memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第16章

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have　voluntarily　fallen　at　St。　Helena。　　The　Memorial　states　〃that　the
celebrated　singer　Madame　Grasaini　attracted　his　attention　at　the　time　of
the　Coronation。〃　　Napoleon　alleges　that　Madame　Grassini　on　that　occasion
said　to　him；　〃When　I　was　in　the　prime　of　my　beauty　and　talent　all　I
wished　was　that　you　would　bestow　a　single　look　upon　me。　　That　wish　was
not　fulfilled；　and　now　you　notice　me　when　I　am　no　longer　worthy　your
attention。〃

I　confess　I　am　at　a　loss　to　conceive　what　could　induce　Napoleon　to　invent
such　a　story。　　He　might　have　recollected　his　acquaintance　with　Madame
Grassini　at　Milan　before　the　battle　of　Marengo。　　It　was　in　1800；　and　not
in　1805；　that　I　was　first　introduced　to　her；　and　I　know　that　I　several
times　took　tea　with　her　and　Bonaparte　in　the　General's　apartments　I
remember　also　another　circumstance；　which　is；　that　on　the　night　when　I
awoke　Bonaparte　to　announce　to　him　the　capitulation　of　Genoa；　Madame
Grassini　also　awoke。　　Napoleon　was　charmed　with　Madame　Grasaini's
delicious　voice；　and　if　his　imperious　duties　had　permitted　it　he　would
have　listened　　with　ecstasy　to　her　singing　for　hours　together。　　Whilst
Napoleon　was　at　Milan；　priding　himself　on　his　　double　sovereignty；　some
schemes　were　set　on　foot　at　Vienna　and　St。　Petersburg　which　I　shall
hereafter　have　occasion　to　notice。　　The　Emperor；　indeed；　gave　cause　for
just　complaint　by　the　fact　of　annexing　Genoa　to　the　　Empire　within　four
months　after　his　solemn　declaration　to　the　Legislative　Body；　in　which　he
pledged　himself　in　the　face　of　France　and　Europe　not　to　seek　any
aggrandisement　of　territory。　　The　pretext　of　a　voluntary　offer　on　the
part　of　Genoa　was　too　absurd　to　deceive　any　one。　　The　rapid　progress　of
Napoleon's　ambition　could　not　escape　the　observation　of　the　Cabinet　of
Vienna；　which　began　to　allow　increased　symptoms　of　hostility。　　The　change
which　was　effected　in　the　form　of　the　Government　of　the　Cisalpine
Republic　was　likewise　an　act　calculated　to　excite　remonstrance　on　the
part　of　all　the　powers　who　were　not　entirely　subject　to　the　yoke　of
France。　　He　disguised　the　taking　of　Genoa　under　the　name　of　a　gift；　and
the　possession　of　Italy　under　the　appearance　of　a　mere　change　of
denomination。　　Notwithstanding　these　flagrant　outrages　the　exclusive
apologists　of　Napoleon　have　always　asserted　that　he　did　not　wish　for　war；
and　he　himself　maintained　　that　assertion　at　St。　Helena。　　It　is　said　that
he　was　always　attacked；　and　hence　a　conclusion　is　drawn　in　favour　of　his
love　of　peace。　　I　acknowledge　Bonaparte　would　never　have　fired　a　single
musket…shot　if　all　the　powers　of　Europe　had　submitted　to　be　pillaged　by
him　one　after　the　other　without　opposition。　　It　was　in　fact　declaring　war
against　them　to　place　them　under　the　necessity　of　breaking　a　peace；
during　the　continuance　of　which　he　was　augmenting　his　power；　and
gratifying　his　ambition；　as　if　in　defiance　of　Europe。　　In　this　way
Napoleon　commenced　all　the　wars　in　which　he　was　engaged；　with　the
exception　of　that　which　followed　the　peace　of　Marengo；　and　which
terminated　in　Moreau's　triumph　at　Hohenlinden。　　As　there　was　no　liberty
of　the　press　in　France　he　found　it　easy　to　deceive　the　nation。　　He　was　in
fact　attacked；　and　thus　he　enjoyed　the　pleasure　of　undertaking　his　great
military　expeditions　without　being　responsible　in　the　event　of　failure。

During　the　Emperor's　stay　in　the　capital　of　the　new　kingdom　of　Italy　he
received　the　first　intelligence　of　the　dissatisfaction　of　Austria　and
Russia。　　That　dissatisfaction　was　not　of　recent　date。　　When　I　entered　on
my　functions　at　Hamburg　I　learned　some　curious　details　（which　I　will
relate　in　their　proper　place）　respecting　the　secret　negotiations　which
had　been　carried　on　for　a　considerable　time　previously　to　the
commencement　of　hostilities。　　Even　Prussia　was　no　stranger　to　the
dissatisfaction　of　Austria　and　Russia；　I　do　not　mean　the　King；　but　the
Cabinet　of　Berlin；　which　was　then　under　the　control　of　Chancellor
Hardenberg；　for　the　King　of　Prussia　had　always　personally　declared
himself　in　favour　of　the　exact　observance　of　treaties；　even　when　their
conditions　were　not　honourable。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　the　Cabinet　of
Berlin；　although　dissatisfied　in　1806　with　the　rapid　progress　of
Napoleon's　ambition；　was　nevertheless　constrained　to　conceal　its
discontent；　owing　to　the　presence　of　the　French　troops　in　Hanover。

On　returning　from　Milan　the　Emperor　ordered　the　erection；　of　a　monument
on　the　Great　St。　Bernard　in　commemoration　of　the　victory　of　Marengo。
M。　Denon　who　accompanied　Napoleon；　told　me　that　he　made　a　use　less　search
to　discover　the　body　of　Desaix；　which　Bonaparte　wished　to　be　buried
beneath　the　monument　and　that　it　was　at　length　found　by　General　Savary。
It　is　therefore　certain　that　the　ashes　of　the　brave　Desaix　repose　on　the
summit　of　the　Alps。

The　Emperor　arrived　in　Paris　about　the　end　of　June　and　instantly　set　off
for　the　camp　at　Boulogne。　　It　was　now　once　more　believed　that　the　project
of　invading　England　would　be　accomplished。　　This　idea　obtained　the
greater　credit　because　Bonaparte　caused　some　experiments　for　embarkation
to　be　made；　in　his　presence。　　These　experiments；　however；　led　to　no
result。　　About　this　period　a　fatal　event　but　too　effectually　contributed
to　strengthen　the　opinion　of　the　inferiority　of　our　navy。　　A　French
squadron　consisting　of　fifteen　ships；　fell　in　with　the　English　fleet
commanded　by　Admiral　Calder；　who　had　only　nine　vessels　under　his　command；
and　in　an　engagement；　which　there　was　every　reason　to　expect　would
terminate　in　our　favour；　we　had　the　misfortune　to　lose　two　ships。　　The
invasion　of　England　was　as　little　the　object　of　this　as　of　the　previous
journey　to　Boulogne；　all　Napoleon　had　in　view　was　to　stimulate　the
enthusiasm　of　the　troops；　and　to　hold　out　those　threats　against　England
when　conceived　necessary　for　diverting　attention　from　the　real　motive　of
his　hostile　preparations；　which　was　to　invade　Germany　and　repulse　the
Russian　troops；　who　had　begun　their　march　towards　Austria。　　Such　was　the
true　object　of　Napoleons　last　journey　to　Boulogne。

I　had　been　some　time　at　Hamburg　when　these　events　took　place；　and　it　was
curious　to　observe　the　effect　they　produced。　　But　I　must　not　forget　one
circumstance　in　which　I　am　personally　concerned；　and　which　brings　me　back
to　the　time　when　I　was　in　Paris。　　My　new　title　of　Minister
Plenipotentiary　obliged　me　to　see　a　little　more　of　society　than　during
the　period　when　prudence　required　me　to　live　as　it　were　in　retirement。
I　had　received　sincere　congratulations　from　Duroc；　Rape；　and　Lauriston；
the　three　friends　who　had　shown　the　greatest　readiness　to　serve　my
interests　with　the　Emperor；　and　I　had　frequent　occasion　to　see　M。
Talleyrand；　as　my　functions　belonged　to　his　department。　　The　Emperor；　on
my　farewell　audience；　having　informed　me　that　I　was　to　correspond
directly　with　the　Minister　of　the　General　Police；　I　called　on　Fouche；　who
invited　me　to　spend　some　days　at　his　estate　of　Pont…Carre。　　I　accepted
the　invitation　because　I　wanted　to　confer　with　him；　and　I　spent　Sunday
and　Monday；　the　28th　and　29th　of　April；　at　Pont…Carre。

Fouche；　like　the　Emperor；　frequently　revealed　what　he　intended　to
conceal；　but　he　had　such　a　reputation　for　cunning　that　this　sort　of
indiscretion　was　attended　by　no　inconvenience　to　him。　　He　was　supposed　to
be　such　a　constant　dissembler　that　those　who　did　not　know　him　well　looked
upon　the　truth　when　he　spoke　it　merely　as　an　artful　snare　laid　to　entrap
them。　　I；　however；　knew　that　celebrated　person　too　well　to　confound　his
cunning　with　his　indiscretion。　　The　best　way　to　get　out　of　him　more　than
he　was　aware　of　was　to　let　him　talk　on　without　interruption。　　There　were
very　few　visitors　at　Pont…Carre；　and　during　the　two　days　I　spent　there　I
had　several　conversations　with　Fouche。　　He　told　me　a　great　deal　about　the
events　of　1804；　and　he　congratulated　himself　on　having　advised　Napoleon
to　declare　himself　Emperor　〃I　have　no　preference；〃　says　Fouche；　〃for
one　form　of　government　more　than　another。　　Forms　signify　nothing。　　The
first　object　of　the　Revolution　was　not　the　overthrow　of　the　Bourbons；　but
merely　the　reform　of　abuses　and　the　destruction　of　prejudices。　　However；
whe