memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第9节

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Bale　will　be　destroyed；　and　that　Switzerland　will　preserve　her
neutrality。　　But　I　do　not　believe　any　such　thing；　nay；　more；　I　know
positively　　to　the　contrary。　　I　can　only　repeat　the　offer　comes　much　too
late。〃〃I　am　very　sorry　for　this　resolution；〃　observed　Savory；　〃but
Caulaincourt　will　perhaps　persuade　you。　　The　Emperor　wishes　you　to　go　the
Duo　de　Vicence　to…morrow　at　one　o'clock；　he　will　acquaint　you　with　all
the　particulars；　and　give　you　your　instructions。〃〃He　may　acquaint　me
with　whatever　be　chooses；　but　I　will　not　go　to　Lohraah。〃〃You　know　the
Emperor　better　than　I　do；　he　wishes　you　to　go；　and　he　will　not　pardon
your　refusal。　　〃He　may　do　as　he　pleases；　but　no　consideration　shall
induce　me　to　go　to　Switzerland。〃〃You　are　wrong：　but　you　will　reflect　on
the　matter　between　this　and　tomorrow　morning。　　Night　will　bring　good
counsel；　At　any　rate；　do　not　fail　to　go　to…morrow　at　one　o'clock　to
Caulaincourt；　he　expects　you；　and　directions　will　be　given　to　admit　you
immediately。〃

Next　morning　the　first　thing　I　did　was　to　call　on　M。　de　Talleyrand。
I　told　him　what　had　taken　place；　and　as　he　was　intimately　acquainted　with
Caulaincourt；　I　begged　him　to　speak　to　that　Minister　in　favour　of　my；
resolution。　　M。　de　Talleyrand　approved　of　my　determination　not　to　go　to
Switzerland；　and　at　one　o'clock　precisely　I　proceeded　to　M。　de
Caulaincourt's。　　He　told　me　all　he　had　been　instructed　to　say。　　From　the
manner　in　which　he　made　the　communication　I　concluded　that　he　himself
considered　the　proposed　mission　a　disagreeable　one；　and　unlikely　to　be
attended　by　any　useful　result。　　I　observed　that　he　must　have　heard　from
Savory　that　I　had　already　expressed　my　determination　to　decline　the
mission　which　the　Emperor　had　been　pleased　to　offer　me。　　The　Duc　de
Vicence　then；　in　a　very　friendly　way；　detailed　the　reasons　which　ought　to
induce　me　to　accept　the　offer；　and　did　not　disguise　from　me　that　by
persisting　in　my　determination　I　ran　the　risk　of　raising　Napoleon's
doubts　as　to　my　opinions　and　future　intentions。　　I　replied　that；　having
lived　for　three　years　as　a　private　individual；　unconnected　with　public
affairs；　I　should　have　no　influence　at　the　headquarters　of　the　Allies；
and　that　whatever　little　ability　I　might　be　supposed　to　possess；　that
would　not　counterbalance　the　difficulties　of　my　situation；　and　the
opinion　that　I　was　out　of　favour。　　I　added　that　I　should　appear　at　the
headquarters　without　any　decoration；　without　even　that　of　the　Cordon　of
the　Legion　of　Honour　to　which　the　Emperor　attached　so　much　importance；
and　the　want　of　which　would　almost　have　the　appearance　of　disgrace；　and　I
said　that　these　trifles；　however　slightly　valued　by　reasonable　men；　were
not；　as　he　well　knew；　without　their　influence　on　the　men　with　whom　I
should　have　to　treat。　　〃If　that　be　all；〃　replied。　　Caulaincourt；　〃the
obstacle　will　speedily　be　removed。　　I　am　authorised　by　the　Emperor　to
tell　you　that　he　will　create　you　a　Duke；　and　give　you　the　Grand　Cordon　of
the　Legion　of　Honour。〃

After　these　words　I　thought　I　was　dreaming；　and　I　was　almost　inclined　to
believe　that　Caulaincourt　was　jesting　with　me。　　However；　the　offer　was
serious；　and　I　will　not　deny　that　it　was　tempting；　yet　I　nevertheless
persisted　in　the　refusal　I　had　given。　　At　length；　after　some　further
conversation；　and　renewed；　but　useless；　entreaties　on　the　part　of　M。　de
Caulaincourt；　he　arose；　which　was　a　signal　that　our　interview　was
terminated。　　I　acknowledge　I　remained　for　a　moment　in　doubt　how　to　act；
for　I　felt　we　had　come　to　no　understanding。　　M。　de'　Caulaincourt　advanced
slowly　towards　the　door　of　his　cabinet：　If　I　went　away　without　knowing
his　opinion　I　had　done　nothing；　addressing　him；　therefore；　by　his
surname；　〃Caulaincourt；〃　said　I；　〃you　have　frequently　assured　me　that　you
would　never　forget　the　services　I　rendered　to　you　and　your　family　at　a
time　when　I　possessed　some　influence。　　I　know　you；　and　therefore　speak　to
you　without　disguise。　　I　do　not　now　address　myself　to　the　Emperor's
Minister；　but　to　Caulaincourt。　　You　are　a　man　of　honour；　and　I　can　open
my　heart　to　you　frankly。　　Consider　the　embarrassing　situation　of　France；
which　you　know　better　than　I　do。　　I　do　not　ask　you　for　your　secrets；　but
I　myself　know　enough。　　I　will　tell　you　candidly　that　I　am　convinced　the
enemy　will　pass　the　Rhine　in　a　few　days。　　The　Emperor　has　been　deceived：
I　should　not　have　time　to　reach　my　destination；　and　I　should　be　laughed
at。　　My　correspondents　in　Germany　have　made　me　acquainted　with　every
particular。　　Now；　Caulaincourt；　tell　me　honestly；　if　you　were　in　my
place；　and　I　in　yours；　and　I　should　make　this　proposition　to　you；　what
determination　would　you　adopt？〃

I　observed　from　the　expression　of　Caulaincourt's　countenance　that　my
question　had　made　an　impression　on　him；　and　affectionately　pressing　my
hand　he　said；　I　would　do　as　you　do：　Enough。　　I　will　arrange　the　business
with　the　Emperor。〃　　This　reply　seemed　to　remove　a　weight　from　my　mind；
and　I　left　Caulaincourt　with　feelings　of　gratitude。　　I　felt　fully　assured
that　he　would　settle　the　business　satisfactorily；　and　in　this　conjecture
I　was　not　deceived；　for　I　heard　no　more　of　the　matter。

I　must　here　go　forward　a　year　to　relate　another　occurrence　in　which　the
Due　de　Vicence　and　I　were　concerned。　　When；　in　March　1815；　the　King
appointed　me　Prefect　of　Police；　M。　de　Caulaincourt　sent　to　me　a
confidential　person　to　inquire　whether　he　ran　any　risk　in　remaining　in
Paris；　or　whether　he　had　better　remove。　　He　had　been　told　that　his　name
was　inscribed　in　a　list　of　individuals　whom　I　had　received　orders　to
arrest。　　Delighted　at　this　proof　of　confidence；　I　returned　the　following
answer　by　the　Due　de　Vicence's　messenger：　〃Tell　M。　de　Caulaincourt　that　I
do　not　know　where　he　lives。　　He　need　be　under　no　apprehension：　I　will
answer　for　him。〃

During　the　campaign　of　1813　the　Allies；　after　driving　the　French　out　of
Saxony　and　obliging　them　to　retreat　towards　the　Rhine；　besieged　Hamburg；
where　Davoust　was　shut　up　with　a　garrison　of　30；000　men；　resolutely
determined　to　make　it　a　second　Saragossa。　　From　the　month　of　September
every　day　augmented　the　number　of　the　Allied　troops；　who　were　already
making　rapid　progress　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Elbe。　　Davoust　endeavoured
to　fortify　Hamburg　an　so　extended　a　scale　that；　in　the　opinion　of　the
most　experienced　military　men；　it　would　have　required　a　garrison　of
60；000　men　to　defend　it　in　a　regular　and　protracted　siege。　　At　the
commencement　of　the　siege　Davoust　lost　Vandamme；　who　was　killed　in　a
sortie　at　the　head　of　a　numerous　corps　which　was　inconsiderately
sacrificed。

It　is　but　justice　to　admit　that　Davoust　displayed　great　activity　in　the
defence；　and　began　by　laying　in　large　supplies。

　　　　　＇Vandamme　fought　under　Grouchy　in　1815；　and　died　several　years
　　　　　afterwards。　　This　killing　him　at　Hamburg　is　one　of　the　curious
　　　　　mistakes　seized　on　by　the　Bonapartists　to　deny　the　authenticity　of
　　　　　these　Memoirs。＇

General　Bertrand　was　directed　to　construct　a　bridge　to　form　a
communication　between　Hamburg　and　Haarburg　by　joining　the　islands　of　the
Elbe　to　the　Continent　along　a　total　distance　of　about　two　leagues。　　This
bridge　was　to　be　built　of　wood；　and　Davoust　seized　upon　all　the　timber…
yards　to　supply　materials　for　its　construction。　　In　the　space　of　eighty…
three　days　the　bridge　was　finished。　　It　was　a　very　magnificent　structure；
its　length　being　2529　toises；　exclusive　of　the　lines　of　junction；　formed
on　the　two　islands。

The　inhabitants　were　dreadfully　oppressed；　but　all　the　cruel　measures　and
precautions　of　the　French　were　ineffectual；　for　the　Allies　advanced　in
great　force　and　occupied　Westphalia；　which　movement　obliged　the　Governor
of　Hamburg　to　recall　to　the　town　the　different　detachments　scattered
round　Hamburg。

At　Lubeck　the　departure　of　the　French　troops　was　marked　by　blood。　　Before
they　evacuated　the　town；　an　old　man；　and　a　butcher　named　Prahl；　were
condemned　to　be　shot。　　The　butcher's　crime　consisted　in　having　said；　in
speaking　of　the　French；　〃Der　teufel　hohle　sie〃　（the　devil　take　them）。
The　old　man　fortunately　escaped　his　threatened　fate；　but；　notwithstanding
the　entreaties　and　tears　of　the　inhabitants；　the　sentence　upon　Prahl　was
carried　into　execution。

The　garrison　of　Hamburg　was　composed　of　French；　Italian；　and　Dutch
troops。　　Their　number　at　first　amounted　to　30；000；　but　sickness　made
great…havoc　among　them。　　From　sixty　to　eighty　perished　daily　in　the
hospitals。　　When　the　garrison　evacuated　Hamburg　in　May　1814　it　was
reduced　to　about　15；000　men。　　In　the　month　of　December　provisions　began
to　diminish；　and　there　was　no　possibility　of　renewing　the　supply。　　The
poor　were　first　of　all　made　to　leave　the　town；　and　afterwards　all　persons
who　were　not　usefully　employed。　　It　is　no　exaggeration　to　estimate　at
50；000　the　number　of　persons　who　were　thus　exiled。　　The　colonel
commanding　the　gendarmerie　at　Hamburg　notified　to　the　exiled　inhabitants
that　those　who　did　not　leave　the　town　within　the　prescribed　time　would
receive　fifty　blows　with　a　cane　and　afterwards　be　driven　out。　　But　if
penance　may　be　commuted　with　priests　so　it　may　with　gendarmes。
Delinquents　contrived　to　purchase　their　escape　from　the　bastinado　b