memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


this　obscurity　and　vagueness　should　have　banished　all　confidence　on　the
part　of　the　Plenipotentiaries　of　the　Allied　powers？　　Three　days　after　the
sitting　of　the　10th　of　March　they　declared　they　could　not　even　enter　into
a　discussion　of　the　verbal　protocol　of　the　French　Minister。　　They
requested　that　M。　de　Caulaincourt　would　declare　whether　he　would　accept
or　reject　the　project　of　a　treaty　presented　by　the　Allied　Sovereigns；　or
offer　a　counter…project。

The　Duke　of　Vicenza；　who　was　still　prohibited；　by　secret　instructions
from　coming　to　any　conclusion　on　the　proposed　basis；　inserted　in　the
protocol　of　the　sitting　of　the　13th　of　March　a　very　ambiguous　note。　　The
Plenipotentiaries　of　the　Allies；　in　their　reply；　insisted　upon　receiving
another　declaration　from　the　French　Plenipotentiary；　which　should　contain
an　acceptance　or　refusal　of　their　project　of　a　treaty　presented　in　the
conference　of　the　7th　of　February；　or　a　counter…project。　　After　much
discussion　Caulaincourt　agreed　to　draw　up　a　counter…project；　which　he
presented　on　the　15th；　under　the　following　title：　〃Project　of　a
definitive　Treaty　between　France　and　the　Allies。〃　　In　this　extraordinary
project；　presented　after　so　much　delay；　M。　de　Caulaincourt；　to　the　great
astonishment　of　the　Allies；　departed　in　no　respect　from　the　declarations
of　the　10th　of　March。　　He　replied　again　to　the　ultimatum　of　the　Allies；
or　what　be　wished　to　regard　as　such；　by　defending　a　multitude　of　petty
interests；　which　were　of　no　importance　in　so　great　a　contest；　but　in
general　the　conditions　seemed　rather　those　of　a　conqueror　dictating　to
his　enemies　than　of　a　man　overwhelmed　by　misfortune：　As　may　readily　be
imagined；　they　were；　for　the　most　part；　received　with　derision　by　the
Allies。

Everything　tends　to　prove　that　the　French　Plenipotentiary　had　received　no
positive　instructions　from　the　5th　of　February；　and　that；　after　all　the
delay　which　Napoleon　constantly　created；　Caulaincourt　never　had　it　in　his
power　to　answer；　categorically；　the　propositions　of　the　Allies。　　Napoleon
never　intended　to　make　peace　at　Chatillon　on　the　terms　proposed。　　He
always　hoped　that　some　fortunate　event　would　enable　him　to　obtain　more
favourable　conditions。

On　the　18th　of　March；　that　is　to　say；　three　days　after　the　presentation
of　this　project　of　a　treaty；　the　Plenipotentiaries　of　the　Allies　recorded
in　the　protocol　their　reasons　for　rejecting　the　extraordinary　project　of
the　French　Minister。　　For　my　part；　I　was　convinced；　for　the　reasons　I
have　mentioned；　that　the　Emperor　would　never　agree　to　sign　the　conditions
proposed　in　the　ultimatum　of　the　Allies；　dated　the　13th　of　March；　and　I
remember　having　expressed　that　opinion　to　M。　de　Talleyrand。　　I　saw　him　on
the　14th；　and　found　him　engaged　in　perusing　some　intelligence　he　had　just
received　from　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　announcing；　as　beyond　all　doubt；　the
early　signature　of　peace。　　Caulaincourt　had　received　orders　to　come　to　a
conclusion。　　Napoleon；　he　said；　had　given　him　a　carte　blanche　to　save　the
capital；　and　avoid　a　battle；　by　which　the　last　resources　of　the　nation
would　be　endangered。　　This　seemed　pretty　positive；　to　be　sure；　but　even
this　assurance　did　not；　for　a　moment；　alter　my　opinion。　　The　better　to
convince　me；　M。　de　Talleyrand　gave　me　Caulaincourt's　letter　to　read。
After　reading　it　I　confidently　said；　〃He　will　never　sign　the　conditions。〃
M。　de　Talleyrand　could　not　help　thinking　me　very　obstinate　in　my　opinion；
for　he　judged　of　what　the　Emperor　would　do　by　his　situation；　while　I
judged　by　his　character。　　I　told　M。　de　Talleyrand　that　Caulaincourt　might
have　received　written　orders　to　sign；　for　the　sake　of　showing　them　to　the
Plenipotentiaries　of　the　Allies；　but　that　I　had　no　doubt　he　had　been
instructed　to　postpone　coming　to　a　conclusion；　and　to　wait　for　final
orders。　　I　added；　that　I　saw　no　reason　to　change　my　opinion；　and　that　I
continued　to　regard　the　breaking　up　of　the　Congress　as　nearer　than
appearances　seemed　to　indicate。　　Accordingly；　three　days　afterwards；　the
Allies　grew　tired　of　the　delay　and　the　conferences　were　broken　up。　　Thus
Napoleon　sacrificed　everything　rather　than　his　glory。　　He　fell　from　a
great　height；　but　he　never；　by　his　signature；　consented　to　any
dismemberment　of　France。

The　Plenipotentiaries　of　the　Allies；　convinced　that　these　renewed
difficulties　and　demands　had　no　other　object　but　to　gain　time；　stated
that　the　Allied　powers；　faithful　to　their　principles；　and　in　conformity
with　their　previous　declarations；　regarded　the　negotiations　at　Chatillon
as　terminated　by　the　French　Government。　　This　rupture　of　the　conferences
took　place　on　the　19th　of　March；　six　days　after　the　presentation　of　the
ultimatum　of　the　Allied　powers。　　The　issue　of　these　long　discussions　was
thus　left　to　be　decided　by　the　chances　of　war；　which　were　not　very
favourable　to　the　man　who　boldly　contended　against　armed　Europe。　　The
successes　of　the　Allies　during　the　conferences　at　Chatillon　had　opened　to
their　view　the　road　to　Paris；　　while　Napoleon　shrunk　from　the　necessity
of　signing　his　own　disgrace。　　In　these　circumstances　was　to　be　found　the
sole　cause　of　his　ruin；　and　he　might　have　said；　〃Tout　est　perdu；　fors　la
gloire。〃　　His　glory　is　immortal。

　　　　　＇The　conviviality　and　harmony　that　reigned　between　the　Ministers
　　　　　made　the　society　and　Intercourse　at　Chatillon　most　agreeable。　　The
　　　　　diplomatists　dined　alternately　with　each　other；　M。　de　Caulaincourt
　　　　　liberally　passing　for　all　the　Ministers；　through　the　French　advanced
　　　　　posts；　convoys　of　all　the　good　cheer　in　epicurean　wises；　etc。；　that
　　　　　Paris　could　afford；　nor　was　female　society　wanting　to　complete　the
　　　　　charm　and　banish　ennui　from　the　Chatillon　Congress；　which　I　am　sure
　　　　　will　be　long　recollected　with　sensations　of　pleasure　by　all　the
　　　　　Plenipotentiaries　there　engaged　（Memoirs　of　Lord　Burghersh）。




CHAPTER　XXXIII。

1814

　　　　　Curious　conversation　between　General　Reynier　and　the　Emperor
　　　　　AlexanderNapoleon　repulses　the　PrussiansThe　Russians　at
　　　　　FontainebleauBattle　of　BrienneSketch　of　the　campaign　of　France
　　　　　Supper　after　the　battle　of　Champ　AubertIntelligence　of　the　arrival
　　　　　of　tho　Duc　d'Angouleme　and　the　Comte　d'Artois　in　FranceThe　battle
　　　　　of　the　ravens　and　the　eagleBattle　of　CraonneDeparture　of　the
　　　　　Pope　and　the　Spanish　PrincesCapture　of　a　convoyMacdonald　at　the
　　　　　Emperor's　headquartersThe　inverted　cipher。

I　was　always　persuaded；　and　everything　I　have　since　seen　has　confirmed　my
opinion；　that　the　Allies　entering　France　had　no　design　of　restoring　the
House　of　Bourbon；　or　of　imposing　any　Government　whatever　on　the　French
people。　　They　came　to　destroy　and　not　to　found。　　That　which　they　wished
to　destroy　from　the　commencement　of　their　success　was　Napoleon's
supremacy；　in　order　to　prevent　the　future　invasions　with　which　they
believed　Europe　would　still　be　constantly　threatened。　　If；　indeed；　I　had
entertained　any　doubt　on　this　subject　it　would　have　been　banished　by　the
account　I　heard　of　General　Reynier's　conversation　with　the　Emperor
Alexander。　　That　General；　who　was　made　prisoner　at　Leipsic；　was
exchanged；　and　returned　to　France。　　In　the　beginning　of　February　1814　he
passed　through　Troves；　where　the　Emperor　Alexander　then　was。　　Reynier
expressed　a　desire　to　be　allowed　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　Emperor；　and
to　thank　him　for　having　restored　him　to　liberty。　　He　was　received　with
that　affability　of　manner　which　was　sometimes　affected　by　the　Russian
monarch。

On　his　arrival　at　Paris　General　Reynier　called　at　the　Duc　de　Rovigo's；
where　I　had　dined　that　day；　and　where　he　still　was　when　I　arrived。　　He
related　in　my　hearing　the　conversation　to　which　I　have　alluded；　and
stated　that　it　had　all　the　appearance　of　sincerity　on　the　Emperor's　part。
Having　asked　Alexander　whether　he　had　any　instructions　for　Napoleon；　as
the　latter；　on　learning　that　he　had　seen　his　Majesty　would　not　fail　to
ask　him　many　questions；　he　replied　that　he　had　nothing　particular　to
communicate　to　him。　　Alexander　added　that　he　was　Napoleon's　friend；　but
that　he　had；　personally；　much　reasonto　complain　of　his　conduct；　that
the　Allies　would　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　him；　that　they　had　no
intention　of　forcing　any　Sovereign　upon　France；　but　that　they　would　no
longer　acknowledge　Napoleon　as　Emperor　of　the　French。　　〃For　my　part；〃
said　Alexander；　〃I　can　no　longer　place　any　confidence　in　him。　　He　has
deceived　me　too　often。〃　　In　reply　to　this　Reynier　made　some　remarks
dictated　by　his　attachment　and　fidelity　to　Bonaparte。　　He　observed　that
Napoleon　was　acknowledged　as　Sovereign　of　France　by　every　treaty。　　〃But；〃
added　Reynier；　〃if　you　should　persist　in　forcing　him　to　resign　the
supreme　power；　whom　will　you　put　in　his　place？〃〃Did　you　not　choose　him；
why　then　can　you　not　choose　some　one　else　to　govern　you？　　I　repeat　that
we　do　not　intend　to　force　any　one　upon　you　but　we　will　have　no　more　to　do
with　Napoleon。〃

Several　Generals　were　then　named；　and　after　Reynier　had　explained　…the
great　difficulties　which　would　oppose　any　such　choice；　Alexander
interrupted　him　saying；　〃But；　General；　there　is　Bernadotte。'　Has　he　not
been　voluntarily　chosen　Prince　Royal　of　Sweden；　may　he　not　also　be　raised
to