Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
great political fraud, and at length openly proposed it to him. I
make no doubt Bonaparte made use of words to this effect, but I do not
believe the assertion. I recollect one day that Bonaparte, on entering
our cabinet, where I was already seated, exclaimed in a transport of
joy impossible for me to describe, "Well, Bourrienne, my wife is at last
enceinte!" I sincerely congratulated him, more, I own, out of courtesy
than from any hope of seeing him made a father by Josephine, for I well
remembered that Corvisart, who had given medicines to Madame Bonaparte,
had nevertheless assured me that he expected no result from them.
Medicine was really the only political fraud to which Josephine had
recourse; and in her situation what other woman would not have done as
much? Here, then, the husband and the wife are in contradiction, which
is nothing uncommon. But on which side is truth? I have no hesitation in
referring it to Josephine. There is indeed an immense difference between
the statements of a women--trusting her fears and her hopes to the sole
confidant of her family secrets, and the tardy declaration of a man who,
after seeing the vast edifice of his ambition leveled with the dust, is
only anxious, in his compulsory retreat, to preserve intact and spotless
the other great edifice of his glory. Bonaparte should have recollected
that Caesar did not like the idea of his wife being even suspected.
CHAPTER XII.
1802.
Citizen Fesch created Cardinal Fesch--Arts and industry--Exhibition
in the Louvre--Aspect of Paris in 1802--The Medicean Venus and the
Velletrian Pallas--Signs of general prosperity--Rise of the funds--
Irresponsible Ministers--The Bourbons--The military Government--
Annoying familiarity of Lannes--Plan laid for his disgrace--
Indignation of Lannes--His embassy to Portugal--The delayed
despatch--Bonaparte's rage--I resign my situation--Duroc--
I breakfast with Bonaparte--Duroc's intercession--Temporary
reconciliation.
Citizen Fesch, who, when we were forced to stop at Ajaccio on our return
from Egypt, discounted at rather a high rate the General-in-Chief's
Egyptian sequins, became again the Abbe Fesch, as soon as Bonaparte by
his Consular authority re-erected the altars which the Revolution had
overthrown. On the 15th of August 1802 he was consecrated Bishop, and
the following year received the Cardinal's hat. Thus Bonaparte took
advantage of one of the members of his family being in orders to elevate
him to the highest dignities of the Church. He afterwards gave Cardinal
Fesch the Archbishopric of Lyons, of which place he was long the
titular.
--[Like Cambacérès the Cardinal was a bit of a gourmet, and on one
occasion had invited a large party of clerical magnates to dinner.
By a coincidence two turbots of singular beauty arrived as presents
to his Eminence on the very morning of the feast. To serve both
would have appeared ridiculous, but the Cardinal was most anxious to
have the credit of both. He imparted his embarrassment to his chef:
"'Be of good faith, your Eminence,' was the reply, 'both shall appear
and enjoy the reception so justly their due.' The dinner was
served: one of the turbots relieved the soup. Delight was on every
face--it was the moment of the 'eprouvette positive'. The 'maitre
a'hotel' advances; two attendants raise the turbot and carry him off
to cut him up; but one of them loses his equilibrium: the attendants
and the turbot roll together on the floor. At this sad sight the
assembled Cardinals became as pale as death, and a solemn silence
reigned in the 'conclave'--it was the moment of the 'eprouvette
negative'; but the 'maitre a'hotel' suddenly turns to one of the
attendants, Bring another turbot,' said he, with the most perfect
coolness. The second appeared, and the eprouvette positive was
gloriously renewed." (Hayward's Art of Dining, P. 65.)]--
The First Consul prided himself a good deal on his triumph, at least in
appearance, over the scruples which the persons who surrounded him had
manifested against the re-establishment of worship. He read with much
self-satisfaction the reports made to him, in which it was stated that
the churches were well frequented: Indeed, throughout the year 1802,
all his attention was directed to the reformation of manners, which had
become more dissolute under the Directory than even during the Reign of
Terror.
In his march of usurpation the First Consul let slip no opportunity of
endeavouring to obtain at the same time the admiration of the multitude
and the approbation of judicious men. He was very fond of the arts, and
was sensible that the promotion of industry ought to be the peculiar
care of the head of the Government. It must, however, at the same time
be owned that he rendered the influence of his protection null and void
by the continual violations he committed on that liberty which is the
animating principle of all improvement.
During the supplementary days of the year X., that is to say, about
the beginning of the autumn of 1802, there was held at the Louvre an
exhibition of the products of industry. The First Consul visited the
exhibition, and as even at that period he had begun to attribute every
good result to himself, he seemed proud of the high degree of perfection
the manufacturing arts had attained in France. He was, above all,
delighted with the admiration this exhibition excited among the numerous
foreigners who resorted to Paris during the peace.
In fact, throughout the year 1802 the capital presented an interesting
and animating-spectacle. The appetite for luxury and pleasure had
insinuated itself into manners--which were no longer republican, and
the vast number of Russians and English who drove about everywhere with
brilliant equipages contributed not a little to this metamorphosis. All
Paris flocked to the Carrousel on review days, and regarded with eyes
of delight the unusual sight of rich foreign liveries and emblazoned
carriages. The parties at the Tuileries were brilliant and numerous, and
nothing was wanting but the name of levees. Count Markoff, who succeeded
M. de Kalitscheff as Russian ambassador; the Marquis de Lucchesini, the
Prussian ambassador; and Lord Whitworth, the Minister from England, made
numerous presentations of their countrymen to the First Consul, who was
well pleased that the Court he was forming should have examples set by
foreign courtiers. Never since the meeting of the States-General had the
theatres been so frequented, or fetes so magnificent; and never since
that period had Paris presented so cheering an aspect. The First Consul,
on his part, spared no exertion to render the capital more and more
worthy the admiration of foreigners. The statue of the Venus de Medicis,
which had been robbed from the gallery of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, now
decorated the gallery of the Louvre, and near it was placed that of
the Velletrian Pallas, a more legitimate acquisition, since it was
the result of the researches of some French engineers at Velletri.
Everywhere an air of prosperity was perceptible, and Bonaparte proudly
put in his claim to be regarded as the author of it all. With what
heartfelt satisfaction did he likewise cast his eye upon what he called
the grand thermometer of opinion, the price of the funds! For if he
saw them doubled in value in consequence of the revolution of the
18th Brumaire, rising as they did at that period from seven to sixteen
francs, this value was even more than tripled after the vote
of Consulship for life and the 'Senates-consulte' of the 4th of
August,--when they rose to fifty-two francs.
While Paris presented so satisfactory an aspect the departments were
in a state of perfect tranquillity; and foreign affairs had every
appearance of security. The Court of the Vatican, which since the
Concordat may be said to have become devoted to the First Consul, gave,
under all circumstances, examples of submission to the wishes of France.
The Vatican was the first Court which recognised the erection of
Tuscany into the Kingdom of Etruria, and the formation of the Helvetic,
Cisalpine, and Batavian Republics. Prussia soon followed the example of
the Pope, which was successively imitated by the other powers of Europe.
The whole of these new states, realms, or republics were under the
immediate influence of France. The Isle of Elba, which Napoleon's first
abdication afterwards rendered so famous, and Piedmont, divided into
six departments, were also united to France, still called it Republic.
Everything now seemed to concur in securing his accession to absolute
power. We were now at peace with all the world, and every circumstance
tended to place in the hands of the First Consul that absolute power
which indeed was the only kind of government he was capable of forming
any conception of. Indeed, one of the characteristic signs of Napoleon's
government, even under the Consular system, left no doubt as to his real
intentions. Had he wished to found a free Government it is evident that
he world have made the Ministers responsible to the country, whereas
he took care that there should be no responsibility but to himself. He
viewed them, in fact, in the light of instruments which he might break
as he pleased. I found this single index sufficient to disclose all his
future designs. In order to make the irresponsibility of his Ministers
to the public perfectly clear, he had all the acts of his Government
signed merely by M. Maret, Secretary of State. Thus the Consulship for
life was nothing but an Empire in disguise, the usufruct of which could
not long satisfy the First Consul's ambition. His brothers influenced
him, and it was resolved to found a new dynasty.
It was not in the interior of France that difficulties were likely first
to arise on Bonaparte's carrying his designs into effect, but there
was some reason to apprehend that foreign powers, after recognising
and treating with the Consular Government, might display a different
feeling, and entertain scruples with regard to a Government which had
resumed its monarchical form. The question regarding the Bourbons was
in some measure kept in the background as long as France remained a
Republic, but the re-establishment of the throne naturally called
to recollection the family which had occupied it for so many ages.
Bonaparte fully felt the delicacy of his position, but he knew how to
face obstacles, and had been accustomed to overcome them: he, however,
always proceeded cautiously, as when obstacles induced him to defer the
period of the Consulship for life.
Bonaparte laboured to establish in France not only an absolute
government, but, what is still worse, a military one. He considered
a decree signed by his hand possessed of a magic virtue capable of
transforming his generals into able diplomatists, and so he sent them
on embassies, as if to show the Sovereigns to whom they were accredited
that he soon meant to take their thrones by assault. The appointment of
Lannes to the Court of Lisbon originated from causes which probably
will be read with some interest, since they serve to place Bonaparte's
character in, its true light, and to point out, at the same time, the
means he disdained not to resort to, if he wished to banish his most
faithful friends when their presence was no longer agreeable to him.
Bonaparte had ceased to address Lannes in the second person singular;
but that general continued the familiarity of thee and thou in speaking
to Napoleon. It is hardly possible to conceive how much this annoyed
the First Consul. Aware of the unceremonious candour of his old comrade,
whose daring spirit he knew would prompt him to go as great lengths