memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v14-第6节

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　　　　　stood。＇

the　career　of　both　had　been　marked　by　signal　victory；　Napoleon　had
carried　his　triumphant　legions　across　the　stupendous　Alps；　over　the　north
of　Italy；　throughout　Prussia；　Austria；　Russia；　and　even　to　the　foot　of
the　Pyramids；　while　Wellington；　who　had　been　early　distinguished　in
India；　had　won　immortal　renown　in　the　Peninsula；　where　he　had　defeated；
one　after　another；　the　favourite　generals　of　Napoleon。　　He　was　now　to
make　trial　of　his　prowess　against　their　Master。

Among　the　most　critical　events　of　modern　times　the　battle　of　Waterloo
stands　conspicuous。　　This　sanguinary　encounter　at　last　stopped　the
torrent　of　the　ruthless　and　predatory　ambition　of　the　French；　by　which　so
many　countries　had　been　desolated。　　With　the　peace　which　immediately
succeeded　it　confidence　was　restored　to　Europe。




CHAPTER　X。

1815

　　　　　Interview　with　LavalletteProceedings　in　the　French　Chambers
　　　　　Second　abdication　of　NapoleonHe　retires　to　Rochefort；　negotiates
　　　　　with　Captain　Maitland；　and　finally　embarks　in　the　'Bellerophon'。

One　of　the　first　public　men　to　see　Napoleon　after　his　return　from
Waterloo　was　Lavallette。　　〃I　flew；〃　says　he；　〃to　the　Elysee　to　see　the
Emperor：　he　summoned　me　into　his　closet；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw　me；　he
came　to　meet　me　with　a　frightful　epileptic　'laugh。　　‘Oh；　my　God！'　he
said；　raising　his　eyes　to　heaven；　and　walking　two　or　three　times　up　and
down　the　room。　　This　appearance　of　despair　was　however　very　short。　　He
soon　recovered　his　coolness；　and　asked　me　what　was　going　forward　in　the
Chamber　of　Representatives。　　I　could　not　attempt　to　hide　that　party
spirit　was　there　carried　to　a　high　pitch；　and　that　the　majority　seemed
determined　to　require　his　abdication；　and　to　pronounce　it　themselves　if
he　did　not　concede　willingly。　　'How　is　that？'　he　said。　　'If　proper
measures　are　not　taken　the　enemy　will　be　before　the　gates　of　Paris　in
eight　days。　　Alas！'　he　added；　'have　I　accustomed　them　to　such　great
victories　that　they　knew　not　how　to　bear　one　day's　misfortune？　　What　will
become　of　poor　France？　　I　have　done　all　I　could　for　her！'　　He　then　heaved
a　deep　sigh。　　Somebody　asked　to　speak　to　him；　and　I　left　him；　with　a
direction　to　come　back　at　a　later　hour。

〃I　passed　the　day　in　seeking　information　among　all　my　friends　and
acquaintances。　　I　found　in　all　of　them　either　the　greatest　dejection　or
an　extravagant　joy；　which　they　disguised　by　feigned　alarm　and　pity　for
myself；　which　I　repulsed　with　great　indignation。　　Nothing　favourable　was
to　be　expected　from　the　Chamber　of　Representatives。　　They　all　said　they
wished　for　liberty；　but；　between　two　enemies　who　appeared　ready　to
destroy　it；　they　preferred　the　foreigners；　the　friends　of　the　Bourbons；
to　Napoleon；　who　might　still　have　prolonged　the　struggle；　but　that　he
alone　would　not　find　means　to　save　them　and　erect　the　edifice　of　liberty。
The　Chamber　of　Peers　presented　a　much　sadder　spectacle。　　Except　the
intrepid　Thibaudeau；　who　till；　the　last　moment　expressed　himself　with
admirable　energy　against　the　Bourbons；　almost　all　the　others　thought　of
nothing　else　but　getting　out　of　the　dilemma　with　the　least　loss　they
could。　　Some　took　no　pains　to　hide　their　wish　of　bending　again　under　the
Bourbon　yoke。〃

On　the　evening　of　Napoleon's　return　to　Paris　he　sent　for　Benjamin
Constant　to　come　to　him　at　the　Elysee　about　seven　o'clock。　　The　Chambers
had　decreed　their　permanence；　and　proposals　for　abdication　had　reached
the　Emperor。　　He　was　serious　but　calm。　　In　reply　to　some　words　on　the
disaster　of　Waterloo　he　said；　〃The　question　no　longer　concerns　me；　but
France。　　They　wish　me　to　abdicate。　　Have　they　calculated　upon　the
inevitable　consequences　of　this　abdication？　　It　is　round　me；　round　my
name；　that　the　army　rallies：　to　separate　me　from　it　is　to　disband　it。
If　I　abdicate　to…day；　in　two　days'　time　you　will　no　longer　have　an　army。
These　poor　fellows　do　not　understand　all　your　subtleties。　　Is　it　believed
that　axioms　in　metaphysics；　declarations　of　right；　harangues　from　the
tribune；　will　put　a　stop　to　the　disbanding　of　an　army？　　To　reject　me　when
I　landed　at　Cannes　I　can　conceive　possible；　to　abandon　me　now　is　what　I
do　not　understand。　　It　is　not　when　the　enemy　is　at　twenty…five　leagues'
distance　that　any　Government　can　be　overturned　with　impunity。　　Does　any
one　imagine　that　the　Foreign　Powers　will　be　won　over　by　fine　words？　　If
they　had　dethroned　me　fifteen　days　ago　there　would　have　been　some　spirit
in　it；　but　as　it　is；　I　make　part　of　what　strangers　attack；　I　make　part；
then；　of　what　France　is　bound　to　defend。　　In　giving　me　up　she　gives　up
herself；　she　avows　her　weakness；　she　acknowledges　herself　conquered；　she
courts　the　insolence　of　the　conqueror。　　It　is　not　the　love　of　liberty
which　deposes　me；　but　Waterloo；　it　is　fear；　and　a　fear　of　which　your
enemies　will　take　advantage。　　And　then　what　title　has　the　Chamber　to
demand　my　abdication？　　It　goes　out　of　its　lawful　sphere　in　doing　so；　it
has　no　authority。　　It　is　my　right；　it　is　my　duty　to　dissolve　it。〃

〃He　then　hastily　ran　over　the　possible　consequences　of　such　a　step。
Separated　from　the　Chambers；　he　could　only　be　considered　as　a　military
chief：　but　the　army　would　be　for　him；　that　would　always　join　him　who　can
lead　it　against　foreign　banners；　and　to　this　might　be　added　all　that　part
of　the　population　which　is　equally　powerful　and　easily；　led　in　such　a
state　of　things。　　As　if　chance　intended　to　strengthen　Napoleon　in　this
train　of　thought；　while　he　was　speaking　the　avenue　of　Marigny　resounded
with　the　cries　of　'Vive　l'Empereur！'　A　crowd　of　men；　chiefly　of　the　poor
and　labouring　class；　pressed　forward　into　the　avenue；　full　of　wild
enthusiasm；　and　trying　to　scale　the　walls　to　make　an　offer　to　Napoleon　to
rally　round　and　defend　him。　　Bonaparte　for　some　time　looked　attentively
at　this　group。　　'You　see　it　is　so；'　said　he；　〃those　are　not　the　men　whom
I　have　loaded　with　honours　and　riches。　　What　do　these　people　owe　me？　　I
found　themI　left　thempoor。　　The　instinct　of　necessity　enlightens
them；　the　voice　of　the　country　speaks　by　their　months；　and　if　I　choose；
if　I　permit　it；　in　an　hour　the　refractory　Chambers　will　have　ceased　to
exist。　　But　the　life　of　a　man　is　not　worth　purchasing　at　such　a　price：　I
did　not　return　from　the　Isle　of　Elba　that　Paris　should　be　inundated　with
blood：　　He　did　not　like　the　idea　of　flight。　　'Why　should　I　not　stay
here？'　he　repeated。　　'What　do　you　suppose　they　would　do　to　a　man　disarmed
like　me？　　I　will　go　to　Malmaison：　I　can　live　there　in　retirement　with
some　friends；　who　most　certainly　will　come　to　see　me　only　for　my　own
sake。'

〃He　then　described　with　complacency　and　even　with　a　sort　of　gaiety　this
new　kind　of　life。　　Afterwards；　discarding　an　idea　which　sounded　like　mere
irony；　he　went　on。　　'If　they　do　not　like　me　to　remain　in　France；　where　am
I　to　go？　　To　England？　　My　abode　there　would　be　ridiculous　or　disquieting。
I　should　be　tranquil；　no　one　would　believe　it。　　Every　fog　would　be
suspected　of　concealing　my　landing　on　the　coast。　　At　the　first　sign　of　a
green　coat　getting　out　of　a　boat　one　party　would　fly　from　France；　the
other　would　put　France　out　of　the　pale　of　the　law。　　I　should　compromise
everybody；　and　by　dint　of　the　repeated　〃Behold　he　comes！〃　I　should　feel
the　temptation　to　set　out。　　America　would　be　more　suitable；　I　could　live
there　with　dignity。　　But　once　more；　what　is　there　to　fear？　　What
sovereign　can；　without　injuring　himself；　persecute　me？　　To　one　I　have
restored　half　his　dominions；　how　often　has　the　other　pressed　my　hand；
calling　me　a　great　man！　　And　as　to　the　third；　can　he　find　pleasure　or
honour　in　humiliation　of　his　son…in…law？　　Would　they　wish　to　proclaim　in
the　face　of　the　world　that　all　they　did　was　through　fear？　　As　to　the
rest；　I　shall　see：　I　do　not　wish　to　employ　open　force。　　I　came　in　the
hope　of　combining　our　last　resources：　they　abandoned　me；　they　do　so　with
the　same　facility　with　which　they　received　me　back。　　Well；　then；　let　them
efface；　if　possible；　this　double　stain　of　weakness　and　levity！　　Let　them
cover　it　over　with　some　sacrifice；　with　some　glory！　　Let　them　do　for　the
country　what　they　will　not　do　for　me。　　I　doubt　it。　　To…day；　those　who
deliver　up　Bonaparte　say　that　it　is　to　save　France：　to…morrow；　by
delivering　up　France；　they　will　prove　that　it　was　to　save　their　own
heads。'〃

The　humiliating　scenes　which　rapidly　succeeded　one　another；　and　which
ended　in　Napoleon's　unconditional　surrender；　may　be　briefly　told。　　As
soon　as　possible　after　his　arrival　at　Paris　he　assembled　his　counsellors；
when　he　declared　himself　in　favour　of　still　resisting。　　The　question；
however；　was；　whether　the　Chambers　would　support　him；　and　Lafayette　being
treacherously　informed；　it　is　said　by　Fouche；　that　it　was　intended　to
dissolve　the　Chambers；　used　his　influence　to　get　the　chambers　to　adopt
the　propositions　he　laid　before　them。　　By　these　the　independence　of　the
nation　was　asserted　to　be　in　danger；　the　sittings　of　the　Chamber　were
declared　permanent；　and　all　attempts　to　dissolve　it　were　pronounced
treasonable。　　The　propositions　were　adopted；　and　being　communicated　to
the　Chamber　of　Peers；　that　body　also　declared　itself　permanent。　　Whatever
might　have　been　the　intentions　of　Bonapart