Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
the time and after the Pope had engaged to crown her, she seems to
have most cleverly managed to get the Pope informed that she was
only united to Napoleon by a civil marriage. The Pope insisted on
a religious marriage. Napoleon was angry, but could not recede, and
the religions rite was performed by Cardinal Fesch the day, or two
days, before the Coronation. The certificate of the marriage was
carefully guarded from Napoleon by Josephine, and even placed beyond
his reach at the time of the divorce. Such at least seems to be the
most probable account of this mysterious and doubtful matter.
The fact that Cardinal Fesch maintained that the religious rite had
been duly performed, thirteen of the Cardinals (not, however
including Fesch) were so convinced of the legality of the marriage
that they refused to appear at the ceremony of marriage with Marie
Louise, thus drawing down the wrath of the Emperor, and becoming the
"Cardinals Noirs," from being forbidden; to wear their own robes,
seems to leave no doubt that the religious rite had been performed.
The marriage was only pronounced to be invalid in 1809 by the local
canonical bodies, not by the authority of the pope.]--
It cannot be expected that I should enter into a detail of the ceremony
which took place on the 2d of December. The glitter of gold, the waving
plumes, and richly-caparisoned horses of the Imperial procession; the
mule which preceded the Pope's cortege, and occasioned so much merriment
to the Parisians, have already been described over and over again. I
may, however, relate an anecdote connected with the Coronation, told me
by Josephine, and which is exceedingly characteristic of Napoleon.
When Bonaparte was paying his addresses to Madame de BEAUHARNAIS,
neither the one nor the other kept a carriage; and therefore Bonaparte
frequently accompanied her when she walked out. One day they went
together to the notary Raguideau, one of the shortest men I think I ever
saw in my life, Madame de Beauharnais placed great confidence, in him,
and went there on purpose to acquaint him of her intention to marry the
young general of artillery,--the protege of Barras. Josephine went
alone into, the notary's cabinet, while Bonaparte waited for her in an
adjoining room. The door of Raguideau's cabinet did not shut close, and
Bonaparte plainly heard him dissuading Madame de Beauharnais from her
projected marriage. "You are going to take a very wrong step," said he,
"and you will be sorry for it, Can you be so mad as to marry a young man
who has nothing but his cloak and his sword?" Bonaparte, Josephine told
me, had never mentioned this to her, and she never supposed that he had
heard what fell from Raguideau. "Only think, Bourrienne," continued she,
"what was my astonishment when, dressed in the Imperial robes on the
Coronation day, he desired that Raguideau might be sent for, saying that
he wished to see him immediately; and when Raguideau appeared; he said
to him, 'Well, sir! have I nothing but my cloak and my sword now?'"
Though Bonaparte had related to me almost all the circumstances of
his life, as they occurred to his memory, he never once mentioned this
affair of Raguideau, which he only seemed to have suddenly recollected
on his Coronation day.
The day after the Coronation all the troops in Paris were assembled
in the Champ de Mars the Imperial eagles might be distributed to each
regiment, in lieu of the national flags. I had stayed away from the
Coronation in the church of Notre Dame, but I wished to see the military
fete in the Champ de Mars because I took real pleasure in seeing
Bonaparte amongst his soldiers. A throne was erected in front of the
Military School, which, though now transformed into a barrack, must
have recalled, to Bonaparte's mind some singular recollections of his
boyhood. At a given signal all the columns closed and approached the
throne. Then Bonaparte, rising, gave orders for the distribution of the
eagles, and delivered the following address to the deputations of the
different corps of the army:
"Soldiers, Soldiers! behold your colours. These eagles will always
be your rallying-point! They will always be where your Emperor may
think them necessary for the defence of his throne and of his
people. Swear to sacrifice your lives to defend them, and by your
courage to keep them constantly in the path of victory.--Swear!"
It would be impossible to describe the acclamations which followed this
address; there is something so seductive in popular enthusiasm that even
indifferent persons cannot help yielding to its influence. And yet the
least reflection would have shown how shamefully Napoleon forswore the
declaration he made to the Senate, when the organic 'Senatus-consulte'
for the foundation of the Empire was presented to him at St: Cloud: On
that occasion he said; "The French people shall never be MY people!" And
yet the day after his Coronation his eagles were to be carried wherever
they might be necessary for the defence of his people.
By a singular coincidence, while on the 2d of December 1804 Bonaparte
was receiving from the head of the Church the Imperial crown of
France, Louis XVIII., who was then at Colmar, prompted as it were by
an inexplicable presentiment, drew up and signed a declaration to the
French people, in which he declared that he then, swore never to break
the sacred bond which united his destiny to theirs, never to renounce
the inheritance of his ancestors, or to relinquish his rights.
CHAPTER XXX.
1805
My appointment as Minister Plenipotentiary at Hamburg--My interview
with Bonaparte at Malmaison--Bonaparte's designs respecting Italy--
His wish to revisit Brienne--Instructions for my residence in
Hamburg--Regeneration of European society--Bonaparte's plan of
making himself the oldest sovereign in Europe--Amedee Jaubert's
mission--Commission from the Emperor to the Empress--My conversation
with Madame Bonaparte.
I must now mention an event which concerns myself personally, namely, my
appointment as Minister Plenipotentiary, to the Dukes of Brunswick and
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and to the Hanse towns.
This appointment took place on the 22d of March 1806. Josephine, who had
kindly promised to apprise me of what the Emperor intended to do for me,
as soon as she herself should know his intentions, sent a messenger to
acquaint me with my appointment, and to tell me that the Emperor wished
to see me. I had not visited Josephine since her departure for Belgium.
The pomp and ceremonies of the Coronation had, I may say, dazzled me,
and deterred me from presenting myself at the Imperial Palace, where I
should have been annoyed by the etiquette which had been observed since
the Coronation. I cannot describe what a disagreeable impression this
parade always produced on me. I could not all at once forget the time
when I used without ceremony to go into Bonaparte's chamber and wake him
at the appointed hour. As to Bonaparte I had not seen him since he sent
for me after the condemnation of Georges, when I saw that my candour
relative to Moreau was not displeasing to him. Moreau had since quitted
France without Napoleon's subjecting him to the application of the
odious law which has only been repealed since the return of the
Bourbons, and by virtue of which he was condemned to the confiscation
of his property. Moreau sold his estate of Gros Bois to Berthier, and
proceeded to Cadiz, whence he embarked for America. I shall not again
have occasion to speak of him until the period of the intrigues into
which he was drawn by the same influence which ruined him in France.
On the evening of the day when I received the kind message from
Josephine I had an official invitation to proceed the next day to
Malmaison, where the Emperor then was. I was much pleased at the idea of
seeing him there rather than at the Tuileries, or even at St. Cloud. Our
former intimacy at Malmaison made me feel more at my ease respecting
an interview of which my knowledge of Bonaparte's character led me to
entertain some apprehension. Was I to be received by my old comrade of
Brienne, or by His Imperial Majesty? I was received by my old college
companion.
On my arrival at Malmaison I was ushered into the tentroom leading to
the library. How I was astonished at the good-natured familiarity with
which he received me! This extraordinary man displayed, if I may employ
the term, a coquetry towards me which surprised me, notwithstanding my
past knowledge of his character. He came up to me with a smile on
his lips, took my hand (which he had never done since he was Consul),
pressed it affectionately, and it was impossible that I could look upon
him as the Emperor of France and the future King of Italy. Yet I was
too well aware of his fits of pride to allow his familiarity to lead me
beyond the bounds of affectionate respect. "My dear Bourrienne," said
he, "can you suppose that the elevated rank I have attained has altered
my feelings towards you? No. I do not attach importance to the glitter
of Imperial pomp; all that is meant for the people; but I must still
be valued according to my deserts. I have been very well satisfied with
your services, and I have appointed you to a situation where I shall
have occasion for them. I know that I can rely upon you." He then asked
with great warmth of friendship what I was about, and inquired after
my family, etc. In short, I never saw him display less reserve or more
familiarity and unaffected simplicity; which he did the more readily,
perhaps, because his greatness was now incontestable.
"You know," added Napoleon, "that I set out in a week for Italy. I shall
make myself King; but that is only a stepping-stone. I have greater
designs respecting Italy.
"It must be a kingdom comprising all the Transalpine States, from
Venice to the Maritime Alps. The union of Italy with France can only
be temporary; but it is necessary, in order to accustom the nations
of Italy to live under common laws. The Genoese, the Piedmontese, the
Venetians, the Milanese, the inhabitants of Tuscany, the Romans, and
the Neapolitans, hate each other. None of them will acknowledge the
superiority of the other, and yet Rome is, from the recollections
connected with it, the natural capital of Italy. To make it so, however,
it is necessary that the power of the Pope should be confined within
limits purely spiritual. I cannot now think of this; but I will reflect
upon it hereafter. At present I have only vague ideas on the subject,
but they will be matured in time, and then all depends on circumstances.
What was it told me, when we were walking like two idle fellows, as
we were, in the streets of Paris, that I should one day be master of
France--my wish--merely a vague wish. Circumstances have done the
rest. It is therefore wise to look into the future, and that I do. With
respect to Italy, as it will be impossible with one effort to unite her
so as to form a single power, subject to uniform laws, I will begin
by making her French. All these little States will insensibly become
accustomed to the same laws, and when manners shall be assimilated and
enmities extinguished, then there will be an Italy, and I will give her
independence. But for that I must have twenty years, and who can count
on the future? Bourrienne, I feel pleasure in telling you all this. It
was locked up in my mind. With you I think aloud."
I do not believe that I have altered two words of what Bonaparte said
to me respecting Italy, so perfect, I may now say without vanity, was my
memory then, and so confirmed was my habit of fixing in it all that he
said to me. After having informed me of his vague projects Bonaparte,