memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第3部分

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　　　　　ToursBonaparte's　injustice　towards　himA　premeditated　scene
　　　　　Advice　given　to　Bernadotte；　and　Bonaparte　disappointedThe　First
　　　　　Consul's　residence　at　St。　CloudHis　rehearsals　for　the　Empire
　　　　　His　contempt　of　mankindMr。　Fox　and　BonaparteInformation　of　plans
　　　　　of　assassinationA　military　dinner　given　by　BonaparteMoreau　not
　　　　　of　the　partyEffect　of　the　'Senates…consultes'　on　the　Consulate　for
　　　　　lifeJourney　to　PlombieresPrevious　scene　between　Lucien　and
　　　　　JosephineTheatrical　representations　at　Neuilly　and　Malmaison
　　　　　Loss　of　a　watch；　and　honesty　rewardedCanova　at　St。　Cloud
　　　　　Bonaparte's　reluctance　to　stand　for　a　model。

Having　arrived　at　nearly　the　middle　of　the　career　which　I　have　undertaken
to　trace；　before　I　advance　farther　I　must　go　back　for　a　few　moments；　as　I
have　already　frequently　done；　in　order　to　introduce　some　circumstances
which　escaped　my　recollection；　or　which　I　purposely　reserved；　that　I
might　place　them　amongst　facts　analogous　to　them：　Thus；　for　instance；　I
have　only　referred　in　passing　to　a　man　who；　since　become　a　monarch；　has
not　ceased　to　honour　me　with　his　friendship；　as　will　be　seen　in　the
course　of　my　Memoirs；　since　the　part　we　have　seen　him　play　in　the　events
of　the　18th　Brumaire。　　This　man；　whom　the　inexplicable　combination　of
events　has　raised　to　a　throne　for　the　happiness　of　the　people　he　is
called　to　govern；　is　Bernadotte。

It　was　evident　that　Bernadotte　must　necessarily　fall　into　a　kind　of
disgrace　for　not　having　supported　Bonaparte's　projects　at　the　period　of
the　overthrow　of　the　Directory。　　The　First　Consul；　however；　did　not　dare
to　avenge　himself　openly；　but　he　watched　for　every　opportunity　to　remove
Bernadotte　from　his　presence；　to　place　him　in　difficult　situations；　and
to　entrust　him　with　missions　for　which　no　precise　instructions　were
given；　in　the　hope　that　Bernadotte　would　commit　faults　for　which　the
First　Consul　might　make　him　wholly　responsible。

At　the　commencement　of　the　Consulate　the　deplorable　war　in　La　Vendee
raged　in　all　its　intensity。　　The　organization　of　the　Chouans　was
complete；　and　this　civil　war　caused　Bonaparte　much　more　uneasiness　than
that　which　he　was　obliged　to　conduct　on　the　Rhine　and　in　Italy；　because；
from　the　success　of　the　Vendeans　might　arise　a　question　respecting
internal　government；　the　solution　of　which　was　likely　to　be　contrary　to
Bonaparte's　views。　　The　slightest　success　of　the　Vendeans　spread　alarm
amongst　the　holders　of　national　property；　and；　besides；　there　was　no　hope
of　reconciliation　between　France　and　England；　her　eternal　and　implacable
enemy；　as　long　as　the　flame　of　insurrection　remained　unextinguished。

The　task　of　terminating　this　unhappy　struggle　was　obviously　a　difficult
one。　　Bonaparte　therefore　resolved　to　impose　it　on　Bernadotte；　but　this
general's　conciliatory　disposition；　his　chivalrous　manners；　his　tendency
to　indulgence；　and　a　happy　mixture　of　prudence　and　firmness；　made　him
succeed　where　others　would　have　failed。　　He　finally　established　good
order　and　submission　to　the　laws。

Some　time　after　the　pacification　of　La　Vendee　a　rebellious　disposition
manifested　itself　at　Tours　amongst　the　soldiers　of　a　regiment　stationed
there。　　The　men　refused　to　march　until　they　received　their　arrears　of
pay。　　Bernadotte；　as　commander…in…chief　of　the　army　of　the　west；　without
being　alarmed　at　the　disturbance；　ordered　the　fifty…second　demi…brigade
the　one　in　questionto　be　drawn　up　in　the　square　of　Tours；　where；　at　the
very　head　of　the　corps；　the　leaders　of　the　mutiny　were　by　his　orders
arrested　without　any　resistance　being　offered。　　Carnot　who　was　then
Minister　of　War；　made　a　report　to　the　First　Consul　on　this　affair；　which；
but　for　the　firmness　of　Bernadotte；　might　have　been　attended　with
disagreeable　results。　　Carnet's　report　contained　a　plain　statement　of　the
facts；　and　of　General　Bernadotte's　conduct。　　Bonaparte　was；　however；
desirous　to　find　in　it　some　pretext　for　blaming　him；　and　made　me　write
these　words　on　the　margin　of　the　report：　〃General　Bernadotte　did　not　act
discreetly　in　adopting　such　severe　measures　against　the　fifty…second
demi…brigade；　he　not　having　the　means；　if　he　head　been　unsuccessful；　of
re…establishing　order　in　a　town　the　garrison　of　which　was　not　strong
enough　to　subdue　the　mutineers。〃

A　few　days　after；　the　First　Consul　having　learned　that　the　result　of　this
affair　was　quite　different　from　that　which　he　affected　to　dread；　and
being　convinced　that　by　Bernadotte's　firmness　alone　order　had　been
restored；　he　found　himself　in　some　measure　constrained　to　write　to　the
General；　and　he　dictated　the　following　letter　to　me：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PARIS；　11th　Vendemiaire。　　Year　XI。

　　　　　CITIZEN…GENERALI　have　read　with　interest　the　account　of　what　　　you
　　　　　did　to　re…establish　order　in　the　fifty…second　demi…brigade；　and
　　　　　also　the　report　of　General　Liebert；　dated　the　5th　Vendemiaire。
　　　　　Tell　that　officer　that　the　Government　is　satisfied　with　his　conduct。
　　　　　His　promotion　from　the　rank　of　Colonel　to　that　of　General　of　brigade
　　　　　is　confirmed。　　I　wish　that　brave　officer　to　come　to　Paris。　　He　has
　　　　　afforded　an　example　of　firmness　and　energy　which　does　honour　to　a
　　　　　soldier。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　BONAPARTE。

Thus　in　the　same　affair　Bonaparte；　in　a　few　days；　from　the　spontaneous
expression　of　blame　dictated　by　hate；　was　reduced　to　the　necessity　of
declaring　his　approbation；　which　he　did；　as　may　be　seen；　with　studied
coldness；　and　even　taking　pains　to　make　his　praises　apply　to　Colonel
Liebert；　and　not　to　the　general…in…chief。

Time　only　served　to　augment　Bonaparte's　dislike　of　Bernadotte。　　It　might
be　said　that　the　farther　he　advanced　in　his　rapid　march　towards　absolute
power　the　more　animosity　he　cherished　against　the　individual　who　had
refused　to　aid　his　first　steps　in　his　adventurous　career。　　At　the　same
time　the　persons　about　Bonaparte　who　practised　the　art　of　flattering
failed　not　to　multiply　reports　and　insinuations　against　Bernadotte。
I　recollect　one　day；　when　there　was　to　be　a　grand　public　levee；　seeing
Bonaparte　so　much　out　of　temper　that　I　asked　him　the　cause　of　it。　　〃I　can
bear　it　no　longer；〃　he　replied　impetuously。　　〃I　have　resolved　to　have　a
scene　with　Bernadotte　to…day。　　He　will　probably　be　here。　　I　will　open　the
fire；　let　what　will　come　of　it。　　He　may　do　what　he　pleases。　　We　shall
see！　　It　is　time　there　should　be　an　end　of　this。〃

I　had　never　before　observed　the　First　Consul　so　violently　irritated。
He　was　in　a　terrible　passion；　and　I　dreaded　the　moment　when　the　levee　was
to　open。　　When　he　left　me　to　go　down　to　the　salon　I　availed　myself　of　the
opportunity　to　get　there　before　him；　which　I　could　easily　do；　as　the
salon　was　not　twenty　steps　from　the　cabinet。　　By　good　luck　Bernadotte　was
the　first　person　I　saw。　　He　was　standing　in　the　recess　of　a　window　which
looked　on　the　square　of　the　Carrousel。　　To　cross　the　salon　and　reach　the
General　was　the　work　of　a　moment。　　〃General！〃　said　I；　〃trust　me　and
retire！I　have　good　reasons　for　advising　it！〃　　Bernadotte；　seeing　my
extreme　anxiety；　and　aware　of　the　sincere　sentiments　of　esteem　end
friendship　which　I　entertained　for　him；　consented　to　retire；　and　I
regarded　this　as　a　triumph；　for；　knowing　Bernadotte's　frankness　of
character　and　his　nice　sense　of　honour；　I　was　quite　certain　that　he　would
not　submit　to　the　harsh　observations　which　Bonaparte　intended　to　address
to　him。　　My　stratagem　had　all　the　success　I　could　desire。　　The　First
Consul　suspected　nothing；　and　remarked　only　one　thing；　which　was　that　his
victim　was　absent。　　When　the　levee　was　over　he　said　to　me；　〃What　do　you
think　of　it；　Bourrienne？…Bernadotte　did　not　come。〃〃So　much　the　better
for　him；　General；〃　was　my　reply。　　Nothing　further　happened。　　The　First
Consul　on　returning　from　Josephine　found　me　in　the　cabinet；　and
consequently　could　suspect　nothing；　and　my　communication　with　Bernadotte
did　not　occupy　five　minutes。　　Bernadotte　always　expressed　himself　much
gratified　with　the　proof　of　friendship　I　gave　him　at　this　delicate
conjuncture。　　The　fact　is；　that　from　a　disposition　of　my　mind；　which　I
could　not　myself　account　for；　the　more　Bonaparte'a　unjust　hatred　of
Bernadotte　increased　the　more　sympathy　and　admiration　I　felt　for　the
noble　character　of　the　latter。

The　event　in　question　occurred　in　the　spring　of　1802。　　It　was　at　this
period　that　Bonaparte　first　occupied　St。　Cloud；　which　he　was　much　pleased
with；　because　he　found　himself　more　at　liberty　there　than　at　the
Tuileries；　which　palace　is　really　only　a　prison　for　royalty；　as　there　a
sovereign　cannot　even　take　the　air　at　a　window　without　immediately　being
the　object　of　the　curiosity　of　the　public；　who　collect　in　large　crowds。
At　St。　Cloud；　on　the　contrary；　Bonaparte　could　walk　out　from　his　cabinet
and　prolong　his　promenade　without　being　annoyed　by　petitioners。　　One　of
his　first　steps　was　to　repair　the　cross　road　leading　from　St。　Cloud　to
Malmaison；　between　which　places　Bonaparte　rode　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。
This　proximity　to　the　country；　which　he　liked；　made　staying　at　St。　Cloud
yet　pleasanter　to　him。　　It　was　at　St。　Cloud　that　the　First　Consul　made；
if　I　may　so　express　it；　his　first　rehear