memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第8节

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　　　　　us　to　wear　ourselves；　we　exchanged　them　with　the　Jews　for
　　　　　piecegoods。　　The　robes　we　thus　bartered　did　not　long　remain　in　the
　　　　　hands　of　the　Jews；　and　there　must　have　been　a　great　demand　for　them
　　　　　among　the　belles　of　Mayence；　for　I　remember　a　ball　there　at　which
　　　　　the　Empress　might　have　seen　all　the　ladies　of　a　quadrille　party
　　　　　dressed　in　her　cast…off　clothes。I　even　saw　German　Princesses
　　　　　wearing　them〃　（Memoires　de　Mademoiselle　Avrillion）。

on　his　way　Cologne　and　Coblentz；which　the　emigration　had　rendered　so
famous；　and　arrived　at　Mayence；where　his　sojourn　was　distinguished　by　the
first　attempt　at　negotiation　with　the　Holy　See；　in　order　to　induce　the
Pope　to　come　to　France　to　crown　the　new　Emperor；　and　consolidate　his
power　by　supporting　it　with　the　sanction　of　the　Church。　　This　journey　of
Napoleon　occupied　three　months；　and　he　did　not　return　to　St。　Cloud　till
October。　　Amongst　the　flattering　addresses　which　the　Emperor　received　in
the　course　of　his　journey　I　cannot　pass　over　unnoticed　the　speech　of　M。
de　la　Chaise；　Prefect　of　Arras；　who　said；　〃God　made　Bonaparte；　and　then
rested。〃　　This　occasioned　Comte　Louis　de　Narbonne；　who　was　not　yet
attached　to　the　Imperial　system；　to　remark　〃That　it　would　have　been　well
had　God　rested　a　little　sooner。〃

During　the　Emperor's　absence　a　partial　change　took　place　in　the　Ministry。
M。　de　Champagny　succeeded　M。　Chaptal　as　Minister　of　the　Interior。　　At　the
camp　of　Boulogne　the　pacific　Joseph　found　himself；　by　his　brother's
wish；　transformed　into　a　warrior；　and　placed　in　command　of　a　regiment　of
dragoons；　which　was　a　subject　of　laughter　with　a　great　number　of
generals。　　I　recollect　that　one　day　Lannes；　speaking　to　me　of　the
circumstance　in　his　usual　downright　and　energetic　way；　said；　〃He　had
better　not　place　him　under　my　orders；　for　upon　the　first　fault　I　will　put
the　scamp　under　arrest。〃




CHAPTER　XXIX。

1804。

　　　　　England　deceived　by　NapoleonAdmirals　Missiessy　and　Villeneuve
　　　　　Command　given　to　LauristonNapoleon's　opinion　of　Madame　de　Stael
　　　　　Her　letters　to　NapoleonHer　enthusiasm　converted　into　hatred
　　　　　Bonaparte's　opinion　of　the　power　of　the　ChurchThe　Pope's　arrival
　　　　　at　FontainebleauNapoleon's　first　interview　with　Pius　VII。
　　　　　The　Pope　and　the　Emperor　on　a　footing　of　equalityHonours　rendered
　　　　　to　the　PopeHis　apartments　at　the　TuileriesHis　visit　to　the
　　　　　Imperial　printing　officePaternal　rebukeEffect　produced　in
　　　　　England　by　the　Pope's　presence　in　ParisPreparations　for　Napoleon's
　　　　　coronationVotes　in　favour　of　hereditary　successionConvocation　of
　　　　　the　Legislative　BodyThe　presidents　of　cantonsAnecdote　related　by
　　　　　Michot　the　actorComparisonsInfluence　of　the　Coronation　on　the
　　　　　trade　of　ParisThe　insignia　of　Napoleon　and　the　insignia　of
　　　　　CharlemagneThe　Pope's　muleAnecdote　of　the　notary　Raguideau
　　　　　Distribution　of　eagles　in　the　Champ　de　MarsRemarkable　coincidence。

England　was　never　so　much　deceived　by　Bonaparte　as　during　the　period　of
the　encampment　at　Boulogne。　　The　English　really　believed　that　an　invasion
was　intended；　and　the　Government　exhausted　itself　in　efforts　for　raising
men　and　money　to　guard　against　the　danger　of　being　taken　by　surprise。
Such；　indeed；　is　the　advantage　always　possessed　by　the　assailant。　　He　can
choose　the　point　on　which　he　thinks　it　most　convenient　to　act；　while　the
party　which　stands　on　the　defence；　and　is　afraid　of　being　attacked；　is
compelled　to　be　prepared　in　every　point。　　However；　Napoleon；　who　was　then
in　the　full　vigour　of　his　genius　and　activity；　had　always　his　eyes　fixed
on　objects　remote　from　those　which　surrounded　him；　and　which　seemed　to
absorb　his　whole　attention。　　Thus；　during　the　journey　of　which　I　have
spoken；　the　ostensible　object　of　which　was　the　organisation　of　the
departments　on　the　Rhine；　he　despatched　two　squadrons　from　Rochefort　and
Boulogne；　one　commanded　by　Missiessy；　the　other　by　VilleneuveI　shall
not　enter　into　any　details　about　those　squadrons；　I　shall　merely　mention
with　respect　to　them　that；　while　the　Emperor　was　still　in　Belgium；
Lauriston　paid　me　a　sudden　and　unexpected　visit。　　He　was　on　his　way　to
Toulon　to　take　command　of　the　troops　which　were　to　be　embarked　on
Villeneuve's　squadron；　and　he　was　not　much　pleased　with　the　service　to
which　he　had　been　appointed。

Lauriston's　visit　was　a　piece　of　good　fortune　for　me。　　We　were　always　on
friendly　terms；　and　I　received　much　information　from　him；　particularly
with　respect　to　the　manner　in　which　the　Emperor　spent　his　time。　　〃You　can
have　no　idea；〃　said　he；　〃how　much　the　Emperor　does；　and　the　sort　of
enthusiasm　which　his　presence　excites　in　the　army。　　But　his　anger　at　the
contractors　is　greater　than　ever；　and　he　has　been　very　severe　with　some
of　them。〃　　These　words　of　Lauriaton　did　not　at　all　surprise　me；　for　I
well　knew　Napoleon's　dislike　to　contractors；　and　all　men　who　had
mercantile　transactions　with　the　army。　　I　have　often　heard　him　say　that
they　were　a　curse　and　a　leprosy　to　nations；　that　whatever　power　he　might
attain；　he　never　would　grant　honours　to　any　of　them；　and　that　of　all
aristocracies；　theirs　was　to　him　the　moat　insupportable。　　After　his
accession　to　the　Empire　the　contractors　were　no　longer　the　important
persons　they　had　been　under　the　Directory；　or　even　during　the　two　first
years　of　the　Consulate。　　Bonaparte　sometimes　acted　with　them　as　he　had
before　done　with　the　Beya　of　Egypt；　when　he　drew　from　them　forced
contributions。

　　　　　＇Lauriston；　one　of　Napoleon's　aides　de　camp；　who　was　with　him　at
　　　　　the　Military　School　of　Paris；　and　who　had　been　commissioned　in　the
　　　　　artillery　at　the　same　time　as　Napoleon；　considered　that　he　should
　　　　　have　had　the　post　of　Grand　Ecuyer　which　Caulaincourt　had　obtained。
　　　　　He　had　complained　angrily　to　the　Emperor；　and　after　a　stormy
　　　　　interview　was　ordered　to　join　the　fleet　of　VilleneuveIn
　　　　　consequence　he　was　at　Trafalgar。　　On　his　return　after　Austerlitz
　　　　　his　temporary　disgrace　was　forgotten；　and　he　was　sent　as　governor　to
　　　　　Venice。　　He　became　marshal　under　the　Restoration。＇

I　recollect　another　somewhat　curious　circumstance　respecting　the　visit　of
Lauriston；　who　had　left　the　Emperor　and　Empress　at　Aix…la…Chapelle。
Lauriston　was　the　best　educated　of　the　aides　de　camp；　and　Napoleon　often
conversed　with　him　on　such　literary　works　as　he　chose　to　notice。
〃He　sent　for　me　one　day；〃　said　Lauriston；　〃when　I　was　on　duty　at　the
Palace　of　Lacken；　and　spoke　to　me　of　the　decennial　prizes；　and　the
tragedy　of　'Carion　de　Nisas'；　and　a　novel　by　Madame　de　Stael；　which　he
had　just　read；　but　which　I　had　not　seen；　and　was　therefore　rather
embarrassed　in　replying　to　him。　　Respecting　Madame　de　Stael　and　her
Delphine；　he　said　some　remarkable　things。　　'I　do　not　like　women；'　he
observed；　'who　make　men　of　themselves；　any　more　than　I　like　effeminate
men。　　There　is　s　proper　part　for　every　one　to　play　in　the　world。　　What
does　all　this　flight　of　imagination　mean？　　What　is　the　result　of　it？
Nothing。　　It　is　all　sentimental　metaphysics　and　disorder　of　the　mind。　　I
cannot　endure　that　woman；　for　one　reason；　that　I　cannot　bear　women　who
make　a　set　at　me；　and　God　knows　how　often　she　has　tried　to　cajole　me！'〃

The　words　of　Lauriston　brought　to　my　recollection　the　conversations　I　had
often　had　with　Bonaparte　respecting　Madame　de　Stael；　of　whose　advances
made　to　the　First　Consul；　and　even　to　the　General　of　the　Army　of　Italy；
I　had　frequently　been　witness。　　Bonaparte　knew　nothing　at　first　of　Madame
de　Stael　but　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　M。　Necker；　a　man　for　whom；　as　I
have　already　shown；　he　had　very　little　esteem。　　Madame　de　Stael　had　not
been　introduced　to　him；　and　knew　nothing　more　of　him　than　what　fame　had
published　respecting　the　young　conqueror　of　Italy；　when　she　addressed　to
him　letters　full　of　enthusiasm。　　Bonaparte　read　some　passages　of　them　to
me；　and；　laughing；　said；　〃What　do　you　think；　Bourrienne；　of　these
extravagances。　　This　woman　is　mad。〃　　I　recollect　that　in　one　of　her
letters　Madame　de　Stael；　among　other　things；　told　him　that　they　certainly
were　created　for　each　otherthat　it　was　in　consequence　of　an　error　in
human　institutions　that　the　quiet　and　gentle　Josephine　was　united　to　his
fatethat　nature　seemed　to　have　destined　for　the　adoration　of　a　hero
such　as　he；　a　soul　of　fire　like　her　own。　　These　extravagances　disgusted
Bonaparte　to　a　degree　which　I　cannot　describe。　　When　he　had　finished
reading　these　fine　epistles　he　used　to　throw　them　into　the　fire；　or　tear
them　with　marked　ill…humour；　and　would　say；　〃Well；　here　is　a　woman　who
pretends　to　geniusa　maker　of　sentiments；　and　she　presumes　to　compare
herself　to　Josephine！　　Bourrienne；　I　shall　not　reply　to　such　letters。〃

I　had；　however；　the　opportunity　of　seeing　what　the　perseverance　of　a
woman　of　talent　can　effect。　　Notwithstanding　Bonaparte's　prejudices
against　Madame　de　Stael；　which　he　never　abandoned；　she　succeeded　in
getting　herself　introduced　to　him；　and　if　anything　could　have　disgusted
him　with　flattery　it　would　have　been　the　admiration；　or；　to　speak　more
properly；　the　worship；　which　she　paid　him；　for　she　used　to　compare　him　to
a　god　descended　on　earth；a　kind　of　comparison　which　the　clergy；　I
thought；