andBonaparte，inallthevigourofhisgenius，wasoftensubjecttoaberrationsofjudgment;forthoughhisimaginationneverfailedhim，hisjudgmentwasfrequentlyatfault.
Thisfactmayservetoexplain，andperhapseventoexcusethefaultswithwhichtheFirstConsulhasbeenmostseriouslyreproached.Theactivityofhismindseldomadmittedofanintervalbetweentheconceptionandtheexecutionofadesign;butwhenhereflectedcoollyonthefirstimpulsesofhisimperiouswill，hisjudgmentdiscardedwhatwaserroneous.Thustheblindobedience，which，likeanepidemicdisease，infectedalmostallwhosurroundedBonaparte，wasproductiveofthemostfataleffects.ThebestwaytoservetheFirstConsulwasnevertolistentothesuggestionsofhisfirstideas，exceptonthefieldofbattle，wherehisconceptionswereashappyastheywererapid.Thus，forexample，MM.Maret，deChampagny，andSavaryevincedareadyobediencetoBonaparte’swishes，whichoftenprovedveryunfortunate，thoughdoubtlessdictatedbythebestintentionsontheirpart.TothisfatalzealmaybeattributedagreatportionofthemischiefwhichBonapartecommitted.Whenthemischiefwasdone，andpastremedy，Bonapartedeeplyregrettedit.HowoftenhaveIheardhimsaythatMaretwasanimatedbyanunluckyzeal！Thiswastheexpressionhemadeuseof.
M.deTalleyrandwasalmosttheonlyoneamongtheministerswhodidnotflatterBonaparte，andwhoreallyservedboththeFirstConsulandtheEmperor.WhenBonapartesaidtoM.deTalleyrand，"Writesoandso，andsenditoffbyaspecialcourier，"thatministerwasneverinahurrytoobeytheorder，becauseheknewthecharacteroftheFirstConsulwellenoughtodistinguishbetweenwhathispassiondictatedandwhathisreasonwouldapprove：inshort，heappealedfromPhilipdrunktoPhilipsober.WhenithappenedthatM.deTalleyrandsuspendedtheexecutionofanorder，Bonaparteneverevincedtheleastdispleasure.When，thedayafterhehadreceivedanyhastyandangryorder，M.deTalleyrandpresentedhimselftotheFirstConsul，thelatterwouldsay，"Well，didyousendoffthecourier？"——"No，"theministerwouldreply，"ItookcarenottodosobeforeIshowedyoumyletter."ThentheFirstConsulwouldusuallyadd，"UponsecondthoughtsIthinkitwouldbebestnottosendit."ThiswasthewaytodealwithBonaparte.WhenM.deTalleyrandpostponedsendingoffdespatches，orwhenImyselfhavedelayedtheexecutionofanorderwhichIknewhadbeendictatedbyanger，andhademanatedneitherfromhisheartnorhisunderstanding，Ihaveheardhimsayahundredtimes，"Itwasright，quiteright.Youunderstandme：
Talleyrandunderstandsmealso.Thisisthewaytoserveme：theothersdonotleavemetimeforreflection：theyaretooprecipitate."FouchealsowasoneofthosewhodidnotonalloccasionsblindlyobeyBonaparte’scommands.Hisotherministers，ontheotherhand，whentoldtosendoffacourierthenextmorning，wouldhavemoreprobablysenthimoffthesameevening.Thiswasfromzeal，butwasnottheFirstConsulrightinsayingthatsuchzealwasunfortunate？
OfTalleyrandandFouche，intheirconnectionswiththeFirstConsul，itmightbesaidthattheonerepresentedtheConstituentAssembly，withaslightperfumeoftheoldregime，andtheothertheConventioninallitsbrutality.BonaparteregardedFoucheasacompletepersonificationoftheRevolution.Withhim，therefore，Fouche’sinfluencewasmerelytheinfluenceoftheRevolution.ThatgreateventwasoneofthosewhichhadmadethemostforcibleimpressiononBonaparte’sardentmind，andheimaginedhestillbehelditinavisibleformaslongasFouchecontinuedattheheadofhispolice.IamnowofopinionthatBonapartewasinsomedegreemisledastothevalueofFouche’sservicesasaminister.
NodoubtthecircumstanceofFouchebeinginofficeconciliatedthoseoftheRevolutionarypartywhowerehisfriends.ButFouchecherishedanunduepartialityforthem，becauseheknewthatitwasthroughthemheheldhisplace.HewaslikeoneoftheoldCondottieri，whoweremadefriendsoflesttheyshouldbecomeenemies，andwhoowedalltheirpowertothesoldiersenrolledundertheirbanners.
SuchwasFouche，andBonaparteperfectlyunderstoodhissituation.Hekeptthechiefinhisserviceuntilhecouldfindanopportunityofdisbandinghisundisciplinedfollowers.ButtherewasonecircumstancewhichconfirmedhisrelianceonFouche.HewhohadvotedthedeathoftheKingofFrance，andhadinfluencedthemindsofthosewhohadvotedwithhim，offeredBonapartethebestguaranteeagainsttheattemptsoftheRoyalistsforraisingupinfavouroftheBourbonsthethronewhichtheFirstConsulhimselfhaddeterminedtoascend.Thus，fordifferentreasons，BonaparteandFouchehadcommoninterestsagainsttheHouseofBourbon，andthemaster’sambitionderivedencouragementfromthesupposedterroroftheservant.
TheFirstConsulwasawareoftheexistenceinParisofaRoyalistcommittee，formedforthepurposeofcorrespondingwithLouisXVIII.
Thiscommitteeconsistedofmenwhomustnotbeconfoundedwiththosewretchedintriguerswhowereofnoservicetotheiremployers，andwerenotunfrequentlyinthepayofbothBonaparteandtheBourbons.
TheRoyalistcommittee，properlysocalled，wasaverydifferentthing.
Itconsistedofmenprofessingrationalprinciplesofliberty，suchastheMarquisdeClermontGallerande，theAbbedeMontesqiou，M.Becquet，andM.RoyerCollard.Thiscommitteehadbeenoflongstanding;therespectableindividualswhosenamesIhavejustquotedacteduponasystemhostiletothedespotismofBonaparte，andfavourabletowhattheyconceivedtobetheinterestsofFrance.KnowingthesuperiorwisdomofLouisXVIII.，andtheopinionswhichhehadavowedandmaintainedintheAssemblyoftheNotables，theywishedtoseparatethatPrincefromtheemigrants，andtopointhimouttothenationasasuitableheadofareasonableConstitutionalGovernment.Bonaparte，whomIhaveoftenheardspeakonthesubject，dreadednothingsomuchastheseideasofliberty，inconjunctionwithamonarchy.Heregardedthemasreveries，calledthemembersofthecommitteeidledreamers，butneverthelessfearedthetriumphoftheirideas.HeconfessedtomethatitwastocounteractthepossibleinfluenceoftheRoyalistcommitteethatheshowedhimselfsoindulgenttothoseoftheemigrantswhosemonarchicalprejudicesheknewwereincompatiblewithliberalopinions.Bythepresenceofemigrantswhoacknowledgednothingshortofabsolutepower，hethoughthemightparalysetheinfluenceoftheRoyalistsoftheinterior;hethereforegrantedallsuchemigrantspermissiontoreturn.
AboutthistimeIrecollecthavingreadadocument，whichhadbeensigned，purportingtobeadeclarationoftheprinciplesofLouisXVIII.
ItwassignedbyM.d’Andre，whoboreevidencetoitsauthenticity.
Theprinciplescontainedinthedeclarationwereinalmostallpointsconformabletotheprincipleswhichformedthebasisofthecharter.
Evensoearlyas1792，andconsequentlyprevioustothefatal21stofJanuary，LouisXVI.，whoknewtheopinionsofM.deClermontGallerande，senthimonamissiontoCoblentztoinformthePrincesfromhim，andtheQueen，thattheywouldberuinedbytheiremigration.Iamaccuratelyinformed，andIstatethisfactwiththeutmostconfidence.IcanalsoaddwithequalcertaintythatthecircumstancewasmentionedbyM.deClermontGallerandeinhisMemoirs，andthatthepassagerelativetohismissiontoCoblentzwascancelledbeforethemanuscriptwassenttopress.
DuringtheConsularGovernmenttheobjectoftheRoyalistcommitteewastoseduceratherthantoconspire.ItwasroundMadameBonaparteinparticularthattheirbatterieswereraised，andtheydidnotproveineffectual.ThefemalefriendsofJosephinefilledhermindwithideasofthesplendouranddistinctionshewouldenjoyifthepowerfulhandwhichhadchainedtheRevolutionshouldraiseupthesubvertedthrone.
ImustconfessthatIwasmyself，unconsciously，anaccompliceofthefriendsofthethrone;forwhattheywishedfortheinterestoftheBourbonsIthenardentlywishedfortheinterestofBonaparte.
WhileendeavourswerethusmadetogainoverMadameBonapartetotheinterestoftheroyalfamily，brilliantofferswereheldoutforthepurposeofdazzlingtheFirstConsul.ItwaswishedtoretemperforhimtheswordoftheconstableDuguesclin;anditwashopedthatastatueerectedtohishonourwouldatonceattesttoposterityhisspotlessgloryandthegratitudeoftheBourbons.ButwhentheseoffersreachedtheearsofBonapartehetreatedthemwithindifference，andplacednofaithintheirsincerity.ConversingonthesubjectonedaywithM.deLaFayettehesaid，"Theyoffermeastatue，butImustlooktothepedestal.Theymaymakeitmyprison."IdidnothearBonaparteutterthesewords;buttheywerereportedtomefromasource，theauthenticityofwhichmaybereliedon.
Aboutthistime，whensomuchwassaidintheRoyalistcirclesandintheFaubourgSt.Germain，ofwhichtheHoteldeLuyneswastheheadquarters，aboutthepossiblereturnoftheBourbons，thepublicationofapopularbookcontributednotalittletodirecttheattentionofthepublictothemostbrilliantperiodofthereignofLouisXIV.ThebookwasthehistoricalromanceofMadamedelaValloire，byMadamedeGenlis，whohadrecentlyreturnedtoFrance.Bonapartereadit，andIhavesinceunderstoodthathewasverywellpleasedwithit，buthesaidnothingtomeaboutit.ItwasnotuntilsometimeafterthathecomplainedoftheeffectwhichwasproducedinParisbythispublication，andespeciallybyengravingsrepresentingscenesinthelifeofLouisXIV.，andwhichwereexhibitedintheshop—windows.Thepolicereceivedorderstosuppresstheseprints;andtheorderwasimplicitlyobeyed;butitwasnotFouche’spolice.Fouchesawtheabsurdityofinterferingwithtrifles.
IrecollectthatimmediatelyafterthecreationoftheLegionofHonour，itbeingsummer，theyoungmenofParisindulgedinthewhimofwearingacarnationinabutton—hole，whichatadistancehadratheradeceptiveeffect.Bonapartetookthisveryseriously.HesentforFouche，anddesiredhimtoarrestthosewhopresumedthustoturntheneworderintoridicule.Fouchemerelyrepliedthathewouldwaittilltheautumn;andtheFirstConsulunderstoodthattrifleswereoftenrenderedmattersofimportancebybeinghonouredwithtoomuchattention.
ButthoughBonapartewaspiquedattheinterestexcitedbytheengravingsofMadamedeGenlis’romancehemanifestednodispleasureagainstthatcelebratedwoman，whohadbeenrecommendedtohimbyMM.deFontanesandFieveeandwhoaddressedseveralletterstohim.AsthissortofcorrespondencedidnotcomewithintheroutineofmybusinessIdidnotseetheletters;butIheardfromMadameBonapartethattheycontainedaprodigiousnumberofpropernames，andIhavereasontobelievethattheycontributednotalittletomagnify，intheeyesoftheFirstConsul，theimportanceoftheFaubourgSt.Germain，which，inspiteofallhiscourage，wasascarecrowtohim.
BonaparteregardedtheFaubourgSt.GermainasrepresentingthewholemassofRoyalistopinion;andhesawclearlythatthenumerouserasuresfromtheemigrantlisthadnecessarilyincreaseddissatisfactionamongtheRoyalists，sincethepropertyoftheemigrantshadnotbeenrestoredtoitsoldpossessors，eveninthosecasesinwhichithadnotbeensold.
ItwasthefashioninacertainclasstoridiculetheunpolishedmannersofthegreatmenoftheRepubliccomparedwiththemannersofthenobilityoftheoldCourt.Thewivesofcertaingeneralshadseveraltimescommittedthemselvesbytheirawkwardness.Inmanycirclestherewasanaffectationoftreatingwithcontemptwhatarecalledtheparvenus;thosepeoplewho，touseM.deTalleyrand’sexpression，donotknowhowtowalkuponacarpet.AllthisgaverisetocomplaintsagainsttheFaubourgSt.Germain;while，ontheotherhand，Bonaparte’sbrotherssparednoendeavourstoirritatehimagainsteverythingthatwascalculatedtorevivetherecollectionoftheBourbons.
SuchwereBonaparte’sfeelings，andsuchwasthestateofsocietyduringtheyear1802.ThefearoftheBourbonsmustindeedhavehadapowerfulinfluenceontheFirstConsulbeforehecouldhavebeeninducedtotakeastepwhichmayjustlyberegardedasthemostinconsiderateofhiswholelife.AftersufferingsevenmonthstoelapsewithoutansweringthefirstletterofLouisXVIII.，afteratlengthansweringhissecondletterinthetoneofaKingaddressingasubject，hewentsofarastowritetoLouis，proposingthatheshouldrenouncethethroneofhisancestorsinhis，Bonaparte’s，favour，andofferinghimasarewardforthisrenunciationaprincipalityinItaly，oraconsiderablerevenueforhimselfandhisfamily.
——[Napoleonseemstohavealwaysknown，aswithCromwellandtheStuarts，thatifhisdynastyfailedtheBourbonsmustsucceedhim.
"Iremember，"saysMetternich，"Napoleonsaidtome，’DoyouknowwhyLouisXVIII.isnotnowsittingoppositetoyou？ItisonlybecauseitisIwhoamsittinghere.Nootherpersoncouldmaintainhisposition;andifeverIdisappearinconsequenceofacatastrophenoonebutaBourboncouldsithere.’"（Metternich，tomei.p.248）.Farther，hesaidtoMetternich，"TheKingoverthrown，theRepublicwasmasterofthesoilofFrance.ItisthatwhichI
havereplaced.TheoldthroneofFranceisburiedunderitsrubbish.Ihadtofoundanewone.TheBourbonscouldnotreignoverthiscreation.Mystrengthliesinmyfortune.Iamnew，liketheEmpire;thereis，therefore，aperfecthomogeneitybetweentheEmpireandmyself."——"However，"saysMetternich，"IhaveoftenthoughtthatNapoleon，bytalkinginthisway，merelysoughttostudytheopinionofothers，ortoconfuseit，andthedirectadvancewhichhemadetoLouisXVIII.，in1804seemedtoconfirmthissuspicion.Speakingtomeonedayofthisadvancehesaid，’Monsieur’sreplywasgrand;itwasfulloffinetraditions.Thereissomethinginlegitimaterightswhichappealstomorethanthemeremind.IfMonsieurhadconsultedhismindonlyhewouldhavearrangedwithme，andIshouldhavemadeforhimamagnificentfuture’"（Metternich，tomei，p.276）.AccordingtoIung’sLucien（tomeii.p.421），theletterwrittenandsignedbyNapoleon，butneversent，anotherdraftbeingsubstituted，isstillintheFrencharchives.MetternichspeaksofNapoleonmakingadirectadvancetoLouisXVIII.in1804.AccordingtoColonelIung（LucienBonaparte，tomeii.pp.4211—426）theattemptwasmadethroughtheKingofPrussiain1802，thefinalanswerofLouisbeingmadeonthe28thFebruary1803，asgiveninthetext，butwithapostscriptofhisnephewinaddition，"WiththepermissionoftheKing，myuncle，I
adherewithheartandsoultothecontentsofthisnote.
"（signed）LOUISANTOINE，Dued’Angouleme."
ThereaderwillremarkthatthereisnogreatintervalbetweenthisletterandthefinalbreakwiththeBourbonsbythedeathoftheDucd’Enghien.Atthistime，accordingtoSavory（tomeiii.p.241），someoftheBourbonswerereceivingFrenchpensions.ThePrincedeConti，theDuchessedeBourbon，andtheDuchessed’Orleans，whensentoutofFrancebytheDirectory，weregivenpensionsoffrom20，000to26，000francseach.TheylivedinCatalonia.WhentheFrenchtroopsenteredSpainin1808GeneralCanclaux，afriendofthePrincedeConti，broughttothenoticeofNapoleonthatthetiresomeformalitiesinsistedonbythepestilentclerksofallnationswereobservedtowardstheseregalpersonages.Gaudin，theMinisterofFinance，apparentlyonhisowninitiative，drewupadecreeincreasingthepensionsto80，000francs，anddoingawaywiththeformalities."TheEmperorsignedatonce，thankingtheMinisterofFinance."Thereader，rememberingthepositionoftheFrenchPrincesthen，shouldcomparethisactionofNapoleonwiththefailureoftheBourbonsin1814topaythesumspromisedtoNapoleon，notwithstandingthestrongremonstrancesmadeatViennatoTalleyrandbyAlexanderandLordCastlereagh.SeeTalleyrand’sCorrespondencewithLouisXVIII.，tomeii.pp.27，28;orFrenchedition，pp.285，288.]——
ThereaderwillrecollectthecuriousquestionwhichtheFirstConsulputtomeonthesubjectoftheBourbonswhenwewerewalkingintheparkofMalmaison.TothereplywhichImadetohimonthatoccasionIattributethesecrecyheobservedtowardsmerespectingtheletterjustalludedto.
IamindeedinclinedtoregardthatletterastheresultofoneofhisprivateconferenceswithLucien;butIknownothingpositiveonthesubject，andmerelymentionthisasaconjecture.However，IhadanopportunityofascertainingthecuriouscircumstanceswhichtookplaceatMittau，whenBonaparte’sletterwasdeliveredtoLouisXVIII.
ThatPrincewasalreadymuchirritatedagainstBonapartebyhisdelayinansweringhisfirstletter，andalsobythetenorofhistardyreply;
butonreadingtheFirstConsul’ssecondletterthedethronedKingimmediatelysatdownandtracedafewlinesforciblyexpressinghisindignationatsuchaproposition.Thenote，hastilywrittenbyLouisXVIII.inthefirstimpulseofirritation，borelittleresemblancetothedignifiedandelegantletterwhichBonapartereceived，andwhichIshallpresentlylaybeforethereader.ThislatterepistleclosedveryhappilywiththebeautifuldeviceofFrancisI.，"Allislostbuthonour."Butthefirstletterwasstampedwithamorechivalroustoneofindignation.
Theindignantsovereignwroteitwithhishandsupportedonthehiltofhissword;buttheAbbeAndre，inwhomLouisXVIII.reposedgreatconfidence，sawthenote，andsucceeded，notwithoutsomedifficulty，insoothingtheangeroftheKing，andprevailingonhimtowritethefollowingletter：
IdonotconfoundM.Bonapartewiththosewhohaveprecededhim.
Iesteemhiscourageandhismilitarytalents.Iamgratefulforsomeactsofhisgovernment;forthebenefitswhichareconferredonmypeoplewillalwaysbeprizedbyme.
Butheerrsinsupposingthathecaninducemetorenouncemyrights;sofarfromthat，hewouldconfirmthem，iftheycouldpossiblybedoubtful，bythestephehasnowtaken.
IamignorantofthedesignsofHeavenrespectingmeandmysubjects;butIknowtheobligationswhichGodhasimposeduponme.
AsaChristian，Iwillfulfilmydutiestomylastbreath——asthesonofSt.Louis，Iwould，likehim，respectmyselfeveninchains——
asthesuccessorofFrancisI.，Isaywithhim——’Toutestperduforsl’honneur’.
MITTAU，1802.LOUIS.
LouisXVIII.’sletterhavingreachedParis，theRoyalistcommitteeassembled，andwerenotalittleembarrassedastowhatshouldbedone.
ThemeetingtookplaceatNeuilly.AfteralongdeliberationitwassuggestedthatthedeliveryofthelettershouldbeentrustedtotheThirdConsul，withwhomtheAbbydeMontesqiouhadkeptupacquaintancesincethetimeoftheConstituentAssembly.Thissuggestionwasadopted.
Therecollectionsofthecommencementofhiscareer，underChancellorMaupeou，hadalwayscausedM.LebruntoberankedinadistinctclassbytheRoyalists.Formypart，Ialwayslookeduponhimasaveryhonestman，awarmadvocateofequality，andanxiousthatitshouldbeprotectedevenbydespotism，whichsuitedtheviewsoftheFirstConsulverywell.
TheAbbedeMontesquiouaccordinglywaiteduponM.Lebrun，whoundertooktodelivertheletter.Bonapartereceiveditwithanairofindifference;butwhetherthatindifferencewererealoraffected，Iamtothisdayunabletodetermine.HesaidverylittletomeabouttheillsuccessofthenegotiationwithLouisXVIII.Onthissubjecthedreaded，aboveall，theinterferenceofhisbrothers，whocreatedaroundhimasortofcommotionwhichheknewwasnotwithoutitsinfluence，andwhichonseveraloccasionshadexcitedhisanger.
TheletterofLouisXVIII.iscertainlyconceivedinatoneofdignitywhichcannotbetoohighlyadmired;anditmaybesaidthatBonaparteonthisoccasionrenderedarealservicetoLouisbyaffordinghimtheopportunityofpresentingtotheworldoneofthefinestpagesinthehistoryofadethronedKing.Thisletter，thecontentsofwhichwereknowninsomecirclesofParis，wastheobjectofgeneralapprobationtothosewhopreservedtherecollectionoftheBourbons，andaboveall，totheRoyalistcommittee.Themembersofthatcommittee，proudofthenoblespiritevincedbytheunfortunatemonarch，whosereturntheyweregenerouslylabouringtoeffect，repliedtohimbyasortofmanifesto，towhichtimehasimpartedinterest，sincesubsequenteventshavefulfilledthepredictionsitcontained.
CHAPTERXVI
1802.
Thedayaftermydisgrace——Renewalofmyduties——Bonaparte’saffectedregardforme——Offerofanassistant——M.deMeneval——MysecondrupturewithBonaparte——TheDuedeRovigo’saccountofit——
LetterfromM.deBarbeMarbois——RealcausesofmyseparationfromtheFirstConsul——PostscripttotheletterofM.deBarbeMarbois——
Theblackcabinet——InspectionoflettersdiningtheConsulate——
IretiretoSt.Cloud——CommunicationsfromM.deMeneval——Aweek’sconflictbetweenfriendshipandpride——Myformaldismissal——Pettyrevenge——MyrequesttovisitEngland——Monosyllabicanswer——Wrongsuspicion——Burialofmypapers——CommunicationfromDuroc——MylettertotheFirstConsul——Thetruthacknowledged.
Ishallnowreturntothecircumstanceswhichfollowedmyfirstdisgrace，ofwhichIhavealreadyspoken.ThedayafterthatonwhichIhadresumedmyfunctionsIwentasusualtoawakentheFirstConsulatseveninthemorning.Hetreatedmejustthesameasifnothinghadhappenedbetweenus;andonmypartIbehavedtohimjustasusual，thoughI
reallyregrettedbeingobligedtoresumelabourswhichIfoundtoooppressiveforme.WhenBonapartecamedownintohiscabinethespoketomeofhisplanswithhisusualconfidence，andIsaw，fromthenumberofletterslyinginthebasket，thatduringthefewdaysmyfunctionshadbeensuspendedBonapartehadnotovercomehisdisinclinationto...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：