louisa of prussia and her times-第12部分

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general's　baton　as　well　as　the　pen。　They　want　to　dictate　to　us　a　new
war　from　Paris；　without　knowing　whether　we　are　able　to　bear　it　or
not。　They　ask　us　to　conclude　peace　with　Austria　without　ceding
Venice　to　her　as　compensation　for　Belgium。　Yes；　Talleyrand　is
senseless　enough　to　ask　me　to　revolutionize　the　whole　of　Italy　once
more；　so　that　the　Italians　may　expel　their　princes；　and　that　liberty
may　prevail　throughout　the　entire　peninsula。　In　order　to　give　them
liberty；　they　want　me　to　carry　first　war　and　revolution　into　their
midst。　These　big…mouthed　and　ignorant　Parisians　do　not　know　that
Italy　will　not　belong　to　us　in　reality　until　after　the　restoration
of　peace；　and　that　the　Directory；　even　at　the　first　dawn　of　peace；
will　rule　her　from　the　mountains　of　Switzerland　to　the　capes　of
Calabria。　Then；　and　only　then；　the　Directory　will　be　able　to　alter
the　various　governments　of　Italy；　and　for　this　very　reason　we　have
to　attach　Austria　to　our　cause　by　a　treaty　of　peace。　As　soon　as　she
has　signed　it；　she　will　no　longer　molest　us：　first；　because　she　is
our　ally；　and　principally　because　she　will　apprehend　that　we　might
take　back　from　her　what　we　generously　gave；　in　order　to　win　her　over
to　our　side。　The　war　party　at　Vienna；　however；　will　not　submit
without　hoping　for　some　counter…revolutiona　dream　which　the
emigres　and　the　diplomacy　of　Pillnitz　still　cherishes　with　the
utmost　tenacity。　＇Footnote：　Bonaparte's　own　words。　See　〃Memoires
d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　iv。；　p。　578。＇　And　these　unreasonable
gentlemen　of　the　Directory　want　war　and　revolution；　and　they　dare　to
accuse　me　of　selfish　motives。　Ah；　I　am　yearning　for　repose；　for
retirementI　feel　exhausted　and　disgusted；　and　shall　for　the　third
time　send　in　my　resignation；　which　the　Directory　twice　refused　to
accept。〃

He　had　said　all　this　in　a　subdued　and　rapid　voice；　apparently　only
talking　to　himselfthe　only　man　worthy　of　learning　the　most　secret
thoughts　of　his　souland　still　with　proud　disdain　toward　him　who
could　overhear　every　word　he　said。　He　felt　as　though　he　were　alone；
and　he　only　spoke　and　consulted　with　himself；　notwithstanding　the
secretary's　presence。

Another　long　pause　ensued。　Bonaparte　pacing　the　room　once　more　with
rapid　steps。　Violent　and　impassioned　feelings　seemed　to　agitate　his
breast；　for　his　eyes　became　more　lustrous；　his　cheeks　were　suffused
with　an　almost　imperceptible　blush；　and　he　breathed　heavily；　as　if
oppressed　by　the　closeness　of　the　room；　and　in　want　of　fresh　air；
for　he　stepped　up　to　the　window　and　opened　it　violently。

An　expression　of　amazement　escaped　from　his　lips；　for　the　landscape；
which　yesterday　was　clad　in　the　gorgeous　hues　of　autumn；　now　offered
an　entirely　different　aspect。　Hoar…frost；　dense　and　glittering；
covered　the　trees　and　the　verdure　of　the　meadows；　and　the　Noric
Alps；　which　crowned　the　horizon　with　a　majestic　wreath；　had　adorned
themselves　during　the　night　with　sparkling　robes　of　snow　and
brilliant　diadems　of　ice。

Bonaparte　looked　at　the　unexpected　spectacle　long　and　thoughtfully。
〃What　a　country！〃　He　then　whispered；　〃Snow　and　ice　in　the　first　part
of　October！　Very　well！　we　must　make　peace！〃　＇Footnote：　Bonaparte's
own　words。　Bourrienne；　vol。　1。；　p。　313。＇

He　closed　the　window　and　returned　to　the　desk。

〃Give　me　the　army　register；〃　he　said　to　Bourrienne；　and　took　a　seat
at　his　side。

Bourrienne　laid　the　books　and　papers　in　succession　before　him；　and
Bonaparte　read　and　examined　them　with　close　attention。

〃Yes；〃　he　then　said；　after　a　long　pause；　〃it　is　true；　I　have　an　army
of　nearly　eighty　thousand　men；　I　have　to　feed　and　pay　them；　but；　on
the　battle…field；　I　could　not　count　on　more　than　sixty　thousand　men。
I　should　win　the　battle；　but　lose　again　twenty　thousand　men　in
killed；　wounded；　and　prisoners。　How；　then；　should　I　be　able　to
resist　the　united　Austrian　forces；　which　would　hasten　to　the
assistance　of　Vienna？　It　would　take　the　armies　on　the　Rhine　more
than　a　month　to　come　up　in　supporting　distance；　and　in　the　course　of
two　weeks　the　snow　will　have　blocked　up　all　roads　and　mountain…
passes。　I　am　determined；　therefore；　to　make　peace。　Venice　must　pay
for　the　war；　and　the　frontier　of　the　Rhine。　The　Directory　and　the
learned　lawyers　may　say　what　they　please。＇Footnote：　Bonaparte's　own
words。〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　iv。；　p。　558。＇　Write；
Bourrienne；　I　will　now　dictate　my　reply。〃

Bourrienne　took　his　pen；　Bonaparte　arose　from　his　seat；　and　folding
his　arms　on　his　breast；　he　resumed　his　promenade　across　the　room；
dictating　slowly　and　clearly；　so　that　every　word　dropped　from　his
lips　like　a　pearl；　until　gradually　the　course　of　his　speech　grew
more　rapid　and　rolled　along　in　an　unbroken；　fiery；　and　brilliant
torrent。

〃We　shall　sign　the　treaty　of　peace　to…day；〃　he　dictated；　in　his
imperious　tone；　〃or　break　off　the　negotiations　altogether。　Peace
will　be　advantageous　to　uswar　with　Austria　will　injure　us；　but　war
with　England　opens　an　extensive；　highly　important　and　brilliant
field　of　action　to　our　arms。〃

And　now　he　explained　to　the　Directory　the　advantages　of　a　treaty　of
peace　with　Austria；　and　of　a　war　with　England；　with　logical
acuteness　and　precision。　His　words　were　no　less　pointed　and　sharp
than　the　edge　of　his　sword；　and　as　brief；　stern；　and　cold　as　the
utterances　of　a　Cato。

He　then　paused　for　a　moment；　not　in　order　to　collect　his　thoughts；
but　only　to　give　his　secretary　a　few　seconds'　rest；　and　to　get　a
breathing…spell　for　himself。

〃Let　us　go　on　now；〃　he　said；　after　a　short　interval；　and　dictated　in
an　enthusiastic　voice；　and　with　flaming　eyes：　〃If　I　have　been
mistaken　in　my　calculations；　my　heart　is　pure；　and　my　intentions　are
well　meaning。　I　have　not　listened　to　the　promptings　of　glory；　of
vanity　and　ambition；　I　have　only　regarded　the　welfare　of　the　country
and　government。　If　they　should　not　approve　of　my　actions　and　views；
nothing　is　left　to　me　but　to　step　back　into　the　crowd；　put　on　the
wooden　shoes　of　Cincinnatus；　and　give　an　example　of　respect　for　the
government；　and　of　aversion　to　military　rule；　which　has　destroyed　so
many　republics；　and　annihilated　so　many　states。〃　＇Footnote：
Bonaparte's　own　words。〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　iv。；　p。
558。＇

〃Are　you　through？〃　asked　Bonaparte；　drawing　a　long　breath。

〃Yes；　general；　I　am。〃

〃Then　take　another　sheet；　my　friend。　We　are　going　to　write　now　to
the　sly　fox　who　generally　perceives　every　hole　where　he　may　slip　in；
and　who　has　such　an　excellent　nose　that　he　scents　every　danger　and
every　advantage　from　afar。　But　this　time　he　has　lost　the　trail　and
is　entirely　mistaken。　I　will；　therefore；　show　him　the　way。　'To
Citizen　Talleyrand；　Minister　of　Foreign　Affairs。'　Did　you　write　the
address？〃

〃Yes；　general。〃

〃Well；　go　on。〃

And　without　stopping　a　single　time；　and　even　without　hesitating；
Bonaparte　dictated　the　following　letter：

〃In　three　or　four　hours；　citizen　minister；　every　thing　will　be
decidedpeace　or　war。　I　confess　that　I　shall　do　every　thing　to　make
peace；　in　consequence　of　the　advanced　season　and　the　slim　prospect
of　achieving　important　successes。〃

〃You　know　very　little　about　the　nations　of　the　peninsula；　they　do
not　deserve　that　forty　thousand　French　soldiers　should　be　killed　for
their　sake。　I　see　from　your　letter　that　you　always　argue　from
unfounded　premises。　You　fancy　that　liberty　would　make　a　great
impression　upon　a　lazy；　superstitious；　cowardly；　and　degraded
people。〃

〃You　ask　me　to　do　miracles；　and　I　cannot　perform　them。　Ever　since　I
came　to　Italy；　the　nation's　desire　for　liberty　and　equality　was　not
my　ally；　or　at　best　it　was　but　a　very　feeble　one。　Whatever　is　merely
good　to　be　mentioned　in　proclamations　and　printed　speeches　is　worth
no　more　than　a　novel。〃

〃Hoping　that　the　negotiations　will　have　a　favorable　issue；　I　do　not
enter　upon　further　details　to　enlighten　you　about　many　matters　which
apparently　have　been　misunderstood。　Only　by　prudence；　sagacity；　and
determination　we　are　able　to　realize　great　objects　and　surmount　all
obstacles；　otherwise　all　our　efforts　will　prove　unavailing。
Frequently　there　is　but　a　single　step　from　victory　to　ruin。　In
highly　critical　times；　I　have　always　noticed　that　a　mere　nothing
decided　the　most　important　events。〃

〃It　is　characteristic　of　our　nation　to　be　too　rash　and　fiery　in
prosperity。　If　we　adopt　a　sagacious　policy；　which　is　nothing　but　the
result　of　the　calculation　of　combination　and　chances　as　a　base　for
our　operations；　we　shall　long　remain　the　greatest　nation　and　most
powerful　state　in　Europenay；　more；　we　shall　hold　the　balance　of
power；　we　shall　make　it　incline　wherever　we　desire；　and　if　it　were
the　will　of　Providence；　it　would　be　no　impossibility　to　achieve　in
the　course　of　a　few　years　those　great　results　which　a　glowing　and
excited　imagination　perhaps　foresees；　but　which　only　a　man　of
extraordinary　coolness；　perseverance；　and　prudence　is　able　to
accomplish　if〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　iv。；
p。　581。＇

Bonaparte　paused　suddenly　as　if　he　had　been　about　to　betray　a
profound　secret；　and　stopped　exactly　when　it　was　not　yet　too　late　to
keep　it　buried　within　his　own　breast。

〃It　is　enough；〃　he　then　said；　〃erase　the　last　word　and　close　the
letter。　What　makes　you　look　at　me　so　strangely；　Bourrienne？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　general；　I　had　a　vision。　It　seemed　to　me　as　if
an　oriflamme　were　burning　on　your　head；　and　I　believe　if　all　nations
and　all　men　could　behold　you　as　I　saw　you　just　now；　they　would
believe　once　more　in　the　fables　of　pagan　mythology；　and　feel
satisfied　that　Jove　the　Thunderer　had　deigned　to　descend　once　more
into　our　human　world。〃

Bonaparte　smiled；　and　this　smile　lighted　up　his　face；　previously　so
stern　and　rigid。

〃You　are　a　flatterer　and　a　courtier；〃　he　said；　playfully　pinching
Bourrienne's　ear　so　violently　that　the　latter　was　scarcely　able　to
conceal　a　shriek　of　pain　under　a　smile。　〃Yes；　indeed；　you　are　a
regular　courtier；　and　the　republic　has　done　well　to　banish　you；　for
flattery　is　something　very　aristocratic；　and　injurious　to　our　stiff
republican　dignity。　And　what　an　idea；　to　compare　me　to　Jove
appearing　on　earth！　Don't　you　know；　then；　you　learned　scholar　and
flatterer；　that　Jove；　whenever　he　descended　from　Olympus；　wa