Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
break them open, and send here those which are intended for him. I
enclose some German papers, which he begs you to translate.
Madame Bonaparte is much interested in your behalf; and I can assure
you that no one more heartily desires than the First Consul himself
to see you again at your old post, for which it would be difficult
to find a successor equal to you, either as regards fidelity or
fitness. I do not relinquish the hope of seeing you here again.
A whole week passed away in conflicts between the First Consul's
friendship and pride. The least desire he manifested to recall me
was opposed by his flatterers. On the fifth day of our separation he
directed me to come to him. He received me with the greatest kindness,
and after having good-humouredly told me that I often expressed myself
with too much freedom--a fault I was never solicitous to correct--he
added: "I regret your absence much. You were very useful to me. You are
neither too noble nor too plebeian, neither too aristocratic nor too
Jacobinical. You are discreet and laborious. You understand me better
than any one else; and, between ourselves be it said, we ought to
consider this a sort of Court. Look at Duroc, Bessières, Maret. However,
I am very much inclined to take you back; but by so doing I should
confirm the report that I cannot do without you."
Madame Bonaparte informed me that she had heard persons to whom
Bonaparte expressed a desire to recall me observe, "What would you do?
People will say you cannot do without him. You have got rid of him now;
therefore think no more about him: and as for the English newspapers, he
gave them more importance than they really deserved: you will no longer
be troubled with them." This will bring to mind a scene--which occurred
at Malmaison on the receipt of some intelligence in the 'London
Gazette'.
I am convinced that if Bonaparte had been left to himself he would have
recalled me, and this conviction is warranted by the interval which
elapsed between his determination to part with me and the formal
announcement of my dismissal. Our rupture took place on the 20th of
October, and on the 8th of November following the First Consul sent me
the following letter:
CITIZEN BOURRIENNE, MINISTER OF STATE--I am satisfied with the
services which you have rendered me during the time you have been
with me; but henceforth they are no longer necessary. I wish you to
relinquish, from this time, the functions and title of my private
secretary. I shall seize an early opportunity of providing for you
in a way suited to your activity and talents, and conducive to the
public service.
(Signed)BONAPARTE.
If any proof of the First Consul's malignity were wanting it would be
furnished by the following fact:--A few days after the receipt of the
letter which announced my dismissal I received a note from Duroc;
but, to afford an idea of the petty revenge of him who caused it to
be written, it will be necessary first to relate a few preceding
circumstances.
When, with the view of preserving a little freedom, I declined the
offer of apartments which Madame Bonaparte had prepared at Malmaison
for myself and my family, I purchased a small house at Ruel: the First
Consul had given orders for the furnishing of this house, as well as
one which I possessed in Paris. From the manner in which the orders were
given I had not the slightest doubt but that Bonaparte intended to
make me a present of the furniture. However, when I left his service
he applied to have it returned. As at first I paid no attention to his
demand, as far as it concerned the furniture at Ruel, he directed Duroc
to write the following letter to me:
The First Consul, my dear Bourrienne, has just ordered me to send
him this evening the keys of your residence in Paris, from which the
furniture is not to be removed.
He also directs me to put into a warehouse whatever furniture you
may have at Ruel or elsewhere which you have obtained from
Government.
I beg of you to send me an answer, so as to assist me in the
execution of these orders. You promised me to have everything
settled before the First Consul's return. I must excuse myself in
the best way I can.
(Signed) DUROC.
24 Brumaire, an X.
(15th November 1802.)
Believing myself to be master of my own actions, I had formed the design
of visiting England, whither I was called by some private business.
However, I was fully aware of the peculiarity of my situation, and I was
resolved to take no step that should in any way justify a reproach.
On the 11th of January I therefore wrote to Duroc:
My affairs require my presence in England for some time. I beg of
you, my dear Duroc, to mention my intended journey to the First
Consul, as I do not wish to do anything inconsistent with his views.
I would rather sacrifice my own interest than displease him. I rely
on your friendship for an early answer to this, for uncertainty
would be fatal to me in many respects.
The answer, which speedily arrived, was as follows:--
MY DEAR BOURRIENNE--I have presented to the First Consul the letter
I just received from you. He read it, and said, "No!"
That is the only answer I can give you. (Signed) DUROC.
This monosyllable was expressive. It proved to me that Bonaparte was
conscious how ill he had treated me; and, suspecting that I was actuated
by the desire of vengeance, he was afraid of my going to England, lest I
should there take advantage of that liberty of the press which he had so
effectually put down in France. He probably imagined that my object was
to publish statements which would more effectually have enlightened the
public respecting his government and designs than all the scandalous
anecdotes, atrocious calumnies, and ridiculous fabrications of
Pelletier, the editor of the 'Ambigu'. But Bonaparte was much deceived
in this supposition; and if there can remain any doubt on that subject,
it will be removed on referring to the date of these Memoirs, and
observing the time at which I consented to publish them.
I was not deceived as to the reasons of Bonaparte's unceremonious
refusal of my application; and as I well knew his inquisitorial
character, I thought it prudent to conceal my notes. I acted differently
from Camoens. He contended with the sea to preserve his manuscripts;
I made the earth the depository of mine. I carefully enclosed my most
valuable notes and papers in a tin box, which I buried under ground.
A yellow tinge, the commencement of decay, has in some places almost
obliterated the writing.
It will be seen in the sequel that my precaution was not useless, and
that I was right in anticipating the persecution of Bonaparte, provoked
by the malice of my enemies. On the 20th of April Duroc sent me the
following note:
I beg, my dear Bourrienne, that you will come to St. Cloud this
morning. I have something to tell you on the part of the First
Consul.
(Signed) DUROC.
This note caused me much anxiety. I could not doubt but that my enemies
had invented some new calumny; but I must say that I did not expect such
baseness as I experienced.
As soon as Duroc had made me acquainted with the business which the
First Consul had directed him to communicate, I wrote on the spot the
subjoined letter to Bonaparte:
At General Duroc's desire I have this moment waited upon him, and he
informs me that you have received notice that a deficit of 100,000
francs has been discovered in the Treasury of the Navy, which you
require me to refund this day at noon.
Citizen First Consul, I know not what this means! I am utterly
ignorant of the matter. I solemnly declare to you that this charge
is a most infamous calumny. It is one more to be added to the
number of those malicious charges which have been invented for the
purpose of destroying any influence I might possess with you.
I am in General Duroc's apartment, where I await your orders.
Duroc carried my note to the First Consul as soon as it was written. He
speedily returned. "All's right!" said he. "He has directed me to say it
was entirely a mistake!--that he is now convinced he was deceived! that
he is sorry for the business, and hopes no more will be said about it."
The base flatterers who surrounded Bonaparte wished him to renew his
Egyptian extortions upon me; but they should have recollected that the
fusillade employed in Egypt for the purpose of raising money was no
longer the fashion in France, and that the days were gone by when it was
the custom to 'grease the wheels of the revolutionary car.'
CHAPTER XVII.
1803.
The First Consul's presentiments respecting the duration of peace--
England's uneasiness at the prosperity of France--Bonaparte's real
wish for war--Concourse of foreigners in Paris--Bad faith of
England--Bonaparte and Lord Whitworth--Relative position of France
and England-Bonaparte's journey to the seaboard departments--
Breakfast at Compiegne--Father Berton--Irritation excited by the
presence of Bouquet--Father Berton's derangement and death--Rapp
ordered to send for me--Order countermanded.
The First Consul never anticipated a long peace with England. He wished
for peace merely because, knowing it to be ardently desired by the
people, after ten years of war he thought it would increase his
popularity and afford him the opportunity of laying the foundation of
his government. Peace was as necessary to enable him to conquer the
throne of France as war was essential to secure it, and to enlarge its
base at the expense of the other thrones of Europe. This was the secret
of the peace of Amiens, and of the rupture which so suddenly followed,
though that rupture certainly took place sooner than the First Consul
wished. On the great questions of peace and war Bonaparte entertained
elevated ideas; but in discussions on the subject he always declared
himself in favour of war. When told of the necessities of the people,
of the advantages of peace, its influence on trade, the arts, national
industry, and every branch of public prosperity, he did not attempt to
deny the argument; indeed, he concurred in it; but he remarked, that all
those advantages were only conditional, so long as England was able
to throw the weight of her navy into the scale of the world, and to
exercise the influence of her gold in all the Cabinets of Europe. Peace
must be broken; since it was evident that England was determined
to break it. Why not anticipate her? Why allow her to have all the
advantages of the first step? We must astonish Europe! We must thwart
the policy of the Continent! We must strike a great and unexpected blow.
Thus reasoned the First Consul, and every one may judge whether his
actions agreed with his sentiments.
The conduct of England too well justified the foresight of Bonaparte's
policy; or rather England, by neglecting to execute her treaties, played
into Bonaparte's hand, favoured his love for war, and justified the
prompt declaration of hostilities in the eyes of the French nation, whom
he wished to persuade that if peace were broken it would be against his
wishes. England was already at work with the powerful machinery of
her subsidies, and the veil beneath which she attempted to conceal her
negotiations was still sufficiently transparent for the lynx eye of the
First Consul. It was in the midst of peace that all those plots were
hatched, while millions who had no knowledge of their existence were
securely looking forward to uninterrupted repose.
Since the Revolution Paris had never presented such a spectacle as