，whentheConsulateforlifewasonlyinembryo，flatteringcounselspouredinfromallquarters，andtendedtoencouragetheFirstConsulinhisdesignofgraspingatabsolutepower.
Libertyrejectedanunlimitedpower，andsetboundstothemeanshewishedandhadtoemployinordertogratifyhisexcessiveloveofwarandconquest."Thepresentstateofthings，thisConsulateoftenyears，"saidhetome，doesnotsatisfyme;Iconsideritcalculatedtoexciteunceasingtroubles."Onthe7thofJuly1801，heobserved，"ThequestionwhetherFrancewillbeaRepublicisstilldoubtful：itwillbedecidedinfiveorsixyears."Itwasclearthathethoughtthistoolongaterm.WhetherheregardedFranceashisproperty，orconsideredhimselfasthepeople’sdelegateandthedefenderoftheirrights，IamconvincedtheFirstConsulwishedthewelfareofFrance;butthenthatwelfarewasinhismindinseparablefromabsolutepower.ItwaswithpainIsawhimfollowingthiscourse.Thefriendsofliberty，thosewhosincerelywishedtomaintainaGovernmentconstitutionallyfree，allowedthemselvestobeprevailedupontoconsenttoanextensionoftenyearsofpowerbeyondthetenyearsoriginallygrantedbytheconstitution.
Theymadethissacrificetogloryandtothatpowerwhichwasitsconsequence;andtheywerefarfromthinkingtheywerelendingtheirsupporttoshamelessintrigues.Theywerefirm，bu...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：