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Empire； and Davoust continued his endeavours to revenge himself by other
calumnies for my not having considered him a man of talent。 I must do
the Duc de Rovigo the justice to say that； though his fidelity to
Napoleon was as it always had been； boundless； yet whilst he executed the
Emperor's orders he endeavoured to make him acquainted with the truth； as
was proved by his conduct in the case I have just mentioned。 He was much
distressed by the sort of terror which his appointment had excited in the
public； and he acknowledged to me that he intended to restore confidence
by a more mild system than that of his predecessor。 I had observed
formerly that Savary did not coincide in the opinion I had always
entertained of Fouche； but when once the Due de Rovigo endeavoured to
penetrate the labyrinth of police； counter…police； inspections and
hierarchies of espionage； he found they were all bugbears which Fouche
had created to alarm the Emperor； as gardeners put up scarecrows among
the fruit…trees to frighten away the sparrows。 Thus； thanks to the
artifices of Fouche； the eagle was frightened as easily as the sparrows；
until the period when the Emperor； convinced that Fouche was maintaining
a correspondence with England through the agency of Ouvrard； dismissed
him。
I saw with pleasure that Savary； the Minister of Police； wished to
simplify the working of his administration； and to gradually diminish
whatever was annoying in it； but； whatever might be his intentions； he
was not always free to act。 I acknowledge that when I read his Memoirs I
saw with great impatience that in many matters he had voluntarily assumed
responsibilities for acts which a word from him might have attributed to
their real author。 However this may be； what much pleased me in Savary
was the wish he showed to learn the real truth in order to tell it to
Napoleon。 He received from the Emperor more than one severe rebuff。
This came from the fact that since the immense aggrandisement of the
Empire the ostensible Ministers； instead of rising in credit； had seen
their functions diminish by degrees。 Thus proposals for appointments to
the higher grades of the army came from the cabinet of Berthier； and not
from that of the Minister…of…War。 Everything which concerned any part of
the government of the Interior or of the Exterior； except for the
administration of War and perhaps for that of Finance； had its centre in
the cabinet of M。 Maret； certainly an honest man； but whose facility in
saying 〃All is right；〃 so much helped to make all wrong。
The home trade； manufactures； and particularly several of the Parisian
firms were in a state of distress the more hurtful as it contrasted so
singularly with the splendour of the Imperial Court since the marriage of
Napoleon with Maria Louisa。 In this state of affairs a chorus of
complaints reached the ears of the Duc de Rovigo every day。 I must say
that Savary was never kinder to me than since my disgrace； he nourished
my hope of getting Napoleon to overcome the prejudices against me with
which the spirit of vengeance had inspired him； and I know for certain
that Savary returned to the charge more than once to manage this。 The
Emperor listened without anger； did not blame him for the closeness of
our intimacy； and even said to him some obliging but insignificant words
about me。 This gave time for new machinations against me； and to fill
him with fresh doubts when he had almost overcome his former； ideas。
CHAPTER XXV。
M。 CzernischeffDissimulation of NapoleonNapoleon and Alexander
Josephine's foresight respecting the affairs of SpainMy visits to
MalmaisonGrief of JosephineTears and the toiletVast extent of
the EmpireList of persons condemned to death and banishment in
PiedmontObservation of Alfieri respecting the SpaniardsSuccess
in SpainCheck of Massena in PortugalMoney lavished by the
EnglishBertrand sent to Illyria； and Marmont to Portugal
Situation of the French armyAssembling of the CortesEurope
sacrificed to the Continental systemConversation with Murat in the
Champs ElyseesNew titles and old namesNapoleon's dislike of
literary menOdes； etc。； on the marriage of NapoleonChateaubriand
and LemereierDeath of ChenierChateaubriand elected his successor
His discourse read by NapoleonBonaparte compared to Nero…
Suppression of the 'Merceure'M。 de Chateaubriand ordered to leave
ParisMM。 Lemercier and Esmenard presented to the EmperorBirth of
the King of RomeFrance in 1811。
Since my return to France I had heard much of the intrigues of M。
Czernischeff； an aide de camp of the Emperor of Russia； who； under the
pretest of being frequently sent to compliment Napoleon on the part of
the Emperor Alexander； performed； in fact； the office of a spy。 The
conduct of Napoleon with regard to M。 Czernischeff at that period struck
me as singular； especially after the intelligence which before my
departure from Hamburg I had transmitted to him respecting the
dissatisfaction of Russia and her hostile inclinations。 It is therefore
clear to me that Bonaparte was well aware of the real object of M。
Czernischeffs mission； and that if he appeared to give credit to the
increasing professions of his friendship it was only because he still
wished； as he formerly did； that Russia might so far commit herself as to
afford him a fair pretext for the commencement； of hostilities in the
north。
M。 Czernischeff first arrived in Paris shortly after the interview at
Erfurt； and after that period was almost constantly on the road between
Paris and St。 Petersburg； it has been computed that in the space of less
than four years he travelled more than 10；000 leagues。 For a long time
his frequent journeyings excited no surmises； but while I was in Paris
Savary began to entertain suspicions； the correctness of which it was not
difficult to ascertain； so formidable was still the system of espionage；
notwithstanding the precaution taken by Fouche to conceal from his
successor the names of his most efficient spies。 It was known that M。
Czernischeff was looking out for a professor of mathematics；doubtless
to disguise the real motives for his stay in Paris by veiling them under
the desire of studying the sciences。 The confidant of Alexander had
applied to a professor connected with a public office； and from that time
all the steps of M。 Czermseheff were known to the police。 It was
discovered that he was less anxious to question his instructor respecting
the equations of a degree； or the value of unknown quantities； than to
gain all the information he could about the different branches of the
administration； and particularly the department of war。 It happened that
the professor knew some individuals employed in the public offices； who
furnished him with intelligence； which he in turn communicated to M。
Czernischeff； but not without making a report of it to the police；
according to custom； instead of putting an end to this intrigue at once
it was suffered fully to develop itself。 Napoleon was informed of what
was going on； and in this instance gave a new proof of his being a