memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第7节

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determination　respecting　those　bases；　in　order　that　insurmountable
difficulties　might　not　arrest　the　negotiations　at　their　very　outset。　　The
Duke　of　Vicenza　（Caulaincourt）；　who　had　just　succeeded　the　Due　de
Bassano；　received　this　letter。　　Trusting　to　the　declaration　of　Frankfort
he　thought　he　would　be　justified　in　treating　on　those　bases；　he
confidently　relied　on　the　consent　of　Napoleon。　　But　the　Allies　had　now
determined　not　to　grant　the　limits　accorded　by　that　declaration。
Caulaincourt　was　therefore　obliged　to　apply　for　fresh　powers；　which　being
granted；　he　replied；　on　the　2d　of　December；　that　Napoleon　accepted　the
fundamental　and　summary　bases　which　had　been　communicated　by　M。　de　St。
Aignan。　　To　this　letter　M。　Metternich　answered　that　the　Emperors　of
Russia　and　Austria　were　gratified　to　find　that　the　Emperor　of　France
recognised　the　bases　judged　necessary　by　the　Allies；　that　the　two
sovereigns　would　communicate　without　delay　the　official　document　to　their
Allies；　and　that　they　were　convinced　that　immediately　on　receiving　their
reply　the　negotiations　might　be　opened　without　any　interruption　of　the
war。

We　shall　now　see　the　reason　why　these　first　negotiations　came　to　no
result。　　In　the　month　of　October　the　Allies　overthrew　the　colossal
edifice　denominated　the　French　Empire。　　When　led　by　victory　to　the　banks
of　the　Rhine　they　declared　their　wish　to　abstain　from　conquest；　explained
their　intentions；　and　manifested　an　unalterable　resolution　to　abide　by
them。　　This　determination　of　the　Allies　induced　the　French　Government　to
evince　pacific　intentions。　　Napoleon　wished；　by　an　apparent　desire　for
peace；　to　justify；　if　I　may　so　express　myself；　in　the　eyes　of　his
subjects；　the　necessity　of　new　sacrifices；　which；　according　to　his
proclamations；　he　demanded　only　to　enable　him　to　obtain　peace　on　as
honourable　conditions　as　possible。　　But　the　truth　is；　he　was　resolved　not
even　to　listen　to　the　offers　made　at　Frankfort。　　He　always　represented
the　limits　of　the　Rhine　as　merely　a　compensation　for　the　dismemberment　of
Poland　and　the　immense　aggrandisement　of　the　English　possessions　in　Asia。
But　he　wanted　to　gain　time；　and；　if　possible；　to　keep　the　Allied　armies
on　the　right　bank　of　the　Rhine。

The　immense　levies　made　in　France；　one　after　the　other；　had　converted　the
conscription　into　a　sort　of　pressgang。　　Men　employed　in　agriculture　and
manufactures　were　dragged　from　their　labours；　and　the　people　began　to
express　their　dissatisfaction　at　the　measures　of　Government　more　loudly
than　they　had　hitherto　ventured　to　do；　yet　all　were　willing　to　make
another　effort；　if　they　could　have　persuaded　themselves　that　the　Emperor
would　henceforth　confine　his　thoughts　to　France　alone。　　Napoleon　sent
Caulaincourt　to　the　headquarters　of　the　Allies；　but　that　was　only　for　the
sake　of　gaining　time；　and　inducing　a　belief　that　he　was　favourably
disposed　to　peace。

The　Allies　having　learned　the　immense　levies　of　troops　which　Napoleon　was
making；　and　being　well　acquainted　with　the　state　of　feeling　in　France；
published　the　famous　manifesto；　addressed　to　the　French　people；　which　was
profusely　circulated；　and　may　be　referred　to　as　a　warning　to　subjects　who
trust　to　the　promises　of　Governments。

The　good　faith　with　which　the　promises　in　the　manifesto　were　kept　may　be
judged　of　from　the　Treaty　of　Paris。　　In　the　meantime　the　manifesto　did
not　a　little　contribute　to　alienate　from　Napoleon　those　who　were　yet
faithful　to　his　cause；　for；　by　believing　in　the　declarations　of　the
Allies；　they　saw　in　him　the　sole　obstacle　to　that　peace　which　France　so
ardently　desired。　　On　this　point；　too；　the　Allies　were　not　wrong；　and　I
confess　that　I　did　not　see　without　great　surprise　that　the　Duc　de　Rovigo；
in　that　part　of　his　Memoirs　where　he　mentions　this　manifesto；　reproaches
those　who　framed　it　for　representing　the　Emperor　as　a　madman；　who　replied
to　overtures　of　peace　only　by　conscription　levies：　After　all；　I　do　not
intend　to　maintain　that　the　declaration　was　entirely　sincere；　with
respect　to　the　future　it　certainly　was　not。　　Switzerland　was　already
tampered　with；　and　attempts　were　made　to　induce　her　to　permit　the　Allied
troops　to　enter　France　by　the　bridge　of　Bale。　　Things　were　going　on　no
better　in　the　south　of　France；　where　the　Anglo…Spanish　army　threatened
our　frontiers　by　the　Pyrenees；　and　already　occupied　Pampeluna；　and　at　the
same　time　the　internal　affairs　of　the　country　were　no　less　critical　than
its　external　position。　　It　was　in　vain　to　levy　troops；　everything
essential　to　an　army　was　wanting。　　To　meet　the　most　pressing　demands　the
Emperor　drew　out　30；000；000　from　the　immense　treasure　which　he　had
accumulated　in　the　cellars　and　galleries　of　the　Pavillion　Marsan；　at　the
Tuileries。　　These　30；000；000　were　speedily　swallowed　up。　　Nevertheless　it
was　an　act　of　generosity　on　the　part　of　Napoleon；　and　I　never　could
understand　on　what　ground　the　Legislative　Body　complained　of　the　outlay；
because；　as　the　funds　did　not　proceed　from　the　Budget；　there　needed　no
financial　law　to　authorise　their　application。　　Besides；　why　did　these
rigid　legislators；　who；　while　fortune　smiled　on　Bonaparte；　dared　not
utter　a　word　on　the　subject；　demand；　previously　to　the　gratuitous　gift
just　mentioned；　that　the　350；000；000　in　the　Emperor's　privy　puree　should
be　transferred　to　the　Imperial　treasury　and　carried　to　the　public
accounts？　　Why　did　they　wink　at　the　accumulation　in　the　Tuileries　of　the
contributions　and　exactions　levied　in；　conquered　countries？　　The　answer
is　plain：　because　there　would　have　been　danger　in　opposing　it。

Amidst　the　difficulties　which　assailed　the　Emperor　he　cast　his　eyes　on
M。　de　Talleyrand。　　But　it　being　required；　as　a　condition　of　his　receiving
the　portfolio　of　Foreign　Affairs；　that　he　should　resign　his　office　of
Vice…Grand…Elector；　M。　de　Talleyrand　preferred　a　permanent　post　to　a
portfolio；　which　the　caprice　of　a　moment　might　withdraw。　　I　have　been
informed　that；　in　a　conversation　with　the　Emperor；　M。　de　Talleyrand　gave
him　the　extraordinary　advice　of　working　upon　the　ambition　of　the　English
family　of　Wellesley；　and　to　excite　in　the　mind　of　Wellington；　the　lustre
of　whose　reputation　was　now　dawning；　ambitious　projects　which　would　have
embarrassed　the　coalition。　　Napoleon；　however；　did　not　adopt　this
proposition；　the　issue　of　which　he　thought　too　uncertain；　and　above　all；
too　remote；　in　the　urgent　circumstances　in　which　it　stood。　　Caulaincourt
was　then　made　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs；　in　lieu　of　M。　Maret；　who　was
appointed　Secretary　of　State；　an　office　much　better　suited　to　him。

Meanwhile　the　Emperor　was　wholly　intent　on　the　means　of　repelling　the
attack　which　was　preparing　against　him。　　The　critical　circumstances　in
which　he　was　placed　seemed　to　restore　the　energy　which　time　had　in　some
measure　robbed　him　of。　　He　turned　his　eyes　towards　Spain；　and　resolved　to
bring　the　army　from　that　country　to　oppose　the　Allies；　whose　movements
indicated　their　intention　of　entering　France　by　Switzerland。　　An　event
occurred　connected　with　this　subject　calculated　to　have　a　decided
influence　on　the　affairs　of　the　moment；　namely；　the　renunciation　by
Joseph；　King　of　Spain；　of　all　right　to　the　crown；　to　be　followed　by　the
return；　as　had　been　agreed　on；　of　Ferdinand　to　his　dominions。　　Joseph
made　this　sacrifice　at　the　instigation　of　his　brother。　　The　treaty　was
signed；　but　an　inconceivable　delay　occurred　in　its　execution；　while　the
torrent；　which　was　advancing　upon　France；　rushed　forward　so　rapidly　that
the　treaty　could　not　be　carried　into　execution。　　Ferdinand；　it　is　true；
re…ascended　his　throne；　but　from　other　causes。

The　Emperor　was　deeply　interested　in　the　march　of　the　Allies。　　It　was
important　to　destroy　the　bridge　of　Bale；　because　the　Rhine　once　crossed
masses　of　the　enemy　would　be　thrown　into　France。　　At　this　time　I　had
close　relations　with　a　foreign　diplomat　whom　I　am　forbidden　by　discretion
to　name。　　He　told　me　that　the　enemy　was　advancing　towards　the　frontier；
and　that　the　bridge　of　Bale　would　not　be　destroyed；　as　it　had　been　so
agreed　at　Berne；　where　the　Allies　had　gained　the　day。　　This　astonished
me；　because　I　knew；　on　the　other　hand；　from　a　person　who　ought；　to　have
been　equally　well　informed；that　it　was　hoped　the　bridge　would　be　blown
up。　　Being　much　interested　in　knowing　the　truth；　I　sent　on　my　own
account；　an　agent　to　Bale　who　on　his　return　told　me　that　the　bridge　would
remain。

On　the　19th　of　December　the　Legislative　Body　was　convoked。　　It　was　on　a
Wednesday。　　M。　Laine　was　Vice…President　under　M。　Regnier。　　A　committee
was　appointed　to　examine　and　report　on　the　communications　of　the　Emperor。
The　report　and　conclusions　of　the　committee　were　not　satisfactory；　it　was
alleged　that　they　betrayed　a　revolutionary　tendency；　of　which　M。　Laine
was　absurdly　accused　of　having　been　one　of　the　promoters；　but　all　who
knew　him　must　have　been　convinced　of　the　falsehood　of　the　charge。　　The
Emperor　ordered　the　report　to　be　seized；　and　then　adjourned　the
Legislative　Body。　　Those　who　attentively　observed　the　events　of　the　time
will　recollect　the　stupor　which　prevailed　in　Paris　on　the　intelligence　of
this　seizure　and　of　the　adjournment　of　the　Legislative　Body。　　A　thousand
conjectur