napoleon bonaparte, v1-第2节

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wonders　of　the　Empire；　what　is　left　to…day？　　If　the　strength　of　our
manhood　was　passed　amid　the　bustle　of　years　so　short；　yet　so　fully
occupied；　our　careers　were　sufficiently　long　and　fruitful；　and　it　is　time
to　give　ourselves　up　to　repose。　　We　can　withdraw　from　the　world；　and
close　our　eyes。　　Can　it　be　possible　to　see　anything　equal　to　what　we　have
seen？　　Such　scenes　do　not　come　twice　in　the　lifetime　of　any　man；　and
having　seen　them；　they　suffice　to　occupy　his　memory　through　all　his
remaining　years；　and　in　retirement　he　can　find　nothing　better　to　occupy
his　leisure　moments　than　the　recollections　of　what　he　has　witnessed。

Thus　it　has　been　with　me。　　The　reader　will　readily　believe　that　I　have
had　no　greater　pleasure　than　that　of　recalling　the　memories　of　the　years
passed　in　the　service　of　the　Emperor。　　As　far　as　possible；　I　have　kept
myself　informed　as　to　everything　that　has　been　written　of　my　former
master；　his　family；　and　his　court；　and　while　listening　to　these
narrations　read　by　my　wife　and　sister　at　our　fireside；　the　long　evenings
have　passed　like　an　instant！　　When　I　found　in　these　books；　some　of　which
are　truly　only　miserable　rhapsodies；　statements　which　were　incorrect；
false；　or　slanderous；　I；　took　pleasure　in　correcting　such　statements；　or
in　showing　their　absurdity。　　My　wife；　who　lived；　as　I　did；　in　the　midst
of　these　events；　also　made　her　corrections；　and；　without　other　object
than　our　own　satisfaction；　made　notes　of　our　joint　observations。

All　who　came　to　see　us　in　our　retreat；　and　took　pleasure　in　having　me
narrate　what　I　had　seen；　were　astonished　and　often　indignant　at　the
falsehoods　with　which　ignorance　or　malevolence　had　calumniated　the
Emperor　and　the　Empire；　and　expressing　their　gratitude　for　the　correct
information　I　was　able　to　give　them；　advised　me　also　to　furnish　it　to　the
public。　　But　I　attached　no　importance　to　the　suggestion；　and　was　far　from
dreaming　that　some　day　I　should　be　the　author　of　a　book；　until　M。
Ladvocat　came　to　our　hermitage；　and　urged　me　earnestly　to　publish　my
memoirs；　offering　himself　to　become　the　publisher。

At　the　very　time　my　wife　and　I　received　this　unexpected　visit；　we　were
reading　together　the　Memoirs　of　Bourrienne；　which　the　Ladvocat
publishing…house　had　just　issued；　and　we　had　remarked　more　than　once　how
exempt　these　Memoirs　were　from　both　that　spirit　of　disparagement　and　of
adulation　which　we　had　noticed　with　disgust　in　other　books　on　the　same
subject。　　M。　Ladvocat　advised　me　to　complete　the　sketch　of　the　Emperor；
which；　owing　to　his　elevated　position　and　habitual　occupations；
Bourrienne　had　been　able　to　make　only　from　a　political　point　of　view；　and
in　accordance　with　his　advice；　I　shall　relate　in　simple　words；　and　in　a
manner　suited　to　my　relations　with　the　Emperor；　those　things　which
Bourrienne　has　necessarily　omitted；　and　which　no　one　could　know　so　well
as　I。

I　candidly　admit　that　my　objections　to　M。　Ladvocat's　advice　were　entirely
overcome　when　he　called　my　attention　to　this　passage　in　the　introduction
to　Bourrienne's　memoirs：　〃If　every　one　who　had　any　relations　with
Napoleon；　whatever　the　time　and　place；　will　accurately　and　without
prejudice　record　what　he　saw　and　heard；　the　future　historian　of　his　life
will　be　rich　in　materials。　　I　hope　that　whoever　undertakes　that　difficult
task　will　find　in　my　notes　some　information　which　may　be　useful　in
perfecting　his　work。〃

Having　re…read　these　lines　attentively；　I　said　to　myself　that　I　could
furnish　memoranda　and　information　which　would　refute　errors；　brand
falsehoods；　and　bring　to　light　what　I　knew　to　be　the　truth。　　In　a　word；　I
felt　that　I　could　give　in　my　testimony；　and　that　it　was　my　duty　to　do　so；
in　the　long　trial　which　has　been　held　ever　since　the　overthrow　of　the
Emperor；　for　I　had　been　an　eye…witness；　had　seen　everything；　and　could
say；　〃I　was　there。〃　　Others　also　have　been　close　to　the　Emperor　and　his
court；　and　I　may　often　repeat　what　they　have　said；　for　the　feats　which
they　describe　I　had　the　same　opportunity　of　witnessing；　but；　on　the　other
hand；　whatever　I　know　of　private　matters；　and　whatever　I　may　reveal　which
was　secret　and　unknown；　no　one　till　this　time　could　possibly　have　known；
or　consequently　have　related。

From　the　departure　of　the　First　Consul　for　the　campaign　of　Marengo；
whither　I　went　with　him；　until　the　departure　from　Fontainebleau；　when　I
was　compelled　to　leave　him；　I　was　absent　only　twice；　once　for　three　days
and　once　for　seven　or　eight　days。　　Excepting　these　short　leaves　of
absence；　the　latter　of　which　was　on　account　of　my　health；　I　quitted　the
Emperor　no　more　than　his　shadow。

It　has　been　said　that　no　one　is　a　hero　to　his　valet　de　chambre。　　I　beg
leave　to　dissent　from　this。　　The　Emperor；　as　near　as　I　was　to　him；　was
always　a　hero；　and　it　was　a　great　advantage　also　to　see　the　man　as　he
was。　　At　a　distance　you　were　sensible　only　of　the　prestige　of　his　glory
and　his　power；　but　on　getting　closer　to　him　you　enjoyed；　besides；　the
surprising　charm　of　his　conversation；　the　entire　simplicity　of　his　family
life；　and　I　do　not　hesitate　to　say；　the　habitual　kindliness　of　his
character。

The　reader；　if　curious　to　learn　beforehand　in　what　spirit　these　Memoirs
are　written；　will　perhaps　read　with　interest　this　passage　of　a　letter
that　I　wrote　to　my　publisher：

　　　　　〃Bourrienne　had；　perhaps；　reason　for　treating　Napoleon；　as　a　public
　　　　　man；　with　severity。　　But　we　view　him　from　different　standpoints；　and
　　　　　I　speak　only　of　the　hero　in　undress。　　He　was　then　almost　always
　　　　　kind；　patient；　and　rarely　unjust。　　He　was　much　attached　to　those
　　　　　about　him；　and　received　with　kindness　and　good　nature　the　services
　　　　　of　those　whom　he　liked。　　He　was　a　man　of　habit。　　It　is　as　a　devoted
　　　　　servant　that　I　wish　to　speak　of　the　Emperor；　and　in　no　wise　as　a
　　　　　critic。　　It　is　not；　however；　an　apotheosis　in　several　volumes　that　I
　　　　　wish　to　write：　for　I　am　on　this　point　somewhat　like　fathers　who
　　　　　recognize　the　faults　of　their　children；　and　reprove　them　earnestly；
　　　　　while　at　the　same　time　they　are　ready　to　make　excuses　for　their
　　　　　errors。〃

I　trust　that　I　shall　be　pardoned　the　familiarity；　or；　if　you　will；　the
inappropriateness　of　this　comparison；　for　the　sake　of　the　feeling　which
dictates　it。　　Besides；　I　do　not　propose　either　to　praise　or　blame；　but
simply　to　relate　that　which　fell　within　my　knowledge；　without　trying　to
prejudice　the　opinion　of　any　one。

I　cannot　close　this　introduction　without　a　few　words　as　to　myself；　in
reply　to　the　calumnies　which　have　not　spared；　even　in　his　retirement；　a
man　who　should　have　no　enemies；　if；　to　be　protected　from　malice；　it　were
sufficient　to　have　done　a　little　good；　and　no　harm　to　any　one。　　I　am
reproached　with　having　abandoned　my　master　after　his　fall；　and　not　having
shared　his　exile。　　I　will　show　that；　if　I　did　not　follow　the　Emperor；　it
was　because　I　lacked　not　the　will　but　the　power　to　do　so。　　God　knows　that
I　do　not　wish　to　undervalue　the　devotion　of　the　faithful　servants　who
followed　the　fortunes　of　the　Emperor　to　the　end。　　However；　it　is　not
improper　to　say　that；　however　terrible　the　fall　of　the　Emperor　was　for
him；　the　situation　（I　speak　here　only　of　the　personal　advantages）；　in　the
island　of　Elba；　of　those　who　remained　in　his　service；　and　who　were　not
detained　in　France　by　an　inexorable　necessity；　was　still　not　without　its
advantages；　and　it　was　not；　therefore；　my　personal　interests　which　caused
me　to　leave　him。　　I　shall　explain　hereafter　my　reasons　for　quitting　his
service。

I　shall　also　give　the　truth　as　to　the　alleged　abuse　of　confidence；　of
which；　according　to　others；　I　was　guilty　in　respect　to　the　Emperor。
A　simple　statement　of　the　mistake　which　gave　rise　to　this　falsehood；
I　trust；　will　clear　me　of　every　suspicion　of　indelicacy；　but　if　it　is
necessary　to　add　other　proofs；　I　could　obtain　them　from　those　who　lived
nearest　to　the　Emperor；　and　who　were　in　a　condition　to　both　know　and
understand　what　passed　between　us；　and　lastly；　I　invoke　fifty　years　of　a
blameless　life；　and　I　can　say：　〃When　I　was　in　a　situation　to　render　great
services；　I　did　so；　but　I　never　sold　them。　　I　could　have　derived
advantages　from　the　petitions　that　I　made　for　people；　who；　in　consequence
of　my　solicitations；　have　acquired　immense　fortunes；　but　I　refused　even
the　proper　acknowledgment　which　in；　their　gratitude　（very　deep　at　that
time）　they　felt　compelled　to　offer　me；　by　proposing　an　interest　in　their
enterprises。　　I　did　not　seek　to　take　advantage；　for　my　own　benefit；　of
the　generosity　with　which　the　Emperor　so　long　deigned　to　honor　me；　in
order　to　enrich　or　secure　places　for　my　relatives；　and　I　retired　poor
after　fifteen　years　passed　in　the　personal　service　of　the　richest　and
most　powerful　monarch　of　Europe。〃

Having　made　these　statements；　I　shall　await　with　confidence　the　judgment
of　my　readers。







RECOLLECTIONS　OF　THE　PRIVATE　LIFE　OF　NAPOLEON

CHAPTER　I。

I　shall　refer　to　myself　very　little　in　these　memoirs；　for　I　am　aware　the
public　will　examine　them　only　for　details　concerning　the　great　man　to
whom　fortune　attached　me　for　sixteen　years；　and　whom　I　scarcely　quitted
during　the　whole　of　that　time。　　Notwithstanding；　I　ask　permission　to　say