memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第18章

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was　indescribable；　and　she　paid　the　most　exorbitant　charges　for　the　hire
of　ships。　　Several　houses　in　Hamburg　made　fortunes　on　this　occasion。
Experience　has　long　since　proved　that　it　is　not　at　their　source　that
secret　transactions　are　most　readily　known。　　The　intelligence　of　an　event
frequently　resounds　at　a　distance；　while　the　event　itself　is　almost
entirely　unknown　in　the　place　of　its　occurrence。　　The　direct　influence　of
political　events　on　commercial　speculations　renders　merchants　exceedingly
attentive　to　what　is　going　on。　　All　who　are　engaged　in　commercial
pursuits　form　a　corporation　united　by　the　strongest　of　all　bonds；　common
interest；　and　commercial　correspondence　frequently　presents　a　fertile
field　for　observation；　and　affords　much　valuable　information；　which　often
escapes　the　inquiries　of　Government　agents。

I　resolved　to　form　a　connection　with　some　of　the　mercantile　houses　which
maintained　extensive　and　frequent　communications　with　the　Northern
States。　　I　knew　that　by　obtaining　their　confidence　I　might　gain　a
knowledge　of　all　that　was　going　on　in　Russia；　Sweden；　England；　and
Austria。　　Among　the　subjects　upon　which　it　was　desirable　to　obtain
information　I　included　negotations；　treaties；　military　measuressuch　as
recruiting　troops　beyond　the　amount　settled　for　the　peace　establishment；
movements　of　troops；　the　formation　of　camps　and　magazines；　financial
operations；　the　fitting…out　of　ships；　and　many　other　things；　which；
though　not　important　in　themselves；　frequently　lead　to　the　knowledge　of
what　is　important。

I　was　not　inclined　to　place　reliance　on　all　public　reports　and　gossiping
stories　circulated　on　the　Exchange　without　close　investigation；　for　I
wished　to　avoid　transmitting　home　as　truths　what　might　frequently　be　mere
stock…jobbing　inventions。　　I　was　instructed　to　keep　watch　on　the
emigrants；　who　were　exceedingly　numerous　in　Hamburg　and　its
neighbourhood；　Mecklenburg；　Hanover；　Brunswick；　and　Holstein；　but　I　must
observe　that　my　inspection　was　to　extend　only　to　those　who　were　known　to
be　actually　engaged　in　intrigues　and　plots。

I　was　also　to　keep　watch　on　the　state　of　the　public　mind；　and　on　the
journals　which　frequently　give　it　a　wrong　direction；　and　to　point　out
those　articles　in　the　journals　which　I　thought　censurable。　　At　first　I
merely　made　verbal　representations　and　complaints；　but　I　could　not　always
confine　myself　to　this　course。　　I　received　such　distinct　and　positive
orders　that；　in　spite　of　myself；　inspection　was　speedily　converted　into
oppression。　　Complaints　against　the　journals　filled　one…fourth　of　my
despatches。

As　the　Emperor　wished　to　be　made　acquainted　with　all　that　was　printed
against　him；　I　sent　to　Paris；　in　May　1805；　and　consequently　a　very　few
days　after　my　arrival　in　Hamburg；　a　pamphlet　by　the　celebrated　Kotzebue；
entitled　'Recollections　of　my　Journey　to　Naples　and　Rome'。　　This
publication；　which　was　printed　at　Berlin；　was　full　of　indecorous　attacks
and　odious　allusions　on　the　Emperor。

I　was　informed　at　that　time；　through　a　certain　channel；　that　the　Emperor
Alexander　had　solicited　General　Moreau　to　enter　his　service；　and　take　the
command　of　the　Russian　infantry。　　He　offered　him　12；000　roubles　to　defray
his　travelling　expenses。　　At　a　subsequent　period　Moreau　unfortunately
accepted　these　offers；　and　died　in　the　enemy's　ranks。

On　the　27th　of　June　M。　Bouligny　arrived　at　Hamburg。　　He　was　appointed　to
supersede　M。　d'Ocariz　at　Stockholm。　　The　latter　minister　had　left　Hamburg
on　the　11th　of　June　for　Constantinople；　where　he　did　not　expect　to　stay
three　months。　　I　had　several　long　conversations　with　him　before　his
departure；　and　he　did　not　appear　to　be　satisfied　with　his　destination。
We　frequently　spoke　of　the　King　of　Sweden；　whose　conduct　M。　d'Ocariz
blamed。　　He　was；　he　said；　a　young　madman；　who；　without　reflecting　on　the
change　of　time　and　circumstances；　wished　to　play　the　part　of　Gustavus
Adolphus；　to　whom　he　bore　no　resemblence　but　in　name。　　M。　d'Ocariz　spoke
of　the　King　of　Sweden's　camp　in　a　tone　of　derision。　　That　Prince　had
returned　to　the　King　of　Prussia　the　cordon　of　the　Black　Eagle　because　the
order　had　been　given　to　the　First　Consul。　　I　understood　that　Frederick
William　was　very　much　offended　at　this　proceeding；　which　was　as
indecorous　and　absurd　as　the　return　of　the　Golden　Fleece　by　Louis　XVII。
to　the　King　of　Spain　was　dignified　and　proper。　　Gustavus　Adolphus　was
brave；　enterprising；　and　chivalrous；　but　inconsiderate　and　irascible。　　He
called　Bonaparte　Monsieur　Napoleon。　　His　follies　and　reverses　in　Hanover
were　without　doubt　the　cause　of　his　abdication。　　On　the　31st　of　October
1805　he　published　a　declaration　of　war　against　France　in　language　highly
insulting　to　the　Emperor。

Fouche　overwhelmed　me　with　letters。　　If　I　had　attended　to　all　his
instructions　I　should　have　left　nobody　unmolested。　　He　asked　me　for
information　respecting　a　man　named　Lazoret；　of　the　department　of　Gard；
a　girl；　named　Rosine　Zimbenni；　having　informed　the　police　that　he　had
been　killed　in　a　duel　at　Hamburg。　　I　replied　that　I　knew　but　of　four
Frenchmen　who　had　been　killed　in　that　way；　one；　named　Clement；　was　killed
by　Tarasson；　a　second；　named　Duparc；　killed　by　Lezardi；　a　third；　named
Sadremont；　killed　by　Revel；　and　a　fourth；　whose　name　I　did　not　know；
killed　by　Lafond。　　This　latter　had　just　arrived　at　Hamburg　when　he　was
killed；　but　he　was　not　the　man　sought　for。

Lafond　was　a　native　of　Brabant；　and　had　served　in　the　British　army。　　He
insulted　the　Frenchman　because　he　wore　the　national　cockade　A　duel　was
the　consequence；　and　the　offended　party　fell。　　M。　Reinhart；　my
predecessor　wished　to　punish　Lafond；　but　the　Austrian　Minister　having
claimed　him　as　the　subject　of　his　sovereign；　he　was　not　molested。　　Lafond
took　refuge　in　Antwerp；　where　he　became　a　player。

During　the　first　months　which　succeeded　my　arrival　in　Hamburg　I　received
orders　for　the　arrest　of　many　persons；　almost　all　of　whom　were　designated
as　dangerous　and　ill　disposed　men。　　When　I　was　convinced　that　the
accusation　was　groundless　I　postponed　the　arrest。　　The　matter　was　then
forgotten；　and　nobody　complained。

A　title；　or　a　rank　in　foreign　service；　was　a　safeguard　against　the　Paris
inquisition。　　Of　this　the　following　is　an　instance。　　Count　Gimel；　of　whom
I　shall　hereafter　have　occasion　to　speak　more　at　length；　set　out　about
this　time　for　Carlsbad。　　Count　Grote　the　Prussian　Minister；　frequently
spoke　to　me　of　him。　　On　my　expressing　apprehension　that　M。　de　Gimel　might
be　arrested；　as　there　was　a　strong　prejudice　against　him；　M。　Grote
replied；　〃Oh！　　there　is　no　fear　of　that。　　He　will　return　to　Hamburg　with
the　rauk　of　an　English　colonel。〃

On　the　17th　of　July　there　appeared　in　the　Correspondent　an　article
exceedingly　insulting　to　France。　　It　had　been　inserted　by　order　of　Baron
Novozilzow；　who　was　at　Berlin；　and　who　had　become　very　hostile　to　France；
though　it　was　said　he　had　been　sent　from　St。　Petersburg　on　a　specific
mission　to　Napoleon。　　The　article　in　question　was　transmitted　from　Berlin
by　an　extraordinary　courier；　and　Novozilzow　in　his　note　to　the　Senate
said　it　might　be　stated　that　the　article　was　inserted　at　the　request　of
His　Britannic　Majesty。　　The　Russian　Minister　at　Berlin；　M。　Alopaeus；
despatched　also　an　'estafette'　to　the　Russian　charge　d'affaires　at
Hamburg；　with　orders　to　apply　for　the　insertion　of　the　article；　which
accordingly　appeared。　　In　obedience　to　the　Emperor's　instructions；　I
complained　of　it；　and　the　Senate　replied　that　it　never　opposed　the
insertion　of　an　official　note　sent　by　any　Government；　that　insults　would
redound　against　those　from　whom　they　came；　that　the　reply　of　the　French
Government　would　be　published；　and　that　the　Senate　had　never　deviated
from　this　mode　of　proceeding。

I　observed　to　the　Senate　that　I　did　not　understand　why　the　Correspondent
should　make　itself　the　trumpet　of　M。　Novozilzow；　to　which　the　Syndic
replied；　that　two　great　powers；　which　might　do　them　much　harm；　had
required　the　insertion　of　the　article；　and　that　it　could　not　be　refused。

The　hatred　felt　by　the　foreign　Princes；　which　the　death　of　the　Duc
d'Enghien　had　considerably　increased；　gave　encouragement　to　the
publication　of　everything