memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v14-第8部分

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Soon　after　I　left　him；　full　of　anxiety　respecting　his　fate；　my　heart
oppressed　with　grief；　but　still　far　from　suspecting　the　extent　to　which
both　the　rigour　of　fortune　and　the　cruelty　of　his　enemies　would　be
carried。〃

All　the　morning　of　the　29th　of　June　the　great　road　from　St。　Germain　rung
with　the　cries　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　　proceeding　from　the　troops　who
passed　under　the　walls　of　Malmaison。　　About　mid…day　General　Becker；　sent
by　the　Provisional　Government；　arrived。　　He　had　been　appointed　to　attend
Napoleon。　　Fouche　knew　that　General　Becker　had　grievances　against　the
Emperor；　and　thought　to　find　in　him　willing　agent。　　He　was　greatly
deceived；　for　the　General　paid　to　the　Emperor　a　degree　of　respect　highly
to　his　honour。　　Time　now　became　pressing。　　The　Emperor；　at　the　moment　of
departure；　sent　a　message　by　General　Becker　himself　to　the　Provisional
Government；　offering　to　march　as　a　private　citizen　at　the　head　of　the
troops。　　He　promised　to　repulse　Blucher；　and　afterwards　to　continue　his
route。　　Upon　the　refusal　of　the　Provisional　Government　he　quitted
Malmaison　on　the　29th。　　Napoleon　and　part　of　his　suite　took　the　road　to
Rochefort。　　He　slept　at　Rambouillet　on　the　29th　of　June；　on　the　30th　at
Tours；　on　the　1st　of　July　he　arrived　at　Niort；　and　on　the　3d　reached
Rochefort；　on　the　western　coast　of　France；　with　the　intention　of　escaping
to　America；　but　the　whole　western　seaboard　was　so　vigilantly　watched　by
British　men…of…war　that；　after　various　plans　and　devices；　he　was　obliged
to　abandon　the　attempt　in　despair。　　He　was　lodged　at　the　house　of　the
prefect；　at　the　balcony　of　which　he　occasionally　showed　himself　to
acknowledge　the　acclamations　of　the　people。

During　his　stay　here　a　French　naval　officer；　commanding　a　Danish　merchant
vessel；　generously　offered　to　some　of　Napoleon's　adherents　to　further　his
escape。　　He　proposed　to　take　Napoleon　alone；　and　undertook　to　conceal　his
person　so　effectually　as　to　defy　the　most　rigid　scrutiny；　and　offered　to
sail　immediately　to　the　United　States　of　America。　　He　required　no　other
compensation　than　a　small　sum　to　indemnify　the　owners　of　his　ship　for　the
loss　this　enterprise　might　occasion　them。　　This　was　agreed　to　by　Bertrand
upon　certain　stipulations。

On　the　evening　of　the　8th　of　July　Napoleon　reached　Fouras；　receiving
everywhere　testimonies　of　attachment。　　He　proceeded　on　board　the　Saale；
one　of　the　two　frigates　appointed　by　the　Provisional　Government　to　convey
him　to　the　United　States；　and　slept　on　board　that　night。　　Very　early　on
the　following　morning　he　visited　the　fortifications　of　that　place；　and
returned　to　the　frigate　for　dinner。　　On　the　evening　of　the　9th　of　July　he
despatched　Count　Las　Cases　and　the　Duke　of　Rovigo　to　the　commander　of　the
English　squadron；　for　the　purpose　of　ascertaining　whether　the　passports
promised　by　the　Provisional　Government　to　enable　him　to　proceed　to
America　had　been　received。　　A　negative　answer　was　returned；　it　was　at　the
same　time　signified　that　the　Emperor　would　be　attacked　by　the　English
squadron　if　he　attempted　to　sail　under　a　flag　of　truce；　and　it　was
intimated　that　every　neutral　vessel　would　be　examined；　and　probably　sent
into　an　English　port。　　Las　Cases　affirms　that　Napoleon　was　recommended　to
proceed　to　England　by　Captain　Maitland；　who　assured　him　that　he　would
experience　no　ill…treatment　there。　　The　English　ship　'Bellerophon'　then
anchored　in　the　Basque　roads；　within　sight　of　the　French　vessels　of　war。
The　coast　being；　as　we　have　stated；　entirely　blockaded　by　the　English
squadron；　the　Emperor　was　undecided　as　to　the　course　he　should　pursue。
Neutral　vessels　and　'chasse…marees'；　manned　by　young　naval　officers；　were
proposed；　and　many　other　plans　were　devised。

Napoleon　disembarked　on　the　12th　at　the　Isle　of　Aix　with　acclamations
ringing　on　every　side。　　He　had　quitted　the　frigates　because　they　refused
to　sail；　owing　either　to　the　weakness　of　character　of　the　commandant；　or
in　consequence　of　his　receiving　fresh　orders　from　the　Provisional
Government。　　Many　persons　thought　that　the　enterprise　might　be　undertaken
with　some　probability　of　success；　the　wind；　however；　remained　constantly
in　the　wrong　quarter。

Las　Cases　returned　to　the　Bellerophon　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　of
the　14th；　to　inquire　whether　any　reply　had　been　received　to　the
communication　made　by　Napoleon。　　Captain　Maitland　stated　that　he　expected
to　receive　it　every　moment；　and　added　that；　if　the　Emperor　would　then
embark　for　England；　he　was　authorized　to　convey　him　thither。　　He　added；
moreover；　that　in　his　own　opinion；　and　many　other　officers　present
concurred　with　him；　be　had　no　doubt　Napoleon　would　be　treated　in　England
with　all…possible　attention　and　respect；　that　in　England　neither　the　King
nor　Ministers　exercised　the　same　arbitrary　power　as　on　the　Continent；
that　the　English　indeed　possessed　generosity　of　sentiment　and　a
liberality　of　opinions　superior　even　to　those　of　the　King。　　Las　Cases
replied　that　he　would　make　Napoleon　acquainted　with　Captain　Maitland's
offer；　and　added；　that　he　thought　the　Emperor　would　not　hesitate　to
proceed　to　England；　so　as　to　be　able　to　continue　his　voyage　to　the　United
States。　　He　described　France；　south　of　the　Loire；　to　be　in　commotion；　the
hopes　of　the　people　resting　on　Napoleon　as　long　as　he　was　present；　the
propositions　everywhere　made　to　him；　and　at　every　moment；　his　decided
resolution　not　to　become　the　pretest　of　a　civil　war；　the　generosity　he
had　exhibited　in　abdicating；　in　order　to　render　the　conclusion　of　a　peace
more　practicable；　and　his　settled　determination　to　banish　himself；　in
order　to　render　that　peace　more　prompt　and　more　lasting。

The　messengers　returned　to　their　Master；　who；　after　some　doubt　and
hesitation；　despatched　General　Gourgaud　with　the　following　well…known
letter　to　the　Prince　Regent：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ROCHEFORT；　13th　July　1815。

　　　　　ROYAL　HIGHNESSA　victim　to　the　factions　which　divide　my　country；
　　　　　and　to　the　hostility　of　the　greatest　Powers　of　Europe；　I　have
　　　　　terminated　my　political　career；　and　come；　like　Themistocles；　to
　　　　　share　the　hospitality　of　the　British　people。　　I　place　myself　under
　　　　　the　protection　of　their　laws；　and　I　claim　that　from　your　Royal
　　　　　Highness　as　the　most　powerful；　the　most　constant；　and　the　most
　　　　　generous　of　my　enemies。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　NAPOLEON。


About　four　P。M。　Las　Cases　and　Savory　returned　to　the　'Bellerophon'；　where
they　had　a　long　conversation　with　Captain　Maitland；　in　the　presence　of
Captains　Sartorius　and　Gambler；　who　both　declare　that　Maitland　repeatedly
warned　Napoleon's　adherents　not　to　entertain　the　remotest　idea　that　he
was　enabled　to　offer　any　pledge　whatever　to　their　Master　beyond　the
simple　assurance　that　he　would　convey　him　in　safety　to　the　English　coast；
there　to　await　the　determination　of　the　British　Government。

Napoleon　had　begun　to　prepare　for　his　embarkation　before　daylight　on　the
15th。　　It　was　time　that　he　did　so；　for　a　messenger　charged　with　orders　to
arrest　him　had　already　arrived　at　Rochefort　from　the　new　Government。
The　execution　of　this　order　was　delayed　by　General　Becker　for　a　few　hours
in　order　to　allow　Napoleon　sufficient　time　to　escape。　　At　daybreak；　he
quitted　the　'Epervier'；　and　was　enthusiastically　cheered　by　the　ship's
company　so　long　as　the　boat　was　within　hearing。　　Soon　after　six　he　was
received　on　board　the　'Bellerophon'　with　respectful　silence；　but　without
those　honours　generally　paid　to　persons　of　high　rank。　　Bonaparte　was
dressed　in　the　uniform　of　the　'chasseurs　a　cheval'　of　the　Imperial　Guard；
and　wore　the　Grand　Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honour。

On　entering　the　vessel　he　took　off　his　hat；　and　addressing　Captain
Maitland；　said；　〃I　am　come　to　throw　myself　on　the　protection　of　the　laws
of　England。〃　　Napoleon's　manner　was　well　calculated　to　make　a　favourable
impression　on　those　with　whom　he　conversed。　　He　requested　to　be
introduced　to　the　officers　of　the　ship；　and　put　various　questions　to
each。　　He　then　went　round　the　ship；　although　he　was　informed　that　the　men
were　cleaning　and　scouring；　and　remarked　upon　anything　which　struck　him
as　differing　from　what　he　had　seen　on　French　vessels。　　The　clean
appearance　of　the　men　surprised　him。　　〃He　then　observed；〃　says　Captain
Maitland；　to　whose　interesting　narrative　we　refer；　〃'I　can　see　no
sufficient　reason　why　your　ships　should　beat　the　French　ones　with　so　much
ease。　　The　finest　men…of…war　in　your　service　are　French；　a　French　ship　is
heavier　in　every　respect　than　one　of　yours；　she　carries　more　guns；　and
those　guns　are　of　a　larger　calibre；　and　she　has　a　great　many　more　men。'〃
His　inquiries；　which　were　minute；　proved　that　he　had　directed　much
attention　to　the　French　navy。

On　the　first　morning　Napoleon　took　breakfast　in　the　English　fashion；　but
observing　that　his　distinguished　prisoner　did　not　eat　much；　Captain
Maitland　gave　direction　that　for　the　future　a　hot　breakfast　should　be
served　up　after　the　French　manner。　　'The　Superb'；　the　Admiral's　ship；
which　had　been　seen　in　the　morning；　was　now　approaching。　　Immediately　on
her　anchoring　Captain　Maitland　went　on　board　to　give　an　account　of　all
that　had　happened；　and　received　the　Admiral's　app