memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第17章

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first　object　of　the　Revolution　was　not　the　overthrow　of　the　Bourbons；　but
merely　the　reform　of　abuses　and　the　destruction　of　prejudices。　　However；
when　it　was　discovered　that　Louis　XVI。　had　neither　firmness　to　refuse
what　he　did　not　wish　to　grant；　nor　good　faith　to　grant　what　his　weakness
had　led　him　to　promise；　it　was　evident　that　the　Bourbons　could　no　longer
reign　over　France　and　things　were　carried　to　such　a　length　that　we　were
under　the　necessity　of　condemning　Louis　XVI。　and　resorting　to　energetic
measures。　　You　know　all　that　passed　up　to　the　18th　Brumaire；　and　after。
We　all　perceived　that　a　Republic　could　not　exist　in　France；　the　question；
therefore；　was　to　ensure　the　perpetual　removal　of　the　Bourbons；　and　I
behaved　the　only　means　for　so　doing　was　to　transfer　the　inheritance　of
their　throne　to　another　family。　　Some　time　before　the　18th　Brumaire　I　had
a　conversation　with　Sieyes　and　Barras；　in　which　it　was　proposed；　in　case
of　the　Directory　being　threatened；　to　recall　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　and　I
could　see　very　well　that　Barras　favoured　that　suggestion；　although　he
alluded　to　it　merely　as　a　report　that　was　circulated　about；　and
recommended　me　to　pay　attention　to　it。　　Sieyes　said　nothing；　and　I
settled　the　question　by　observing；　that　if　any　such　thing　had　been
agitated　I　must　have　been　informed　of　it　through　the　reports　of　my
agents。　　I　added；　that　the　restoration　of　the　throne　to　a　collateral
branch　of　the　Bourbons　would　be　an　impolitic　act；　and　would　but
temporarily　change　the　position　of　those　who　had　brought　about　the
Revolution。　　I　rendered　an　account　of　this　interview　with　Barras　to
General　Bonaparte　the　first　time　I　had　an　opportunity　of　conversing　with
him　after　your　return　from　Egypt。　　I　sounded　him；　and　I　was　perfectly
convinced　that　in　the　state　of　decrepitude　into　which　the　Directory　had
fallen　he　was　just　the　man　we　wanted。　　I　therefore　adopted　such　measures
with　the　police　as　tended　to　promote　his　elevation　to　the　First
Magistracy。　　He　soon　showed　himself　ungrateful；　and　instead　of　giving　me
all　his　confidence　he　tried　to　outwit　me。　　He　put　into　the　hands　of　a
number　of　persons　various　matters　of　police　which　were　worse　than
useless。　　Most　of　their　agents；　who　were　my　creatures；　obeyed　my
instructions　in　their　reports；　and　it　often　happened　that　the　First
Consul　　thought　he　had　discovered；　through　the　medium　of　others；
information　that　came　from　me；　and　of　the　falsehood　of　which　I　easily
convinced　him。　　I　confess　I　was　at　fault　on　the　3d　Nivoise；　but　are　there
any　human　means　of　preventing　two　men；　who　have　no　accomplices；　from
bringing　a　plot　to　execution？　　You　saw　the　First　Consul　on　his　return
from　the　opera；　you　heard　all　his　declamations。　　I　felt　assured　that　the
infernal　machine　was　the　work　of　the　Royalists。　　I　told　the　Emperor　this；
and　he　was；　I　am　sure；　convinced　of　it；　but　he；　nevertheless；　proscribes
a　number　of　men　on　the　mere　pretence　of　their　old　opinions。　　Do　you
suppose　I　am　ignorant　of　what　he　said　of　me　and　of　my　vote　at　the
National　Convention？　　Most　assuredly　it　ill　becomes　him　to　reproach　the
Conventionists。　　It　was　that　vote　which　placed　the　crown　upon　his　head。
But　for　the　situation　in　which　we　were　placed　by　that　event；　which
circumstances　had　rendered　inevitable；　what　should　we　have　cared　for　the
chance　of　seeing　the　Bourbons　return？　　You　must　have　remarked　that　the
Republicans；　who　were　not　Conventionists；　were　in　general　more　averse
than　we　to　the　proceedings　of　the　18th　Brumaire；　as；　for　example；
Bernadotte　and　Moreau。　　I　know　positively　that　Moreau　was　averse　to　the
Consulate；　and　that　it　was　only　from　irresolution　that　he　accepted　the
custody　of　the　Directory。　　I　know　also　that　he　excused　himself　to　his
prisoners　for　the　duty　which　had　devolved　upon　him。　　They　themselves　told
me　this。

Fouche　entered　further　into　many　details　respecting　his　conduct；　and　the
motives　which　had　urged　him　to　do　what　he　did　in　favour　of　the　First
Consul。　　My　memory　does　not　enable　me　to　report　all　he　told　me；　but　I
distinctly　recollect　that　the　impression　made　on　my　mind　by　what　fell
from　him　was；　that　he　had　acted　merely　with　a　view　to　his　own　interests。
He　did　not　conceal　his　satisfaction　at　having　outwitted　Regnier；　and
obliged　Bonaparte　to　recall　him；　that　he　set　in　motion　every　spring
calculated　to　unite　the　conspirators；　or　rather　to　convert　the
discontented　into　conspirators；　is　evident　from　the　following　remarks
which　fell　from　him：　〃With　the　information　I　possessed；　had　I　remained　in
office　it　is　probable　that　I　might　have　prevented　the　conspiracy；　but
Bonaparte　would　still　have　had　to　fear　the　rivalry　of　Moreau。　　He　would
not　have　been　Emperor；　and　we　should　still　have　had　to　dread　the　return
of　the　Bourbons；　of　which；　thank　God；　there　is　now　no　fear。〃

During　my　stay　at　Pont…Carry　I　said　but　little　to　Fouche　about　my　long
audience　with　the　Emperor。　　However；　I　thought　I　might　inform　him　that　I
was　authorised　to　correspond　directly　with　his　Majesty。　　I　thought　it
useless　to　conceal　this　fact；　since　he　would　soon　learn　it　through　his
agents。　　I　also　said　a　few　words　about　Bonaparte's　regret　at　not　having
children。　　My　object　was　to　learn　Fouche's　opinion　on　this　subject；　and
it　was　not　without　a　feeling　of　indignation　that　I　heard　him　say；　〃It　is
to　be　hoped　the　Empress　will　soon　die。　　Her　death　will　remove　many
difficulties。　　Sooner　or　later　he　must　take　a　wife　who　will　bear　him　a
child；　for　as　long　as　he　has　no　direct　heir　there　is　every　chance　that
his　death　will　be　the　signal　for　a　Revolution。　　His　brothers　are
perfectly　incapable　of　filling　his　place；　and　a　new　party　would　rise　up
in　favour　of　the　Bourbons；　which　must　be　prevented　above　all　things。　　At
present　they　are　not　dangerous；　though　they　still　have　active　and　devoted
agents。　　Altona　is　full　of　them；　and　you　will　be　surrounded　by　them。
I　beg　of　you　to　keep　a　watchful　eye　upon　them；　and　render　me　a　strict
account　of　all　their　movements；　and　even　of　their　most　trivial　actions。
As　they　have　recourse　to　all　sorts　of　disguises；　you　cannot　be　too
vigilant；　therefore　it　will　be　advisable；　in　the　first　place；　to
establish　a　good　system　of　espionage；　but　have　a　care　of　the　spies　who
serve　both　sides；　for　they　swarm　in　Germany。〃

This　is　all　I　recollect　of　my；　conversations　with　Fouche　at　Pont…Carre。
I　returned　to　Paris　to　make　preparations　for　my　journey　to　Hamburg。




CHAPTER　XXXII。

1805。

　　　　　Capitulation　of　SublingenPreparations　for　warUtility　of
　　　　　commercial　informationMy　instructionsInspection　of　the　emigrants
　　　　　and　the　journalsA　pamphlet　by　KotzebueOffers　from　the　Emperor　of
　　　　　Russia　to　MoreauPortrait　of　Gustavus　Adolphus　by　one　of　his
　　　　　ministersFouche's　denunciationsDuels　at　HamburgM。　de　Gimel
　　　　　The　Hamburg　CorrespondentLetter　from　Bernadotte。

I　left　Paris　on　the　20th　of　May　1805。　　On　the　5th　of　June　following　I
delivered　my　credentials　to　the　Senate　of　Hamburg；　which　was　represented
by　the　Syndic　Doormann　and　the　Senator　Schutte。　　M。　Reinhart；　my
predecessor；　left　Hamburg　on　the　12th　of　June。

The　reigning　Dukes　of　Mecklenburg…Schwerin　and　Brunswick；　to　whom　I　had
announced　my　arrival　as　accredited　Minister　to　them；　wrote　me　letters
recognising　me　in　that　character。　　General　Walmoden　had　just　signed　the
capitulation　of　Sublingen　with　Marshal　Mortier；　who　had　the　command　in
Hanover。　　The　English　Government　refused　to　ratify　this；　because　it
stipulated　that　the　troops　should　be　prisoners　of　war。　　Bonaparte　had　two
motives　for　relaxing　this　hard　condition。　　He　wished　to　keep　Hanover　as　a
compensation　for　Malta；　and　to　assure　the　means　of　embarrassing　and
attacking　Prussia；　which　he　now　began　to　distrust。　　By　advancing　upon
Prussia　he　would　secure　his　left；　so　that　when　convenient　he　might　march
northward。　　Mortier；　therefore；　received　orders　to　reduce　the　conditions
of　the　capitulation　to　the　surrender　of　the　arms；　baggage；　artillery；　and
horses。　　England；　which　was　making　great　efforts　to　resist　the　invasion
with　which　she　thought　herself　threatened；　expended　considerable　sums　for
the　transport　of　the　troops　from　Hanover　to　England。　　Her　precipitation
was　indescribable；　and　she　paid　the　most　exorb