memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第11节

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recalled；　to　Bonaparte's　mind　some　singular　recollections　of　his　boyhood。
At　a　given　signal　all　the　columns　closed　and　approached　the　throne。　　Then
Bonaparte；　rising；　gave　orders　for　the　distribution　of　the　eagles；　and
delivered　the　following　address　to　the　deputations　of　the　different　corps
of　the　army：

　　　　　Soldiers；　Soldiers！　behold　your　colours。　　These　eagles　will　always
　　　　　be　your　rallying…point！　　They　will　always　be　where　your　Emperor　may
　　　　　thank　them　necessary　for　the　defence　of　his　throne　and　of　his
　　　　　people。　　Swear　to　sacrifice　your　lives　to　defend　them；　and　by　your
　　　　　courage　to　keep　them　constantly　in　the　path　of　victory。Swear！〃

It　would　be　impossible　to　describe　the　acclamations　which　followed　this
address；　there　is　something　so　seductive　in　popular　enthusiasm　that　even
indifferent　persons　cannot　help　yielding　to　its　influence。　　And　yet　the
least　reflection　would　have　shown　how　shamefully　Napoleon　forswore　the
declaration　he　made　to　the　Senate；　when　the　organic　'Senatus…consulte'
for　the　foundation　of　the　Empire　was　presented　to　him　at　St：　Cloud：　On
that　occasion　he　said；　〃The　French　people　shall　never　be　MY　people！〃
And　yet　the　day　after　his　Coronation　his　eagles　were　to；　be　carried
wherever　they　might　be　necessary　for　the　defence　of　his　people。

By　a　singular　coincidence；　while　on　the　2d　of　December　1804　Bonaparte　was
receiving　from　the　head　of　the　Church　the　Imperial　crown　of　France；　Louis
XVIII。；　who　was　then　at　Colmar；　prompted　as　it　were　by　an　inexplicable
presentiment；　drew　up　and　signed　a　declaration　to　the　French　people；　in
which　he　declared　that　he　then；　swore　never　to　break　the　sacred　bond
which　united　his　destiny　to　theirs；　never　to　renounce　the　inheritance　of
his　ancestors；　or　to　relinquish　his　rights。




CHAPTER　XXX。

1805


　　　　　My　appointment　as　Minister　Plenipotentiary　at　HamburgMy　interview
　　　　　with　Bonaparte　at　MalmaisonBonaparte's　designs　respecting　Italy
　　　　　His　wish　to　revisit　BrienneInstructions　for　my　residence　in
　　　　　HamburgRegeneration　of　European　societyBonaparte's　plan　of
　　　　　making　himself　the　oldest　sovereign　in　EuropeAmedee　Jaubert's
　　　　　missionCommission　from　the　Emperor　to　the　EmpressMy　conversation
　　　　　with　Madame　Bonaparte。

I　must　now　mention　an　event　which　concerns　myself　personally；　namely；　my
appointment　as　Minister　Plenipotentiary；　to　the　Dukes　of　Brunswick　and
Mecklenburg…Schwerin；　and　to　the　Hanse　towns。

This　appointment　took　place　on　the　22d　of　March　1806。　　Josephine；　who　had
kindly　promised　to　apprise　me　of　what　the　Emperor　intended　to　do　for　me；
as　soon　as　she　herself　should　know　his　intentions；　sent　a　messenger　to
acquaint　me　with　my　appointment；　and　to　tell　me　that　the　Emperor　wished
to　see　me。　　I　had　not　visited　Josephine　since　her　departure　for　Belgium。
The　pompa　and　ceremonies　of　the　Coronation　had；　I　may　say；　dazzled　me；
and　deterred　me　from　presenting　myself　at　the　Imperial　Palace；　where　I
should　have　been　annoyed　by　the　etiquette　which　had　been　observed　since
the　Coronation。　　I　cannot　describe　what　a　disagreeable　impression　this
parade　always　produced　on　me。　　I　could　not　all　at　once　forget　the　time
when　I　used　without　ceremony　to　go　into　Bonaparte's　chamber　and　wake　him
at　the　appointed　hour。　　As　to　Bonaparte　I　had　not　seen　him　since　he　sent
for　me　after　the　condemnation　of　Georges；　when　I　saw　that　my　candour
relative　to　Moreau　was　not　displeasing　to　him。　　Moreau　had　since　quitted
France　without　Napoleon's　subjecting　him　to　the　application　of　the　odious
law　which　has　only　been　repealed　since　the　return　of　the　Bourbons；　and　by
virtue　of　which　he　was　condemned　to　the　confiscation　of　his　property。
Moreau　sold　his　estate　of　Gros　Bois　to　Bertliier；　and　proceeded　to　Cadiz；
whence　he　embarked　for　America。　　I　shall　not　again　have　occasion　to　speak
of　him　until　the　period　of　the　intrigues　into　which　he　was　drawn　by　the
same　influence　which　ruined　him　in　France。

On　the　evening　of　the　day　when　I　received　the　kind　message　from　Josephine
I　had　an　official　invitation　to　proceed　the　next　day　to　Malmaison；　where
the　Emperor　then　was。　　I　was　much　pleased　at　the　idea　of　seeing　him　there
rather　than　at　the　Tuileries；　or　even　at　St。　Cloud。　　Our　former　intimacy
at　Malmaison　made　me　feel　more　at　my　ease　respecting　an　interview　of
which　my　knowledge　of　Bonaparte's　character　led　me　to　entertain　some
apprehension。　　Was　I　to　be　received　by　my　old　comrade　of　Brienne；　or　by
His　Imperial　Majesty？　　I　was　received　by　my　old　college　companion。

On　my　arrival　at　Malmaison　I　was　ushered　into　the　tentroom　leading　to　the
library。　　How　I　was　astonished　at　the　good…natured　familiarity　with　which
he　received　me！　　This　extraordinary　man　displayed；　if　I　may　employ　the
term；　a　coquetry　towards　me　which　surprised　me；　notwithstanding　my　past
knowledge　of　his　character。　　He　came　up　to　me　with　a　smile　on　his　lips；
took　my　hand　（which　he　had　never　done　since　he　was　Consul）；　pressed　it
affectionately；　and　it　was　impossible　that　I　could　look　upon　him　as　the
Emperor　of　France　and　the　future　King　of　Italy。　　Yet　I　was　too　well　aware
of　his　fits　of　pride　to　allow　his　familiarity　to　lead　me　beyond　the
bounds　of　affectionate　respect。　　〃My　dear　Bourrienne；〃　said　he；　〃can　you
suppose　that　the　elevated　rank　I　have　attained　has　altered　my　feelings
towards　you？　　No。　　I　do　not　attach　importance　to　the　glitter　of
Imperial　pomp；　all　that　is　meant　for　the　people；　but　I　must　still　be
valued　according　to　my　deserts。　　I　have　been　very　well　satisfied　with
your　services；　and　I　have　appointed　you　to　a　situation　where　I　shall　have
occasion　for　them。　　I　know　that　I　can　rely　upon　you。〃　　He　then　asked　with
great　warmth　of　friendship　what　I　was　about；　and　inquired　after　my
family；　etc。　　In　short；　I　never　saw　him　display　less　reserve　or　more
familiarity　and　unaffected　simplicity；　which　he　did　the　more　readily；
perhaps；　because　his　greatness　was　now　incontestable。

〃You　know；〃　added　Napoleon；　〃that　I　set　out　in　a　week　for　Italy。　　I　shall
make　myself　King；　but　that　is　only　a　stepping…stone。　　I　have　greater
designs　respecting　Italy。

It　must　be　a　kingdom　comprising　all　the　Transalpine　States；　from　Venice
to　the　Maritime　Alps。　　The　union　of　Italy　with　France　can　only　be
temporary；　but　it　is　necessary；　in　order　to　accustom　the　nations　of　Italy
to　live　under　common　laws。　　The　Genoese；　the　Piedmontese；　the　Venetians；
the　Milanese；　the　inhabitants　of　Tuscany；　the　Romans；　and　the
Neapolitans；　hate　each　other。　　None　of　them　will　acknowledge　the
superiority　of　the　other；　and　yet　Rome　is；　from　the　recollections
connected　with　it；　the　natural　capital　of　Italy。　　To　make　it　so；　however；
it　is　necessary　that　the　power　of　the　Pope　should　be　confined　within
limits　purely　spiritual。　　I　cannot　now　think　of　this；　but　I　will　reflect
upon　it　hereafter。　　At　present　I　have　only　vague　ideas　on　the　subject；
but　they　will　be　matured　in　time；　and　then　all　depends　on　circumstances。
What　was　it　told　me；　when　we　were　walking　like　two　idle　fellows；　as　we
were；　in　the　streets　of　Paris；　that　I　should　one　day　be　master　of　France
my　wishmerely　a　vague　wish。　　Circumstances　have　done　the　rest。　　It　is
therefore　wise　to　look　into　the　future；　and　that　I　do。　　With　respect　to
Italy；　as　it　will　be　impossible　with　one　effort　to　unite　her　so　as　to
form　a　single　power；　subject　to　uniform　laws；　I　will　begin　by　making　her
French。　　All　these　little　States　will　insensibly　become　accustomed　to　the
same　laws；　and　when　manners　shall　be　assimilated　and　enmities
extinguished；　then　there　will　be　an　Italy；　and　I　will　give　her
independence。　　But　for　that　I　must　have　twenty　years；　and　who　can　count
on　the　future？　　Bourrienne；　I　feel　pleasure　in　telling　you　all　this。　　It
was　locked　up　in　my　mind。　　With　you　I　think　aloud。〃

I　do　not　believe　that　I　have　altered　two　words　of　what　Bonaparte　said　to
me　respecting　Italy；　so　perfect；　I　may　now　say　without　vaniy；　was　my
memory　then；　and　so　confirmed　was　my　habit　of　fixing　in　it　all　that　he
said　to　me。　　After　having　informed　me　of　his　vague　projects　Bonaparte；
with　one　of　those　transitions　so　common　to　him；　said；　〃By　the　by；
Bourrienne；　I　have　something　to　tell　you。　　Madame　de　Brienne　has　begged
that　I　will　pass　through　Brienne；　and　I　promised　that　I　will。　　I　will　not
conceal　from　you　that　I　shall　feel　great　pleasure　in　again　beholding　the
spot　which　for　six　years　was　the　scene　of　our　boysh　sports　and　studies。〃
Taking　advantage　of　the　Emperor's　good　humour　I　ventured　to　tell　him　what
happiness　it　would　give　me　if　it　were　possible　that　I　could　share　with
him　the　revival　of　all　recollections　which　were　mutually　dear　to　us。　　But
Napoleon；　after　a　moment's　pause；　said　with　extreme　kindness；　〃Hark　ye；
Bourrienne；　in　your　situation　and　mine　this　cannot　be。　　It　is　more　than
two　years　since　we　parted。　　What　would　be　said　of　so　sudden　a
reconciliation？　　I　tell　you　frankly　that　I　have　regretted　you；　and　the
circumstances　in　which　I　have　frequently　been　placed　have　often　made　me
wish　to　recall　you。　　At　Boulogne　I　was　quite　resolved　upon　it。　　Rapp；
perhaps；　has　informed　you　of　it。　　He　liked　you；　and　he　assured　me　that　he
would　be　delighted　at　your　return。　　But　if　upon　reflection　I　changed　my
mind　it　was　because；