napoleon bonaparte, v3-第2节

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　　　　　of　his　enthusiasm。　　The　desire　to　laugh　prevented　a　single　word；　and
　　　　　he　left　convinced　that　nowhere　existed　a　better　household　than　that
　　　　　of　the　Prince　and　Princess　Borghese。　　The　latter　was　in　Italy；　and
　　　　　the　handsome　young　man　was　M。　de　Canouville。

　　　　　I　borrow　this　curious　anecdote　from　the　〃Memoirs　of　Josephine；〃　the
　　　　　author　of　which；　who　saw　and　described　the　Court　of　Navarre　and
　　　　　Malmaison　with　so　much　truth　and　good　judgment；　is　said　to　be　a
　　　　　woman；　and　must　be　in　truth　a　most　intellectual　one；　and　in　a　better
　　　　　position　than　any　other　person　to　know　the　private　affairs　of　her
　　　　　Majesty；　the　Empress。　CONSTANT。

　　　　　He　was　slain　by　a　ball　from　a　French　cannon；　which　was　discharged
　　　　　after　the　close　of　an　action　in　which　he　had　shown　the　most
　　　　　brilliant　courage。CONSTANT。

Moreover；　however　great　may　have　been　the　frailty　of　Princess　Pauline　in
regard　to　her　lovers；　and　although　most　incredible　instances　of　this　can
be　related　without　infringing　on　the　truth；　her　admirable　devotion　to　the
person　of　the　Emperor　in　1814　should　cause　her　faults　to　be　treated　with
indulgence。

On　innumerable　occasions　the　effrontery　of　her　conduct；　and　especially
her　want　of　regard　and　respect　for　the　Empress　Marie　Louise；　irritated
the　Emperor　against　the　Princess　Borghese；　though　he　always　ended　by
pardoning　her；　notwithstanding　which；　at　the　time　of　the　fall　of　her
august　brother　she　was　again　in　disgrace；　and　being　informed　that　the
island　of　Elba　had　been　selected　as　a　prison　for　the　Emperor；　she
hastened　to　shut　herself　up　there　with　him；　abandoning　Rome　and　Italy；
whose　finest　palaces　were　hers。　　Before　the　battle　of　Waterloo；　his
Majesty　at　the　critical　moment　found　the　heart　of　his　sister　Pauline
still　faithful。　　Fearing　lest　he　might　be　in　need　of　money；　she　sent　him
her　handsomest　diamonds；　the　value　of　which　was　enormous；　and　they　were
found　in　the　carriage　of　the　Emperor　when　it　was　captured　at　Waterloo；
and　exhibited　to　the　curiosity　of　the　inhabitants　of　London。　　But　the
diamonds　have　been　lost；　at　least；　to　their　lawful　owner。




CHAPTER　XIV。

On　the　day　of　General　Moreau's　arrest　the　First　Consul　was　in　a　state　of
great　excitement。

　　　　　＇Jean　Victor　Moreau；　born　at　Morlaix　in　Brittany；　1763；　son　of　a
　　　　　prominent　lawyer。　　At　one　time　he　rivaled　Bonaparte　in　reputation。
　　　　　He　was　general…in…chief　of　the　army　of　the　Rhine；　1796；　and　again　in
　　　　　1800；　in　which　latter　year　he　gained　the　battle　of　Hohenlinden。
　　　　　Implicated　in　the　conspiracy　of　Pichegru；　he　was　exiled；　and　went　to
　　　　　the　United　States。　　He　returned　to　Europe　in　1813；　and；　joining　the
　　　　　allied　armies　against　France；　was　killed　by　a　cannon…shot　in　the
　　　　　attack　on　Dresden　in　August　of　that　year。＇

The　morning　was　passed　in　interviews　with　his　emissaries；　the　agents　of
police；　and　measures　had　been　taken　that　the　arrest　should　be　made　at　the
specified　hour；　either　at　Gros…Bois；　or　at　the　general's　house　in　the
street　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honore。　　The　First　Consul　was　anxiously
walking　up　and　down　his　chamber；　when　he　sent　for　me；　and　ordered　me　to
take　position　opposite　General　Moreau's　house　（the　one　in　Paris）；　to　see
whether　the　arrest　had　taken　place；　and　if　there　was　any　tumult；　and　to
return　promptly　and　make　my　report。　　I　obeyed；　but　nothing　extraordinary
took　place；　and　I　saw　only　some　police　spies　walking　along　the　street；
and　watching　the　door　of　the　house　of　the　man　whom　they　had　marked　for
their　prey。　　Thinking　that　my　presence　would　probably　be　noticed；　I
retired；　and；　as　I　learned　while　returning　to　the　chateau　that　General
Moreau　had　been　arrested　on　the　road　from　his　estate　of　Gros…Bois；　which
he　sold　a　few　months　later　to　Marshal　Berthier；　before　leaving　for　the
United　States；　I　quickened　my　pace；　and　hastened　to　announce　to　the　First
Consul　the　news　of　the　arrest。　　He　knew　this　already；　made　no　response；
and　still　continued　thoughtful；　and　in　deep　reflection；　as　in　the
morning。

Since　I　have　been　led　to　speak　of　General　Moreau；　I　will　recall　by　what
fatal　circumstances　he　was　led　to　tarnish　his　glory。　　Madame　Bonaparte
had　given　to　him　in　marriage　Mademoiselle　Hulot；　her　friend；　and；　like
herself；　a　native　of　the　Isle　of　France。　　This　young　lady；　gentle；
amiable；　and　possessing　those　qualities　which　make　a　good　wife　and
mother；　loved　her　husband　passionately；　and　was　proud　of　that　glorious
name　which　surrounded　her　with　respect　and　honor；　but；　unfortunately；　she
had　the　greatest　deference　for　her　mother；　whose　ambition　was　great；　and
who　desired　nothing　short　of　seeing　her　daughter　seated　upon　a　throne。
The　influence　which　she　exercised　over　Madame　Moreau　soon　extended　to　the
general　himself；　who；　ruled　by　her　counsels；　became　gloomy；　thoughtful；
melancholy；　and　forever　lost　that　tranquillity　of　mind　which　had
distinguished　him。　　From　that　time　the　general's　house　was　open　to
intrigues　and　conspiracies；　and　it　was　the　rendezvous　of　all　the
discontented；　of　which　there　were　many。　　The　general　assumed　the　task　of
disapproving　all　the　acts　of　the　First　Consul；　he　opposed　the
reestablishment　of　public　worship；　and　criticised　as　childish　and
ridiculous　mummery　the　institution　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　　These　grave
imprudences；　and　indeed　many　others；　came　to　the　ears　of　the　First
Consul；　who　refused　at　first　to　believe　them；　but　how　could　he　remain
deaf　to　reports　which　were　repeated　each　day　with　more　foundation；　though
doubtless　exaggerated　by　malice？

In　proportion　as　the　imprudent　speeches　of　the　general　were　depriving　him
of　the　esteem　of　the　First　Consul；　his　mother…in…law；　by　a　dangerous
obstinacy；　was　encouraging　him　in　his　opposition；　persuaded；　she　said；
that　the　future　would　do　justice　to　the　present。　　She　did　not　realize
that　she　spoke　so　truly；　and　the　general　rushed　headlong　into　the　abyss
which　opened　before　him。　　How　greatly　his　conduct　was　in　opposition　to
his　character！　　He　had　a　pronounced　aversion　to　the　English；　and　he
detested　the　Chouans；　and　everything　pertaining　to　the　old　nobility；　and
besides；　a　man　like　General　Moreau；　who　had　served　his　country　so
gloriously；　was　not　the　one　to　bear　arms　against　her。　　But　he　was
deceived；　and　he　deceived　himself；　in　thinking　that　he　was　fitted　to　play
a　great　political　part；　and　he　was　destroyed　by　the　flatteries　of　a　party
which　excited　all　possible　hostility　against　the　First　Consul　by　taking
advantage　of　the　jealousy　of　his　former　comrades　in　arms。　　I　witnessed
more　than　one　proof　of　affection　shown　by　the　First　Consul　to　General
Moreau。　　In　the　course　of　a　visit　of　the　latter　to　the　Tuileries；　and
during　an　interview　with　the　First　Consul；　General　Carnot　arrived　from
Versailles　with　a　pair　of　pistols　of　costly　workmanship；　which　the
manufactory　of　Versailles　had　sent　as　a　gift　to　the　First　Consul。　　He
took　these　handsome　weapons　from　the　hands　of　General　Carnot；　admired
them　a　moment；　and　immediately　offered　them　to　General　Moreau；　saying　to
him；　〃Take　them；　truly　they　could　not　have　come　at　a　better　time。〃　　All
this　was　done　quicker　than　I　can　write　it；　the　general　was　highly
flattered　by　this　proof　of　friendship；　and　thanked　the　First　Consul
warmly。

The　name　and　trial　of　General　Moreau　recall　to　me　the　story　of　a　brave
officer　who　was　compromised　in　this　unfortunate　affair；　and　who　after
many　years　of　disgrace　was　pardoned　only　on　account　of　the　courage　with
which　he　dared　expose　himself　to　the　anger　of　the　Emperor。　　The
authenticity　of　the　details　which　I　shall　relate　can　be　attested；　if
necessary；　by　living　persons；　whom　I　shall　have　occasion　to　name　in　my
narrative；　and　whose　testimony　no　reader　would　dream　of　impeaching。

The　disgrace　of　General　Moreau　extended　at　first　to　all　those　who
surrounded　him；　and　as　the　affection　and　devotion　felt　for　him　by　all　the
officers　and　soldiers　who　had　served　under　him　was　well　known；　his　aides…
de…camp　were　arrested；　even　those　who　were　not　then　in　Paris。　　One　of
them；　Colonel　Delelee；　had　been　many　months　on　furlough　at　Besancon；
resting　after　his　campaigns　in　the　bosom　of　his　family；　and　with　a　young
wife　whom　he　had　recently　married。　　Besides；　he　was　at　that　time
concerning　himself　very　little　with　political　matters；　very　much　with　his
pleasures；　and　not　at　all　with　conspiracies。　　Comrade　and　brother　in　arms
of　Colonels　Guilleminot；　Hugo；　Foy；all　three　of　whom　became　generals
afterwards；he　was　spending　his　evenings　gayly　with　them　at　the
garrison；　or　in　the　quiet　pleasures　of　his　family　circle。　　Suddenly
Colonel　Delelee　was　arrested；　placed　in　a　postchaise；　and　it　was　not
until　he　was　rolling　along　in　a　gallop　on　the　road　to　Paris；　that　he
learned　from　the　officer　of　the　gendarmes　who　accompanied　him；　that
General　Moreau　had　conspired；　and　that　in　his　quality　as　aide…de…camp　he
was　counted　among　the　conspirators。

Arrived　at　Paris；　the　colonel　was　put　in　close　confinement；　in　La　Force
I　believe。　　His　wife；　much　alarmed；　followed　his　footsteps；　but　it　was
several　days　before　she　obtained　permission　to　communicate　with　the
prisoner；　and　then　could　do　so　only　by　signs　from　the　courtyard　of　the
prison　while　he　showed　himself；　for　a　few　moments；　and