memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第15节

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it　was　no　such　thing。　　The　movement　was　directed　on　Paris；　while　Blucher；
who　had　re…occupied　Chalons…sur…Maine；　marched　to　meet　Prince
Schwartzenberg；　and　Napoleon；　thinking　to　cut　off　their　retreat；　was
himself　cut　off　from　the　possibility　of　returning　to　Paris。　　Everything
then　depended　on　the　defence　of　Paris；　or；　to　speak　more　correctly；　it
seemed　possible；　by　sacrificing　the　capital；　to　prolong　for　a　few　days
the　existence　of　the　phantom　of　the　Empire　which　was　rapidly　vanishing。
On　the　26th　was　fought　the　battle　of　Fere　Champenoise；　where；　valour
yielding　to　numbers；　Marshals　Marmont　and　Mortier　were　obliged　to　retire
upon　Sezanne　after　sustaining　considerable　loss。

It　was　on　the　26th　of　March；　and　I　beg　the　reader　to　bear　this　date　in
mind；　that　Napoleon　suffered　a　loss　which；　in　the　circumstances　in　which
he　stood；　was　irreparable。　　At　the　battle　of　Fere　Champenoise　the　Allies
captured　a　convoy　consisting　of　nearly　all　the　remaining　ammunition　and
stores　of　the　army；　a　vast　quantity　of　arms；　caissons；　and　equipage　of
all　kinds。　　The　whole　became　the　prey　of　the　Allies；　who　published　a
bulletin　announcing　this　important　capture。　　A　copy　of　this　order　of　the
day　fell　into　the　hands　of　Marshal　Macdonald；　who　thought　that　such　news
ought　immediately　to　be　communicated　to　the　Emperor。　　He　therefore
repaired　himself　to　the　headquarters　of　Napoleon；　who　was　then　preparing
to　recover　Vitre…le…Francais；　which　was　occupied　by　the　Prussians。　　The
Marshal；　with　the　view　of　dissuading　the　Emperor　from　what　he　considered
a　vain　attempt；　presented　him　with　the　bulletin。

This　was　on　the　morning　of　the　27th：　Napoleon　would　not　believe　the　news。
〃No！〃　said　he　to　the　Marshal；　〃you　are　deceived；　this　cannot　be　true。〃
Then　perusing　the　bulletin　with　more　attention。　　〃Here；〃　said　he；　〃look
yourself。　　This　is　the　27th；　and　the　bulletin　is　dated　the　29th。　　You　see
the　thing　is　impossible。　　The　bulletin　is　forged！〃　　The　Marshal；　who　had
paid　more　attention　to　the　news　than　to　its　date；　was　astounded。　　But
having　afterwards　shown　the　bulletin　to　Drouot；　that　General　said；　〃Alas！
Marshal；　the　news　is　but　too　true。　　The　error　of　the　date　is　merely　a
misprint；　the　9　is　a　6　inverted！〃　On　what　trifles　sometimes　depend　the
most　important　events。　　An　inverted　cipher　sufficed　to　flatter
Bonaparte's　illusion；　or　at　least　the　illusions　which　he　wished　to
maintain　among　his　most　distinguished　lieutenants；　and　to　delay　the
moment　when　they　should　discover　that　the　loss　they　deplored　was　too
certain。　　On　that　very　day　the　Empress　left　Paris。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

1814。

　　　　　The　men　of　the　Revolution　and　the　men　of　the　EmpireThe　Council　of
　　　　　RegencyDeparture　of　the　Empress　from　ParisMarmont　and　Mortier
　　　　　Joseph's　flightMeeting　at　Marmont's　hotelCapitulation　of　Paris
　　　　　Marmont's　interview　with　the　Emperor　at　FontainebleauColonels
　　　　　Fabvier　and　DenysThe　Royalist　cavalcadeMeeting　at　the　hotel　of
　　　　　the　Comte　de　MorfontaineM。　de　Chateaubriand　and　his　pamphlet
　　　　　Deputation　to　the　Emperor　AlexanderEntrance　of　the　Allied
　　　　　sovereigns　into　ParisAlexander　lodged　in　M。　Talleyrand's　hotel
　　　　　Meetings　held　thereThe　Emperor　Alexander's　declaration
　　　　　My　appointment　as　Postmaster…GeneralComposition　of　the　Provisional
　　　　　GovernmentMistake　respecting　the　conduct　of　the　Emperor　of
　　　　　AustriaCaulaincourt's　mission　from　NapoleonHis　interview　with
　　　　　the　Emperor　AlexanderAlexander's　address　to　the　deputation　of　the
　　　　　SenateM。　de　Caulaincourt　ordered　to　quit　the　capital。

The　grandees　of　the　Empire　and　the　first　subjects　of　Napoleon　were
divided　into　two　classes　totally　distinct　from　each　other。　　Among　these
patronised　men　were　many　who　had　been　the　first　patrons　of　Bonaparte　and
had　favoured　his　accession　to　Consular　power。　　This　class　was　composed　of
his　old　friends　and　former　companions…in…arms。　　The　others；　who　may　be
called　the　children　of　the　Empire；　did　not　carry　back　their　thoughts　to　a
period　which　they　had　not　seen。　　They　had　never　known　anything　but
Napoleon　and　the　Empire；　beyond　which　the　sphere　of　their　ideas　did　not
extend；　while　among　Napoleon's　old　brothers…in…arms　it　was　still
remembered　that　there　was　once　a　country；　a　France；　before　they　had
helped　to　give　it　a　master。　　To　this　class　of　men　France　was　not　confined
to　the　narrow　circle　of　the　Imperial　headquarters；　but　extended　to　the
Rhine；　the　Alps；　the　Pyrenees；　and　the　two　oceans。

On　the　other　hand；　numbers　of　ardent　and　adventurous　young　men；　full　of
enthusiasm　for　Bonaparte；　had　passed　from　the　school　to　the　camp。　　They
were　entirely　opposed　to　Napoleon's　downfall；　because　with　his　power
would　vanish　those　dreams　of　glory　and　fortune　which　had　captivated　their
imaginations。　　These　young　men；　who　belonged　to　the　class　which　I　have
denominated　children　of　the　Empire；　were　prepared　to　risk　and　commit
everything　to　prolong　the　political　life　of　their　Emperor。

The　distinction　I　have　drawn　between　what　may　be　called　the　men　of　France
and　the　men　of　the　Empire　was　not　confined　to　the　army；　but　was　equally
marked　among　the　high　civil　functionaries　of　the　State。　　The　old
Republicans　could　not　possibly　regard　Napoleon　with　the　same　eyes　as
those　whose　elevation　dated　only　from　Napoleon；　and　the　members　of
assemblies　anterior　to　the　18th　Brumaire　could　not　entertain　the　same
ideas　as　those　whose　notions　of　national　franchises　and　public　rights
were　derived　from　their　seats　as　auditors　in　the　Council　of　State。　　I
know　not　whether　this　distinction　between　the　men　of　two　different
periods　has　been　before　pointed　out；　but　it　serves　to　explain　the　conduct
of　many　persons　of　elevated　rank　during　the　events　of　1814。　　With　regard
to　myself；　convinced　as　I　was　of　the　certainty　of　Napoleon's　fall；　I
conceived　that　the　first　duty　of　every　citizen　was　claimed　by　his
country；　and　although　I　may　incur　censure；　I　candidly　avow　that
Napoleon's　treatment　of　me　during　the　last　four　years　of　his　power　was
not　without　some　influence　on　my　prompt　submission　to　the　Government
which　succeeded　his。　　I；　however；　declare　that　this　consideration　was　not
the　sole　nor　the　most　powerful　motive　of　my　conduct。　　Only　those　who　were
in　Paris　at　the　period　of　the　capitulation　can　form　an　idea　of　the
violence　of　party　feeling　which　prevailed　there　both　for　and　against
Napoleon；　but　without　the　name　of　the　Bourbons　ever　being　pronounced。
They　were　almost　unknown　to　the　new　generation；　forgotten　by　many　of　the
old；　and　feared　by　the　conventionalists；　at　that　time　they　possessed　only
the　frail　support　of　the　coteries　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；　and　some
remains　of　the　emigration。　　But　as　it　is　certain　that　the　emigrants　could
offer　only　vain　demonstrations　and　wishes　in　support　of　the　old　family　of
our　Kings；　they　did　little　to　assist　the　restoration　of　the　Bourbons。
Another　thing　equally　certain　is；　that　they　alone；　by　their　follies　and
absurd　pretensions；　brought　about　the　return　of　Bonaparte　and　the　second
exile　of　Louis　XVIII。　in　the　following　year。

On　the　28th　of　March　was　convoked　an　extraordinary　Council　of　Regency；
at　which　Maria　Louisa　presided。　　The　question　discussed　was；　whether　the
Empress　should　remain　in　Paris　or　proceed　to　Blois。　　Joseph　Bonaparte
strongly　urged　her　departure；　because　a　letter　from　the　Emperor　had
directed　that　in　case　of　Paris　being　threatened　the　Empress…Regent　and
all　the　Council　of　Regency　should　retire　to　Blois。　　The　Arch…Chancellor
and　the　majority　of　the　Council　were　of　the　same　opinion；　but　one　of　the
most　influential　members　of　the　Council　observed　to　Joseph　that　the
letter　referred　to　had　been　written　under　circumstances　very　different
from　those　then　existing；　and　that　it　was　important　the　Empress　should
remain　in　Paris；　where　she　would；　of　course；　obtain　from　the　Emperor　her
father　and　the　Allied　sovereigns；　more　advantageous　conditions　than　if
she　were　fifty　leagues　from　Paris。　　The　adoption　of　this　opinion　would
only　have　retarded　for　a　few　days　a　change　which　had　become　inevitable；
nevertheless　it　might　have　given　rise　to　great　difficulties。　　It　must　be
admitted　that　for　the　interests　of　Napoleon　it　was　the　wisest　counsel
that　could　be　suggested。　　However；　it　was　overruled　by　Joseph's　advice。

M。　de　Talleyrand；　as　a　member　of　the　Council　of　Regency；　also　received
the　order　to　quit　Paris　on　the　30th　of　March。　　At　this　period　I　was　at
his　house　every　day。　　When　I　went　to　him　that　day　I　was　told　he　had
started。　　However　I　went　up；　and　remained　some　time　in　his　hotel　with
several　of　his　friends　who　had　met　there。　　We　soon　saw　him　return；　and
for　my　part　I　heard　with　satisfaction　that　they　had　not　allowed　him　to
pass　the　barriers。　　It　was　said　then；　and　it　has　been　repeated　since；
that　M。　de　Talleyrand　was　not　a　stranger　to　the　gentle　violence　used
towards　him。　　The　same　day　of　this　visit　to　M。　de　Talleyrand　I　also　went
to　see　the　Duc　de　Rovigo　（Savary）；　with　the　friendly　object　of　getting
him　to　remain；　and　to　profit　by　his　position　to　prevent　disturbances。
He　refused　without　hesitating；　as　he　only　thought　of　the　Emperor。
I　found　him　by　his　fireside；　where　there　was　a　large　file；　in　which　he
was　burning　all　the　papers　which　might　have　compr