memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第20节

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present　situation　such　a　proceeding　may　displease　him。　　It　must　be
managed　cautiously。　　Leave　it　to　me；　gentlemen；　I　will　go　to　the
chateau。〃

Marshal　Macdonald　accordingly　went　to　the　Palace　of　Fontainebleau；　where
the　following　conversation　ensued　between　him　and　the　Emperor；　and　I　beg
the　reader　to　bear　in　mind　that　it　was　related　to　me　by　the　Marshal
himself。　　As　soon　as　he　entered　the　apartment　in　which　Napoleon　was　the
latter　stepped　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Well；　how　are　things　going　on？〃
〃Very　badly；　Sire。〃〃How？　　。　　。　　。　　badly！　　。　　。　　。　　What　then　are　the
feelings　of　your　army？〃〃My　army；　Sire；　is　entirely　discouraged　。　　。　　。
appalled　by　the　fate　of　Paris。〃〃Will　not　your　troops　join　me　in　an
advance　on　Paris？〃〃Sire；　do　not　think　of　such　a　thing。　　If　I　were　to
give　such　an　order　to　my　troops　I　should　run　the　risk　of　being
disobeyed。〃〃But　what　is　to　be　done？　　I　cannot　remain　as　I　am；　I　have
yet　resources　and　partisans。　　It　is　said　that　the　Allies　will　no　longer
treat　with　me。　　Well！　　no　matter。　　I　will　march　on　Paris。　　I　will　be
revenged　on　the　inconstancy　of　the　Parisians　and　the　baseness　of　the
Senate。　　Woe　to　the　members　of　the　Government　they　have　patched　up　for
the　return　of　their　Bourbons；　that　is　what　they　are　looking　forward　to。
But　to…morrow　I　shall　place　myself　at　the　head　of　my　Guards；　and　to…
morrow　we　shall　be　in　the　Tuileries。〃

The　Marshal　listened　in　silence；　and　when　at　length　Napoleon　became
somewhat　calm　he　observed；　〃Sire；　it　appears；　then；　that　you　are　not
aware　of　what　has　taken　place　in　Parisof　the　establishment　of　a
Provisional　Government；　and〃〃I　know　it　all：　and　what　then？〃〃Sire；〃
added　the　Marshal；　presenting　a　paper　to　Napoleon；　〃here　is　something
which　will　tell　you　more　than　I　can。〃　　Macdonald　then　presented　to　him　a
letter　from　General　Beurnonville；　announcing　the　forfeiture　of　the
Emperor　pronounced　by　the　Senate；　and　the　determination　of　the　Allied
powers　not　to　treat　with　Napoleon；　or　any　member　of　his　family。
〃Marshal；〃　said　the　Emperor；　before　he　opened　the　letter；　〃may　this　be
read　aloud？〃〃Certainly；　Sire。〃　　The　letter　was　then　handed　to　Barre；
who　read　it。　　An　individual　who　was　present　on　the　occasion　described　to
me　the　impression　which　the　reading　of　the　letter　produced　on　Napoleon。
His　countenance　exhibited　that　violent　contraction　of　the　features　which
I　have　often　remarked　when　his　mind　was　disturbed。　　However；　he　did　not
lose　his　self…command；　which　indeed　never　forsook　him　when　policy　or
vanity　required　that　he　should　retain　it；　and　when　the　reading　of
Beurnonville's　letter　was　ended　he　affected　to　persist　in　his　intention
of　marching　on　Paris。　　〃Sire；〃　exclaimed　Macdonald；　〃that　plan　must　be
renounced。　　Not　a　sword　would　be　unsheathed　to　second　you　in　such　an
enterprise。〃　　After　this　conversation　between　the　Emperor　and　Macdonald
the　question　of　the　abdication　began　to　be　seriously　thought　of。
Caulaincourt　had　already　hinted　to　Napoleon　that　in　case　of　his
abdicating　personally　there　was　a　possibility　of　inducing　the　Allies　to
agree　to　a　Council　of　Regency。　　Napoleon　then　determined　to　sign　the　act
of　abdication；　which　he　himself　drew　up　in　the　following　terms：

　　　　　The　Allied　powers　having　declared　that　the　Emperor　Napoleon　is　the
　　　　　only　obstacle　to　the　re…establishment　of　peace　in　Europe；　the
　　　　　Emperor　Napoleon；　faithful　to　his　oath；　declares　that　he　is　ready　to
　　　　　descend　from　the　throne；　to　leave　France；　and　even　to　lay　down　his
　　　　　life　for　the　welfare　of　the　country；　which　is　inseparable　from　the
　　　　　rights　of　his　son；　those　of　the　Regency　of　the　Empress；　and　the
　　　　　maintenance　of　the　laws　of　the　Empire。　　Given　at　our　Palace　of
　　　　　Fontainebleau；　2d　April　1814。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　NAPOLEON。


After　having　written　this　act　the　Emperor　presented　it　to　the　Marshals；
saying；　〃Here；　gentlemen！　are　you　satisfied？〃

This　abdication　of　Napoleon　was　certainly　very　useless；　but　in　case　of
anything　occurring　to　render　it　a　matter　of　importance　the　act　might　have
proved　entirely　illusory。　　Its　meaning　might　appear　unequivocal　to　the
generality　of　people；　but　not　to　me；　who　was　so　well　initiated　in　the
cunning　to　which　Napoleon　could　resort　when　it　suited　his　purpose。　　It　is
necessary　to　observe　that　Napoleon　does　not　say　that　〃he　descends　from
the　throne；〃　but　that　〃he　is　ready　to　descend　from　the　throne。〃　　This　was
a　subterfuge；　by　the　aid　of　which　he　intended　to　open　new　negotiations
respecting　the　form　and　conditions　of　the　Regency　of　his　son；　in　case　of
the　Allied　sovereigns　acceding　to　that　proposition。　　This　would　have
afforded　the　means　of　gaining　time。

He　had　not　yet　resigned　all　hope；　and　therefore　he　joyfully　received　a
piece　of　intelligence　communicated　to　him　by　General　Allix。　　The　General
informed　the　Emperor　that　he　had　met　an　Austrian　officer　who　was　sent　by
Francis　II。　to　Prince　Schwartzenberg；　and　who　positively　assured　him　that
all　which　had　taken　place　in　Paris　was　contrary　to　the　wish　of　the
Emperor　of　Austria。　　That　this　may　have　been　the　opinion　of　the　officer
is　possible；　and　even　probable。　　But　it　is　certain　from　the　issue　of　a
mission　of　the　Duc　de　Cadore　（Champagny）；　of　which　I　shall　presently
speak；　that　the　officer　expressed　merely　his　own　personal　opinion。
However；　as　soon　as　General　Allix　had　communicated　this　good　news；　as　he
termed　it；　to　Napoleon；　the　latter　exclaimed　to　the　persons　who　were
about　him；　〃I　told　you　so；　gentlemen。　　Francis　II。　cannot　carry　his
enmity　so　far　as　to　dethrone　his　daughter。　　Vicenza；　go　and　desire　the
Marshals　to　return　my　act　of　abdication。　　I　will　send　a　courier　to　the
Emperor　of　Austria。〃

Thus　Bonaparte　in　his　shipwreck　looked　round　for　a　saving　plank；　and
tried　to　nurse　himself　in　illusions。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza　went　to
Marshals　Ney　and　Macdonald；　whom　he　found　just　stepping　into　a　carriage
to　proceed　to　Paris。　　Both　positively　refused　to　return　the　act　to
Caulaincourt；　saying；　〃We　are　sure　of　the　concurrence　of　the　Emperor　of
Austria；　and　we　take　everything　upon　ourselves。〃　　The　result　proved　that
they　were　better　informed　than　General　Allix。

During　the　conversation　with　Marshal　Macdonald　which　has　just　been
described　the　Emperor　was　seated。　　When　he　came　to　the　resolution　of
signing　the　abdication　he　arose　and　walked　once　or　twice　up　and　down　his
cabinet。　　After　he　had　written　and　signed　the　act　he　said；　〃Gentlemen；
the　interests　of　my　son；　the　interests　of　the　army；　and　above　all；　the
interests　of　France；　must　be　defended。　　I　therefore　appoint　as　my
commissioners　to　the　Allied　powers　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　the　Prince　of　the
Moskowa；　and　the　Duke　of　Ragusa　。　　。　　。　　。　　Are　you　satisfied？〃　added　he；
after　a　pause。　　〃I　think　these　interests　are　consigned　to　good　hands。〃
All　present　answered；　as　with　one　voice。　　〃Yes；　Sire。〃　　But　no　sooner　was
this　answer　pronounced　than　the　Emperor　threw　himself　upon　a　small　yellow
sofa；　which　stood　near　the　window；　and　striking　his　thigh　with　his　hand
with　a　sort　of　convulsive　motion；　he　exclaimed；　〃No；　gentlemen：　I　will
have　no　Regency！　　With　my　Guards　and　Marmont's　corps　I　shall　be　in　Paris
to…morrow。〃　　Ney　and　Macdonald　vainly　endeavoured　to　undeceive　him
respecting　this　impracticable　design。　　He　rose　with　marked　ill…humour；
and　rubbing　his　head；　as　he　was　in　the　habit　of　doing　when　agitated；　he
said　in　a　loud　and　authoritative　tone；　〃Retire。〃

The　Marshals　withdrew；　and　Napoleon　was　left　alone　with　Caulaincourt。　　He
told　the　latter　that　what　had　most　displeased　him　in　the　proceedings
which　had　just　taken　place　was　the　reading　of　Beurnonville's　letter。
〃Sire；〃　observed　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　〃it　was　by　your　order　that　the
letter　was　read。〃〃That　is　true　。　　。　　。　　。　　But　why　was　it　not　addressed
directly　to　me　by　Macdonald？〃〃Sire；　the　letter　was　at　first　addressed
to　Marshal　　Macdonald；　but　the　aide　de　camp　who　was　the　bearer　of　it　had
orders　to　communicate　its　contents　to　Marmont　on　passing　through　Essonne；
because　Beurnonville　did　not　precisely　know　where　Macdonald　would　be
found。〃　　After　this　brief　explanation　the　Emperor　appeared　satisfied；　and
he　said　to　Caulaincourt；　〃Vicenza；　call　back　Macdonald。〃

The　Duke　of　Vicenza　hastened　after　the　Marshal；　whom　he　found　at　the　end
of　the　gallery　of　the　Palace；　and　he　brought　him　back　to　the　Emperor。
When　Macdonald　returned　to　the　cabinet　the　Emperor's　warmth　had　entirely
subsided；　and　he　said　to　him　with　great　composure；　〃Well；　Duke　of
Tarantum；　do　you　think　that　the　Regency　is　the　only　possible　thing？〃
〃Yes；　Sire。〃〃Then　I　wish　you　to　go　with　Ney　to　the　Emperor　Alexander；
instead　of　Marmont；　it　is　better　that　he　should　remain　with　his　corps；　to
which　his　presence　is　indispensable。　　You　will　therefore　go　with　Ney。　　I
rely　on　you。　　I　hope　you　have　entirely　forgotten　all　that　has　separated
us　for　so　long　a　time。〃〃Yes；　Sire；　I　have　not　thought　of　it　since
1809。〃〃I　am　glad　of　it；　Marshal；　and　I　must　acknowledge　to　you　that　I
was　in　the　wrong。〃　　While　speaking　to　the　Marshal　the　Emperor　manifested
unusual　emotion。　　He　approached　him　and　pressed　his　hand　in　the　most
affectionate　way。

The　Emperor's　three　Commissionersthat　is　to　say；　Marshals　Macdonald　and
Ney　and　the　Duke　of　V