napoleon bonaparte, v11-第6章

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of　all；　and　was　most　favorably　received；　for　although　it　was　doubtless
the　effect　of　prejudice；　no　one　could　be　ignorant　that　the　general　public
did　not　see　with　pleasure　the　Duke　of　Bassano　in　the　place　to　which　the
Duke　of　Vicenza　was　called　to　succeed　him。　　The　Duke　of　Bassano　was　said
to　have　acted　in　accordance　with　what　he　believed　to　be　the　secret　wishes
of　the　Emperor；　and　to　be　averse　to　peace。　　It　will　be　seen　later；　by　an
answer　which　his　Majesty　made　to　me　at　Fontainebleau；　how　groundless　and
without　foundation　were　these　rumors。　　It　seemed　then　exceedingly
probable　that　the　enemy　really　intended　to　treat　for　peace；　since　in
procuring　openly　by　force　a　French　negotiator；　they　had　forestalled　any
credit　which　might　accrue　to　the　Emperor　from　making　overtures　for　peace。

What　above　all　gave　great　weight　to　the　general　belief　in　the　disposition
of　Europe　towards　peace　was　that　not　simply　a　Continental　peace　was　in
question　as　at　Tilsit　and　Schoenbrunn；　but　also　a　general　peace；　in　which
England　was　to　enter　as　a　contracting　party；　so　that　in　consequence　it
was　hoped　that　the　gain　in　the　permanence　of　such　peace　would　offset　the
severity　of　its　terms。　　But　unfortunately　this　hope；　which　was　indulged
with　the　joy　of　anticipation；　lasted　only　a　short　time；　and　it　was　soon
learned　that　the　propositions　made　to　M。　de　Saint…Aignan　were　only　a
bait；　and　an　old　diplomatic　ruse　which　the　foreigners　had　made　use　of
simply　in　order　to　gain　time　by　deluding　the　Emperor　with　vain　hopes。
In　fact；　a　month　had　not　passed　away；　there　had　not　even　been　time　to
complete　the　preliminary　correspondence　usual　in　such　cases；　when　the
Emperor　learned　of　the　famous　declaration　of　Frankfort；　in　which；　far
from　entering　into　negotiations　with　his　Majesty；　it　was　attempted　to
separate　his　cause　from　that　of　France。　　What　a　mass　of　intrigues！　　Let
one　bless　with　a　thankful　heart　his　mediocrity　when　he　compares　himself
with　men　condemned　to　live　amid　this　labyrinth　of　high　impostures　and
honorable　hypocrisies！　　A　sad　certainty　was　obtained　that　the　foreigners
wished　a　war　of　extermination；　and　renewed　consternation　ensued　where
hope　had　begun　to　reign；　but　the　genius　of　his　Majesty　had　not　yet
deserted　him；　and　from　this　time　all　his　efforts　were　directed　towards
the　necessity　of　once　again　meeting　the　enemy　face　to　face；　no　longer　in
order　to　conquer　his　provinces；　but　to　prevent　an　invasion　of　the　sacred
soil　of　his　own　country。




CHAPTER　XVII。

In　speaking　of　the　year　1813；　an　account　of　the　incredible　number　of
affiliations　which　took　place　at　this　time　between　secret　societies
recently　formed　in　Italy　and　Germany　should　not　be　omitted。　　The　Emperor
from　the　time　when　he　was　only　First　Consul；　not　only　did　not　oppose　the
opening　of　Masonic　lodges；　but　we　have　every　reason　to　believe　secretly
favored　them。　　He　was　very　sure　that　nothing　originated　in　these　meetings
which　could　be　dangerous　to　his　person　or　injurious　to　his　government；
since　Freemasonry　counted　among　its　votaries；　and　even　had　as　chiefs；　the
most　distinguished　personages　of　the　state。　　Moreover；　it　would　have　been
impossible　in　these　societies；　where　a　few　false　brethren　had　slipped　in；
for　a　dangerous　secret；　had　there　been　one；　to　escape　the　vigilance　of
the　police。　　The　Emperor　spoke　of　it　sometimes　as　pure　child's　play；
suitable　to　amuse　idlers；　and　I　can　affirm　that　he　laughed　heartily　when
told　that　the　archchancellor；　in　his　position　as　chief　of　the　Grand
Orient；　had　presided　at　a　Masonic　banquet　with　no　less　dignity　than　would
have　comported　with　the　presidency　of　the　senate　or　of　the　council　of
state。　　Nevertheless；　the　Emperor's　indifference　did　not　extend　to
societies　known　in　Italy　under　the　name　of　Carbonari；　and　in　Germany
under　various　titles。　　We　must　admit；　in　fact；　that　since　the
undertakings　of　two　young　Germans　initiated　in　Illuminism；　it　was　natural
that　his　Majesty　should　not　have　seen　without　anxiety　the　propagation　of
those　bonds　of　virtue　in　which　young　fanatics　were　transformed　into
assassins。

I　know　nothing　remarkable　in　relation　to　the　Carbonari；　since　no
circumstance　connected　our　affairs　with　those　of　Italy。　　In　regard　to　the
secret　societies　of　Germany；　I　remember　that　during　our　stay　at　Dresden　I
heard　them　mentioned　with　much　interest；　and　not　without　fears　for　the
future；　by　a　Saxon　magistrate　with　whom　I　had　the　honor　of　associating
frequently。　　He　was　a　man　about　sixty　years　of　age；　who　spoke　French
well；　and　united　in　the　highest　degree　German　stolidity　with　the　gravity
natural　to　age。　　In　his　youth　he　had　lived　in　France；　and　part　of　his
education　had　been　received　at　the　College　of　Soreze；　and　I　attributed
the　friendship　which　he　showed　for　me　to　the　pleasure　he　experienced　in
conversing　about　a　country　the　memory　of　which　seemed　very　dear　to　him。
I　remember　perfectly　well　to…day　the　profound　veneration　with　which　this
excellent　man　spoke　to　me　of　one　of　his　former　professors　of　Soreze；　whom
he　called　Don　Ferlus；　and　I　must　have　had　a　defective　memory　indeed　had　I
forgotten　a　name　which　I　heard　repeated　so　often。

My　Saxon　friend　was　named　M。　Gentz；　but　was　no　relation　of　the　diplomat
of　the　same　name　attached　to　the　Austrian　chancellery。　　He　was　of　the
Reformed　religion；　very　faithful　in　the　performance　of　his　religious
duties；　and　I　can　assert　that　I　never　knew　a　man　with　more　simple　tastes；
or　who　was　more　observant　of　his　duties　as　a　man　and　a　magistrate。　　I
would　not　like　to　risk　saying　what　were　his　inmost　thoughts　concerning
the　Emperor；　for　he　rarely　spoke　of　him；　and　if　he　had　anything
unpleasant　to　say　it　may　be　readily　understood　that　he　would　not　have
chosen　me　as　his　confidant。　　One　day　when　we　were　together　examining　the
fortifications　which　his　Majesty　had　erected　at　many　points　on　the　left
bank　of　the　Elbe；　the　conversation　for　some　reason　happened　to　fall　on
the　secret　societies　of　Germany；　a　subject　with　which　I　was　perfectly
unacquainted。　　As　I　was　questioning　him　in　order　to　obtain　information；
M。　Gentz　said　to　me；　〃It　must　not　be　believed　that　the　secret　societies
which　are　multiplying　in　Germany　in　such　an　extraordinary　manner　have
been　protected　by　the　sovereigns；　for　the　Prussian　government　sees　them
grow　with　terror；　although　it　now　seeks　to　use　them　in　order　to　give　a
national　appearance　to　the　war　it　has　waged　against　you。　　Societies　which
are　to…day　tolerated　have　been；　even　in　Prussia；　the　object　of　bitter
persecutions。　　It　has　not　been　long；　for　instance；　since　the　Prussian
government　used　severe　measures　to　suppress　the　society　called
'Tugendverein'；　taking　the　precaution；　nevertheless；　to　disguise　it　under
a　different　title。　　Doctor　Jahn　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　Black
Chevaliers；　who　were　the　precursors　of　a　body　of　partisans　known　under
the　name　of　the　Black　Chasseurs；　and　commanded　by　Colonel　Lutzow。　　In
Prussia　the　still　vivid　memory　of　the　late　queen　exercised　a　great
influence　over　the　new　direction　given　to　its　institutions；　in　which　she
occupied　the　place　of　an　occult　divinity。　　During　her　lifetime　she　gave
to　Baron　Nostitz　a　silver　chain；　which　as　her　gift　became　the　decoration；
or　we　might　rather　say　the　rallying　signal；　of　a　new　society；　to　which
was　given　the　name　of　the　Conederation　of　Louise。　　And　lastly；　M。　Lang
declared　himself　the　chief　of　an　order　of　Concordists；　which　he
instituted　in　imitation　of　the　associations　of　that　name　which　had　for
some　time　existed　in　the　universities。

〃My　duties　as　magistrate；〃　added　M。　Gentz；　〃have　frequently　enabled　me　to
obtain　exact　information　concerning　these　new　institutions；　and　you　may
consider　the　information　which　I　give　you　on　this　subject　as　perfectly
authentic。　　The　three　chiefs　whom　I　have　just　mentioned　apparently　direct
three　separate　societies；　but　it　is　very　certain　that　the　three　are　in
reality　only　one；　since　these　gentlemen　engage　themselves　to　follow　in
every　particular　the　vagaries　of　the　Tugendverein；　and　are　scattered
throughout　Germany　in　order　that　by　their　personal　presence　they　may　have
a　more　direct　influence。　　M。　Jahn　is　more　especially　in　control　of
Prussia；　M。　Lang　of　the　north；　and　Baron　de　Nostitz　of　th