按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
account … his passion； his vehemence； his weaknesses； his
talkativeness； he exploits it all for the advancement of the edifice
he is constructing。＇71＇ Certainly among his diverse faculties； however
great； that of the constructive imagination is the most powerful。 At
the very beginning we feel its heat and boiling intensity beneath the
coolness and rigidity of his technical and positive instructions。
〃When I plan a battle；〃 said he to Roederer； 〃no man is more spineless
than I am。 I over exaggerate to myself all the dangers and all the
evils that are possible under the circumstances。 I am in a state of
truly painful agitation。 But this does not prevent me from appearing
quite composed to people around me ； I am like a woman giving birth to
a child。＇72＇
Passionately； in the throes of the creator； he is thus absorbed with
his coming creation； he already anticipates and enjoys living in his
imaginary edifice。 〃General；〃 said Madame de Clermont…Tonnerre to
him； one day； 〃you are building behind a scaffolding which you will
take down when you have done with it。〃 〃Yes； Madame； that's it；〃
replied Bonaparte； 〃you are right。 I am always living two years in
advance。〃＇73＇ His response came with 〃incredible vivacity；〃 as if a
sudden inspiration； that of a soul stirred in its innermost fiber。 …
Here as well； the power； the speed； fertility； play； and abundance of
his thought seem unlimited。 What he has accomplished is astonishing；
but what he has undertaken is more so； and whatever he may have
undertaken is far surpassed by what he has imagined。 However vigorous
his practical faculty； his poetical faculty is stronger； it is even
too vigorous for a statesman； its grandeur is exaggerated into
enormity； and its enormity degenerates into madness。 In Italy； after
the 18th of Fructidor； he said to Bourrienne：
〃Europe is a molehill； never have there been great empires and great
revolutions； except in the Orient； with its 600；000；000
inhabitants。〃＇74＇
The following year at Saint…Jean d'Acre； on the eve of the last
assault； he added
〃If I succeed I shall find in the town the pasha's treasure and arms
for 300；000 men。 I stir up and arm all Syria。 。 。 。 I march on
Damascus and Aleppo； as I advance in the country my army will increase
with the discontented。 I proclaim to the people the abolition of
slavery； and of the tyrannical government of the pashas。 I reach
Constantinople with armed masses。 I overthrow the Turkish Empire； I
found in the East a new and grand empire； which fixes my place with
posterity； and perhaps I return to Paris by the way of Adrianople； or
by Vienna； after having annihilated the house of Austria。〃 ＇75＇
Become consul； and then emperor； he often referred to this happy
period； when； 〃rid of the restraints of a troublesome civilization；〃
he could imagine at will and construct at pleasure。＇76＇
〃I created a religion； I saw myself on the road to Asia； mounted on an
elephant； with a turban on my head； and in my hand a new Koran； which
I composed to suit myself。〃
Confined to Europe； he thinks； after 1804； that he will reorganize
Charlemagne's empire。
〃The French Empire will become the mother country of other
sovereignties。 。 。 I mean that every king in Europe shall build a
grand palace at Paris for his own use； on the coronation of the
Emperor of the French these kings will come and occupy it； they will
grace this imposing ceremony with their presence； and honor it with
their salutations。〃＇77＇ The Pope will come； he came to the first one；
he must necessarily return to Paris； and fix himself there
permanently。 Where could the Holy See be better off than in the new
capital of Christianity； under Napoleon； heir to Charlemagne； and
temporal sovereign of the Sovereign Pontiff？ Through the temporal the
emperor will control the spiritual；＇78＇ and through the Pope；
consciences。〃
In November； 1811； unusually excited； he says to De Pradt：
〃In five years I shall be master of the world； only Russia will
remain； but I will crush her。＇79＇ 。 。 。 Paris will extend out to
St。 Cloud。〃
To render Paris the physical capital of Europe is； through his own
confession； 〃one of his constant dreams。〃
〃At times；〃 he says；＇80＇〃I would like to see her a city of two；
three； four millions of inhabitants； something fabulous； colossal；
unknown down to our day； and its public establishments adequate to its
population。 。 。 。 Archimedes proposed to lift the world if he
could be allowed to place his lever； for myself； I would have changed
it wherever I could have been allowed to exercise my energy；
perseverance； and budgets。〃
At all events； he believes so ； for however lofty and badly supported
the next story of his structure may be； he has always ready a new
story； loftier and more unsteady； to put above it。 A few months
before launching himself； with all Europe at his back； against Russia；
he said to Narbonne：＇81＇
〃After all； my dear sir； this long road is the road to India。
Alexander started as far off as Moscow to reach the Ganges； this has
occurred to me since St。 Jean d'Acre。 。 。 。 To reach England to…
day I need the extremity of Europe； from which to take Asia in the
rear。 。 。 。 Suppose Moscow taken； Russia subdued； the czar
reconciled； or dead through some court conspiracy； perhaps another and
dependent throne； and tell me whether it is not possible for a French
army； with its auxiliaries； setting out from Tiflis； to get as far as
the Ganges； where it needs only a thrust of the French sword to bring
down the whole of that grand commercial scaffolding throughout India。
It would be the most gigantic expedition； I admit； but practicable in
the nineteenth century。 Through it France； at one stroke； would
secure the independence of the West and the freedom of the seas。〃
While uttering this his eyes shone with strange brilliancy； and he
accumulates subjects； weighing obstacles； means； and chances： the
inspiration is under full headway； and he gives himself up to it。 The
master faculty finds itself suddenly free； and it takes flight； the
artist；＇82＇ locked up in politics； has escaped from his sheath； he is
creating out of the ideal and the impossible。 We take him for what he
is； a posthumous brother of Dante and Michael Angelo。 In the clear
outlines of his vision； in the intensity； coherency； and inward logic
of his dreams； in the profundity of his meditations； in the superhuman
grandeur of his conceptions； he is； indeed； their fellow and their
equal。 His genius is of the same stature and the same structure； he
is one of the three sovereign minds of the Italian Renaissance。 Only；
while the first two operated on paper and on marble； the latter
operates on the living being； on the sensitive and suffering flesh of
humanity。
_______________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ Reforms introduced by Napo