第 10 节
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and said; 〃The idea; of it is horrible to me。 To be placed for life on
an island within the tropics; at an immense distance from any land; cut
off from all communication with the world; and everything that I hold
dear in it!c'est pis que la cage de fer de Tamerlan。 I would prefer
being delivered up to the Bourbons。 Among other insults;〃 said he;
〃but that is a mere bagatelle; a very secondary considerationthey style
me General! They can have no right to call me General; they may as well
call me ‘Archbishop;' for I was Head of the Church as well as of the
Army。 If they do not acknowledge me as Emperor they ought as First
Counsul; they have sent ambassadors to me as such; and your King; in his
letters; styled me 'Brother。' Had they confined me in the Tower of
London; or one of the fortresses in England (though not what I had hoped
from the generosity of the English people); I should not have so much
cause of complaint; but to banish me to an island within the tropics!
They might as well have signed my death…warrant at once; for it is
impossible a man of my habit of body can live long in such a climate。
Having so expressed himself; he wrote a second letter to the Prince
Regent; which was forwarded through Lord Keith。 It was the opinion of
Generals Montholon and Gourgaud that Bonaparte would sooner kill himself
than go to St。 Helena。 This idea arose from his having been heard
emphatically to exclaim; 〃I will not go to St。 Helena!〃 The generals;
indeed; declared that were he to give his own consent to be so exiled
they would themselves prevent him。 In consequence of this threat Captain
Maitland was instructed by Lord Keith to tell those gentlemen that as the
English law awarded death to murderers; the crime they meditated would
inevitably conduct them to the gallows。
Early on the morning of the 4th of August the 'Bellerophon' was ordered
to be ready at a moment's notice for sea。 The reason of this was traced
to a circumstance which is conspicuous among the many remarkable
incidents by which Bonaparte's arrival near the English coast was
characterised。 A rumour reached Lord Keith that a 'habeas corpus' had
been procured with a view of delivering Napoleon from the custody he was
then in。 This; however; turned out to be a subpoena for Bonaparte as a
witness at a trial in the Court of King's Bench; and; indeed; a person
attempted to get on board the Bellerophon to serve the document; but he
was foiled in his intention; though; had he succeeded; the subpoena
would; in the situation wherein the ex…Emperor then stood; have been
without avail。
On the 5th Captain Maitland; having been summoned to the flag…ship of
Lord Keith; acquainted General Bertrand that he would convey to the
Admiral anything which Bonaparte (who had expressed an urgent wish to see
his lordship) might desire to say to him。 Bertrand requested the captain
to delay his departure until a document; then in preparation; should be
completed: the 〃PROTEST OF HIS MAJESTY THE LATE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH;
ETC。〃
Captain Maitland denied that any snare was laid for Bonaparte; either by
himself or by the English Government; and stated that the precautions for
preventing the escape of Napoleon from Rochefort were so well ordered
that it was impossible to evade them; and that the fugitive was compelled
to surrender himself to the English ship。
On the 7th of August Bonaparte; with the suite he had selected; was
transferred from the 'Bellerophon' to the 'Northumberland'。 Lord Keith's
barge was prepared for his conveyance to the latter vessel; and his
lordship was present on the occasion。 A captain's guard was turned out;
and as Napoleon left the 'Bellerophon' the marines presented arms; and
the drum was beaten as usual in saluting a general officer。 When he
arrived on board the Northumberland the squadron got under weigh; and
Napoleon sailed for the place of his final exile and grave。'
'For the continuation of Napoleon's voyage see Chapter XIII。'
End of The Memoirs of Napoleon; V14; 1815