memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第17节

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the　people　gaped　and　listened　with　a　sort　of　indifference。　　As　I　had
taken　a　very　active　part　in　all　that　had　happened　during　some　preceding
days　I　was　particularly　curious　to　study　what　might　be　called　the
physiognomy　of　Paris。　　This　was　the　second　opportunity　which　had　offered
itself　for　such　a　study；　and　I　now　saw　the　people　applaud　the　fall　of　the
man　whom　they　had　received　with　enthusiasm　after　the　18th　Brumaire。　　The
reason　was；　that　liberty　was　then　hoped　for；　as　it　was　hoped　for　in　1814。
I　went　out　early　in　the　morning　to　see　the　numerous　groups　of　people　who
had　assembled　in　the　streets。　　I　saw　women　tearing　their　handkerchiefs
and　distributing　the　fragments　as　the　emblems　of　the　revived　lily。　　That
same　morning　I　met　on　the　Boulevards；　and　some　hours　afterwards　on　the
Place　Louis　XV。；　a　party　of　gentlemen　who　paraded　the　streets　of　the
capital　proclaiming　the　restoration　of　the　Bourbons　and　shouting；　〃Vive
le　Roi！〃　and　〃Vive　Louis　XVIII！〃　　At　their　head　I　recognised
MM。　Sosthenes　de　la　Rochefoucauld；　Comte　de　Froissard；　the　Duc　de
Luxembourg；　the　Duc　de　Crussol；　Seymour；　etc。　　The　cavalcade　distributed
white　cockades　in　passing　along；　and　was　speedily　joined　by　a　numerous
crowd；　who　repaired　to　the　Place　Vendome。　　The　scene　that　was　acted　there
is　well　known；　and　the　enthusiasm　of　popular　joy　could　scarcely　excuse
the　fury　that　was　directed　against　the　effigy　of　the　man　whose
misfortunes；　whether　merited　or　not；　should　have　protected　him　from　such
outrages。　　These　excesses　served；　perhaps　more　than　is　generally
supposed；　to　favour　the　plans　of　the　leaders　of　the　Royalist　party；　to
whom　M。　Nesselrode　had　declared　that　before　he　would　pledge　himself　to
further　their　views　he　must　have　proofs　that　they　were　seconded　by　the
population　of　Paris。

I　was　afterwards　informed　by　an　eye…witness　of　what　took　place　on　the
evening　of　the　31st　of　March　in　one　of　the　principal　meetings　of　the
Royalists；　which　was　held　in　the　hotel　of　the　Comte　de　Morfontaine；　who
acted　as　president　on　the　occasion。　　Amidst　a　chaos　of　abortive
propositions　and　contradictory　motions　M。　Sosthenes　de　la　Rochefoucauld
proposed　that　a　deputation　should　be　immediately　sent　to　the　Emperor
Alexander　to　express　to　him　the　wish　of　the　meeting。　　This　motion　was
immediately　approved；　and　the　mover　was　chosen　to　head　the　deputation。
On　leaving　the　hotel　the　deputation　met　M。　de　Chateaubriand；　who　had　that
very　day　been；　as　it　were；　the　precursor　of　the　restoration；　by
publishing　his　admirable　manifesto；　entitled　〃Bonaparte　and　the
Bourbons。〃　　He　was　invited　to　join　the　deputation；　but　nothing　could
overcome　his　diffidence　and　induce　him　to　speak。　　On　arriving　at　the
hote1　in　the　Rue　St。　Florentin　the　deputation　was　introduced　to　Count
Nesselrode；　to　whom　M。　Sosthenes　de　la　Rochefoucauld　briefly　explained
its　object；　he　spoke　of　the　wishes　of　the　meeting　and　of　the　manifest
desire　of　Paris　and　of　France。　　He　represented　the　restoration　of　the
Bourbons　as　the　only　means　of　securing　the　peace　of　Europe；　and　observed；
in　conclusion；　that　as　the　exertions　of　the　day　must　have　been　very
fatiguing　to　the　Emperor；　the　deputation　would　not　solicit　the　favour　of
being　introduced　to　him；　but　would　confidently　rely　on　the　good　faith　of
his　Imperial　Majesty。　　〃I　have　just　left　the　Emperor；〃　replied　M。
Nesselrode；　〃and　can　pledge　myself　for　his　intentions。　　Return　to　the
meeting　and　announce　to　the　French　people　that　in　compliance　with　their
wishes　his　Imperial　Majesty　will　use　all　his　influence　to　restore　the
crown　to　the　legitimate　monarch：　his　Majesty　Louis　XVIII。　shall　reascend
the　throne　of　France。〃　　With　this　gratifying　intelligence　the　deputation
returned　to　the　meeting　in　the　Rue　d'Anjou。

There　is　no　question　that　great　enthusiasm　was　displayed　on　the　entrance
of　the　Allies　into　Paris。　　It　may　be　praised　or　blamed；　but　the　fact
cannot　be　denied。　　I　closely　watched　all　that　was　passing；　and　I　observed
the　expression　of　a　sentiment　which　I　had　long　anticipated　when；　after
his　alliance　with　the　daughter　of　the　Caesars；　the　ambition　of　Bonaparte
increased　in　proportion　as　it　was　gratified：　I　clearly　foresaw　Napoleon's
fall。　　Whoever　watched　the　course　of　events　during　the　last　four　years　of
the　Empire　must　have　observed；　as　I　did；　that　from　the　date　of　Napoleon's
marriage　with　Maria　Louisa　the　form　of　the　French　Government　became　daily
more　and　more　tyrannical　and　oppressive。　　The　intolerable　height　which
this　evil　had　attained　is　evident　from　the　circumstance　that　at　the　end
of　1813　the　Legislative　Body；　throwing　aside　the　mute　character　which　it
had　hitherto　maintained；　presumed　to　give　a　lecture　to　him　who　had　never
before　received　a　lecture　from　any　one。　　On　the　31st　of　March　it　was
recollected　what　had　been　the　conduct　of　Bonaparte　on　the　occasion
alluded　to；　and　those　of　the　deputies　who　remained　in　Paris　related　how
the　gendarmes　had　opposed　their　entrance　into　the　hall　of　the　Assembly。
All　this　contributed　wonderfully　to　irritate　the　public　mind　against
Napoleon。　　He　had　become　master　of　France　by　the　sword；　and　the　sword
being　sheathed；　his　power　was　at　an　end；　for　no　popular　institution
identified　with　the　nation　the　new　dynasty　which　he　hoped　to　found。　　。
The　nation　admired　but　did　not　love　Napoleon；　for　it　is　impossible　to
love　what　is　feared；　and　he　had　done　nothing　to　claim　the　affections　of
France。

I　was　present　at　all　the　meetings　and　conferences　which　were　held　at　M　de
Talleyrand's　hotel；　where　the　Emperor　Alexander　had　taken　up　his
residence。　　Of　all　the　persons　present　at　these　meetings　M。　de　Talleyrand
was　most　disposed　to　retain　Napoleon　at　the　head　of　the　Government；　with
restrictions　on　the　exercise　of　his　power。　　In　the　existing　state　of
things　it　was　only　possible　to　choose　one　of　three　courses：　first；　to
make　peace　with　Napoleon；　with　the　adoption　of　proper　securities　against
him；　second；　to　establish　a　Regency；　and　third；　to　recall　the　Bourbons。

On　the　13th　of　March　I　witnessed　the　entrance　of　the　Allied　sovereigns
into　Paris；　and　after　the　procession　had　passed　the　new　street　of　the
Luxembourg　I　repaired　straight　to　M。　de　Talleyrand's　hotel；　which　I
reached　before　the　Emperor　Alexander；　who　arrived　at　a　quarter…past　one。
When　his　Imperial　Majesty　entered　M。　de　Talleyrand's　drawing…room　most　of
the　persons　assembled；　and　particularly　the　Abbe　de　Pradt；　the　Abbe　de
Montesquieu；　and　General　Dessolles；　urgently　demanded　the　restoration　of
the　Bourbons。　　The　Emperor　did　not　come　to　any　immediate　decision。
Drawing　me　into　the　embrasure　of　a　window；　which　looked　upon　the　street；
he　made　some　observations　which　enabled　me　to　guess　what　would　be　his
determination。　　〃M。　de　Bourrienne；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　been　the　friend　of
Napoleon；　and　so　have　I。　　I　was　his　sincere　friend；　but　there　is　no
possibility　of　remaining　at　peace　with　a　man　of　such　bad　faith。〃　　These
last　words　opened　my　eyes；　and　when　the　different　propositions　which　were
made　came　under　discussion　I　saw　plainly　that　Bonaparte；　in　making
himself　Emperor；　had　made　up　the　bed　for　the　Bourbons。

A　discussion　ensued　on　the　three　possible　measures　which　I　have　above
mentioned；　and　which　were　proposed　by　the　Emperor　Alexander　himself。　　I
thought；　if　I　may　so　express　myself；　that　his　Majesty　was　playing　a　part；
when；　pretending　to　doubt　the　possibility　of　recalling　the　Bourbons；
which　he　wished　above　all　things；　he　asked　M。　de　Talleyrand　what　means　he
proposed　to　employ　for　the　attainment　of　that　object？　　Besides　the
French；　there　were　present　at　this　meeting　the　Emperor　Alexander；　the
King　of　Prussia；　Prince　Schwartzenberg；　M。　Nesselrode；　M。　Pozzo…di…Borgo；
and　Prince　Liechtenstein。　　During　the　discussion　Alexander　walked　about
with　some　appearance　of　agitation。　　〃Gentlemen；〃　said；　he；　addressing　us
in　an　elevated　tone　of　voice；　〃you　know　that　it　was　not　I　who　commenced
the　war；　you　know　that　Napoleon　came　to　attack　me　in　my　dominions。　　But
we　are　not　drawn　here　by　the　thirst　of　conquest　or　the　desire　of　revenge。
You　have　seen　the　precautions　I　have　taken　to　preserve　your　capital；　the
wonder　of　the　arts；　from　the　horrors　of　pillage；　to　which　the　chances　of
war　would　have　consigned　it。　　Neither　my　Allies　nor　myself　are　engaged　in
a　war　of　reprisals；　and　I　should　be　inconsolable　if　any　violence　were
committed　on　your　magnificent　city。　　We　are　not　waging　war　against
France；　but　against　Napoleon；　and　the　enemies　of　French　liberty。
William；　and　you；　Prince　〃　（here　the　Emperor　turned　towards　the　King　of
Prussia　and　Prince　Schwartzenberg；　who　represented　the　Emperor　of
Austria）；　〃you　can　both　bear　testimony　that　the　sentiments　I　express　are
yours。〃　　Both　bowed　assent　to　this　observation　of　Alexander；　which　his
Majesty　several　times　repeated　in　different　words。　　He　insisted　that
France　should　be　perfectly　free；　and　declared　that　as　soon　as　the　wishes
of　the　country　were　understood；　he　and　his　Allies　would　support　them；
without　seeking　to　favour　any　particular　government。

The　Abbe　de　Pradt　then　declared；　in　a　tone　of　conviction；　that　we　were
all　Royalists；　and　that　the　sentiments　of　France　concurred　with　ours。
The　Emperor　Alexander；　adverting　to　the　different　governments　which　migh