One of the Jacobins, whom Hood
Had sent to prison for no good—
A noted character indeed—
By the republicans was freed.
As vengeance he on all design’d
Who to the English had been kind,
Or in their dreadful situation
Promoted the Capitulation,
This miscreant selected then
One thousand and four hundred men,
Whom they determin’d to assassinate—
A testimony of surpassing hate;
And Boney was, with general voice,
For executioner their choice.
Indeed the choice was very good,
For Boney was a man for blood.
In sets, it was these wretches’ lot,
To be brought forward to be shot:
Nap gave the order with composure,
The loaded guns were pointed so sure
A dreadful carnage soon ensued—
A carnage—horrible when view’d.
Yet, gallant Boney, with delight,
Remain’d spectator of the sight.
Nay, more, himself vers’d in hypocrisy,
He thought he might perhaps some mock’ry see:
So ‘Pardon! pardon!’ loud he said,
To know if they were really dead;
Some, who had counterfeited death,
Rose up, and were deprived of breath!
Poor souls! they knew not when he said it
His word was not deserving credit.
However two there were more wise, }
Who, having put on death’s disguise, }
Could not be tempted thus to rise, }
But tarried till the wolves were gone,
And then—a father found his son!
CHAPTER V.
NAPOLEON’S PROMOTION—HIS POVERTY—JUNOT’S KINDNESS—REVOLT OF THE SECTIONS—NAPOLEON’S SHARE THEREIN—MADE GENERAL OF THE INTERIOR—INTRODUCTION TO JOSEPHINE—SKETCH OF HER LIFE.
For the capture of Toulon, Bonaparte was speedily promoted; indeed, his superior officer, Dugommier, in his report, said, ‘Reward and advance this young man, otherwise he will find means to advance himself.’
He afterwards joined the army at Nice, and was sent on a secret diplomatic mission to Genoa; on his return from which he was arrested and thrown into prison, where he remained a fortnight before he obtained his release. He was without any employment during the remainder of 1794, and till the autumn of 1795. He was then in very poor circumstances financially, and Madame Junot gives a graphic picture of his distress at this time.[24] ‘Bonaparte’s servant informed Mariette that the general was often in want of money;’ but, he added, ‘he has an aide-de-camp who shares with him all he gets. When he is lucky at play, the largest share of his winnings is always for his general. The aide-de-camp’s family sometimes sends him money, and then almost all is given to the general. The general, adds the man, loves this aide-de-camp as dearly as if he were his own brother.’ The aide-de-camp was Junot, who got a commission after Toulon.
The wretched Boney, we are told,
Reduced, and shivering with the cold,
To public houses used to rove,
And warm his hands before a stove;
Nay, in Corrozza, it is said,
A large score still remains unpaid.
He in an humble garret slept,
Which never very clean was kept,
Hence got he a disorder, which
The vulgar people call the ‘itch.’
Long might have been poor Nap’s dejection
But for a pending insurrection;
For now was entertained th’ intention
Of overturning the Convention.
The party by Barras were led,
He of the rebels was the head;
But, neither brave nor skilful reckon’d,
He wish’d to have an able second.
This task, by many, as we find,
Was conscientiously declin’d;
For every one of them well knew,
A dreadful slaughter must ensue.
Barras said in a thinking mood,
‘I know a rascal fond of blood—
A little Corsican blackguard,
But now to find him may be hard.’
Then, having mentioned Boney’s name,
They all agreed upon the same;
And Tallien gladly undertook
For the said Corsican to look.
Soon Boney on their honors waited,
Though all in rags as it is stated;
And, matters being quick concluded,
No ‘saucy doubts or fears’ intruded;
Nap with a horse was soon provided,
And regimentals he beside had.
This scheme began they to contrive
In seventeen hundred, ninety five.
And of October, we may say,
The fourth was now a fatal day!
For, lo! the insurgents sallied out,
And desolation spread about;
All honest opposition fail’d
And blood-stain’d tyranny prevail’d.
Men, women, children, at a bitter rate
The cries of ‘Treason,’ did reiterate,
But nothing could their fury quell,
For women, men, and children fell!
Now, owing to this revolution,
Was formed another Constitution;
Nap this assembly went to meet,
And laid his trophies at their feet:
These trophies were eight thousand carcases,
Among the wounds, too, many a mark was his.
A second victory like this,
Was to Barras extatic bliss.
And Nap, for bravery extoll’d,
No longer a blackguard was called;
But as a hero now regarded,
Was amply by Barras rewarded.
In this life there is many a change,
As unexpected and as strange:
Then let us hope that this day’s sorrow
May be tranquillity to-morrow:
For, mark you how our hero rose,
Who wanted money, shoes, and clothes;
All those he had—and, what is more,
His garret chang’d for a first floor;
And such, too, was his happy lot,
That he a place for Lucien got;
Who, after this notorious slaughter,
Had married an innkeeper’s daughter.