whichwasappointedtoconveytheEmperortotheplaceofhisdestination.InspiteofthewishhehadexpressedtoColonelCampbellhemanifestedconsiderablereluctancetogoonboard.However，onthe28thofAprilhesailedfortheislandofElbaintheEnglishfrigate，inwhichitcouldnotthenbesaidthatCaesarandhisfortunewereembarked.
[Itwasonthe3dofMay1814thatBonapartearrivedwithinsightofPorto—Ferrajo，thecapitalofhisminiatureempire;buthedidnotlandtillthenestmorning.Atfirsthepaidashortvisitincognito，beingaccompaniedbyasergeant’spartyofmarinesfromtheUndaunted.Hethenreturnedonboardtobreakfast，andatabouttwoo’clockmadehispublicentrance，the’Undaunted’firingaroyalsalute.]
IneveryparticularofhisconducthepaidgreatattentiontothemaintenanceofhisImperialdignity.OnlandinghereceivedthekeysofhiscityofPorto—Ferrajo，andthedevoirsoftheGovernor，prefect，andotherdignitaries，andheproceededimmediatelyunderacanopyofStatetotheparishchurch，whichservedasacathedral.ThereheheardTeDeum，anditisstatedthathiscountenancewasdarkandmelancholy，andthatheevenshedtears.
OneofBonaparte’sfirstcareswastoselectaflagfortheElbeseEmpire，andaftersomehesitationhefixedon"Argent，onabendgules，orthreebees，"asthearmorialensignofhisnewdominion.ItisstrangethatneitherhenoranyofthosewhomheconsultedshouldhavebeenawarethatElbahadanancientandpeculiarensign，anditisstillmoreremarkablethatthisensignshouldbeonesingularlyadaptedtoBonaparte’ssituation;beingnomorethan"awheel，——theemblem，"saysM.Bernaud，"ofthevicissitudesofhumanlife，whichtheElbesehadborrowedfromtheEgyptianmysteries."Thisisascuriousacoincidenceasanyweeverrecollecttohavemet;asthemedalsofElbawiththeemblemofthewheelarewellknown，wecannotbutsupposethatBonapartewasawareofthecircumstance;yetheisrepresentedashavinginvainmadeseveralanxiousinquiriesaftertheancientarmsoftheisland.
Duringthefirstmonthsofhisresidencetherehislifewas，ingeneral，oneofcharacteristicactivityandalmostgarrulousfrankness.Hegavedinners，wenttoballs，rodealldayabouthisisland，plannedfortifications，aqueducts，lazarettos，harbours，andpalaces;andtheveryseconddayafterhelandedfittedoutanexpeditionofadozensoldierstotakepossessionofalittleuninhabitedislandcalledPianosa，whichliesafewleaguesfromElba;onthisoccasionhesaidgood—humouredly，"Toutel’Europediraquej’aidejafaituneconqute"
（AllEuropewillsayIhavealreadymadeaconquest）.ThecauseoftheislandofPianosabeingleftuninhabitedwasthemaraudingoftheCorsairsfromthecoastofBarbary，againstwhomBonaparteconsideredhimselffullyprotectedbythe4thArticleoftheTreatyofFontainebleau.
ThegreatestwealthofElbaconsistsinitsironmines，forwhichtheislandwascelebratedinthedaysofVirgil.SoonafterhisarrivalNapoleonvisitedtheminesincompanywithColonelCampbell，andbeinginformedthattheyproducedannuallyabout500，000francsheexclaimedjoyfully，"These，then，aremyown！"Oneofhisfollowers，however，remindedhimthathehadlongsincedisposedofthatrevenue，havinggivenittohisorderoftheLegionofHonour，tofurnishpensions，etc.
"WherewasmyheadwhenImadethatgrant？"saidhe，"butIhavemademanyfoolishdecreesofthatsort！"
SirWalterScott，intellingacuriousfact，makesaverycuriousmistake."Todignifyhiscapital，"hesays，"havingdiscoveredthattheancientnameofPorto—FerrajowasComopoli（thecityofComo），hecommandedittobecalledCosmopoli，orthecityofallnations."NowtheoldnameofPorto—FerrajowasinrealitynotComopoli，butCosmopoli，anditobtainedthatnamefromtheFlorentineCosmode’Medici，towhoseducalhouseElbabelonged，asanintegralpartofTuscany.ThenameequallysignifiedthecityofCosmo，orthecityofallnations，andthevanityoftheMedicihadprobablybeenflatteredbythedoublemeaningoftheappellation.ButBonapartecertainlyrevivedtheoldname，anddidnotaddalettertoittodignifyhislittlecapital.
ThehouseholdofNapoleon，thoughreducedtothirty—fivepersons，stillrepresentedanImperialCourt.TheformsandetiquetteoftheTuileriesandSt，Cloudwereretainedonadiminishedscale，butthefurnitureandinternalaccommodationsofthepalacearerepresentedashavingbeenmeanerbyfarthanthoseofanEnglishgentlemanofordinaryrank.TheBodyguardofhisImperialMajestytheEmperorofElbaconsistedofabout700infantryand80cavalry，andtothishandfuloftroopsNapoleonseemedtopayalmostasmuchattentionashehadformerlygiventohisGrandeArmee.Themenwereconstantlyexercised，particularlyinthrowingshotandshells，andhesoonbegantolookoutforgoodrecruits.
HeearlyannouncedthathewouldholdaCourtandreceiveladiestwiceaweek;thefirstwasonthe7thofMay，andagreatconcourseassembled.
Bonaparteatfirstpaidgreatattentiontothewomen，particularlythosewhopossessedpersonalattractions，andaskedthem，inhisrapidway，whethertheyweremarried？howmanychildrentheyhad，andwhotheirhusbandswere？Tothelastquestionhereceivedoneuniversalanswer;ithappenedthateveryladywasmarriedtoamerchant，butwhenitcametobefurtherexplainedthattheyweremerchantbutchersandmerchantbakers，hisImperialMajestypermittedsomeexpressionofhisdissatisfactiontoescapehimandhastilyretired.Onthe4thofJunetherewasaballonboardtheBritishfrigate，inhonouroftheKing’sbirthday;thewholebeautyandfashionofElbawereassembled，anddancingwithgreatglee，when，aboutmidnight，Bonapartecameinhisbarge，unexpectedly，andmasked，tojointhefestivity.Hewasveryaffable，andvisitedeverypartoftheship，andalltheamusementswhichhadbeenpreparedforthedifferentclassesofpersons.Onhisbirthday，the15thofAugust，heorderedthemayortogiveaball，andforthispurposeatemporarybuilding，capableofholding300persons，wastobeerected，andthewholeentertainment，buildingandall，weretobeattheexpenseoftheinhabitantsthemselves.Thesewerebadauspices，andaccordinglytheballcompletelyfailed.MadameMtire，MadameBertrand，andthetwoladiesofhonour，attended，butnotabovethirtyofthefairislanders，andastheauthoroftheIEineraireremarks，"LebalfultristequoiqueBonaparten’yparutpas."
Havinginanexcursionreachedthesummitofoneofthehighesthillsontheisland，wheretheseawasvisibleallroundhim，heshookhisheadwithaffectedsolemnity，andexclaimedinabanteringtone，"Eh！ilfautavouerquemonileestbienpetite."
Onthismountainoneofthepartysawalittlechurchinanalmostinaccessiblesituation，andobservedthatitwasamostinconvenientsiteforachurch，forsurelynocongregationcouldattendit."Itisonthataccountthemoreconvenienttotheparson，"repliedBonaparte，"whomaypreachwhatstuffhepleaseswithoutfearofcontradiction."
Astheydescendedthehillandmetsomepeasantswiththeirgoatswhoaskedforcharity，Bonapartetoldastorywhichthepresentcircumstancesbroughttohisrecollection，thatwhenhewascrossingtheGreatSt.
Bernard，previouslytothebattleofMarengo，hehadmetagoatherd，andenteredintoconversationwithhim.Thegoatherd，notknowingtowhomhewasspeaking，lamentedhisownhardlot，andenviedtherichesofsomepersonswhoactuallyhadcowsandcornfields.Bonaparteinquiredifsomefairyweretooffertogratifyallhiswisheswhathewouldask？Thepoorpeasantexpressed，inhisownopinion，someveryextravagantdesires，suchasadozenofcowsandagoodfarmhouse.Bonaparteafterwardsrecollectedtheincident，andastonishedthegoatherdbythefulfilmentbfallhiswishes.
Butallhisthoughtsandconversationswerenotaslightandpleasantasthese.Sometimeshewouldinvolvehimselfinanaccountofthelastcampaign，ofhisownviewsandhopes，ofthedefectionofhismarshals，ofthecaptureofParis，andfinallyofhisabdication;onthesehewouldtalkbythehourwithgreatearnestnessandalmostfury，exhibitinginveryrapidsuccessiontraitsofeloquence，ofmilitarygenius，ofindignation;ofvanity，andofselfishness.Withregardtotheaudiencetowhomheaddressedthesetiradeshewasnotveryparticular.
ThechiefviolenceofhisrageseemedtobedirectedagainstMarshalMarmontwhom，aswellasAugereau，hesometimescalledbynamestoogrossforrepetition，andchargedroundlywithtreachery.Marmont，whenhecouldnolongerdefendParisbyarms，saveditbyanhonourablecapitulation;hepreservedhisarmyfortheserviceofhiscountryandwheneverythingelsewasloststipulatedforthesafetyofBonaparte.
Thislaststipulation，however，Bonaparteaffectedtotreatwithcontemptandindignation.——Editorof1836edition.]
CHAPTERIII.
1814.
Changesproducedbytime——CorrespondencebetweentheProvisionalGovernmentandHartwell——LouisXVIII’sreceptioninLondon——
HisarrivalatCalais——Berthier’saddresstotheKingatCompiegne——
MypresentationtohisMajestyatSt.Ouen—Louis——XVIII’sentryintoParis——Unexpecteddismissalfrommypost——M.deTalleyrand’sdeparturefortheCongressofVienna——Signsofacommotion——
ImpossibilityofseeingM.deBlacas——TheAbbyFleuriel——Unansweredletters——MylettertoM.deTalleyrandatVienna.
Nopowerissogreatasthatresultingfromthechangesproducedbytime.
Wisepolicyconsistsindirectingthatpower，buttodosoitisrequisitetoknowthewantsoftheage.ForthisreasonLouisXVIII.
appeared，intheeyesofallsensiblepersons，amonarchexpresslyformedforthecircumstancesinwhichwestoodafterthefallofNapoleon.
Inthewinterof1813—14someRoyalistproclamationshadbeencirculatedinParis，andastheycontainedthegermsofthosehopeswhichtheCharter，haditbeenexecuted，wascalculatedtorealise，thepoliceopposedtheircirculation，andIrecollectthat，inordertomultiplythenumberofcopies，myfamilyandIdailydevotedsomehourstotranscribingthem.AfterthedefinitivedeclarationofAlexanderaveryactivecorrespondenceensuedbetweentheProvisionalGovernmentandHartwell，andLouisXVIII.wasevenpreparingtoembarkforBordeauxwhenhelearnedtheeventsofthe31stofMarch.ThatnewsinducedtheKingtoalterhisdetermination，andhesoonquittedhisretirementtoproceedtoLondon.LouisXVIII.andthePrinceRegentofEnglandexchangedtheordersoftheHolyGhostandtheGarter，andIbelieveImayaffirmthatthiswasthefirstoccasiononwhichanybutaCatholicPrincewasinvestedwiththeorderoftheHolyGhost.
LouisXVIII.embarkedatDoveronboardtheRoyalSovereign，andlandedatCalaisonthe24thofApril.Ineednotenterintoanydescriptionoftheenthusiasmwhichhispresenceexcited;thatisgenerallyknownthroughthereportsofthejournalsofthetime.ItisverycertainthatallrationalpersonssawwithsatisfactionthePrincesoftheHouseofBourbonreascendthethroneoftheirancestors，enlightenedbyexperienceandmisfortune，which，assomeancientphilosopherobserves，arethebestcounsellorsofkings.
IhadreceivedaletteraddressedtomefromLondonbytheDucdeDuras，pointingouttheroutewhichLouisXVIII.wastopursuefromCalaistoParis：Inthishesaid，"Afterthezeal，monsieur，youhaveshownfortheserviceoftheKing，IdonotdoubtyouractivitytopreventhissufferinginanywayatamomentsohappyandinterestingforeveryFrenchman."TheKing’swishesonthissubjectwerescrupulouslyfulfilled，andIrecollectwithpleasurethezealwithwhichmydirectionswereexecutedbyallthepersonsintheserviceofthePostoffice.HisMajestystoppedforashorttimeatAmiens，andthenproceededtoCompiegne，wheretheMinistersandMarshalshadpreviouslyarrivedtopresenttohimtheirhomageandtheassuranceoftheirfidelity.BerthieraddressedtheKinginthenameoftheMarshals，andsaid，amongotherthings，"thatFrance，groaningforfiveandtwentyyearsundertheweightofthemisfortunesthatoppressedher，hadanxiouslylookedforwardtothehappydaywhichshenowsawdawning."
Berthiermightjustlyhavesaidfor"tenyears";butatallevents，evenhadhespokenthetruth，itwasillplacedinthemouthofamanwhomtheEmperorhadconstantlyloadedwithfavours：TheEmperorAlexanderalsowenttoCompiegnetomeetLouisXVIII.，andthetwomonarchsdinedtogether.
IdidnotgotoCompiegnebecausethebusinesswhichIhadconstantlytoexecutedidnotpermitmetoleaveParisforsolonganintervalasthatjourneywouldhaverequired，butIwasatSt.OuenwhenLouisXVIII.
arrivedonthe2dofMay.ThereIhadtocongratulatemyselfonbeingrememberedbyamantowhomIwasfortunateenoughtorendersomeserviceatHamburg.AstheKingenteredthesalonthroughwhichhehadtopasstogotothedining—roomM.HuerecognisingmesaidtohisMajesty，"ThereisM.deBourrienne."TheKingthensteppinguptomesaid，"Ah！
M.deBourrienne，Iamverygladtoseeyou.IamawareoftheservicesyouhaverenderedmeinHamburgandParis，andIshallfeelmuchpleasureintestifyingmygratitude."
AtSt.OuenLouisXVIII.promulgatedthedeclarationwhichprecededtheCharter，andwhichrepeatedthesentimentsexpressedbytheKingtwentyyearsbefore，intheDeclarationofColmar.ItwasalsoatSt，OuenthatprojectofaConstitutionwaspresentedtohimbytheSenateinwhichthatbody，tojustify’inextremis’itstitleofconservative，stipulatedforthepreservationofitsrevenuesandendowments.
Onthe3dofMayLouisXVIII.madehissolemnentranceintoParis，theDuchessd’AngoulemebeinginthecarriagewiththeKing.HisMajestyproceededfirsttoNotreDame.OnarrivingatthePontNeufhesawthemodelofthestatueofHenriIV.replaced，onthepedestalofwhichappearedthefollowingwords：’Ludovicoreduce，Henricusredivivus’，whichweresuggestedbyM.deLally—Tollendal，andweregreatlypreferabletothelongandprolixinscriptioncomposedforthebronzestatue.
TheKing’sentranceintoParisdidnotexcitesomuchenthusiasmastheentranceofMonsieur.IntheplacesthroughwhichIpassedonthe3dofMayastonishmentseemedtobetheprevailingfeelingamongthepeople.
Theabatementofpublicenthusiasmwasmoreperceptibleashorttimeafter，whenLouisXVIII.restored"theredcorps"whichLouisXVI.hadsuppressedlongbeforetheRevolution.
ItwasnotalittleextraordinarytoseethedirectionoftheGovernmentconsignedtoamanwhoneitherhadnorcouldhaveanyknowledgeofFrance.FromthecommencementM.deBlacasaffectedministerialomnipotence.WhenIwentonthe11thofMaytotheTuileriestopresent，asusual，myportfoliototheKing，invirtueofmyprivilegeoftransactingbusinesswiththesovereign，M.deBlacaswishedtotaketheportfoliofromme，whichappearedtomethemoresurprisingas，duringthesevendaysIhadthehonourofcomingincontactwithLouisXVIII.，hisMajestyhadbeenpleasedtobestowmanycomplimentsuponme.Iatfirstrefusedtogiveuptheportfolio，butM.deBlacastoldmetheKinghadorderedhimtoreceiveit;Ithen，ofcourse，yieldedthepoint.
However，it，wasnotlongbeforeIhadexperienceofacourtier’srevenge，fortwodaysafterthiscircumstance，thatistosay，onthe13thofMay，onenteringmycabinetattheusualhour，Imechanicallytookupthe’Moniteur’，whichIfoundlyingonmydesk.OnglancinghastilyoveritwhatwasmyastonishmenttofindthattheComteFerrandhadbeenappointedDirectorofthePost—officeinmystead.SuchwasthestrangemodeinwhichM.deBlacasmademefeelthepromisedgratitudeofthesovereign.Certainly，aftermyproofsofloyalty，whichayearafterwardsprocuredformethehonourofbeingoutlawedinquiteaspecialway，Ihadreasontocomplain，andImighthavesaid’Sicvosnonvobis’asjustlyasVirgilwhenhealludedtotheunmeritedfavourslavishedbyAugustusontheMaeviiandBaviiofhistime.
ThemeasuresofGovernmentsoonexcitedcomplaintsineveryquarter.
Theusagesoftheoldsystemweregraduallyrestored，andridiculebeingmingledwithmoreseriousconsiderations，Pariswasspeedilyinundatedwithcaricaturesandpamphlets.However，tranquillityprevaileduntilthemonthofSeptember，whenM.deTalleyranddepartedfortheCongressofVienna.ThenallwasdisorderattheTuileries.Everyonefeelinghimselffreefromrestraint，wishedtoplaythestatesman，andHeavenknowshowmanyfollieswerecommittedintheabsenceoftheschoolmaster.
UnderafeebleGovernmentthereisbutonestepfromdiscontenttoinsurrection，underanimbecileGovernmentlikethatofFrancein1814，afterthedepartureofM.deTalleyrand，conspiracyhasfreeScope.
Duringthesummerof1814wereinitiatedtheeventswhichreachedtheirclimaxonthe20thofMarch1815.IalmostfancyIamdreamingwhenI
lookbackonthemiraculousincapacityofthepersonswhowerethenattheheadofourGovernment.Theemigrants，who，asithasbeentrulysaid，hadneitherlearnednorforgottenanything，camebackwithalltheabsurdpretensionsofCoblentz.TheirsillyvanityremindedoneofacharacterinoneofVoltaire’snovelswhoiscontinuallysaying，"Unhommecommemoi！"Thesepeopleweresoengrossedwiththeirpretendedmeritthattheywereblindtoeverythingelse.TheynotonlydisregardedthewishesandthewantsofFrance;whichinoverthrowingtheEmpirehopedtoregainliberty，buttheydisregardedeverywarningtheyhadreceived.
Irecollectonecircumstancewhichwaswellcalculatedtoexcitesuspicion.PrinceEugeneproposedgoingtothewatersofPlombierestojoinhissisterHortense.Thehorses，thecarriages，andoneofthePrince’saidesdecamphadalreadyarrivedatPlombieres，andhisresidencewasprepared;buthedidnotgo.Eugenehad，nodoubt，receivedintimationofhissister’sintrigueswithsomeoftheindividualsofthelateCourtofNapoleonwhowerethenatthewaters，andashehaddeterminedtoresidequietlyattheCourtofhisfather—in—
law;withoutmeddlingwithpublicaffairs，heremainedatMunich.Thisfact，however，passedoffunnoticed.
Attheendof1814unequivocalindicationsofagreatcatastrophewereobservable.Aboutthattimeaman，whomImuchesteem，andwithwhomI
havealwaysbeenontermsoffriendship，saidtome，"Youseehowthingsaregoingon：theyarecommittingfaultuponfault.Youmustbeconvincedthatsuchastateofthingscannotlastlong.Betweenourselves，IamofopinionthatallwillbeoverinthemonthofMarch;
thatmonthwillrepairthedisgraceoflastMarch.Weshallthen，onceforall，bedeliveredfromfanaticismandtheemigrants.Youseetheintolerablespiritofhypocrisythatprevails，andyouknowthattheinfluenceofthepriestsis，ofallthings，themosthatefultothenation.Wehavegonebackalongwaywithinthelasteightmonths.I
fearyouwillrepentofhavingtakentooactiveapartinaffairsatthecommencementofthepresentyear.Youseewehavegoneaverydifferentwayfromwhatyouexpected.However，asIhaveoftentoldyoubefore，youhadgoodreasontocomplain;andafterall，youactedtothebestofyourjudgment."
IdidnotattachmuchimportancetothispredictionofachangeinthemonthofMarch.Ideplored，aseveryonedid，theinconceivableerrorsof"FerrandandCompany，"andIhopedthattheGovernmentwouldgraduallyreturntothoseprincipleswhichwerecalculatedtoconciliatethefeelingsofthepeople.Afewdaysafteranotherofmyfriendscalledonme.Hehadexercisedimportantfunctions，andhisnamehadappearedonaproscriptionlist.HehadclaimsupontheGovernment，whichwasbynomeansfavourablydisposedtowardshim.Iaskedhimhowthingsweregoingon，andhereplied，"Verywell;nooppositionismadetomydemands.I
havenoreasonbocomplain."Thisremindedmeofthemaninthe’LettresPersanes’，whoadmiredtheexcellentorderofthefinancesunderColbertbecausehispensionwaspromptlypaid.IcongratulatedmyfriendonthejusticewhichtheGovernmentrenderedhim，aswellasonthejusticewhichherenderedtotheGovernment，andIremarkedthatifthesamecoursewereadoptedtowardseveryoneallpartieswouldspeedilybeconciliated."Idonotthinkso，"saidmyfriend."IftheGovernmentpersistinitspresentcourseitcannotpossiblystand，andweshallhavetheEmperorbackagain."——"That，"saidI，"wouldbeaverygreatmisfortune;andevenifsuchwerethewishofFrance，itwouldbeopposedbyEurope.YouwhoaresodevotedlyattachedtoFrancecannotbeindifferenttothedangerthatwouldthreatenherifthepresenceofBonaparteshouldbringtheforeignersbackagain.Canyouenduretothinkofthedismembermentofourcountry？"——"Thattheywouldneverdaretoattempt.ButyouandIcanneveragreeonthequestionoftheEmperorandyourBourbons.Wetakeatotallydifferentviewofthematter.YouhadcausetocomplainofBonaparte，butIhadonlyreasontobesatisfiedwithhim.Buttellme，whatwouldyoudoifheweretoreturn？"——
"Bonapartereturn！"——"Yes."——"Uponmyword，thebestthingIcoulddowouldbetosetoffasspeedilyasIcould，andthatiscertainlywhatI
shoulddo.IamthoroughlyconvincedthathewouldneverpardonmeforthepartIhavetakenintheRestoration，andIcandidlyconfessthatI
shouldnothesitateamomenttosavemylifebyleavingFrance."——"Well，youarewrong，forIamconvincedthatifyouwouldrangeyourselfamongthenumberofhisfriendsyoumighthavewhateveryouwished——titles，honours，riches.OfthisIcouldgiveyouassurance."——"Allthis，Imusttellyou，doesnottemptme.IloveFranceasdearly，asyoudo，andI
amconvincedthatshecanneverbehappyunderBonaparte.IfheshouldreturnIwillgoandliveabroad."
Thisisonlypartofaconversationwhichlastedaconsiderabletime，and，asisoftenthecaseafteralongdiscussion，myfriendretainedhisopinion，andImine.However，thissecondwarning，thishypothesisofthereturnofBonaparte，mademereflect，andIsoonreceivedanotherhintwhichgaveadditionalweighttotheprecedingones.AnindividualwithwhomIwaswellacquainted，andwhomIknewfromhisprinciplesandconnectionstobeentirelydevotedtotheroyalcause，communicatedtomesomeextraordinarycircumstanceswhichhesaidalarmedhim.Amongotherthingshesaid，"ThedaybeforeyesterdayImetCharlesdeLabedoyere，who，youknow，ismyintimatefriend.Iremarkedthathehadanairofagitationandabstraction.Iinvitedhimtocomeanddinewithme，buthedeclined，allegingasanexcusethatweshouldnotbealone.Hethenaskedmetogoanddinewithhimyesterday，ashewantedtotalkwithme.
Iacceptedhisinvitation，andweconversedalongtimeonpoliticalaffair’sandthe...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：