Part 80 (1/2)
”Sire, you do not only uproot the decaying trunk, but with the axe of the tyrant you deprived this trunk of its fresh, green branches also,”
exclaimed Marianne.
”Ah, you refer to the Duke d'Enghien,” said Napoleon, quietly. ”It was an act of policy, which I do not regret. The Bourbons had to understand at length that France wanted to give them up and create a new era for herself. I stood at the head of this new era, and I had to fill in a becoming manner the position Providence had conferred on me. Providence destined me to become the founder of a new dynasty, and there will be a day when my family will occupy the first thrones of the world.”
[Footnote: Napoleon's own words.--Vide ”Le Normand,” vol. ii., p. 29.]
”That is to say, you declare war against all princes,” exclaimed Marianne.
”Against the princes, yes,” said Napoleon, ”for they are nothing but over-ripe fruits only waiting for the hand that is to shake them off.
I shall be this hand, and before me they will fall to the ground, and I shall rise higher and higher above them. You call me a conqueror, but how could I stop now in my work? If I should pause now in my conquests and sheathe my sword, what should I have gained by so many efforts but a little glory, without having approached the goal to which I was aspiring? What should I have gained by setting all Europe in a blaze if I should be contented with having overthrown empires and not hasten to build up MY OWN empire on solid foundations? It is not birth that ent.i.tles me to immortality. The man who is possessed of courage, who does good service to his country, and renders himself ill.u.s.trious by great exploits, that man needs no pedigree, for he is everything by himself.”[Footnote: Napoleon's own words.--Vide ”Le Normand.” vol. ii., p. 49.]
”But in the eyes of the legitimists he is always nothing but an upstart,” said Marianne, shrugging her shoulders.
”In that case he must overthrow and annihilate all legitimists,” said Napoleon, quickly; ”so that a new dynasty may arise, of which he will be the founder. I am the man of Destiny, and shall found a new dynasty, and one day the whole of Europe will be but one empire, MY empire! All of you, instead of cursing me, should joyfully hail my coming and welcome me as your liberator sent by Providence to raise you from your degradation and disgrace. Just look around, you Germans, and see what sort of princes and governments you have got. Are you being ruled by n.o.ble, high-minded sovereigns; are men of ability and character at the head of your governments? I only behold impotence, infamy, and venality everywhere in the German cabinets. The system of nepotism is everywhere in force; offices are gifts of favor, and not rewards of merit; intrigues and corrupt influences succeed in placing the foremost positions of the state into the hands of incapable men, and great minds, if there be any at all, are utterly ignored. The result of this system is, of course, that men cease cultivating their minds, and that the virtues and talents which are not rewarded with a just tribute of glory, lose their vigor and enthusiasm; nay, often their very existence. When a nation sees none but incapable favorites and venal intriguers at the head of the various departments of its administration and of its armies, how is it to prosper and expand, to increase its wealth, and to win victories! Woe to the nation which allows itself to be governed by such ministers, and to be defended by such generals as I have found everywhere in Germany! As the man of Destiny, I have come to devote to her my hand, my mouth, and my heart for the purpose of liberating her and delivering her from her disgraceful chains.” [Footnote: Ibid., p.
29.]
”And to load her with even more disgraceful ones,” exclaimed Marianne, her eyes naming with anger; ”for there is nothing more disgraceful on earth than a nation submitting to a foreign barbarian and humbly kissing the feet of its oppressor, instead of expelling him by the majesty of its wrath. If you, a modern Attila, go on with your murderous sword, Europe is ruined, and all dignity of the nations, all the centres of scientific eminence, all the hopes of humanity are lost. For nations can only perform great things, and create great things, when they are independent; and freedom itself is of no use to them if they must receive it as a favor at the hands of their conqueror.”
”Earth ought to have but one ruler, as heaven has but one G.o.d,”
said Napoleon, solemnly. ”I have only begun my task; it is not yet accomplished. Hitherto I have subjected only France, Italy, Switzerland, and Holland to my sceptre, but my goal is even more sublime than that.
And who will prevent me from seizing Westphalia, the Hanseatic cities, and Rome, and from annexing the Illyrian provinces, Etruria, and Portugal to France? I do not know yet where to fix the boundaries of my empire. Perhaps it will have no other boundaries than the vast s.p.a.ce of the two hemispheres; perhaps, like Americus Vespucius and Columbus, I shall obtain the glory of discovering and conquering another unknown world!”[Footnote: Napoleon's own words. ”Le Normand, Memoires,” vol.
ii., p. 69.]
”And if you should discover a third world,” exclaimed Marianne, ”G.o.d may decree, perhaps, that in this new world, an avenger of the two old worlds may arise and tell you in the thundering voice of Jehovah: 'Here are the boundaries of your empire! So far and no farther!'”
”But I should not shrink back,” said Napoleon, smiling, ”but advance to fight for my good right with the avenger sent by Providence, for I was also sent by Providence; I am a chosen son of Heaven, and if there is a misfortune for me, it is that I have come too late. Men are too enlightened or too sober; hence, it is impossible to accomplish great things.”
”Ah, you say so,” exclaimed Marianne, ”you, whose fate is so brilliant and exalted? You, who once were a humble officer of artillery, and now are seated as emperor on a mighty throne?”
”Yes,” said Napoleon, in a low voice, as if to himself, ”I admit, my career was brilliant enough,--I have pursued a splendid path! But how much difference there is between me and the heroes of antiquity! How much more fortunate was Alexander! After conquering Asia, he declared he was the son of Jove, and the whole Orient believed it, except Olympias, who knew very well what to think of it, and except Aristotle, and a few other pedants of Athens! But if I, who have made more conquests and won greater victories than Alexander,--if I should declare to-day I were the son of G.o.d, and offer Him my thanksgiving under this t.i.tle, there would be no fishwoman that would not laugh at me. The nations are too enlightened and too sober; it is impossible to accomplish great things.”[Footnote: Napoleon's own words.--Vide ”Memoires du Marechal Duc de Raguse,” vol. ii., p. 243.] ”There will be a day, sire, when the nations will rise and prove to you that they are able to accomplish great things!”
”And on that day they will trample me in the dust, I suppose?”
asked Napoleon, with an almost compa.s.sionate smile. ”Do not hope too sanguinely for this day, for your hopes might deceive you. I have spoken so freely and frankly to you,” he continued, rising, ”because I knew that, by speaking to you, I was speaking, through you, to the most eminent, high-minded, and patriotic men of your nation, and because I wished to be comprehended and appreciated by them. Go, then, and repeat my words to them--repeat them to those, too, who believe that the throne which I have erected belongs to THEM, and that the tri-colored flag would have to disappear one day before the lilies. Go, madame, and tell those enthusiastic Bourbons the lilies were so dreadfully steeped in the misery and blood of France that n.o.body would recognize them there, and that everybody was shrinking back from their cadaverous smell and putridity. Empires and dynasties, like flowers, have but one day of bloom; the day of the Bourbons is past; they are faded and stripped of their leaves. State it to those who one day sent you CERTAINLY to me, and PERHAPS again to-day. If you relate to them to-day's scene, they may deplore, perhaps, that fate did not permit you to become a Judith, but they will have to acknowledge at least that I am no Holofernes. For although the most beautiful woman of my enemies came to my couch to visit me, she did not kill me, and her dagger lies at my feet! I shall preserve it as a remembrancer, and Grand-marshal Duroc, M. von Brandt, and Constant, my valet de chambre, who are waiting for you in the anteroom, will believe that dagger to be a souvenir of your love and of a delightful hour of my life. We will not undeceive them! Farewell, madame!”
He gave Marianne no time to answer him, but took the silver bell and rang it so loudly and violently that Constant appeared in evident terror in the door.
”Constant,” said the emperor, ”conduct the lady to her carriage; she will return to Vienna; and as for M. von Brandt, tell him the princess had allowed me to be her paymaster, and to pay him in her place for the happy minutes of our interview.”
”Sire,” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Marianne, in dismay, ”you will--”
”Hush,” the emperor interrupted her proudly, ”I will pay my tribute to Dame Fortune! Farewell, madame; remember this hour sometimes!”
He waved a parting salutation to her with his hand, and then disappeared through the door leading to his bedroom.
Marianne stared at him until he was gone, as though she had just seen a ghost walking before her, and as though her whole soul were concentrated in this look with which she gazed after him.
”Madame,” said Constant, in a low voice, ”if you please!” And he approached the large hall-door which he opened.