memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第8章

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　　　　　Ministry；　the　First　Consul　said　to　M。　Abrial：　〃In　uniting　the
　　　　　Ministry　of　Police　to　that　of　Justice　I　could　not　retain　yon　in　the
　　　　　Ministry；　you　are　too　upright　a　man　to　manage　the　police。〃　　Not　a
　　　　　flattering　speech　for　Regnier。Bourrienne。＇


What　could　be　expected　from　Regnier；　charged　as　he　was　with　incompatible
functions？　　What；　under　such　circumstances；　could　have　been　expected　even
from　a　man　gifted　with　great　talents？　　Such　was　the　exact　history　of
Fouche's　disgrace。　　No　person　was　more　afflicted　at　it　than　Madame
Bonaparte；　who　only　leaned　the　news　when　it　was　announced　to　the　public。
Josephine；　on　all　occasions；　defended　Fouche　against　her　husband's
sallies。　　She　believed　that　he　was　the　only　one　of　his　Ministers　who　told
him　the　truth。　　She　had　such　a　high　opinion　of　the　way　in　which　Fouche
managed　the　police　that　the　first　time　I　was　alone　with　her　after　our
return　from　Mortfontaine　she　said　to　me；　〃　My　dear　Bourrienne；　speak
openly　to　me；　will　Napoleon　know　all　about　the　plots　from　the　police　of
Moncey；　Duroc；　Junot；　and　of　Davoust？　　You　know　better　than　I　do　that
these　are　only　wretched　spies。　　Has　not　Savary　also　eventually　got　his
police？　　How　all　this　alarms　me。　　They　take　away　all　my　supports；　and
surround　me　only　with　enemies。〃〃To　justify　your　regrets　we　should　be
sure　that　Fouche　has　never　been　in　agreement　with　Lucien　in　favour　of　the
divorce。〃〃Oh；　I　do　not　believe　that。　　Bonaparte　does　not　like　him；　and
he　would　have　been　certain　to　tell　me　of　it　when　I　spoke　favourably　to
him　of　Fouche。　　You　will　see　that　his　brothers　will　end　by　bringing　him
into　their　plan。〃

I　have　already　spoken　of　Josephine's　troubles；　and　of　the　bad　conduct　of
Joseph；　but　more　particularly　of　Lucien；　towards　her；　I　will　therefore
describe　here；　as　connected　with　the　disgrace　of　Fouche；　whom　Madame
Bonaparte　regretted　as　a　support；　some　scenes　which　occurred　about　this
period　at　Malmaison。　　Having　been　the　confidant　of　both　parties；　and　an
involuntary　actor　in　those　scenes；　now　that　twenty…seven　years　have
passed　since　they　occurred　what　motive　can　induce　me　to　disguise　the
truth　in　any　respect？

Madame　Louis　Bonaparte　was　enceinte。　　Josephine；　although　she　tenderly
loved　her　children；　did　not　seem　to　behold　the　approaching　event　which
the　situation　of　her　daughter　indicated　with　the　interest　natural　to　the
heart　of　a　mother。　　She　had　long　been　aware　of　the　calumnious　reports
circulated　respecting　the　supposed　connection　between　Hortense　and　the
First　Consul；　and　that　base　accusation　cost　her　many　tears。　　Poor
Josephine　paid　dearly　for　the　splendour　of　her　station！　　As　I　knew　how
devoid　of　foundation　these　atrocious　reports　were；　I　endeavoured　to
console　her　by　telling　her　what　was　true；　that　I　was　exerting　all　my
efforts　to　demonstrate　their　infamy　and　falsehood。　　Bonaparte；　however；
dazzled　by　the　affection　which　was　manifested　towards　him　from　all
quarters；　aggravated　the　sorrow　of　his　wife　by　a　silly　vanity。　　He
endeavoured　to　persuade　her　that　these　reports　had　their　origin　only　in
the　wish　of　the　public　that　he　should　have　a　child；　so　that　these　seeming
consolations　offered　by　self…love　to　Josephine's　grief　gave　force　to
existing　conjugal　alarms；　and　the　fear　of　divorce　returned　with　all　its
horrors。　　Under　the　foolish　illusion　of　his　vanity　Bonaparte　imagined
that　France　was　desirous　of　being　governed　even　by　a　bastard　if　supposed
to　be　a　child　of　his；a　singular　mode　truly　of　founding　a　new
legitimacy！

Josephine；　whose　susceptibility　appears　to　me　even　now　excusable；　well
knew　my　sentiments　on　the　subject　of　Bonaparte's　founding　a　dynasty；　and
she　had　not　forgotten　my　conduct　when　two　years　before　the　question　had
been　agitated　on　the　occasion　of　Louis　XVIII。's　letters　to　the　First
Consul。　　I　remember　that　one　day；　after　the　publication　of　the　parallel
of　Caesar；　Cromwell；　and　Bonaparte；　Josephine　having　entered　our　cabinet
without　being　announced；　which　she　sometimes　did　when　from　the　good
humour　exhibited　at　breakfast　she　reckoned　upon　its　continuance；
approached　Bonaparte　softly；　seated　herself　on　his　knee；　passed　her　hand
gently　through　his　hair　and　over　his　face；　and　thinking　the　moment
favourable；　said　to　him　in　a　burst　of　tenderness；　〃I　entreat　of　you；
Bonaparte；　do　not　make　yourself　a　King！　　It　is　that　wretch　Lucien　who
urges　you　to　it。　　Do　not　listen　to　him！〃　　Bonaparte　replied；　without
anger；　and　even　smiling　as　he　pronounced　the　last　words；　〃You　are　mad；
my　poor　Josephine。　　It　is　your　old　dowagers　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；
your　Rochefoucaulds；　who　tell　you　all　these　fables！。。。。。。　Come　now；　you
interrupt　meleave　me　alone。〃

What　Bonaparte　said　that　day　good…naturedly　to　his　wife　I　have　often
heard　him　declare　seriously。　　I　have　been　present　at　five　or　six
altercations　on　the　subject。　　That　there　existed；　too；　an　enmity
connected　with　this　question　between　the　family　of　BEAUHARNAIS　and　the
family　of　Bonaparte　cannot　be　denied。

Fouche；　as　I　have　stated；　was　in　the　interest　of　Josephine；　and　Lucien
was　the　most　bitter　of　her　enemies。　　One　day　Raederer　inveighed　with　so
much　violence　against　Fouche　in　the　presence　of　Madame　Bonaparte　that　she
replied　with　extreme　warmth；　〃The　real　enemies　of　Bonaparte　are　those　who
feed　him　with　notions　of　hereditary　descent；　of　a　dynasty；　of　divorce；
and　of　marriage！〃　　Josephine　could　not　check　this　exclamation；　as　she
knew　that　Roederer　encouraged　those　ideas；　which　he　spread　abroad　by
Lucien's　direction。　　I　recollect　one　day　when　she　had　been　to　see　us　at
our　little　house　at　Ruel：　as　I　walked　with　her　along　the　high　road　to　her
carriage；　which　she　had　sent　forward；　I　acknowledged　too　unreservedly　my
fears　on　account　of　the　ambition　of　Bonaparte；　and　of　the　perfidious
advice　of　his　brothers。　　〃Madame；〃　said　I；　〃if　we　cannot　succeed　in
dissuading　the　General　from　making　himself　a　King；　I　dread　the　future　for
his　sake。　　If　ever　he　re…establishes　royalty　he　will　in　all　probability
labour　for　the　Bourbons；　and　enable　them　one　day　to　re…ascend　the　throne
which　he　shall　erect。　　No　one；　doubtless；　without　passing　for　a　fool；　can
pretend　to　say　with　certainty　what　series　of　chances　and　events　such　a
proceeding　will　produce；　but　common　sense　alone　is　sufficient　to　convince
any　one　that　unfavourable　chances　must　long　be　dreaded。　　The　ancient
system　being　re…established；　the　occupation　of　the　throne　will　then　be
only　a　family　question；　and　not　a　question　of　government　between　liberty
and　despotic　power。　　Why　should　not　France；　if　it　ceases　to　be　free；
prefer　the　race　of　her　ancient　kings？　　You　surely　know　it。　　You　had　not
been　married　two　years　when；　on　returning　from　Italy；　your　husband　told
me　that　he　aspired　to　royalty。　　Now　he　is　Consul　for　life。　　Would　he　but
resolve　to　stop　there！　　He　already　possesses　everything　but　an　empty
title。　　No　sovereign　in　Europe　has　so　much　power　as　he　has。　　I　am　sorry
for　it；　Madame；　but　I　really　believe　that；　in　spite　of　yourself；　you　will
be　made　Queen　or　Empress。〃

Madame　Bonaparte　had　allowed　me　to　speak　without　interruption；　but　when　I
pronounced　the　words　Queen　and　Empress　she　exclaimed；　〃My　God！
Bourrienne；　such　ambition　is　far　from　my　thoughts。　　That　I　may　always
continue　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul　is　all　I　desire。　　Say　to　him　all
that　you　have　said　to　me。　　Try　and　prevent　him　from　making　himself
King。〃〃Madame；〃　I　replied；　times　are　greatly　altered。　　The　wisest　men；
the　strongest　minds；　have　resolutely　and　courageously　opposed　his
tendency　to　the　hereditary　system。　　But　advice　is　now　useless。　　He　would
not　listen　to　me。　　In　all　discussions　on　the　subject　he　adheres
inflexibly　to　the　view　he　has　taken。　　If　he　be　seriously　opposed　his
anger　knows　no　bounds；　his　language　is　harsh　and　abrupt；　his　tone
imperious；　and　his　authority　bears　down　all　before　him。〃〃Yet；
Bourrienne；　he　has　so　much　confidence　in　you　that　of　you　should　try　once
more！〃〃Madame；　I　assure　you　he　will　not　listen　to　me。　　Besides；　what
could　I　add　to　the　remarks　I　made　upon　his　receiving　the　letters　of　Louis
XVIII。；　when　I　fearlessly　represented　to　him　that　being　without　children
he　would　have　no　one　to　whom　to　bequeath　the　thronethat；　doubtless；
from