memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第3章

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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　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　pa