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and glorified as such。 … This keen； profound and intense pleasure was
first enjoyed by the French on listening to the Declaration of the
Rights of Man； from then； and in good faith； they felt themselves
citizens； philosophers； the destroyers of prejudices and wrongs；
zealots in behalf of truth； liberty and equality； and then； when the
war of 1792 came； the defenders of the country； missionaries and
propagators of every grand principle。＇56＇ … Towards 1796； principles
began to recede in the background；＇57＇ in the ideal portrait which man
makes of himself the liberator and benefactor of mankind gradually
gives way to the admirable and admired hero capable of great
achievements。 This inner portrait of himself suffices for his
happiness for some years to come： vanity＇58＇ properly so called and a
calculating ambition are not the incentives of action； if he obtains
promotion it is without asking for it； his aspiration is simply to
display himself； to be lavish of himself and live or die courageously
and gaily＇59＇ along with his comrade； to be considered； outside the
service； the equal； friend and brother of his subordinates and of his
chiefs。＇60＇ Pillage； nevertheless； has begun； for； a long continuance
of war depraves the conqueror； brutality； indifference to property and
to life grows on him； if callous； or he wishes to become so； he eats；
drinks and enjoys the passing hour； if provident and wary； he scrapes
together what he can or levies contributions and hoards money。 … Under
the Empire； and especially towards 1808 and 1809； the ideal figure
degenerates still more； from now on； it is the successful or the
coming officer； with his rank and its accouterments； his gold…
embroidered uniform and badges； exercising authority over so many
hundreds and thousands of men and enjoying a certain notable sum of
regular salaries； besides other gratifications bestowed on him by the
master； along with the profits he can make out of the vanquished。＇61＇
All that he now cares for is rapid promotion； and in any way； noble or
ignoble； at first； of course； on the main road； that is in straining
himself and risking his life； but likewise on a new road； in an
affectation of zeal； in practicing and professing blind obedience； in
abandoning all political ideas； in devoting himself no longer to
France； but to the sovereign： sympathy for his comrades gives way to
harsh rivalry； soldierly friendships； under the anticipation of
advancement； die out。 A vacancy due to death is for the benefit of
survivors and they know it。 〃At Talavera；〃 says Stendhal； 〃two
officers stood together at their battery； while a ball comes and the
captain falls。 'Good；' says the lieutenant； 'now Fran？ois is dead and
I shall be captain。' 'Not yet；' says Fran？ois； who was only stunned
and who gets up on his feet。 These two men were neither unfriendly nor
inimical； only the lieutenant wanted to rise a step higher in rank。〃
And this shrewd observer adds： 〃Such was the furious egoism then
styled love of glory and which； under this title； the Emperor had
communicated to the French。〃
On this slope the slide is rapid and abject。 Each； at first； thinks of
himself； the individual makes of himself a center。 The example；
moreover； comes from above。 Is it for France or for himself that
Napoleon works？＇62＇ So many immense enterprises； the conquest of
Spain； the expedition into Russia； the installation of his brothers
and relations on new thrones； the constant partition and rearrangement
of Europe； all those incessant and more and more distant wars； is it
for the public good and common safety that he accumulates them？ What
does he himself desire if not to push his fortunes still farther？ … He
is too much ambitious （trop ambitionnaire）； say his own soldiers；＇63＇
and yet they follow him to the last。 〃We have always marched along
with him；〃 replied the old grenadiers；＇64＇ who had traversed Poland to
penetrate into Russia； 〃we couldn't abandon him this time and leave
him alone by himself。〃 … But others who see him nearer by； those who
stand first and next to him； do as he does； and； however high these
have mounted； they want to mount still higher； or； otherwise； to keep
their places； or； at least； provide for themselves and hold on to
something substantial。 Masséna has accumulated forty millions and
Talleyrand sixty；＇65＇ in case of a political crash the money remains。
Soult tried to have himself elected king of Portugal；＇66＇ and
Bernadotte finds means to have himself elected king of Sweden。 After
Leipsic； Murat bargains with the allies； and； to retain his Neapolitan
kingdom； he agrees to furnish a contingent against France； before the
battle of Leipsic； Bernadotte is with the allies and fights with them
against France。 In 1814； Bernadotte and Joseph； each caring for
himself； the former by intrigues and with the intriguers of the
interior； also by feeling his way with the foreign sovereigns while
the latter； in the absence of Napoleon； by 〃singular efforts〃 and
〃assiduities〃 beforehand with Marie Louise thinks of taking the place
of the falling emperor。＇67＇ Prince Eugene alone； or almost alone；
among the great personalities of the reign； is really loyal； his
loyalty remaining always intact exempt from concealed motives and
above suspicion。 Everywhere else； the coming crash or sinister rumors
are heard or anticipated； alarm descends from high places； spreads
through the army and echoes along the lines of the lowest ranks。 In
1815； the soldier has full confidence in himself and in Napoleon； 〃but
he is moody； distrustful of his other leaders。 。 。 。 Every march
incomprehensible to him makes him uneasy and he thinks himself
betrayed。〃＇68＇ At Waterloo； dragoons that pass him with their swords
drawn and old corporals shout to the Emperor that Soult and Vandamme；
who are at this moment about going into battle； are haranguing their
troops against him or deserting him； that General Dhénin； who has
repulsed a charge of the enemy and whose thigh is fractured by a
cannon…ball； has just passed over to the enemy。 The mechanism which；
for fifteen years； has worked so well； breaks down of itself through
its own action； its cog…wheels have got out of gear； cracks show
themselves in the metal which seemed so sound； the divinations of
popular instinct verify this； the exaggerations of the popular
imagination expand it and suddenly the whole machine rattles down to
the ground。
All this is due to Napoleon having introduced into it the craving for
success as central motor； as the universal main…spring； unscrupulous
ambition； in short； a crude egoism； and in the first place his own
egoism； ＇69＇ and this incentive； strained to excess；＇70＇ puts the
machine out of order and then ruins it。 After him； under his
successors； the same machinery is to work in the same manner； and
break down in the same way； at the expiration of a more or less
extensive period。 Thus far； the longest of these periods has lasted
less tha