memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第6章

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to　make　them　swear　to　support　equality　at　the　moment　so　many　titles　and
monarchical　distinctions　had　been　re…established。

On　the　18th　of　July；　three　days　after　this　ceremony；　the　Emperor　left
Paris　to　visit　the　camp　at　Boulogne。　　He　was　not　accompanied　by　the
Empress　on　this　journey；　which　was　merely　to　examine　the　progress　of　the
military　operations。　　Availing　myself　of　the　invitation　Josephine　had
given　me；　I　presented　myself　at　St。　Cloud　a　few　days　after　the　departure
of　Napoleon；　as　she　did　not　expect　my　visit；　I　found　her　surrounded　by
four　or　five　of　the　ladies　in　waiting；　occupied　in　examining　some　of　the
elegant　productions　of　the　famous　Leroi　and　Madame　Despeaux；　for　amidst
the　host　of　painful　feelings　experienced　by　Josephine　she　was　too　much　of
a　woman　not　to　devote　some　attention　to　the　toilet。

On　my　introduction　they　were　discussing　the　serious　question　of　the
costume　to　be　worn　by　the　Empress　on　her　journey　to　Belgium　to　meet
Napoleon　at　the　Palace　of　Lacken；　near　Brussels。　　Notwithstanding　those
discussions　respecting　the　form　of　hats；　the　colour　and　shape　of　dresses；
etc。；　Josephine　received　me　in　her　usual　gracious　manner。　　But　not　being
able　to　converse　with　me；　she　said；　without　giving　it　an　appearance　of
invitation　but　in　a　manner　sufficiently　evident　to　be　understood；　that
she　intended　to　pass　the　following　morning　at　Malmaison。

I　shortened　my　visit；　and　at　noon　next　day　repaired　to　that　delightful
abode；　which　always　created　in　my　mind　deep　emotion。　　Not　an　alley；　not　a
grove　but　teemed　with　interesting　recollections；　all　recalled　to　me　the
period　when　I　was　the　confidant　of　Bonaparte。　　But　the　time　was　past　when
he　minutely　calculated　how　much　a　residence　at　Malmaison　would　cost；　and
concluded　by　saying　that　an　income　of　30；000　livrea　would　be　necessary。

When　I　arrived　Madame　Bonaparte　was　in　the　garden　with　Madame　de　Remusat；
who　was　her　favourite　from　the　similarity　of　disposition　which　existed
between　them。

Madame　de　Remusat　was　the　daughter　of　the　Minister　Vergennes；　and　sister
to　Madame　de　Nansouty；　whom　I　had　sometimes　seen　with　Josephine；　but　not
so　frequently　as　her　elder　sister。　　I　found　the　ladies　in　the　avenue
which　leads　to　Ruel；　and　saluted　Josephine　by　inquiring　respecting　the
health　of　Her　Majesty。　　Never　can　I　forget　the　tone　in　which　she　replied：
〃Ah！　　Bourrienne；　I　entreat　that　you　will　suffer　me；　at　least　here；　to
forget　that　I　am　an　Empress。〃　　As　she　had　not　a　thought　concealed　from
Madame　de　Remusat　except　some　domestic　vexations；　of　which　probably　I　was
the　only　confidant；　we　conversed　with　the　same　freedom　as　if　alone；　and
it　is　easy　to　define　that　the　subject　of　our　discourse　regarded
Bonaparte。

After　having　spoken　of　her　intended　journey　to　Belgium；　Josephine　said
tome；　〃What　a　pity；　Bourrienne；　that　the　past　cannot　be　recalled！
He　departed　in　the　happiest　disposition：　he　has　bestowed　some　pardons
and　I　am　satisfied　that　but　for　those　accursed　politics　he　would　have
pardoned　a　far　greater　number。　　I　would　have　said　much　more；　but　I
endeavoured　to　conceal　my　chagrin　because　the　slightest　contradiction
only　renders　him　the　more　obstinate。　　Now；　when　in　the　midst　of　his　army；
he　will　forget　everything。　　How　much　have　I　been　afflicted　that　I　was　not
able　to　obtain　a　favourable　answer　to　all　the　petitions　which　were
addressed　to　me。　　That　good　Madame　de　Monteason　came　from　Romainville　to
St。　Cloud　to　solicit　the　pardon　of　MM。　de　Rivi6re　and　de　Polignac；　we
succeeded　in　gaining　an　audience　for　Madame　de　Polignac；　。　　。　　。　　how
beautiful　she　is！　　Bonaparte　was　greatly　affected　on　beholding　her；　he
said　to　her；　'Madame；　since　it　was　only　my　life　your　husband　menaced；　I
may　pardon　him。'　You　know　Napoleon；　Bourrienne；　you　know　that　he　is　not
naturally　cruel；　it　is　his　counsellors　and　flatterers　who　have　induced
him　to　commit　so　many　villainous　actions。　　Rapp　has　behaved　extremely
well；　he　went　to　the　Emperor；　and　would　not　leave　him　till　he　had
obtained　the　pardon　of　another　of　the　condemned；　whose　name　I　do　not
recollect。　　How　much　these　Polignacs　have　interested　me！　　There　will　be
then　at　least　some　families　who　will　owe　him　gratitude！　　Strive；　if　it　be
possible；　to　throw　a　veil　over　the　past；　I　am　sufficiently　miserable　in
my　anticipations　of　the　future。　　Rest　assured；　my　dear　Bourrienne；　that　I
shall　not　fail　to　exert　myself　during　our　stay　in　Belgium　in　your　behalf；
and　inform　you　of　the　result。　　Adieu！〃

During　the　festival　in　celebration　of　the　14th　of　July；　which　I　have
already　alluded　to；　the　Emperor　before　leaving　the　Hotel　des　Invalides
had　announced　that　he　would　go　in　person　to　distribute　the　decorations　of
the　Legion　of　Honour　to　the　army　assembled　in　the　camp　of　Boulogne。　　He
was　not　long　before　he　fulfilled　his　promise。　　He　left　St。　Cloud　on　the
18th　and　travelled　with　such　rapidity　that　the　next　morning；　whilst　every
one　was　busy　with　preparations　for　his　reception；　he　was　already　at　that
port；　in　the　midst　of　the　labourers；　examining　the　works。　　He　seemed　to
multiply　himself　by　his　inconceivable　activity；　and　one　might　say　that　he
was　present　everywhere。

At　the　Emperor's　departure　it　was　generally　believed　at　Paris　that　the
distribution　of　the　crosses　at　the　camp　of　Boulogne　was　only　a　pretext；
and　that　Bonaparte　had　at　length　gone　to　carry　into　execution　the　project
of　an　invasion　of　England；　which　every　body　supposed　he　contemplated。　　It
was；　indeed；　a　pretext。　　The　Emperor　wished　to　excite　more　and　more　the
enthusiasm　of　the　armyto　show　himself　to　the　military　invested　in　his
new　dignity；　to　be　present　at　some　grand　manoeuvres；　and　dispose　the　army
to　obey　the　first　signal　he　might　give。　　How　indeed；　on　beholding　such
great　preparations；　so　many　transports　created；　as　it　were；　by
enchantment；　could　any　one　have　supposed　that　be　did　not　really　intend　to
attempt　a　descent　on　England？　　People　almost　fancied　him　already　in
London；　it　was　known　that　all　the　army　corps　echelloned　on　the　coast　from
Maples　to　Ostend　were　ready　to　embark。　　Napoleon's　arrival　in　the　midst
of　his　troops　inspired　them；　if　possible；　with　a　new　impulse。　　The　French
ports　on　the　Channel　had　for　a　long　period　been　converted　into　dockyards
and　arsenals；　where　works　were　carried　on　with　that　inconceivable
activity　which　Napoleon　knew　so　well　how　to　inspire。　　An　almost
incredible　degree　of　emulation　prevailed　amongst　the　commanders　of　the
different　camps；　and　it　descended　from　rank　to　rank　to　the　common
soldiers　and　even　to　the　labourers。

As　every　one　was　eager　to　take　advantage　of　the　slightest　effects　of
chance；　and　exercised　his　ingenuity　in　converting　them　into　prognostics
of　good　fortune　for　the　Emperor；　those　who　had　access　to　him　did　not　fail
to　call　his　attention　to　some　remains　of　a　Roman　camp　which　had　been
discovered　at　the　Tour　d'Ordre；　where　the　Emperor's　tent　was　pitched。
This　was　considered　an　evident　proof　that　the　French　Caesar　occupied　the
camp　which　the　Roman　Caesar　had　formerly　constructed　to　menace　Great
Britain。　　To　give　additional　force　to　this　allusion；　the　Tour　d'Ordre
resumed　the　name　of　Caesar's　Tower。　　Some　medals　of　William　the
Conqueror；　found　in　another　spot；　where；　perhaps；　they　had　been　buried
for　the　purpose　of　being　dug　up；　could　not　fail　to　satisfy　the　most
incredulous　that　Napoleon　must　conquer　England。

It　was　not　far　from　Caesar's　Tower　that　80；000　men　of　the　camps　of
Boulogne　and　Montreuil；　under　the　command　of　Marshal　Soult；　were
assembled　in　a　vast　plain　to　witness　the　distribution　of　the　crosses　of
the　Legion　of　Honour　impressed　with　the　Imperial　effigy。　　This　plain；
which　I　saw　with　Bonaparte　in　our　first　journey　to　the　coast；　before　our
departure　to　Egypt；　was　circular　and　hollow；　and　in　the　centre　was　a
little　hill。　　This　hill　formed　the　Imperial　throne　of　Bonaparte　in　the
midst　of　his　soldiers。　　There　he　stationed　himself　with　his　staff　and
around　this　centre　of　glory　the　regiments　were　drawn　up　in　lines　and
looked　like　so　many　diverging　rays。　　From　this　throne；　which　had　been
erected　by　the　hand　of　nature；　Bonaparte　delivered　in　a　loud　voice　the
same　form　of　oath　which　he　had　pronounced　at　the　Hotel　des　Invalides　a
few　days　before。