memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第3章

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against　me。　　Amoung；　the　conspirators；　for　example；　was　an　individual
whose　fate　I　regret；　this　Georges　in　my　hands　might　have　achieved　great
things。　　I　can　duly　appreciate　the　firmness　of　character　he　displayed；
and　to　which　I　could　have　given　a　proper　direction。　　I　caused　Real　to
intimate　to　him　that；　if　he　would　attach　himself　to　me；　not　only　should
he　be　pardoned；　but　that　I　would　give　him　the　command　of　a　regiment。
Perhaps　I　might　even　have　made　him　my　aide　de　camp。　　Complaints　would
have　been　made；　but；　parbleu；　I　should　not　have　cared。　　Georges　refused
all　my　offers；　he　was　as　inflexible　as　iron。　　What　could　I　do？　he
underwent　his　fate；　for　he　was　a　dangerous　man；　circumstances　rendered
his　death　a　matter　of　necessity。　　Examples　of　severity　were　called　for；
when　England　was　pouring　into　France　the　whole　offscouring　of　the
emigration；　but　patience；　patience！　　I　have　a　long　arm；　and　shall　be　able
to　reach　them；　when　necessary。　　Moreau　regarded　Georges　merely　as　a
ruffianI　viewed　him　in　a　different　light。　　You　may　remember　the
conversation　I　had　with　him　at　the　Tuileriesyou　and　Rapp　were　in　an
adjoining　cabinet。　　I　tried　in　vain　to　influence　himsome　of　his
associates　were　affected　at　the　mention　of　country　and　of　glory；　he　alone
stood　cold　and　unmoved。　　I　addressed　myself　to　his　feelings；　but　in　vain；
he　was　insensible　to　everything　I　said。　　At　that　period　Georges　appeared
to　me　little　ambitious　of　power；　his　whole　wishes　seemed　to　centre　in
commanding　the　Vendeans。　　It　was　not　till　I　had　exhausted　every　means　of
conciliation　that　I　assumed　the　tone　and　language　of　the　first
magistrate。　　I　dismissed　him　with　a　strong　injunction　to　live　retired
to　be　peaceable　and　obedientnot　to　misinterpret　the　motives　of　my
conduct　towards　himselfnor　attribute　to　weakness　what　was　merely　the
result　of　moderation　and　strength。　　'Rest　assured；'　I　added；　'and　repeat
to　your　associates；　that　while　I　hold　the　reins　of　authority　there　will
be　neither　chance　nor　salvation　for　those　who　dare　to　conspire　against
me：　How　he　conformed　to　this　injunction　the　event　has　shown。　　Real　told
me　that　when　Moreau　and　Georges　found　themselves　in　the　presence　of
Pichegru　they　could　not　come　to　any　understanding；　because　Georges　would
not　act　against　the　Bourbons。　　Well；　he　had　a　plan；　but　Moreau　had　none；
he　merely　wished　for　my　overthrow；　without　having　formed　any　ulterior
views　whatever。　　This　showed　that　he　was　destitute　of　even　common　sense。
Apropos；　Bourrienne；　have　you　seen　Corvisart？〃〃Yes；　Sire。〃〃Well！〃
〃He　delivered　to　me　the　message　with　which　you　entrusted　him。〃〃And
Desmaisons！I　wager　that　you　have　not　spoken　to　him　in　conformity　to　my
wishes。〃〃　Sire；　the　estimation　in　which　I　hold　Desmaisons　deterred　me
from　a　course　so　injurious　to　him；　for　in　what　other　light　could　he　have
considered　what　I　should　have　said　to　him？　　I　have　never　visited　at　his
house　since　the　commencement　of　the　trial。〃〃Well！　well！　　Be　prudent　and
discreet；　I　shall　not　forget　you。〃　　He　then　waved　a　very　gracious　salute
with　his　hand；　and　withdrew　into　his　cabinet。

The　Emperor　had　detained　me　more　than　an　hour。　　On　leaving　the　audience…
chamber　I　passed　through　the　outer　salon；　where　a　number　of　individuals
were　waiting；　and　I　perceived　that　an　observance　of　etiquette　was　fast
gaining　ground；　though　the　Emperor　had　not　yet　adopted　the　admirable
institution　of　Court　Chamberlains。

I　cannot　deny　that　I　was　much　gratified　with　my　reception；　besides　I　was
beginning　to　be　weary　of　an　inactive　life；　and　was　anxious　to　obtain　a
place；　of　which　I　stood　in　great　need；　from　the　losses　I　had　sustained
and　the　unjust　resumption　which　Bonaparte　had　made　of　his　gifts。　　Being
desirous　to　speak　of　Napoleon　with　the　strictest　impartiality；　I　prefer
drawing　my　conclusions　from　those　actions　in　which　I　had　no　personal
concern。　　I　shall　therefore　only　relate　here；　even　before　giving　an
account　of　my　visit　to　the　Empress　on　leaving　the　audience…chamber；　the
former　conduct　of　Napoleon　towards　myself　and　Madame　de　Bourrienne；　which
will　justify　the　momentary　alarm　with　which　I　was　seized　when　summoned　to
the　Tuileries；　and　the　satisfaction　I　felt　at　my　reception。　　I　had　a
proof　of　what　Rapp　said　of　the　Emperor　being　in　good…humour；　and　was
flattered　by　the　confidential　manner　in　which　he　spoke　to　me　concerning
some　of　the　great　political　secrets　of　his　Government。　　On　seeing　me　come
out　Rapp　observed；　〃You　have　had　a　long　audience。〃〃Yes；　not　amiss；〃　and
this　circumstance　procured　for　me　a　courtly　salutation　from　all　persons
waiting　in　the　antechamber。'

I　shall　now　relate　how　I　spent　the　two　preceding　years。　　The　month　after
I　tendered　my　resignation　to　the　First　Consul；　and　which　he　refused　to
accept；　the　house　at　St。　Cloud　belonging　to　Madame　Deville　was　offered　to
me；　it　was　that　in　which　the　Due　d'Angouleme　and　the　Due　de　Berri　were
inoculated。　　I　visited　this　mansion；　thinking　it　might　be　suitable　for　my
family；　but；　notwithstanding　the　beauty　of　its　situation；　it　seemed　far
too　splendid　either　for　my　taste　or　my　fortune。　　Except　the　outer　walls；
it　was　in　a　very　dilapidated　state；　and　would　require　numerous　and
expensive　repairs。　　Josephine；　being　informed　that　Madame　de　Bourrienne
had　set　her　face　against　the　purchase；　expressed　a　wish　to　see　the
mansion；　and　accompanied　us　for　that　purpose。　　She　was　so　much　delighted
with　it　that　she　blamed　my　wife　for　starting　any　objections　to　my
becoming；　its　possessor。　　〃With　regard　to　the　expense；〃　Josephine　replied
to　her；　〃ah；　we　shall　arrange　that。〃　　On　our　return　to　Malmaison　she
spoke　of　it　in　such　high　terms　that　Bonaparte　said　to　me；　〃Why　don't　you
purchase　it；　Bourrienne；　since　the　price　is　so　reasonable？〃

The　house　was　accordingly　purchased。　　An　outlay　of　20；000　francs　was
immediately　required　to　render　it　habitable。　　Furniture　was　also
necessary　for　this　large　mansion；　and　orders　for　it　were　accordingly
given。　　But　no　sooner　were　repairs　begun　than　everything　crumbled　to
pieces；　which　rendered　many　additional　expenses　necessary。

About　this　period　Bonaparte　hurried　forward　the　works　at　St。　Cloud；　to
which　place　he　immediately　removed。　　My　services　being　constantly
required；　I　found　it　so　fatiguing　to　go　twice　or　thrice　a　day　from　Ruel
to　St。　Cloud　that　I　took　possession　of　my　new　mansion；　though　it　was
still　filled　with　workmen。　　Scarcely　eight　days　had　elapsed　from　this
period　when　Bonaparte　intimated　that　he　no　longer　had　occasion　for　my
services。　　When　my　wife　went　to　take　leave　Napoleon　spoke　to　her　in　a
flattering　manner　of　my　good　qualities；　my　merit；　and　the　utility　of　my
labours；　saying　that　he　was　himself　the　most　unfortunate　of　the　three；
and　that　my　loss　could　never　be　replaced。　　He　then　added；　〃I　shall　be
absent　for　a　month；　but　Bourrienne　may　be　quite　easy；　let　him　remain　in
retirement；　and　on　my　return　I　shall　reward　his　services；　should　I　even
create　a　place　on　purpose　for　him。

Madame　de　Bourrienne　then　requested　leave　to　retain　the　apartments
appropriated　to　her　in　the　Tuileries　till　after　her　accouchement；　which
was　not　far　distant；　to　which　he　replied；　〃You　may　keep　them　as　long　as
you　please；　for　it　will　be　some　time　before　I　again　reside　in　Paris。〃

Bonaparte　set　out　on　his　journey；　and　shortly…afterwards　I　went　with　my
family　to　visit　Madame　de　Coubertin；　my　cousin…german；　who　received　us
with　her　usual　kindness。　　We　passed　the　time　of　the　First　Consul's
absence　at　her　country　seat；　and　only　returned　to　St。　Cloud　on　the　day
Bonaparte　was　expected。

Scarcely　a　quarter　of　an　hour　had　elapsed　after　his　arrival　when　I
received　an　intimation　to　give　up；　in　twenty…four　hours；　the　apartments
in　the　Tuileries；　which　he　had　promised　my　wife　should　retain　till　after
her　confinement。　　He　reclaimed　at　the　same　time　the　furniture　of　Ruel；
which　he　presented　to　me　two　years　before；　when　I　purchased　that　small
house　on　purpose　to　be　near　him。

I　addressed　several　memorials　to　him　on　this　subject；　stating　that　I　had
replaced　the　worn…out　furniture　with　new　and　superior　articles；　but　this
he　wholly　disregarded；　compelling　me　to　give　up　everything；　even　to　the
greatest　trifle。　　It　may　be　right　to　say　that　on　his　return　the　Em