the origins of contemporary france-5-第28章
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vomiting and a violent nervous attack。〃 De Segur; I。; 71。 … It is
well known that he died of a cancer in the stomach; like his father
Charles Bonaparte。 His grandfather Joseph Bonaparte; his uncle Fesch;
his brother Lucien; and his sister Caroline died of the same; or of an
analogous disease。
'16' Meneval; I。; 269。 Constant; 〃Mémoires;〃 V。; 62。 De Ségur; VI。;
114; 117。
'17' Marshal Marmont; 〃Mémoires;〃 I。; 306。 Bourrienne; II。; 119:
〃When off the political field he was sensitive; kind; open to pity。〃
'18' Pelet de la Lozére; p。7。 De Champagny; 〃 Souvenirs;〃 p。103。 At
first; the emotion was much stronger。 〃He had the fatal news for
nearly three hours; he had given vent to his despair alone by himself。
He summoned me 。 。 。 。 plaintive cries involuntarily escaped him。〃
'19' Madame de Rémusat; I。; 121; 342 ; II。; 50 ; III。; 61; 294; 312。
'20' De Ségur; V。; 348。
'21' Yung; II。; 329; 331。 (Narrated by Lucien; and report to Louis
XVIII。)
'22' 〃Nouvelle relation de l'Itinéraire de Napoléon; de Fontainebleau
à l'Ile de l'Elbe;〃 by Count Waldberg…Truchsees; Prussian commissioner
(1885); pp。22; 24; 25; 26; 30; 32; 34; 37。 … The violent scenes;
probably; of the abdication and the attempt at Fontainebleau to poison
himself had already disturbed his balance。 On reaching Elba; he says
to the Austrian commissioner; Koller; 〃As to you; my dear general; I
have let you see my bare rump。〃 … Cf。 in 〃Madame de Rémusat;〃 I。; 108;
one of his confessions to Talleyrand: he crudely points out in himself
the distance between natural instinct and studied courage。 … Here and
elsewhere; we obtain a glimpse of the actor and even of the Italian
buffoon; M。 de Pradt called him 〃Jupiter Scapin。〃 Read his
reflections before M。 de Pradt; on his return from Russia; in which he
appears in the light of a comedian who; having played badly and failed
in his part; retires behind the scenes; runs down the piece; and
criticize the imperfections of the audience。 (De Pradt; p。219。)
'23' The reader may find his comprehension of the author's meaning
strengthened by the following translation of a passage from his essay
on Jouffroy (Philosophes classiques du XIXth Siécle;〃 3rd ed。):
〃What is a man; master of himself? He is one who; dying with thirst;
refrains from swallowing a cooling draft; merely moistening his lips:
who insulted in public; remains calm in calculating his most
appropriate revenge; who in battle; his nerves excited by a charge;
plans a difficult maneuver; thinks it out; and writes it down with a
lead…pencil while balls are whistling around him; and sends it to his
colonels。 In other words; it is a man in whom the deliberate and
abstract idea of the greatest good is stronger than all other ideas
and sensations。 The conception of the greatest good once attained;
every dislike; every species of indolence; every fear; every
seduction; every agitation; are found weak。 The tendency which arise
from the idea of the greatest good constantly dominates all others and
determines all actions。〃 TR。
'24' Bourrienne; I。 21。
'25' Yung; 1。; 125。
'26' Madame de Rémusat; I。; 267。 … Yung; II。; 109。 On his return to
Corsica he takes upon himself the government of the whole family。
〃Nobody could discuss with him; says his brother Lucien; he took
offence at the slightest observation and got in a passion at the
slightest resistance。 Joseph (the eldest) dared not even reply to his
brother。〃
'27' Mémorial; August 27…31; 1815。
'28' 〃Madame de Rémusat;〃 I。; 105。 … Never was there an abler and more
persevering sophist; more persuasive; more eloquent; in order to make
it appear that he was right。 Hence his dictations at St。 Helena; his
proclamations; messages; and diplomatic correspondence; his ascendancy
in talking as great as through his arms; over his subject and over his
adversaries; also his posthumous ascendancy over posterity。 He is as
great a lawyer as he is a captain and administrator。 The peculiarity
of this disposition is never submitting to truth; but always to speak
or write with reference to an audience; to plead a cause。 Through
this talent one creates phantoms which dupe the audience; on the other
hand; as the author himself forms part of the audience; he ends in not
along leading others into error but likewise himself; which is the
case with Napoleon。
'29' Yung; II。; 111。 (Report by Volney; Corsican commissioner; 1791。
… II。; 287。 (Mémorial; giving a true account of the political and
military state of Corsica in December; 1790。) … II。; 270。 (Dispatch of
the representative Lacombe Saint…Michel; Sept。 10; 1793。) … Miot de
Melito I。;131; and following pages。 (He is peace commissioner in
Corsica in 1797 and 1801。)
'30' Miot de Melito; II。; 2。 〃The partisans of the First consul's
family 。 。 。 regarded me simply as the instrument of their passions;
of use only to rid them of their enemies; so as to center all favors
on their protégés。〃
'31' Yung。; I。; 220。 (Manifest of October …31; 1789。) … I。; 265。
(Loan on the seminary funds obtained by force; June 23; 1790。) … I。;
267; 269。 (Arrest of M。 de la Jaille and other officers; plan for
taking the citadel of Ajaccio。) … II。; 115。 (letter to Paoli; February
17; 1792。) 〃Laws are like the statues of certain divinities … veiled
on certain occasions。〃 … II。; 125。 (Election of Bonaparte as
lieutenant…colonel of a battalion of volunteers; April1; 1792。) The
evening before he had Murati; one of the three departmental
commissioners; carried off by an armed band from the house of the
Peraldi; his adversaries; where he lodged。 Murati; seized unawares;
is brought back by force and locked up in Bonaparte's house; who
gravely says to him 〃I wanted you to be free; entirely at liberty;
you were not so with the Peraldi。〃 … His Corsican biographer (Nasica;
〃Mémoires sur la jeunesse et l'enfance de Napoléon;〃) considers this a
very praiseworthy action
'32' Cf。 on this point; the Memoirs of Marshal Marmont; I。; 180; 196;
the Memoirs of Stendhal; on Napoleon; the Report of d'Antraigues
(Yung; III。; 170; 171); the 〃Mercure Britannique〃 of Mallet…Dupan; and
the first chapter of 〃La Chartreuse de Parme;〃 by Stendhal。
'33' 〃Correspondance de Napoléon;〃 I。 (Letter of Napoleon to the
Directory; April 26; 1796。) … Proclamation of the same date: 〃You have
made forced marches barefoot; bivouacked without brandy; and often
without bread。〃
'34' Stendhal; 〃Vie de Napoléon;〃 p。 151。 〃The commonest officers were
crazy with delight at having white linen and fine new boots。 All were
fond of music; many walked a league in the rain to secure a seat in
the La Scala Theatre。 。 。 。 In the sad plight in which the army found
itself before Castiglione and Arcole; everybody; except the knowing
officers; was disposed to attempt the impossible so as not to quit
Italy。〃 … 〃 Marmont;〃 I。; 296: 〃We were all of us very young; 。 。 。
all aglow with strength and health; and enthusiastic for glory。 。 。 。
This variety of our occupations and pleasures; this excessive
employment of body and mind gave value to existence; and made time
pass with extraordinary rapidity。〃
'35' 〃Correspondance de Napoléon;〃 I。 Proclamation of March 27; 1796:
' Soldiers; you are naked and poorly fed。 The government is vastly
indebted to you; it has nothing to give you。 。 。 。 I am going to lead
you to the most fertile plains in the world; rich provinces; large
cities will be in your power; you will then obtain honor; glory; and
wealth。〃 … Proclamation of April 26; 1796: … 〃Friends; I guarantee
that conquest to you!〃 … Cf。 in Marmont's memoirs the way in which
Bonaparte plays the part of tempter in offering Marmont; who refuses;
an opportunity to rob a treasury chest。
'36' Miot de Melito; I。; 154。 (June; 1797; in the gardens of
Montebello。) 〃Such are substantially the most remarkable expressions
in this long disc