memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第16节

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was　burning　all　the　papers　which　might　have　compromised　every　one　who　had
served　his　ministry　（Police）。　　I　congratulated　him　sincerely　on　this
loyal　occupation：　fire　alone　could　purify　the　mass　of　filth　and
denunciations　which　encumbered　the　police　archives。

On　the　departure　of　the　Empress　many　persons　expected　a　popular　movement
in　favour　of　a　change　of　Government；　but　the　capital　remained　tranquil。
Many　of　the　inhabitants；　indeed；　thought　of　defence；　not　for　the　sake　of
preserving　Napoleon's　government；　but　merely　from　that　ardour　of　feeling
which　belongs　to　our　national　character。　　Strong　indignation　was　excited
by　the　thought　of　seeing　foreigners　masters　of　Parisa　circumstance　of
which　there　had　been　no　example　since　the　reign　of　Charles　VII。
Meanwhile　the　critical　moment　approached。　　On　the　29th　of　March　Marshals
Marmont　and　Mortier　fell　back　to　defend　the　approaches　to　Paris。　　During
the　night　the　barriers　were　consigned　to　the　care　of　the　National　Guard；
and　not　a　foreigner；　not　even　one　of　their　agents；　was　allowed　to　enter
the　capital。

At　daybreak　on　the　30th　of　March　the　whole　population　of　Paris　was
awakened　by　the　report　of　cannon；　and　the　plain　of　St。　Denis　was　soon
covered　with　Allied　troops；　who　were　debouching　upon　it　from　all　points。
The　heroic　valour　of　our　troops　was　unavailing　against　such　a　numerical
superiority。　　But　the　Allies　paid　dearly　for　their　entrance　into　the
French　capital。　　The　National　Guard；　under　the　command　of　Marshal　Moncey；
and　the　pupils　of　the　Polytechnic　School　transformed　into　artillery　men；
behaved　in　a　manner　worthy　of　veteran　troops。　　The　conduct　of　Marmont　on
that　day　alone　would　suffice　to　immortalise　him。　　The　corps　he　commanded
was　reduced　to　between　7000　and　8000　infantry　and　800　cavalry；　with　whom；
for　the　space　of　twelve　hours　he　maintained　his　ground　against　an　army　of
55；000　men；　of　whom　it　is　said　14；000　were　killed；　wounded；　and　taken。
Marshal　Marmont　put　himself　so　forward　in　the　heat　of　the　battle　that　a
dozen　of　men　were　killed　by　the　bayonet　at　his　side；　and　his　hat　was
perforated　by　a　ball。　　But　what　was　to　be　done　against　overwhelming
numbers！

In　this　state　of　things　the　Duke　of　Ragusa　made　known　his　situation　to
Joseph　Bonaparte；　who　authorised　him　to　negotiate。

Joseph's　answer　is　so　important　in　reference　to　the　events　which
succeeded　that　I　will　transcribe　it　here。

　　　　　If　the　Dukes　of　Ragusa　and　Treviso　can　no　longer　hold　out；　they　are
　　　　　authorised　to　negotiate　with　Prince　Schwartzenberg　and　the　Emperor
　　　　　of　Russia；　who　are　before　them。

　　　　　They　will　fall　back　on　the　Loire。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　JOSEPH

　　　　　Montmartre；　30th　March　1814；　12　oclock


It　was　not　until　a　considerable　time　after　the　receipt　of　this　formal
authority　that　Marmont　and　Mortier　ceased　to　make　a　vigorous　resistance
against　the　Allied　army；　for　the　suspension　of　arms　was　not　agreed　upon
until　four　in　the　afternoon。　　It　was　not　waited　for　by　Joseph；　at　a
quarter　past　twelvethat　is　to　say；　immediately　after　he　had　addressed
to　Marmont　the　authority　just　alluded　to　Joseph　repaired　to　the　Bois　de
Boulogne　to　regain　the　Versailles　road；　and　from　thence　to　proceed　to
Rambouillet。　　The　precipitate　flight　of　Joseph　astonished　only　those　who
did　not　know　him。　　I　know　for　a　fact　that　several　officers　attached　to
his　staff　were　much　dissatisfied　at　his　alacrity　on　this　occasion。

In　these　circumstances　what　was　to　be　done　but　to　save　Paris；　which　there
was　no　possibility　of　defending　two　hours　longer。　　Methinks　I　still　see
Marmont　when；　on　the　evening　of　the　30th　of　March；　he　returned　from　the
field　of　battle　to　his　hotel　in　the　Rue　de　Paradis；　where　I　was　waiting
for　him；　together　with　about　twenty　other　persons；　among　whom　were　MM。
Perregaua　and　Lafitte。　　When　he　entered　he　was　scarcely　recognisable：　he
had　a　beard　of　eight　days'　growth；　the　greatcoat　which　covered　his
uniform　was　in　tatters；　and　he　was　blackened　with　powder　from　head　to
foot。　　We　considered　what　was　best　to　be　done；　and　all　insisted　on　the
necessity　of　signing　a　capitulation。　　The　Marshal　must　recollect　that　the
exclamation　of　every　one　about　him　was；　〃France　must　be　saved。〃
MM。　Perregaus　and　Lafitte　delivered　their　opinions　in　a　very　decided　way；
and　it　will　readily　be　conceived　how　great　was　the　influence　of　two　men
who　were　at　the　head　of　the　financial　world。　　They　alleged　that　the
general　wish　of　the　Parisians；　which　nobody　had　a　better　opportunity　of
knowing　than　themselves；　was　decidedly　averse　to　a　protracted　conflict；
and　that　France　was　tired　of　the　yoke　of　Bonaparte。　　This　last
declaration　gave　a　wider　range　to　the　business　under　consideration。
The　question　was　no　longer　confined　to　the　capitulation　of　Paris；　but　a
change　in　the　government　was　thought　of；　and　the　name　of　the　Bourbons　was
pronounced　for　the　first　time。　　I　do　not　recollect　which　of　us　it　was
who；　on　hearing　mention　made　of　the　possible　recall　of　the　old　dynasty；
remarked　how　difficult　it　would　be　to　bring　about　a　restoration　without
retrograding　to　the　past。　　But　I　think　I　am　perfectly　correct　in　stating
that　M。　Lafitte　said；　〃Gentlemen；　we　shall　have　nothing　to　fear　if　we
have　a　good　constitution　which　will　guarantee　the　rights　of　all。〃　　The
majority　of　the　meeting　concurred　in　this　wise　opinion；　which　was　not
without　its　influence　on　Marshal　Marmont。

During　this　painful　meeting　an　unexpected　incident　occurred。　　One　of　the
Emperor's　aides　de　camp　arrived　at　Marmont's。　　Napoleon；　being　informed
of　the　advance　of　the　Allies　on　Paris；　had　marched　with　the　utmost　speed
from　the　banks　of　the　Marne　on　the　road　of　Fontainebleau。　　In　the　evening
he　was　in　person　at　Froidmanteau；　whence　he　despatched　his　envoy　to
Marshal　Marmont。　　From　the　language　of　the　aide　de　camp　it　was　easy　to
perceive　that　the　state　of　opinion　at　the　Imperial　headquarters　was　very
different　from　that　which　prevailed　among　the　population　of　Paris。　　The
officer　expressed　indignation　at　the　very　idea　of　capitulating；　and　he
announced　with　inconceivable　confidence　the　approaching　arrival　of
Napoleon　in　Paris；　which　he　yet　hoped　to　save　from　the　occupation　of　the
enemy。　　The　officer　informed　us　that　Napoleon　trusted　to　the　people
rising　in　spite　of　the　capitulation；　and　that　they　would　unpave　the
streets　to　stone　the　Allies　on　their　entrance。　　I　ventured　to　dissent
from　this　absurd　idea　of　defence；　and　I　observed　that　it　was　madness　to
suppose　that　Paris　could　resist　the　numerous　troops　who　were　ready　to
enter　on　the　following　day；　that　the　suspension　of　arms　had　been
consented　to　by　the　Allies　only　to　afford　time　for　drawing　up　a　more
regular　capitulation；　and　that　the　armistice　could　not　be　broken　without
trampling　on　all　the　laws　of　honour。　　I　added　that　the　thoughts　of　the
people　were　directed　towards　a　better　future；　that　the　French　were　tired
of　a　despotic　Government　and　of　the　distress　to　which　continual　war　had
reduced　trade　and　industry；　〃for；〃　said　I；　〃when　a　nation　is　sunk　to　such
a　state　of　misery　its　hopes　can　only　be　directed　towards　the　future；　it
is　natural　they　should　be　so　directed；　even　without　reflection。〃　　Most　of
the　individuals　present　concurred　in　my　opinion；　and　the　decision　of　the
meeting　was　unanimous。　　Marshal　Marmont　has　since　said　to　me；　〃I　have
been　blamed；　my　dear　Bourrienne：　but　you　were　with　me　on　the　30th　of
March。　　You　were　a　witness　to　the　wishes　expressed　by　a　portion　of　the
principal　inhabitants　of　Paris。　　I　acted　as　I　was　urged　to　do　only
because　I　considered　the　meeting　to　be　composed　of　men　entirely
disinterested；　and　who　had　nothing　to　expect　from　the　return　of　the
Bourbons。〃

Such　is　a　correct　statement　of　the　facts　which　some　persons　have
perverted　with　the　view　of　enhancing　Napoleon's　glory。　　With　respect　to
those　versions　which　differ　from　mine　I　have　only　one　comment　to　offer；
which　is；　that　I　saw　and　heard　what　I　describe。

The　day　after　the　capitulation　of　ParisMarmont　went　in　the　evening　to
see　the　Emperor　at　Fontainebleau。　　He　supped　with　him。　　Napoleon　praised
his　defence　of　Paris。。　　After　supper　the　Marshal　rejoined　his　corps　at
Essonne；　and　six　hours　after　the　Emperor　arrived　there　to　visit　the
lines。　　On　leaving　Paris　Marmont　had　left　Colonels　Fabvier　and　Dent's　to
direct　the　execution　of　the　capitulation。　　These　officers　joined　the
Emperor　and　the　Marshal　as　they　were　proceeding　up　the　banks　of　the　river
at　Essonne。　　They　did　not　disguise　the　effect　which　the　entrance　of　the
Allies　had　produced　in　Paris。　　At　this　intelligence　the　Emperor　was
deeply　mortified；　and　he　returned　immediately　to　Fontainebleau；　leaving
the　Marshal　at　Essonne。

At　daybreak　on　the　31st　of　March　Paris　presented　a　novel　and　curious
spectacle。　　No　sooner　had　the　French　troops　evacuated　the　capital　than
the　principal　streets　resounded　with　cries　of　〃Down　with　Bonaparte！〃
〃No　conscription！〃〃No　consolidated　duties　（droits　reunis）！〃　　With　these
cries　were　mingled　that　of　〃The　Bourbons　for　ever！〃　but　this　latter　cry
was　not　repeated　so　frequently　as　the　others：　in　general　I　remarked　that
the　people　gaped　and　listened　with　a　sort　of　indifference。　　As　I　had
taken　a　very　active　part　in　all　that　had　happen