memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第21节

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Consul　had　directed　him　to　communicate；　I　wrote　on　the　spot　the　subjoined
letter　to　Bonaparte：

　　　　　At　General　Duroc's　desire　I　have　this　moment　waited　upon　him；　and　he
　　　　　informs　me　that　you　have　received　notice　that　a　deficit　of　100；000
　　　　　francs　has　been　discovered　in　the　Treasury　of　the　Navy；　which　you
　　　　　require　me　to　refund　this　day　at　noon。

　　　　　Citizen　First　Consul；　I　know　not　what　this　means！　　I　am　utterly
　　　　　ignorant　of　the　matter。　　I　solemnly　declare　to　you　that　this　charge
　　　　　is　a　most　infamous　calumny。　　It　is　one　more　to　be　added　to　the
　　　　　number　of　those　malicious　charges　which　have　been　invented　for　the
　　　　　purpose　of　destroying　any　influence　I　might　possess　with　you。

　　　　　I　am　in　General　Duroc's　apartment；　where　I　await　your　orders。

Duroc　carried　my　note　to　the　First　Consul　as　soon　as　it　was　written。　　He
speedily　returned。　　〃All's　right！〃　　said　he。　　〃癏e　has　directed　me　to　say
it　was　entirely　a　mistake！that　he　is　now　convinced　he　was　deceived！
that　he　is　sorry　for　the　business；　and　hopes　no　more　will　be　said　about
it。〃

The　base　flatterers　who　surrounded　Bonaparte　wished　him　to　renew　his
Egyptian　extortions　upon　me；　but　they　should　have　recollected　that　the
fusillade　employed　in　Egypt　for　the　purpose　of　raising　money　was　no
longer　the　fashion　in　France；　and　that　the　days　were　gone　by　when　it　was
the　custom　to　'grease　the　wheels　of　the　revolutionary　car。'




CHAPTER　XVII。

1803。

　　　　　The　First　Consul's　presentiments　respecting　the　duration　of　peace
　　　　　England's　uneasiness　at　the　prosperity　of　FranceBonaparte's　real
　　　　　wish　for　warConcourse　of　foreigners　in　ParisBad　faith　of
　　　　　EnglandBonaparte　and　Lord　WhitworthRelative　position　of　France
　　　　　and　England…Bonaparte's　journey　to　the　seaboard　departments
　　　　　Breakfast　at　CompiegneFather　BertonIrritation　excited　by　the
　　　　　presence　of　BouquetFather　Berton's　derangement　and　deathRapp
　　　　　ordered　to　send　for　meOrder　countermanded。

The　First　Consul　never　anticipated　a　long　peace　with　England。　　He　wished
for　peace　merely　because；　knowing　it　to　be　ardently　desired　by　the
people；　after　ten　years　of　war　he　thought　it　would　increase　his
popularity　and　afford　him　the　opportunity　of　laying　the　foundation　of　his
government。　　Peace　was　as　necessary　to　enable　him　to　conquer　the　throne
of　France　as　war　was　essential　to　secure　it；　and　to　enlarge　its　base　at
the　expense　of　the　other　thrones　of　Europe。　　This　was　the　secret　of　the
peace　of　Amiens；　and　of　the　rupture　which　so　suddenly　followed；　though
that　rupture　certainly　took　place　sooner　than　the　First　Consul　wished。
On　the　great　questions　of　peace　and　war　Bonaparte　entertained　elevated
ideas；　but　in　discussions　on　the　subject　he　always　declared　himself　in
favour　of　war。　　When　told　of　the　necessities　of　the　people；　of　the
advantages　of　peace；　its　influence　on　trade；　the　arts；　national　industry；
and　every　branch　of　public　prosperity；　he　did　not　attempt　to　deny　the
argument；　indeed；　he　concurred　in　it；　but　he　remarked；　that　all　those
advantages　were　only　conditional；　so　long　as　England　was　able　to　throw
the　weight　of　her　navy　into　the　scale　of　the　world；　and　to　exercise　the
influence　of　her　gold　in　all　the　Cabinets　of　Europe。　　Peace　must　be
broken；　since　it　was　evident　that　England　was　determined　to　break　it。
Why　not　anticipate　her？　　Why　allow　her　to　have　all　the　advantages　of　the
first　step？　　We　must　astonish　Europe！　　We　must　thwart　the　policy　of　the
Continent！　　We　must　strike　a　great　and　unexpected　blow。　　Thus　reasoned
the　First　Consul；　and　every　one　may　judge　whether　his　actions　agreed　with
his　sentiments。

The　conduct　of　England　too　well　justified　the　foresight　of　Bonaparte's
policy；　or　rather　England；　by　neglecting　to　execute　her　treaties；　played
into　Bonaparte's　hand；　favoured　his　love　for　war；　and　justified　the
prompt　declaration　of　hostilities　in　the　eyes　of　the　French　nation；　whom
he　wished　to　persuade　that　if　peace　were　broken　it　would　be　against　his
wishes。　　England　was　already　at　work　with　the　powerful　machinery　of　her
subsidies；　and　the　veil　beneath　which　she　attempted　to　conceal　her
negotiations　was　still　sufficiently　transparent　for　the　lynx　eye　of　the
First　Consul。　　It　was　in　the　midst　of　peace　that　all　those　plots　were
hatched；　while　millions　who　had　no　knowledge　of　their　existence　were
securely　looking　forward　to　uninterrupted　repose。

Since　the　Revolution　Paris　had　never　presented　such　a　spectacle　as　during
the　winter　of　1802…3。　　At　that　time　the　concourse　of　foreigners　in　the
French　capital　was　immense。　　Everything　wore　the　appearance　of
satisfaction；　and　the　external　signs　of　public　prosperity。　　The　visible
regeneration　in　French　society　exceedingly　annoyed　the　British　Ministry。
The　English　who　flocked　to　the　Continent　discovered　France　to　be　very
different　from　what　she　was　described　to　be　by　the　English　papers。　　This
caused　serious　alarm　on　the　other　side　of　the　Channel；　and　the　English
Government　endeavoured　by　unjust　complaints　to　divert　attention　from　just
dissatisfaction；　which　its　own　secret　intrigues　excited。　　The　King　of
England　sent　a　message　to　Parliament；　in　which　he　spoke　of　armaments
preparing　in　the　ports　of　France；　and　of　the　necessity　of　adopting
precautions　against　meditated　aggressions。　　This　instance　of　bad　faith
highly　irritated　the　First　Consul；　who　one　day；　in　a　fit　of　displeasure；
thus　addressed　Lord　Whitworth　in　the　salon；　where　all　the　foreign
Ambassadors　were　assembled：

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？　　Are　you　then　tired　of　peace？　　Must　Europe
again　be　deluged　with　blood？　　Preparations　for　war　indeed！　　Do　you　think
to　overawe　us　by　this？　　You　shall　see　that　France　may　be　conquered；
perhaps　destroyed；　but　never　intimidatednever！〃

The　English　Ambassador　was　astounded　at　this　unexpected　sally；　to　which
he　made　no　reply。　　He　contented　himself　with　writing　to　his　Government　an
account　of　an　interview　in　which　the　First　Consul　had　so　far　forgotten
himself；…whether　purposely　or　not　I　do　not　pretend　to　say。

That　England　wished　for　war　there　could　be　no　doubt。　　She　occupied　Malta；
it　is　true；　but　she　had　promised　to　give　it　up；　though　she　never　had　any
intention　of　doing　so。　　She　was　to　have　evacuated　Egypt；　yet　there　she
still　remained；　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　was　to　have　been　surrendered；　but
she　still　retained　possession　of　it。　　England　had　signed；　at　Amiens；　a
peace　which　she　had　no　intention　of　maintaining。　　She　knew　the　hatred　of
the　Cabinets　of　Europe　towards　France；　and　she　was　sure；　by　her　intrigues
and　subsidies；　of　arming　them　on　her　side　whenever　her　plans　reached
maturity。　　She　saw　France　powerful　and　influential　in　Europe；　and　she
knew　the　ambitious　views　of　the　First　Consul；　who；　indeed；　had　taken
little　pains　to　conceal　them。

The　First　Consul；　who　had　reckoned　on　a　longer　duration　of　the　peace　of
Amiens；　found　himself　at　the　rupture　of　the　treaty　in　an　embarrassing
situation。　　The　numerous　grants　of　furloughs；　the　deplorable　condition
of　the　cavalry；　and　the　temporary　absence　of　artillery；　in　consequence　of
a　project　for　refounding　all　the　field…pieces；　caused　much　anxiety　to
Bonaparte。　　He　had　recourse　to　the　conscription　to　fill　up　the
deficiencies　of　the　army；　and　the　project　of　refounding　the　artillery　was
abandoned。　　Supplies　of　money　were　obtained　from　the　large　towns；　and
Hanover；　which　was　soon　after　occupied；　furnished　abundance　of　good
horses　for　mounting　the　cavalry。

War　had　now　become　inevitable；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　declared　the　First
Consul　set　out　to　visit　Belgium　and　the　seaboard　departments　to　ascertain
the　best　means　of　resisting　the　anticipated　attacks　of　the　English。　　In
passing　through　Compiegne　he　received　a　visit　from　Father　Berton；
formerly　principal　of　the　military　school　of　Brienne。　　He　was　then　rector
of　the　school　of　arts　at　Compiegne；　a　situation　in　which　he　had　been
placed　by　Bonaparte。　　I　learned　the　particulars　of　this　visit　through
Josephine。　　Father　Berton；　whose　primitive　simplicity　of　manner　was
unchanged　since　the　time　when　he　held　us　under　the　authority　of　his
ferule；　came　to　invite　Bonaparte　and　Josephine　to　breakfast　with　him；
which　invitation　was　accepted。　　Father　Berton　had　at　that　time　living
with　him　one　of　our　old　comrades　of　Brienne；　named　Bouquet；　but　he
expressly　forbade　him　to　show　himself　to　Bonaparte　or　any　one　of　his
suite；　because　Bouquet；　who　had　been　a　commissary　at　headquarters　in
Italy；　was　in　disgrace　with　the　First　Consul。　　Bouquet　promised　to
observe　Father　Berton's　injunctions；　but　was　far　from　keeping　his
promise。　　As　soon　as　he　saw　Bonaparte's　carriage　drive　up；　he　ran　to　the
door　and　gallantly　handed　out　Josephine。　　Josephine；　as　she　took　his
hand；　said；　〃Bouquet；you　have　ruined　yourself！〃　　Bonaparte；　indignant
at　what　he　considered　an　unwarrantable　familiarity；　gave　way　to　one　of
his　uncontrollable　fits　of　passion；　and　as　soon　as　he　entered　the　room
where　the　breakfast　was　laid；　he　seated　himself；　and　then　said　to　his
wife　in　an　imperious　tone；　〃Josephine；　sit　there！〃　He　then　commenced
breakfast；　without　telling　Father　Becton　to　sit　down；　although　a　third
plate　had　been　laid　for　him。　　Father　Becton　stood　behind　his　old　pupil's
chair　apparentl