第 2 节
作者:上网找工作      更新:2021-03-16 00:37      字数:9322
  require them。  The people threw themselves at my feet when I took the
  reins of government You ought to recollect this; who made a trial of
  opposition。  Where was your supportyour strength?  Nowhere。  I assumed
  less authority than I was invited to assume。  Now all is changed。  A
  feeble government; opposed to the national interests; has given to these
  interests the habit of standing on the defensive and evading authority。
  The taste for constitutions; for debates; for harangues; appears to have
  revived。  Nevertheless it is but the minority that wishes all this; be
  assured。  The people; or if you like the phrase better; the multitude;
  wish only for me。  You would say so if you had only seen this multitude
  pressing eagerly on my steps; rushing down from the tops of the
  mountains; calling on me; seeking me out; saluting me。  On my way from
  Cannes hither I have not conqueredI have administered。  I am not only
  (as has been pretended) the Emperor of the soldiers; I am that of the
  peasants of the plebeians of France。  Accordingly; in spite of all that
  has happened; you see the people come back to me。  There is sympathy
  between us。  It is not as with the privileged classes。  The noblesse have
  been in my service; they thronged in crowds into my antechambers。  There
  is no place that they have not accepted or solicited。  I have had the
  Montmorencys; the Noailles; the Rohans; the Beauveaus; the Montemarts;
  in my train。  But there never was any cordiality between us。  The steed
  made his curvetshe was well broken in; but I felt him quiver under me。
  With the people it is another thing。  The popular fibre responds to mine。
  I have risen from the ranks of the people: my voice seta mechanically
  upon them。  Look at those conscripts; the sons of peasants: I never
  flattered them; I treated them roughly。  They did not crowd round me the
  less; they did not on that account cease to cry; ‘Vive l'Empereur!'
  It is that between them and me there is one and the same nature。  They
  look to me as their support; their safeguard against the nobles。  I have
  but to make a sign; or even to look another way; and the nobles would be
  massacred in every province。  So well have they managed matters in the
  last ten months!  but I do not desire to be the King of a mob。  If there
  are the means to govern by a constitution well and good。  I wished for
  the empire of the world; and to ensure it complete liberty of action was
  necessary to me。  To govern France merely it is possible that a
  constitution may be better。  I wished for the empire of the world; as who
  would not have done in my place?  The world invited me to rule over it。
  Sovereigns and subjects alike emulously bowed the neck under my sceptre。
  I have seldom met with opposition in France; but still I have encountered
  more of it from some obscure and unarmed Frenchmen than from all these
  Kings so resolute; just now; no longer to have a man of the people for
  their equal!  See then what appears to you possible; let me know your
  ideas。  Public discussion; free elections; responsible ministers; the
  liberty of the press; I have no objection to all that; the liberty of the
  press especially; to stifle it is absurd。  I am convinced on this point。
  I am the man of the people: if the people really wish for liberty let
  them have it。  I have acknowledged their sovereignty。  It is just that I
  should lend an ear to their will; nay; even to their caprices I have
  never been disposed to oppress them for my pleasure。  I conceived great
  designs; but fate 'has been against me; I am no longer a conqueror; nor
  can I be one。  I know what is possible and what is not。 I have no
  further object than to raise up France and bestow on her a government
  suitable to her。  I have no hatred to liberty; I have set it aside when
  it obstructed my path; but I understand what it means; I was brought up
  in its school: besides; the work of fifteen years is overturned; and it
  is not possible to recommence it。  It would take twenty years; and the
  lives of 2;000;000 of men to be sacrificed to it。  As for the rest; I
  desire peace; but I can only obtain it by means of victory。  I would not
  inspire you with false expectations。  I permit it to be said that
  negotiations are going on; there are none。  I foresee a hard struggle;
  a long war。  To support it I must be seconded by the nation; but in
  return I believe they will expect liberty。  They shall have it: the
  circumstances are new。  All I desire is to be informed of the truth。
  I am getting old。  A man is no longer at forty…five what he was at
  thirty。  The repose enjoyed by a constitutional king may suit me: it will
  still more certainly be the best thing; for my son。〃
  From this remarkable address。  Benjamin Constant concluded that no change
  had taken place in Bonaparte's views or feelings in matters of
  government; but; being convinced that circumstances had changed; he had
  made up his mind to conform to them。  He says; and we cannot doubt it;
  that he listened to Napoleon with the deepest interest; that there was a
  breadth and grandeur of manner as be spoke; and a calm serenity seated on
  a brow covered with immortal laurels。〃
  Whilst believing the utter incompatibility of Napoleon and constitutional
  government we cannot in fairness omit mentioning that the causes which
  repelled him from the altar and sanctuary of freedom were strong: the
  real lovers of a rational and feasible libertythe constitutional
  monarchy men were fewthe mad ultra…Liberals; the Jacobins; the refuse
  of one revolution and the provokers of another; were numerous; active;
  loud; and in pursuing different ends these two parties; the respectable
  and the disreputable; the good and the bad; got mixed and confused with
  one another。
  On the 14th of May; when the 'federes' were marshalled in processional
  order and treated with what was called a solemn festival; as they moved
  along the boulevards to the Court of the Tuileries; they coupled the name
  of Napoleon ;with Jacobin curses and revolutionary songs。  The airs and
  the words that had made Paris tremble to her very centre during the Reign
  of Terrorthe 〃Marseillaise;〃 the 〃Carmagnole;〃 the 〃Jour du depart;〃
  the execrable ditty; the burden of which is; 〃And with the entrails of
  the last of the priests let us strangle the last of the kings;〃 were all
  roared out in fearful chorus by a drunken; filthy; and furious mob。  Many
  a day had elapsed since they had dared to sing these blasphemous and
  antisocial songs in public。  Napoleon himself as soon as he had power
  enough suppressed them; and he was as proud of this feat and his triumph
  over the dregs of the Jacobins as he was of any of his victories; and in
  this he was right; in this he proved himself the friend of humanity。  As
  the tumultuous mass approached the triumphal arch and the grand entrance
  to the Palace he could not conceal his abhorrence。  His Guards were drawn
  up under arms; and numerous pieces of artillery; already loaded were
  turned out on the Place du Carrousel。  He hastily dismissed these
  dangerous partisans with some praise; some money; and some drink。  On
  coming into close contact with such a mob he did not feel his fibre
  respond to that of the populace!  Like Frankenstein; he loathed and was
  afraid of the mighty monster he had put together。
  But it was not merely the mob that checked the liberalism or constitution
  of Napoleon; a delicate and doubtful plant in itself; that required the
  most cautious treatment to make it really take root and grow up in such a
  soil: Some of his councillors; who called themselves 〃philosophical
  statesmen;〃 advised him to lay aside the style of Emperor; and assume
  that of High President or Lord General of the Republic!  Annoyed with
  such puerilities while the enemy was every day drawing nearer the
  frontiers he withdrew from the Tuileries to the comparatively small and
  retired palace of the Elysee; where he escaped these talking…dreamers;
  and felt himself again a sovereign: Shut up with Benjamin Constant and a
  few other reasonable politicians; he drew up the sketch of a new
  constitution; which was neither much better nor much worse than the royal
  charter of Louis XVIII。  We give an epitome of its main features。
  The Emperor was to have executive power; and to exercise legislative
  power in concurrence with the two Chambers。  The Chamber of Peers was to
  be hereditary; and nominated by the Emperor; and its number was
  unlimited。  The Second Chamber was to be elected by the people; and to
  consist of 629 members; none to be under the age of twenty…five。  The
  President was to be appointed by the members; but approved of by the
  Emperor。  Members were to be paid at the rate settled by the Constituent
  Assembly; which was to be renewed every five years。  The Emperor might
  prorogue; adjourn; or dissolve the House of Representatives; whose
  sittings were to be public。  The Electoral Colleges were maintained。
  Land tax and direct taxes were to be voted only for a year; indirect
  taxes might be imposed for several years。  No levy of men for the army
  nor any exchange of territory was to be made but by a law。  Taxes were to
  be proposed by the Chamber of Representatives。  Ministers to be
  responsible。  Judges to be irrem