Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
complain, as they did, that the real state of his disorder was purposely
concealed from the world by the English Government. It is more than
probable that the constant attempts observed to throw mystery and
secrecy around them must have tended to create the suspicion of escape,
and to increase the consequent rigour of the regulations maintained by
the Governor.
Soon after the arrival of the priests Napoleon determined, we may
suppose partly in jest, to elevate one of them to the dignity of bishop,
and he chose for a diocese the Jumna. "The last box brought from Europe
had been broken open," says Antommarchi; "it contained the vases and
church ornaments. "Stop," said Napoleon, "this is the property of St.
Peter; have a care who touches it; send for the abbes--but talking of
the abbes, do you know that the Cardinal [Fesch] is a poor creature? He
sends me missionaries and propagandists, as if I were a penitent, and
as if a whole string of their Eminences had not always attended at my
chapel. I will do what he ought to have done; I possess the right of
investiture, and I shall use it." Abbe Buonavita was just entering the
room, "I give you the episcopal mitre."--"Sire!"--"I restore it to you;
you shall wear it in spite of the heretics; they will not again take
it from you."-- "But, Sire!"--"I cannot add to it so rich a benefice as
that of Valencia, which Suchet had given you, but at any rate your
see shall be secure from the chances of battles. I appoint you Bishop
of--let me see--of the Jumna. The vast countries through which that
river flows were on the point of entering into alliance with me--all
was in readiness, all were going to march. We were about to give the
finishing blow to England." The speech concluded with an order to Count
Montholon to procure the necessary dress for the abbe in order to strike
with awe all the heretics. The upshot of the whole was, that the scarlet
and violet coloured clothes necessary to furnish the new bishop with
the only valuable portion of his temporalities, his dress, could not be
procured in the island, and the abbe remained an abbe in spite of the
investiture, and the whole farce was forgotten.
We occasionally see the Exile in better moods, when he listened to the
voice of reason, and thought less of the annoyances inseparable from
the state to which his ambition, or as he himself always averred, his
destiny, had reduced him. He had for a long time debarred himself from
all exercise, having, as he expressed it, determined not to expose
himself to the insult of being accompanied on his ride by a British
officer; or the possibility of being challenged by a sentinel. One
day when he complained of his inactive life his medical attendant
recommended the exercise of digging the ground; the idea was instantly
seized upon by Napoleon with his characteristic ardour. Noverraz, his
chasseur, who had been formerly accustomed to rural occupations, was
honoured with the title of head gardener, and under his directions
Napoleon proceeded to work with great vigour. He sent for Antommarchi
to witness his newly acquired dexterity in the use of the spade. "Well,
Doctor," said he to him, "are you satisfied with your patient--is he
obedient enough? This is better than your pills, Dottoraccio; you shall
not physic me any more." At first he soon got fatigued, and complained
much of the weakness of his body and delicacy of his hands; but "never
mind," said he, "I have always accustomed my body to bend to my will,
and I shall bring it to do so now, and inure it to the exercise." He
soon grew fond of his new employment, and pressed all the inhabitants of
Longwood into the service. Even the ladies had great difficulty to avoid
being set to work. He laughed at them, urged them, entreated them, and
used all his arts of persuasion, particularly with Madame Bertrand. He
assured her that the exercise of gardening was much better than all the
doctor's prescriptions--that it was in fact one of his prescriptions.
But in this instance his eloquence failed in its effect, and he was
obliged, though with much reluctance, to desist from his attempts to
make lady gardeners.
But in recompense he had willing labourers on the part of the gentlemen.
Antommarchi says, "The Emperor urged us, excited us, and everything
around us soon assumed a different aspect. Here was an excavation, there
a basin or a road. We made alleys, grottoes, cascades; the appearance
of the ground had now some life and diversity. We planted willows, oaks,
peach-trees, to give a little shade round the house. Having completed
the ornamental part of our labours we turned to the useful. We divided
the ground, we manured it, and sowed it with abundance of beans, peas,
and every vegetable that grows in the island." In the course of their
labours they found that a tank would be of great use to hold water,
which might be brought by pipes from a spring at a distance of 3000
feet.
For this laborious attempt it was absolutely necessary to procure
additional forces, and a party of Chinese, of whom there are many on
the island, was engaged to help them. These people were much amused at
Napoleon's working-dress, which was a jacket and large trousers, with
an enormous straw hat to shield him from the sun, and sandals. He pitied
those poor fellows who suffered from the heat of the sun, and made each
of them a present of a large hat like his own. After much exertion the
basin was finished, the pipes laid, and the water began to flow into it.
Napoleon stocked his pond with gold-fish, which he placed in it with
his own hands. He would remain by the pond for hours together, at a time
when he was so weak that he could hardly support himself. He would amuse
himself by following the motion of the fishes, throwing bread to
them, studying their ways, taking an interest in their loves and
their quarrels, and endeavouring with anxiety to find out points of
resemblance between their motives and those of mankind. He often sent
for his attendants to communicate his remarks to them, and directed
their observations to any peculiarities he had observed. His favourites
at last sickened, they struggled, floated on the water, and died
one after another. He was deeply affected by this, and remarked to
Antommarchi, "You see very well that there is a fatality attached to me.
Everything I love, everything that belongs to me, is immediately struck:
heaven and mankind unite to persecute me." From this time he visited
them daily in spite of sickness or bad weather, nor did his anxiety
diminish until it was discovered that a coppery cement, with which the
bottom of the basin was plastered, had poisoned the water. The fish
which were not yet dead were then taken out and put into a tub.
Napoleon appears to have taken peculiar interest in observing the
instincts of animals, and comparing their practices and propensities
with those of men. A rainy day, during which the digging of the tank
could not be proceeded with, gave occasion for some observations on
the actions of a number of ants, which had made a way into his bedroom,
climbed upon a table on which some sugar usually stood, and taken
possession of the sugar-basin. He would not allow the industrious little
insects to be disturbed in their plans; but he now and then moved the
sugar, followed their manoeuvres, and admired the activity and industry
they displayed until they found it again; this they had been sometimes
even two or three days in effecting, though they always succeeded
at last. He then surrounded the basin with water, but the ants still
reached it; he finally employed vinegar, and the insects were unable to
get through the new obstacle.
But the slight activity of mind that now remained to him was soon to be
exchanged for the languor and gloom of sickness, with but few intervals
between positive suffering and the most distressing lowness of spirits.
Towards the end of the year 1820 he walked with difficulty, and required
assistance even to reach a chair in his garden. He became nearly
incapable of the slightest action; his legs swelled; the pains in his
side and back were increased; he was troubled with nausea, profuse
sweats, loss of appetite, and was subject to frequent faintings. "Here
I am, Doctor," said he one day, "at my last cast. No more energy and
strength left: I bend under the load . . . I am going. I feel that my
hour is come."
Some days after, as he lay on his couch, he feelingly expressed to
Antommarchi the vast change which had taken place within him. He
recalled for a few moments the vivid recollection of past times, and
compared his former energy with the weakness which he was then sinking
under.
The news of the death of his sister Elisa also affected him deeply.
After a struggle with his feelings, which had nearly overpowered him,
he rose, supported himself on Antommarchi's arm; and regarding him
steadfastly, said, "Well, Doctor! you see Elisa has just shown me the
way. Death, which seemed to have forgotten my family, has begun to
strike it; my turn cannot be far off. What think you?"--"Your Majesty
is in no danger: you are still reserved for some glorious enterprise."--
"Ah, Doctor! I have neither strength nor activity nor energy; I am no
longer Napoleon. You strive in vain to give me hopes, to recall life
ready to expire. Your care can do nothing in spite of fate: it is
immovable: there is no appeal from its decisions. The next person of
our family who will follow Elisa to the tomb is that great Napoleon who
hardly exists, who bends under the yoke, and who still, nevertheless
keeps Europe in alarm. Behold, my good friend, how I look on my
situation! As for me, all is over: I repeat it to you, my days will soon
close on this miserable rock."--"We returned," says Antommarchi, "into
his chamber. Napoleon lay down' in bed. 'Close my windows,' he said;
leave me to myself; I will send for you by-and-by. What a delightful
thing rest is! I would not exchange it for all the thrones in the world!
What an alteration! How I am fallen! I, whose activity was boundless,
whose mind never slumbered, am now plunged into a lethargic stupor,
so that it requires an effort even to raise my eyelids. I sometimes
dictated to four or five secretaries, who wrote as fast as words could
be uttered, but then I was NAPOLEON--now I am no longer anything. My
strength--my faculties forsake me. I do not live--I merely exist.'"
From this period the existence of Napoleon was evidently drawing to a
close, his days were counted. Whole hours, and even days, were either
passed in gloomy silence or spent in pain, accompanied by distressing
coughs, and all the melancholy signs of the approach of death. He made
a last effort to ride a few miles round Longwood on the 22d of January
1821, but it exhausted his strength, and from that time his only
exercise was in the calash. Even that slight motion soon became too
fatiguing.
He now kept his room, and no longer stirred out. His disorder and his
weakness increased upon him. He still was able to eat something, but
very little, and with a worse appetite than ever. "Ah! doctor," he
exclaimed, "how I suffer! Why did the cannon-balls spare me only to
die in this deplorable manner? I that was so active, so alert, can now
scarcely raise my eyelids!"
His last airing was on the 17th of March. The disease increased,
and Antommarchi, who was much alarmed, obtained with some difficulty
permission to see an English physician. He held a consultation, on the
26th of March, with Dr. Arnott of the 20th Regiment; but Napoleon still
refused to take medicine, and often repeated his favourite saying:
"Everything that must happen is written down, our hour is marked, and
it is not in our power to take from time a portion which nature refuses