memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第23节

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and　high　officers　of　State；　who　were　at　an　audience　of　the　Diplomatic
Body；　〃The　English　think　that　I　am　afraid　of　war；　but　I　am　not。〃　　And
here　the　truth　escaped　him；　in　spite　of　himself。　　〃My　power　will　lose
nothing　by　war。　　In　a　very　short　time　I　can　have　2；000；000　of　men　at　my
disposal。　　What　has　been　the　result　of　the　first　war？　　The　union　of
Belgium　and　Piedmont　to　France。　　This　is　greatly　to　our　advantage；　it
will　consolidate　our　system。　　France　shall　not　be　restrained　by　foreign
fetters。　　England　has　manifestly　violated　the　treaties！　　It　would　be
better　to　render　homage　to　the　King　of　England；　and　crown　him　King　of
France　at　Paris；　than　to　submit　to　the　insolent　caprices　of　the　English
Government。　　If；　for　the　sake　of　preserving　peace；　at　most　for　only　two
months　longer；　I　should　yield　on　a　single　point；　the　English　would　become
the　more　treacherous　and　insolent；　and　would　enact　the　more　in　proportion
as　we　yield。　　But　they　little　know　me！　　Were　we　to　yield　to　England　now；
she　would　next　prohibit　our　navigation　in　certain　parts　of　the　world。
She　would　insist　on　the　surrender　of　par　ships。　　I　know　not　what　she
would　not　demand；　but　I　am　not　the　man　to　brook　such　indignities。　　Since
England　wishes　for　war　she　shall　have　it；　and　that　speedily！〃

On　the　same　day　Bonaparte　said　a　great　deal　more　about　the　treachery　of
England。　　The　gross　calumnies　to　which　he　was　exposed　in　the　London
newspapers　powerfully　contributed　to　increase　his　natural　hatred　of　the
liberty　of　the　press；　and　he　was　much　astonished　that　such　attacks　could
be　made　upon　him　by　English　subjects　when　he　was　at　peace　with　the
English　Government。

I　had　one　day　a　singular　proof　of　the　importance　which　Bonaparte　attached
to　the　opinion　of　the　English　people　respecting　any　misconduct　that　was
attributed　to　him。　　What　I　am　about　to　state　will　afford　another　example
of　Bonaparte's　disposition　to　employ　petty　and　roundabout　means　to　gain
his　ends。　　He　gave　a　ball　at　Malmaison　when　Hortense　was　in　the　seventh
month　of　her　pregnancy。

　　　　　＇This　refers　to　the　first　son　of　Louis　and　of　Hortense；　Napoleon
　　　　　Charles；　the　intended　successor　of　Napoleon；　who　was　born　1802；　died
　　　　　1807；　elder　brother　of　Napoleon　III。＇

I　have　already　mentioned　that　he　disliked　to　see　women　in　that　situation；
and　above　all　could　not　endure　to　see　them　dance。　　Yet；　in　spite　of　this
antipathy；　he　himself　asked　Hortense　to　dance　at　the　ball　at　Malmaison。
She　at　first　declined；　but　Bonaparte　was　exceedingly　importunate；　and
said　to　her　in　a　tone　of　good…humoured　persuasion；　〃Do；　I　beg　of　you；
I　particularly　wish　to　see　you　dance。　　Come；　stand　up；　to　oblige　me。〃
Hortense　at　last　consented。　　The　motive　for　this　extraordinary　request　I
will　now　explain。

On　the　day　after　the　ball　one　of　the　newspapers　contained　some　verses　on
Hortense's　dancing。　　She　was　exceedingly　annoyed　at　this；　and　when　the
paper　arrived　at　Malmaison　she　expressed；　displeasure　at　it。　　Even
allowing　for　all　the　facility　of　our　newspaper　wits；　she　was　nevertheless
at　a　loss　to　understand　how　the　lines　could　have　been　written　and　printed
respecting　a　circumstance　which　only　occurred　the　night　before。
Bonaparte　smiled；　and　gave　her　no　distinct　answer。　　When　Hortense　knew
that　I　was　alone　in　the　cabinet　she　came　in　and　asked　me　to　explain　the
matter；　and　seeing　no　reason　to　conceal　the　truth；　I　told　her　that　the
lines　had　been　written　by　Bonaparte's　direction　before　the　ball　took
place。　　I　added；　what　indeed　was　the　fact；　that　the　ball　had　been
prepared　for　the　verses；　and　that　it　was　only　for　the　appropriateness　of
their　application　that　the　First　Consul　had　pressed　her　to　dance。　　He
adopted　this　strange　contrivance　for　contradicting　an　article　which
appeared　in　an　English　journal　announcing　that　Hortense　was　delivered。
Bonaparte　was　highly　indignant　at　that　premature　announcement；　which　he
clearly　saw　was　made　for　the　sole　purpose　of　giving　credit　to　the
scandalous　rumours　of　his　imputed　connection　with　Hortense。　　Such　were
the　petty　machinations　which　not　unfrequently　found　their　place　in　a　mind
in　which　the　grandest　schemes　were　revolving。







End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Napoleon；　V6；　1803
by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne