memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v14-第7节

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might　have　been　the　intentions　of　Bonaparte；　it　was　now　manifest　that
there　were　no　longer　any　hopes　of　his　being　able　to　make　his　will　the　law
of　the　nation；　after　some　vacillation；　therefore；　on　22d　June　he
published　the　following　declaration：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TO　THE　FRENCH　PEOPLE

　　　　　FRENCHMEN！In　commencing　war　for　maintaining　the　national
　　　　　independence；　I　relied　on　the　union　of　all　efforts；　of　all　wills；
　　　　　and　the　concurrence　of　all　the　national　authorities。　　I　had　reason
　　　　　to　hope　for　success；　and　I　braved　all　the　declarations　of　the　powers
　　　　　against　me。　　Circumstances　appear　to　me　changed。　　I　offer　myself　a
　　　　　sacrifice　to　the　hatred　of　the　enemies　of　France。　　May　they　prove
　　　　　sincere　in　their　declarations；　and　really　have　directed　them　only
　　　　　against　my　power。　　My　political　life　is　terminated；　and　I　proclaim
　　　　　my　son　under　the　title　of：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NAPOLEON　II。；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　EMPEROR　OF　THE　FRENCH。

　　　　　The　present　Ministers　will　provisionally　form　the　Council　of　the
　　　　　Government。　　The　interest　which　I　take　in　my　son　induces　me　to
　　　　　invite　the　Chambers　to　form　without　delay　the　Regency　by　a　law。
　　　　　Unite　all　for　the　public　safety；　that　you　may　continue　an
　　　　　independent　nation。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　　　NAPOLEON。


This　declaration　was　conveyed　to　both　the　Chambers；　which　voted
deputations　to　the　late　Emperor；　accepting　this　abdication；　but　in　their
debates　the　nomination　of　his　son　to　the　succession　was　artfully　eluded。
The　Chamber　of　Representatives　voted　the　nomination　of　a　Commission　of
five　persons；　three　to　be　chosen　from　that　Chamber；　and　two　from　the
Chamber　of　Peers；　for　the　purpose　of　provisionally　exercising　the
functions　of　Government；　and　also　that　the　Ministers　should　continue
their　respective　functions　under　the　authority　of　this　Commission。　　The
persons　chosen　by　the　Chamber　of　Representatives　were　Carnot；　Fouche；　and
Grenier；　those　nominated　by　the　Peers　were　the　Duke　of　Vicenza
（Caulaincourt）　and　Baron　Quinette。　　The　Commission　nominated　five　persons
to　the　Allied　army　for　the　purpose　of　proposing　peace。　　These　proceedings
were；　however；　rendered　of　little　importance　by　the　resolution　of　the
victors　to　advance　to　Paris。

Napoleon's　behaviour　just　before　and　immediately　after　the　crisis　is　well
described　by　Lavallette。　　〃The　next　day；〃　he　observes；　〃I　returned　to　the
Emperor。　　He　had　received　the　most　positive　accounts　of　the　state　of
feeling　in　the　Chamber　of　Representatives。　　The　reports　had；　however；
been　given　to　him　with　some　little　reserve；　for　he　did　not　seem　to　me
convinced　that　the　resolution　was　really　formed　to　pronounce　his
abdication；　I　was　better　informed　on　the　matter；　and　I　came　to　him
without　having　the　least　doubt　in　my　mind　that　the　only　thing　he　could　do
was　to　descend　once　more　from　the　throne。　　I　communicated　to　him　all　the
particulars　I　had　just　received；　and　I　did　not　hesitate　to　advise　him　to
follow　the　only　course　worthy　of　him。　　He　listened　to　me　with　a　sombre
air；　and　though　he　was　in　some　measure　master　of　himself；　the　agitation
of　his　mind　and　the　sense　of　his　position　betrayed　themselves　in　his　face
and　in　all　his　motions。　　'I　know；'　said　I；　'that　your　Majesty　may　still
keep　the　sword　drawn；　but　with　whom；　and　against　whom？　　Defeat　has
chilled　the　courage　of　every　one；　the　army　is　still　in　the　greatest
confusion。　　Nothing　is　to　be　expected　from　Paris；　and　the　coup　d'etat　of
the　18th　Brumaire　cannot　be　renewed。''That　thought；'　he　replied；
stopping；　'is　far　from　my　mind。　　I　will　hear　nothing　more　about　myself。
But　poor　France！'　　At　that　moment　Savary　and　Caulaincourt　entered；　and
having　drawn　a　faithful　picture　of　the　exasperation　of　the　Deputies；　they
persuaded　him　to　assent　to　abdication。　　Some　words　he　uttered　proved　to
us　that　he　would　have　considered　death　preferable　to　that　step；　but　still
he　took　it。

〃The　great　act　of　abdication　being　performed；　he　remained　calm　during　the
whole　day；　giving　his　advice　on　the　position　the　army　should　take；　and　on
the　manner　in　which　the　negotiations　with　the　enemy　ought　to　be
conducted。　　He　insisted　especially　on　the　necessity　of　proclaiming　his
son　Emperor；　not　so　much　for　the　advantage　of　the　child　as　with　a　view　to
concentrate　all　the　power　of　sentiments　and　affections。　　Unfortunately；
nobody　would　listen　to　him。　　Some　men　of　sense　and　courage　rallied　found
that　proposition　in　the　two　Chambers；　but　fear　swayed　the　majority；　and
among　those　who　remained　free　from　it　many　thought　that　a　public
declaration　of　liberty；　and　the　resolution　to　defend　it　at　any　price；
would　make　the　enemy　and　the　Bourbons　turn　back。　　Strange　delusion　of
weakness　and　want　of　experience！　　It　must；　however；　be　respected；　for　it
had　its　source　in　love　of　their　country；　but；　while　we　excuse　it；　can　it
be　justified？　　The　population　of　the　metropolis　had　resumed　its　usual
appearance；　which　was　that　of　complete　indifference；　with　a　resolution　to
cry　'Long　live　the　King！'　provided　the　King　arrived　well　escorted；　for
one　must　not　judge　of　the　whole　capital　by　about　one…thirtieth　part　of
the　inhabitants；　who　called　for　arms；　and　declared　themselves　warmly
against　the　return　of　the　exiled　family。

〃On　the　23d　I　returned　to　the　Elysee。　　The　Emperor　had　been　for　two　hours
in　his　bath。　　He　himself　turned　the　discourse　on　the　retreat　he　ought　to
choose；　and　spoke　of　the　United　States。　　I　rejected　the　idea　without
reflection；　and　with　a　degree　of　vehemence　that　surprised　him。　　'Why　not
America？'　he　asked。　　I　answered；　'Because　Moreau　retired　there。'　　The
observation　was　harsh；　and　I　should　never　have　forgiven　myself　for　having
expressed　it；　if　I　had　not　retracted　my　advice　a　few　days　afterwards。　　He
heard　it　without　any　apparent　ill…humour；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　it
must　have　made　an　unfavourable　impression　on　his　mind。　　I　strongly　urged
on　his　choosing　England　for　his　asylum。

〃The　Emperor　went　to　Malmaison。　　He　was　accompanied　thither　by　the
Duchesse　de　St。　Leu；　Bertrand　and　his　family；　and　the　Duc　de　Bassano。
The　day　that　he　arrived　there　he　proposed　to　me　to　accompany　him　abroad。
Drouot；'　he　said；　'remains　in　France。　　I　see　the　Minister　of　War　wishes
him　not　to　be　lost　to　his　country。　　I　dare　not　complain；　but　it　is　a
great　loss　for　me；　I　never　met　with　a　better　head；　or　a　more　upright
heart。　　That　man　was　formed　to　be　a　prime　minister　anywhere。'　　I　declined
to　accompany　him　at　the　time；　saying；　'My　wife　is　enceinte；　I　cannot　make
up　my　mind　to　leave　her。　　Allow　me　some　time；　and　I　will　join　you
wherever　you　may　be。　　I　have　remained　faithful　to　your　Majesty　in　better
times；　and　you　may　reckon　upon　me　now。　　Nevertheless；　if　my　wife　did　not
require　all　my　attention；　I　should　do　better　to　go　with　you；　for　I　have
sad　forebodings　respecting　my　fate。〃

〃The　Emperor　made　no　answer；　but　I　saw　by　the　expression　of　his
countenance　that　he　had　no　better　augury　of　my　fate　than　I　had。　　However；
the　enemy　was　approaching；　and　for　the　last　three　days　he　had　solicited
the　Provisional　Government　to　place　a　frigate　at　his　disposal；　with　which
he　might　proceed　to　America。　　It　had　been　promised　him；　he　was　even
pressed　to　set　off；　but　he　wanted　to　be　the　bearer　of　the　order　to　the
captain　to　convey　him　to　the　United　States；　and　that　order　did　not
arrive。　　We　all　felt　that　the　delay　of　a　single　hour　might　put　his
freedom　in　jeopardy。

〃After　we　had　talked　the　subject　over　among　ourselves；　I　went　to　him　and
strongly　pointed　out　to　him　how　dangerous　it　might　be　to　prolong　his
stay。　　He　observed　that　he　could　not　go　without　the　order。　　'Depart；
nevertheless；'　I　replied；　your　presence　on　board　the　ship　will　still　have
a　great　influence　over　Frenchmen；　cut　the　cables；　promise　money　to　the
crew；　and　if　the　captain　resist　have　him　put　on　shore；　and　hoist　your
sails。　　I　have　no　doubt　but　Fouche　has　sold　you　to　the　Allies。'
'I　believe　it　also；　but　go　and　make　the　last　effort　with　the　Minister　of
Marine。'　I　went　off　immediately　to　M。　Decres。　　He　was　in　bed；　and
listened　to　me　with　an　indifference　that　made　my　blood　boil。　　He　said　to
me；　'I　am　only　a　Minister。　　Go　to　Fouche；　speak　to　the　Government。　　As
for　me；　I　can　do　nothing。　　Good…night。'　　And　so　saying　he　covered　himself
up　again　in　his　blankets。　　I　left　him；　but　I　could　not　succeed　in
speaking　either　to　Fouche　or　to　any　of　the　others。　　It　was　two　o'clock　in
the　morning　when　I　returned　to　Malmaison；　the　Emperor　was　in　bed。　　I　was
admitted　to　his　chamber；　where　I　gave　him　an　account　of　the　result　of　my
mission；　and　renewed　my　entreaties。　　He　listened　to　me；　but　made　no
answer。　　He　got　up；　however；　and　spent　a　part　of　the　night　in　walking　up
and　down　the　room。

〃The　following　day　was　the　last　of　that　sad　drama。　　The　Emperor　had　gone
to　bed　again；　and　slept　a　few　hours。　　I　entered　his　cabinet　at　about
twelve　o'clock。　　'If　I　had　known　you　were　here；'　he　said；　'I　would　have
had　you　called　in。'　He　then　gave　me；　on　a　subject　that　interested　him
personally；　some　instructions　which　it　is　needless　for　me　to　repeat。
Soon　after　I　left　him；　full　of　anxiety　respecting　his　fate；　my　heart
oppressed　with　grief；　but　still　far