Читать книгу The Collected Works of Napoleon Bonaparte - Charles Downer Hazen, Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne - Страница 177
ОглавлениеNo. 72.
May 24th.—Dantzic surrenders to Lefebvre after two months' siege, with 800 guns and immense stores.
To the Empress, at Lacken.
Finckenstein, May 24, 1807.
Your letter from Lacken just received. I am sorry to see your grief undiminished, and that Hortense has not yet come; she is unreasonable, and does not deserve our love, since she only loves her children.
Try to calm her, and do not make me wretched. For every ill without a remedy consolations must be found.
Adieu, dear.—Yours ever,
Napoleon.
No. 73.
To the Empress, at Lacken.
Finckenstein, May 26, 1807.
I have just received your letter of the 16th. I have seen with pleasure that Hortense has arrived at Lacken. I am annoyed at what you tell me of the state of stupor in which she still is. She must have more courage, and force herself to have it. I cannot imagine why they want her to go to take the waters; she will forget her trouble much better at Paris, and find more sources of consolation.
Show force of character, be cheerful, and keep well. My health is excellent.
Adieu, dear. I suffer much from all your griefs; it is a great trouble to me not to be by your side.
Napoleon.
May 28th.—Lefebvre made Duke of Dantzic by Napoleon.
May 29th.—Selim III. deposed in Turkey by Mustapha IV., his nephew.
June 1st.—22,000 Spanish troops, sent by Charles IV., join the French army in Germany.
No. 74.
To the Empress, at Malmaison.
Dantzig, June 2, 1807.
My Dear,—I note your arrival at Malmaison. I have no letters from you; I am vexed with Hortense, she has never written me a line. All that you tell me about her grieves me. Why have you not found her some distractions? Weeping won't do it! I trust you will take care of yourself in order that I may not find you utterly woebegone.
I have been the two past days at Dantzic; the weather is very fine, my health excellent. I think more of you than you are thinking of a husband far away.
Adieu, dear; very kindest regards. Pass on this letter to Hortense.
Napoleon.
No. 75.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Marienburg, June 3, 1807.
This morning I slept at Marienburg. Yesterday I left Dantzic; my health is very good. Every letter that comes from St. Cloud tells me you are always weeping. That is not well; it is necessary for you to keep well and be cheerful.
Hortense is still unwell; what you tell me of her makes me very sorry for her.
Adieu, dear; think of all the affection I bear for you.
Napoleon.
June 5th.—Russians defeated at Spanden; Bernadotte wounded.
No. 76.
June 6th.—Russians defeated at Deppen by Soult.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Finckenstein, June 6, 1807.
My Dear,—I am in flourishing health. Your yesterday's letter pained me; it seems to me that you are always grieving, and that you are not reasonable. The weather is very fine.
Adieu, dear; I love you and wish to see you cheerful and contented.
Napoleon.
June 9th.—Russians defeated at Guttstadt by Napoleon, and
June 10th.—At Heilsberg.
June 14th.—Battle of Friedland, completing the "Campaign of Ten Days."
No. 77.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Friedland, June 15, 1807.
My Dear,—I write you only a line, for I am very tired, by reason of several days' bivouacking. My children have worthily celebrated the anniversary of the battle of Marengo.
The battle of Friedland will be as celebrated for my people, and equally glorious. The entire Russian army routed, 80 pieces of cannon captured, 30,000 men taken or slain, 25 Russian generals killed, wounded, or taken, the Russian Guard wiped out. The battle is worthy of her sisters—Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena. The bulletin will tell you the rest. My loss is not considerable. I out-manœuvred the enemy successfully.
Be content and without uneasiness.
Adieu, dear; my horse is waiting.
Napoleon.
You may give this news as official, if it arrives before the bulletin. They may also fire salvoes. Cambacères will make the proclamation.
No. 78.
June 16th.—Königsberg captured by Soult—"what was left to the King of Prussia is conquered."
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Friedland, June 16, 1807, 4 P.M.
My Dear,—Yesterday I despatched Moustache with the news of the battle of Friedland. Since then I have continued to pursue the enemy. Königsberg, which is a town of 80,000 souls, is in my power. I have found there many cannon, large stores, and, lastly, more than 160,000 muskets, which have come from England.
Adieu, dear. My health is perfect, although I have a slight catarrh caused by bivouacking in the rain and cold. Be happy and cheerful.—Yours ever,
Napoleon.
June 17th.—Neisse, in Silesia, with 6000 men, surrenders to the French; also
June 18th—Glatz.
No. 79.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Tilsit, June 19, 1807.
This morning I despatched Tascher to you, to calm all your fears. Here all goes splendidly. The battle of Friedland has decided everything. The enemy is confounded, overwhelmed, and greatly weakened.
My health is good, and my army is superb.
Adieu, dear. Be cheerful and contented.
Napoleon.
June 21st.—Armistice concluded at Tilsit.
No. 80.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Tilsit, June 22, 1807.
My Dear,—I have your letter of June 10th. I am sorry to see you are so depressed. You will see by the bulletin that I have concluded a suspension of arms, and that we are negotiating peace. Be contented and cheerful.
I despatched Borghèse to you, and, twelve hours later, Moustache; therefore you should have received in good time my letters and the news of the grand battle of Friedland.
I am wonderfully well, and wish to hear that you are happy.—Yours ever,
Napoleon.
No. 81.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Tilsit, June 25, 1807.
My Dear,—I have just seen the Emperor Alexander. I was much pleased with him. He is a very handsome, young, and kind-hearted Emperor; he has more intelligence than people usually give him credit for. To-morrow he will lodge in the town of Tilsit.
Adieu, dear. I am very anxious to hear that you are well and happy. My health is very good.
Napoleon.
No. 82.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Tilsit, July 3, 1807.
My Dear,—M. de Turenne will give you full details of all that has occurred here. Everything goes excellently. I think I told you that the Emperor of Russia drinks your health with much cordiality. He, as well as the King of Prussia, dines with me every day. I sincerely trust that you are happy. Adieu, dear. A thousand loving remembrances.
Napoleon.
No. 83.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Tilsit, July 6, 1807.
I have your letter of June 25th. I was grieved to see that you were selfish, and that the success of my arms should have no charm for you.
The beautiful Queen of Prussia is to come to-morrow to dine with me.
I am well, and am longing to see you again, when destiny shall so order it. Still, it may be sooner than we expect.
Adieu, dear; a thousand loving remembrances.
Napoleon.
No. 84.
July 7th.—Peace signed between France and Russia.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Tilsit, July 7, 1807.
My Dear,—Yesterday the Queen of Prussia dined with me. I had to be on the defence against some further concessions she wished me to make to her husband; but I was very polite, and yet held firmly to my policy. She is very charming. I shall soon give you the details, which I could not possibly give you now unless at great length. When you read this letter, peace with Prussia and Russia will be concluded, and Jerome acknowledged King of Westphalia, with a population of three millions. This news is for yourself alone.
Adieu, dear; I love you, and wish to know that you are cheerful and contented.
Napoleon.
No. 85.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Tilsit, July 8,26 1807.
The Queen of Prussia is really charming; she is full of coquetterie for me; but don't be jealous; I am an oil-cloth over which all that can only glide. It would cost me too much to play the lover.
Napoleon.
No. 12,875 of the Correspondence (taken from Las Cases).
July 9th.—Peace signed between France and Prussia, the latter resigning all its possessions between the Rhine and the Elbe.
No. 86.
To the Empress, at St. Cloud.
Dresden, July 18, 1807, Noon.
My Dear,—Yesterday I arrived at Dresden at 5 P.M., in excellent health, although I remained a hundred hours in the carriage without getting out. I am staying here with the King of Saxony, with whom I am highly pleased. I have now therefore traversed more than half the distance that separates us.
It is very likely that one of these fine nights I may descend upon St. Cloud like a jealous husband, so beware.
Adieu, dear; I shall have great pleasure in seeing you.—Yours ever,
Napoleon.
July 25th.—Plot of Prince Ferdinand of Asturias against his parents, the King and Queen of Spain.
July 27th.—Napoleon arrives at St. Cloud, 5 A.M.
August 19th.—Napoleon suppresses the French Tribunate.
August 20th.—Marshal Brune captures Stralsund from the Swedes.
September 1st.—The Ionian Isles become part of the French Empire.
September 5th to 7th.—Bombardment of Copenhagen by the English.
September 7th.—Occupation of Rugen by Marshal Brune.
October 6th.—War between Russia and Sweden.
October 16th.—Treaty of alliance between France and Denmark.
October 17th.—Junot with 27,000 men starts for Portugal, with whom France has been nominally at war since 1801.
October 27th.—Treaty of Fontainebleau signed between France and Spain. (Plot of Prince Ferdinand against his father discovered at Madrid the same day.)
November 8th.—Russia declares war against England.
November 15th.—Napoleon constitutes the kingdom of Westphalia, with his brother Jerome as king.
November 26th.—Junot enters Abrantès, and on
November 30th, enters Lisbon.
December 9th.—Trade suspended between England and the United States (re rights of neutrals).
December 23rd.—France levies a contribution of 100 million francs on Portugal.
