memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第7章

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　　　　　had　taken　to　come　out　of　his　bath。　　He　must；　or　at　least　might；　have
　　　　　heard　some　noise；　for　enough　had　been　made。　　Seeing　that　he　wanted
　　　　　to　know　the　cause　from　me；　I　took　up　a　newspaper　to　avoid　being
　　　　　bored　by　his　conversation〃　（Iung's　Lucien；　tome　ii。　p。156＇

Such　was　the　nature　of　one　of　the　conversations　I　had　with　Madame
Bonaparte　on　a　subject　to　which　she　often　recurred。　　It　may　not　perhaps
be　uninteresting　to　endeavour　to　compare　with　this　what　Napoleon　said　at
St。　Helena；　speaking　of　his　first　wife。　　According　to　the　Memorial
Napoleon　there　stated　that　when　Josephine　was　at　last　constrained　to
renounce　all　hope　of　having　a　child；　she　often　let　fall　allusions　to　a
great　political　fraud；　and　at　length　openly　proposed　it　to　him。　　I　make
no　doubt　Bonaparte　made　use　of　words　to　this　effect；　but　I　do　not　believe
the　assertion。　　I　recollect　one　day　that　Bonaparte；　on　entering　our
cabinet；　where　I　was　already　seated；　exclaimed　in　a　transport　of　joy
impossible　for　me　to　describe；　〃Well；　Bourrienne；　my　wife　is　at　last
enceinte！　　I　sincerely　congratulated　him；　more；　I　own；　out　of　courtesy
than　from　any　hope　of　seeing　him　made　a　father　by　Josephine；　for　I　well
remembered　that　Corvisart；　who　had　given　medicines　to　Madame　Bonaparte；
had　nevertheless　assured　me　that　he　expected　no　result　from　them。
Medicine　was　really　the　only　political　fraud　to　which　Josephine　had
recourse；　and　in　her　situation　what　other　woman　would　not　have　done　as
much？　　Here；　then；　the　husband　and　the　wife　are　in　contradiction；　which
is　nothing　uncommon。　　But　on　which　side　is　truth？　　I　have　no　hesitation
in　referring　it　to　Josephine。　　There　is　indeed　an　immense　difference
between　the　statements　of　a　womentrusting　her　fears　and　her　hopes　to
the　sole　confidant　of　her　family　secrets；　and　the　tardy　declaration　of　a
man　who；　after　seeing　the　vast　edifice　of　his　ambition　leveled　with　the
dust；　is　only　anxious；　in　his　compulsory　retreat；　to　preserve　intact　and
spotless　the　other　great　edifice　of　his　glory。　　Bonaparte　should　have
recollected　that　Caesar　did　not　like　the　idea　of　his　wife　being　even
suspected。




CHAPTER　XII。

1802。

　　　　　Citizen　Fesch　created　Cardinal　FeschArts　and　industryExhibition
　　　　　in　the　LouvreAspect　of　Paris　in　1802The　Medicean　Venus　and　the
　　　　　Velletrian　PallasSigns　of　general　prosperityRise　of　the　funds
　　　　　Irresponsible　MinistersThe　BourbonsThe　military　Government
　　　　　Annoying　familiarity　of　LannesPlan　laid　for　his　disgrace
　　　　　Indignation　of　LannesHis　embassy　to　PortugalThe　delayed
　　　　　despatchBonaparte's　rageI　resign　my　situationDuroc
　　　　　I　breakfast　with　BonaparteDuroc's　intercessionTemporary
　　　　　reconciliation。

Citizen　Fesch；　who；　when　we　were　forced　to　stop　at　Ajaccio　on　our　return
from　Egypt；　discounted　at　rather　a　high　rate　the　General…in…Chief's
Egyptian　sequins；　became　again　the　Abbe　Fesch；　as　soon　as　Bonaparte　by
his　Consular　authority　re…erected　the　altars　which　the　Revolution　had
overthrown。　　On　the　15th　of　August　1802　he　was　consecrated　Bishop；　and
the　following　year　received　the　Cardinal's　hat。　　Thus　Bonaparte　took
advantage　of　one　of　the　members　of　his　family　being　in　orders　to　elevate
him　to　the　highest　dignities　of　the　Church。　　He　afterwards　gave　Cardinal
Fesch　the　Archbishopric　of　Lyons；　of　which　place　he　was　long　the　titular。

　　　　　＇Like　Cambaceres　the　Cardinal　was　a　bit　of　a　gourmet；　and　on　one
　　　　　occasion　had　invited　a　large　party　of　clerical　magnates　to　dinner。
　　　　　〃By　a　coincidence　two　turbots　of　singular　beauty　arrived　as　presents
　　　　　to　his　Eminence　on　the　very　morning　of　the　feast。　　To　serve　both
　　　　　would　have　appeared　ridiculous；　but　the　Cardinal　was　most　anxious　to
　　　　　have　the　credit　of　both。　　He　imparted　his　embarrassment　to　his　chef：

　　　　　'Be　of　good　faith；　your　Eminence；'　was　the　reply；　'both　shall　appear
　　　　　and　enjoy　the　reception　so　justly　their　due。'　　The　dinner　was
　　　　　served：　one　of　the　turbots　relieved　the　soup。　　Delight　was　on　every
　　　　　faceit　was　the　moment　of　the　'eprouvette　positive'。　　The　'maitre
　　　　　a'hotel'　advances；　two　attendants　raise　the　turbot　and　carry　him　off
　　　　　to　cut　him　up；　but　one　of　them　loses　his　equilibrium：　the　attendants
　　　　　and　the　turbot　roll　together　on　the　floor。　　At　this　sad　sight　the
　　　　　assembled　Cardinals　became　as　pale　as　death；　and　a　solemn　silence
　　　　　reigned　in　the　'conclave'it　was　the　moment　of　the　'eprouvette
　　　　　negative'；　but　the　'maitre　a'hotel'　suddenly　turns　to　one　of　the
　　　　　attendants；　　Bring　another　turbot；'　said　he；　with　the　most　perfect
　　　　　coolness。　　The　second　appeared；　and　the　eprouvette　positive　was
　　　　　gloriously　renewed。〃　　（Hayward's　Art　of　Dining；　P。　　65。）＇

The　First　Consul　prided　himself　a　good　deal　on　his　triumph；　at　least　in
appearance；　over　the　scruples　which　the　persons　who　surrounded　him　had
manifested　against　the　re…establishment　of　worship。　　He　read　with　much
self…satisfaction　the　reports　made　to　him；　in　which　it　was　stated　that
the　churches　were　well　frequented：　Indeed；　throughout　the　year　1802；　all
his　attention　wad　directed　to　the　reformation　of　manners；　which　had
become　more　dissolute　under　the　Directory　than　even　during　the　Reign　of
Terror。

In　his　march　of　usurpation　the　First　Consul　let　slip　no　opportunity　of
endeavouring　to　obtain　at　the　same　time　the　admiration　of　the　multitude
and　the　approbation　of　judicious　men。　　He　was　very　fond　of　the　arts；　and
was　sensible　that　the　promotion　of　industry　ought　to　be　the　peculiar　care
of　the　head　of　the　Government。　　It　must；　however；　at　the　same　time　be
owned　that　he　rendered　the　influence　of　his　protection　null　and　void　by
the　continual　violations　he　committed　on　that　liberty　which　is　the
animating　principle　of　all　improvement。

During　the　supplementary　days　of　the　year　X。；　that　is　to　say；　about　the
beginning　of　the　autumn　of　1802；　there　was　held　at　the　Louvre　an
exhibition　of　the　products　of　industry。　　The　First　Consul　visited　the
exhibition；　and　as　even　at　that　period　he　had　begun　to　attribute　every
good　result　to　himself；　he　seemed　proud　of　the　high　degree　of　perfection
the　manufacturing　arts　had　attained　in　France。　　He　was；　above　all；
delighted　with　the　admiration　this　exhibition　excited　among　the　numerous
foreigners　who　resorted　to　Paris　during　the　peace。

In　fact；　throughout　the　year　1802　the　capital　presented　an　interesting
and　animating…spectacle。　　The　appetite　for　luxury　and　pleasure　had
insinuated　itself　into　mannerswhich　were　no　longer　republican；　and　the
vast　number　of　Russians　and　English　who　drove　about　everywhere　with
brilliant　equipages　contributed　not　a　little　to　this　metamorphosis。
All　Paris　flocked　to　the　Carrousel　on　review　days；　and　regarded　with　eyes
of　delight　the　unusual　sight　of　rich　foreign　liveries　and　emblazoned
carriages。　　The　parties　at　the　Tuileries　were　brilliant　and　numerous；　and
nothing　was　wanting　but　the　name　of　levees。　　Count　Markoff；　who　succeeded
M。　de　Kalitscheff　as　Russian　ambassador；　the　Marquis　de　Lucchesini；　the
Prussian　ambassador；　and　Lord　Whitworth；　the　Minister　from　England；　made
numerous　presentations　of　their　countrymen　to　the　First　Consul；　who　was
well　pleased　that　the　Court　he　was　forming　should　have　examples　set　by
foreign　courtiers。　　Never　since　the　meeting　of　the　States…General　had　the
theatres　been　so　frequented；　or　fetes　so　magnificent；　and　never　since
that　period　had　Paris　presented　so　cheering　an　aspect。　　The　First　Consul；
on　his　part；　spared　no　exertion　to　render　the　capital　more　and　more
worthy　the　admiration　of　foreigners。　　The　statue　of　the　Venus　de　Medicis；
which　had　been　robbed　from　the　gallery　of　the　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany；　now
decorated　the　gallery　of　the　Louvre；　and　near　it　was　placed　that　of　the
Velletrian　Pallas；　a　more　legitimate　acquisition；　since　it　was　the　result
of　the　researches　of　some　French　engineers　at　Velletri。　　Everywhere　an
air　of　prosperity　was　perceptible；　and　Bonaparte　proudly　put　in　his　claim
to　be　regarded　as　the　author　of　it　all。　　With　what　heartfelt　satisfaction
did　he　likewise　cast　his　eye　upon　what　he　called　the　grand　thermometer　of
opinion；　the　price　of　the　funds！　　For　if　he　saw　them　doubled　in　value　in
consequence　of　the　revolution　of　the　18th　Brumaire；　rising　as　they　did　at
that　period　from　seven　to　sixteen　francs；　this　value　was　even　more　than
tripled　after　the　vote　of　Consulship　for　life　and　the　'Senates…consulte'
of　the　4th　of　August；when　they　rose　to　fifty…two　francs。

While　Paris　presented　so　satisfactory　an　aspect　the　departments　were　in　a
state　of　perfect　tranquillity；　and　foreign　affairs　had　every　appearance
of　security。　　The　Court　of　the　Vatican；　which　since　the　Concordat　may　be
said　to　have　become　devoted　to　the　First　Consul；　gave；　under　all
circumstances；　examples　of　submission　to　the　wishes　of　France。　　The
Vatican　was　the　first　Court　which　recognised　the　erection　of　Tuscany　into
the　Kingdom　of　Etruria；　and　the　formation　of　the　Helvetic；　Cisalpine；　and
Batavian　Republics。　　Prussia　soon　followed　the　example　of　the　Pope；　which
was　successively　imitated　by　the　other　powers　of　Europe。

The　whole　of　these　new　states；　realms；　or　republics　were　under　the
immediate　influence　of　France。　　The　Isle　of　Elba；　which　Napoleon's　first
abdication　afterwards　rendered　so　famous；　and　Piedmont；　divided　into　six
departments；　were　also　united　to　France；　still　called　it　Republic。
Everything　now　seemed　to　concur　in　securing　his　accession　to　absolute
power。　　We　were　now　at　peace　with　all　the　world；　and　every　circumstance
tended　to　place　in　the　hands　of　the　First　Consul　that　absolute　power
which　indeed　was　the　only　kind　of　government　be　was　capable　of　forming
any　conception　of。　　Indeed；　one　of　the　characteristic　signs　of　Napoleon's
government；　even　under　the　Consular　system；　left　no　doubt　as　to　his　real
intentions。　　Had　he　wished　to　found　a　free　Government　it　is　evident　that
he　world　have　made　the　Ministers　responsible　to　the　country；　whereas　he
took　care　that　there　should　be　no　responsibility　but　to　himself。　　He
viewed　them；　in　fact；　in　the　light　of　instruments　which　he　might　break　as
be　pleased。　　I　found　this　single　index　sufficient　to　disclose　all　his
future　designs　In　order　to　make　the　irresponsibility　of　his　Ministers　to
the　public　perfectly　clear；　he　had　all　the　acts　of　his　Government　signed
merely　by　M。　Maret；　Secretary　of　State。　　Thus　the　Consulship　for　life　was
nothing　but　an　Empire　in　disguise；　the　usufruct　of　which　could　not　long
satisfy　the　First　Consul's　ambition。　　His　brothers　influenced　him；　and　it
was　resolved　to　found　a　new　dynasty。

It　was　not　in　the　interior　of　France　that　difficulties　were　likely　first
to　arise　on　Bonaparte's　carrying　his　designs　into　effect；　but　there　was
some　reason　to　apprehend　that　foreign　powers；　after　recognising　and
treating　with　the　Consular　Government；　might　display　a　different　feeling；
and　entertain　scruples　with　regard　to　a　Government　which　had　resumed　its
monarchical　form。　　The　question　regarding　the　Bourbons　was　in　some
measure　kept　in　the　background　as　long　as　France　remained　a　Republic；　but
the　re…establishment　of　the　throne　naturally　called　to　recollection　the
family　which　had　occupied　it　for　so　many　ages。　　Bonaparte　fully　felt　the
delicacy　of　his　position；　but