napoleon bonaparte, v2-第6章
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inhabitants for their continued insurrections。 Some time afterwards；
having again refused to obey the order these commissioners of the
Convention gave； to mow down with grapeshot the insurrectionists of
Paris； he had been summoned before a commission； which would not have
failed to send him to the guillotine； if General Bonaparte； who had
succeeded him in the command of the army of the interior； had not used
all his influence to save his life。 Such repeated acts of courage and
generosity are enough； and more than enough； to cause us to pardon in
this brave officer； the very natural pride with which he boasted of
having armed the National Guards； and having caused the tricolor to be
substituted for the white flag。 The tricolor he called my flag。 From
the government of Piedmont he passed to that of Venice； and died in 1810
for love of an actress； whom he had followed from Venice to Reggio； in
spite of his sixty years。
The institution of the order of the Legion of Honor preceded by a few
days the proclamation of the Consulate for life； which proclamation was
the occasion of a fete； celebrated on the 15th of August。 This was the
anniversary of the birth of the First Consul； and the opportunity was
used in order to make for the first time this anniversary a festival。
On that day the First Consul was thirty…three years old。
In the month of October following I went with the First Consul on his
journey into Normandy； where we stopped at Ivry； and the First Consul
visited the battlefield。 He said； on arriving there； 〃Honor to the
memory of the best Frenchman who ever sat upon the throne of France；〃 and
ordered the restoration of the column； which had been formerly erected；
in memory of the victory achieved by Henry the Fourth。 The reader will
perhaps desire to read here the inscriptions； which were engraved by his
order； on the four faces of the pyramid。
First Inscription。
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE； FIRST CONSUL； TO THE MEMORY
OF HENRY THE FOURTH； VICTORIOUS OVER THE
ENEMIES OF THE STATE； ON THE FIELD
OF IVRY； 14TH MARCH； 1590。
Second Inscription。
GREAT MEN LOVE THE GLORY OF THOSE WHO RESEMBLE THEM。
Third Inscription。
THE 7TH BRUMAIRE； YEAR XI； OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE； FIRST CONSUL；
HAVING VISITED THIS FIELD； ORDERED THE REBUILDING
OF THE MONUMENT DESTINED TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF
HENRY IV。； AND THE VICTORY OF IVRY。
Fourth Inscription。
THE WOES EXPERIENCED BY FRANCE； AT THE EPOCH
OF THE BATTLE OF IVRY； WERE THE RESULT
OF THE APPEAL MADE BY THE OPPOSING PARTIES IN FRANCE TO
SPAIN AND ENGLAND。 EVERY FAMILY； EVERY PARTY
WHICH CALLS IN FOREIGN POWERS TO ITS AID；
HAS MERITED AND WILL MERIT； TO THE MOST DISTANT POSTERITY
THE MALEDICTION OF THE FRENCH PEOPLE。
All these inscriptions have since been effaced； and replaced by this； 〃On
this spot Henry the Fourth stood the day of the battle of Ivry； 14th
March； 1590。〃
Monsieur Ledier； Mayor of Ivry； accompanied the First Consul on this
excursion； and the First Consul held a long conversation with him； in
which he appeared to be agreeably impressed。 He did not form so good an
opinion of the Mayor of Evreux； and interrupted him abruptly； in the
midst of a complimentary address which this worthy magistrate was trying
to make him； by asking if he knew his colleague； the Mayor of Ivry。 〃No；
general；〃 replied the mayor。 〃Well； so much the worse for you； I trust
you will make his acquaintance。〃
It was also at Evreux that an official of high rank amused Madame
Bonaparte and her suite； by a naivete which the First Consul alone did
not find diverting； because he did not like such simplicity displayed by
an official。 Monsieur de Ch did the honors of the country town to
the wife of the First Consul； and this； in spite of his age； with much
zeal and activity； and Madame Bonaparte； among other questions which。
her usual kindness and grace dictated to her； asked him if he was
married； and if he had a family。 〃Indeed； Madame； I should think so；〃
replied Monsieur de Ch with a smile and a bow； 〃j'ai cinq…z…enfants。〃
〃Oh； mon Dieu；〃 cried Madame Bonaparte； 〃what a regiment！ That is
extraordinary； what； sir； seize enfants？〃〃Yes； Madame； cinq…z…enfants；
cinq…z…enfants；〃 repeated the official； who did not see anything very
marvelous in it； and who wondered at the astonishment shown by Madame
Bonaparte。 At last some one explained to her the mistake which la
liaison dangereuse of M。 de Ch had caused her to make； and added with
comic seriousness； 〃Deign； Madame； to excuse M。 de Ch。 The
Revolution has interrupted the prosecution of his studies。〃 He was more
than sixty years of age。
From Evreux we set out for Rouen； where we arrived at three o'clock in
the afternoon。 Chaptal； Minister of the Interior； Beugnot； Prefect of
the Department； and Cambaceres； Archbishop of Rouen； came to meet the
First Consul at some distance from the city。 The Mayor Fontenay waited
at the gates； and presented the keys。 The First Consul held them some
time in his hands； and then returned them to the mayor； saying to him
loud enough to be heard by the crowd which surrounded the carriage；
〃Citizens； I cannot trust the keys of the city to any one better than the
worthy magistrate who so worthily enjoys my confidence and your own；〃 and
made Fontenay enter his carriage； saying he wished to honor Rouen in the
person of its mayor。
Madame Bonaparte rode in the carriage with her husband； General Moncey；
Inspector…general of the Constabulary； on horseback on the right； in the
second carriage was General Soult and his aides…de…camp； in the third
carriage； General Bessieres and M。 de Lugay； in the fourth； General
Lauriston； then came the carriages of the personal attendants； Hambard；
Hebert； and I being in the first。
It is impossible to give an idea of the enthusiasm of the inhabitants of
Rouen on the arrival of the First Consul。 The market…porters and the
boatmen in grand costume awaited us outside the city； and when the
carriage which held the two august personages was in sight； these brave
men placed themselves in line； two and two； and preceded thus the
carriage to the hotel of the prefecture； where the First Consul alighted。
The prefect and the mayor of Rouen； the archbishop； and the general
commanding the division dined with the First Consul； who showed a most
agreeable animation during the repast； and with much solicitude asked
information as to the condition of manufactures； new discoveries in the
art of manufacturing； in fact； as to everything relating to the
prosperity of this city； which was essentially industrial。
In the evening； and almost the whole night； an immense crowd surrounded
the hotel； and filled the gardens of the prefecture； which were
illuminated and ornamented with allegorical transparencies in praise of
the First Consul； and each time he showed himself on the terrace of the
garden the air resounded with applause and acclamations which seemed most
gratifying to him。
The next morning； after having made on horseback the tour of the city；
and visited the grand sites by which it is surrounded； the First Consul
heard mass； which was celebrated at eleven o'clock by the archbishop in；
the chapel of the prefecture。 An hour after he had to receive the
general council of the department； the council of the prefecture； the
municipal council； the clergy of Rouen； and the courts of justice； and
was obliged to listen to a half…dozen discourses； all expressed in nearly
the same terms； and to which he replied in such a manner as to give the
orators the highest opinion of their own merit。 All these bodies； on
leaving the First Consul； were presented to Madame Bonaparte； who
received them with her accustomed grace； in； the evening Madame Bonaparte
held a reception for the wives of the officials； at which the First
Cons
