The cortège followed the streets which led from the Rue de la Victoire to the Tuileries, amid the cries of “Vive Bonaparte!”
General Lefebvre, according to promise, was waiting at the palace gates. Bonaparte, on his arrival at the Tuileries, was hailed with the same cheers that had accompanied him. Once there, he raised his head and shook it. Perhaps this cry of “Vive Bonaparte!” did not satisfy him. Was he already dreaming of “Vive Napoleon?”
He advanced in front of the troop, surrounded by his staff, and read the decree of the Five Hundred, which transferred the sessions of the Legislature to Saint-Cloud and gave him the command of the armed forces.
Then, either from memory, or offhand—Bonaparte never admitted any one to such secrets—instead of the proclamation he had dictated3 to Bourrienne two days earlier, he pronounced these words:
“Soldiers—The Council of Ancients has given me the command of the city and the army.
“I have accepted it, to second the measures to be adopted for the good of the people.
“The Republic has been ill governed for two years. You have hoped for my return to put an end to many evils. You celebrated4 it with a unanimity5 which imposes obligations that I now fulfil. Fulfil yours, and second your general with the vigor6, firmness and strength I have always found in you.
“Liberty, victory, and peace will restore the French Republic to the rank it occupied in Europe, which ineptitude7 and treason alone caused her to lose!”
The soldiers applauded frantically8. It was a declaration of war against the Directory, and soldiers will always applaud a declaration of war.
The general dismounted, amid shouts and bravos, and entered the Tuileries. It was the second time he had crossed the threshold of this palace of the Valois, whose arches had so ill-sheltered the crown and head of the last Bourbon who had reigned9 there. Beside him walked citizen Roederer. Bonaparte started as he recognized him, and said:
“Ah! citizen Roederer, you were here on the morning of August 10.”
“Yes, general,” replied the future Count of the Empire.
“It was you who advised Louis XVI. to go before the National Assembly.”
“Yes.”
“Bad advice, citizen Roederer! I should not have followed it.”
“We advise men according to what we know of them. I would not give General Bonaparte the same advice I gave King Louis XVI. When a king has the fact of his flight to Varennes and the 20th of June behind him, it is difficult to save him.”
As Roederer said these words, they reached a window opening on the garden of the Tuileries. Bonaparte stopped, and, seizing Roederer by the arm, he said: “On the 20th of June I was there,” pointing with his finger to the terrace by the water, “behind the third linden. Through the open window I could see the poor king, with the red cap on his head. It was a piteous sight; I pitied him.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing, I could do nothing; I was only a lieutenant10 of artillery11. But I longed to go in like the others, and whisper: ‘Sire, give me four cannon12, and I’ll sweep the whole rabble13 out.’”
What would have happened if Lieutenant Bonaparte had followed his impulse, obtained what he wanted from Louis XVI., and swept the rabble out, that is to say the people of Paris? Had his cannon made a clean sweep on June 20th, would he have had to make another the 13th Vendemiaire for the benefit of the Convention?
While the ex-Syndic; who had grown grave, was outlining in his mind the opening pages of his future “History of the Consulate,” Bonaparte presented himself at the bar of the Council of the Ancients, followed by his staff, and by all those who chose to do likewise. When the tumult15 caused by this influx16 of people had subsided17, the president read over the decree which invested Bonaparte with the military power. Then, after requesting him to take the oath, the president added:
“He who has never promised his country a victory which he did not win, cannot fail to keep religiously his new promise to serve her faithfully.”
“I swear it!”
All the generals repeated after him, each for himself:
“I swear it!”
The last one had scarcely finished, when Bonaparte recognized Barras’ secretary, that same Bollot of whom Barras had spoken that morning to his two colleagues. He had come there solely20 to give his patron an account of all that was happening there, but Bonaparte fancied he was sent on some secret mission by Barras. He resolved to spare him the first advance, and went straight to him, saying:
“Have you come on behalf of the Directors?” Then, without giving him time to answer, he continued: “What have they done with that France I left so brilliant? I left peace; I find war. I left victories; I find reverses. I left the millions of Italy, and I find spoliation and penury21. What have become of the hundred thousand Frenchmen whom I knew by name? They are dead!”
It was not precisely22 to Barras’ secretary that these words should have been said; but Bonaparte wished to say them, needed to say them, and little he cared to whom he said them. Perhaps even, from his point of view, it was better to say them to some one who could not answer him. At that moment Sièyes rose.
“Citizens,” said he, “the Directors Moulins and Gohier ask to be admitted.”
“They are no longer Directors,” said Bonaparte, “for there is no longer a Directory.”
“But,” objected Sièyes, “they have not yet sent in their resignation.”
“Then admit them and let them give it,” retorted Bonaparte.
Moulins and Gohier entered. They were pale but calm. They knew they came to force a struggle, but behind their resistance may have loomed23 the Sinnamary. The exiles they sent there the 18th of Fructidor pointed24 the way.
“I see with satisfaction,” Bonaparte hastened to say, “that you have yielded to our wishes and those of your two colleagues.”
Gohier made a step forward and said firmly: “We yield neither to your wishes, nor to those of our two colleagues, who are no longer our colleagues, since they have resigned, but to the Law. It requires that the decree transferring the legislative25 body to Saint-Cloud shall be proclaimed without delay. We have come here to fulfil the duty which the law imposes on us, fully18 determined26 to defend it against all factious27 persons, whoever they may be, who attempt to attack it.”
“Your zeal28 does not astonish us,” replied Bonaparte; “and because you are a man who loves his country you will unite with us.”
“Unite with you! And why?”
“To save the Republic.”
“To save the Republic! There was a time, general, when you had the honor to be its prop29. But to-day the glory of saving it is reserved for us.”
“You save it!” retorted Bonaparte. “How will you do that? With the means your Constitution gives you? Why, that Constitution is crumbling30 on all sides, and even if I did not topple it over, it could not last eight days.”
“My intentions are not hostile!” shouted Bonaparte, striking the floor with the heel of his boot. “The Republic is in peril32; it must be saved, and I shall do it.”
“You do it?” cried Gohier. “It seems to me it is for the Directory, not you, to say, ‘I shall do it!’”
“There is no longer a Directory.”
“I did indeed hear that you said so just a moment before we came in.”
“There is no longer a Directory, now that Sièyes and Ducos have resigned.”
“You are mistaken. So long as there are three Directors, the Directory still exists. Neither Moulins, Barras nor myself, have handed in our resignations.”
At that moment a paper was slipped in Bonaparte’s hand, and a voice said in his ear: “Read it.” He did so; then said aloud: “You, yourself, are mistaken. Barras has resigned, for here is his resignation. The law requires three Directors to make a Directory. You are but two, and, as you said just now, whoever resists the law is a rebel.” Then handing the paper to the president, he continued: “Add the citizen Barras’ resignation to that of citizens Sièyes and Ducos, and proclaim the fall of the Directory. I will announce it to my soldiers.”
Moulins and Gohier were confounded. Barras’ resignation sapped the foundations of all their plans. Bonaparte had nothing further to do at the Council of Ancients, but there still remained much to be done in the court of the Tuileries. He went down, followed by those who had accompanied him up. His soldiers no sooner caught sight, of him than they burst into shouts of “Vive Bonaparte!” more noisily and more eagerly than ever. He sprang into his saddle and made them a sign that he wished to speak to them. Ten thousand voices that had burst into cries were hushed in a moment. Silence fell as if by enchantment33.
“Soldiers,” said Bonaparte, in a voice so loud that all could hear it, “your comrades in arms on the frontiers are denuded34 of the necessaries of life. The people are miserable35. The authors of these evils are the factious men against whom I have assembled you to-day. I hope before long to lead you to victory; but first we must deprive those who would stand in the way of public order and general prosperity of their power to do harm.”
Whether it was weariness of the government of the Directory, or the fascination36 exercised by the magic being who called them to victory—so long forgotten in his absence—shouts of enthusiasm arose, and like a train of burning powder spread from the Tuileries to the Carrousel, from the Carrousel to the adjacent streets. Bonaparte profited by this movement. Turning to Moreau, he said:
“General, I will give you proof of the immense confidence I have in you. Bernadotte, whom I left at my house, and who refused to follow us, had the audacity38 to tell me that if he received orders from the Directory he should execute them against whosoever the agitators39 might be. General, I confide37 to you the guardianship40 of the Luxembourg. The tranquillity41 of Paris and the welfare of the Republic are in your hands.”
And without waiting for a reply he put his horse to a gallop42, and rode off to the opposite end of the line.
Moreau, led by military ambition, had consented to play a part in this great drama; he was now forced to accept that which the author assigned him. On returning to the Louvre, Gohier and Moulins found nothing changed apparently43. All the sentries44 were at their posts. They retired45 to one of the salons46 of the presidency47 to consult together. But they had scarcely begun their conference, when General Jubé, the commandant of the Luxembourg, received orders to join Bonaparte at the Tuileries with the guard of the Directory. Their places were filled by Moreau and a portion of the soldiers who had been electrified48 by Bonaparte. Nevertheless the two Directors drew up a message for the Council of the Five Hundred, in which they protested energetically against what had been done. When this was finished Gohier handed it to his secretary, and Moulins, half dead with exhaustion49, returned to his apartments to take some food.
It was then about four o’clock in the afternoon. An instant later Gohier’s secretary returned in great perturbation.
“Well,” said Gohier, “why have you not gone?”
“Citizen president,” replied the young man, “we are prisoners in the palace.”
“Prisoners? What do you mean?”
“The guard has been changed, and General Jubé is no longer in command.”
“Who has replaced him?”
“I think some one said General Moreau.”
“Moreau? Impossible! And that coward, Barras, where is he?”
“He has started for his country-place at Grosbois.”
“Ah! I must see Moulins!” cried Gohier, rushing to the door. But at the entrance he found a sentry50 who barred the door. Gohier insisted.
“No one can pass,” said the sentry.
“What! not pass?”
“No.”
“But I am President Gohier!”
“No one can pass,” said the sentry; “that is the order.”
Gohier saw it would be useless to say more; force would be impossible. He returned to his own rooms.
In the meantime, General Moreau had gone to see Moulins; he wished to justify51 himself. Without listening to a word the ex-Director turned his back on him, and, as Moreau insisted, he said: “General, go into the ante-chamber. That is the place for jailers.”
Moreau bowed his head, and understood for the first time into what a fatal trap his honor had fallen.
At five o’clock, Bonaparte started to return to the Rue de la Victoire; all the generals and superior officers in Paris accompanied him. The blindest, those who had not understood the 13th Vendemiaire, those who had not yet understood the return from Egypt, now saw, blazing over the Tuileries, the star of his future, and as everybody could not be a planet, each sought to become a satellite.
The shouts of “Vive Bonaparte!” which came from the lower part of the Rue du Mont Blanc, and swept like a sonorous52 wave toward the Rue de la Victoire, told Josephine of her husband’s return. The impressionable Creole had awaited him anxiously. She sprang to meet him in such agitation53 that she was unable to utter a single word.
“Come, come!” said Bonaparte, becoming the kindly54 man he was in his own home, “calm yourself. We have done to-day all that could be done.”
“Is it all over?”
“Oh, no!” replied Bonaparte.
“Must it be done all over again to-morrow?”
“Yes, but to-morrow it will be merely a formality.”
That formality was rather rough; but every one knows of the events at Saint-Cloud. We will, therefore, dispense55 with relating them, and turn at once to the result, impatient as we are to get back to the real subject of our drama, from which the grand historical figure we have introduced diverted us for an instant.
One word more. The 20th Brumaire, at one o’clock in the morning, Bonaparte was appointed First Consul14 for ten years. He himself selected Cambacérès and Lebrun as his associates under the title of Second Consuls56, being firmly resolved this time to concentrate in his own person, not only all the functions of the two consuls, but those of the ministers.
The 20th Brumaire he slept at the Luxembourg in president Gohier’s bed, the latter having been liberated57 with his colleague Moulins.
Roland was made governor of the Luxembourg.
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1
rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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2
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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unanimity
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| n.全体一致，一致同意 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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7
ineptitude
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| n.不适当；愚笨，愚昧的言行 | |
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8
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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9
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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10
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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12
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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13
rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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14
consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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15
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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16
influx
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| n.流入，注入 | |
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17
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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18
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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21
penury
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| n.贫穷，拮据 | |
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22
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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23
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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24
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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legislative
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| n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的 | |
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26
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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factious
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| adj.好搞宗派活动的，派系的，好争论的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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29
prop
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| vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山 | |
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crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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31
avow
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| v.承认，公开宣称 | |
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32
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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33
enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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34
denuded
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| adj.[医]变光的，裸露的v.使赤裸( denude的过去式和过去分词 )；剥光覆盖物 | |
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35
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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36
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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37
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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38
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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39
agitators
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| n.（尤指政治变革的）鼓动者( agitator的名词复数 )；煽动者；搅拌器；搅拌机 | |
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40
guardianship
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| n. 监护, 保护, 守护 | |
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41
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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42
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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43
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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44
sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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45
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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46
salons
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| n.（营业性质的）店( salon的名词复数 )；厅；沙龙（旧时在上流社会女主人家的例行聚会或聚会场所）；（大宅中的）客厅 | |
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47
presidency
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| n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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48
electrified
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| v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 )；使兴奋 | |
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49
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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50
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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51
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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52
sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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53
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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54
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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55
dispense
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| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
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56
consuls
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| 领事( consul的名词复数 )； （古罗马共和国时期）执政官 （古罗马共和国及其军队的最高首长，同时共有两位，每年选举一次） | |
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57
liberated
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| a.无拘束的，放纵的 | |
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