memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第19节

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　　　　　Barbe　Marbois；　who　added　to　their　accusations　all　the　weight　of　his
　　　　　unblemished　character。　　The　opinion　entertained　by　this　rigid　public
　　　　　functionary；　and　many　other　circumstances；　induced　the　First　Consul
　　　　　to　part　with　his　secretary　（tome　i。　p。　418）。

Peculation　is　the　crime　of　those　who　make　a　fraudulent　use　of　the　public
money。　　But　as　it　was　not　in　my　power　to　meddle　with　the　public　money；　no
part　of　which　passed　through　my　hands；　I　am　at　loss　to　conceive　how　I　can
be　charged　with　peculation！　　The　Due　de　Rovigo　is　not　the　author；　but
merely　the　echo；　of　this　calumny；　but　the　accusation　to　which　his　Memoirs
gave　currency　afforded　M。　de　Barbe　Marbois　an　opportunity　of　adding　one
more　to　the　many　proofs　he　has　given　of　his　love　of　justice。

I　had　seen　nothing　of　the　Memoirs　of　the　Due　de　Rovigo　except　their
announcement　in　the　journals；　when　a　letter　from　M。　de　Barbe　Marbois　was
transmitted　to　me　from　my　family。　　It　was　as　follows：

　　　　　SIRMy　attention　has　been　called　to　the　enclosed　article　in　a
　　　　　recent　publication。　　The　assertion　it　contains　is　not　true；　and　I
　　　　　conceive　it　to　be　a　duty　both　to　you　and　myself　to　declare　that　I
　　　　　then　was；　and　still　am；　ignorant　of　the　causes　of　the　separation　in
　　　　　question：　I　am；　etc。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　MARBOIS

I　need　say　no　more　in　my　justification。　　This　unsolicited　testimony　of　M。
de　Marbois　is　a　sufficient　contradiction　to　the　charge　of　peculation
which　has　been　raised　against　me　in　the　absence　of　correct　information
respecting　the　real　causes　of　my　rupture　with　the　First　Consul。

M。　le　Due　de　Rovigo　also　observes　that　my　enemies　were　numerous。　　My
concealed　adversaries　were　indeed　all　those　who　were　interested　that　the
sovereign　should　not　have　about　him；　as　his　confidential　companion；　a　man
devoted　to　his　glory　and　not　to　his　vanity。　　In　expressing　his
dissatisfaction　with　one　of　his　ministers　Bonaparte　had　said；　in　the
presence　of　several　individuals；　among　whom　was　M。　Maret；　〃If　I　could
find　a　second　Bourrienne　I　would　get　rid　of　you　all。〃　　This　was
sufficient　to　raise　against　me　the　hatred　of　all　who　envied　the
confidence　of　which　I　was　in　possession。

The　failure　of　a　firm　in　Paris　in　which　I　had　invested　a　considerable　sum
of　money　afforded　an　opportunity　for　envy　and　malignity　to　irritate　the
First　Consul　against　me。　　Bonaparte；　who　had　not　yet　forgiven　me　for
wishing　to　leave　him；　at　length　determined　to　sacrifice　my　services　to　a
new　fit　of　ill…humour。

A　mercantile　house；　then　one　of　the　moat　respectable　in　Patna；　had　among
its　speculations　undertaken　some　army　contracts。　　With　the　knowledge　of
Berthier；　with　whom；　indeed；　the　house　had　treated；　I　had　invested　some
money　in　this　business。　　Unfortunately　the　principals　were；　unknown　to
me；　engaged　in　dangerous　speculations　in　the　Funds；　which　in　a　short　time
so　involved　them　as　to　occasion　their　failure　for　a　heavy　amount。　　This
caused　a　rumour　that　a　slight　fall　of　the　Funds；　which　took　place　at　that
period；　was　occasioned　by　the　bankruptcy；　and　the　First　Consul；　who　never
could　understand　the　nature　of　the　Funds；　gave　credit　to　the　report。　　He
was　made　to　believe　that　the　business　of　the　Stock　Exchange　was　ruined。
It　was　insinuated　that　I　was　accused　of　taking　advantage　of　my　situation
to　produce　variations　in　the　Funds；　though　I　was　so　unfortunate　as　to
lose　not　only　my　investment　in　the　bankrupt　house；　but　also　a　sum　of
money　for　which　I　had　become　bound；　by　way　of　surety；　to　assist　the　house
in　increasing　its　business。　　I　incurred　the　violent　displeasure　of　the
First　Consul；　who　declared　to　me　that　he　no　longer　required　my　services。
I　might；　perhaps　have　cooled　his　irritation　by　reminding　him　that　he
could　not　blame　me　for　purchasing　an　interest　in　a　contract；　since　he
himself　had　stipulated　for　a　gratuity　of　1；500；000　francs　for　his　brother
Joseph　out　of　the　contract　for　victualling　the　navy。　　But　I　saw　that　for
some　time　past　M。　de　Meneval　had　begun　to　supersede　me；　and　the　First
Consul　only　wanted　such　an　opportunity　as　this　for　coming　to　a　rupture
with　me。

Such　is　a　true　statement　of　the　circumstances　which　led　to　my　separation
from　Bonaparte。　　I　defy　any　one　to　adduce　a　single　fact　in　support　of　the
charge　of　peculation；　or　any　transaction　of　the　kind；　I　fear　no
investigation　of　my　conduct。　　When　in　the　service　of　Bonaparte　I　caused
many　appointments　to　be　made；　and　many　names　to　be　erased　from　the
emigrant　list　before　the　'Senatus…consulte'　of　the　6th　Floreal；　year　X。；
but　I　never　counted　upon　gratitude；　experience　having　taught　me　that　it
was　an　empty　word。

The　Duc　de　Rovigo　attributed　my　disgrace　to　certain　intercepted　letters
which　injured　me　in　the　eyes　of　the　First　Consul。　　I　did　not　know　this　at
the　time；　and　though　I　was　pretty　well　aware　of　the　machinations　of
Bonaparte's　adulators；　almost　all　of　whom　were　my　enemies；　yet　I　did　not
contemplate　such　an　act　of　baseness。　　But　a　spontaneous　letter　from　M。　de
Barbe　Marbois　at　length　opened　my　eyes；　and　left　little　doubt　on　the
subject。　　The　following　is　the　postscript　to　that　noble　peer's　letter：

　　　　　I　recollect　that　one　Wednesday　the　First　Consul；　while　presiding　at
　　　　　a　Council　of　Ministers　at　St。　Cloud；　opened　a　note；　and；　without
　　　　　informing　us　what　it　contained；　hastily　left　the　Board；　apparently
　　　　　much　agitated。　　In　a　few　minutes　he　returned　and　told　us　that　your
　　　　　functions　had　ceased。

Whether　the　sudden　displeasure　of　the　First　Consul　was　excited　by　a　false
representation　of　my　concern　in　the　transaction　which　proved　so
unfortunate　to　me；　or　whether　Bonaparte　merely　made　that　a　pretence　for
carrying　into　execution　a　resolution　which　I　am　convinced　had　been
previously　adopted；　I　shall　not　stop　to　determine；　but　the　Due　de　Rovigo
having　mentioned　the　violation　of　the　secrecy　of　letters　in　my　case；　I
shall　take　the　opportunity　of　stating　some　particulars　on　that　subject。

Before　I　wrote　these　Memoirs　the　existence　in　the　Post　Office　of　the
cabinet；　which　had　obtained　the　epithet　of　black；　had　been　denounced　in
the　chamber　of　deputies；　and　the　answer　was；　that　it　no　longer　existed；
which　of　course　amounted　to　an　admission　that　it　had　existed。　　I　may
therefore；　without　indiscretion；　state　what　I　know　respecting　it。

The　〃black　cabinet〃　was　established　in　the　reign　of　Louis　XV。；　merely　for
the　purpose　of　prying　into　the　scandalous　gossip　of　the　Court　and　the
capital。　　The　existence　of　this　cabinet　soon　became　generally　known　to
every　one。　　The　numerous　postmasters　who　succeeded　each　other；　especially
in　latter　times；　the　still　more　numerous　Post　Office　clerks；　and　that
portion　of　the　public　who　are　ever　on　the　watch　for　what　is　held　up　as
scandalous；　soon　banished　all　the　secrecy　of　the　affair；　and　none　but
fools　were　taken　in　by　it。　　All　who　did　not　wish　to　be　committed　by　their
correspondence　chose　better　channels　of　communication　than　the　Post；　but
those　who　wanted　to　ruin　an　enemy　or　benefit　a　friend　long　continued　to
avail　themselves　of　the　black　cabinet；　which；　at　first　intended　merely　to
amuse　a　monarch's　idle　hours；　soon　became　a　medium　of　intrigue；　dangerous
from　the　abuse　that　might　be　made　of　it。

Every　morning；　for　three　years；　I　used　to　peruse　the　portfolio　containing
the　bulletins　of　the　black　cabinet；　and　I　frankly　confess　that　I　never
could　discover　any　real　cause　for　the　public　indignation　against　it；
except　inasmuch　as　it　proved　the　channel　of　vile　intrigue。　　Out　of　30；000
letters；　which　daily　left　Paris　to　be　distributed　through　France　and　all
parts　of　the　world；　ten　or　twelve；　at　most；　were　copied；　and　often　only　a
few　lines　of　them。

Bonaparte　at　first　proposed　to　send　complete　copies　of　intercepted
letters　to　the　ministers　whom　their　contents　might　concern；　but　a　few
observations　from　me　induced　him　to　direct　that　only　the　important
passages　should　be　extracted　and　sent。　　I　made　these　extracts；　and
transmitted　them　to　their　destinations；　accompanied　by　the　following
words：　〃The　First　Consul　directs　me　to　inform　you　that　he　has　just
received　the　following　information；〃　etc。　　Whence　the　information　came
was　left　to　be　guessed　at。

The　First　Consul　daily　received　through　this　channel　about　a　dozen
pretended　letters；　the　writers　of　which　described　their　enemies　as
opponents　of　the　Government；　or　their　friends　as　models　of　obedience　and
fidelity　to　the　constituted　authorities。　　But　the　secret　purpose　of　this
vile　correspondence　was　soon　discovered；　and　Bonaparte　gave　orders　that
no　more　of　it　should　be　copied。　　I；　however；　suffered　from　it　at　the　time
of　my　disgrace；　and　was　well…nigh　falling　a　victim　to　it　at　a　subsequent
period。

The　letter　mentioned　by　M。　de　Marbois；　and　which　was　the　occasion　of　this
digression　on　the　violation　of　private　correspondence；　derived　importance
from　the　circumstance　that　Wednesday；　the　20th　of　October；　when　Bonaparte
received　it；　was　the　day　on　which　I　left　the　Consular　palace。

I　retired　to　a　house　which　Bonaparte　had　advised　me　to　purchase　at　St。
Cloud；　and　for　the　fitting　up　and　furnishing　of　which　he　had　promised　to
pay。　　We　shall　see　how　he　kept　this　promise！　　I　immediately　sent　to
direct　Landoi