memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第22节

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importance　I　must　consult　the　King　of　Prussia；　for　I　have　promised　to　do
nothing　without　consulting　him。　　In　a　few　hours　you　shall　know　my
decision。〃　　It　was　this　decision　which　the　Marshals　went　to　wait　for　at
Ney's。

Most　of　the　members　of　the　Provisional　Government　attributed　the　evasive
reply　of　the　Emperor　Alexander　to　the　influence　of　the　speech　of
Dessolles。　　For　my　part；　while　I　do　justice　to　the　manner　in　which　he
declared　himself　on　this　important　occasion；　I　do　not　ascribe　to　his
eloquence　the　power　of　fixing　Alexander's　resolution；　for　I　well　know　by
experience　how　easy　it　is　to　make　princes　appear　to　adopt　the　advice　of
any　one　when　the　counsel　given　is　precisely　that　which　they　wish　to
follow。　　From　the　sentiments　of　Alexander　at　this　time　I　had　not　the
slightest　doubt　as　to　the　course　he　would　finally　pursue；　and　I
considered　what　he　said　about　consulting　the　King　of　Prussia　to　be　merely
a　polite　excuse；　by　which　he　avoided　the　disagreeable　task　of　giving　the
Marshals　a　direct　refusal。

I　therefore　returned　home　quite　satisfied　as　to　the　result　of　the　Emperor
Alexander's　visit　to　the　King　of　Prussia。　　I　knew；　from　the　persons　about
the　Czar；　that　he　cherished　a　hatred；　which　was　but　too　well　justified；
towards　Bonaparte。　　Frederick　William　is　of　too　firm　a　character　to　have
yielded　to　any　of　the　considerations　which　might　on　this　subject　have
been　pressed　on　him　as　they　had　been　on　the　Emperor　of　Russia。　　But；
besides　that　the　King　of　Prussia　had　legitimate　reasons　for　disliking
Napoleon；　policy　would　at　that　time　have　required　that　he　should　appear
to　be　his　enemy；　for　to　do　so　was　to　render　himself　popular　with　his
subjects。　　But　the　King　of　Prussia　did　not　need　to　act　under　the　dictates
of　policy；　he　followed　his　own　opinion　in　rejecting　the　propositions　of
the　Marshals；　which　he　did　without　hesitation；　and　with　much　energy。

While　the　Marshals　had　gone　to　Paris　Bonaparte　was　anxious　to　ascertain
whether　his　Commissioners　had　passed　the　advanced　posts　of　the　foreign
armies；　and　in　case　of　resistance　he　determined　to　march　on　Paris；　for　he
could　not　believe　that　he　had　lost　every　chance。　　He　sent　an　aide　de　camp
to　desire　Marmont　to　come　immediately　to　Fontainebleau：　such　was
Napoleon's　impatience　that　instead　of　waiting　for　the　return　of　his　aide
de　camp　he　sent　off　a　second　and　then　a　third　officer　on　the　same　errand。
This　rapid　succession　of　envoys　from　the　Emperor　alarmed　the　general　who
commanded　the　different　divisions　of　Marmont's　corps　at　Essonne。　　They
feared　that　the　Emperor　was　aware　of　the　Convention　concluded　that
morning　with　Prince　Schwartzenberg；　and　that　he　had　sent　for　Marmont　with
the　view　of　reprimanding　him。　　The　fact　was；　Napoleon　knew　nothing　of　the
matter；　for　Marmont；　on　departing　for　Paris　with　Macdonald　and　Ney；　had
left　orders　that　it　should　be　said　that　he　had　gone　to　inspect　his　lines。
Souham；　Lebrun　des　Essarts；　and　Bordessoulle；　who　had　given　their　assent
to　the　Convention　with　Prince　Schwartzenberg；　deliberated　in　the　absence
of　Marmont；　and；　perhaps　being　ignorant　that　he　was　released　from　his
promise；　and　fearing　the　vengeance　of　Napoleon；　they　determined　to　march
upon　Versailles。　　On　arriving　there　the　troops　not　finding　the　Marshal　at
their　head　thought　themselves　betrayed；　and　a　spirit　of　insurrection
broke　out　among　them。　　One　of　Marmont's　aides　de　camp；　whom　he　had　left
at　Essonne；　exerted　every　endeavour　to　prevent　the　departure　of　his
general's　corps；　but；　finding　all　his　efforts　unavailing；　he　hastened　to
Paris　to　inform　the　Marshal　of　what　had　happened。　　'When　Marmont　received
this　news　he　was　breakfasting　at　Ney's　with　Macdonald　and　Caulaincourt：
they　were　waiting　for　the　answer　which　the　Emperor　Alexander　had　promised
to　send　them。　　The　march　of　his　corps　on　Versailles　threw　Marmont　into
despair。　　He　said　to　the　Marshals；　〃I　must　be　off　to　join　my　corps　and
quell　this　mutiny；〃　and　without　losing　a　moment　he　ordered　his　carriage
and　directed　the　coachman　to　drive　with　the　utmost　speed。　　He　sent
forward　one　of　his　aides　de　camp　to　inform　the　troops　of　his　approach。

Having　arrived　within　a　hundred　paces　of　the　place　where　his　troops　were
assembled　he　found　the　generals　who　were　under　his　orders　advancing　to
meet　him。　　They　urged　him　not　to　go　farther；　as　the　men　were　in　open
insurrection。　　〃I　will　go　into　the　midst　of　them；〃　said　Marmont。　　〃In　a
moment　they　shall　either　kill　me　or　acknowledge　me　as　their　chief：〃　He
sent　off　another　aide　de　camp　to　range　the　troops　in　the　order　of　battle。
Then；　alighting　from　the　carriage　and　mounting　a　horse；　he　advanced
alone；　and　thus　harangued　his　troops：　〃How！　　Is　there　treason　here？　　Is
it　possible　that　you　disown　me？　　Am　I　not　your　comrade？　　Have　I　not　been
wounded　twenty　times　among　you？　　。　　。　　。　　Have　I　not　shared　your　fatigues
and　privations？　　And　am　I　not　ready　to　do　so　again？〃　Here　Marmont　was
interrupted　by　a　general　shout　of　〃Vive　le　Marechal！　　Vive　le　Marechal！〃

The　alarm　caused　among　the　members　of　the　Provisional　Government　by　the
mission　of　the　Marshals　was　increased　by　the　news　of　the　mutiny　of
Marmont's　troops。　　During　the　whole　of　the　day　we　were　in　a　state　of
tormenting　anxiety。　　It　was　feared　that　the　insurrectionary　spirit　might
spread　among　other　corps　of　the　army；　and　the　cause　of　France　again　be
endangered。　　But　the　courage　of　Marmont　saved　everything：　It　would　be
impossible　to　convey　any　idea　of　the　manner　in　which　he　was　received　by
us　at　Talleyrand's　when　he　related　the　particulars　of　what　had　occurred
at　Versailles。

On　the　evening　of　the　day　on　which　Marmont　had　acted　so　nobly　it　was
proposed　that　the　army　should　adopt　the　white　cockade。　　In　reply　to　this
proposition　the　Marshal　said；　〃Gentlemen；　I　have　made　my　troops
understand　the　necessity　of　serving　France　before　all　things。　　They　have；
consequently；　returned　to　order；　and　I　can　now　answer　for　them。　　But　what
I　cannot　answer　for　is　to　induce　them　to　abandon　the　colours　which　have
led　them　to　victory　for　the　last　twenty　years。　　Therefore　do　not　count
upon　me　for　a　thing　which　I　consider　to　be　totally　hostile　to　the
interests　of　France。　　I　will　speak　to　the　Emperor　Alexander　on　the
subject。〃　　Such　were　Marmont's　words。　　Every　one　appeared　to　concur　in
his　opinion；　and　the　discussion　terminated。　　For　my　own　part；　I　find　by
my　notes　that　I　declared　myself　strongly　in　favour　of　Marmont's
proposition。

The　Marshal's　opinion　having　been　adopted；　at　least　provisionally；　an
article　was　prepared　for　the　Moniteur　in　nearly　the　following　terms：

　　　　　The　white　cockade　has　been；　during　the　last　four　days；　a　badge　for
　　　　　the　manifestation　of　public　opinion　in　favour　of　the　overthrow　of　an
　　　　　oppressive　Government：　it　has　been　the　only　means　of　distinguishing
　　　　　the　partisans　of　the　restoration　of　the　old　dynasty；　to　which　at
　　　　　length　we　are　to　be　indebted　for　repose。　　But　as　the　late　Government
　　　　　is　at　an　end；　all　colours　differing　from　our　national　colours　are
　　　　　useless：　let　us；　therefore；　resume　those　which　have　so　often　led　us
　　　　　to　victory。

Such　was　the　spirit　of　the　article；　though　possibly　the　above　copy　may
differ　in　a　few　words。　　It　met　with　the　unqualified　approbation　of　every
one　present。　　I　was　therefore　extremely　surprised；　on　looking　at　the
'Moniteur'　next　day；　to　find　that　the　article　was　not　inserted。　　I　knew
not　what　courtly　interference　prevented　the　appearance　of　the　article；
but　I　remember　that　Marmont　was　very　ill　pleased　at　its　omission。　　He
complained　on　the　subject　to　the　Emperor　Alexander；　who　promised　to
write；　and　in　fact　did　write；　to　the　Provisional　Government　to　get　the
article　inserted。　　However；　it　did　not　appear；　and　in　a　few　days　we
obtained　a　solution　of　the　enigma；　as　we　might　perhaps　have　done　before
if　we　had　tried。　　The　Emperor　Alexander　also　promised　to　write　to　the
Comte　d'Artois；　and　to　inform　him　that　the　opinion　of　France　was　in
favour　of　the　preservation　of　the　three　colours；　but　I　do　not　know
whether　the　letter　was　written；　or；　if　it　was；　what　answer　it　received。

Marshal　Jourdan；　who　was　then　at　Rouen；　received　a　letter；　written
without　the　knowledge　of　Marmont；　informing　him　that　the　latter　had
mounted　the　white　cockade　in　his　corps。　　Jourdan　thought　he　could　not　do
otherwise　than　follow　Marmont's　example；　and　he　announced　to　the
Provisional　Government　that　in　consequence　of　the　resolution　of　the　Duke
of　Ragusa　he　had　just　ordered　his　corps　to　wear　the　white　cockade。
Marmont　could　now　be　boldly　faced；　and　when　he　complained　to　the
Provisional　Government　of　the　non…insertion　of　the　article　in　the
Moniteur　the　reply　was；　〃It　cannot　now　appear。　　You　see　Marshal　Jourdan
has　mounted　the　white　cockade：　you　would　not　give　the　army　two　sets　of
colours！〃

Marmont　could　make　no　answer　to　so　positive　a　fact。　　It　was　not　till　some
time　after　that　I　learned　Jourdan　had　determined　to　unfurl　the　white　flag
only　on　the　positive　assurance　that　Marmont　had　already　done　so。　　Thus　we
lost　the　colours　which　had　been　worn　by　Louis　XVI。；　which　Louis　XVIII。；
when　a　Prince；　had　adopted；　and　in　which　the　Comte　d'Artois　showed
himself　on　his　return　to　the　Parisians；　for　he　entered　the　capital　in