memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第8节

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will　recollect　the　stupor　which　prevailed　in　Paris　on　the　intelligence　of
this　seizure　and　of　the　adjournment　of　the　Legislative　Body。　　A　thousand
conjectures　were　started　as　to　what　new　occurrences　had　taken　place
abroad；　but　nothing　satisfactory　was　learned。

I　considered　this　a　great　mistake。　　Who　can　doubt　that　if　the　Legislative
Body　had　taken　the　frank　and　noble　step　of　declaring　that　France　accepted
the　conditions　of　Frankfort　they　would　not　have　been　listened　to　by　the
Allies？　　But　the　words；　〃You　are　dishonoured　if　you　cede　a　single　village
acquired　by　a　'Senatus…consulte'；〃　always；　resounded　in　Napoleon's　ears：
they　flattered　his　secret　thoughts；　and　every　pacific　proposal　was
rejected。

The　members　of　the　adjourned　Legislative　Body　went　as　usual　to　take　leave
of　the　Emperor；　who　received　them　on　a　Sunday；　and　after　delivering　to
them　the　speech；　which　is　very　well　known；　dismissed　the　rebels　with
great　ill…humour；　refusing　to　hear　any　explanation。　　〃I　have　suppressed
your　address；〃　he　began　abruptly：　〃it　was　incendiary。　　I　called　you　round
me　to　do　goodyou　have　done　ill。　　Eleven…twelfths　of　you　are　well…
intentioned；　the　others；　and　above　all　M。　Laine；　are　factious　intriguers；
devoted　to　England；　to　all　my　enemies；　and　corresponding　through　the
channel　of　the　advocate　Deseze　with　the　Bourbons。　　Return　to　your
Departments；　and　feel　that　my　eye　will　follow　you；　you　have　endeavoured
to　humble　me；　you　may　kill　me；　but　you　shall　not　dishonour　me。　　You　make
remonstrances；　is　this　a　time；　when　the　stranger　invades　our　provinces；
and　200；000　Cossacks　are　ready　to　overflow　our　country？　　There　may　have
been　petty　abuses；　I　never　connived　at　them。　　You；　M。　Raynouard；　you　said
that。　　Prince　Massena　robbed　a　man　at　Marseilles　of　his　house。　　You　lie！
The　General　took　possession　of　a　vacant　house；　and　my　Minister　shall
indemnify　the　proprietor。　　Is　it　thus　that　you　dare　affront　a　Marshal　of
France　who　has　bled　for　his　country；　and　grown　gray　in　victory？　　Why　did
you　not　make　your　complaints　in　private　to　me？　　I　would　have　done　you
justice。　　We　should　wash　our　dirty　linen　at　home；　and　not　drag　it　out
before　the　world。　　You；　call　yourselves　Representatives　of　the　Nation。
It　is　not　true；　you　are　only　Deputies　of　the　Departments；　a　small　portion
of　the　State；　inferior　to　the　Senate；　inferior　even　to　the　Council　of
State。　　The　Representatives　of　the　People！　　I　am　alone　the　Representative
of　the　People。　　Twice　have　24；000；000　of　French　called　me　to　the　throne：
which　of　you　durst　undertake　such　a　burden？　　It　had　already　overwhelmed
（ecrase）；　your　Assemblies；　and　your　Conventions；　your　Vergniauds　and　your
Guadets；　your　Jacobins　and　your　Girondins。　　They　are　all　dead！　　What；　who
are　you？　　nothingall　authority　is　in　the　Throne；　and　what　is　the
Throne？　this　wooden　frame　covered　with　velvet？no；　I　am　the　Throne！
You　have　added　wrong　to　reproaches。　　You　have　talked　of　concessions
concessions　that　even　my　enemies　dared　not　ask！　　I　suppose　if　they　asked
Champaigne　you　would　have　had　me　give　them　La　Brie　besides；　but　in　four
months　I　will　conquer　peace；　or　I　shall　be　dead！　　You　advise！　　how　dare
you　debate　of　such　high　matters　（de　si　graves　interets）！　　You　have　put　me
in　the　front　of　the　battle　as　the　cause　of　warit　is　infamous　（c'est　une
atrocite）。　　In　all　your　committees　you　have　excluded　the　friends　of
Governmentextraordinary　commissioncommittee　of　financecommittee　of
the　address；　all；　all　my　enemies。　　M。　Laine；　I　repeat　it；　is　a　traitor；
he　is　a　wicked　man；　the　others　are　mere　intriguers。　　I　do　justice　to　the
eleven…twelfths；　but　the　factions　I　know；　and　will　pursue。　　Is　it；　I　ask
again；　is　it　while　the　enemy　is　in　France　that　you　should　have　done　this？
But　nature　has　gifted　me　with　a　determined　couragenothing　can　overcome
me。　　It　cost　my　pride　much　tooI　made　that　sacrifice；　Ibut　I　am　above
your　miserable　declamationsI　was　in　need　of　consolation；　and　you　would
mortify　mebut；　no；　my　victories　shall　crush　your　clamours！　　In　three
months　we　shall　have　peace；　and　you　shall　repent　your　folly。　　I　am　one　of
those　who　triumph　or　die。

〃Go　back　to　your　Departments　if　any　one　of　you　dare　to　print　your　address
I　shall　publish　it　in　the　Moniteur　with　notes　of　my　own。　　Go；　France
stands　in　more　need　of　me　than　I　do　of　France。　　I　bear　the　eleven…
twelfths　of　you　in　my　heartI　shall　nominate　the　Deputies　to　the　two
series　which　are　vacant；　and　I　shall　reduce　the　Legislative　Body　to　the
discharge　of　its　proper　duties。　　The　inhabitants　of　Alsace　and　Franche
Comte　have　more　spirit　than　you；　they　ask　me　for　arms；　I　send　them；　and
one　of　my　aides　de　camp　will　lead　them　against　the　enemy。〃

In　after　conversations　he　said　of　the　Legislative　Body　that　〃its　members
never　came　to　Paris　but　to　obtain　some　favours。　　They　importuned　the
Ministers　from　morning　till　night；　and　complained　if　they　were　not
immediately　satisfied。　　When　invited　to　dinner　they　burn　with　envy　at　the
splendour　they　see　before　them。〃　　I　heard　this　from　Cambaceres；　who　was
present　when　the　Emperor　made　these　remarks。




CHAPTER　XXXI。

1813。

　　　　　The　flag　of　the　army　of　Italy　and　the　eagles　of　1813Entrance　of
　　　　　the　Allies　into　SwitzerlandSummons　to　the　Minister　of　Police
　　　　　My　refusal　to　accept　a　mission　to　SwitzerlandInterviews　with　M。　de
　　　　　Talleyrand　and　the　Due　de　PicenceOffer　of　a　Dukedom　and　the　Grand
　　　　　Cordon　of　the　Legion　of　HonourDefinitive　refusalThe　Duc　de
　　　　　Vicence's　message　to　me　in　1815Commencement　of　the　siege　of
　　　　　HamburgA　bridge　two　leagues　longExecutions　at　LubeckScarcity
　　　　　of　provisions　in　HamburgBanishment　of　the　inhabitantsMen
　　　　　bastinadoed　and　women　whippedHospitality　of　the　inhabitants　of
　　　　　Altona。

I　am　now　arrived　at　the　most　critical　period　in　Napoleon's　career。　　What
reflections　must　he　have　made；　if　he　had　had　leisure　to　reflect；　in
comparing　the　recollections　of　his　rising　glory　with　the　sad　picture　of
his　falling　fortune？　　What　a　contrast　presents　itself　when　we　compare　the
famous　flag　of　the　army　of　Italy；　which　the　youthful　conqueror；
Bonaparte；　carried　to　the　Directory；　with　those　drooping　eagles　who　had
now　to　defend　the　aerie　whence　they　had　so　often　taken　flight　to　spread
their　triumphant　wings　over　Europe！　　Here　we　see　the　difference　between
liberty　and　absolute　power！　　Napoleon；　the　son　of　liberty；　to　whom　he
owed　everything；　had　disowned　his　mother；　and　was　now　about　to　fall。
Those　glorious　triumphs　were　now　over　when　the　people　of　Italy　consoled
themselves　for　defeat　and　submitted　to　the　magical　power　of　that　liberty
which　preceded　the　Republican　armies。　　Now；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　to
free　themselves　from　a　despotic　yoke　that　the　nations　of　Europe　had　in
their　turn　taken　up　arms　and　were　preparing　to　invade　France。

With　the　violation　of　the　Swiss　territory　by　the　Allied　armies；　after　the
consent　of　the　Cantons；　is　connected　a　fact　of　great　importance　in　my
life；　and　which；　if　I　had　chosen；　might　have　made　a　great　difference　in
my　destiny。　　On　Tuesday；　the　28th　of　December；　I　dined　with　my　old
friend；　M。　Pierlot；　and　on　leaving　home　I　was　in　the　habit　of　saying
where　I　might　be　found　in　case　I　should　be　wanted。　　At　nine　o'clock　at
night　an　express　arrived　from　the　Minister　of　Police　desiring　me　to　come
immediately　to　his　office。　　I　confess；　considering　the　circumstances　of
the　times；　and　knowing　the　Emperor's　prejudices　against　me；　such　a
request　coming　at　such　an　hour　made　me　feel　some　uneasiness；　and　I
expected　nothing　less　then　a　journey　to　Vincennes。　　The　Due　de　Rovigo；
by　becoming　responsible　for　me；　had　as　yet　warded　off　the　blow；　and　the
supervision　to　which　the　Emperor　had　subjected　methanks　to　the　good
offices　of　Davoustconsisted　in　going　three　times　a　week　to　show　myself
to　Savory。

I　accordingly；　having　first　borrowed　a　night…cap；　repaired　to　the　hotel
of　the　Minister　of　Police。　　I　was　ushered　into　a　well…lighted　room；　and
when　I　entered　I　found　Savary　waiting　for　me。　　He　was　in　full　costume；
from　which　I　concluded　he　had　just　come　from　the　Emperor。　　Advancing
towards　me　with　an　air　which　showed　he　had　no　bad　news　to　communicate；　he
thus　addressed　me：

〃Bourrienne；　I　have　just　come　from　the　Emperor；　who　asked　me　where　you
were？　　I　told　him　you　were　in　Paris；　and　that　I　saw　you　often。　　'Well；'
continued　the　Emperor；　'bid　him　come　to　me；　I　want　to　employ　him。　　It　is
three　years　since　he　has　had　anything　to　do。　　I　wish　to　send　him　as
Minister　to　Switzerland；　but　he　must　set　off　directly。　　He　must　go　to　the
Allies。　He　understands　German　well。　The　King　of　Prussia　expressed　by
letter　satisfaction　at　his　conduct　towards　the　Prussians　whom　the　war
forced　to　retire　to　Hamburg。　　He　knows　Prince　Witgenstein；　who　is　the
friend　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　probably　is　at　Lorrach。　　He　will　see
all　the　Germans　who　are　there。　　I　confidently　rely　on　him；　and　believe
his　journey　will　have　a　good　result。　　Caulaincourt　will　give　him　his
instructions。〃

Notwithstanding　my　extreme　surprise　at　this　communication　I　replied
without　hesitation　that　I　could　not　accept　the　mission；　that　it　was
offered　too　late。　　〃It　perhaps　is　hoped；〃　said　I；　〃that　the　bridge　of
Bale　will　be　destroyed；　and　that　Switzerland　will　pr