memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第4部分

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yet　pleasanter　to　him。　　It　was　at　St。　Cloud　that　the　First　Consul　made；
if　I　may　so　express　it；　his　first　rehearsals　of　the　grand　drama　of　the
Empire。　　It　was　there　he　began　to　introduce；　in　external　forms；　the
habits　and　etiquette　which　brought　to　mind　the　ceremonies　of　sovereignty。
He　soon　perceived　the　influence　which　pomp　of　ceremony；　brilliancy　of
appearance；　and　richness　of　costume；　exercise　over　the　mass　of　mankind。
〃Men；〃　he　remarked　to　me　a　this　period；　〃well　deserve　the　contempt　I　feel
for　them。　　I　have　only　to　put　some　gold　lace　on　the　coats　of　my　virtuous
republicans　and　they　immediately　become　just　what　I　wish　them。〃

I　remember　one　day；　after　one　of　his　frequent　sallies　of　contempt　for
human　kind；　I　observed　to　him　that　although　baubles　might　excite　vulgar
admiration；　there　were　some　distinguished　men　who　did　not　permit
themselves　to　be　fascinated　by　their　allurements；　and　I　mentioned　the
celebrated　Fox　by　way　of　example；　who；　previous　to　the　conclusion　of　the
peace　of　Amiens；　visited　Paris；　where　he　was　remarked　for　his　extreme
simplicity。　　The　First　Consul　said；　〃Ah！　　you　are　right　with　respect　to
him。　　Mr。　Fox　is　a　truly　great　man；　and　pleases　me　much。〃

In　fact；　Bonaparte　always　received　Mr。　Fox's　visits　with　the　greatest
satisfaction；　and　after　every　conversation　they　had　together　he　never
failed　to　express　to　me　the　pleasure　which　he　experienced　in　discoursing
with　a　man　every　way　worthy　of　the　great　celebrity　he　had　attained。
He　considered　him　a　very　superior　man；　and　wished　he　might　have　to　treat
with　him　in　his　future　negotiations　with　England。　　It　may　be　supposed
that　Mr。　Fox；　on　his　part；　never　forgot　the　terms　of　intimacy；　I　may　say
of　confidence；　on　which　he　had　been　with　the　First　Consul。　　In　fact；　he
on　several　occasions　informed　him　in　time　of　war　of　the　plots　formed
against　his　life。　　Less　could　not　be　expected　from　a　man　of　so　noble　a
character。　　I　can　likewise　affirm；　having　more　than　once　been　in
possession　of　proofs　of　the　fact；　that　the　English　Government　constantly
rejected　with　indignation　all　such　projects。　　I　do　not　mean　those　which
had　for　their　object　the　overthrow　of　the　Consular　or　Imperial
Government；　but　all　plans　of　assassination　and　secret　attacks　on　the
person　of　Bonaparte；　whether　First　Consul　or　Emperor。　　I　will　here
request　the　indulgence　of　the　reader　whilst　I　relate　a　circumstance　which
occurred　a　year　before　Mr。　Fox's　journey　to　Paris；　but　as　it　refers　to
Moreau；　I　believe　that　the　transposition　will　be　pardoned　more　easily
than　the　omission。

During　the　summer　1801　the　First　Consul　took　a　fancy　to　give　a　grand
military　dinner　at　a　restaurateur's。　　The　restaurateur　he　favoured　with
his　company　was　Veri；　whose　establishment　was　situated　on　the　terrace　of
the　Feuillans　with　an　entrance　into　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries。
Bonaparte　did　not　send　an　invitation　to　Moreau；　whom　I　met　by　chance　that
day　in　the　following　manner：　The　ceremony　of　the　dinner　at　Veri's
leaving　me　at　liberty　to　dispose　of　my　time；　I　availed　myself　of　it　to　go
and　dine　at　a　restaurateur's　named　Rose；　who　then　enjoyed　great　celebrity
amongst　the　distinguished　gastronomes。　　I　dined　in　company　with　M。
Carbonnet；　a　friend　of　Moreau's　family；　and　two　or　three　other　persons。
Whilst　we　were　at　table　in　the　rotunda　we　were　informed　by　the　waiter　who
attended　on　us　that　General　Moreau　and　his　wife；　with　Lacuee　and　two
other　military　men；　were　in　an　adjoining　apartment。　　Suchet；　who　had
dined　at　Veri's；　where　he　said　everything　was　prodigiously　dull；　on
rising　from　the　table　joined　Moreau's　party。　　These　details　we　learned
from　M。　Carbonnet；　who　left　us　for　a　few　moments　to　see　the　General　and
Madame　Moreau。

Bonaparte's　affectation　in　not　inviting　Moreau　at　the　moment　when　the
latter　had　returned　a　conqueror　from　the　army　of　the　Rhine；　and　at　the
same　time　the　affectation　of　Moreau　in　going　publicly　the　same　day　to
dine　at　another　restaurateur's；　afforded　ground　for　the　supposition　that
the　coolness　which　existed　between　them　would　soon　be　converted　into
enmity。　　The　people　of　Paris　naturally　thought　that　the　conqueror　of
Marengo　might；　without　any　degradation；　have　given　the　conqueror　of
Hohenlinden　a　seat　at　his　table。

By　the　commencement　of　the　year　1802　the　Republic　had　ceased　to　be
anything　else　than　a　fiction；　or　an　historical　recollection。　　All　that
remained　of　it　was　a　deceptive　inscription　on　the　gates　of　the　Palace。
Even　at　the　time　of　his　installation　at　the　Tuileries；　Bonaparte　had
caused　the　two　trees　of　liberty　which　were　planted　in　the　court　to　be　cut
down；　thus　removing　the　outward　emblems　before　he　destroyed　the　reality。
But　the　moment　the　Senatorial　decisions　of　the　2d　and　4th　of　August　were
published　it　was　evident　to　the　dullest　perceptions　that　the　power　of　the
First　Consul　wanted　nothing　but　a　name。

After　these　'Consultes'　Bonaparte　readily　accustomed　himself　to　regard
the　principal　authorities　of　the　State　merely　as　necessary　instruments
for　the　exercise　of　his　power。　　Interested　advisers　then　crowded　round
him。　　It　was　seriously　proposed　that　he　should　restore　the　ancient
titles；　as　being　more　in　harmony　with　the　new　power　which　the　people　had
confided　to　him　than　the　republican　forms。　　He　was　still　of　opinion；
however；　according　to　his　phrase；　that　〃the　pear　was　not　yet　ripe；〃　and
would　not　hear　this　project　spoken　of　for　a　moment。　　〃All　this；〃　he　said
to　me　one　day；　〃will　come　in　good　time；　but　you　must　see；　Bourrienne；
that　it　is　necessary　I　should；　in　the　first　place；　assume　a　title；　from
which　the　others　that　I　will　give　to　everybody　will　naturally　take　their
origin。　　The　greatest　difficulty　is　surmounted。　　There　is　no　longer　any
person　to　deceive。　　Everybody　sees　as　clear　as　day　that　it　is　only　one
step　which　separates　the　throne　from　the　Consulate　for　life。　　However；　we
must　be　cautious。　　There　are　some　troublesome　fellows　in　the　Tribunate；
but　I　will　take　care　of　them。〃

Whilst　these　serious　questions　agitated　men's　minds　the　greater　part　of
the　residents　at　Malmaison　took　a　trip　to　Plombieres。　　Josephine；
Bonaparte's　mother；　Madame　Beauharnais…Lavallette；　Hortense；　and　General
Rapp；　were　of　this　party。　　It　pleased　the　fancy　of　the　jocund　company　to
address　to　me　a　bulletin　of　the　pleasant　and　unpleasant　occurrences　of
the　journey。　　I　insert　this　letter　merely　as　a　proof　of　the　intimacy
which　existed　between　the　writers　and　myself。　　It　follows；　precisely　as　I
have　preserved　it；　with　the　exception　of　the　blots；　for　which　it　will　be
seen　they　apologised。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AN　ACCOUNT　OF　THE　JOURNEY　TO　PLOMBIERES。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　the　Inhabitants　of　Malmaison。

The　whole　party　left　Malmaison　in　tears；　which　brought　on　such　dreadful
headaches　that　all　the　amiable　persons　were　quite　overcome　by　the　idea　of
the　journey。　　Madame　Bonaparte；　mere；　supported　the　fatigues　of　this
memorable　day　with　the　greatest　courage；　but　Madame　Bonaparte；
Consulesse；　did　not　show　any。　　The　two　young　ladies　who　sat　in　the
dormouse；　Mademoiselle　Hortense　and　Madame　Lavallette；　were　rival
candidates　for　a　bottle　of　Eau　de　Cologne；　and　every　now　and　then　the
amiable　M。　Rapp　made　the　carriage　stop　for　the　comfort　of　his　poor　little
sick　heart；　which　overflowed　with　bile：　in　fine；　he　was　obliged　to　take
to　bed　on　arriving　at　Epernay；　while　the　rest　of　the　amiable　party　tried
to　drown　their　sorrows　in　champagne。　　The　second　day　was　more　fortunate
on　the　score　of　health　and　spirits；　but　provisions　were　wanting；　and
great　were　the　sufferings　of　the　stomach。　　The　travellers　lived　on　the
hope　of　a　good　supper　at　Toul；　but　despair　was　at　its　height　when；
on　arriving　there；　they　found　only　a　wretched　inn；　and　nothing　in　it。
We　saw　some　odd…looking　folks　there；　which　indemnified　us　a　little　for
spinach　dressed　in　lamp…oil；　and　red　asparagus　fried　with　curdled　milk。
Who　would　not　have　been　amused　to　see　the　Malmaison　gourmands　seated　at　a
table　so　shockingly　served！

In　no　record　of　history　is　there　to　be　found　a　day　passed　in　distress　so
dreadful　as　that　on　which　we　arrived　at　Plombieres。　　On　departing　from
Toul　we　intended　to　breakfast　at　Nancy；　for　every　stomach　had　been　empty
for　two　days；　but　the　civil　and　military　authorities　came　out　to　meet　us；
and　prevented　us　from　executing　our　plan。　　We　continued　our　route；
wasting　away；　so　that　you　might；　see　us　growing　thinner　every　moment。
To　complete　our　misfortune；　the　dormouse；　which　seemed　to　have　taken　a
fancy　to　embark　on　the　Moselle　for　Metz；　barely　escaped　an　overturn。
But　at　Plombieres　we　have　been　well　compensated　for　this　unlucky　journey；
for　on　our　arrival　we　were　received　with　all　kinds　of　rejoicings。　　The
town　was　illuminated；　the　cannon　fired；　and　the　faces　of　handsome　women
at　all　the　windows　give　us　reason　to　hope　that　we　shall　bear　our　absence
from　Malmaison　with　the　less　regret。

With　the　exception　of　some　anecdotes；　which　we　reserve　for　chit…chat　on
our　return；　you　have　here　a　correct　account　of　our　journey；　which　we；　the
undersigned；　hereby　certify。

JOSEPHINE　BONAPARTE。
BEAUHARNAIS…LAPALLETTE。
HORTENSE　BEAUHARNAIS。
RAPP。
BONAPARTE；　mere。

The　company　ask　pardon　for　the　blots。
　　　　　　　　　　21st　Messidor。

It　is