the origins of contemporary france-5-第13章

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in　his　case；　that　first　stratum　of　half…thought　which；　later　on；

serves　as　the　basis　of　complete　thought；　hence；　the　whole　foundation

of　his　future　mental　edifice　and　of　the　conceptions　he　subsequently

entertains　of　human　society。　　Afterwards；　on　leaving　the　French

schools　and　every　time　he　returns　to　them　and　spends　any　time　in　them；

the　same　impressions；　often　renewed；　intensify　in　his　mind　the　same

final　conclusion。　　In　this　country；　report　the　French

commissioners；＇29＇　〃the　people　have　no　idea　of　principle　in　the

abstract；〃　nor　of　social　interest　or　justice。　　〃Justice　does　not

exist；　one　hundred　and　thirty　assassinations　have　occurred　in　ten

years。　。　。　。　The　institution　of　juries　has　deprived　the　country　of　all

the　means　for　punishing　crime；　never　do　the　strongest　proofs；　the

clearest　evidence；　lead　a　jury　composed　of　men　of　the　same　party；　or

of　the　same　family　as　the　accused；　to　convict　him；　and；　if　the　accused

is　of　the　opposite　party；　the　juries　likewise　acquit　him；　so　as　not　to

incur　the　risk　of　revenge；　slow　perhaps　but　always　sure。〃　…　〃Public

spirit　is　unknown。〃　There　is　no　social　body；　except　any　number　of

small　parties　hostile　to　each　other。　。　。　。　One　is　not　a　Corsican

without　belonging　to　some　family；　and　consequently　attached　to　some

party；　he　who　would　serve　none；　would　be　detested　by　all。　。　。　。　All

the　leaders　have　the　same　end　in　view；　that　of　getting　money　no　matter

by　what　means；　and　their　first　care　is　to　surround　themselves　with

creatures　entirely　devoted　to　them　and　to　whom　they　give　all　the

offices。　。　。　。　The　elections　are　held　under　arms；　and　all　with

violence。　。　。　。　The　victorious　party　uses　its　authority　to　avenge

itself　on　their　opponents；　and　multiplies　vexations　and　outrages。　。　。

。　The　leaders　form　aristocratic　leagues　with　each　other。　。　。　。　and

mutually　tolerate　abuses。　　They　impose　no　assessment　or　collection　（of

taxes）　to　curry　favor　with　electors　through　party　spirit　and

relationships。　。　。　。　Customs…duties　serve　simply　to　compensate　friends

and　relatives。　。　。　。　Salaries　never　reach　those　for　whom　they　are

intended。　　The　rural　districts　are　uninhabitable　for　lack　of　security。

The　peasants　carry　guns　even　when　at　the　plow。　　One　cannot　take　a　step

without　an　escort；　a　detachment　of　five　or　six　men　is　often　sent　to

carry　a　letter　from　one　post…office　to　another。〃



Interpret　this　general　statement　by　the　thousands　of　facts　of　which　it

is　the　summary；　imagine　these　little　daily　occurrences　narrated　with

all　their　material　accompaniments；　and　with　sympathetic　or　angry

comments　by　interested　neighbors；　and　we　have　the　moral　lessons　taught

to　young　Bonaparte。＇30＇　　At　table；　the　child　has　listened　to　the

conversation　of　his　elders；　and　at　a　word　uttered；　for　instance；　by

his　uncle；　or　at　a　physiognomic　expression；　a　sign　of　approbation；　a

shrug　of　the　shoulders；　he　has　divined　that　the　ordinary　march　of

society　is　not　that　of　peace　but　of　war；　he　sees　by　what　ruses　one

maintains　one's…self；　by　what　acts　of　violence　one　makes　ones　way；　by

what　sort　of　help　one　mounts　upward。　　Left　to　himself　the　rest　of　the

day；　to　the　nurse　Ilaria；　or　to　Saveria　the　housekeeper；　or　to　the

common　people　amongst　whom　he　strays　at　will；　he　listens　to　the

conversation　of　sailors　or　of　shepherds　assembled　on　the　public

square；　and　their　simple　exclamations；　their　frank　admiration　of　well…

planned　ambuscades　and　lucky　surprises；　impress　more　profoundly　on

him；　often　repeated　with　so　much　energy；　the　lessons　which　he　has

already　learned　at　home。　　These　are　the　lessons　taught　by　things。　　At

this　tender　age　they　sink　deep；　especially　when　the　disposition　is

favorable；　and　in　this　case　the　heart　sanctions　them　beforehand；

because　education　finds　its　confederate　in　instinct。　　Accordingly；　at

the　outbreak　of　the　Revolution；　on　revisiting　Corsica；　he　takes　life

at　once　as　he　finds　it　there；　a　combat　with　any　sort　of　weapon；　and；

on　this　small　arena；　he　acts　unscrupulously；　going　farther　than

anybody。＇31＇　If　he　respects　justice　and　law；　it　is　only　in　words；　and

even　here　ironically；　in　his　eyes；　law　is　a　term　of　the　code；　justice

a　book　term；　while　might　makes　right。



A　second　blow　of　the　coining…press　gives　another　impression　of　the

same　stamp　on　this　character　already　so　decided；　while　French　anarchy

forces　maxims　into　the　mind　of　the　young　man；　already　traced　in　the

child's　mind　by　Corsican　anarchy；　the　lessons　of　things　provided　by　a

society　going　to　pieces　are　the　same　as　those　of　a　society　which　is

not　yet　formed。　…　His　sharp　eyes；　at　a　very　early　period；　see　through

the　flourish　of　theory　and　the　parade　of　phrases；　they　detect　the　real

foundation　of　the　Revolution；　namely；　the　sovereignty　of　unbridled

passions　and　the　conquest　of　the　majority　by　the　minority；　conquering

or　conquered；　a　choice　must　be　made　between　these　two　extreme

conditions；　there　is　no　middle　course。　　After　the　9th　of　Thermidor；

the　last　veils　are　torn　away；　and　the　instincts　of　license　and

domination；　the　ambitions　of　individuals；　fully　display　themselves。

There　is　no　concern　for　public　interests　or　for　the　rights　of　the

people；　it　is　clear　that　the　rulers　form　a　band；　that　France　is　their

prey；　and　that　they　intend　to　hold　on　to　it　for　and　against　everybody；

by　every　possible　means；　including　bayonets。　　Under　this　civil　régime；

a　clean　sweep　of　the　broom　at　the　center　makes　it　necessary　to　be　on

the　side　of　numbers。　…　In　the　armies；　especially　in　the　army　of　Italy；

republican　faith　and　patriotic　abnegation；　since　the　territory　became

free；　have　given　way　to　natural　appetites　and　military　passions。＇32＇

Barefoot；　in　rags；　with　four　ounces　of　bread　a　day；　paid　in　assignats

which　are　not　accepted　in　the　markets；　both　officers　and　men　desire

above　all　things　to　be　relieved　of　their　misery；　〃the　poor　fellows；

after　three　years　of　longing　on　the　summits　of　the　Alps；　reach　the

promised　land；　and　want　to　enjoy　it。〃＇33＇　Another　spur　consists　in　the

pride　which　is　stimulated　by　the　imagination　and　by　success；　add　to

this　the　necessity　for　finding　an　outlet　for　their　energy；　the　steam

and　high　pressure　of　youth　；　nearly　all　are　very　young　men；　who　regard

life；　in　Gallic　or　French　fashion；　as　a　party　of　pleasure　and　as　a

duel。　　But　to　feel　brave　and　to　prove　that　one　is　so；　to　face　bullets

for　amusement　and　defiantly；　to　abandon　a　successful　adventure　for　a

battle　and　a　battle　for　a　ball；　to　enjoy　ones…self　and　take　risks　to

excess；　without　dissimulating；　and　with　no　other　object　than　the

sensation　of　the　moment；＇34＇　to　revel　in　excitement　through　emulation

and　danger；　is　no　longer　self…devotion；　but　giving　one's…self　up　to

one's　fancies　；　and；　for　all　who　are　not　harebrained；　to　give　one's…

self　up　to　one's　fancies　means　to　make　one's　way；　obtain　promotion；

pillage　so　as　to　become　rich；　like　Massena；　and　conquer　so　as　to

become　powerful；　like　Bonaparte。　…　All　this　is　understood　between　the

general　and　his　army　from　the　very　first；＇35＇　and；　after　one　year's

experience；　the　understanding　is　perfect。　　One　moral　is　derived　from

their　common　acts；　vague　in　the　army；　precise　in　the　general；　what　the

army　only　half　sees；　he　sees　clearly；　if　he　urges　his　comrades　on；　it

is　because　they　follow　their　own　inclination。　He　simply　has　a　start　on

them；　and　is　quicker　to　make　up　his　mind　that　the　world　is　a　grand

banquet；　free　to　the　first…comer；　but　at　which；　to　be　well　served；　one

must　have　long　arms；　be　the　first　to　get　helped；　and　let　the　rest　take

what　is　left。



So　natural　does　this　seem　to　him；　he　says　so　openly　and　to　men　who　are

not　his　intimates；　to　Miot；　a　diplomat；　and　to　Melzi　a　foreigner：



　〃Do　you　suppose；　says　he　to　them；＇36＇　after　the　preliminaries　of

Leoben；　〃that　to　make　great　men　out　of　Directory　lawyers；　the　Carnots'

and　the　Barras；　I　triumph　in　Italy？　Do　you　suppose　also　that　it　is　for

the　establishment　of　a　republic？　What　an　idea！　A　republic　of　thirty

million　men！　With　our　customs；　our　vices；　how　is　that　possible？　It　is

a　delusion　which　the　French　are　infatuated　with　and　which　will　vanish

along　with　so　many　others。　　What　they　want　is　glory；　the　gratification

of　vanity　…　they　know　nothing　about　liberty。　　Look　at　the　army！　Our

successes　just　obtained；　our　triumphs　have　already　brought　out　the

true　character　of　the　French　soldier。　　I　am　all　for　him。　Let　the

Directory　deprive　me　of　the　command　and　it　will　see　if　it　is　master。

The　nation　needs　a　chief；　one　who　is　famous　though　his　exploits；　and

not　theories　of　government；　phrases　and　speeches　by　ideologists；　which

Frenchmen　do　not　comprehend。　。　。　。　As　to　your　country；　Monsieur　de

Melzi；　it　has　still　fewer　elements　of　republicanism　than　France；　and

much　less　ceremony　is　essential　with　it　than　with　any　other。　。　。　In

other　respects；　I　have　no　idea　of　coming　to　terms　so　promptly　with

Austria。　It　is　not　for　my　interest　to　make　peace。　　You　see　what　I　am；

what　I　can　do　in　Italy。　　If　peace　is　brought　about；　if　I　am　no　longer

at　the　head　of　this　army　which　has　become　attached　to　me；　I　must　give

up　this　power；　this　high　position　I　have　reached；　and　go　and　pay　court

to　lawyers　in　the　Luxembourg。　　I　should　not　like　to　quit　Italy　for

France　except　to　play　a　part　there　similar　to　that　which　I　play　here；

and　the　time　for　that　has　not　yet　come　…　the　pear　is　not　ripe。〃



To　wait　until　the　pear　is　ripe；　but　not　to　allow　anybody　else　to

gather　it；　is　the　true　motive　of　his　political　fealty　and　of　his

Jacobin　proclamations：　〃A　party　in　favor　of　the　Bourbons　is　raising

its　head；　I　have　no　desire　to　help　it　along。　　One　of　these　days　I

shall　weaken　the　republican　party；　but　I　shall　do　it　for　my　own

advantage　and　not　for　that　of　the　old　dynasty。　　Meanwhile；　it　is

necessary　to　march　with　the　Republicans；〃　along　with　the　worst；　and'

the　scoundrels　about　to　purge　the　Five　Hundred；　the　Ancients；　and　the

Directory　itself；　and　then　re…establish　in　France　the　Reign　of　Terror。

…　In　effect；　he　contributes　to　the　18th　of　Fructidor；　and；　the　blow

struck；　he　explains　very　clearly　why　he　took　part　in　it：



〃Do　not　believe＇37＇　I　did　it　in　conformity　with　the　ideas　entertained

by　those　with　whom　I　acted。　　I　did　…　not　want　a　return　of　the

Bourbons；　and　especially　if　brought　back　by　Moreau's　army　and　by

Pichegru。　。　。　Finally；　I　will　not　take　the　part　of　Monk；　I　will　not

play　it；　and　I　will　not　have　others　play　it。　。　。　。　As　for　myself；　my

dear　Miot；　I　declare　to　you　that　I　can　no　longer　obey；　I　have　tasted

command　and　I　cannot　give　it　up。　　My　mind　is　made　up。　　If　I　cannot　be

master　I　will　leave　France。〃



There　is　no　middle　course　for　him　between　the　two　alter　natives。　　On

returning　to　Paris　he　thinks　of　〃overthrowing　the　Directory；＇38＇

dissolving　the　councils　and　of　making　himself　dictator〃；　but；　having

satisfied　himself　that　there　was　but　little　chance　of　succeeding；　〃he

postpones　his　design〃　and　falls　back　on　the　second　course。　〃This　is

the　only　motive　of　his　expedition　into　Egypt