memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第15节

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true　object　of　Napoleons　last　journey　to　Boulogne。

I　had　been　some　time　at　Hamburg　when　these　events　took　place；　and　it　was
curious　to　observe　the　effect　they　produced。　　But　I　must　not　forget　one
circumstance　in　which　I　am　personally　concerned；　and　which　brings　me　back
to　the　time　when　I　was　in　Paris。　　My　new　title　of　Minister
Plenipotentiary　obliged　me　to　see　a　little　more　of　society　than　during
the　period　when　prudence　required　me　to　live　as　it　were　in　retirement。
I　had　received　sincere　congratulations　from　Duroc；　Rape；　and　Lauriston；
the　three　friends　who　had　shown　the　greatest　readiness　to　serve　my
interests　with　the　Emperor；　and　I　had　frequent　occasion　to　see　M。
Talleyrand；　as　my　functions　belonged　to　his　department。　　The　Emperor；　on
my　farewell　audience；　having　informed　me　that　I　was　to　correspond
directly　with　the　Minister　of　the　General　Police；　I　called　on　Fouche；　who
invited　me　to　spend　some　days　at　his　estate　of　Pont…Carre。　　I　accepted
the　invitation　because　I　wanted　to　confer　with　him；　and　I　spent　Sunday
and　Monday；　the　28th　and　29th　of　April；　at　Pont…Carre。

Fouche；　like　the　Emperor；　frequently　revealed　what　he　intended　to
conceal；　but　he　had　such　a　reputation　for　cunning　that　this　sort　of
indiscretion　was　attended　by　no　inconvenience　to　him。　　He　was　supposed　to
be　such　a　constant　dissembler　that　those　who　did　not　know　him　well　looked
upon　the　truth　when　he　spoke　it　merely　as　an　artful　snare　laid　to　entrap
them。　　I；　however；　knew　that　celebrated　person　too　well　to　confound　his
cunning　with　his　indiscretion。　　The　best　way　to　get　out　of　him　more　than
he　was　aware　of　was　to　let　him　talk　on　without　interruption。　　There　were
very　few　visitors　at　Pont…Carre；　and　during　the　two　days　I　spent　there　I
had　several　conversations　with　Fouche。　　He　told　me　a　great　deal　about　the
events　of　1804；　and　he　congratulated　himself　on　having　advised　Napoleon
to　declare　himself　Emperor　〃I　have　no　preference；〃　says　Fouche；　〃for
one　form　of　government　more　than　another。　　Forms　signify　nothing。　　The
first　object　of　the　Revolution　was　not　the　overthrow　of　the　Bourbons；　but
merely　the　reform　of　abuses　and　the　destruction　of　prejudices。　　However；
when　it　was　discovered　that　Louis　XVI。　had　neither　firmness　to　refuse
what　he　did　not　wish　to　grant；　nor　good　faith　to　grant　what　his　weakness
had　led　him　to　promise；　it　was　evident　that　the　Bourbons　could　no　longer
reign　over　France　and　things　were　carried　to　such　a　length　that　we　were
under　the　necessity　of　condemning　Louis　XVI。　and　resorting　to　energetic
measures。　　You　know　all　that　passed　up　to　the　18th　Brumaire；　and　after。
We　all　perceived　that　a　Republic　could　not　exist　in　France；　the　question；
therefore；　was　to　ensure　the　perpetual　removal　of　the　Bourbons；　and　I
behaved　the　only　means　for　so　doing　was　to　transfer　the　inheritance　of
their　throne　to　another　family。　　Some　time　before　the　18th　Brumaire　I　had
a　conversation　with　Sieyes　and　Barras；　in　which　it　was　proposed；　in　case
of　the　Directory　being　threatened；　to　recall　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　and　I
could　see　very　well　that　Barras　favoured　that　suggestion；　although　he
alluded　to　it　merely　as　a　report　that　was　circulated　about；　and
recommended　me　to　pay　attention　to　it。　　Sieyes　said　nothing；　and　I
settled　the　question　by　observing；　that　if　any　such　thing　had　been
agitated　I　must　have　been　informed　of　it　through　the　reports　of　my
agents。　　I　added；　that　the　restoration　of　the　throne　to　a　collateral
branch　of　the　Bourbons　would　be　an　impolitic　act；　and　would　but
temporarily　change　the　position　of　those　who　had　brought　about　the
Revolution。　　I　rendered　an　account　of　this　interview　with　Barras　to
General　Bonaparte　the　first　time　I　had　an　opportunity　of　conversing　with
him　after　your　return　from　Egypt。　　I　sounded　him；　and　I　was　perfectly
convinced　that　in　the　state　of　decrepitude　into　which　the　Directory　had
fallen　he　was　just　the　man　we　wanted。　　I　therefore　adopted　such　measures
with　the　police　as　tended　to　promote　his　elevation　to　the　First
Magistracy。　　He　soon　showed　himself　ungrateful；　and　instead　of　giving　me
all　his　confidence　he　tried　to　outwit　me。　　He　put　into　the　hands　of　a
number　of　persons　various　matters　of　police　which　were　worse　than
useless。　　Most　of　their　agents；　who　were　my　creatures；　obeyed　my
instructions　in　their　reports；　and　it　often　happened　that　the　First
Consul　　thought　he　had　discovered；　through　the　medium　of　others；
information　that　came　from　me；　and　of　the　falsehood　of　which　I　easily
convinced　him。　　I　confess　I　was　at　fault　on　the　3d　Nivoise；　but　are　there
any　human　means　of　preventing　two　men；　who　have　no　accomplices；　from
bringing　a　plot　to　execution？　　You　saw　the　First　Consul　on　his　return
from　the　opera；　you　heard　all　his　declamations。　　I　felt　assured　that　the
infernal　machine　was　the　work　of　the　Royalists。　　I　told　the　Emperor　this；
and　he　was；　I　am　sure；　convinced　of　it；　but　he；　nevertheless；　proscribes
a　number　of　men　on　the　mere　pretence　of　their　old　opinions。　　Do　you
suppose　I　am　ignorant　of　what　he　said　of　me　and　of　my　vote　at　the
National　Convention？　　Most　assuredly　it　ill　becomes　him　to　reproach　the
Conventionists。　　It　was　that　vote　which　placed　the　crown　upon　his　head。
But　for　the　situation　in　which　we　were　placed　by　that　event；　which
circumstances　had　rendered　inevitable；　what　should　we　have　cared　for　the
chance　of　seeing　the　Bourbons　return？　　You　must　have　remarked　that　the
Republicans；　who　were　not　Conventionists；　were　in　general　more　averse
than　we　to　the　proceedings　of　the　18th　Brumaire；　as；　for　example；
Bernadotte　and　Moreau。　　I　know　positively　that　Moreau　was　averse　to　the
Consulate；　and　that　it　was　only　from　irresolution　that　he　accepted　the
custody　of　the　Directory。　　I　know　also　that　he　excused　himself　to　his
prisoners　for　the　duty　which　had　devolved　upon　him。　　They　themselves　told
me　this。

Fouche　entered　further　into　many　details　respecting　his　conduct；　and　the
motives　which　had　urged　him　to　do　what　he　did　in　favour　of　the　First
Consul。　　My　memory　does　not　enable　me　to　report　all　he　told　me；　but　I
distinctly　recollect　that　the　impression　made　on　my　mind　by　what　fell
from　him　was；　that　he　had　acted　merely　with　a　view　to　his　own　interests。
He　did　not　conceal　his　satisfaction　at　having　outwitted　Regnier；　and
obliged　Bonaparte　to　recall　him；　that　he　set　in　motion　every　spring
calculated　to　unite　the　conspirators；　or　rather　to　convert　the
discontented　into　conspirators；　is　evident　from　the　following　remarks
which　fell　from　him：　〃With　the　information　I　possessed；　had　I　remained　in
office　it　is　probable　that　I　might　have　prevented　the　conspiracy；　but
Bonaparte　would　still　have　had　to　fear　the　rivalry　of　Moreau。　　He　would
not　have　been　Emperor；　and　we　should　still　have　had　to　dread　the　return
of　the　Bourbons；　of　which；　thank　God；　there　is　now　no　fear。〃

During　my　stay　at　Pont…Carry　I　said　but　little　to　Fouche　about　my　long
audience　with　the　Emperor。　　However；　I　thought　I　might　inform　him　that　I
was　authorised　to　correspond　directly　with　his　Majesty。　　I　thought　it
useless　to　conceal　this　fact；　since　he　would　soon　learn　it　through　his
agents。　　I　also　said　a　few　words　about　Bonaparte's　regret　at　not　having
children。　　My　object　was　to　learn　Fouche's　opinion　on　this　subject；　and
it　was　not　without　a　feeling　of　indignation　that　I　heard　him　say；　〃It　is
to　be　hoped　the　Empress　will　soon　die。　　Her　death　will　remove　many
difficulties。　　Sooner　or　later　he　must　take　a　wife　who　will　bear　him　a
child；　for　as　long　as　he　has　no　direct　heir　there　is　every　chance　that
his　death　will　be　the　signal　for　a　Revolution。　　His　brothers　are
perfectly　incapable　of　filling　his　place；　and　a　new　party　would　rise　up
in　favour　of　the　Bourbons；　which　must　be　prevented　above　all　things。　　At
present　they　are　not　dangerous；　though　they　still　have　active　and　devoted
agents。　　Altona　is　full　of　them；　and　you　will　be　surrounded　by　them。
I　beg　of　you　to　keep　a　watchful　eye　upon　them；　and　render　me　a　strict
account　of　all　their　movements；　and　even　of　their　most　trivial　actions。
As　they　have　recourse　to　all　sorts　of　disguises；　you　cannot　be　too
vigilant；　therefore　it　will　be　advisable；　in　the　first　place；　to
establish　a　good　system　of　espionage；　but　have　a　care　of　the　spies　who
serve　both　sides；　for　they　swarm　in　Germany。〃

This　is　all　I　recollect　of　my；　conversations　with　Fouche　at　Pont…Carre。
I　returned　to　Paris　to　make　preparations　for　my　journey　to　Hamburg。




CHAPTER　XXXII。

1805。

　　　　　Capitulation　of　SublingenPreparations　for　warUtility　of
　　　　　commercial　informationMy　instructionsInspection　of　the　emigrants
　　　　　and　the　journalsA　pamphlet　by　KotzebueOffers　from　the　Emperor　of
　　　　　Russia　to　MoreauPortrait　of　Gustavus　Adolphus　by　one　of　his
　　　　　ministersFouche's　denunciationsDuels　at　HamburgM。　de　Gimel
　　　　　The　Hamburg　CorrespondentLetter　from　Bernadotte。

I　left　Paris　on　the　20th　of　May　1805。　　On　the　5th　of　June　following　I
delivered　my　credentials　to　the　Senate　of　Hamburg；　which　was　represented
by　the　Syndic　Doormann　and　the　Senator　Schutte。　　M。　Reinhart；　my
predecessor；　left　Hamburg　on　the　12th　of　June。

The　reigning　Dukes　of　Mecklenburg…Schwerin　and　Brunswick；　to　whom　I　had
announced　my　arrival　as　accredited　Min