Napoleon
Marie-Louise
1810-1814
A MEMOIR
MADAME LA GENERALE DUPAND
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NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE
1810—1814
A MEMOIR
MADAME LA GENERALE DURAND
FIRST LADY TO THE EMPRESS MARIE- LOUISE
LONDON
SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE & RIVINGTON
CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET
1886
(All rights reserved)
LONDON :
PK1NTED 3T WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS
STAMFOKD STKEET AND CHASINU <J
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PREFACE TO THE FIEST EDITION,
PUBLISHED IN 1819.
It is right that I should give to the public certain
details regarding a work in which many persons
still living figure unfavourably. It is much against
my will that I find myself obliged to give these
reminiscences prominence which I did not intend
for them. After the departure of the Empress Marie-
Louise, in whose service I was for four years, I was
desirous of collecting the various notes which I had
made, under the name of Souvenirs. I retraced all
that I had seen, the anecdotes to whose authenticity
I was a witness, those which had been related to me,
and which I had verified ; I depicted the illustrious
persons whom I served with the sentiments of grati-
tude and respect due to them. I was far indeed
from insulting him whose misfortunes have been
so great — that is a baseness of which I am incapable.
IV PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
I had sketched out their portraits, all prompted by
truth, but without any reflections, and especially
without any evil speaking.
A friend of my family, who has been living for
some time in London, wrote to me a year ago, that
he had collected a great deal of material, and was
about to publish memorials of Napoleon and his
family. He begged me to communicate to him the
notes which he knew I possessed. Either from a
presentiment or from prudence, I at first refused on
the score of the many sorrows of my life, and my
fear of reviving them by such publicity. He re-
assured me by protesting that he would conceal my
identity. Yielding to his renewed importunities, I
sent him the memoranda for which he had asked. But
what was my astonishment when several persons
spoke to me of a pamphlet which had arrived from
London, in which the Court of Napoleon was most
severely handled. Although the work was forbidden,
I succeeded in procuring a copy, and found in it
a portion of the notes and portraits that I had sent,
but totally disfigured by reflections as ill-placed as
they were improper. The author, finding my por-
traits insipid, wanted to render them piquant. He
did not perceive that he made them odious. To
these portraits are added unfounded anecdotes, which
I owe it to the truth to denv, all the more that
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. V
the author, in a preface which he had no right
whatever to place at the head of his book, has almost
pointed me out as the writer of it.
I submit these Souvenirs to the public, just as
I wrote them for my own family, and I give my
name, because, if this work be worthy of blame,
that blame should fall only upon myself, and not
upon estimable persons who have been very unjustly
accused.*
* This final edition of the "Meinoires sur Napoleon et Marie-
Louise" had been prepared by Madame la Ge'ne'rale Durand, who
died without having published them.
They could not have been placed before the public at an earlier
date. — Editor's Note.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
The family of Napoleon — Jerome, King of Westphalia — The
Princess of "Wurtemburg — The Due d'Enghien — Cause of
the divorce of Napoleon and Josephine — Marie-Louise . 1
CHAPTER II.
Arrival of Marie-Louise at Brannau — Her household — Madame
Murat — Dismissal of Madame Lajenski and her little dog —
Meeting of Xapoleon and Marie-Louise at Soissons . . 10
CHAPTER III.
NArOLEON.
Ceremony of the religious marriage— The Emperor's life — His
private habits — His public behaviour — His character— Traits
of kindness and beneficence ....... 1(
CHAPTER IV.
Xapoleon organizes the household of Marie-Louise — "Women's
Rivalries — Biennais the jeweller — M. Piier . . . .29
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
PAGE
Madame de Lucay — General Lannes — A sayiug of Josephine's —
The Duke and Duchess of Montebello — Corvisart — Prefect
More de qui 37
CHAPTER VI.
A saying of the Emperor's — Dubois — Men of letters — The
Countess de Montesquiou
CHAPTER VII.
The three arm-chairs — The Empress's medicine — The three
parties — Journey to Fontainebleau — Bull of excommunica-
tion sent by the Pope — The Abbe D'Astros — The Duke of
Rovigo — The Director-General of the Library — Count Bigot
de Preameneu, Minister of Public Worship — Visit to the
Pope ........... 54
CHAPTER VIII.
Napoleon's gallantries — Madame Walewska — The Chateau de
Compiegne — Grazini and Rode — Fouche, Minister of
General Police 0'4
CHAPTER IX. 1
Marie-Louise and Josephine compared — Generosity of the
two Empresses— Infancy of Napoleon's son — A petition
addressed to the King of Rome — The bringing-up of the
young Prince .
CHAPTER X.
Misunderstanding with Russia — Count de Czernitschoff — A trip
to Holland — The bust of the Emperor Alexander — Smug-
gling by the ladies of the Court — M. de Beauharnais — Plays,
concerts, and masked balls — Departure for Dresden
CONTENTS. ix
CHAPTER XL
NAPOLEON AND HIS COURT AT DRESDEN.
PAG E
Departure from Saint Cloud — Arrival at Dresden— The Emperor
and Empress of Austria — Napoleon's ancestral nobility —
The King of Prussia and his son — Fetes and theatrical
entertainments — Madame Talma — The Emperor Alexander
—Napoleon sets out for Poland — The journey of Marie-Louise
to Prague — Her return to Saint Cloud [)i
CHAPTER XII.
Departure of Napoleon to join the army — The march upon Moscow
— The conspiracy of Mallet — The Emperor's words — The
Duke of Rovigo — Disasters — Napoleon's return to Paris —
The prayer of the King of Rome — Preparations for a fresh
campaign — The Duke de Feltre 102
CHAPTER XIII.
Napoleon's doubts of the good faith of Austria — The Duke of
Bassano — Marie-Louise Regent — Opening of the campaign of
181 3 — Colin the Comptroller —Death of Grand-Marshal Duroc
— The Emperor's unexpected return to Saint Cloud — The
Parisian National Guard — Napoleon's departure for the cam-
paign of France — He is betrayed by one of his generals — The
arrival of the Allies under the walls of Paris . . .116
CHAPTER XIV.
THE UNCERTAINTY OF MARIE-LOUSE.
Clarke induces the Empress to leave Paris for Rambouillet —
The capital on the 29th and 30th of March, 1814 — King
Joseph at Montmartre — Heroic conduct of three hundred
dragoons — The Polytechnic School — Capitulation of Paris —
The Prefect of Loir et Cher — Arrival of the Empress and
the King of Rome at Blois — Bigot de Pre'ameneu and the
Ministers — Marie-Louise learns at Blois the abdication of
Napoleon and his departure for the Isle of Elba . . . 127
X CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XV.
NAPOLEON AT FONTAINEBLEAU.
PAGB
The Emperor leaves Troyes — His arrival at the " Fontaine de
Juvisy " — General Belliard— The Duke of Vicenza — Arrival
at Fontainebleau — Marshals Ney and Macdonald — The
abdication of Napoleon — MM. Dejean and De Montesquiou
— Isabey — The Allied Commissaries — The courtyard of " Le
Cheval Blanc" — Napoleon's words — His departure from
Fontainebleau . . . 140
CHAPTER XVI.
Opposition to the reunion of Marie-Louise with Napoleon —
Joseph and Je'rome attempt to carry off the Empress — The
Hetman Platoff — Marie-Louise at Orleans — M. Dudon goes
to claim the Crown jewels — The necklace — The coronation
carriage — Interview between the Emperor of Austria and his
daughter — The ingratitude of Napoleon's valets — Rustam
the Mameluke, and Constant, First Valet-de-Chambre — The
great dignitaries — Passports — The Duke of Rovigo — Marie-
Louise at Vienna — Means taken to induce her to consent to
a divorce — Count de Bausset and M. de Rignolet — Madame
Mere — Cardinal Fesch 151
CHAPTER XVII.
The Paris newspapers — Napoleon's conversation — A short histori-
cal and geographical review — M. and Madame Guizot — The
Cure' of Salvagny — Arrival at Lyons — Augereau — Avignon
— Supper at St. Canat— The Sub-Prefect of St. Maximim —
Princess Pauline — Arrival at Frejus — Complaints of the
Emperor — Composition of his household — Embarkation —
Generals Druot and Bertrand — Departure for the Isle of
Elba 1G9
CHAPTER XVIII.
Napoleon's arrival at the Island of Elba — Details of his voyage
— His reception — His dwelling— Description of his Court
CONTENTS. XI
PAGB
— The Emperor's daily occupations — The real motives of
the Emperor's return to France — His sojourn in the Island
of Elba— His house 180
CHAPTEE XIX.
THE HUNDRED DAYS.
Napoleon's return to France — His arrival at Paris — Fouche — The
Champ de Mai — Opening of the campaign of 1815 — The
battle of Ligny — Waterloo — General Ornano — Napoleon at
the Elysee — Lucien — The Chambers — The second abdication
of the Emperor — A plot — The last sojourn at Malmaison —
Napoleon's projects — His departure for Eochefort — His exile
at St. Helena — Joseph —Princess Pauline— Queen Hortense 190
CHAPTER XX.
SOME FEATURES OF NAPOLEON'S CHARACTER ; VARIOUS ANECDOTES OF
HIS LIFE, AND PARTICULARS RELATING TO THE PERSONS WHO
FORMED THE IMPERIAL COURT.
The game of " Bars " — M. de Caulaincourt — The hot pasty —
M. de Menneval — -The etiquette of the Court of the Tuileries
— M. Barbier— The " Maternal Society "— M. Ternaux— The
old and the new nobility — The Duke of Placenza aud Count
Cliaptal — The " Grand Service " and the " Petit Service " —
The pastimes of Marie-Louise — The " Petites Entrees " —
Mesdames de Rovigo and de Bouille — M. de Saint-Aiguan
— The whip-stroke and the sword-cut — The billiard-room —
The Empress's album — Count de Laeepcde — The Duchess
of Weimar — Madame Bertrand 203
Appendix 231
NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER I.
THE FAMILY OF NAPOLEON — JEROME, KING OF WESTPHALIA — THE
PRINCESS OF WURTEMBURG THE DUC D'ENGHIEN — CAUSE OF THE
DIVORCE OF NAPOLEON AND JOSEPHINE — MARIE-LOUISE.
It was the end of 1809. The fresh victories just won
by the Emperor had rendered his crown secure; his
glory was complete, but for his ambition and his
happiness an heir was needed. He could not hope
for issue of his marriage with Josephine, and death
had recently removed the eldest son of his brother
Louis. The child had been generally regarded as his
uncle's successor ; some people went so far, indeed, as
to assert that he was his son, and that the Emperor
had given Hortense Beauharnais in marriage to Louis,
solely in order to conceal the result of his own rela-
tions with her. In support of what, after all, could be
no more than a conjecture, it was said that Louis
never could endure his wife, and thus it is that truth
sometimes serves to propagate falsehood. It is certain
B
2 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
that Napoleon never was unduly intimate with Hor-
tense, but that he loved her as he loved her brother
Eugene, because the two were the children of his wife.
In the various marriages which he decreed, whether
in his own family or among the personages of his
Court, he never consulted inclination ; he listened to
nothing except convenience. His will was an absolute
command : this was proved in the case of his brother
Jerome, who, having married Miss Patterson in America,
without his consent, was forced to abandon his wife
and child and to marry the Princess of Wurtemburg.
It is said that for a long time the marriage was a
nominal one, and indeed, that the King had vowed he
would never have any relations with a wife who had
been thus forced upon him. For three years he
lavished his attentions upon almost all the beauties of
the Westphalian Court. The Queen, an eye-witness
of this conduct, bore it with mild and forbearing dig-
nity ; she seemed to see and hear nothing ; in short,
her demeanour Avas perfect. The King, touched by
her goodness, weary of his conquests, and repentant of
his behaviour, was only anxious for an opportunity of
altering the state of things. Happily, the propitious
moment presented itself. The right wing of the
Palace at Cassel, in which the Queen's apartments
were situated, took fire; alarmed by the screams of
her women, the Queen awoke and sprang out of her
bed, to be caught in the arms of the King, and carried
to a place of safety. From that time forth the royal
FRATERNAL DISCORD. :>
couple were united and happy. The Queen was preg-
nant when she lost the throne, and never was there a
woman who behaved more nobly than she did to her
husband, who, homeless and proscribed, found rank
and fortune in the realm of his father-in-law : these
he owed to the affection of his wife, who never would
abandon him.
Louis was also obliged to submit to the absolute
will of the Emperor, who insisted on his marrying
Hortense Beauharnais, notwithstanding his attach-
ment to another person. Hence the indifference of
Louis to his wife. And yet Hortense was handsome,
graceful, gifted with many talents, and one who might
well have won a husband's love. She had three
children by Louis ; the first and second are dead ; the
only one remaining of that family is Prince Louis
Napoleon, who was born in 1808. Hortense made
many strenuous efforts to win her husband's heart, bat
all in vain. Nor did Louis ever forgive his brother
for the violence that had been done to his inclinations.
Dissension reigned between them from that time forth,
and when, after the death of the eldest son of Louis
and Hortense, the Emperor asked him for the second
in order that he might adopt him, Louis positively
refused. The second boy died in Italy; Prince
Louis is the third son of the King and Queen of
Holland.
Napoleon, who aspired to the glory of being the
founder of a fourth dynasty, wanted, nevertheless, an
4 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
heir, and an heir whom he might form betimes to
his own maxims. From this time forth he caused
his divorce to be talked of; he took care to let the
idea spread without contradiction, and he saw that
he might safely take that step whenever it should
appear good in his eyes, without hurting the feelings
of his subjects too keenly. Josephine disputed the
ground with him for some time. She was universally
liked; she had as much ascendency over him as it
was possible for any one to obtain; she was besides
so graceful and amiable, she was so well versed
in all the arts of pleasing, that she diverted many
a storm; and she alone had the gift of soothing a
naturally imperious and irascible temper.
When Bonaparte, then First Consul, desired to
make himself Emperor, he encountered serious resist-
ance in his own family. His mother and his brother
Lucien made great efforts to induce him to renounce
the idea, but in vain. The conflict ended, Madame
Lretitia and Lucien left France for Rome, from whence
Lucien never returned until the Hundred Days.
The opposition of his family troubled the First
Consul but little ; that which he had to encounter
from the Jacobin and Republican parties was much
more serious. The name of king or emperor was
odious to both. They were still attached to that phan-
tom of Equality to which they had raised altars. They
dared not, however, say openly that they refused
Bonaparte for a sovereign, and, while they hated him.
THE ROYALISTS ACCUSED. O
they lavished adulation upon him. They pretended
to believe that his only design in restoring the throne
was to pave the way for the re-establishment of the
Bourbon, and to act in France the part which Monk
had played in England, and to this pretext they
assigned their obstinate resistance.
Cambaceres and Fouche, who were specially charged
with the smoothing of the path by which the First
Consul was to reach the throne, made known to him
the fear and suspicion to which his project had given
rise. They added that the Royalists were conspiring
in the dark, that the police were aware of this, but
had not yet got hold of all the threads of the plot,
which they would need to enable them to act with
safety. A few days later, it was known that an
individual, who was treated with great observance
and respect, had had an interview with General
Moreau. Fouche assured the First Consul that the
personage was a prince of the house of Bourbon.
The First Consul doubted this : he knew that the
Dukes of Berry and Angouleme were in England ; he
knew also that the Duke of Enghien had gone to the
play at Strasburg several times, and returned the
following day to Etenheim. Nevertheless, he was told
over and over again that a conspiracy against him
was being organized, and that the confederates prided
themselves upon having a prince at their head.
The personage who had held the reported con-
ferences with Moreau had escaped arrest. All the
(! NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
information which Bonaparte received tended to make
him resolve upon having the Duke of Enghien seized.
The Prince was taken to Versailles, tried, and shot
in the night. There is a mystery in this matter,*
for the First Consul directed State-Councillor Real to
go to Vincennes and bring the judgment to him.
It was late when M. Real left Saint Cloud ; he went
from thence to his own house, and when he arrived
at Vincennes in the morning, all was over.
The death of the Duke of Enghien was an addition-
ally deplorable crime, in that he was innocent, and
the trial of George proved that Pichegru had been
taken for the Prince.
So firmly convinced was the Duke of Bourbon
that he owed the death of his son to Fouche and
Talleyrand, that he never would go to the Court of
the Restoration while they were there.
Once seated on the throne, the Emperor sought
for the means of providing himself with an heir.
There was no hope of his wife's giving him a son,
and thenceforth the idea of divorce was constantly
present to him. Josephine dreaded, and did all in
her power to avert, her fate ; but fortune had decreed
her fall, and it was hastened by some differences which
occurred between the Emperor and herself. Four
months afterwards the divorce took place.
* The mystery is dispelled by the " Memoirs of Madame do
Remusat," and an extraordinary contribution by M. Fauriel to the
history of the period, entitled " The Last Days of the Consulate."
(Sampson Low and Co.) — Translator's note.
MARRIAGE NEGOTIATIONS. 7
No sooner was the deed done, than all Europe
fixed its eyes on France, and a thousand conjectures
were formed as to the princess who should be chosen
as consort of the sovereign. Savary, Duke of Ro-
vigo, was despatched to Russia to ask for the hand
of a sister of the Czar Alexander. The negotiation
appeared to be on the point of succeeding when the
Empress-mother asked for time before she gave her
consent. This adjournment was regarded as a refusal,
and Austria having offered Marie-Louise, she was
accepted. The public was still seeking among the
various courts of Europe the Princess destined to
wear the crown-matrimonial of France, when they
learned that Napoleon had won one of whom they had
never thought, a Princess of the Imperial house of
Austria, a grandniece of Marie-Antoinette.
When the Duke of Vicenza, our ambassador at
St. Petersburg, waited upon the Empress-mother to
announce to her the marriage of Napoleon, she
thought he had come to receive her own reply, and
hastened to tell him that she accorded her daughter
to his master. The Duke, greatly surprised, was
obliged to explain to the Empress that her postponement
having been taken for a refusal, the offer of Austria
had been accepted, and that his mission was to announce
the marriage of Marie-Louise with his sovereign.
Berthier, Prince of Neufchatel, received the nuptial
benediction at Vienna, as proxy for the Emperor, and
the Strasburg road was speedily thronged with equi-
8 NAPOLEON AND MAEIE-LOUISE.
pages conveying the household of the new Empress to
Brannau, where she was to dismiss her own suite.
Marie-Louise was then eighteen years and a half
old; she had a majestic figure, a noble carriage, a great
deal of freshness and bloom, fair hair which was not
insipid, blue eyes, but they had animation in them,
hands and feet which might have served as models for
a, sculptor. She was, perhaps, a little too stout — a
defect she soon got rid of in France. Such were the
personal advantages which were first remarked in her.
Nothing could be more Gracious, more amiable than
her face, when she was quite at ease, either in her
private life or in the society of those persons with
whom she was particularly intimate ; but in public,
and especially on her first arrival in France, her
timidity gave her an embarrassed air which many
people mistook for haughtiness.
She had been very carefully educated ; her tastes
were simple, her mind was cultivated, she expressed
herself in French with facility, indeed with as much
ease as in her mother tongue. She was calm, reflec-
tive, kindly, and feeling-hearted, although not demon-
strative ; she had all the feminine accomplishments,
loved occupation, and did not know the meaning of
ennui. No woman could have suited Napoleon
better. Gentle, peaceable, a stranger to every kind
of intrigue, she never meddled in public affairs, and
indeed most frequently derived her knowledge of
them from the newspapers. To crown the happiness
MARIE-LOUISE. 9
of the Emperor, it pleased Providence that this young
Princess, who might have regarded him only as the
persecutor of her family, the man who had twice
obliged them to fly from Vienna, was delighted to be
able to captivate him in whom fame acclaimed the
hero of Europe, and soon came to regard him with
the most tender affection.
10 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER II.
ARRIVAL OP MARIE-LOUISE AT BRANNAU — HER HOUSEHOLD — MADAM L
MURAT — DISMISSAL OF MADAME LAJENSKI AND HER LITTLE DOG —
MEETING OF NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE AT SOISSONS.
Among the number of persons awaiting the new
Empress at Brannau, there were several who had.
known Marie-Antoinette. All these pictured to them-
selves what must be the feelings of Marie-Louise on
coming to seat herself upon the throne which had
brought such misfortune to her grand-aunt.
The Princess arrived : there was nothing sad in
her bearing ; she was gracious to all, and had the
faculty of pleasing almost everybody. She did not
part with the persons who had accompanied her
from Vienna without emotion, but she bore the sepa-
ration with courage. At the moment when she
stepped into the carriage that was to take her to
Munich, the Grand Master of her household, an old
man of sixty-five, who had come thus far with her.
raised his clasped hands to Heaven, as if imploring
Providence on behalf of his young mistress, and bless-
ing her like a father. His eyes revealed a soul full
queen Caroline's tyranny. 11
of great thoughts and sad recollections; his tears
drew answering tears from the witnesses of this
touching scene. Of all her Austrian suite, her Grand
Mistress, Madame Lajenski, who had been permitted
to accompany her to Paris, was the only one that
remained with her. She set out with her new house-
hold without knowing a single person among those
who formed it.
Here I must briefly explain the composition of
that household. The Princess Caroline, Madame
Murat, then Queen of Naples, the Emperor's sister, had
been charged with the arrangement of it, and she had
come to Brannau to receive her sister-in-law. The
Duchess of Montebello, handsome, prudent, the mother
of five children, and who had lost her husband in the
last battle, had been appointed Lady-in-Waiting (or,
"of honour"), a poor compensation offered to her by
the Emperor for the loss of her husband. The Coun-
tess of Lucay, a gentle, good woman, with perfect
manners, and who was familiar with the great world,
was her Lady of the Bedchamber. I shall speak here-
after of the Ladies of the Palace, whose functions,
entirely ruled by etiquette, rarely brought them
into personal relations with the Empress, but each of
whom had, nevertheless, her pretensions, which were
injured by the presence of Madame dc Lajenski. The
complaints they made to Queen Caroline induced her
to commit an act of despotism by which her sister-
in-law was deeply hurt.
12 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
The object of Madame Murat's ambition was to
aquire a great ascendency over Marie-Louise, and if
she had acted more adroitly she might have attained
it. M. de Talleyrand said of her that she had the
head of Cromwell on the body of a pretty woman.
She had by nature a striking character, fine intelli-
gence, great ideas, quick and supple wit, grace, and
amiability ; what she lacked was the art of hiding
her love of domination ; and when she did not attain
her object, it was because she tried to reach it too
quickly. From the moment at which she first saw
the Princess, she believed herself to have divined her
character, and she was completely mistaken. She
took her timidity for weakness, her embarrassment for
awkwardness ; she thought she had nothing to do but
command, and she closed against her for ever the heart
which she had aspired to rule.
The presence of Madame de Lajenski had excited
the jealousy and the fears of almost all the ladies of
the Empress's household. They intrigued, they caballed,
they told the Queen of Naples that she would never
have either the confidence or the affection of her
sister-in-law, so long as she kept a person near her
who had all the advantage of years of services
bestowed and intimacy fostered. The Lady of Honour
complained that her functions would be reduced to
nothing if the Empress had with her a foreigner who
would be all-in-all to her. At last they induced the
Queen to demand of Marie-Louise that she should dismiss
A CRUEL DEED. 13
Madame Lajenski, although a promise had been made
that she should remain in France for a year. The
Princess, who sincerely desired to gain the affection
of the persons with whom she would have to live,
made no resistance, and Madame de Lajenski returned
to Vienna, taking with her a little dos; belonging to
Marie-Louise. She was required to deprive herself of"
this dumb friend also on the pretext that the Emperor
had frequently complained of Josephine's dogs. The
Princess made these sacrifices with fortitude ; the
odium of them fell upon the Queen of Naples.
But Madame Murat did even worse than this ;
after she had exacted the Empress's consent to the
departure of Madame Lajenski, she gave orders to the
ladies in attendance to prevent the former Grande
Maitresse from entering the presence of Marie-Louise
if she should come to take leave. This command was
not obeyed; the ladies, shocked at such harshness,
brought Madame Lajenski in by a back door: she
passed two hours with her former pupil, and notwith-
standing the reprimand which their conduct brought
down on them from the Queen, they never repented
of it.
The Empress travelled by easy stages, and a fete
was prepared at each town through which she passed.
At Munich, a letter from the Emperor was handed to
her, and arrangements had been made that one (brought
from Paris by a page) should greet her each morn-
ing when she rose. She wrote a reply before she
14 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
resumed her journey, and a page started off for the
capital with the missive. This epistolary interchange
lasted during the entire journey, that is to say, fifteen
days, and it was remarked that Marie-Louise perused
the letters that were brought to her with growing
interest. The Emperor's handwriting was very diffi-
cult to read. The Duchess had often seen it in her
husband's hands ; she helped Marie-Louise to decipher
Napoleon's billets-doux, and the intimacy and confi-
dence which arose from this were probably the cause
of the Empress's strong attachment to her Lady- in-
Waiting. She was always eager for these letters, and
if the courier happened to be; detained by any cause,
she would ask over and over again whether he had
not yet arrived, and what could have occurred to
cause the delay. We must conclude that the corre-
spondence was of a very charming nature, since it
had already given birth to a sentiment which soon
acquired great strength.
Napoleon, on his part, was extremely eager to
behold his young bride; this marriage was more
flattering to his vanity than the conquest of an empire-
would have been. He was particularly delighted
because he knew that Marie-Louise had voluntarily
consented, and not merely as a princess who sacrifices
herself to great political interests. Several times he
was heard to curse the ceremonial and the fetes that
retarded the much-desired interview, which was to
take place at Soissons, where a camp had been formed
AX ARDENT BRIDEGROOM. 15
for the reception of the Empress. Unable to control
his impatience, the Emperor repaired thither twenty-
four hours before the arrival of the Princess, and so
soon as he learned that she was within ten leagues, he
set off with the King of Naples to meet her. The two
carriages encountered each other at four leagues
distance from Soissons; the Emperor got out of his,
opened the door of the Empress's, and rather flung
himself into than entered it. The Prince of Neuf-
chatel had given Marie-Louise a portrait of Napoleon,
and she had so often looked at it that his features
were familiar to her. Murat had also got into the
carriage, and the two married couples regarded each
other for a few moments in silence. This the Empress
was the first to break, and she said in a tone very
complimentary to the Emperor, " Sire, your portrait is
not nattered."
It was, however ; but love was already exercising
its sweet influence, and she looked at the Emperor
with eyes prejudiced in his favour. Napoleon was
charmed with her; indeed, such was his enthusiasm
that he stopped at Soissons, where they wore to have
remained until the next day, for a few minutes only,
and then went on at once to Compiegne. It appears
that the entreaties of Napoleon and the urgency of
Queen Caroline prevailed witli Marie- Louise, and that
-die did not insist on den}'ing her too happy bride-
groom the privileges of a husband until after the
religious marriage.
1G NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER III.
NAPOLEON.
CEREMONY OF THE RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE — THE EMPEROR'S LIFE— HIS
PRIVATE HABITS — HIS PUBLIC BEHAVIOUR — HIS CHARACTER— TRAITS
OF KINDNESS AND BENEFICENCE.
Everybody has read the details of the ceremony of
the religious marriage of the Emperor and Empress.
The great gallery of the Louvre, splendidly decorated,
and furnished with six rows of benches on each side,
was occupied by richly dressed women : at the end
was the temporary chapel in which the clergy awaited
the bridal pair. The Emperor, on his arrival, took the
Empress by the hand. Her train was borne by four
queens, those of Naples, Spain, Holland, and Wurtem-
burg, followed by the kings, and the great officers oi
the Crown. It was a magnificent spectacle for the
public.
We, who were behind the scenes, had one of a
different sort. The Emperor was a long time before he
could settle himself comfortably into his gorgeous
Spanish costume of white satin, embroidered in gold.
NAPOLEOX. 17
with a mantle of the same covered with golden bees.
He found his black velvet cap, adorned with eight
rows of diamonds, and three white plumes fastened by
a knot, with the regent blazing in the centre of it,
particularly troublesome. This splendid headgear was
put on and taken off several times, and we tried many
different ways of placing it before we succeeded. In
spite of ourselves, we were obliged to laugh at the
awkward attempts of the kings to drape themselves
gracefully in their mantles. The four queens con-
demned to carry the mantle of the Empress were very
much annoyed, and, notwithstanding our advice, did
it extremely ill.* We were substituted for them so far
as the entrance to the great galleiy, and at that point
they replaced us.
In this place I must draw the portrait of Napoleon.
He was then forty-one years old. In his youth he
was very thin, and had a greenish-olive complexion, a
long face, and dull eyes ; his whole physiognomy was
anything rather than agreeable.
In camp, and during his early campaigns, Napoleon
feared no fatigue, braved the worst weather, slept
under a wretched tent, and seemed to forget all care
for his person. In his palace he bathed almost every
day, rubbed his whole body over with eau de Cologne,
and sometimes changed his linen several times in the
* See Madaino de Re ; musat's account of the conduct of Xapoleon's
sisters at the coronation of the Emperor and Josephine. For the proper
appreciation of this scene it must be borne in mind that the Queen of
I Tolland was Josephine's daughter. — Translator's note.
18 NAPOLEON AND MARIE -LOUISE.
<lay. His favourite costume was that of the mounted
Chasseurs de la Garde. When travelling, he did not
care what sort of lodging he had, provided that no ray
of light could get into his bedroom ; he could not bear
even a night-lamp. His table was supplied with the
daintiest dishes; but he never touched them. His
favourite fare was grilled breast of mutton, or a roast
fowl, with lentils or haricot beans. He was very par-
ticular about the quality of bread, and he drank none
but the best wine, and very little of it. It has been
stated that he drank eight or ten cups of coffee daily ;
but this is a fable, to bo discarded with so many
others. He took a small cup of coffee after his break-
fast, and the same after his dinner. It is true, he was
so absent and preoccupied, that it has occasionally
happened to him to ask for his coffee immediately
after he had drank it, and to persist in asserting that
he had not taken it. He ate very fast, and rose the
moment he had done, without troubling himself as to
whether those who were admitted to his table had
had time to dine. It has also been asserted that he
took the greatest precautions against poison; this,
too, is a pure falsehood. Perhaps he was too careless
in that respect. Every morning his breakfast was
brought up to an ante-room to which all persons who
had obtained an audience-order had access, and
where they had to wait, sometimes, long enough. The
dishes, which were kept warm, were frequently left
there for several hours until orders were given for the
NAPOLEON. 19
meal to be served. Dinner was brought in by servants,
in covered baskets ; but nothing in the world could
have been easier than to slip poison into the food if
anybody had wanted to do so.
He spoke in. a loud voice, and when he was in a
merry mood his peals of laughter could be heard from
afar. He was fond of singing, although he had a bad
voice, and never could sing an air in tune. He took
particular pleasure in singing "Ah ! e'en est fait, je me
marie," or " Si le roi m'avait donne Paris, sa grand
vffle."
Every year he regulated his household " budget,"
having statements of the expenditure in each depart-
ment laid before him, and discussing the items. When
he had arrived at the total, he struck off twenty,
thirty, or forty thousand francs from the lump sum,
saying this was enough, and that the household must
be maintained on what he gave. In vain did the
Grand Marshal, the Master of the Horse, the Grand
Huntsman, the Grand Chamberlain complain and make
representations ; all was useless, and, as a matter of
fact, nothing was worse done in consequence.
The Emperor had the same way of dealing with Iris
Ministers ; he retrenched and suppressed in detail, and
when the budget was finally drawn up, he again
reduced it by one-fourth or one-sixth. They
grumbled, and declared that the public service suf-
fered ; he merely laughed at them, and that was all
they gained by their complaints. Being forced to
20 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
economize, each man busied himself with his own
department, and ended by finding that he could do
with the allotted sum.
Those who have lived in close contact with the
Emperor know that he possessed tact and perception,
that he knew how to manage and use men. To this
talent he owed his power. It has been said that he
despised everybody about him ; I do not know whether
that is true or not, but it is of my own knowledge
that he was cold and polite to those whom he did not
like, and that he said harsh and unpleasant thing-
only to those whom he did like. Ho did not, how-
ever, carry this to the extent of using expressions of
contempt. I can confidently assert that the sayings
which certain pamphlets impute to him were never
uttered by him. He did not say that the Chamberlains
were footmen, with only the difference that they wore
red livery instead of green. It is equally false that
he said he liked Savary because he would kill his own
father if he (the Emperor) ordered him to do so. No
sensible person would believe so atrocious an absur-
dity. Numbers of people nowadays * are eager to run
down Napoleon. I am convinced that those who now
cry out against him most loudly, are the same who
flattered him most egregiously. There are so many
who want to have it forgotten that but for him they
would have remained in the lowest classes of society.
but they are mistaken; the noise they make merely
* 1819.
NAPOLEOX. 21
evokes recollections anything but favourable to them-
selves. Napoleon had faults enough without their
being invented for him ; nor can any defame him
without insulting the nation whose head he was for
ten years, and also the sovereigns who allied them-
selves with him.
I have spoken already of his perception and quick-
ness : I will now add that he had a great deal of
general information upon all subjects ; he was not a
stranger to any art ; he loved letters, and appreciated
learned men ; he had singled out and attached to
his person (as Grand Master of Ceremonies) Count de
Segur, whose wit, amiability, and songs were talked of
long before he was known as the author of those
works which have raised him to a high place among
men of letters. His family, also, in which talent
seems to be hereditary, was well placed at Court. The
Count was an accomplished courtier, without servility ;
he was never reckoned among the Emperor's flatterers
before his fall or among his slanderers after. Napoleon
learned, onbecoming First Consul, that Marshal de Segur
was living at Versailles, in poor circumstances. He
desired Count de Segur to bring his father to the
Tuileries. On his approach, the First Consul went to
meet him, and the consular guard forming the line
beat to arms. This token of honour, which had lono -
been suppressed, visibly affected the old General, to
whom at the same time Napoleon announced that his
pension of G000 francs was restore], and that he might
draw six months' pay immediately.
'22 XAPOLEOX AND MARIE-LOUISE.
In the early days of his astonishing fortune-
Napoleon did not imitate the conduct of those up-
starts who above all things dread witnesses to their
first estate. He welcomed those who had known him
in the past, rendered them services, and treated them
with his former familiarity. The day he was appointed
First Consul he despatched a courier to Saint Denis,
bearing a letter to M. Rulhiere, who had been a sub-
lieutenant in the regiment of La Fere at the same
time with himself, announcing that he had chosen him
to be his secretary. He afterwards nominated him
Secretary-General to the commission of government
which he had just set up at Piedmont ; and he finally
gave him the prefecture of Aix-la-Chapelle. Rulhiere-
did not live to take possession of this post : he had
been attacked at Piedmont with a malady which all
the art of medicine there could not define, and he
died of it in Paris, whither he had gone for further
advice.
As Napoleon grew older and stouter, his face
became more rounded and his skin clearer, his eyes
acquired lustre, and his countenance nobility, with a
great deal of expression.
For three months after his marriage, the Emperor
remained with the Empress night and day; even the
most urgent affairs could not induce him to leave her
for more than a few minutes. He, who had a passion
for work, who would occupy himself with his Ministers
for eiii'ht or ten consecutive hours without beina'
NAPOLEON. 23
fatigued, he who tired out secretary after secretary,
now summoned councils at which he did not appear
until two hours after they were assembled ; he gave
very few private audiences, and it was necessary to
remind him several times of those which he could
not possibly avoid granting. Such an alteration sur-
prised every one ; the Ministers were loud in their
complaints ; the old courtiers merely looked on, and
said that such devotion was too extreme to last.
The Empress was the only person who never doubted
the permanence of a sentiment which she shared,
and which made her happy.
Napoleon, it was said, had not always been thus
amiable in private life. He was quick, choleric, irri-
table, and subject to a nervous affection (familiarly
known as " the fidgets ") which has given rise to
scores of stories, one more ridiculous than another.
It was even said that he was epileptic, subject to
frequent attacks of the malady, and was occasionally
unconscious for three or four hours at a time.
Nothing can be more absurd than these reports.
I spoke of them to one of his personal attendants, who
assured me that he had never seen anything to justify
the popular belief, during six years which he had
passed in Napoleon's service, and I can assert, on my
own part, and during four years of my close attendance
on the Empress, that I never perceived in the Emperor
any symptom of such a complaint.
He was merry and familiar in private life; fond
24 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
of pulling ears and pinching cheeks, as Marshal Duroc,
Berthier, Savary, and several of his aides-de-camp had
reason to know. I have seen him, when present at
the Empress's toilet, tease and plague her, pinching her
neck and cheek. If he was vexed he took her in his
arms, kissed her, called her grosse bete, and peace was
made. Whenever the Emperor wished to play any of
his tricks with Madame de Montebello, she repulsed
him with ill-humour, and he left off immediately.
He was amiable and kind to all who were about
him. Among a thousand instances of this, I will
relate one. . Every one knows that he was very fond of
hunting. Berthier, who was then Grand Huntsman,
liked the sport very well also, but he preferred pur-
suing it upon his own lands at Gros-Bois, to hunting
with the Emperor. One day, after the season had
begun, Berthier came to the " lever " of the Emperor,
who asked him :
" What sort of weather is it ? "
" Bad weather, Sire/'
" Will there be good hunting ? "
" No, Sire, there will be no scent."
"It must be put off, then."
The order was given, and at eleven o'clock the
Emperor came to breakfast with the Empress. The
sun was shining brightly ; it was in the month of
February. They agreed to go out walking, and to
take Berthier. He was inquired for, and the Emperor
was informed that lie had gone off to hunt at Gros-
NAPOLEON. 25
Bois. He laughed heartily at the trick which Berthier
had played him, and vowed that he would never again
take his word for the weather.
The Emperor would be master in important affairs,
but he bore with contradiction, and even liked it.
When he was in Marie-Louise's apartment he would
tease the "first ladies" about all sorts of things. They
would often hold their own against him, and he would
go on with the discussion, and laugh heartily when
our young people, who were very frank and artless,
said things which pleased him by their bold simplicity.
One day he came into one of the salons, and there
he found Mademoiselle M sitting with her back to
the door. He made a sign to the ladies opposite to
him to keep silence, and coming gently behind her, he
popped his hands over her eyes. The only person she
knew who could venture on such a familiarity with
her Avas M. Bourdier, a respectable old gentleman, and
First Physician to the Empress ; so she never doubted
that the intruder was lie.
" Have done, M. Bourdier," she cried ; " do you
think I don't recognize your big ugly hands ? " (The
Emperor's hands were beautiful.)
" Big ugly hands," repeated the Emperor, restoring
the use of her sight to her; "you are hard to please ! "
The poor girl was so confused that she ran out of
the room.
Another time, he was in the Empress's room while
•>he was being dressed, and he inadvertently trod on
26 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
the foot of the lady who presided at her Majesty's
toilet. He immediately uttered a loud cry as though
he had hurt himself.
" What is the matter with you ? " asked the
Emj)ress.
" Nothing," said he, with a burst of laughter ; " I
trod on Madame D 's foot, and I cried out, to pre-
vent her from doing so ; you see I have succeeded."
In the autumn which followed the Emperor's
marriage, the Court passed some time at Fontainebleau„
It was cold and damp in that vast palace. There
were fires everywhere, except in the Empress's apart-
ment ; but she, being accustomed to stoves, objected to'
our fires, saying that they incommoded her. One day,
the Emperor came to stay awhile with her, and on
leaving the room he complained of the cold, and told
the lady in attendance to have a fire lighted. When
the Emperor was gone, the Empress forbid this to be
done. The lady in attendance was Mademoiselle
Rabusson, a young person who had just come from
Ecouen, and was very frank and natural. The
Kmperor returned two hours afterwards, and asked
why his orders had not been executed.
" Sire," said the lady, " the Empress does not wish
for a fire ; she is in her own house [cltez die) and I am
bound to obey her."
The Emperor laughed heartily at this answer.
Going back to his own room, he found Duroc there,
and said to him : " Do you know what I have just
NAPOLEON. 27
been told at the Empress's ? (chez Ylmperatrice) that
the place is none of mine, and they won't let me have
a fire there." This anecdote amused us all in the
palace a good deal.
One day, when Napoleon was at breakfast with
Marie-Louise, he perceived that he had forgotten his-
handkerchief. One was immediately brought him ; he
unfolded it, and observing that it was embroidered, and
trimmed with lace, he inquired how much a hand-
kerchief like that might cost.
" Well, from eighty to a hundred francs," answered
Madame D , to whom the question was addressed.
" If I were first lady," said he, " I would steal one
every day."
" It is very lucky, Sire, that we have more honesty
than your Majesty."
" That is well said," observed the Empress ; " you
have only got what you deserve."
The Emperor was much amused. He was very
fond of children, and would often have the little sons;
of his brother Louis and Queen Hortense to breakfast
with him and Marie-Louise. He liked to tease them.
One day when the two little Princes were at breakfast,
Louis,* aged three years and a half, was eating a boiled
egg. Napoleon made him turn his head to look at a
toy, and took away the egg. When the child missed
it he took up his knife, and said to the Emperor :
" Give me back my egg, or I will kill you."
* Afterwards Napoleon III. — Translator's note.
28 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
" What, you rascal, would you kill your uncle ? "
" I must have my egg, or I will kill you."
The Emperor gave it back to him, saying, " You
will be a fine fellow."
Princess Elisa's daughter, a very proud child, of
five, could not endure the jokes which the Emperor
occasionally made at her expense, and said, after one
of them, to her governess, who was present, " Let us
return to Florence ; I am not understood here."
Several instances of kindness and beneficence on
the part of Napoleon are too well known for me to
repeat them here ; the following, I believe, has never
been quoted. While hunting in the forest of Com-
piegne, he had dismounted, and was walking, ac-
companied only by the Duke of Vicenza, when he met
two wood cutters who, being fatigued with their toil,
were resting for a moment on the trunk of a tree.
They had served with the French troops in the
Egyptian expedition. One of the men recognized
the Emperor and rose at once. M. de Caulaincourt
wished to make the other stand up also.
"No, no," said Napoleon; "don't you see they are
tired ? "
He made the man who had risen sit down again,
seated himself on the same tree trunk, talked to
them about the expedition to Egypt, and their own
affairs, and having learned that one of them had not
obtained a retiring pension, he granted him one, and
gave them ten Napoleons each on leaving them.
( 29 )
CHAPTER IV.
XArOLEON" ORGANIZES THE HOUSEHOLD OF MARIE-LOUISE — WOMEN' V
RIVALRIES — BIEXXAIS THE JEWELLER — M. PUEE.
The Emperor was not jealous, and yet he had sur-
rounded his young wife with endless restrictions
which resembled the precautions of jealous}'. They
had, however, their origin in less ungenerous ideas.
He knew well the loose morals of his Court, and he
wanted to organize a mode of life for the Empress
which should render her inaccessible to the very
lightest suspicion. The Lady-in-Waiting, the Lady
of the Bedchamber, and the Lady Ushers, or Dames
d'Annonces, exclusively possessed the right of enter-
ing her presence at all times. The Emperor, in organ-
izing the household of the Empress, had very lofty
views, as he had in everything else, but he was hindered
in the carrying out of them by the petty passions of
those around him.
In the time of the Empress Josephine, there were
three Lady Ushers whose sole business was to keep the
door of the private apartments. The Empress ad-
SO NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
mitted several persons to intimacy with her ; jealousies
arose between the Ladies of the Palace and the Lady
Ushers, and gave rise to disputes which worried and
wearied Napoleon. This state of things induced the
Emperor, who knew the sedentary life led by the ladies
who devoted themselves to the education of the
daughters of the members of the Legion of Honour in
the imperial house of Ecouen, to instruct the Queen of
Naples to write to Madame Campan, the superin-
tendent, requesting her to select four to be attached
to the household of the Empress. He desired that the
preference should be given to the daughters and
widows of generals, and announced that for the future
those places were to belong to the pupils of the imperial
house at Ecouen, and would be the reward of their
good conduct. He kept his word ; some months after,
having raised the number of ladies to six, two of
the pupils, Mesdemoiselles Materol and Rabusson,
daughters and sisters of superior officers, were named.
These six ladies, who at first bore the title of " Dames
d'Annonces," because they had to announce the
persons who presented themselves, but who were
afterwards called " Premieres Dames de l'lmperatrice,"
because they were in reality charged with the whole
of the personal service, had under their orders six
waiting-women, but the latter did not come into
the presence of the Empress except when they were
summoned by a bell, while the former, four of whom
were in waiting alwa} T s, passed the entire day with
ORIENTAL PRECAUTIONS. 31
her. They entered the Empress's room before she
rose, and they never left her until she was in bed.
Then all the doors by which access to her room was
gained were shut, except one which led into an adjoin-
ing room ; in this the ladies who had the principal
" service " slept. The Emperor himself could enter his
wife's room at night, only by passing through this one.
No man, with the exception of the physicians or
" Officers of Health," as they were called, and Messieurs
de Maineval and Ballouhai — the former her " secretary
of commands," the second her "steward of expendi-
ture," was admitted into the private apartments of
the Empress without an order from the Emperor. Even
ladies, the Lady-in- Waiting, and the Lady of the
Bedchamber only excepted, were not received until
they had obtained an audience order from Marie-Louise.
The Ladies of the Household were charged with the
enforcement of these regulations, and responsible for
their fulfilment. One of them was present at the
lessons which the Empress received in music, drawing,
and embroidery. They wrote to her dictation or by
her order, and fulfilled the duties of readers. This
was indisputably a wearisome life ; but they had been
accustomed to retirement at Ecouen ; the kindness
of their imperial mistress mitigated its irksomeness,
and they served her for love rather than from mere
duty.
Their constant presence in the private rooms where
the Emperor frequently came because the Empress
32 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
passed a portion of her days there, excited the jealousy
and envy of several Ladies of the Palace. As it was
impossible to attack their conduct, which was per-
fectly correct, an attempt was made to humiliate them.
It was at the solicitation of these ladies that Napoleon
changed the title of " Dames d'Annonces " to that of
" Premieres femmes de chambre," a title which had no
connection with the duties of the objects of their
jealousy. The ladies of Ecouen had nothing to do
with the toilet of the Empress. One day, the Emperor,
being at breakfast with the Empress, said to Madame
D , who was in attendance : " You ought to be
glad, for I have given orders that captains of my guard
are to be chosen as husbands for these young persons
of yours."
" Sire, the captains of your guard will not marry
waiting women " (femmes de chambre).
" And why not ? They will be presented after
their marriage ; besides, was not Madame la Baronne
de Misery femme de chambre to Marie- Antoinette ? "
" Since then, Sire, a revolution in ideas has taken
place ; that which used to be held in honour is so held
no longer. When your Majesty asked for ladies from
Ecouen to form part of the Empress's household, we
had a right to believe that in (putting an honourable
and respected position, we were not about to fall
lower. But, Sire, ought I, the widow of a general.*
* General Durand commanded Fort Vauban in 1793 ; lie av;ih.
bombarded and obliged to surrender to the Anstrians, after a mo*t
A SPIRITED PROTEST. 33
and having a son, to make him blush for the position of
his mother ? If your Majesty persists in the intention
of giving us this title, notwithstanding my profound
grief at leaving the Empress, I shall beg of you to
send me back to Ecouen."
The Emperor laughed at my vehemence, and talked
of something- else. When he was gone, Marie-Louise,
who was always kindness itself to me, asked me how
I had dared to assert myself against the Emperor,
and said she had been afraid that he might send me
back to Ecouen."
" Madame," I replied, " the Emperor is just, and
he must have understood my susceptibility on the
point."
A few days afterwards we were all six named
" Lectrices " (Readers).
When the Court travelled, one of the First Ladies
always slept in a room adjoining that of the Empress,
and through which it was necessary to pass in order
to reach her Majesty's.
I will cite two examples of the rigid observance of
his rules exacted by the Emperor.
Biennais, the goldsmith, had had a coffer made for
the Empress for the purpose of holding papers, with
several secret contrivances in it ; these were to be
known to her alone, and it was indispensable that he
honourable defence. He was taken to Hungary. Being exchanged
after the death of Robespierre, he retired into domestic life, and would
not serve again. He died in 1807.
1)
34 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
should show and explain them to her. Marie-Louise
spoke of the matter to her husband, who gave her
permission to receive Biennais, and the latter was
summoned to Saint-Cloud. He arrived, and was
shown into the music-room, where he remained at one
end with her Majesty, Madame D being in the
same room, but sufficiently far off not to hear the
explanation. Just as it was concluded, the Emperor
came in, and, seeing Biennais, he asked : " Who is that
man ? " The Empress hastened to name him, and to
explain why he had come, and that the Emperor him-
self had given permission for him to be admitted to
her presence. Napoleon distinctly denied the latter
assertion, declared that the lady on duty was in the
wrong, and addressed a severe reprimand to her which
the Empress had a great deal of trouble to check,
although she said to him :
" But, mon ami, it is I who gave orders that
Biennais should be sent for."
The Emperor laughed, and said it was no affair of
hers ; that the lady on duty was responsible for those
who entered there ; that she only was to blame, and
he hoped the thing would not happen again.
The following is the second example. Marie-
Louise's music-master, M. Paer, had been her mother's
teacher also. One day, while he was giving her a
lesson, the lady on duty — again it was Madame D
— had an order to transmit ; so she opened a door, and
standing, with half her body outside of it, gave the
FALSE STORIES. 35
order. At this moment Napoleon entered the room,
and not seeing her at once, thought she was not there.
After the music-master was gone, Napoleon asked
where she had been when he came in. She told him
that she had been in the room, but he would not
believe her, and preached her a long sermon, in
which he said he would not endure that any man, no
matter of what rank, could boast of having been two
seconds alone with the Empress. He added with
vivacity :
" Madame, I honour and I respect the Empress ;
but the sovereign of a great Empire must be placed
out of the reach of a suspicion."
After these two examples, it is easy to judge how
much credit ought to be given to the anecdote which
was so widely spread about, that Leroy, the Empress's
tailor, had been excluded from the palace for having
said to the Empress, while he was trying a dress
on her, that she had beautiful shoulders. I know
M. Leroy well enough to be quite sure that if he
had been admitted to the Empress's private room
he would not have said anything of the kind, for he
has too much tact, and is too well versed in Court
manners to commit such an impropriety ; but, as a
matter of fact, he never had the opportunity.
Although the dresses ordered for Marie-Louise were
made at his establishment, on a model which had been
given to him, neither he nor anybody in his employ-
ment ever tried them on the Empress : it was her maids
36 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
who showed him the alterations which he was to
make. The same rule was observed with regard to
the other milliners and dressmakers, male and female,
the corset-maker, shoemaker, glover, etc. No purveyor
of anv kind of wares whatever either saw or spoke-
to the Empress in private.
( 37 )
CHAPTER V.
MADAME DE LUC'AY — GENERAL LANNES — A SAYING OF JOSEPHINE'S —
THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF MONTEBELLO — COKVISAKT — PREFECT
MERE DE QUI.
Madame de Moxtebello, Lady-in-Waiting, and
Madame de Lucay, Lady of the Bedchamber, passed
an hour or two every morning with the Empress. One
might be tempted to believe that a fatality attaches
to those two posts, for at no time in the history of the
( 'omt of France have the ladies who occupied them
been able to live together in peace. The Memoirs of
Mesdames de Motteville and Campan prove the truth
of this observation ; here is a fresh example.
Madame de Montebcllo and Madame de Lucay
never liked each other from the time they were
attached to the service of the Empress, and it appears
that the former had done very ill turns to the latter.
An estrangement ensued, which was the more
remarkable because it originated with Madame de
Montebcllo, and the more surprising because Madame
de Lucay is amiable, well bred, perfect in her conduct
38 NAPOLEOX AND MARIE-LOUISE.
and demeanour, incapable of harming even an enemy
(if she could have one), with no courage to defend her-
self, and only able to summon any when it is a case of
defending the absent ; and she possesses all the habits
and manners of Court life, having lived at Court several
years. Her husband had been one of the first to
attach himself to the fortunes of Napoleon ; he was
then owner of the Chateau de Valencay, and was
appointed Prefect of Indre ; he afterwards became
Prefect of the Palace, and Madame de Luc;ay was mad*
Lady of the Palace to Josephine. The Emperor, who
had every reason to be pleased with her, placed her in
the service of his young wife as Lady of the Bed-
chamber.
Madame de Montebello belonged to the . bourgeois
class. Her mother, who was an estimable woman, had
presided over her education ; but, not having lived in
high society, she could not impart to her daughter
either the ideas or the sentiments which she would
have needed, to enable her adequately to fill so
important a post.
She appeared at Court as the wife of General
Lannes ; she had a virginal face and an air of great
sweetness ; she pleased everybody, although in reality
there was a great deal of coldness and hardness in her
nature. She was not often at Court at first, be-
cause her husband required her to follow him in his
expeditions. General Lannes, who was born in the
plebeian class, had merited and won the friendship
THE DUCHESS DE MONTEBELLO. 3D
and favour of Napoleon by deeds of distinguished
valour, and when a new nobility was created the title
of duke was conferred upon him. But Lannes was not
content with this, and said openly that he deserved
the title of prince better than any of those who had
obtained it. His frankness was extreme, and he was
almost the only man who never disguised his real
thoughts from the Emperor. He supremely detested
the old nobility, especially the emigres, and he had
done all in his power to dissuade Napoleon from
recalling them to France, and above all from attaching
them to his person. He had, indeed, had some sharp
quarrels on this point with the Empress Josephine, who
was on their side. He did not attempt to conceal this
aversion : the emigres, who were informed of it,
heartily reciprocated his sentiments.
One day there happened to be several of the re-
called nobles in one of the salons of the Tuileries
through which Lannes had to pass, on his way to the
Emperor's cabinet, and they affected to place themselves
before him so as to bar his way. The General instantly
drew his sword, and swore he would crop the ears of
anybody who should hinder him from passing. Ho
found no obstacle ; every one there hastened to get out
of his way, for he was a man of his word.
On another occasion, when he had been vainly
urging Napoleon anew on the subject of the emigres,
and entreating him to refuse to admit any one of them
near him, he at last lost control of himself, and, using
40 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
the old familiar tutoiement as he had been accustomed
to use it a few years before, he said :
" Thou wilt never do anything except out of thine
own head ! but thou wilt repent of this. They are
traitors ; thou shalt load them with benefits, and if
they get the opportunity they will assassinate thee."
This outbreak was punished by the General's tem-
porary exile, and as he imputed that also to the
emigres, it did not diminish his enmity against
them. But it was Murat for whom he most openly
paraded his contempt. Murat, who belonged to the
lower order of the people, was destined, like Masaniello,
to exercise the supreme authority at Naples, and also,
like him, to end his days in a no less tragic manner,
with, however, this difference, that he retained to the
last the strength of mind and courage which had been
characteristic of him all his life.
He was renowned in the army for his personal
courage, although his companions in arms did not
consider that he possessed the chief qualities which
constitute a great general.
Josephine said of Murat (whom she liked no better
than she liked his wife), " He smells of powder half
a league off, and would put his Creator to the
sword." Murat's marriage with the Emperor's sister
was one of the principal causes of his elevation. Even
at tli at period the First Consul would not have allowed
his brother-in-law to continue to be merely one among
the generals of the Republic. He alwa}~s placed him
JOACHIM MURAT. 41
-at the head of his advanced guard, and Murat's dash-
ing gallantry had a success that was never equivocal.
Murat loved show and expense, and more than once
he had recourse to the generosity of his brother-in-law,
who paid his debts for him ; not, however, without
reprimanding him severely for his prodigality, and
the luxury in which he indulged even in the field.
When he was made prince, he visited the Department
of the Lot, where he was born, and his family still
resided. He assembled all its members, rich and poor,
at a great dinner, and inquired into the circumstances
of each. Some of his relations were very poor, but the
new prince was not ashamed of any of them. Every
one belonging to him was enabled to live comfortably
1 >y his beneficent aid.
But, to return to Marshal Lannes. It is not sur-
prising that he inspired his wife with feelings similar
to his own, and she afterwards gave mere than one
proof of them. Her private circle was composed of
her family, and the only stranger whom she received
was Dr. Corvisart, first physician to tire Emperor at
< iuichenene. Her father was an intimate friend of the
doctor, to whom he was bound by a community of
tastes and habits, and this society was not what might
have been desired for a young woman destined to a
high position near the throne.
At the period of which I write the Duchess Avas
iust thirty years old; in full dress she was one of the
best-looking' women belon^m™ to the Court. Her
42 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
expression was calm and gentle ; she had a cold
manner which she could render gracious when she
chose. As she loved only her children and her kins-
folk, she had always enjoyed a spotless reputation, and
to this she owed the place of Lady-in- Waiting (or
Dame d'honneur), which the Emperor said ho had
given her because she was truly " a lady of honour."
If, however, her behaviour made her suitable for the
post, her disposition did not. Madame do Montebello,
loving her home and her ease, detesting every kind of
restraint, naturally indolent and inactive, disliking the
duties which took her so completely out of her own
ways, never took any pleasure in her position. She
dreaded having to make requests, to solicit any-
thing, and yet she was obliged to do so for many
persons, whose number increased as she grew in favour,
and she made enemies of those whom she forgot or
neglected. She had not the art of refusing gracefully :
her negative answers were abrupt and harsh, and
whether she was obtaining a favour or employed to
announce a granted grace, it was done in the same
way, as a matter in which she took no personal interest
whatsoever.
This conduct alienated a number of persons
whom she might have attached to her by one
gracious word. She w^as reproached with being lofty
and exacting with her equals, proud and disdainful
Avith her inferiors. She thought it beneath her to
conceal her opinion of those who were the subject of
CALUMNY AT COURT. 43
remark, and she expressed it openly and without
reserve. This frankness, so novel at Court, won the
confidence of the Empress, but it also made enemies
for her who sought their revenge in spreading a most
unfounded calumny concerning her. It was reported
that she was with child by Napoleon. Now, Madame
Lannes never even liked the Emperor; I believe,
indeed, that she had a positive dislike to him.
It is asserted that the reason of her dislike was to
be found in her ambition. She had deeply resented
her husband's not having been made prince, regarding
this as an injustice ; perhaps she was right. The death
of the Marshal increased her bitterness against Napo-
leon, but her anger reached its culminating point when
she had a request made to the Emperor, through the
Empress, that the Senatorship of Douay, vacant by the
death of Jaccpieminot, might be given to her father,
and it was refused in the most ungracious way. The
story against her was trumped up in the hope of dis-
crediting her with the Empress, but its falsehood was
so evident that only those who would swallow any-
thing, gave credence to it. The Duchess was apprised
that such a rumour was in circulation, and did not
allow a da}" to pass without presenting herself at the
Tuileries. It is untrue that she was ever absent : the
duties of her post were fulfilled at that period with
unfailing exactness.
This occurrence ought to have induced her to take;
some pains to conciliate certain ladies of the Palace
44 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
who detested her, constantly complained of her, and
said that she could never be half an hour in the salon
de service without saying something unpleasant to
them. She was not much better liked at home ; and
this was a remarkable fact, for she was endowed with
qualities calculated to please and to win regard.
It is said that, although she was very rich, Corvi-
sart, who was her friend, had persuaded Marie-Louise
that Madame Lannes had only 6000 francs a year, out
of the immense fortune of her husband, and that she,
on her side, rendered a similar service to the doctor by
representing to the Empress that he was in embarrassed
circumstances. The result of this concerted manoeuvre
was that the Duchess and the doctor received handsome
donations and presents.
When, in 1813, Napoleon granted a pension of
.10,000 francs to Madame de Montesquiou as a recom-
pense for the care she had bestowed upon his son,
Madame de Montebello was so angry and jealous that
she gave the Empress no rest until she had obtained a
like favour for her from the Emperor, although she had
done nothing to merit it, and ought to have been
ashamed to solicit any such thing.
After a few months the Emperor resumed his
former habits, worked more steadily, and was less
assiduous in his attentions to his young wife.
Marie-Louise felt that she needed a friend, and the
Duchess de Montebello listened with sympathy to the
outpourings of her royal mistress's heart, bemoaned
MADAME MERE. 45
her, pitied her, consoled her, and insinuated herself so
cleverly into her confidence and good graces that the
Empress could not do without her. She loved the
Duchess like a sister, and sought to prove this to her
by the kindest attentions both to herself and her
children. She was happy to find a present which
could please the Duchess, and to offer it to her in a
frank and graceful manner which was very charming •
she liked those whom her friend liked, and disliked all
who were displeasing to her. The ascendency of the
Duchess was observed, and she was speedily accused
by persons who considered that they had a right to
complain.
Of the number were the Emperor's sisters, and
Madame Mere spoke very sharply on the subject to the
Empress, complaining of Madame de Montebello. The
latter, being informed of this, and finding herself
obliged to make a visit to Madame, said in the presence
of three of the femmes de chambre, and a first lad}-,
that she despised what Madame said, and that she
wished she could write upon her card that her visit
was for the mother of the Emperor, and not for
" Madame Mere."
Those words " Madame Mere " remind me of an
amusing; anecdote which I shall relate here, although
it be somewhat out of place, lest I should not find
another opportunity ; for it deserves to be preserved.
A certain prefect of a department (one of the most
distant from the capital), having been summoned to
40 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Paris, received an invitation to dine with Cambaceres
the day after his arrival. The palace of the minister
adjoined that of the Emperor's mother, and the prefect,
mistaking the door, entered the abode of Madame,
instead of that of the Arch-Chancellor. It happened
that it was one of her grand reception days, and the
prefect, having given his name, was ushered into a
salon where a large number of persons were assembled.
He looked about everywhere for Cambaceres, and not
seeing him, took his place in the circle without ad-
dressing a word to anybody.
" Excuse me for taking a liberty," said a neighbour
on one side of him, " but it seems to me that you have
not made your bow to Madame."
" Madame whom ? " said the stranger, who knew
that Cambaceres was not married.
" Madame Mere," answered his neighbour.
" But mother of whom ? " (Mere de qui ?)
" Mother of his Majesty the Emperor."
"Am I not in Cambaceres' house ?"
" You are in the Emperor's mother's house."
The poor prefect, overwhelmed with confusion, took
his departure in all haste, and had not even sufficient
presence of mind to offer an apology. Ever since lie
is known by the nickname of " M. le Prefect Mere
de qui."
( 47 )
CHAPTER VI.
A SAYIXG OF THE EMPEROR'S — DUBOIS — MEN OF LETTERS — THE
COUXTESS DE MONTESQUIOU.
An occasion on which the Duchess cle Montebello
appeared in a very favourable light was the birth
of the son of Xapoleon. It is well known that the
Empress suffered very severely in her confinement, and
for nine whole days Madame de Montebello remained
in her room, hardly ever leaving it for a moment. She
passed the nights upon a sofa ; in short, she did
everything that could have been expected from either
her sense of duty or her feelings of affection.
In writing of the Empress's confinement, it is fitting
that I should give some details relating to the birth of
the child concerning whom the most absurd rumours
were then rife. According to some of these the
Empress had never been pregnant, and her delivery
was a comedy played for the purpose of enabling
Xapoleon to adopt one of his natural children.
According to others, Marie-Louise had been delivered
of a still-born daughter, for whom another child had
48 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
been substituted. These reports, as ridiculous as they
were improbable, were without the very slightest
foundation, and the short narrative which follows may
be confidently accepted as certain and authentic.
It was seven o'clock in the evening when the
Empress felt the first pains of childbirth. M. Dubois,
the surgeon-accoucheur, was summoned, and he re-
mained with her thenceforth. The pains went on
during the whole night. With the Empress were
Madame de Montebello, Madame de Lucay, Madame
de Montesquiou (who had been appointed governess to
the child about to be born), two first ladies, Mesdames
Durand and Ballant, and Madame Blaise, the nurse.
The Emperor, his mother, his sisters, and MM.
Corvisart and Bourdier, were in an adjoining room.
They frequently entered the room to learn how the
Empress was, but observed the most profound silence.
The pains, which had not been strong during the night,
subsided altogether at five o'clock in the morning.
M. Dubois, seeing no symptom that indicated a speedy
deliverance, informed the Emperor, and he, having sent
everybody to bed, went to his bathroom. There
remained in the Empress's room only M. Dubois and
the ladies whom I have named. The other women
attached to her service were resting in the adjoining-
dressing-room.
The Empress, worn out with fatigue, slept for about
an hour; she was then awakened by violent pains,
which went on increasing in severity without, how-
napoleon's anxiety. 49
ever, producing the natural crisis, and M. Dubois was
only too sadly certain that the accouchement would be
difficult and protracted. He went to the Emperor, who
was then in the bath, and begged him to come to the
Empress, to encourage her by his presence to bear her
sufferings with courage. M. Dubois did not conceal
from him that he feared it would be impossible to save
both mother and child. " Think only of the mother ! "
cried Napoleon, " and do all you can for her." He
would hardly let himself be dried ; and went to the
Empress's room, having given orders that all those
who ought to be present should be apprised. He em-
braced his wife tenderly, and exhorted her to courage
and patience. M. Bourdier, physician, and M. Yvan,
surgeon, arrived at this moment, and they held Marie-
Louise. The child was born feet foremost ; M. Dubois
was obliged to resort to instruments in order to free
the head. The delivery lasted for twenty-six minutes,
and was very painful. The Emperor could not remain
present tor more than five minutes. He relinquished
the hand of the Empress, which he had been holding
between his own, and withdrew to the dressing-room.
He was as pale as death, and seemed to be beside him-
self. Almost every minute he sent one of the women
to bring him news of his wife. At length the child
came into the world, and so soon as the Emperor was
told, he flew to his wife and folded her in his
arms.
The infant remained lor seven minutes without
E
50 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
any sign of life. Napoleon cast his eyes upon it for
an instant, thought it was dead, did not utter a single
word, but occupied himself solely with the Empress.
A few drops of brandy were put into the child's
mouth, its whole body was slapped with the flat of
the hand, and it was wrapped in hot cloths. At
length it uttered a cry, and the Emperor turned to
embrace the son, whose birth was the crowning point
of his happiness, and the last gift of that fortune
which was so soon to forsake him.
This scene took place in the presence of twenty-
two persons, whom it will be well to name, in order
to establish the authenticity of the details which 1
have just given. The witnesses were the Emperor,
Cambaceres, who, as Arch-chancellor of the Empire,
had to attest the sex and the birth of the infant ; the
Prince de Neufchatel, who, although he had no official
business there, attended the Emperor, from zeal and
attachment ; MM. Dubois, Oorvisart, Bourdier, and
Yvan ; Mesdames de Montebello, de Lucay, and de
Montesquiou ; the six first ladies, Mesdames Ballant,
Deschamps, Durand, Hurcau, Rabusson, and Gerard ;
live waiting-women, Mesdemoiselles Honore, Edouard,
Barbier, Aubert, and Geoffroy ; Madame Blaise (the
nurse), and two wardrobe-maids. This sufficiently
demonstrates the absurdity of the fable of a suppo-
sititious child. The thing could not have been done
in the presence of so many witnesses, and it should
also be borne in mind that adjoining the bedroom on
THE BIRTH OF THE CHILD. 51
one side was the dressing-room, crowded with all the
subordinate persons employed in the service of Marie-
Louise, and on the other were several salons occupied
by a number of persons belonging to the Court, who
were all impatiently awaiting news of the important
event that was impending.
All the inhabitants of Paris knew that the Empress
had been seized with the pains of labour, and from
six o'clock in the morning the garden of the Tuileries
was rilled with an immense crowd of people of all
ages and conditions. It had been made known that
twenty-one guns would announce the birth of a
princess ; but that one hundred and one would be fired
to celebrate that of an heir to the throne. No sooner
was the first gun fired than profound silence fell upon
the multitude, just before so restless and noisy. This
silence was broken only by those who counted the
reports of the guns, saying, in a low voice, one, two,
three, etc. But, at the twenty-second, the enthusiasm
of all broke out simultaneously, cries of joy, hats
tossed in the air, and shouts from the garden of the
Tuileries contributed as much as did the roar of the
guns to carry the great news to the other quarters
of Paris. Napoleon, hidden behind the curtain of a
window of the Empress's room, enjoyed the spectacle
of the general gladness, and was deeply affected by it.
Tears rolled down his checks without his feeling them
flow, and it was in this state that he came to embrace
his son anew.
52 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Without giving a complete list of the poems,
epistles, odes, strophes, couplets, etc., etc., written in
all the living languages (English excepted) which
were composed on the occasion of the birth of the
King of Rome, I will only say that the number of
compositions of this kind sent to the Emperor and
Empress amounted to over two thousand in less than
a week. The Emperor accepted them all (without
reading them, it is true), and with them the requests
for favours of all kinds which the authors had, with
wise foresight, added to their effusions. How, indeed,
could Napoleon, who was naturally generous, refuse
tokens of his goodwill to those who expatiated upon
the bounty of Providence towards himself? It was
impossible, and any other individual in his place would
have done as much. I have it on good authority that
a sum of one hundred thousand francs, charged upon
his privy purse, was divided by M. Dequevanvillicrs,
Accountant-Secretary of the Chamber, among the
authors of the effusions sent to the Tuileries.
A curious fact, to whose authenticity I can pledge
myself, is, that when Napoleon, having returned from
the island of Elba, left Paris to take the command of
the army assembled on the frontiers of Flanders, one of
these poets of the moment, assisted by two others, com-
posed a dramatic piece destined for the Theatre des
Varieties, which could be made, by a few trifling altera-
tions, to do equally well for the celebration of the
tT'iumph of Napoleon, or the return of Louis XVIII.
NURSERY REGULATIONS. 53
Immediately after its birth the imperial infant
was confided to a nurse of healthy and robust con-
stitution, taken from the class of " the people." She
could not go out of the palace, or be visited by any
man ; the most stringent precautions were taken in that
respect. For health's sake she was regularly taken
out in a carriage, but she was always accompanied by
several women.
I have already said that the Countess de Monte-
squiou, whose husband was Grand Chamberlain, had
been appointed governess to the young Napoleon. It
would have been difficult to make a better choice.
This lady, who came of an illustrious family, had
received an excellent education ; to the " ton " of the
great world she united piety too sincere and en-
lightened ever to degenerate into bigotry. Her con-
duct had always been such as calumny itself dared
not attack. She was accused of some haughtiness,
but this was tempered by politeness, and a gracious
obligingness. She took the most tender and assiduous
care of the young Prince, and nothing could be more
noble and generous than the self-devotion which after-
wards led her to leave her country, her friends, and
her family, to ally herself with the fate of a child, all
whose hopes had just been laid low. And yet the
only reward she reaped was bitter grief and unjust
persecution.
54 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER VII.
THE THREE ARM-CHATRS— THE EMPRESS'S MEDICINE — THE THREE PARTIES
— JOURNEY TO FONTAINEBLEAU — BULL OF EXCOMMUNICATION SENT
BY THE TOPE — THE AB1SE D'ASTROS — THE DUKE OF BOVIGO — THE
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE LIBRARY — COUNT BIGOT DE PREAMENEU,
MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORSHIP YISIT TO THE TOPE.
For six weeks after the birth of her child, Mario-
Louise received only the Lady-in- Waiting, the Lady of
the Bedchamber, and the Princesses of the Imperial
family. When Madame Mere or one of the sisters of
Napoleon came to see her, arm-chairs were placed for
them near her bed. On the day appointed for Marie-
Louise to receive, for the first time, all the persons
presented at Court, the Emperor remarked that three
arm-chairs, for Madame Mere and the Queens of Spain
and Holland respectively, had been placed near the
state couch prepared for the Empress. He found fault
with this arrangement; said that his mother, not being
a queen, ought not to have an arm-chair, and therefore
no one should have it. He ordered the arm-chairs to be
removed, and three very elegant tabourets put in their
places. Madame Mere arrived presently, with the two
A QUESTION OF ETIQUETTE. 55
queens, and when they found that they were not to
have arm-chairs they withdrew at once with an
offended air, and would not remain to take part in
the reception of the ladies who were expected. This
incident increased the coolness which already existed
in the private relations of the family, and a number of
small annoyances resulted from it, the brunt of which
the Empress had to bear, although she was entirely
blameless in the matter of their origin.
One day when Marie-Louise was to take medicine,
she insisted on its being given to her before her doctor
arrived. After she had swallowed the dose she had a
sharp attack of cholic, and this gave rise to some
uneasiness. The Emperor was informed, and came
hurriedly to her room. She was over the attack,
but he lectured the Duchess de Montebello at great
length on the imprudence she had committed in allow-
ing the Empress to take a medicine without being
prepared for its effect, and repeated several times,
" Etiquette requires that it shall be the doctor who
presents the medicine." The Duchess made no answer,
but when the Emperor was gone she said, "I am glad
M. I 'Etiquette has done; I never liked long sermons."
At this period Napoleon visited the coasts of
France. The Empress had as yet hardly recovered
from her confinement, and the Emperor wished her to
remain in Paris, but she urged him so strongly to
allow her to accompany him that he could not refuse.
She became considerably thinner during this journey.
56 NAPOLEON AND MAEIE-LOUISE.
no doubt in consequence of the fatigue which she en-
dured ; and she never recovered her former plumpness.
The French Court was then divided into three
parties, the old nobility, the new nobility, and the
military. Madame de Montesquiou and her husband
were at the head of the first. All the influence they
had was used to obtain favours, pensions, and places
for the nobles, whether emigres or not; they repre-
sented to the Emperor that by such means they would
be more securely attached to his person, and brought
to regard his government with affection. They said
these things because they genuinely and sincerely
thought them ; and because, believing the destiny of
France to be for ever fixed, they desired to attach to then
sovereign those persons who ought in their opinion to
be the strongest supporters of the Empire. Napoleon
fully recognized their zeal and devotion ; he was a
witness of the indefatigable care bestowed upon his
son by Madame de Montesquiou, and he seldom
refused her anything which she asked.
After what I have said of Madame de Montebello,
it will at once be surmised that she was the soul of
the second party. It was not numerous at Court, being
composed in great measure of second-rate schemers,
but it was sustained by the consideration in which
Marie-Louise held her favourite.
The third party was headed by General Duroc, and
was composed, to speak generally, of all who were
connected with military matters. This party saw no
THREE PARTIES.' 57
honour or glory outside the profession of arms, and
had a sovereign contempt for every other. While
the first and second parties carried on open warfare,
endeavouring to injure and destroy each other by
every possible means, the third played the part of
observer, unmasked their schemes, and profited by
their faults and blunders. The Emperor secretly
favoured this third party ; but none the less did he
pursue his usual system of neutralizing all opinions by
endeavouring to balance their forces. Each party
served as a spy upon the two others, and by this
means he was informed of all that it was his interest
to know.
The Duchess de Montebello and the Countess de
Montesquiou being at the head of two parties which
were not onl\ T different but antagonistic, it may readily
be supposed that no very intimate relations subsisted
between them. The Countess, always prudent and re-
served, did not proclaim her dislike to the Duchess,
and did not seek to do her any ill. She was satisfied
with never speaking of her, and conducting the inevi-
table intercourse imposed by their respective posts
with extreme coldness. But this was not the case
with Madame de Montebello. She went as seldom as
possible to see the little Prince, in order that she might
not be obliged to see his governess at the same time.
She endeavoured to persuade the Empress that the
care which Madame de Montesquiou took of her son,
the affection for him that she displayed, had no motive
58 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
except ambition and self-interest, an accusation amply
disproved by later events. Madame de Montesquiou,
being informed of these continual efforts to injure her,
complained of them once or twice to the Empress, and
endeavoured to open her eyes with respect to her
favourite ; but the first impression had been made,
and we all know the strength of a first impression,
especially when it is received in youth, and produced
by a person to whom all one's confidence is given.
Marie-Louise did not then do Madame de Monte-
squiou the justice that was due to her, as she had
occasion to recognize in later days.
At this period the Emperor went to Fontainebleau
for ten days. He did not like the prolongation of
his differences with the Pope. The long-continued
quarrel between the Holy Father and Napoleon dated
from 1805. When Pius VII. left France after the
coronation, it was with secret annoyance at not
having obtained the rewards that he considered due
to him. Hardly had he set his foot on Italian soil
before intrigues were organized, and pamphlets
written, profiting by his discontent to overrule his
mind and direct his intentions. Rome became the
hotbed of all the political intrigues and plots against
the tranquility of France.
His Holiness had refused to recognize the validity
of the Emperor's divorce from Josephine, and conse-
quently that of his marriage with Marie-Louise. An
open rupture had taken place between them in con-
THE POPE. 59
sequence, and Pius VII., listening to nothing but the
indiscreet zeal of some of his advisers, had launched
the thunderbolts of the Vatican against Napoleon.
The sentence of excommunication had been sent from
Rome to Paris, to the Abbe d' Astros, Vicar Capitular
of the Archbishopric (the See was vacant), who had
it printed, and affixed it to the door of Notre Dame,
in the presence of some of the Canons on whose dis-
cretion he could rely. Copies of the Papal Brief were
very soon spread all over Paris, and thence throughout
the provinces. It was asserted that the Director-
General of Printing and Publication had been informed
of this, but had taken no measures to check the pro-
ceeding, nor had he even informed the Emperor.
The Duke of Rovigo, Minister of Police, was one of
the first to be informed of what had occurred, and
as he had been for a long time on terms of rivalry
with the Director, he took advantage of this oppor-
tunity to present a circumstantial report to Napoleon,
in which that functionary was not flattered.
On perusing this document the Emperor fell into
a transport of rage difficult to describe. He was
expected that day at the Council of State, and he
came in violently agitated. Every one present
remarked the change in his face, but no one said a
word, no one moved. Napoleon walked hurriedly
about the Council Chamber, uttering incoherent and
half-formed sentences : the only word that could be
beard distinctly was "bigot," an epithet which he
probably applied to the Abbe d Astros.
60 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Bigot do Preameneu, a Councillor of State, was
present at the sitting. The word "bigot" had
caught his ear several times, and he thought the
Emperor was calling him.
" Sire," said he, rising.
" What do you want ? " said Napoleon.
" Sire, I thought your Majesty spoke to me."
" Not at all — yes, though, yes — a moment. Bigot,
I appoint you Minister of Public Worship " (Cultes).
After such a fashion was this new ministry instituted.
The Director-General of Printing and Publication,
who was also a Councillor of State, arrived at this
moment, and was about to take his usual place.
" Stay," said the Emperor, " and answer me. Do
you know what took place last Sunday at Notre
Dame? Don't stammer; no Jesuitical equivocation."
" Sire, I knew that "
" Ah, you knew it ! and you did not inform me of
it. I was publicly reviled, and you kept silence !
They dare to publish a Bull of Excommunication
against me in the middle of my capital, and you let
it pass like that ! "
" Sire, I thought that in proceeding publicly
against a man who believed he was doing his duty,
I should only secure the interest that always attaches
to a martyr for him. I thought oblivion was a duty
which "
" Your duty ! Your duty ! The first of all, sir,
was to consult me. I am grieved in all this for the
THE BULL OF EXCOMMUNICATION. 61
memory of your father — I don't suspect you of evil
intentions — but — There, there, go and sit down."
And the matter rested there for the moment.
A few days afterwards, however, the Abbe d'Astros
was obliged, according to custom, to wait upon the
Emperor at the head of the Chapter of Notre Dame, in
order to offer him the compliments of the new year.
At the sight of him all that had passed at the Council
of State recurred to Napoleon's mind, and revived his
wrath ; he strode towards the Abbe with a threaten-
ing gesture, and exclaimed —
" Hah ! It is you, then, who want to light the fire
of sedition in my realm ! It is you who betray your
sovereign to execute the orders of a foreign priest ! I
will have neither revolt, nor fanaticism, nor a martyr.
I am a Christian, and more Christian than you all. I
shall know how to maintain the right of my crown
against those who resemble you. God has armed me
with the sword — let not you and your like forget
that."
The Abbe d'Astros attempted to reply, but an
imperative gesture of the Emperor obliged him to
desist and retire. The matter rested there. Never-
theless, it has been maintained by many people, and
even recorded in writing, that the Abbe d'Astros fell
a victim to his apostolic zeal, having been disgraced,
thrown into prison, and persecuted. This again, is
one of the malicious falsehoods which have been so
widely disseminated.
62 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
It is a fact which will be more and more clearly
demonstrated as time goes on, that Napoleon loved
his religion, that he desired to make it prosper and to
honour it, but at the same time to make use of it as a
social means of repressing anarchy, consolidating his
domination over Europe, and increasing the import-
ance of France and the influence of the inhabitants of
Paris; objects on which his thoughts were constantly
intent.
During this period the Pope had been carried away
from his States, taken to Savona, and brought from
thence to Fontainebleau, where he occupied the apart-
ment which had been assigned to him on the former
occasion.* A household was formed for him, and his
table was magnificently served ; but he did not avail
himself of this. He lived in the most retired rooms,
and in the simplest and most frugal manner. His
suite only sat down to the splendid repasts. Napoleon
had been forming for a long time a secret design of
renewing relations with Pius VII., and in order to
carry it out more easily, he gave orders for a hunting-
party at Gros-Bois, where he breakfasted. Then,
quite unexpectedly, he directed the road to Fontaine-
bleau to be taken. The confusion which this unfore-
seen journey occasioned was very amusing. Nobody
had a man or a maid, a night cap or any dressing
* See Memoirs of Madame de Ke'musat for details of the Pope's
visit to France, the coronation of Napoleon and Josephine, and the
celebration of the religious marriage between them. — Translator's nolo.
THE POPE AT FONTAINEBLEAU. 63
tilings ; it was bitterly cold, water froze clo&e up to
the tire. Everybody passed a very bad night, but in
the morning our baggage and servants arrived from
Paris.
We remained nine days at Fontaineblcau. The
Emperor paid a visit to the Pope, and his Holiness
came to see the Emperor. There were several con-
ferences, and a reconciliation seemed probable. At the
moment of our departure the Pope was ill, and kept
his bed. We went to beg that he would bless some
rings and rosaries for us ; they were taken to him in
his bed, and he was so good as to grant our request.
64: NAPOLEON AND MAEIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER VIII.
NAPOLEON'S GALLANTRIES — MADAME WALEWSKA — THE CHATEAU DE
COMPIEGNE — GKAZINI AND EODE— FOUCHE, MINISTER OF GENERAL
POLICE.
I have already said that the Emperor had organized
his private police. He did not make any political
use of this branch of the service ; it furnished him
with a source of amusement. He liked to be acquainted
with all the current scandals concerning the persons
of his Court, and he took a special pleasure in teasing
husbands about the adventures of their wives.
At this point I must refer to Napoleon's gallantries.
A great many false statements on the subject have
been circulated and printed, and he has been charged
with intriguing with women of whom he never even
thought. It is well known that he never had a mai-
tresse en litre ; it must not, however, be concluded from
this that he had not passing inclinations and fancies
which it was easy for him, in his position, to gratify.
But he was as careful to conceal his own gallantries
as he was ready to talk of those of other people, and
MADAME WALEWSKA. 65
above all, he was totally free from the folly of boasting
of favours which have not been obtained.
In his youth he had been much attached to Madame
Walewska, a Polish lady (he made her acquaintance
during the campaign of 1806-7), and she was one of the
two women who retained his friendship and regard
after the cessation of all other relations with them.
Madame Walewska never ceased to give him proofs
of sincere affection. On the occasion of his abdication,
she went to Fontainebleau to take leave of him, and
when she learned that Marie-Louise had not accom
panied him to the Island of Elba, she went thither,
taking her son, whose father Napoleon was, with
the intention of remaining merely as a friend whose
society might be agreeable to him. To this, however,
Napoleon would not consent. He would not inflict
upon his wife the mortification of knowing that a
woman whom he had formerly loved, although before
his marriage with her, was with him. Madame
Walewska stayed at Elba for three days only.
There was a great deal of scandal, formerly, about
the Emperor's adventures with two celebrated actresses,
and in the first edition of this work I referred to the
subject. I have, however, suppressed the mention of
those ladies in the present edition, in consequence of
the strictures of several newspapers. No doubt
Napoleon was a very unfaithful husband to Josephine.
It is a fact that in the Chateau de (Jompiegne a secret
suite of rooms was constructed, opening from the
F
66 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
corridor on which the ladies' "lodging," as it was
called, was situated ; and access to these rooms, which
did not appear to form a portion of the particular
allotment, was provided by a single small door, look-
ing like that of a mere passage, which might be
completely overlooked. This suite, composed of several
charming rooms, faced the park, and commanded an
extensive and delightful view ; it was furnished with
taste; luxury and elegance were combined in its
decorations. Lastly, although it was at a long dis-
tance from the Emperor's own apartment, a secret
staircase connected the two. I visited the rooms myself
after Napoleon's second marriage. They were no
longer used, and therefore no longer so carefully con-
cealed. No doubt he did avail himself of them, but not
to the extent that has been alleged. The gallantries
of the Emperor have been grossly exaggerated ; by
some, in order to make him ridiculous ; by others, for
the purpose of representing him as an immoral man ;
while there are actually persons so corrupt as to think
it redounds to his glory and renown to depict him as a
great conqueror of women, most of whom were ready
to meet him half, and many three-fourths, of the way.
The following anecdote, which I have on good
authority, although the fact that gave rise to it
occurred in Josephine's time, illustrates what I have
just said. As it is known to a few persons only, I
think it well to introduce it in this chapter.
Napoleon, having been struck by the showy beauty
GRAZINI. 67
of Grazini, the singer, when he had passed through
Naples, made overtures to her, and sent her valuable
presents. He employed Berthier to conclude a treaty
with her on a very liberal basis, and to bring her to
Paris; in fact, she made the journey in Berthier' s
own carriage. She was allowed twenty thousand
francs a month ; and she made a splendid figure
at the theatres, and at concerts at the Tuileries.
But then, as I have already said, the Chief of the
State avoided all scandal, and did not wish to give
umbrage to Josephine, who was excessively jealous, so
that he paid only brief and furtive visits to the fair
singer. La Grazini (as she was called at the chateau)
was a proud and passionate woman, in whose imagin-
ation, as well as in her voice, there was something
masculine, and she could not brook such desultory and
careless attention ; she therefore resorted to the in-
fallible antidote, and fell violently in love with tht
celebrated violin-player, Rode, who reciprocated her
feelings. The lovers were too ardent to be careful,
and even braved the vigilance of Berthier himself.
One day the Emperor sent for Fouche, then Minister
of General Police, and told him he was astonished, that
with all his well-known skill, he (Fouche) did not
do his business better, and that things were going en
which he knew nothing about.
•' Yes," replied the vexed minister, " things do go
on which I did know nothing about, but I know all
about them now ! For instance, a short man, wearing
68 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
a blue cloak and a three-cornered hat, comes out of
the chateau every second day, between eight and nine
o'clock in the evening, by the side gate of the Marsan
pavilion, over the kitchens, and gets into a hackney-
coach, with a man taller than himself, but dressed in
the same way,* and drives straight to Grazini's, 28,
Rue Chantereine. The little man is yourself, and
the sly cantatrice deceives you in favour of Rode, the
tiddler, who lives at the Hotel de l'Empire, Rue du
Mont Blanc."
At this, Napoleon turned his back on his minister,
and began to walk up and down with his hands
behind his back, whistling an Italian air. Fouche
withdrew without another word.
Napoleon was but rarely unfaithful to Marie-Louise,
and he took the greatest care to prevent the very few
infidelities in which he indulged from coming to her
knowledge ; for he always treated her with the utmost
consideration. He did, however, occasionally lament
that she would not make herself agreeable to the
ladies of the Court, and exert herself a little more
to please. He had been accustomed to the unfailing
grace, and the unvarying amiability of Josephine, and
he certainly could not fail to remark a difference
between his first wife and his second; but he forgot
that the latter, born in the purple, accustomed from
her infancy to homage and respect, and of a naturally
shy and reserved disposition, knew nothing whatever
* Duroc, Grand Marshal.
marie-louise's want of tact. 69
of the mind of the French nation, and had no one
about her who was in a position to advise, guide, and
make her understand how essential it was, not only
for her own, but for her son's sake, that she should
win their regard. But, although the Empress had the
defect of being cold and impassive in public, the
blame ought not to be laid to her account. She wan
constantly told that one ought to be natural, and to
appear just as one is ; an excellent principle in private
life, no doubt, but it does not work in the case of
sovereigns, or indeed in that of the great, who require
to do many kindnesses, and to be very condescending,
in order to make the lower classes like them.
70 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER IX.
MARIE-LOUISE AND JOSEPHINE COMPARED — GENEROSITY OF THE
TWO EMPRESSES — INFANCY OF NAPOLEON'S SON — A PETITION
ADDRESSED TO THE KING OF ROME — THE BRINGING-LP OF THE
YOUNG PRINCE.
To gain the hearts of the French, one need only
know how to smile and bow at the right time. It
pleases them to consider their sovereign as the head,
or father of that large family, and a little affability
amply repays them for the respect and affection with
which they regard him. Marie-Louise possessed all
those qualities and virtues which could endear her
to those who knew her intimately ; but she lacked
that air of familiarity which may be perfectly well
combined with dignity, and is sufficient in France
to captivate the crowd. One evening, when she had
been at the Theatre Francais, Madame D ven-
tured to tell her that the audience had been greatly
disappointed, because, by remaining at the back of
her box, she had deprived them of the privilege
)f seeing her.
MARIE-LOUISE IS ILL-ADVISED. 71
" "What matter ? " said Madame de Montebello.
" Why should her Majesty trouble herself ? "
Madame D answered that a great number of
people had gone to the theatre solely in the hope
of seeing the Empress, that they had been very much
annoyed at finding their expectation frustrated, and
that her Majesty ought to regard their anxiety to see
her as arising from a sentiment of affection always
to be prized by a sovereign.
" When one is a frank and sincere person," said
Madame de Montebello, " one should appear just
what one is, and do nothing out of human respect."
With such advice as this always at hand, it is not
surprising that the young Empress allowed her face
and demeanour to betray to the public the weari-
ness and distaste with which the duties imposed
upon her by etiquette inspired her. Back again in
her private life she was kindly, gentle, merry, affable,
and beloved by all who were in habitual relations
with her.
The first Empress had the advantage of possessing
a thorough knowledge of the French character, and
she availed herself of this to the fullest extent. No
one had ever had so much influence over the mind
of Napoleon, and even after her divorce she still
retained a portion of it ; so that Marie-Louise had
conceived a sort of jealousy of her, and did not like
any one to speak of Josephine in her presence.
Josephine was renowned everywhere for her bene-
72 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
licence. Marie-Louise, too, was very charitable, but
she allowed herself to be misled in the distribution
of her gifts. In Josephine's time, Madame de Koche-
foucauld, her Lady-in- Waiting, took charge of the
distribution of the Empress's alms. She had em-
ployed two honest and respectable men to seek out
the deserving poor who would not beg (pauvres
honteux), and to collect trustworthy information re-
specting those who solicited her aid. A little money
expended in this way restored a great number of
families to life and happiness, and their gratitude
spread the name of Josephine, with blessings upon it,
throughout France. Marie-Louise took ten thousand
francs a month from the sum allotted to her dress, for
the poor ; this was double what Josephine had given,
but, unfortunately, Madame de Montebello regarded
it as beneath her to occupy herself personally with
the distribution of the money. She left it entirely
to her secretary, who had formerly been valet-de-
chambre to the Count d'Artois, and also secretary
to Madame de Rochefoucauld. This person, however,
had been nothing under the rule of Josephine's Lady-
in- Waiting ; he became all-powerful under that of
Madame de Montebello.
He made a list on which the names of several
poor persons were inscribed ; it Avas then submitted
to a kind of scrutiny ; that is to say, M. Ballouhai,
her Majesty's " secretary of expenditure," had in-
quiries made by a " sure " person into the statements
THE EMPRESS'S ALMS. 73
put forward by the applicants for relief, and returned
the list with notes to Madame de Montebello, who
handed it back to her secretary. The latter struck
out some of the names, inserted those of his favourites,
and took the revised list to the Duchess, who pro-
cured the Empress's signature to it. Thus altered,
it reached the hands of M. Ballouhai, who found
himself constrained to hand out the money while
lamenting over an abuse which he was powerless to
remedy. The names of immoral women figured in
the list ; these were, however, mere pretences, and by
this means a portion of the Empress's alms remained
in the hands of M. Deluguy. Loud and frequent
complaints were raised against him, and also against
Madame de Montebello, but the echo of them never
reached the Empress. The Duchess had personal
knowledge of these malversations on several occa-
sions, but her entire indifference to anything that
did not affect herself personally, blinded her to the
dishonesty of a man who was regarded with con-
tempt by the public, and whom she ought over and
over again to have dismissed with ignominy.
One day, Marie-Louise, having visited the Jardin
des Plantes, desired Madame de Montebello to have
a present of 500 francs sent to the gardener, and the
Duchess's secretary received orders accordingly. A
few days afterwards, when the Duchess was walking
in the Jardin des Plantes with some other ladies,
the gardener approached the party and thanked
74 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
her for the 200 francs which she had sent him from
her Majesty. The secretary had thought proper to
appropriate the surplus. This theft was forgotten
like others, and thus it was that the poor were de-
prived of the succour which the Empress intended
them to receive, and herself of the blessings which
ought to have been its guerdon.
The almsgiving of Marie-Louise was not limited to
the fixed sum of 10,000 francs which she set aside
each month for the poor. No one ever spoke to
her of an unfortunate person, without arousing the
generous impulses, which sprang from her heart
at its first movement. Her second thoughts were
quite another matter ; it was easy to discern a hidden
influence in their cold distrust and reluctance. From
other examples which I could give, I will select only
certain incidents that occurred under my own eyes.
One evening, just as the Empress had risen from
table and retired to the salon, a footman named
L'Esperance, a very respectable man, came in great
agitation to announce to a " first lady " that a family,
consisting of father, mother, and six children, living
on the seventh floor of a house in the Kue do L'Echelle,
had been entirely destitute of food for two days,
that, hearing of their condition, he had gone to investi-
gate it for himself, and was much grieved at having
no money wherewith to help in such an extremity.
The lady gave him twenty francs, and he took the
money at once to the starving family. When the
napoleon's generosity. 75
Empress returned the lady depicted to her the position
of these unfortunate people, and asked her for some
help for them. The Empress desired that 400 francs
should be taken to them on the spot, and when it was
represented to her that it was now near midnight, and
sufficient money had been sent to provide for their
wants until the morrow, she insisted, saying —
" No, no ; some one must go to them. I am happy
to think that I shall make them pass a good night."
Some one did go, and that poor family was after-
wards one of the objects of the Empress's bounty.
The following incident does Marie-Louise as much
honour as it does the Emperor himself.
The Countess de T , a lady of the palace, one
day asked for audience of Napoleon, and her request
was granted without delay. She related to the
Emperor that her husband was in embarrassed
circumstances ; that he was involved in law suits
which required heavy advances ; that she counted on
his Majesty's kindness, and addressing herself, not to
the sovereign, but to the man, she said all sorts of
touching and tender things to him, without over-
stepping the bounds of that charming modesty which
so well becomes women, and of which the lady in
question was well known to make profession. Napo-
leon thanked her for having placed confidence in him,
assured her of his friendship, and on the spot signed
an order in her favour on his privy purse for 100,000
francs, payable at sight.
76 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
The Countess de T , authorized by her husband,
drew up a promissory note for the sum advanced in
due form, and a year elapsed without its being possible
to think of repaying it. At the end of that period
the Countess gave birth to a son, and the Empress
acted as godmother, selecting- Prince Aldobrandini,
her first equerry, as her fellow sponsor. Every one
will have guessed what the christening present was.
At the bottom of a magnificent casket (corbeille) lay
the promissory note for 100,000 francs, receipted.
But this was not all ; the casket contained, besides,
diamonds to the value of 12,000 francs, a superb
Kashmir shawl, and some lace of the rarest beauty_
It was like a fairy-tale ! Let me hasten to add that
the T family had rendered service to the State,
and that those marks of favour, so gracefully conferred
could not have been better bestowed, or have inspired
more lively gratitude. A benefit, to be worthy of
praise, must be bestowed on worthy,honourable persons.
The coldness of Marie-Louise's manner to all
except her intimate friends was so well known that
she was accused of extending it even to her son.
This arose, however, not from want of affection, but
from an excess of solicitude. She had never been
with, or even seen, children, and she was afraid to
take the little boy in her arms or caress him, lest she
should do him some harm. Thus it came to pass that
the young Napoleon became more attached to his
governess than to his mother, and of this Marie-Louise
THE BABY KING OF ROME. 77
promptly grew jealous. The Emperor, on the contrary,
took him in his arms every time he saw him, caressed,
and teased him, took him to a looking-glass and made
all sorts of faces at him. At breakfast, he would keep
the child in his lap, and, having dipped a finger in the
sauce, make him suck it, or smear his face with it.
The governess scolded, the Emperor laughed, and the
child, who was almost always good-humoured, seemed
to take pleasure in the rough play of his father. It
may be observed that those who came at such times
to the Emperor to solicit favours, were pretty sure
to be graciously received, and to have their requests
granted. The following anecdote supplies a case in
point.
M. V , a man of real talent, who was at once
highly-informed and very poor, bethought him that
he could fill a small salaried place quite as well as
the dolts, great and small, who were so well paid
under the Empire, and who had nothing on their side
except good luck and their own importunity. He
therefore asked for an appointment ; but, having no
patron, three or four petitions whieh he presented
never reached the hands of the Emperor.
Worn out, impatient, and daily growing poorer, he
devised a stratagem which would have been worthy
of a courtier of Louis XIV. Necessity frequently
inspires happy thoughts ; he drew up with great care
a little 'placet which he addressed to "His Majesty,
the King of Rome." He only asked for a place worth
78 NAPOLEON AND MAEIE-LOUISE.
one hundred louis; this was a very modest request.
Full of the hope of success, he went to M. D , a
superior officer who was aide-de-camp to the Emperor,
stated his distressful case, showed him the placet, and
added :
" General, you will again do a generous deed and
entitle yourself to my everlasting gratitude, if you
will procure me the means of presenting this request
to the Emperor."
M. D , whose kindness was equal to his valour,
led the petitioner into the presence of Napoleon. His
Majesty took the paper, and remarked the superscrip-
tion with evident pleasure as well as surprise.
" Sire," said the applicant, " that is a petition for
His Majesty the King of Rome."
" Very well, then," replied the Emperor, " let it be
taken to its address."
The King of Rome was then six months old. A
Chamberlain was ordered to conduct the petitioner
into the presence of his baby Majesty. M. V —
seeing that fortune smiled upon him, was equal to tl it-
occasion ; ho presented himself before the cradle of
the King, and, after he had made a profound and re-
spectful reverence, he unfolded the paper, and read it.-
contents in a loud and distinct voice. The infant
King, having uttered some inarticulate sounds, M. V
and the Chamberlain again saluted his Majesty and
returned to the Emperor, who asked, with the greatest
seriousness, what answer they had obtained.
THE BABY KING OF ROME. 79
"Sire," said the Chamberlain, "his Majesty, the
King of Rome, made no reply."
" Very well," said Napoleon ; " silence gives con-
sent."
Shortly afterwards M. V was appointed to
a post in a departmental administration with a salary
of G000 francs.
Before he was two years old the young Prince was
regularly present at the Emperor's breakfast, and his
mother also. Previous to her confinement, Marie-
Louise had always breakfasted with the Emperor at
a more or less fixed hour ; but at that period Napo-
leon had resumed his former habit of eating when ho
was hungry, or when his occupations permitted, and
he had insisted upon the Empress's continuing to
breakfast at her usual hour.
No sooner could the little Napoleon speak, than
he became, like almost all children, very inquisitive.
The windows of his rooms looked out upon the garden
and the courtyard of the Tuileries, and crowds of
people assembled every day to see him. He took
constant pleasure in watching them ; and having
remarked that a great many persons came into the
palace with rolls of paper under their arms, he asked
his governess the meaning of this. She told him that
the bearers of the rolls were unfortunate persons who
came to implore his papa's favour. From that time
forth whenever he saw a petition being carried past
he cried, sobbed, and could not be quieted, until it had
80 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
been brought to him ; and every morning at breakfast
he presented to his father all those he had collected
the day before. As may be easily supposed, when this
became known to the public, the child was not allowed
to want petitions.
One day he saw under his window a woman in
mourning, holding by the hand a little boy of three
or four years old, also in mourning. The latter had
charge of a petition, which he held up from a distance
for the little Prince to see. The child wanted to know
" why that poor little boy was dressed all in black ? "
The governess answered that no doubt it was because
the little boy's papa was dead. He then urgently
begged to be allowed to speak to the child. Madame
de Montesquiou, who seized upon every opportunity
of developing his feelings for others, consented, and
directed that the little boy and his mother were to be
admitted. The mother was a widow, whose husband
had been killed in the last campaign, and she, being
destitute, had come to solicit a pension. The King of
Rome took the petition, and promised to give it to
his papa. On the following day he made up his parcel
as usual, but he kept the petition in -which he took a
particular interest separate from the rest, and, having
handed over the others in a bundle, according to
custom, he said to the Emperor:
"Papa, here is a petition from a very poor little
boy. You are the cause of his father's death, and now
he has nothing. Give him a pension, I beg of you."
THE BABY KING OF ROME. 81
Napoleon took his son in his arms, kissed him
tenderly, granted the pension, which he made retro-
spective, and had the patent made out that very day.
Thus, to a child of three years old was granted the
great privilege of drying the tears of a family.
It is an absolute falsehood that the young Prince
was ever chastised with a rod. Madame de Montes-
quiou emplo} 7 ed a much more wise and efficacious
method of correcting his faults. He was generally
docile, quiet, and amenable to reason, but occasionally
he would give way to fits of passion. One day when
he was rolling about on the floor, screaming and would
not listen to his governess, she closed the windows
and the shutters. The child got up immediately, in
great astonishment, and asked her what she did that
for ?
" For fear you should be heard," she answered.
" Do you think the French would have a Prince like
you, if they knew you got into such passions ? "
" Do you think any one heard me ? " he asked.
" E should be very sorry. Forgive me, Martian
Qaioti" (this was his name for her) ; " I will not do it
any more."
Thus did a prudent and intelligent woman inspire
the young Prince with the fear of blame, the respect
for public opinion, so necessary in every rank, and
endeavour to make the most of the good gifts and
graces with which he was endowed by nature.
82 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER X.
MISUNDERSTANDING WTTn RUSSIA — COUNT DE CZKRNITSCHOFF — A TRir
TO HOLLAND — THE BUST OF THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER— SMUG-
GLING BY THE LADIES OF THE COURT — M. DE BEAUHAKNAIS — PLAYS,
CONCERTS, AND MASKED BALLS — DEPARTURE FOR DRESDEN.
For some time past a misunderstanding had existed
between France and Russia. France reproached
Russia with the violation of the continental system ;
Russia claimed an indemnity for certain worthless
duchies that had been taken from the Empire, and
advanced some other pretensions. Russian forces
were massed, and approaching Warsaw, while a French
army was being formed at the same time in the north
of Germany ; nevertheless, the idea of a war was as
yet far from being entertained.
These Cabinet mysteries, the unusual tone of some
of the confidential notes of 1811, the indication afforded
by great preparations secretly ordered, intrigues from
the outside, and hidden manoeuvres, aroused the sus-
picions of Russia. Already the Czar had seen that it
was time for him to find out the plans of Napoleon,
COMPLICATIONS. 83
and, as he needed some other guarantee than that of
Kourakin, his ambassador, who was successfully
cajoled at Saint-Cloud, and an upholder of the conti-
nental system, he despatched Count Czernitschoff to
Paris, in the month of January, with a diplomatic
mission.
Count Czernitschoff, who was colonel of one of the
regiments of the Russian Imperial Guard, had attracted
attention at Napoleon's Court in the first instance
by his politeness, and his chivalrous language and
manners. He appeared at all the receptions and at
every fete, and achieved so striking a success in high
society, that he was very soon the fashion with
the ladies who were rivals for supremacy in grace
and beauty. Each of them aspired to the homage of
the brilliant and agreeable envoy of Alexander. At
tirst, he seemed to hesitate, but after a while this
Paris from the banks of the Neva accorded the apple
to the wife of General R , who had recently
returned from the army in Spain.
The Minister of Police suspected that his stay in
Paris might have secret motives, and might conceal
a mystery which it would be well to penetrate ;
accordingly he had the Count closely watched, and
learned that frequent interviews took place between
him and an under-secretary of the Ministry of War.
The Duke of Rovigo communicated his suspicions to
the Duke de Feltre, but was reassured by the latter,
who said he knew the intimacy was founded wholly
84 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
and solely upon their common taste for music, and
need not give rise to any uneasiness. The vigilance
of the police had not, however, been abated, when
one day the Minister learned that the Colonel had
left Paris quite suddenly on the preceding evening.
He gave directions that the apartment which he
had occupied should be carefully searched, and on
this being done papers torn in very small pieces
were found. These were brought to the Duke of
Rovigo, who ordered his most skilful agents to put
them together, and endeavour to decipher their
contents. The thing was impossible, but the fact was
ascertained that the torn papers had come out of one
of the offices of the Ministry of War, which was indi-
cated ; it was the very office to which the suspected
official belonged. The Duke of Rovigo went to the
office at once, and in two hours' time he had ascer-
tained that all the plans of campaign in Russia, the
state of the forces, and the returns of our war
material and means had been handed over to the
Russian Colonel, who had departed for his own
country, armed with these documents. Orders for
his arrest were sent to the frontiers by telegraph, but
when they reached Mayence, Czernitschoff had already
passed through that city, and was out of reach. Many
people believed that the Duke de Feltre was aware
of the Colonel's real mission, and had favoured it
secretly.
From the moment that Napoleon knew of Czernit-
STRAINED RELATIONS. 85
schoff 's departure, he considered war declared. For a
long time past he had never allowed himself to be
forestalled ; he could march against Russia at the
head of Europe, and his own destiny, as well as that
of the new European system, would be decided by
that conflict. Russia was the last resource of
England ; the peace of the globe was in Russia ; the
only thing to do was to go thither and secure it.
Success ought not to be doubtful. Besides, he hail
always dreamed of achieving the independence of
Poland ; the opportunity had now arisen ; he did not
propose any gain to himself, he reserved for his own
share only the glory of well doing, and the blessings
of the future.
In the summer of that year the Emperor and
Empress set out for Holland. Napoleon preceded
Marie-Louise by two days, because he wished to visit
the coasts of Belgium. They rejoined each other
shortly afterwards, before making their entry into
Amsterdam.
It was during this excursion that the first symptoms
of the misunderstanding which had arisen between
Napoleon and the Emperor of Russia began to be
perceived. In the Empress's cabinet at Amsterdam
a piano, constructed to look like a secretaire divided
in two, with an empty space in the middle, had been
placed. A small bust of the Emperor of Russia occu-
pied this space. A few minutes after he arrived, the
Emperor, who wanted to see what sort of accornmo-
86 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
dation had been provided for the Empress, entered
the room, and perceiving the bust, took it up and put
it under his arm without savins a word. He went
through all the rooms, still carrying the bust, although
it was a good weight. When he had concluded his
tour of inspection, he handed the bust to Madame
D , saying that he desired it should be removed.
This incident caused great surprise to all who
witnessed it : for we were yet far from supposing that
any misunderstanding between the two Emperors
existed.
Napoleon passed two months in visiting the ports
and principal cities, and came back to Brussels, where
his presence excited the greatest enthusiasm. By his
desire the Empress purchased one hundred and fifty
thousand francs' worth of lace, in order to revive the
national industry. The introduction of English mer-
chandise into France was then strictly forbidden : all
the prohibited wares that were seized were burned
without mercy. The result was that every one was
trving to procure some of them. Belgium was still
full of English wares, carefully hidden, and all the
ladies in the suite of the Empress made large pur-
chases. Marie-Louise was not behindhand either.
Several vehicles were laden with these prizes, not
without fear lest the Emperor should be informed of
the fact, and should have them all seized on arriving
in France. The moment of departure came, the Rhine
was passed, and Coblenz reached. Fifteen vehicles.
CONTRABAND BY THE COURT. 87
bearing the arms of the Emperor, and composing the
first "service," or the advance guard, if I may use
that expression, arrived simultaneously at the gates
of the town. The officials were uncertain as to what
they ought to do ; some wanted to stop and search
the vehicles, others were averse to doing so, alleerinc;
that respect was due to everything belonging to the
Emperor. The latter counsels prevailed ; the vehicles
entered freely, and having passed the first line of
the French customs they brought their cargo of pro-
hibited merchandise to safe haven at Paris. It is quite
certain that if they had been stopped and confiscated.
tXapoleon, far from taking it ill, would have laughed
heartily, and would probably have rewarded the indi-
vidual who had been courageous enough to do his duty.
The Emperor had already definitely settled the
plan of his Russian expedition. He knew that such
a campaign would fail to obtain universal approba-
tion, and it may have been solely with a view to
allaying the inevitable discontent that he now sought
to attach all hearts to him by exerting those powers
of pleasing with which he was richly endowed, but
did not always care to use.
He had never been known to be so affable, so
amiable ; he made everybody welcome, and talked to
each comer on his own subjects. At Amsterdam he
was a banker, at Brussels a merchant, at Antwerp
a contractor and outfitter ; he visited factories, in-
spected shipbuilding yards, reviewed the troops,
88 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
addressed speeches to the sailors, and attended the
balls given for him in all the towns in which he made
any stay. He was gracious and polite, he talked to
everybody, and said nothing that was not pleasant.
Marie-Louise employed her brief sojourn at Amster-
dam usefully. Her first visit was to the famous
village of Bruck, situated about a league and a half
from the city, and which communicates with the
Zuyder Zee by means of a little canal, whose banks
are enamelled with flowers at all seasons. She after-
wards visited Saardam, celebrated for its historical
connection with the memory of Peter the Great.
Luncheon was served for the Imperial party in
the hut that had been occupied by the autocrat
of all the Russias, when learning practical ship-
building.
It was while the Emperor and Empress were in
Holland that Napoleon seemed to entertain a passing
predilection for the Princess Aldobrandini, a young
lady belonging to the Court, who had accompanied
Marie-Louise. She was clever and amiable, and she
talked remarkably well. One evening, when she had
outshone her customary self, Napoleon said to the
Empress and the Duchess of Montebello, that if they
wished to become perfect they had only to try to copy
the Princess. This was the first occasion on which he
tried the temper of Marie-Louise. She expressed her
annoyance only by silence, however, and showed no
resentment towards the Princess. But the Duchess
M. DE NARBONNE. 89
made it plain that she was deeply aggrieved, and from
that time forth never ceased to say the hardest things
of the favoured lady.
The electoral colleges had been assembled during
the Emperor's absence, and a day or two after his
return to Paris, Duroc, who had presided over that of
the Department of the Meurthe, came to see Napoleon
while he was at breakfast.
" Well," said the Emperor, " what do they think at
Nancy of M. ? "
M. was one of the Emperor's chamberlains,
and did not stand high in the favour of his master ;
but he had been born, and his property was situated,
in the Department.
" Sire," replied the Marshal, " he is regarded with
general esteem."
" That is not possible, Marshal ; he is a fool."
" I beg your pardon, Sire ; he is not a fool, but a
man who is liked and esteemed because he deserves
to be."
The Emperor laughed, and changed the conversa-
tion. He did not like to be contradicted, but he
appreciated the courage of a man who, holding an
opinion opposed to his own, ventured to maintain it
boldly.
M. de Narbonne had also presided over an electoral
college in a district at a distance from the capital.
" What do they say of me in the Departments
through which you have passed ? " asked the Emperor.
90 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
" Sire," replied M. de Narbonne, " some say you are
a god, others say you are a devil ; but all are agreed
that you are more than a man."
Napoleon, not being altogether pleased with M. de
Beauharnais, Gentleman-in- Waiting to Marie-Louise,
had intended to appoint this same M. de Narbonne,
who possessed ability and tact, in his place. The
Duchess was afraid of M. de Narbonne, she preferred
M. de Beauharnais, whom she had taken under her
patronage, so she represented to the Empress that she
ought to keep M. de Beauharnais with her, were it
only for policy's sake, as, if his place were given to
another person it would inevitably be reported every-
where that she had dismissed him on account of his
name, and his relationship to Josephine. Marie-
Louise believed her, and pleaded so hard with the
Lmperor that he at last consented to allow M. de
Beauharnais to retain his place. To compensate M.
de Narbonne for his disappointment, the Emperor
made him his aide-de-camp.
Never was the Court of France more brilliant than
during the winter that followed the visit to Holland.
It was during fetes and entertainments of every kind
that Napoleon planned the conquest of Russia. The
spoilt child of fortune, intoxicated with adulation,
never contemplating the possibility of a reverse,
seemed to be celebrating his future victories in antici-
pation, and to have called on all the Pleasures to aid
the preparations for war. Not a day passed but there
THE COURT AT THE PLAY. 91
was a play, a concert, or a masked ball at Court.
Nothing could exceed the brilliancy of these enter-
tainments ; the theatre especially was a dazzling
spectacle.
The Emperor and Empress occupied a box facing
the stage; on either side of them, and behind them,
sat the Princesses and Princes of their family ; on the
right was the Foreign Ambassador's box ; on the left
that of the French Ministers ; all the rest of the first
tier of boxes, or rather the great gallery which was
substituted for it, was reserved for the Court ladies,
who attended in full dress and glittering with
diamonds. The pit was filled with men wearing
orders and stars of every kind; the second tier of
boxes was occupied by persons who had obtained
cards of admission; about one hundred cards were
distributed for each performance. Between the acts,
servants in the Emperor's livery went among the
whole audience, handing round ices and other refresh-
ments in profusion. The masked balls presented a
no less imposing spectacle in the richness and the
variety of costume. This sort of amusement was
particularly favoured by Napoleon ; he never failed
to get information beforehand respecting the disguises
of the women whom he wanted to puzzle, and as he
was acquainted with all the scandalous stories, secret
intrigues, and general gossip of his Court, he took a
spiteful pleasure in tormenting the ladies, disturbing
the husbands, and alarming the lovers.
92 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Before leaving Holland their Majesties visited
Haarlem, the Hague, and Rotterdam ; and after having
crossed the Rhine, they visited Cologne. This was at
the end of October, and the Imperial couple arrived
at Saint Cloud early in November, 1811.
At that period, Madame Murat had induced the
Emperor, by dint of importunity, to allow one of
Lucien's daughters to be summoned to France. The
young lady was residing with Madame Mere. Lueien
had had two children by his first marriage, and five
by the second, which Napoleon always refused to
recognize. His refusal was founded upon the fact
that his brother's second wife, the widow of a bank-
rupt " Agent de Change," retained and enjoined a
fortune which was dishonestly withheld from her first
husband's creditors.
Madame Murat's object in sending for Lucien's
daughter was to make her Queen of Spain. This
feat, indeed, appeared perfectly easy of accomplish-
ment. The Princes were at Valencay, and Ferdi-
nand, whose letters to the Emperor were all of the
most flattering kind, begged as a favour that he would
bestow the hand of one of his kinswomen upon him.
The resistance of the Spaniards had made Napoleon
come to the resolution of replacing Ferdinand on the
throne, and giving him his niece in marriage. The
Princess was a fine handsome girl ; I often saw her
with the Empress. All of a sudden we learned that
she had been sent back to her father. It was said
lucien's daughter. 93
that the cause of this peremptory step was a letter,
written by the Princess to Lucien, in which the
Emperor and Empress were not too tenderly handled.
The imprudent communication was intercepted and
placed before the Emperor, who at once dismissed his
niece from Court.
94< NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER XI.
NAPOLEON AND HIS COURT AT DRESDEN.
DEPARTURE FROM SAINT CLOUD — ARRIVAL AT DRESDEN — THE EMPEROR
AND EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA — NAPOLEON'S ANCESTRAL NOBILITY -
THE KING OF PRUSSIA AND HIS SON — FETES AND THEATRICAL
ENTERTAINMENTS — -MADAME TALMA — THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER —
NAPOLEON SETS OUT FOR POLAND — THE JOURNEY OF MARIE-LOUISE
TO PRAGUE — HER RETURN TO SAINT CLOUD.
Napoleon left Saint Cloud on the 9th of May, 1812.
Marie-Louise and lier husband occupied the same
carriage. A portion of the Court and almost the whole
of their Majesties' household accompanied them on
this journey. Never did a departure to join an army
so closely resemble a party of pleasure. We arrived
at Mayence on the 11th of May ; the Emperor at once
reviewed the troops and then proceeded to inspect all
the neighbouring strongholds. On the 13th we
stopped at AschafFenburg, at the residences of the
Prince Primate and the Grand Duke, the Empress's
uncle, where the King of Wurtemberg and the Grand
Duke of Baden already were. On the 16th their
Majesties were met at Fribourg by the King and
NAPOLEON AND HIS COUET AT DRESDEN. 95
Queen of Saxony, who were impatient to welcome the
illustrious travellers; and on the same clay, at ten
o'clock in the evening, Napoleon and Marie-Louise
arrived at Dresden.
The Emperor and Empress occupied the state apart-
ments of the chateau, and were constantly surrounded
by a number of their own household. Napoleon's
levee took place as usual at eight o'clock. It was
then and there that the world might have beheld
with wonder the submissiveness of a multitude of kings
and princes, mixing with a crowd of courtiers of all
sorts, and awaiting the moment at which they might
present themselves before him. On the day after his
arrival the Emperor's levee was attended by the
reigning Princes of Saxe-Weimar, Saxe-Coburg, and
Nassau. The King of Westphalia and the Grand
Duke of Wurtzberg arrived during the day, and
immediately paid their respects to him.
On the 18th, the Emperor and Empress of Austria
made their state entry into Dresden. What a moment
for Marie-Louise ! Once more to find herself in the
arms of her father, and to reappear before the dazzled
eyes of her family as the happiest of wives and the
consort of the greatest of sovereigns ! Her august
father could not conceal his emotion ; he tenderly
embraced his son-in-law, and recognizing the 1 claim to
his affection that Napoleon had acquired, he emphati-
cally assured him that he might count upon him and
upon Austria for the triumph of the common cause.
96 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
At their first interview, the Emperor of Austria
informed Napoleon that the Buonaparte family had
formerly been sovereign at Treviso ; of this fact he
was sure, because he had caused the authentic titles to
be procured and presented to him. He attached so
much importance to the proof of Napoleon's nobility
that he left the Emperor abruptly in order to commu-
nicate the good news to Marie-Louise, who was also
greatly delighted to hear it.
On that day the King of Saxony gave a magnificent
banquet to all these illustrious guests. The principal
ministers, the confidants, and the private advisers of
the sovereigns and the princes crowded in behind them ;
among the number were Metternich and Harden-
er
berg. Their attitude in the presence of Napoleon was
that of profound admiration for his genius ; their
language, in conversation with the members of the
imperial household, was that of devotion to his person.*
The King of Prussia was not present at this great
assembly. It had been arranged that if Napoleon
should leave Dresden to join the army he was to pass
through Berlin, where, indeed, preparation had already
been made for him, and the King of Prussia remained
in his capital to receive him. Nevertheless on the 26th
the King arrived at Dresden, and hastened to visit
Napoleon, to whom he said : —
* A significant commentary upon this passage, and indeed upon
the famous banquet at Dresden, and the protestations of the Emperor
of Austria, is supplied by the Talleyrand Correspoudence during the
Congress of Vienna (Bentley). — Translator's note.
NAPOLEON AND HIS COURT AT DRESDEN. 97
" Sire, my brother, I repeat to you my assurance
of inviolable attachment to the system which unites
us."
He offered Napoleon the services of his son, the
Crown Prince of Prussia, in the capacity of aide-de-
camp in the campaign upon which he was about to
enter. His Prussian Majesty even presented the
Prince to the aides-de-camp of the Emperor of the
French, begging their friendship for this new brother
in arms. But, no sooner had the first fervour of the
occasion subsided than comparisons, jealousies, and
animosities crept in and established themselves, so
that when the Princes and Princesses parted, each to
return home, they were on less friendly terms than thev
had intended to be, or at least than they had been
before the great meeting.
I shall not attempt to describe the grandeur of
that Court, whither so many Courts had come from
the farthest parts of Germany, and the luxury in
which each rivalled the other, — fetes, concerts, balls,
hunting-parties, assemblies, competing with each other
for their respective share in the whirl of pleasure.
Incessant movement and animation turned the Saxon
capital into an abode of dazzling magnificence, whose
centre was Napoleon.
In order to give the inhabitants of Dresden an idea
of the splendour which surrounded his throne, the
Emperor of the French had brought with him all that
could contribute to its adornment. The theatre had
H
98 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
not been neglected. Among his suite were the principal
members of the Comedie Francaise. Of course, Talma
had not been forgotten. He brought his wife with
him, in the hope of effecting a reconciliation between
her and the Emperor, who could not endure her (I do
not know why), while he loaded her husband with
tokens of his favour and generosity. Talma did not
succeed. When the object of his unjust dislike ap-
peared, he plainly showed his displeasure, and ordered
his Prefect of the Palais to signify to Madame Talma
that she was not again to show herself upon the
French stage.
Napoleon was very busy at Dresden, and Marie-
Louise, ever anxious to take advantage of the few
leisure moments which her husband could spare her,
hardly went out at all lest she might miss any of
them. The Emperor Francis, who did nothing, and
was excessively bored, could not understand this
domestic seclusion, and amused himself, as a last
resource, in walking about the town all day and
haunting the shops. The Empress of Austria tried
to make Marie-Louise do the same, telling her that
her assiduity was ridiculous. She would have followed
the lead of her step-mother, if she had not been afraid
of Napoleon. It was his wish that his wife should
display the utmost magnificence on this occasion. All
the Crown Jewels had been taken to Dresden ; Marie-
Louise was literally covered with them ; and the
Empress of Austria, who had done her very utmost to
NAPOLEON AND HIS COURT AT DRESDEN. 99
make a splendid appearance, was mortified to find
herself eclipsed by her step-daughter. She used to
come in almost every morning while Marie-Louise was
dressing, and ferret about everywhere ; rummaging
the Empress's laces, ribbons, stuffs, shawls, trinkets,
etc., etc., and she never went away empty-handed.
She hated Napoleon ; in vain did he employ all
the resources of French gallantry to overcome her
dislike. He never could triumph over the inveterate
aversion which she frequently, but unconsciously,
allowed to appear.
The meeting at Dresden was the high-water
mark of Napoleon's power. He had to show that he
desired to have a little more made of the Emperor of
Austria, his father-in-law, than was actually done.
Neither the Emperor, nor the King of Prussia, had a
house allotted to his suite. All ate at Napoleon's
table, and it was he who settled the hours, the
etiquette, and the ton. When he made the Emperor
Francis or the King of Prussia go before him, these
sovereigns were highly pleased. The luxury and mag-
nificence of the Court of France caused Napoleon to be
regarded as an Eastern King might have been. There,
as at Tilsit, he distributed profuse gifts of money and
diamonds. During his stay at Dresden, he had not
a single French soldier about his person ; his only
escort was formed of the Saxon body-guard.
The Emperor Alexander had arrived at Wilna at
the end of April, accompanied by all his Staff, and
100 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
from thence he had made his entry into the capital of
Poland. Stress of circumstances, therefore, obliged
Napoleon to send an ambassador to the Czar without
delay. He selected, for this important mission, the
Archbishop of Malines (Mechlin), who started at once,
accompanied by M. de Narbonne, then aide-de-camp
to the Emperor. He saw Alexander, and found him
firm in the resolution which he had formed, if the
indemnities which he had previously demanded
through Kourakin, his ambassador, Avere not granted.
In consequence, Napoleon prepared to leave Dresden.
On the 28th he made all his arrangements with the
Secretaries of State despatched from Paris to Dresden
by the various Ministers, and the next day at two
o'clock a.m., he left the Saxon capital to place him-
self at the head of the finest army he had yet com-
manded. The Prince of Neufchatel occupied a place
in his carriage, the Grand Marshal and the Grand
Equerry followed close behind ; the rest of his civil
and military household had already preceded him.
The Duke of Bassano and Count Daru remained at
Dresden in order to forward despatches, while awaiting
the Emperor's commands to rejoin him.
No sooner was Napoleon gone than all the Princes
hastened to return to their own realms. For the first
time Marie-Louise beheld the crowd ebb away from
before her. The only one who remained with her was
her uncle, the Grand Duke of Wurtzberg. On the 5th
of June, the Empress herself set out for Prague. The
NAPOLEON AND HIS COURT AT DRESDEN. 101
Emperor and Empress of Austria came to meet her
with all their Court. Her Majesty left her own
carriage and seated herself in her father's. The entry
of the brilliant cortege into the city of Prague was
made amid the roar of cannon and the rinoino- of
bells ; the streets were lined with troops, and all the
houses were magnificently draped.
On arriving at her apartments in the Palace, her
Majesty found all the civil, religious, and military
authorities of the city assembled, together with such
personages as had not taken part in the cortege, and
a numerous "service of honour" selected by the
Emperor of Austria from among the most distin-
guished members of his household.
On the 18th of June, Marie-Louise returned to
Saint Cloud from Prague.
102 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER XII.
DEPARTURE OF NAPOLEON TO JOIN THE ARMY — THE MARCH UPON MOSCOW
— THE CONSPIRACY OF MALLET — THE EMPEROR'S WORDS — THE DUKE
OF ROYIGO — DISASTERS — NAPOLEON'S RETURN TO PARIS — THE PRAYER
OF THE KING OF ROME — PREPARATIONS FOR A FRESH CAMPAIGN —
THE DUKE DE FELTRE.
Napoleon had set out for Poland, whither he was
summoned by a people who believed that he was
about to re-establish the kingdom, and restore its
former boundaries. He did nothing of the kind ; his
views were of a different nature, and this was an
error which cost him dear. He marched at the
head of the finest army that France had ever raised,
reinforced by auxiliary troops from Italy and the con-
federation of the Rhine, and provided with formidable
parks of artillery and immense stores.
At first victory seemed disposed to remain faithful
to him who had hitherto been its favourite, and he
marched on from success to success, so far as Smolensk.
Having reached that town, he was a while disposed to
advance no farther; he talked of this project to his
confidants, and alluded to the region at which he had
arrived as a barbarous country. But one of his
generals pointed out to him, that, as he had often
MOSCOW. 103
signed treaties of peace in capitals, he was bound to go
on to Moscow, in order there to sign the peace with
Russia. He hearkened to this imprudent counsel, and
set out on his march towards the ancient capital of
the Czars.
When the Emperor arrived at Moscow, where he
expected to get provisions for his troops, and to be
able to give them some rest, he found the city burning,
and no supplies for his army. He wrote to the Emperor
Alexander, proposing to treat with him for peace.
Several days elapsed before Alexander arrived at any
decision ; but at length he wrote to the General in
command of his army to the effect that he would con-
sent to treat for peace with Napoleon. At the moment
when the Czar's orders reached the Russian head-
quarters, Moscow was in flames, and the cold had
already set in with great intensity. The General took
it upon himself to defer the execution of his Sovereign's
commands, being convinced that the French army
would be forced to retire, and that the Emperor would
be well pleased with his disobedience. He was right ;
the misfortunes of the French army were directly
caused by that act.*
While Napoleon was returning from Moscow, an
extraordinary event was occurring in Paris.f A
* This circumstance was communicated to the author by a Russian
nobleman who was perfectly acquainted with the facts.
t It was at Smolensk, and during the disastrous retreat, that
Napoleon was suddenly informed of the famous exploit of General
Mallet. The following account of the incident is taken from Segur's
104 NAPOLEON AND MAEIE-LOUISE.
person who had escaped from prison seized the
Minister of Police, threw him into a dungeon, made
Histoire de Napoleon et de la Grande Arme'e, pendant Vanne'e 1S12,
vol. ii. ch. xii. : — ■
" We were on the heights of Mikalewka, on the 6th of November,
and the sleet-laden clouds had just discharged themselves upon our
heads, when we saw Count Daru coming up in haste, and a circle of
vedettes was formed around him and the Emperor.
" An estafette, the first who had been able to reach us for ten clays
past, had just brought the news of that strange conspiracy, formed in
Paris by an obscure general in confinement. His only accomplices
were the false news of our destruction, and forged orders to some
troops to arrest the Minister, the Prefect of Police, and the Comman-
dant of Paris. The success of all this was due to the impulse of a
first movement, and the general ignorance and astonishment. But no
sooner had the first rumour of it been spread than an order sufficed
to consign the head of the conspiracy to prison once more, with his
accomplices or his dupes.
" The Emperor was informed simultaneously of their crime and their
punishment. Those who tried from a distance to read his thoughts
in his face saw nothing. He was absolutely reticent ; his first and
only words to Daru were : ' AVell ! and if we had stayed at Moscow ! '
Then he hastily entered a palisaded house which was used as a post
of correspondence. No sooner was Napoleon alone with his most
faithful and trusted officers than all his emotions broke out at once in
exclamations of astonishment, humiliation, and anger. A few minutes
later, he sent for several officers in order to ascertain the effect that
had been produced by such strange news. He detected in them all
distress, uneasiness, even consternation, and perceived that confidence
in the stability of his government was shaken. Pie also came to know
that his officers accosted each other with lamentation, and were agreed
that the great revolution of 1789, which was supposed to be ended, was
still active.
"Some persons were rejoiced at the news, hoping that it would
hasten the Emperor's return to France, and that he would remain
there, not exposing himself to risks from the outside, because he was
no longer sure of the inside. As for Napoleon, all his thoughts had
preceded him to Paris, and he continued to advance mechanically
towards France; but he had 710 sooner arrived than he summoned the
Grand-Chancellor to Saint Cloud, and, advancing towards him the
moment he caught sight of him, his eyes blazing with anger, he
mallet's conspiracy. 105
himself master of the military post, and was on the
point of overturning the Imperial Government in a
few hours. This attempt was badly conducted, but
the moment could not have been better chosen. The
war with Russia had occasioned almost general dis-
content ; the new levies of men which it had necessi-
tated turned all classes against it.
It was actually hoped that Napoleon might not
obtain too great a success, because the general con-
viction was, that if he did he would afterwards despatch
troops by land to endeavour to destroy the English
power in India. This appeared to be the real aim
of his desires and his ambition. His absence, at so
great a distance, made people talk and murmur more
freely. The Ministers inspired but little fear. All
things therefore seemed to unite to favour a conspiracy.
At this moment Mallet, a general who was suspected
by the Emperor, and shut up in an asylum on the pre-
text of madness, conceived the project of a revolu-
tion, and proceeded to put it into execution, without
any settled plan, and without either accomplices or
money. Having escaped from the house where he
was confined, and provided himself with forged decrees
of the Senate, which announced the death of the
Emperor, and appointed General Mallet to the Military
Command of Paris, he went alone, in the middle of
addressed him in a voice of thunder : ' Ah, so you have come, sir ! Who
gave you have to have my officers shot? Why have you deprived me
of the fairest of a sovereign's rights, the right to pardon ? Sir, you
are very culpable ! ' " — Communicated note.
106 NAPOLEON AND MAKIE-LOUISE.
the night, to a barrack, read out the so-called decree
of which he was the bearer, and ordered a regiment
to follow him. From thence he repaired to the prison
of La Force, and in virtue of the dignity with which
he had invested himself, he ordered the release of
a general officer, named Lahorie, who had been im-
prisoned on some police charge, and on whom he
believed he could rely. The latter, with a detach-
ment of the same regiment, proceeded to the hotel
of the Minister of Police, informed him of the death
of Napoleon, and, also, that he had the commands
of the Senate to secure the Minister's person. The
Duke of Rovigo, only half awake, surrounded on
all sides, and stunned by the double intelligence,
allowed himself to be arrested and taken to La Force.
Before seven o'clock in the morning, he was under
lock and key in the same prison from which Lahorie
had been released a few hours before, and he was very
soon joined by the Prefect of Police, who had also
allowed himself to be arrested with equal credulity.
During this time, Mallet had gone to the staff-
quarters of the Place de Paris, in order to arrest
General Hulin ; but the latter was not so confiding
as Savary. He asked to see the decree of the Senate,
and Mallet, pretending to take it out of his pocket,
drew a pistol, fired at the general and broke his jaw.
At that moment, Adjutant-General Laborde, an active
and dauntless man, arrived.
On being informed of what had occurred, he con-
mallet's conspikacy. 107
vinced the officers who had followed Mallet that they
were the dupes of an impostor, and seized upon him.
Laborde then proceeded to the Ministry of Police, and
there he found Lahorie, who, after having given the
clerks orders to draw up a circular despatch, was in
serious consultation with a tailor from whom he was
ordering a coat. Laborde had him arrested, and then
went on to La Force to release the Minister of Police.
Lastly, having repaired to the department, he found
another emissary sent by Mallet, and the Prefect, who
was as credulous as Rovigo, busily engaged in the pre-
paration of a room in which the provisional Govern-
ment was to meet in the course of the morning. By
eleven o'clock order had been restored everywhere.
Marie-Louise was at Saint Cloud while all this
was taking place in Paris. It must be said, to her
honour, that she showed coolness and courage on the
occasion. She commanded the few troops at the palace
to place themselves under arms ; but this was barely
done when she learned that the conspirators had been
arrested.
The news of the alleged death of the Emperor, and
the authentic intelligence of the arrest of the Minister
and the Prefect of Police, had spread rapidly through
Paris without producing any effect. There was no mani-
festation of joy, nor was there any sign of grief. The
faubourgs of Saint Antonio and Saint Marceau, which
had been, respectively, such centres of agitation in all
our revolutions, remained perfectly quiet. The only
108 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
sentiment by which the Parisians seemed to be
animated was that of a spectator watching a game
of dominoes — curiosity to know how all this would
end. The next day no more was thought about it,
except as it furnished an opportunity for sarcastic
observations upon the Minister of Police, of whom it
was said, among other things, that on the present
occasion he had made a tour de force.
While I am on the subject of the Mallet con-
spiracy, I must relate an anecdote which does honour
to the unfortunate Lahorie. A year before the time
of which I am speaking, he had been sentenced to be
shot. Savary, who had known him formerly, managed
to save his life. At the moment when the arrest of
the Duke was attempted, a sergeant in command of
a portion of troops accompanying Lahorie, wanted to
kill him. Lahorie rushed upon the sergeant, whom
he disarmed, and declared that as the Duke had saved
his life, nobody should touch him. Savary did what
he could, after the event, to prevent the condemnation
of Lahorie, and, having failed, he took special care of
his family.
As I have alluded to the Duke of Rovigo, I shall
relate a few particulars which ought to modify the
unfavourable impression of his character that has
been produced by certain libellous publications.
His father, a former lieutenant-colonel of the Royal
Normandy Regiment of Cavalry, placed his son, then
sixteen years of age, in that regiment, in 1789. The
THE DUKE DE ROVIGO. 109
young man was aide-de-camp to General Ferino for
five years and a half; his good looks, and his gal-
lantry in the war, had procured that post for him.
He lost it on the 18th Fructidor, but served
General Desaix in a similar capacity, accompanjnng
him to Egypt and returning with him. On the death
of the General, he became aide-de-camp to Napoleon.
His great activity and exactitude rendered him
a favourite with his superior officers ; he was very
ambitious and had a thirst for success ; his manners
were rough, his tone was overbearing, but he had
natural ability and great self-devotion. He said that
when the Emperor was in question, he knew neither
wife nor children ; this was the very fanaticism of
gratitude.*
It is due to him to state that he never slighted
any of his former friends.
All the officers of the Royal Normandy Regiment,
whether emigres or not, who wanted places, had only
to apply to him. He got a prefectship for his former
colonel. I could quote two hundred persons who have
owed their means of livelihood to him.
When he was Minister of Police he was constantly
exposed to much that was very unpleasant in con-
sequence of his patronage of certain persons. The
* No doubt this saying of Savary's gave rise to the calumny
previously referred toby the writer, and which imputed to Napoleon the
observation that he " liked Savary because he would shoot his father if
hi (the Emperor) desired him to do so." — Translator's uote.
110 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
two Polignacs, for instance, owe the many and great
alleviations of their captivity to him.
While these events were taking place, Napoleon had
arrived at Moscow, and had seen the city burned by
the Russians, so that the French might not profit by
the provisions, the munitions, and the wealth of all
kinds which it contained. Alexander kept his enemy
amused by proposals of peace, because he was reckon-
ing upon a powerful auxiliary, which could not fail
to come to his aid, and was bound to be much more
fatal to the French troops than all his own forces
combined. Wise men feared and foresaw great mis-
fortunes, but the Emperor would not listen to any
advice. How could he make up his mind to retrace
his steps without having struck a decisive blow ? At
last, Prince Poniatowski spoke out to him.
"Sire," said he, "your army is incurring the
greatest danger. I know the climate ; the weather
is fine to-day, the thermometer stands at 4° (Reau-
mur), but it may fall this very evening to 20° and 30°."
Napoleon yielded, and gave the order for departure
on the next day but one. On the morrow, however,
the event predicted by Prince Poniatowski came to
pass. The disasters which followed are well known.
The French army was completely destroyed ; those
whom hunger, cold, or the Russian steel spared, were
sent as prisoners to the depths of Siberia.
The Emperor made his retreat, if indeed the name
of retreat can be given to a precipitate flight; for
THE ALLIES OF THE CZAR. Ill
he did not pause once until he had reached Saxon
territory.
The celebrated bulletin, drawn up by Napoleon
himself, which allowed a great part of our vast mis-
fortune to be discerned, without, however, making'
known its full extent, was received at Paris. All
France was plunged into consternation ; there was
hardly a family which had not either to mourn or to
fear.
Napoleon did not pause in Saxony ; he immediately
resumed his journey to France. He had written to
the Empress several times, but without announcing
his return, and he arrived unexpectedly. Marie-
Louise, who had been for some time very ailing and
depressed, had just retired to rest; Mademoiselle K ,
who slept in the room adjoining her Majesty's, was
preparing to do likewise, and about to close all the
approaches, when she heard voices in the salon beyond.
At the same moment the door opened, and two men,
wearing heavy furred cloaks, entered the room. She
rushed to the door of the Empress's room, to bar their
approach, when, one of the two men having thrown off
his cloak, she recognized the Emperor. A cry uttered
by her had apprised the Empress that something
extraordinary was occurring in the next room, and she
was just getting out of her bed when the Emperor
came in and clasped her in his arms. The interview
was a tender one. Napoleon's companion was M. tie
Caulaincourt, who had come with him to the palace in
112 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
a shabby caleche. So little were they expected, that
they had great difficulty in getting the gates opened
to admit them.
There was less gaiety at Court that winter than
during the last. The entertainments were few, and
pleasure seemed to be banished from them. For some
time Napoleon was gloomy and absent-minded ; he was
reluctant to show himself in public, and seemed to fear
that he would be badly received. In this he was mis-
taken, and the public proved to him that he had mis-
judged them. He appeared, indeed, in a new light ; he
was no longer the ever-victorious hero : for the first
time they beheld him unfortunate and a fugitive. His
errors were blamed, the losses Ave had suffered were
bitterly deplored ; but interest in him, affection for him,
were re-awakened by the sight of him, and loud accla-
mations greeted him, not of the purchased sort, but
coming from the heart. The French are eminently
generous ; they proved it on this occasion. Even those
who loved him not kept silence, and refrained from
insulting him in a misfortune which so many brilliant
memories entitled them to regard as merely temporary.
This reception emboldened him; and having already
resolved to form a new army without delay, he sought
to make himself popular, because he knew that no
sacrifice is too costly for the French, when it is made
for a prince whom they love. He went out much
more in public, visited all the institutions and public
works, accompanied only by a single aide-de-camp,
THE CHILD-KING'S PRAYER. 113
talked familiarly with all whom he met, and dis-
tributed tokens of his generosity on all sides. He
sometimes met with people who ventured to ask him
for " peace." To them he would reply that peace was
the object of his most ardent desire ; that France
had won sufficient glory by her arms ; and that he
purposed to make only one more campaign, in order
to place the tranquility of the Empire upon a sound
and solid basis.
Madame de Montesquiou, who was anxious to in-
spire her charge from his infancy with those principles
of piety which were so remarkable in herself, had
accustomed the King of Rome to pray to God night and
morning. After the disasters of the Russian campaign,
she taught him to add the following words to his
childish prayer — -" Inspire, Lord God, my papa with
the desire to make peace, for the welfare of France and
of us all." One evening, Napoleon was in his son's
room. The time came for the child to say his prayers ;
Madame de Montesquiou made no change in them, and
the Emperor heard the little King of Rome repeat the
words which I have just quoted. He smiled, but said
nothing. Napoleon was aware of the sentiments of
Madame de Montesquiou; she had already had the
courage to tell him what his flatterers sought to
conceal from him, — the great need and the desire of
France for peace. He listened to her calmly, answered
that he ivanted to make peace, and then changed the
conversation.
I
114 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
In the mean time preparations for this fresh cam-
paign went on with incredible activity. New arms
seemed to fall from the sky ; immense magazines of
provisions, forage, and munitions were formed; and
men rose apparently from the earth to fill up the
roster of the former regiments or to form new ones,
which passed in succession before the Emperor. One
day, as he was looking at a newly formed regiment of
Chasseurs defiling under the windows of the Tuileries,
he cried, " What a fine regiment ! With that one may
be sure of conquering every one and everywhere."
The formation of the Guards of Honour excited
against him all the old nobles and all the rich people,
who had paid considerable sums to shield their sons
from the obligation of military service by purchasing
substitutes for them : many persons had been obliged
to do this twice and even three times over. The
measure was so unjust and so impolitic, that many
people suspected the Duke de Feltre, who proposed it,
of the perfidious intention of turning against the
Emperor that class which, although it was the least
numerous, was the most to be feared, on account of
its talents, its wealth, and its influence. In short, it
was believed that the Minister had been suborned by
some foreign power.
The Duke de Feltre (Clarke) had also behaved in a
suspicious way with respect to the conspiracy, or, as it
ouoht rather to be called, the ill-concerted enterprise
of General Mallet. He asserted that he had given
DUBIOU'S ZEAL. 115
orders to have Mallet arrested, and that he had
mounted his horse and ridden through the streets of
Paris in order to quiet and undeceive the public mind.
It is quite true that he did all this, but not until after
Laborde had arrested Mallet and taken the Duke of
Rovigo out of La Force. Until then he had remained
quietly in his house, and he appears to have waited
until the whole thing was over before making any
movement.
116 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER XIII.
NAPOLEON'S DOUBTS OF THE GOOD FAITH OF AUSTRIA — THE DUKE OF
BASSANO — MARIE-LOUISE REGENT— OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN OF
1S13 — COLIN THE COMPTROLLER — DEATH OF GRAND-MARSHAL DUROC
THE EMPEROR'S UNEXPECTED RETURN TO SAINT CLOUD THE
PARISIAN NATIONAL GUARD — NAPOLEON'S DEPARTURE FOR THE CAM-
PAIGN OF FRANCE — -HE IS BETRAYED BY ONE OF HIS GENERALS — THE
ARRIVAL OF THE ALLIES UNDER THE WALLS OF PARIS.
Napoleon by no means deceived himself with regard
to the crisis with which France was threatened ;
he clearly discerned the immensity of his peril, when
he opened the campaign. Ever since his return from
Moscow, he had fully recognized the danger of the
situation, and applied himself to averting it. Thence-
forth he had made up his mind to the greatest sacri-
fices ; hut the moment at which he should acknow-
ledge this was a difficulty with which his mind was
especially occupied.
The fidelity of the allies of France in Germany did
not yet appear to be shaken ; nevertheless, he already
entertained doubts of the good faith of Austria, and he
imparted them to the Duke of Bassano, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, who, notwithstanding his intelligence
THE CAMPAIGN BEGUN. 117
and finesse, was the last man who ought to have been
placed in that important position, as he had been
more than once duped by foreign Cabinets. Being
questioned by the Emperor upon the dispositions of
Austria, he assured him in the most positive way
that they were entirely pacific and amicable. It
appears, indeed, that the Minister, either credulous or
deceived, was sincerely persuaded of this, and induced
Napoleon to share his conviction. Marie-Louise, who
trembled lest the union which had existed between
her father and her husband should be broken, was
grateful to the Emperor for the way in which he was
acting, and fur his confidence in the fidelity of the
Emperor of Austria. She had not liked the Duchess of
Bassano, but from that moment she took her into her
good graces, and on every occasion lavished tokens of
regard upon her. The Court was surprised to see the
Duchess promoted to such favour all of a sudden, and
attributed the fact to the intimacy which existed
between her and Madame de Montebello. But every
one was mistaken ; the real cause was that which 1
have just indicated.
In the middle of spring the Emperor set out for
the north of Germany, whither he had already
despatched his troops. Before his departure, he
appointed the Empress Regent of the Empire, and
his brother Joseph President of the Council of
Regency. Marie-Louise accompanied him so far as
Mayence. On seeing the troops it was indeed difficult
118 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
to believe that they could have been furnished by a
nation which had just lost so numerous an army in
the preceding campaign.
On the 2nd of May Napoleon opened the campaign
of Saxony by the victories of Lutzen and Bautzen
But those victorious days were days of mourning
for him : Bessieres, Duke of Istria ; Bruyere, General
of the Guard ; and Duroc, the Grand Marshal, lost
their lives. The Emperor was sincerely attached to
all three. He felt the loss of Duroc more keenly than
that of the others, owing to their old friendship and
the associations common to both.
Some details of Duroc's death may be acceptable.
Those which I am about to relate, were communicated
to me by an eye-witness of the event in whom I have
entire confidence, and who remained with Duroc until
he had ceased to breathe.
The Emperor did not arrive at his head-quarters
until the 20th of May, at nine o'clock in the evening.
" Every day has its troubles," said he to the
principal officers of his army who surrounded him ;
" let us give a few moments to rest, and we will beg-in
again to-morrow."
He then sat down to his modest repast, and
remarking the presence of his first Comptroller, M.
Colin, he said to him with a smile, " Ha ! ha ! are you
there, Monsieur le brave ? " Turning to the Prince of
Neufchatel, he added, " This devil of a fellow actually
came to look for me this momma; in the midst of the
THE DEATH OF DUROC. 119
battle to give me a crust of bread and a glass of wine !
It was not a very convenient place, was it, Colin?
You will remember that breakfast."
" Yes, Sire," muttered the faithful servant between
his teeth ; " and especially the bombshells that were
dancing about your Majesty."
The next day — a day of battle — the Emperor kept
at the heels of the vanguard. The bullets whistled
like a hailstorm around him, and he could not conceal
his vexation on seeing the enemy's army constantly
escaping him.
" What ! " said he, " no result after such butchery ?
Not a prisoner ! These people will not leave so much
as a nail behind them ! "
At that moment one of his escort, a Cha.sseur of
the Guides, was killed by a Russian bullet. Napoleon,
who saw him fall almost under his horse's feet, said,
addressing his Grand Marshal, " Duroc, fortune has
a spite against us to-day."
The day was not ended.
The Emperor, perceiving a height from whence he
could see what was passing, galloped rapidly down
the hollow in order to regain a narrow way which
led to it. He was accompanied by the Duke of
Vieenza, the Duke of Treviso, Marshal Duroc, and
General Kirgener of the Engineers ; all following at
a quick trot and close together. At that moment the
enemy fired three cannon shots ; one of the balls struck
a tree close to the Emperor, and ricochetted. Napoleon,
120 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
having reached the plateau which overlooked the
ravine, turned round to ask for his field-glass, and
saw nobody but the Duke of k Vicenza, who had
followed him. Duke Charles of Placenza came up
soon afterwards and whispered something to the
Grand Equerry. The Emperor asked what it was.
" Sire," said the Duke of Vicenza, " the Grand
Marshal has been killed."
" Duroc ! " exclaimed the Emperor. " Bah ! that is
not possible ; he was beside me just now."
On this, the page on duty came up with the
glass ; he was as pale as death, and he confirmed
the sad news. He had seen the ball ricochet from the
tree and strike, first General Kirgener, and then the
Duke of Friula.
"Kirgener was killed on the spot, but the Grand
Marshal is not yet dead ; and your Majesty's glass has
escaped," added the page, with a forced smile.
During this time the doctors, Larrey and Ivan, had
hurried up, but they could do nothing ; the intestines
had been torn by the ball.
All the army participated in the grief which
absorbed Napoleon: The old Grenadiers said, as they
fixed their eyes upon him, " Poor man ! that one was
an intime ! "
The news that his Grand Marshal had ceased to
suffer, which was brought to him in the morning,
did more to turn his thoughts from his sorrow than
even the tortuous manoeuvres of the enemy. Some
THE REGENTS LETTERS.
121
time after this event, the Emperor said to one of his
generals that he had lost at Bautzen, in the most
stupid way in the world, the three men whom he
liked best and esteemed still more ; Bruyere, Bessieres,
and Duroc. The three were killed on the same day
by three trifling cannonades.
The battle of Leipsic was fought a few days after-
wards, and was followed by the desertion of the
Emperor by his allies. Napoleon was obliged to
leave Germany as precipitately as he had fled from
Russia, and was only enabled to reach Mayence by
the noble self-devotion of his Guard, who were cut
to pieces in covering his retreat.
The Regent wrote frequently to the Emperor,
and did not conceal the state of feeling in Paris and
the provinces, where all desired peace and loudly
demanded it.
We had just received the news of some slight
successes, and a glimmering of hope had been re-
awakened at Court, when two wretched hack carriages
arrived at Saint Cloud. The Emperor was recognized,
and his unexpected return at once revealed that he
had to announce fresh disasters. The Empress was
with her son. Some one went to tell her ; she ran
to meet her husband, who was coming up the steps
of the palace, and threw herself into his arms in
a flood of tears. Napoleon, deeply moved, clasped
her to his heart with the utmost tenderness, and their
little son, who was brought down by his governess,
122 NAPOLEON AND MAKIE-LOUISE.
added the last touch to a family picture, which was
deeply interesting to the small number of spectators
who witnessed it.
The Empress, aware of the conduct of Austria,
dreaded the return of the Emperor almost as much as
she desired it. He was calm, resigned, and did not
yet despair of his fortunes, but applied himself to
calculate the resources which still remained to him.
Above all, he did not show the slightest disposition to
hold his wife responsible for the faithlessness of her
father.
There was no longer any question of carrying the
war into distant lands, of making conquests, of
destroying ancient monarchies, or of founding new
ones ; the pressing matter was to prevent the foreigner
from penetrating into the heart of France, and to
maintain the integrity of her territory, so as to secure
the safety of the Imperial crown, which was now in
danger of falling from the head of Napoleon. To
do this he must create a new army for the second
time ; procure arms, munitions, horses, victuals, money,
and above all, men. The measures which were
adopted were equivalent to the former convocation
of the ban, and the arriere-ban.
At the mention of the fresh forces the general
discontent reached its height, and although it did
not break out into sedition, it found utterance in
murmurs, and the orders of the Government were
executed slowly and only in part. The Chamber of
THE TKUTH AT LAST. 123
representatives was summoned, and the deputies
appeared there to give voice to the feelings and
wishes of their constituents, who had everywhere
declared for peace. Napoleon's reverses had restored
some courage to the friends of liberty. The Senate
persisted in the system of base flattery which had
degraded it in the eyes of all Europe, but the Legis-
lative Body exhibited more spirit, and ventured to
make the truth audible.* Hence the improvised
reply made by the Emperor to the deputation from
the Legislative Body, on the 1st of January, 1814.f
On the 23rd of the same month, Sunday, the officers
of the National Guard of Paris were ordered to assemble
at the Tuileries in the Salle des Marechaux. This
salon is square, and very large ; it occupies the first
floor of the Pavilion de l'Horloge. The officers, who
were not informed of the purpose for which they
were summoned, were about seven or eight hundred
in number, and were all in uniform. They were
ranged around the vast salon. At noon, Napoleon,
who had crossed this apartment as usual on his
way to the chapel, was saluted by repeated cries of
" Vive I'Empereur ! " On his return, he walked all
round the room several times, and, after he had
spoken to some of the chief officers, he placed himself
in the centre.
* See Piece Justificative, Xo. I., in Appendix,
t Idem., No. II.
124 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Ten minutes afterwards, Marie-Louise entered the
Salle des Marechaux, accompanied by Madame de
Montesquiou, who held the King of Rome in her
arms. When she had taken her place by the
Emperor's side, Napoleon addressed the National
Guards, by whom he was surrounded, in a loud voice,
to the following effect : —
"Gentlemen, a part of the territory of France is
invaded ; I am about to place myself at the head of
my army, and, with the help of God and the valour of
my troops, I hope to drive the enemy back beyond
the frontiers."
Then, taking the Empress and the King of Rome
each by a hand, he added with emotion —
" If the enemy approaches the capital, I confide
the Empress and the King of Rome — my wife and
my son — to the devotion of the National Guard."
This simple address produced a great effect.
Several of the officers stepped out of their ranks and
kissed the Emperor's hands ; the greater number shed
tears. Among the latter were many who were by
no means partial to the imperial regime, but this
scene had affected them.
After he had embraced his wife and his son for
the last time, Napoleon left Paris on the 25th of
January, 1814, at three o'clock in the morning, to place
himself at the head of the small and hastily formed
army, which formed his sole means of opposing the
THE CAMPAIGN OF FRANCE. 125
great host of soldiers from all the countries in Europe,
now pouring down upon the north of France from
every point. Each step that they took augmented their
pretensions ; but the Emperor still had the oppor-
tunity of making at least an honourable, if not a
glorious, peace. Once more he held in his hands a
treaty to which nothing but his signature was wanting.
Most unhappily he achieved a partial success at that
critical moment, and it stayed his hand. Once more
he believed that the star which had guided him so
long had reappeared above ' t the horizon, and he de-
clared that he would not think of peace until he had
forced the enemy to re-cross the Rhine. Then it was
that Napoleon executed the skilful movement which
ought to have secured his triumph, but which in fact
wrought his ruin. The enemy were to have found
themselves enclosed in a square formed by all our
divisions ; the peasants, driven to despair by pillage
and slaughter, were to have formed as many troops
of light infantry, who should massacre the loiterers and
the fugitives ; but one of Napoleon's generals betrayed
him, and gave passage to the Emperor of Russia and
his army. The foreign troops were under the walls
of the capital while Napoleon was confidently waiting
to cut off their retreat.
I have heard distinguished generals say that his
" Campaign of France " was his masterpiece of
capacity, skill, and activity ; that posterity, more
126 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
just than his contemporaries, would place it in the
first rank of the extraordinary things done by a man
who had no equal ; and that, if he had been seconded,
the enemy would have been destroyed, and Paris saved
from their presence.
( 127 )
CHAPTER XIV.
THE UNCERTAINTY OF MARIE-LOUISE.
CLARKE INDUCES THE EMPRESS TO LEAVE PARIS FOR RAMBOUILLET —
THE CAPITAL ON THE 29TH AND 30TH OF MARCH, 1814 — KING
JOSEPH AT MONTMARTRE — HEROIC CONDUCT OF THREE HUNDRED
DRAGOONS — THE POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL — CAPITULATION OF PARIS —
THE PREFECT OF LOIR ET CHER — ARRIVAL OF THE EMPRESS AND THH
KING OF ROME AT BLOIS — BIGOT DE PREAMENEU AND THE MINISTERS
— MARIE-LOUISE LEARNS AT BLOIS THE ABDICATION OF NAPOLEON
AND HIS DEPARTURE FOR THE ISLE OF ELBA.
Marie-Louise and her son were then at Paris, pro-
tected by the National Guard, to whom, as I have
already said, the Emperor had solemnly confided
them when he was going away. This corps showed
itself worthy of his confidence. The Empress had
intended to proceed to the Hotel de Ville with the
Kin«[ of Rome, but she was dissuaded from doimr so.
Unfortunately she had about her only cowardly or
perfidious advisers, who combined together to hasten
her departure. She resisted for a long time, having
a great example for so doing in her own family — that
of Marie-Therese. What did she risk by remaining ?
128 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
She was the daughter of one of the monarchs who
had formed a confederacy against France ; she was
therefore certain of being treated with respect by
the allied troops if they should enter Paris, and sup-
posing Napoleon were to lose the crown, was it not
possible that she might preserve it for his son ?
By leaving Paris, on the contrary, where the fate
of France had always been decided for the last
twenty-five years, she bade adieu to every hope, and
left the field free to the partisans of the Bourbon
dynasty, who now manifested their opinions openly.
The confidence which the French had reposed in the
invincibility of their army was already considerably
weakened by the dangers which increased at every
moment. The public plainly expressed a fear that the
Allies would reach the gates of Paris, and several
people had packed up their most precious goods in
readiness to be despatched to the provinces farthest
from the scene of war. At the same time, a great
number of the inhabitants of the villages, farms,
and country houses in the neighbourhood of the
capital, came into Paris, bringing a more or less
considerable portion of their furniture. The result
was that the faubourgs, and all the roads leading to
them, were encumbered with carts laden with goods,
people of both sexes and all ages, and with cattle
of every kind. The Empress had not a moment to
lose, in gaining an open road by which to escape from
the capital.
UNCERTAINTY OF MARIE-LOUISE. 129
At last the Duke de Feltre succeeded in inducing
her to leave Paris, by producing at the council a
letter from the Emperor, in which he was instructed
to send away the Empress and her son, if Paris was
threatened. Napoleon added, " I would prefer to
know that they were both at the bottom of the Seine,
rather than in the hands of the foreigners." The
Empress's departure was decided upon during the
night of the 28th of March, and on the 29th, at eleven
o'clock in the morning, the whole Court set out for
Rambouillet, abandoning the capital to its fate.
A proclamation addressed to the Parisians had,
however, been posted up, with a letter of King Joseph's
as a sort of preface, but no measure of any kind for
protection had been taken, not even the natural one of
transferring the Senate and the Legislative Body to
another city.
I cannot refrain from recording here an anecdote,
which some will no doubt consider puerile, but which
I regard as remarkable. When the moment of depar-
ture came, the little King of Home, who was accus-
tomed to make frequent excursions to St. Cloud,
Compiegne, Fontainebleau, etc., would not leave his
room. He screamed violently, rolled himself upon the
ground, said that he would remain at Paris and that
he would not go to Rambouillet. In vain did his
governess promise him new toys ; no sooner did she
take him by the hand and try to lead him out, than
hj again Hung himself down and struggled, screaming
K
130 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
still more loudly that he would not leave Paris. It
was necessary to take him by force to a carriage.
1 had remained in Paris to assist M. Ballouhai
to collect several articles belonging to the Empress,
which had been left behind in the haste of her
departure. I was therefore at the Tuileries on the
1st of April (the day before the arrival of the Allies),
when a general officer, the Prince of Wurtemberg,
arrived. He asked us where the Empress was, and on
learning that she had left Paris, he seemed greatly-
disturbed, and added that he had been charged to
provide a guard for her, and to take the command
of it. " What had she to fear ? " said he to us. " The
daughter of the Emperor of Austria was quite certain
of our respect."
The drums had been beaten during a portion of
the night of the 29th ; all the National Guard was on
foot — I will not say under arms, for a great portion of
the men who composed it had only pikes. The chiefs
had sent to the Duke de Feltre to ask for arms, and
were told that he had none at his disposal ; neverthe-
less when the Allied troops entered the capital, they
found considerable stores of arms in the magazine.
From seven o'clock in the morning the tiring of
cannon was heard on every side.
The French army, which had quitted its position at
Bondy, the day before, to fall back on Paris, was
stopped at the heights of Montmartre and Belleville,
a'ready occupied by the army of observation under
KING JOSEPH. LSI
command of Marshal de Ragusa. In accordance
with the plan made by the general council of the
Allies, the Prussian General, Bliicher, was to attack
Montmartre, while the Russian corps, commanded by
General Barclay de Tolly, was to advance against
Belleville ; but it was impossible for Bliicher, who was
informed too late, to arrive in time to act in concert
with them, and on the 30th at seven o'clock in the
morning;, such fierce fio-htino- was goinof on between
Pantin and Romainville, that the position at Mont-
martre had not yet been threatened.
While the slaughter on the northern and eastern
heights was proceeding, Joseph Bonaparte was at Mont-
martre with his Staff. The sight of the danger seemed
to have roused a momentary energy in him, which he
seldom displayed. Fired by the example of the
brave soldiers by whom he was surrounded, he mani-
fested confidence which did singular honour to French
valour, for he must indeed have entertained a lofty
idea of the bravery of the army, to persist in hoping
that he could yet defend besieged Paris, at the
moment when the enemy's troops entered the plain
of St. Denis. While lie was occupied in giving orders
and making fresh dispositions of his troops, Colonel
Peyre, whom he had sent to reconnoitre, returned to
give an account of his mission. This superior officer
had been made prisoner by the Russians, and taken to
the Emperor Alexander ; he was then able to estimate
the immense distance to which the forces of the enemy
132 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
extended. Being released by order of the Czar, he
went at once to King Joseph, told him in detail all
that he had seen, and assured him that resistance
must be henceforth useless. Then Joseph, losing
courage, exclaimed, "If that is the case, nothing
remains but to parley."
But the brave soldiers who surrounded him, and
who were enraged at the idea of yielding, cheered up
his disconsolate mind, and, almost in spite of himself,
he continued to give orders for fighting. Until then
King Joseph had remained firm at his post ; but when
at length he saw that all hope was for ever lost for
himself, his brother, and his family, forewarned by
Marshal de Ragusa that his troops, harassed by
a murderous fire, were about to be crushed by the
overwhelming number of their assailants, and that it
would then be impossible to preserve Paris from
being occupied by main force, Napoleon's Lieutenant-
General felt that the moment of his fall had arrived.
He sent Colonel Peyre to Marshal de Ragusa with
an authorization to demand a suspension of arms, and
even a capitulation, if he judged it absolutely neces-
sary. Having made these arrangements, Joseph
abandoned Montmartre, re-entered Paris, and, two
hours later, took the road to Blois in the hope of
rejoining the Empress and the King of Rome, who had
proceeded thither on the previous day.
On abandoning Montmartre, King Joseph left be-
hind him only three hundred dragoons, commanded
THE GALLANT THREE HUNDRED. 133
by an officer, to defend that important post. Twenty-
thousand men of the Silesian army, infantry and
cavalry, then proudly advanced against this handful
of heroes, who were animated equally by the love of
their country and the love of glory. Far from trying
to fly, they obstinately persisted in defending the
post confided to them. They stood firmly by the
guns which had protected them, and in the strength
of their courage alone they charged the enemy with
their accustomed impetuosity, and three times they
had the triumph of repulsing that terrible mass of
assailants. This would be an inconceivable thing had
they not been Frenchmen. Three hundred French-
men to resist with some advantage twenty thousand
foreigners ! Nevertheless at every minute the ranks
of these new Spartans were thinned, and soon, like
those of Thermopylae, they would all have perished,
had not their commander, perceiving that they were
about to be turned from the plain of Neuilly, ordered
the retreat to be sounded, leaving the enemy amazed
at the daring which had been displayed by all ranks
of our army during the whole of this memorable day.
The artillery had been served on the Buttes de
Chaumont by the pupils of the Polytechnic School —
youths from seventeen to twenty years of age, who
fought like old soldiers. The balls were exhausted,
when a chest arrived. They opened it eagerly, and
saw nothing in it but bread. They exclaimed, " We
don't want bread, but balls." The balls were sent to
134 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
them, but, either from treachery or in consequence of
the confusion which prevailed, they were unservice-
able, being too large for the guns.
During this time, the capital, abandoned to itself,
had organized a Provisional Government, and capitu-
lated with the Allied troops, who made their entry on
the following day. Napoleon was almost a spectator
of that entry, for he arrived on the same day, with
one of his aides-de-camp, to reconnoitre the situation
of the enemy. He was only five leagues away when
he learned that Paris had capitulated ; he then lost
all hope, and returned to Fontainebleau utterly dis-
couraged, as will be seen in the following chapter,
which I have entitled, " Napoleon at Fontainebleau."
Nevertheless he still had thirty thousand men of that
Imperial Guard which was formerly so famous with
him there. They loudly demanded that he should lead
them to Paris, swearing to conquer or be buried under
its ruins. The Emperor did not consent ; although he
had done everything in his power to deceive the in-
habitants of the capital to the last moment, and to
disguise from them the real state of things and their
own situation ; if at least we are to rely upon a bulletin
written long beforehand, and which was to be printed
in the Moniteur of the 31st. The original of this
document was communicated in manuscript to me, and
I have thought it sufficiently curious to give a copy of
it here. For all this, however, Napoleon had done too
much in favour of the city of Paris to be willing to
JOURNEY OF THE EMPRESS. 135
destroy it. His refusal displeased the soldiers and
cooled their enthusiasm.
The treachery of one of his generals, the reproaches
of several others, the truths which the persons around
him at length permitted themselves to speak, must
have taught him then that flatterers are not friends.
Lastly they pressed him to abdicate, and he made up
his mind to that step.
The Empress merely passed through Rambouillet on
her way to Blois, with the Council of Regency and a
portion of the Guard.
On the 30th she slept at Chartres, on the 31st at
Chateaudun, and on the 1st of April at Vendome,
where she arrived at three o'clock in the afternoon.
The road from Vendome to Blois was only in process of
making, and the greater number of the vehicles, espe-
cially the most heavily laden, stuck in the mud. All
the horses had to be used to extricate a few of them,
and when these had been got out, the same operation
was performed on the remainder. Thus was effected
the flight of that Imperial Court which only a few
days ago had been so brilliant !
At Blois the Court was in perfect security. The
Allied troops had not yet advanced on that side, and
Cristiani de Ravazan, Prefect of Loire-and-Eure, who
had already been warned of the approach of Marie-
Louise and her son, had proceeded to the boundary of
his Department to " compliment " the Empress, when
he received a communication from the Court which
136 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
obliged him to return to Blois in all haste, and to
evacuate the Hotel de Ville in order to make it ready
for the reception of the Court.
The principal inhabitants and functionaries, espe-
cially those residing near the prefecture, were requested
to prepare lodging for Madame Mere; the Kings Joseph,
Lucien, and Jerome; the High Chancellor, Cambaceres;
the Ministers and Chiefs of Administration ; and,
finally, for eighteen hundred soldiers. On the 2nd of
April, very early in the morning, the first detachment
of cavalry began to arrive at Blois, and were speedily
followed by immense quantities of baggage, and espe-
cially fifteen fourgons containing the treasury of the
Imperial Court. The number of vehicles was so con-
siderable, that the train of the Empress alone amounted
to two hundred horses. These equipages, all huddled
together, and covered with the mud they had collected
during the journey, presented a singular appearance.
It was the rain which cleaned them, for, in the existing
state of things, the servants did not think proper to do
anything of the kind. The superb State carriages, even
that which had been used at the Emperor's marriage,
were no better treated.
Couriers came in hour after hour. In the afternoon
M. Cristiani de Ravazan set out to meet the Empress,
a league from the city. The National Guard and the
small garrison that remained placed themselves under
arms, and at six o'clock a carriage in which the
Empress and her son were seated appeared. It was
UNCERTAINTY OF MARIE-LOUISE. 1'37
followed by a great number of other carriages, contain-
ing her suite and all those persons who had accompanied
her. Her Imperial Majesty made her entry into Blois
in the midst of a numerous crowd, who maintained
unbroken silence.
Those Ministers who had gone so far as Tours, now
began to arrive. Several had remained at Orleans,
others had fled to Brittany ; of the latter number was
Count Bigot de Preameneu, Minister of Public Worship,
of whom I have already spoken, and Baron de Pome-
reul, Director-General of Publication. They no doubt
regarded the exercise of their peaceful functions as
incompatible with the tumult of arms, and the aid of
their counsels as superfluous.
For a few days after her arrival, Marie-Louise was
left in ignorance of all that had taken place in Paris.
The decisions of the Provisional Government and the
decrees of the Senate were unknown to her ; all the
newspapers were kept from her ; the Bourbons were
never mentioned to her. She therefore anticipated no
other misfortune in addition to that of Napoleon's being-
obliged to make peace on any conditions that might
be imposed upon him.
She was also far from imagining that the Emperor
of Austria, her own father, meant to dethrone his
son-in-law, and to deprive his grandson of a crown
which he ought one day to wear. It was not until
the 7th of April, in the morning, that the truth was
made known to her.
138 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Madame D , who had remained at Paris, was
now to rejoin the Empi'ess. On the 4th of April,
certain persons came to her, and informed her that
she would have to take important documents to Marie-
Louise, which it was essential the Empress should
receive without delay. Madame D procured a
passport, obtained from General Sacken an order for
an escort in case of need, left Paris on the 6th, and
arrived at Blois on the 7th. She handed to her
Majesty not only the papers which had been confided
to her, but the decrees of the Provisional Government,
and all the newspapers. The Empress had been kept
in such complete ignorance of events, that she hardly
believed what she read. The dispatches which
Madame D had brought were from the small
number of persons who remained faithful, and they
urged and entreated her to return to Paris, before the
arrival of a Prince of the House of Bourbon, assuring
her of the Regency for herself and the throne for her
son, if she would take this step. How easily it could
be done was proved by the fact that the lady charged
with these dispatches had travelled alone, in a post-
chaise, with a single servant, and had not once had
occasion to use her passport.
Marie-Louise promised to return to Paris ; she
seemed resolved to do so, on the very same evening,
when Dr. Corvisart and Madame de Montebello
opposed themselves to her project. The cowards com-
posing the Council of Regency came to the support of
EVIL COUNSELS PREVAIL. 139
these evil advisers. The unfortunate Princess was
deceived anew, and she lost the opportunity of
recovering what her flight had forfeited. A few days
afterwards she learned simultaneously that Napoleon
had abdicated, and that he had departed for the Isle of
Elba. He was still permitted to be sovereign there.
140 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER XV.
NAPOLEON AT FONTAINEBLEAU.
THE EMPEROR LEAVES TROYES — HIS ARRIVAL AT THE "FONTAINE DE
JUVISY" GENERAL BELLIARD — THE DUKE OP Y1CENZA — ARRIVAL AT
FONTAINEBLEAU — MARSHALS NEY AND MACDONALD — THE ABDICATION
OF NAPOLEON — MM. DEJEAN AND DE MONTESQUIOU — ISABEY— THE
ALLIED COMMISSARIES — THE COURTYARD OF " LE CHEVAL BLANC " —
NAPOLEON'S WORDS — HIS DEPARTURE FROM FONTAINEBLEAU.
On the 29th of March, 1814, at ten o'clock in the
morning, Napoleon left Troyes on horseback. He was
accompanied by General Bertrand, his Grand Marshal,
the Duke de Vicenza, his Grand Equerry, M. de
Saint Aignan, two aides-de-camp, and two orderly
officers. On the 30th, at two hours before daybreak,
the Emperor set out from Villeneuve for Yannes.
Since his departure from Troyes he had eaten nothing.
The ten first leagues had been travelled with the same
horses in less that two hours. He had not yet an-
nounced whither he was going, when at one o'clock
in the afternoon he arrived at Sens. After he had
rested there for a quarter of an hour, during which
time he drank half a cup of coffee without milk or
sugar, he left these gentlemen, whom, however, he
BY THE "FONTAINE DE JUVISY." 141
ordered to follow him, got into a wretched hack
carriage, accompanied by Bertrand only, and continued
his way towards the capital. Never was there
impatience equal to his ! He incessantly repeated,
" It will be too late, I shall not arrive." He changed
horses at Fromenteau, and arrived at half-past twelve
at the Cour de France, only five leagues from Paris,
such was the speed he had made.
Napoleon had hardly left his carriage, and seated
himself beside the Fontaine de Juvisy, while waiting
for fresh horses, when a convoy of artillery defiled
before him. It was the head of the first column of
troops, evacuating the capital after the affair that
had taken place in the morning. Then and there he
acquired the sad certainty that he had in fact arrived
twenty-four hours too late. Paris had just yielded to
the enemy, the Allies were to enter the next day (the
31st), at daybreak.
General Belliard, who accompanied his column,
announced the issue of the events of the day to the
Emperor, and he w r as soon placed in possession of the
terrible details of our great calamity.
Napoleon walked about on the road for nearly
twenty minutes without addressing a single word to
the generals of all arms, who followed one another
and hastened up to him. Presently he sent M. de
( 'aulaincourt to the head-quarters of the Allied Sove-
reigns ; then, entering the posting-house, he called for
a glass of water, which he drank without removing it
142 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
from his lips, and also for a map, which he studied
for a long time. At four o'clock in the morning an
express arrived from the Duke of Vicenza, who
announced that all was over, that the capitulation had
been signed two hours after midnight, and that Paris
was for the moment under the protection of the
National Guard. Napoleon got into his carriage, and
immediately took the road to Fontainehleau. On his
arrival there he shut himself up in his cabinet, and
would not see any one.
On the 4th of April, the Emperor, having abdicated
in favour of his son, nominated Marshals Ney, Mac-
donald, and Marmont to make known his resolution
to the Allies. Marmont declined to accompany Lis
colleagues into the presence of the Sovereigns. The
proposal made in the name of Napoleon was rejected ;
the recall of the House of Bourbon had been decided
upon. Without entering here into the details of the
negotiations which took place between Napoleon and
the Emperor Alexander, I shall content myself with
saying that Marshals Ney and Macdonald, accom-
panied by the Duke of Vicenza, arrived from Paris on
the Gth, between twelve and one o'clock in the morn-
ing. Marshal Ney told the Emperor that abdication
pure and simple, without any addition beyond the
guarantee of his personal safety, was exacted from
him. Napoleon refused for some time to consent to
this ; finally he asked to what place he should be
expected to retire.
THE FATE OF NAPOLEON. 143
" Sire, to the Isle of Elba," replied Ney, " with a
pension of two millions a year."
" Two millions ! " said Napoleon ; " that is too much
for me ; since I am henceforth merely a soldier, one
louis a day is quite enough for me."
Finally, the Act of Abdication * was signed at
Fontainebleau, on the 11th of the same month.
During his stay at Fontainebleau, and after his
abdication, the Emperor remained constantly in the
library, reading or talking with the Duke of Bassano.
He appeared several times in public as usual, for the
purpose of reviewing his Grenadiers. During these
last days a greater number of petitions than usual
were presented to him, and, instead of giving them to
an officer of his suite, he would put them in his cuat
pocket and read them in his cabinet. He often
entered the gallery parallel with the library, and
talked familiarly with any officers who were there,
on the events of the day and on what the public
papers said of him.
One day he came in with a newspaper in his
hand,! and exclaimed indignantly, " The}' say that
I am a coward ! " In general lie talked of political
events as if he had no personal interest in them.
He frequently spoke of Louis XVIII. "The French,"
said he, " will love him during the first six months,
* See "Piece Justificative," No. 3.
t It was the Gazette de France of Monday, the 4th of April, 1814,
No. U4.
144 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
they will grow cool about him during the next
six months, and the following six, adieu ! I know
them ! "
On reading an account of the harsh treatment that
had been inflicted upon the Pope, he said, " That
is true, the Pope was ill-treated, more ill-treated
than I wished." Talking one morning with General
Sebastiani, he observed that it was neither the Rus-
sians nor the other Powers that had conquered him,
but liberal ideas, because he had oppressed them too
much in Germany. Another time the Emperor sent
for the Duke of Bassano, and, in the course of a con-
versation between them, these words were remarked :
" You are reproached, Monsieur le Due, with having
constantly prevented me from making peace. What
do you say to that ? "
"Sire," replied the latter, "your Majesty knows
very well I was never consulted, and your Majesty has
always acted according to your own will, without
taking counsel with the persons about you ; I have
not therefore found myself in a position to give you
advice, but only to obey your orders."
" Ah ! I know it well," replied the Emperor ; " and
what I say to you is only to let you know the opinion
that is held of you."
Nevertheless, Napoleon appeared for some time
to be occupied by a secret design. His mind was
plainly dwelling upon the gloomiest passages of
history. In his private conversations he dwelt inces-
NAPOLEON ATTEMPTS SUICIDE. 145
santly upon the voluntary death which the men of
antiquity did not hesitate to inflict upon themselves
in such situations as this. His constantly and calmly
discussing this subject created great uneasiness, and
a circumstance occurred which added to the fears justly
entertained by those around him.
The Empress had left Blois ; she was anxious to
rejoin her husband, and she had already arrived at
Orleans ; she was expected every moment at Fon-
tainebleau, when all who were there learnt with
astonishment, and from the mouth of the Emperor
himself, that orders had been given to prevent her
from carrying out her design.
During the night of the 12th-13th, at about one
o'clock in the morning, the silence of the Ions corridors
at Fontainebleau was suddenly broken by frequent
comings and goings. The persons on duty in the
chateau ascended and descended the stairs ; candles
were lighted in the apartments ; everybody was on
foot. One ran to knock at the door of Dr. Yvan,
another to wake the Grand Marshal, a third to call
the Duke of Vicenza, and a fourth to summon the
Duke of Bassano, who was residing at the Chancellerie.
All these personages arrived at the same time, and
were taken into the Emperor's bedroom. In vain did
astonishment, suspense, and curiosity lend an alarmed
and attentive ear. Nothing could lie heard but groans,
and sobs, from the ante-chamber; the sounds reached
the neighbouring gallery. All of a sudden Dr. Yvan
L
14G NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
came out of the inner apartment, looking greatly agi-
tated ; he rushed down the grand staircase, wandered
about for a minute in the court, found a horse tied to
a railing, flung himself upon it and galloped off. The
profoundest obscurity has always veiled the mysteries
of that night.*
Isabey had made a water-colour portrait of the
Empress Marie-Louise and her son, which she herself
presented to the Emperor on the 1st of June, 1814.
This portrait was now in the painter's possession.
* At the period of the retreat from Moscow, Napoleon had secured
means to avoid falling alive into the hands of his enemies in case of
accident. He had procured, through his surgeon Yvan, a sachet which
he wore round his neck during the time that the danger lasted.
Some said this was opium ; others insisted that it was a preparation
compounded by the celebrated Cabanis, and the same witli which
Condorcet the Deputy had destroyed himself; — whatever it was,
Napoleon had preserved this sachet in oue of the secret drawers of a
travelling dressing-case which he always took on his campaigns.
That night at Fontainebleau, he bethought him that the moment to
have recourse to this terrible expedient had arrived. One of the
valets, whose bed was placed behind his half-opened door, had heard
him rise and seen him stir something into a coffee-cup, drink it, and
lie down again. In a short time violent pains in the stomach and
bowels forced from Napoleon the admission that he was dying. Then
the man took upon himself to send for those who were most intimate
with the Emperor. Yvan Avas not forgotten, and when he learned
what had happened, and heard Napoleon complain that the action of
the poison was not sufficiently rapid, he lost his head and rushed
away from Fontainebleau. After a long swoon, followed by a profuse
perspiration, the pains ceased, and the alarming symptoms disappeared,
either because the dose had been insufficient, or because the poison
had lost its strength through time. It is said that Napoleon, aston-
ished to find himself still alive, reflected for a few moments, and then
exclaimed, a Ood does not will it to be," and yielding himself into the
hands of Providence, who had just saved his life, resigned himself to
his new destinies. — Communicated note.
ISABEY. 1 47
Having learned from M. de Caulaincourt that Napoleon
had expressed a desire to have it, Isabey hurriedly
set out for Fontainebleau, where he arrived on the
12th, at about noon. When he was ushered into
the Emperor's cabinet he found the Grand Marshal and
the Duke of Bassano there. On seeing him, Napoleon
cried, " Ah, it is Isabey ! What news ? " Isabey
answered that he had come to thank the Emperor lor
all his kindness, and that, having learnt through the
Duke of Vicenza that he wished to have the portrait
of the Empress, he had brought it to him. Napoleon,
on receiving it, pressed his hand several times, without
saying one word. As the artist wore the uniform of
a Lieutenant of Grenadiers in the National Guard, the
Emperor said to him, " Isabey, are you also in the
National Guard ? " He replied that although he had a
son in the army who had fought on the Plain ot
( lhampagne, and of whose fate he was ignorant,* he
himself had never wished to return to Paris. Napoleon
added, " That is well, Isabey. Very well. I recognize
you there." The painter then retired.
Count Dejean, son of the ex-Minister of War, and
M. de Montesquiou, son of the Grand Chamberlain,
both generals of division, were sent to Paris by
Napoleon two or three days before his departure for
the Island of Elba. Count Dejean was so little able
to control himself and to conceal the profound grief
* Isabey learned, the next day, that his son had been killed in
battle, at ArcU-sur-Aube.
14S NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
which the state of things occasioned him, that at
table he would come out of a dream when any one
addressed him, and he several times struck his fore-
head, muttering, " Is it possible ? Who could have
thought it ? Can it be ? " As for M. de Montesquiou,
he always answered with great precision and extreme
amenity.
On the 16th, the Commissaries who were to
accompany Napoleon, by his own desire, to the place
of embarkation, arrived at Fontainebleau.* They
were all received separately by the Emperor, who
said to Colonel Campbell, that " he had cordially
hated the English for fifteen years, but he was at hid
convinced that there was 'more generosity in their
Government than in that of the others."
The departure of the Emperor was to take place
on the 20th, at eight o'clock in the morning, and the
carriages were ready. The Imperial Guard was in
line in the great court of the Cheval Blanc, and an
immense crowd, composed of all the population <»f
Fontainebleau and the neighbouring villages, assembled
round the chateau. At eight o'clock in the morning,
however, the Commissaries having been introduced to
his apartment, found him still undressed and unshaved.
At eleven (/clock, General Bertrand having respectfully
observed to Napoleon that everything was ready for
his departure, the Emperor answered in an angry
tone, "And since when, Monsieur le Marechal, have
* See " Piece Justificative," No. 4.
napoleon's farewell. 149
I had to regulate my actions by your watch ? I
shall go away when it pleases me, and perhaps nut at
all."
Towards mid-day, the Emperor was in his cabinet
with MM. de Flahaut and Ornano, when Bertrand
announced to the Commissaries who were waiting in
the ante-chamber, "His Majesty the Emperor." All
ranged themselves on each side and in silence, accord-
ing to the ordinary etiquette, which was observed up
to the last moment ; a door was opened, Napoleon
appeared; he crossed the gallery rapidly, and descended
the great staircase. So soon as he appeared in the
court the drums beat. With an imposing wave of the
hand he silenced them, and addressed the troops
with so much dignity and warmth that all those who
were present were profoundly touched. Then he
clasped General Petit in his arms, kissed the Imperial
Eagle, and said in a broken voice, " Adieu, my children !
My best wishes will remain with you always. Preserve
the remembrance of me." He gave his hand to be
kissed by the officers who surrounded him. Napoleon's
eyes were wet ; all present wept. The emotion spread
even to the Cossacks, although they did not understand
a word of French. Several of his own servants who
were to follow him burst into tears. The Emperor
got into the carriage with General Bertrand ; it was
preceded by that of General Druot, and followed by
the four carriages of the Commissaries. Eight others,
with the Imperial arms, came after. They were
150 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
occupied by the officers of the Imperial household. In
a few minutes all these carriages disappeared, the
Guard marched out of the chateau, and the crowd
melted away in silence.
( 151 )
CHAPTER XVI.
OPPOSITION TO THE REUNION" OF MARIE- LOUISE WITH NAPOLEON —
JOSEPH AND JEROME ATTEMPT TO CARRY OFF THE EMPRESS — THE
HETMAN PLATOFF — MARIE - LOUISE AT ORLEANS — M. DUDON
GOES TO CLAIM THE CROWN JEWELS — THE NECKLACE — THE
CORONATION CARRIAGE — INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE EMPEROU OF
AUSTRIA AND HIS DAUGHTER — THE INGRATITUDE OF NAPOLEON'S
VALETS — RUSTAM THE MAMELUKE, AND CONSTANT, FIRST VALET-
DE-CHAMBRE — THE GREAT DIGNITARIES— PASSPORTS — THE DUKE OF
ROVIGO — MARIE-LOUISE AT VIENNA — MEANS TAKEN TO INDUCE HER
TO CONSENT TO A DIVORCE — COUNT DE BAUSSET AND M. I)E KIG-
NOLET — MADAME MERE — CARDINAL FESCH.
The chiefs of the Royalist party at Paris were not
without anxiety respecting the resolution at which
Marie-Louise might arrive, at Blois. Not only did
they fear her return to the capital, but they did not
wish her to follow her husband to the Island of Elba,
because they dreaded that their reunion might sooner
or later bring about a reconciliation between him and
the Emperor of Austria. Prince Schwartzenburg was
at their head. He was one of the firmest supporters
of the party of the Emperor of Austria, and con-
sequently he detested Napoleon and did not like
Marie-Louise. Nevertheless, he kept on good terms
152 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
with M. cle Montesquiou and the few persons who
possessed the confidence of Napoleon's wife. He
gained over some, deceived others, and succeeded in
making all aid in the execution of his projects.
So soon as the Empress was known to hesitate about
what she should do, and that she talked of rejoining the
Emperor at Fontainebleau, M. de Champagnywas sent
off to inform Prince Schwartzenburg, who was then in
the neighbourhood of Troyes. The Prince despatched
the Hetman of the Cossacks to Blois on the spot, and
he arrived at the moment of the Empress's departure
for Orleans. The troops by whom he was accompanied
formed the vanguard. They pillaged a fourgon contain-
ing bonnets and caps, they would probably have
pillaged all the carriages, if their chief had not ap-
peared on the spot and made them restore the spoil.
When the Emperor's brothers Joseph and Jerome
were apprised of the abdication of Napoleon, they
strenuously endeavoured to induce Marie-Louise to
repair to Tours with them and the army which was
to cross the Loire. Their entreaties were urgent,
but they did not transgress the respect which they
owed to their sister-in-law. I was in the adjoining-
room. The Empress, who had made up her mind to
go to Orleans, refused to accompany them. They left
her and departed from Blois. The narrative of M. de
Bausset is a fable.
During this time the perfidious advisers of the un-
fortunate Empress employed all their skill to dissuade
TREACHEROUS FRIENDS. 153
her from rejoining her husband. It was represented
to her, on the one side, that the climate of the Island of
Elba would be fatal to her health, and, on the other,
that Napoleon, whose fall from his throne was partly
due to the arms of his father-in-law, and who was re-
duced to a petty sovereignty, would no longer regaid
her as he did in the past, and that she would have to
bear his incessant reproaches. It was added that, in the
interest of her son, she ought to rejoin her father, who had
always loved her, and would certainly secure a princi-
pality for her preferable to the Island of Elba ; and that
she might even induce him to take some step favour-
able to Napoleon. One only among her ladies ventured
to tell her that her duty and her honour demanded
that she should follow her husband into his exile.
" You are the only one who hold this language to
me," said the Empress; "all my friends, and, above
all, Madame de C , advise me to the contrary."
"Madame," replied the lady who had given her this
advice, "that is because I am the only one who does
not deceive your Majesty." *
Marie-Louise preferred, however, to follow the
counsel of those whom she ought to have mistrusted,
all the more readily that they began to let out
their true feelings. "Oh, how I wish that all this was
over and done with ! " said Madame de Montebello,
* After Marie-Louise had seen her father at Rainbouillot, she ex-
pressed to Madame D her bitter regret that she had not followed
her advice.
154 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
while breakfasting with her on the very day when
they were to set out for Orleans ; " how I should
like to be quiet, with my children, at my little
house in the Rue d'Enfer !" " What you say, Madame
la Duchesse, is very hard," replied the Empress, with
tears in her eyes, but she reproached her no further.
The Lady-in- Waiting had already formally declared,
that in no case whatever would she go to the Island of
Elba. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that, if she
had really entered into the plot to separate Marie-
Louise from Napoleon, it was because she wanted to
avoid either the disgrace of refusing to follow the
Empress or the sacrifice of her inclination by accom-
panying her.
She did, however, attend her so far as Vienna.
On her arrival at Orleans, the Empress found there
several regiments who were greatly exasperated, and
raised by day and night, but especially by night, cries of
" Vive l'Empereur !" The Commissaries of the Govern-
ment arrived at the municipality, bringing orders from
the new rulers, and the white cockade. The inhabi-
tants, although very Royalist, dared not assume this, so
much afraid were they of exciting the anger of the
soldiery.
It was proposed to the Empress that she should
profit by the sentiments of the garrison who surrounded
her, to rejoin her husband. She pleaded the dangers
of the road. She was assured that there were no
dangers — and that was quite true. But Madame do
THE CROWN JEWELS. 155
M and Madame D stood alone in their advice
against the persons to whom the Empress was most
attached. Another method proposed by them was
equally rejected. In vain did they use the most re-
spectful solicitations. Marie-Louise was quite willing to
rejoin Napoleon, but being assailed by so many differ-
ent opinions, and unable to distinguish rightly between
their respective sincerity, she was so unfortunate as to
follow the advice of those who desired to replace her
in her father's hands, and to separate her from Napo-
leon. This they succeeded in doing. During her short
stay at Orleans, M. Dudon came, in execution of the
Articles of Abdication by the Emperor, as Commissary
of the Provisional Government, to demand the crown
jewels, the treasure, the plate, etc.
Each time that a " Journey of Representation " was
made by the Court, the crown jewels and all ornaments
which the Empress would require w T ere given in charge
to one of the ladies of the household. The individual
receiving them gave a receipt, which was returned to
her when she restored the jewels. Just before the
departure of the Empress the usual receipt was given
to M. de la Bouillerie, who sent M. Dudon to Orleans,
to take away all the precious objects " belonging to
the Crown."
A dispute then arose between M. Dudon and the
lady who had the jewels in charge during the journey.
The latter claimed an " esclavage " of pearls which the
Empress had on her neck at the time. This neck-
156 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
lace, composed of a single row of pearls, had cost
500,000 livres, and had been given by the Emperor
to the Empress shortly after the birth of her son.
It had always made a portion of her private jewellery.
M. de la Bouillerie had never claimed it, but M. Dudon
now did so. A lady of the household went to the
Empress, who was in her salon, surrounded by a
numerous company, and informed her of the dispute.
At the first word, Marie-Louise unclasped the neck-
lace, and putting it into the lady's hands said : " Give
it to him and make no remark."
When Bonaparte was made First Consul, there were
no crown jewels remaining except the " Regent,"
which was then in pawn at Berlin for four millions.
He redeemed it, and acquired or obtained by his
victories jewels which now constitute those of
the Crown of France, and are of great value. By
the Emperor's orders we delivered them all up to the
Commissary of the Provisional Government who had
come to claim them in the name of M. de la Bouillerie.
He also received the magnificent table services, the
Coronation service in vermeil, which was a master-
piece of workmanship, and an immense quantity of
plate. The whole was placed in twenty-one fourgons.
The twenty-second contained thirty-two little barrels
each enclosing a million in gold. This fourgon, which
was placed in the Court of the Secretariat, at the
Episcopal Palace, was seen by all the National Guards
who lined the first court at the moment when, in the
COUNT D'ARTOIS AND THE TREASURE. 157
name of the Emperor, the thirty-two little barrels
were handed over to M. Dudon, the Government Com-
missiary. These twenty-two fourgons started for
Paris, whither I went the following day. I found them
at Etampes, where I counted them anew.
When the fourgon laden with gold arrived at the
Tuileries, the Count d'Artois, who was there with his
suite, ordered four barrels to be brought to him. He
had them opened, and said to all who were present :
"Help yourselves, gentlemen; we have suffered together,
we ought to share the present good fortune." Each
took as much as he could carry, and the barrels were
soon empty. I have this anecdote from an officer of
the National Guard who was on duty in the apart-
ment and witnessed the distribution. I have thought
it right to dwell upon the handing over of the treasure
at Orleans, at which myself and several persons were
] i resent, in order to refute a lying assertion contained
in the newspapers of the time, which affirmed that the
Princes Joseph and Jerome had pillaged the treasure.
1 have given an account of the facts. It is asserted
that none of the gold was ever restored to the
Treasury ; others say that twenty millions were
restored. I am entirely ignorant of the truth in this
respect.
On the 3rd of April, Palm Sunday, Mass was said
at the palace by M. Gallais, Cure of the Church of
St. Louis, for there was neither almoner, chaplain, nor
clerk of the Imperial Chapel among the persons in the
158 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
suite of the Empress. After Mass, a council was held
by the Ministers. At five o'clock, her Majesty received
the authorities of the city, without any address on
their part on account of the circumstances. Marie-
Louise, followed by her son, passed through the ranks
of these authorities, addressing a few words to each of
them, beginning; with the clergy — a remarkable inno-
vation, which did honour to the piety of the Empress.
The most profound sadness was depicted on her
face. She dined alone, and did not receive any one
afterwards.
The next day, at three o'clock in the afternoon,
the Kings Joseph and Jerome, accompanied by the
Minister of War, left Blois for Orleans. I have heard
it said that the object of their journey was to ascertain
whether it would not be well to establish the Regency
in that city, in order to render communication with
the Emperor more easy; but on their arrival at Orleans
at three o'clock in the morning, the two Kings received
despatches from Fontainebleau, in which Napoleon's
displeasure with the Regency was expressed in terms
of the most violent anger. Without doubt the
Emperor attributed the capitulation of Paris to the
flight of Joseph, whom he had nominated Lieutenant-
Genera] of the Empire, and to whom he had sent orders
to remain at his post.
It was only there that they became aware of
Napoleon's order of the day, dated 4th April, 1814.*
* See " Piece Justicative," No. 5,
A FRUITLESS PURSUIT. 159
The fact is, that the two brothers returned to Blois on
the following morning.
On Wednesday, the 6th, the pupils of the Polytechnic
School, and the schools of St. Cyr and Chalons, with
the pages and the greater part of the civil household
of the Emperor, arrived. The carriages, now become
useless, were sent to Tours, the Coronation carriage
was despatched to Chambord. The city of Blois was
full ; there was not an inhabitant who had not shared
his house, his room, or even his bed with the newly
arrived guests. Then did Blois offer a striking
picture of the instability of human things. During the
stay of the Empress at Blois and at Orleans, a daily
correspondence had been established between herself
and Napoleon, who was expecting her arrival. She
wrote to him that it was her intention to have
an interview with her father, and to implore his
support for her husband. This plan not having
obtained his approbation, she had him informed that
her health required that she should "take the waters,"
and she asked his consent to her making the journey.
Napoleon, perceiving that the intention was to separate
him from his wife, sent off a numerous detachment of
his Guard on the moment, and followed it closely ; but
notice was given of his departure, and that of the
Empress was hurried on. On arriving at Etampes lie
learnt that Marie-Louise had already passed through
that town on her way to Rambouillet, where she
remained several days, awaiting her father.
1G0 NAPOLEON AND MARIE- LOUISE.
At Rambouillet she received a visit from the
Emperor of Russia, who wished to see " the little
King " (by this title he asked for him). The King of
Prussia came afterwards, and he, too, wished to see
" the little King." Finally the Emperor of Austria
arrived. The interview was affecting; he wept witli
his daughter and embraced his grandson ; nevertheless,
both one and the other were ruthlessly sacrificed.
Napoleon, having arrived too late at Etampes (the
Empress having passed through an hour before), could
not attempt to follow her, since the whole country
was occupied by the Allied troops. He returned to
Fontainebleau, entertaining no doubt of his wife's
feelings, and convinced that she had been forced to
withdraw herself. Knowing nothing of the intrigues
by which she was surrounded, he found it difficult
to believe in the ingratitude of most of those whom
he had laden with favours, several of whom did not
even wait for his departure to throw off the mask
and reveal the reality. His commissaries and his
generals never left off reminding him of the advice
that they had given him on such and such occasions,
and declared that, if it had been followed, matters
would have turned out differently. In fact, he was
the sick lion in the fable, whom all the animals came
to insult in their turn, neither was the kick of the
ass spared him.
A despicable Mameluke, whom he had brought back
from Egypt and attached to his private service, on
THE FAITHFUL FEW. 161
whom he had already settled four or five thousand
livres annually, insisted upon being paid forty thousand
francs to go with him, and, after having received the
money, he left Paris and returned no more. Constant,
his first valet-de-chambre, also exacted a sum of forty
thousand francs to go with him to the Island of Elba,
and, after having received it, disappeared from Fon-
tainebleau the very day before the Emperor's departure.
Of all the persons attached to the personal service
of Napoleon, MM. Hubert and Paillard, whom the
Emperor had not named to accompany him, — quite
young men, highly educated, and bound to their country
by domestic ties, — were the two who replaced the
fugitives, and in their fidelity there was no merce-
nary motive. They did not return to France until
they had placed M. Marchand, whose fidelity to the
Emperor is so well known, in a position to act as their
substitute. M. Colin, the Emperor's maitre d'hotel,
gave his master a similar proof of attachment, and did
not quit the Island of Elba until the state of his health
forced him to return to France.
On leaving Paris, the high functionaries of the
Imperial Court, as well as the great dignitaries of
the Crown, had had no time to provide themselves
with passports, nor, indeed, had they thought of doing
so, relying upon their titles for security; but that
which had been a safeguard when they were leaving
the capital, became a danger when they were leaving
Blois. They were obliged to pass through a long
M
162 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
line of Allied troops, and the rank of a minister or
favourite of Napoleon, far from being a title of recom-
mendation, became on the contrary a motive for per-
secution. This new state of affairs was discussed, and
it was resolved that passports should be procured from
the Mayor of Blois, and M. de SchouvalofF be requested
to affix his visa to them.
The first of these requests was attended with no
difficulty, except in its execution, which was unpleasant
because a personal description of each " Excellency "
was indispensable. But the head clerk of the Mairie, M.
Bruere, acquitted himself of his task with all the tact
and consideration demanded by the singular position
of these great personages. The worthy functionary
would have wished to escape this necessity, and it was
not without sharing their own feelings, that he set
down in writing, the features of kings, princes,
ministers, great officers of State, and other individuals,
who taxed his zeal without exhausting it, notwith-
standing that he had to fill up four hundred pass-
ports.*
This, however, was only the first of two operations ;
the second concerned Count Schouvaloff. A few hours
after the Austrian General had arrived at the head-
quarters of the Allied Sovereigns, the chiefs of the
Paris Government presented themselves with their
* These four hundred passports produced a profit of eight hundred
francs — the only revenue that the city of Blois derived from the
accidental sojourn of the Imperial Government. — Communicated note.
COUNT SCHOUVALOFF. 1G3
passports, to receive his visa. Very soon the room
in the Hotel de la Galere, where he was lodged, was
found too small to contain the number of applicants,
each of whom wanted his own special business done
quickly and done first. Those who had procured
letters of recommendation arrived with their letters,
and presented them to the General ; who replied, on
receiving them, that he had the highest consideration
for their writers, but that, so great was the pressure
on his time, he was obliged to beg each applicant
either to wait or to return. Nevertheless, his treat-
ment of the different functionaries made it evident
that he was aware of the conduct of each of them.
It was remarked that he lent himself to everything
that could be agreeable to the Duke de Feltre, and
that he did not sign the passport of the Duke of
Rovigo until after he had written on the margin, " M.
de Savary."
While Napoleon and most of the members of his
family and of his Government were quitting France
(that France which the Emperor had rendered so
great and so powerful), Marie-Louise was leaving
the country in another direction. On her departure
from Rambouillet * she was obliged to stop at Gros
* When she left Rambouillet she was accompanied by her son and
by Madame de Montesquieu, governess to the youn<r Prince, and
attended by Madame Sonfflot, the under-governess, and also by Madame
Marchand, first " berceuse," and mother of M. Marchand, whose devotion
to the Emperor is so well known. She was rejoined at Gros Bois bv
the Duchess of Montebello and Madame (Jorvisart, who accompanied
her to Vienna.
1G4 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Bois, where she remained for two days, being indis-
posed. She returned to Vienna by the southern route,
and passed through the Tyrol, where she was forced
to be present at several fetes. For these she had little
heart ; but such were the orders of Francis II.
At last she arrived at Vienna, but she had brought
a numerous and brilliant suite, and this displeased her
stepmother, again exciting her jealousy. She was
sent away to Schonbrunn, where she was visited
tolerably frequently by her sisters, but very rarely
by her father and the Empress.*
It was at this time that Madame (the Duchesse
d'Angouleme) wrote to the Empress of Austria, saying
that, if Marie-Louise had left in Paris any . persons in
whom she took an interest, she, the Duchess, would
undertake to protect them, and procure them employ-
ment. This generous offer was communicated by the
Empress to her step-daughter, who accepted it, and
sent a list of the names of four individuals — one
woman, and three men. I do not know what her
Royal Highness has done in favour of these latter,
* Everybody knows that the Dauphiness was the aunt, " a la
mode de Bretagne," of Marie-Louise. Queen Marie Antoinette was
the sister of Caroline Queen of Naples. Madame d'Orleans, the
Empress of Austria (mother of Marie-Louise), and the Prince who
was the father of the Duchesse de Berri, were all three children of
Queen Caroline, and consequently, all three, cousins to Madame d'An-
gouleme. The Empress Marie- Louise, the Duke de Berri, and the
children of the Duchess of Orleans are all nephews and nieces of the
Dauphiness, "a la mode de Bretagne ; " and the Duke de Bordeaux
(the late Count de Chambord), as well as the son of Marie-Louise (the
deceased Duke de Reichstadt), were her grand-nephews in the same
manner.
THE EX-QUEEN OF NAPLES. 16-5
but I had the good fortune to be the woman recom-
mended to the kindness of the august Princess, and I
have obtained a pension for the former services of my
husband, and a bourse for my son at the College of
Henry IV. I shall preserve a grateful memory of
these favours all my life.
Marie-Louise, on her return to Vienna, found there
her grandmother Caroline, ex-Queen of Naples, who
blamed her severely for having deserted her husband.
Marie -Louise excused herself on the plea of the ob-
stacles that had been raised to her reunion with him.
" My daughter," said the ex-Queen, " one can always
jump out of a window. What will the world say
of you ? It will judge you severely." Marie-Louise,
who lacked strength of character, and had no confi-
dence in herself, could not be reconciled to the unfor-
tunate circumstances in which she was placed. She
was surrounded at Vienna and at Parma by persons
devoted to the Empress of Austria and to M. de
Metternich. The enmity of the Austrian Cabinet to
Napoleon was not satisfied. He had still to be
wounded through all he held most dear, and nothing
was omitted that could intensify his misfortunes.
It was represented to Marie-Louise that divorce
was necessary, that circumstances absolutely imposed
it upon her, and those persons in whom she had the
greatest confidence were employed to use all their
influence to induce her to consent. Count de Bausset,
who was at the head of her household, and Madame
166 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
de Brignolet, who had been appointed Lady-in- Waiting
after the departure of the Duchess of Montebello
(she had remained only two days at Vienna, and had
left that city with Corvisart), employed every means
of persuasion during several months to bring the
Empress to the point of making this sacrifice. They
never succeeded. Having fallen ill some time after-
wards, Madame de Brignolet acknowledged on her
deathbed the harm which she had done, and implored
forgiveness from Marie-Louise. This she easily
obtained. She also made the same request to Madame
de Montesquiou, to whom she had done all sorts of
ill offices, not only with Marie-Louise, but also with
the Empress of Austria. Let me say here, that every
effort in the direction of divorce proved useless.
Napoleon's wife declared bravely that she chose to
retain that title, and that she would never give her
consent to any proceedings tending to a divorce.
Such was the state of things in Austria, when
Napoleon quitted the Island of Elba. On the 12th of
April, Madame Mere left Blois with Cardinal Fesch,
her brother, who had arrived there only the evening
before, by a long and winding road. After the first
alarm, which had been given at Lyons on the 12th of
January, his Eminence found himself in a difficulty
between his family affections and his love for his
country. The voice of kindred, however, being the
stronger, prevailed with the Cardinal. He left his
See, and followed the civil authorities to Roanne, but
CARDINAL FESCH. 167
ill pleased by the spirit of the Lyonnese, who, he said,
" had been so stupid as not to defend themselves,"
he went from Roanne to Pradines, and took up his
abode in a religious house which he had founded ; but
he was soon obliged to abandon this retreat, where he
narrowly escaped being taken by a detachment of
the Allies' cavalry, passing through by chance. He
had barely time to mount a horse and escape. His
apartment was visited as an object of curiosity, but
there was no violation of the rights of property. His
stables were also visited, but not equally respected.
The troopers found some fine remount horses there,
and considered themselves free to dispose of them
in the absence of their owner. From Pradines his
Eminence reached Auvergne, then Lower Languedoc,
and finally the banks of the Loire, arriving at Blois
just in time to leave the city. The Cardinal arrived
at Orleans on Easter Sunday, and set out for Pome
on the following day, taking with him Madame Mere.
The Kings Jerome and Joseph were lost in the
crowd. Louis had remained at Blois, where some
interest in him was shown. He also found a more
solid source of consolation in religion, and on Palm
Sunday and Good Friday he attended Mass in the
parish church of St. Louis, wearing the uniform of
a General of Division. Soon afterwards he went to
Switzerland, with the intention of settling on an
estate which he possessed in the neighbourhood of
Lausanne, and living there as a private gentleman.
1G8 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Jerome and Joseph passed eight days in Orleans and
its neighbourhood, and departed on the 18th, also
taking the road to Switzerland. I was told that
Jerome remained several days at La Motte Beuvron,
where he distributed money to the troops passing
through, in order to rally them to the cause of his
brother Napoleon.
( 109 )
CHAPTER XVII.
THE PARIS NEWSPAPERS — NAPOLEON'S CONVERSATION — A SHORT HISTORI-
CAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW — M. AND MADAME GUIZOT — THE
CURE OF SALVAGNY ARRIVAL AT LYONS — AVGEREAU — AVIGNON —
SUPPER AT ST. CANAT — THE SUB-PREFECT OF ST. MAXIM1M — PRINCESS
PAULINE — ARRIVAL AT FREJUS — COMPLAINTS OF THE EMPEROR-
COMPOSITION OF HIS HOUSEHOLD — EMBARKATION — GENERALS DRUOT
AND BERTRAND— DEPARTURE FOR THE ISLE OF ELBA.
On leaving Fontaineblcau, Napoleon was received
everywhere with cries of " Vive l'Empereur ! " and
the foreign Commissaries had much to suffer from
the insults heaped on them by the people all along
the road. On the following day, most of the journals
of the capital endeavoured, by weak witticisms, to
lessen the effect produced by the grand scene which
had preceded his departure. But all who were not
entirely devoid of generosity, whether friends or
enemies, were affected by it. The foreign Commis-
saries who were witnesses of that scene, moved by an
involuntary impulse of enthusiasm, had waved their
hats in the air, and when she heard the account of it,
Madame de Stael herself was thrilled with emotion.*
* For details of this scene the reader may be referred to the en-
graving of M. Horace Yernut, " Les Adiuux a Foutainebleau." The
170 NAPOLEON AND MAEIE-LOUISE.
It is an undeniable fact that the soldiers who were
present wept profusely while Napoleon was speaking,
and that some officers broke their swords on re-enter-
ing the city.
The Emperor said several remarkable things in
conversation during this sad journey. I shall only
quote here those which I have received from oral
witnesses, because they alone are worthy of attention.
He knew that he had been bitterly reproached with
not having inflicted death upon himself. "I see
nothing- great." said he, " in ending one's life as if one
had been dishonoured, or had lost one's fortune at
play. There is much more courage in surviving a
great and unmerited misfortune. I have never feared
death. This I have proved in more than one fight,
and very lately at Arcis-sur-Aube."*
" I have nothing with which to reproach myself.
... I have not been an usurper, as they persisted in
saying everyivhere. I accepted the crown only by the
unanimous desire of the nation. ... As for the wars
that I have made, that is another thing. I believed it
my duty to make them, since France required to be
extended." He afterwards said to General Roller,
" Well, General, you heard me speak to my old Guard
fidelity of the portraits and the exactness of the attitudes render this
composition a valuable historical monument.
* Before leaving Arcis, and after the fight, Napoleon sent two
thousand francs, by Count de Turenne, from his private purse, to the
Sisters of Charity, in order that they might have the means of relieving
the needs of the wounded and the poor.
napoleon's remarks. 171
yesterday; you saw the effect I produced. That
is the way to speak and act with them, and if Louis
XVIII. does not follow this example, he will never
make anything of the French soldier."
These words led him to praise the Emperor Alex-
ander, for the amicable and generous manner in which
he had treated Louis XVIII. and most of the Princes
of his family, when he went to ask for an asylum in
Russia. " That," added he, " is treatment which I
should vainly have expected from my father-in-law ;
nevertheless, I had some rights, it seems to me."
That day he kept Colonel Campbell to dinner, and
talked much to him of the last campaign. " But for
that animal L ," said he, " who made me believe
that it was Schwartzenburg who was pressing me
at St. Dizier, while it was only Wintzingerode, and
but for that other brute D , who was afterwards
the cause of my descending upon Troyes, where I
counted upon disposing of four thousand Austrians
and did not find a cat, I should have marched to Paris,
arrived there at the same time as the Allies, and not
been to-day where I am." Then, after a long pause,
he added, "But I have always been ill surrounded.
And then those rogues of prefects ! that M , that
T , who assured me that the levies of troops were
going on with the greatest success ; and that traitor
M , who finished the business. But there are also
other marshals equally ill-intentioned, among others
S — ■ — , whom indeed I have always known, both him
172 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
and his wife, to be schemers. She was the constant
cause of my quarrels with that poor Josephine."
He talked for a long time of the ill conduct of the
Senate towards him. M. and Madame Guizot, who
were coming back from the south, saw him at Tarare,
while he was changing horses. He spoke to the
persons standing around his carriage, as a sovereign,
and asked them, among other things, whether they
had suffered much in the last Avar. These all
answered him by the unanimous cry of " Vive
l'Empereur ! " At Salvagny, the last post before
Lyons, he stopped for supper. Having finished,
Napoleon left his Commissaries and walked alone up
the road. He met the Cure, accosted him, and asked
him whether the inhabitants of his Commune appeared
satisfied with the change of Government. Then,
pointing to the sky where the stars were shining, he
added, that he had once known the names of all those
constellations, but had since forgotten them, and
begged the Cure to tell him how one, to which he
pointed with his hand, and which seemed brighter
than the others, was named. The good Cure having
replied that he knew nothing about it, the Emperor
bowed to him, smiling, and returned to the inn.
The Emperor passed Lyons on the 23rd, at eleven
in the evening. Some groups who assembled round
his carriage, raised the cry of " Vive Napoleon ! " of
which he took no notice. The next day, towards
noon, he met Marshal Augereau near Valence.
MARSHAL AUGEEEATT. 173
Napoleon and the Marshal got out of their carriages
at the same time. The Emperor held out his arms to
Augereau, and they embraced each other.
" Where are you coming from ? " said Napoleon
to the Marshal, taking his arm familiarly, and using
the familiar " tutoiement." "Are you going to
Court ? " Augereau replied that he was only going
to Lyons ; and they walked along the road to Valence
for a quarter of an hour. I know from an authentic
source the result of this interview. Napoleon affec-
tionately reproached the Marshal for his conduct
towards him, and said in conclusion, " Your proclama-
tion is very stupid. Why do you abuse me ? — you !
my old companion ! You should simply have said, ' The
will of the nation has been pronounced in favour of
the new Sovereign ; the duty of the army is to conform
to it. Vive le Roi !"' *
Augereau then began to make some strong remarks
upon his ambition, and his obstinacy in never listen-
ing to the advice of anybody, declaring that to this
obstinacy he had sacrificed everything — his com-
panions in arms, his fortunes, and even the welfare
of France. Napoleon, tired of all this, turned away
rudely; then, coming back to the Marshal, he pressed
his hand, and said, " Adieu, Augereau. I am astonished
that it should be you who thus reproach me. Come,
however, embrace me again." Then he flung himself
into his carriage. Augereau, with his hands behind
* See " Piece Justificative," No. 7.
174 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
his back, stayed for some time in the same place,
without even removing the forage-cap which he wore.
The Emperor drove off, and, turning back in the
carriage, waved him a last farewell with his hand.
The Marshal resumed his seat in his carriage after
having saluted the Commissaries.
At a short distance from Avignon he changed horses,
and found several people assembled to see him pass
by. He was received with cries of "Vive leEoi ! Vivent
\ V V
les Allies ! A bas Nicolat ! A bas le tyran ! A bas le
gueux," etc. This multitude, pursuing him with foul
invectives, ran after his carriage and clung to it, endea-
vouring to see him so as to insult him more grossly.
The Emperor was to some extent hidden from them by
Bertrand, who stood up at one of the windows. He
did not say a word.
Having reached Saint-Canat, he stopped at a miser-
able inn called La Calade, situated on the highroad.
He sat down to table with Bertrand without uttering
a word, and, as he was unknown to the hostess, who
thought they were merely members of the suite
accompanying him, he entered into conversation with
her. "Well," said the woman to him, "what about
Bonaparte now ? What does he say ? Is it long since
you left him ? "
" No," replied the Emperor.
" I am curious to see whether he will succeed in
escaping," said she. "I am afraid the people want to
massacre him, but we must acknowledge that he
AT SAINT-CANAT. 175
deserves it, the villain. But do tell me, are they
froing to embark him for his island ? "
" I believe so."
" They will drown them, won't they ? "
" I hope so."
The hostess having gone out, Napoleon turned to
Bertrand, and took his arm. " You see, my friend,"
said he, " to what dangers I am exposed — and you ! "
Bertrand replied only by tears, which he endea-
voured to hide with his two hands.
At Saint- Maximin, the Emperor breakfasted with
the Commissaries who accompanied him. Hearing it
said that the Sub-Prefect of Aix was in the place, he
sent for him, and addressed him in these terms —
" I came into the midst of you with perfect confi-
dence, and I find here only madmen, who are threaten-
ing my life. It seems to me that these Provencaux
are a foul race ; they committed all sorts of horrors
and crimes in the Revolution, and they seem disposed
to begin again. But when it is a question of fighting
bravely, then they are— cowards ! Never did Provence
furnish me with a single regiment upon which I could
count. Can you not restrain this populace ? "
The Sub-Prefect not knowing how to answer, or
whether he ought to excuse himself before the foreign
Commissaries, merely said, " I am quite confused, Sire."
Napoleon then asked him whether the "droits
mmis" were already abolished, and whether a "levee
en masse " would have been difficult to effect.
176 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
" A ' levee en masse,' Sire ! " replied the Sub- Prefect.
" I have never been able to get together half of the
contingent which ought to be annually furnished for
the conscription."
Napoleon again expressed himself strongly respect-
ing the Provencaux, and then dismissed the Sub-
Prefect.
He afterwards related, that, eighteen years before, he
had been sent into this province with several thousand
men, to deliver some Royalists who were to have been
hung for having worn the white cockade. " I saved
them with a great deal of difficulty from the hands
of these ruffians," said he, " and now they would per-
petrate the very same outrages against any man
among them who should not wear that very same
cockade ! Ah ! — they are true Frenchmen ! "
The following day they were to have arrived at
Frejus. The escort's carriage, preceding that of the
Emperor, reached the house of M. Charles, a former legis-
lator, after dinner. His country seat is situated near
the lake, and Princess Pauline Borghese, Napoleon's
sister, had been staying there some months on account
of her delicate health. She shuddered at the narra-
tive of the dangers which her brother had incurred
during his journey, which was given her by the Com-
missaries; and from that moment she resolved to
accompany him to the Island of Elba, and never more
to leave him. It was with great difficulty that she could
be made to believe in the events which had just taken
napoleon's sister. 177
place, and when at last it was impossible for her to
refuse the evidence of their authenticity, she exclaimed,
" If this be so, my brother is dead." They then assured
her that the Emperor was well, that a handsome
allowance was secured to him, and that he was on the
way to his new destination. " How," said she, "has he
been able to bear up under all this?" She then
fainted, and when she came to herself was much more
ill than before. The interview which she had on
that same day with her brother, still further injured
her health. She started in the evening for Muy, so
that she might have only two leagues to travel on the
morrow.
When the Emperor arrived at Frejus, some of the
individuals who at Fontainebleau had seemed willing to
partake his exile in the Island of Elba, forsook him. It
was probably one of these persons who thought proper
to appropriate the cash-box of his maitre d'hotel, whose
business it was to defray the expenses of the journey,
and who still had nearly sixty thousand francs in his
possession. This robbery was committed during the
night, on the 2Cth-27th.
Colonel Campbell was at Frejus, having arrived at
Marseilles with an English frigate, the Undaunted.
This vessel was commanded by Captain Asher, and
was to escort the Emperor, in order to secure his ship
from every sort of attack. According to the treaty,
Napoleon was to have been taken to Elba in a corvette,
and he was very much displeased to find only the brig
N
178 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
L 'Inconstant, which was to receive its dethroned
sovereign and remain in his possession. After a
moment's hesitation he preferred the English frigate,
not choosing it to be said that he had been exiled
under the French flag.
That day the Emperor invited to dinner, not only all
the Commissaries, but also the Captain of the English
vessel. During dinner he complained to General
Roller of the injustice of every sort with which he had
been treated ; that he had been left only a shabby
table-service in silver, and six dozens of shirts ; that
all the rest of his linen and plate had been retained, as
well as a quantity of things which he had bought
with his own money. He was particularly indignant
that his exclusive right to the " Regent," which he had
redeemed from Berlin at a cost of four millions, had
not been recognized. The great diamonds had, in fact,
been placed in pawn by the French Government, for
eight hundred thousand crowns, with the Berlin Jews.
He begged the General to carry his complaint to his
Emperor, and to the Emperor of Russia, hoping that by
the aid of those Sovereigns justice would be done to him.
On the morning of the 28th, Napoleon would have
wished to embark with his suite, but he was not well,
and he could not depart until nine o'clock in the even-
ing. General Schouvaloff went on board the frigate
as if the Emperor were there already. He was charged
for the last time to present his homage to the Emperor
Alexander.
THE EMBARKATION". 179
Austrian Hussars had accompanied him to Port
Saint-Raphau, where he had landed fourteen years
before on his return from Egypt. He was received
with military honours and a salute of twenty-four
guns. Two hours afterwards the frigate sailed. All
the Commissaries accompanied the Emperor to the
Island of Elba.
His suite was composed of Generals Bertrand and
Druot, the Polish Major Germanofsky, the paymaster,
M. Peyroche; a doctor, M. Fourrau; two equerries;
his maitre d'hotel, M. de Caulaincourt; one valet-de-
chambre, M. Hubert ; two cooks and six domestics,
coachman, footman, and grooms.
The Emperor was calm. General Bertrand could
not conceal his emotion. General Druot maintained
his courage and cheerfulness throughout these melan-
choly circumstances. I was assured that Napoleon
wished to give him a hundred thousand francs, but he
distinctly refused to accept the present, saying, " Sire,
if I accepted your money, my sincere affection to
your Majesty would be attributed to interested
motives. Keep it, however ; we never know what
may happen."
180 NA.POLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER XVIII.
NAPOLEON'S ARRIVAL AT THE ISLAND OF ELBA — DETAILS OF HIS VOYAGE
— HIS RECEPTION — HIS DWELLING — DESCRIPTION OF HIS COURT —
THE EMPEROR'S DAILY OCCUPATIONS — THE REAL MOTIVES OF THE
EMPEROR'S RETURN TO FRANCE — HIS SOJOURN IN THE ISLAND OF
ELBA — HIS HOUSE.
On the 3rd of May, 1814, at daybreak, the Un-
daunted sighted the Island of Elba. General Druot
and Colonel Klamm were sent ashore, the former in
his capacity as the Emperor's Commissary, the second
as charged by the French Government to require
General Dalesmes, Governor of the island, to resign
his command to General Druot, Napoleon's Pleni-
potentiary.
The two Deputies found the inhabitants of Elba in
a state of complete anarchy. At Porto-Ferrajo the
white flag was flying, at Porto-Longone the tri-colour.
The rest of the island wished to proclaim its indepen-
dence. When the news of the arrival of Napoleon
was spread, and especially that of the treasure he was
bringing with him, all parties united, and went to
meet their new Sovereign. General Druot received
PORTO-FERRAJO. 181
the keys of the city from the Governor. All the
stores, the munitions of war, the fort and its artillery
were handed over to him without any difficulty.
After this the new Imperial flag was hoisted on the
tower of Porto-Ferrajo, and Colonel Klamm returned
on board to report the issue of his mission to the
Emperor.*
At noon Napoleon set foot on shore,f and General
Druot saluted him with one hundred o-uns fired from
the forts. The Municipality and the State bodies,
came to receive and address him. Napoleon replied,
" The mildness of your climate, the proximity of your
island to France, have led me to choose it for my
abode. I hope you will rightly appreciate this
preference, and that you will love me like dutiful
children. You will always find me disposed to extend
to you the solicitude of a father and of a good
sovereign."
The Emperor was conducted to the Hotel de Ville,
where he was to be lodged provisionally. The great
hall, which served for public meetings and balls, had
been ornamented with some pictures and crystal can-
delabra ; a sort of throne had been erected, and deco-
rated in the same manner as the dai's. The municipal
band accompanied the Emperor to the Hotel de Yille,
playing national airs so far from melodious, that
Napoleon quickly asked to be taken to his own room ;
* See "Pieces Justificative.-!," Nos. 8, 9, and 10.
t It is worthy of remark that on the same day, and almost at the-
6ame hour, Louis XVIII, made his solemn entry into the capital,
182 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
but, on entering it, he found it so miserably furnished,
that he immediately arranged with General Roller to
have his sister Eliza's furniture sent from Lucca and
Piombino. The General wrote to the authorities of
the Grand-Duke of Tuscany, and they sent what was
asked for, in a small vessel.
This fact gave rise to a false report which was
circulated at the time, that Napoleon had seized upon
a vessel belonging to his brother-in-law, and confis-
cated it, with its freight.
During the crossing, Captain Asher had been sur-
prised to discover how much nautical knowledge
Napoleon possessed. The Emperor greatly admired
the severe discipline maintained on board the Un-
daunted. " I did all that I could," said the Emperor,
to Captain Asher, " to introduce a similar discipline
into the French navy, but without success. The
chiefs always would jest with their inferiors, and
allow the sailors to play at cards and dominoes."
Napoleon made himself very agreeable to the crew by
his frank kindliness and by frequent tokens of his
pecuniary generosity. On one occasion, while the
sailors were dining, he approached them and tasted
the dry peas which they were eating. Finding them
detestable, he immediately gave one hundred francs
to the canteen for wine for the men, and said,
laughing, "If they cannot eat to my health, at least
they shall drink to it."
Immediately after his arrival at the Island of Elba,
NAPOLEON AT ELBA. 183
the Emperor visited the fortifications, and expressed
his satisfaction that, by means of the improvements
which he contemplated making, he should be able to
defend himself against every kind of attempt on the
part of the inhabitants of the continent.
General Roller remained ten days in the island,
and completely gained the confidence of the Emperor,
who consulted him in everything.
On several occasions, during their journey from
France, he had said, "Your Majesty is wrong."
Napoleon, who was little accustomed to such frankness,
answered him sharply, " You are alwa}'S telling me
that I am wrong. Would you speak like that to your
own Emperor ? " The General assured him that his
own Emperor would be very angry if he could
suppose that he did not always speak his thoughts
with candour. " In that case," replied Napoleon,
" your master is much better served than I have ever
been."
The Emperor occupied himself incessantly and
most actively. Sometimes he would visit the little
isles in the vicinity of the Island of Elba. Pia-
nosa, the chief, and the most remarkable of these,
boasts of extraordinarily rich vegetation, romantic
sites, and troops of wild horses. At other times
lie would ride all over the island from end to end.
With the plans which he had formed, if lie had had
time and strength to execute them, the prosperity of
the island would have been doubled. In order to
184 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
gain the affection of the inhabitants, he had given
sixty thousand francs, shortly after his landing, for the
making of roads, which had been projected for a long
time, but never made for want of money.
Early in June, the Emperor had taken possession of
a house which was intended for the Commandant of
Engineers. This building was then composed of two
pavilions, united by a gallery, and is built upon a
rock overlooking the town of Porto-Ferrajo. Some
additions were made under his personal direction,
and the modest habitation became the residence of
him who had occupied by turns the palaces of all
the potentates of Europe, and who had left furniture
in his own palace to the value of over thirty to
forty millions. Madame Mere and Princess Pauline
soon arrived to inhabit a portion of the Emperor's
house. He gave up to them the rooms which he had
constructed between the two pavilions. Besides this
residence, Napoleon had a kind of villa at Rio. He
had also reserved for himself a mere lod^in^ in the
Citadel of Porto-Longone, but he passed a part of each
day in a closed kiosk erected upon the top of a rock.
From thence he commanded the best perspective of
the seas, and in the hazy distance the coasts of Tus-
cany and the surrounding countries. Only Napoleon
ever entered this pavilion, to which the people gave
the name of La Casa di Socrate.
The four hundred men who had been allotted to
the Emperor for his guard, by the treaty of the 11th
THE EMPEROR'S GUARD. 185
of April, set out for Pithiviers, two days before his
departure from Fontainebleau. They came through
Lyons, where the officers were invited to a magnificent
dinner by several young men of that city. The dinner
took place at the famous restaurant of the Brotteaux.
They then crossed Mont Cenis, and, instead of
going to Turin, repaired to Carmagnole and Savone.
On their arrival at the latter port, General Cambronne
sent an aviso to the Island of Elba, who arrived there
in two days. The soldiery were embarked on four
English vessels, and there were several days' delay
before the} 7 sailed. Napoleon said that the interval
which elapsed between the arrival of the aviso and
that of the troopers was one of the most painful
experiences of his life. The transports arrived on the
26th of May. The carriages and the draught and
cavalry horses were all disembarked on the 27th
without the slightest accident, by English sailors.
Napoleon, who was on the spot, was greatly astonished
at the way in which this was done. " Frenchmen,"
said he, " would have taken at least four days to do
the same amount of work; all the vehicles would
have been broken, and half the horses would have
been lamed."
Some days after, Captain Asher left the Island
of Elba. The Emperor, when he came to take leave,
presented him with a gold snuff-box, in which his
portrait, surrounded by twenty large diamonds, each
of the value of 4500 francs, was set. I have been
186 NAFOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
assured that Captain Asher refused 110,000 francs for
this snuff-box.
The Emperor led a very active life at Elba. He
always rose before daybreak, and devoted the early
hours of the morning to work. Then came the review
of his troops. This was not limited, as at the Carrousel,
to a glance cast cursorily upon numerous corps. It
was a minute inspection, and the military soul of
Napoleon enjoyed it in all its details. Each grena-
dier was questioned as to his occupations, his
habits, his health, and even his sentiments. The
brave soldiers of the Isle of Elba sometimes had com-
plaints to make. The Emperor gave them or promised
them what they asked for, if the desired object was
in his power; if not, he called them grumblers, pulled
their moustachios, and walked away smiling.
In the evening, Napoleon went out riding, accom-
panied by his principal officers. Sometimes he
received visits from foreigners of distinction, who came
to the island in great numbers, merely to see him.
Oftener still, he made fun with his staff of the abuse
which was showered upon him by the French news-
papers, which had flattered him before his fall, with
the most shameless servility.
Thus were the days of the Emperor passed. Now
at Porto-Ferrajo, now at Porto-Longone, or at Rio.
His Guard, after the fashion of the Roman warriors,
helped in the greater part of the public works which
he had set o-oincr in the island, and was dailv
DEVOTION TO THE EMPEROR. 187
augmented by soldiers whose devotion to him led
them to join him. Napoleon could hardly maintain
this faithful battalion, nevertheless it grew and grew.
Some superior officers came to take service in it like
mere soldiers.
The abdication of Napoleon had been the result of
a treaty whose conditions were guaranteed by the
Allied Powers. Amongst other things, France was to
pay him an annual sum which had been defined. Tins
was never done. He learnt at the Island of Elba that
a project was being formed at Vienna to send him to
a distance from the coasts of France. It is said that
Talleyrand had represented his residence near the
coast as a source of constant disquietude, calculated to
inspire alarm, and embolden malcontents; and that he
ought to be placed at such a distance as to deprive
him of all hope of return. Add to his fear of this
being done, that he was without money — the little
that he had, proceeded from the sale of his mother's
diamonds, — and that, having claimed the execution of
the treaty, no answer was vouchsafed to him. Napoleon
made this breach of faith one of the pretexts for his
return. The true motive was necessity, and the
certainty of his being able to rally round him, by
showing himself, a considerable party belonging to
the military, to the purchasers of the national goods,
whose apprehensions concerning the security of their
acquisitions had already been most foolishly excited,
and all of those whose republican or revolutionary
188 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
principles rendered them inimical to the Bourbons.
He did not need either fighting troops or arms for
this enterprise. He needed only his person and his
fortune, which at first seemed to be about once more
to favour him.
Followed by eleven hundred men, whom he Avas
only enabled to pay by the aid of his mother, we all
know that he crossed France like a king re-entering
his States after an absence ; that he had not to
burn a fuse ; and that, up to the very moment of his
departure, not a soul but General Druot knew any-
thing of his project. All the other persons learned it
at the moment of its execution. Napoleon himself
had not thought of it eight days previously; but the
private intimation which he received from Vienna,
that the question of transferring him to St. Helena
had been discussed at the Congress of Vienna, deter-
mined him to attempt this hazardous enterprise. I
have it from a man whose veracity cannot be doubted,
that, immediately after the departure of Napoleon
from the Island of Elba, some English travellers, who
happened to be there, visited the habitation which
had served him as a palace. They found his bedroom,
his cabinet, and his library in the same state in which
he had left them. The old woman, of Corsican origin,
who was the portress, was in the greatest anxiety,
not for herself, but for the safety and success of the
enterprise which her master had just undertaken.
The sincere attachment to him which she manifested,
THE FLIGHT FROM ELBA. 189
all that she said, all that she related of the kindness
and gentleness which were habitual to him, afforded
the strongest refutation of the monstrous stories of
his private conduct, which were some time afterwards
given to the world. These travellers found a bath
still full of water, in the room next to Napoleon's bed-
room, which proved that he had taken a bath as usual,
on the very morning of his departure, or at least the
night before. In his library, pieces of manuscript
paper, torn-up letters, and notes made in pencil, and
consequently not to be deciphered, were found lying
about in disorder. On the table was a map of France,
into which pins with large heads were stuck ; and on
a small table, placed at the head of his bed, lay an
open volume of the History of Charles V., which he
had probably been reading on the eve of the day of
his embarkation.
190 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE HUNDRED DAYS.
KAPOLEON'S RETURN TO FRANCE — HIS ARRIVAL AT PARIS — FOUCHE — THK
CHAMP DE MAI — OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN OF 1815 — THE BATTLE
OF LIGNY — ■ WATERLOO GENERAL ORNANO NAPOLEON AT THE
ELYSEE — LUCTEN — THE CHAMBERS — THE SECOND ABDICATION OF
THE EMPEROR A TLOT — THE LAST SOJOURN AT MALMAISON —
NAPOLEON'S PROJECTS HIS DEPARTURE FOR ROCHEFORT — HIS
EXILE AT ST. HELENA — JOSEPH — PRINCESS PAULINE — QUEEN HOR-
TENSE.
So little was Napoleon's return to France foreseen,
that those who ought to have opposed it, taken
unawares, had neither courage nor presence of mind.
They abandoned the positions which had been
entrusted to them, and left the field open to the
Napoleonists and to the malcontents who swelled the
escort with which the Emperor arrived at Paris.
Seated for the second time, without any shock or
commotion, upon a throne which he regarded as his
own property, Napoleon committed the unpardonable
fault of recalling the base flatterers whose vileness he
ought then to have known well ; or, rather, he had not
the trouble of recalling them — they all came round
THE HUNDRED DAYS. 191
him, and endeavoured by dint of fresh adulation to
induce him to forgive their conduct at the time of
his first abdication and his departure for the Island of
Elba.
It was thought that Napoleon would make great
concessions to those who were then called the "Inde-
pendents," in order to conciliate them. They boasted
of this, talked of the change of organization in the
Chamber of Deputies, of the suspension of hereditary
nobility, etc. Heads were turned by these ideas ;
liberty was talked of; and it was supposed that all
these things were meant by the Champ de Mai. It
took place. The Emperor's speech and the additional
articles occasioned a general ferment. From that
moment the sincere friends of Napoleon plainly fore-
saw that he was lost. Public opinion asserted itself.
Notwithstanding the police, people talked, complained,
and openly protested. Royalists and Independents
joined together against him.
It is very likely that if Napoleon had known
the state of things he would have made sacrifices
to conciliate the public, but all those who sur-
rounded him hid the truth from him, and paid spies
of Fouche played a great part in this intrigue.
It is a little-known fact that Savary, having learned
a great deal that was very disquieting concerning
Fouche, desired to impart it to Napoleon ; but the latter
made light of his revelations, which he attributed to
Savary 's jealousy at seeing Fouche in his place.
102 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Savary was then in a kind of disgrace ; the Emperor
would not allow him to follow him at Waterloo, and
showed him that he trusted him but little. The Duke
had made the mistake of not oroing with his master to
the Island of Elba, as he ought to have done ; but
he afterwards paid so dearly for his fault, that few
persons will have the courage to reproach him with it.
Napoleon greatly desired peace, which he had so
often refused, but he could not obtain it. All the
Sovereigns feared him, and they united to re-esta-
blish Louis XVIII. The foreign armies received
orders to march back towards the frontiers of France.
Napoleon believed that his father-in-law would
support him ; he was ignorant of the intrigues by
which Marie-Louise was surrounded, and hoped for
her return. Persons who had come from Vienna did
not dare to tell him the truth. M. de Menneval, who
was so devoted and so faithful, was the only one who
informed him that the Austrian Cabinet would oppose
the return of the Empress, and even he did not dare
to tell him to what she had pledged herself. The
Empress, restrained by her plighted word, and deplor-
ing the weakness which had prevented her from
following her husband to Elba, passed days and
nights in grief. The Emperor, who had expected her,
went on nevertheless with his war preparations; but
he perceived, immediately on his arrival at Charleroi,
that he no longer inspired his army or his generals
with their former enthusiasm. The generals received
THE HUNDRED DAYS. 193
him coldly, with discontent, and seemed to march
with reluctance ; his Guard only, proved their devotion
to him up to the last day. They sacrificed themselves
for him, and enabled him to gain Paris, whither he
went to place himself in the hands of his enemies.
Fortune having betrayed him in the field of
Waterloo, Napoleon betrayed himself by abandoning
his army. He might have rallied this army into a force
all the more formidable that Marshal Gouchy's corps
had not been touched. Nevertheless, the Parisians
broke out into demonstrations of the greatest joy on
the reception of the news that the French had gained
a decisive battle at Ligny, under Fleurus, although no
official details were received, and on the 19th of June
a hundred and one guns were fired at the Invalides
to announce this glorious intelligence. No bulletin
arrived on that day, a circumstance which attracted
no attention in the midst of the general joy ; but when
none appeared on the morrow, every one began to
wonder and doubt, and there was visible disturbance
in the places of public assembly. On the morning of
the 21st, it was known that no news had arrived
during the night, but at eleven o'clock a despatch
from the Elysee-Bourbon gave rise to a rumour which
converted the general alarm into joy. It was said
that the Empress Marie-Louise had returned. One
of my friends told me, on bringing me the news, that
she had just made a visit to General Ornano, Napoleon's
cousin, who was confined to bed by a wound which he
o
19-fc NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
had received in a duel. She asked him if he knew
the good news.
" Good news ? " he replied.
" Yes, they say that the Empress has come back."
" The Empress ! " he said, shaking his head, and
showing her a little note he had just received ; "you
mean the Emperor ? for all is over."
An hour after my friend left the General, the news
of the return of the Emperor was spread throughout
the whole of the capital.*
Napoleon, on arriving at the capital, went at once
to his brother Lucien, before entering the Palace of
the Elysee. Lucien was for a moment overwhelmed
by the narrative of the catastrophe, but, speedily
regaining his presence of mind, he proposed to con-
tend with events, disapproved his brother's having
abandoned the army, advised him not to show himself
in Paris, but to return in all haste and rally the
remnant of his troops, and said to him with warmth,
" You throw up the cards before the game is lost." In
fact, it appeared to him to be still possible to unite the
remains of the army of the North with that of the
* Authentic news of the fatal battle reached Paris about, two
hours before the return of Napoleon, and immediately on his arrival
there was an assembly at M. de C 's. The importance of forcing
Napoleon to abdicate was being discussed, when, in the middle of the
deliberations, a person entered the bull, and announced that the
Emperor had returned. In a moment M. de C was left alone
in las salon. The disputants were dispersed like bubbles on the
surface of the water, or, rather, like frogs when a stone is thrown
into the midst of them. — Communicated note.
BOLD COUNSELS. 195
Rhine, which was not yet engaged, and to oppose the
imminent invasion with a new army, recruited by the
Federates, and the National Guards of the various
Departments of France.
But Napoleon already seemed incapable of taking
any strong resolution, and a powerful party was about
to prevail over that of his adherents on the spot. On
entering the Elyse'e, Napoleon sent for the Minister
of War, who found him in his bath and eating a
plate of soup. Napoleon saluted him, and said : " I
must have thirty thousand men and money." The
Marshal's response not being satisfactory, the Emperor
ordered the assembly of the Council. He had brought
into Belgium twenty-six millions of francs, proceeding
in part from his private purse, desiring to open the
campaign magnificently, and to pay for everything
that he required. Everything was seized by the
Prussians, even to the Imperial carriages, the Corona-
tion carriage included ; this had been brought up from
Chambord, where it had been stored, I really don't
know why.
Lucien still endeavoured to calm and reassure all
in the Council of Ministers, which had been imme-
diately convoked, and among the most prominent
persons of the two Chambers. " This," said lie, " is
only the loss of a battle. Thirty thousand men horn
<Je combat will not decide the destiny of France."
But fear had already taken possession of the
hearts of the men of the 20th of March. Vainly
196 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
did Lucien endeavour to revive their former courage.
To some he pointed out the dangers of a cowardly
desertion, to others he recalled what they had pro-
mised the Emperor eight days before he entered
on the campaign. " Reverses," he added, " will not
weaken our courage; they will but redouble our
attachment to our Sovereign."
The question of dissolving the two Chambers
was mooted in a private Council, but the firm and
imposing attitude assumed by the Chamber of De-
puties, secretly directed by Fouche, rendered all
chance of success improbable. Recourse was then had
to negotiations. The Ministers retained at the Palace
of the Elysee, having received a second message
which summoned them to repair to the Chamber,
were authorized to do so by Napoleon. Lucien
accompanied them in the character of Imperial Com-
missary, and required in his brother's name that
the sitting should be formed into a private committee
to receive important communications. The public
immediately vacated the tribunes, and, the sitting
having become private, Lucien read a message from
his brother, containing a studied recital of the disaster
which had just overwhelmed the army at Waterloo,
without concealing its consequences. The Emperor
recommended concert to the representatives, and
announced the formation of a Commission composed
of Carnot, Fouche, and Caulaincourt, to treat for peace
with the Coalition.
OPEN REVOLT. 197
The assembly kept a solemn silence for some
minutes, but it was broken by the Deputy Henri
Lacoste, who, measuring the depth of the ruin
which Napoleon had brought upon France, said to
the Assembly that only peace and energy could
avail to save the country. Lucien, resuming his
speech, endeavoured to justify his brother by trying
to diminish the extent of the disaster, and represented
that France was able to repair it. " The Emperor
has several armies on foot," added he, "and all is
not lost." A general murmur apprised him that the
Assembly did not share his confidence. Then he
employed all the resources of the art of oratory.
He invoked the public generosity, and the respect
due to men's oaths ; he terminated his discourse by
repeating the reproach of levity, so often addressed
to the French nation. At these words, the indigna-
tion of the Assembly broke out. M. de la Fayette
rushed into the tribune, and testified his astonishment
that any one should dare thus to accuse the nation
of levity. Addressing himself to Lucien as much
by his gestures as by his words, he said, after a
very animated speech : " Inform your brother that the
nation will no longer have confidence in him ; that
we ourselves will undertake the salvation of the
country, which he has delivered up to the wrath of
Europe." Other orators indicated the same remedy.
The Assembly having decided upon taking measures
for the public safety on that night, Lucien and the
198 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Ministers retired. In fact, notwithstanding the stead-
fastness of his friends, and even that of the patriots in
the two Chambers, Napoleon was none the less forced
to abdicate. That sacrifice was far from being volun-
tary on his part, as it has been said to be.
After the notification of his abdication to the
Chambers, on Friday, the 23rd of February, on which
day it was posted up in the capital, the emissaries of
the police discovered an organized plot to seize upon
the arsenals, arm the faubourgs, march to the Elysee
and re-establish the Imperial throne. The vigilance
of Fouche prevented the execution of this plan. All
the National Guard of Paris were under arms in the
evening, and so remained during the whole of the
night. No attempt at arrest was made, until a cannon,
tired close to the Barriere du Trone, had given the
signal of the conspiracy, and had revealed the chiefs
who advanced first to the place of rendezvous. They
were all taken, and nearly two hundred individuals
also arrested.
On the 24th of June, Napoleon retired to Mai-
maison, the cradle of his greatness. He had neglected
this dwelling, which recalled painful recollections to
him, especially since the death of Josephine. Its
melancholy salons received him again when he was
despoiled of his crown, but he came only to bid them
an eternal adieu.
The Emperor was not so much regretted by the
Government and the Chambers as might have been
napoleon's plans. 199
supposed. Not only did they make no provision
for him, but they even threatened Count Mollien,
Minister of the Treasury, to have him brought to
trial, for having disbursed certain sums for the
private use of Napoleon. Since then, the Minister
has declared that he did not give him a single
franc, but he had already candidly acknowledged
that he regretted to have been unable to succour the
fallen Emperor in his great misfortune.
The first idea of Napoleon after his fall had been
to retire to England, and this project may be regarded
as a spontaneous homage rendered to the English
nation, which he did not love, it is true, perhaps
because he was forced to esteem it, but to which he
believed he ought to do justice. He afterwards
lent an ear to the proposition made to him that
lie should go to the United States of America.
A number of American captains, who were then at
Paris, offered him free ships; but Napoleon rejected
everything which would have lent the appearance
of flight to his departure. Being forced, however, to
take a resolution, he decided in favour of the United
States, and declared he was ready to leave France
with his family for that destination. The Commission
of the Provisional Government seemed to lend itself
to the execution of this resolution. The Minister of
Marine received orders to have two frigates ready
to be placed at the disposal of Napoleon as he
might require. Fouche knew that all this meant
200 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
nothing. He was aware that a safe-conduct would
have to be asked from Lord Wellington, and that
it would not be granted. The Emperor was already
the prisoner of England.
During this time the Austrians, the Russians, and
the Prussians had, for the second time, arrived under
the walls of Paris. The Emperor might be carried
off from Malmaison. All was alarm around him.
The few friends who remained to him in treated him
to think of his safety. On the 29th of June the
Commission of the Provisional Government, in its turn,
hastened Napoleon's departure, and on the same day,
at five o'clock in the evening, he left Malmaison. His
suite was composed of Bertrand, Montholon, Gourgand,
Savary, Lallemend, Las Cases, Planat, and Resigny.
The Countess Bertrand accompanied her husband ; Mrh ,
Montholon also shared the hazardous destiny of hers.
The Emperor slept at Rochefort, where a courier
was sent to him on the 30th, at daybreak. Pie
opened the despatches which were handed to him,
with emotion, and exclaimed after having read
them, " It is all over ; France is done for. Let us go."
Napoleon paused no more until he reached Rochefort,
where it was notified to him that he was to be exiled
to the Rock of St. Helena. The rest is known.
Joseph, better advised, had profited by the offer
of the American captains to take him to Boston. He
arrived there without any difficulty.
On the 30th of June, Queen Hortense received an
MEAN MEASURES. 201
order, rudely worded, and signed " Mouffling, Governor
of Paris," to quit the capital within twenty-four hours
and to leave the Kingdom of France with the utmost
dispatch.
Lucien, who was convinced that Napoleon would
not even escape from the Allies if he did not make up
his mind to take refuge beyond the seas, had declared
his own intention of retiring to the United States,
whither all his family would have followed him.
This resolution having been definitely arrived at
between them, at the end of June, as I have said
above, Lucien repaired to Neuilly to his sister Pauline's
country house, and wrote a letter to apprise her of the
new plans which had been formed between him and his
brother.*
Each day the danger of the Imperial family became
more imminent. Severe measures were taken by the
Provisional Government against most of its members,
and edicts of banishment, signed by M. de T ,
had been notified to several former associates or
colleagues of Napoleon. The moment had arrived
when Lucien had to think of his safet}~. Under the
name of Count de Chatillon, he took the road to
Bordeaux, while the negotiations were going on with
the Allied generals. He reached that post and hired
a packet-boat, but, just as he was about to embark, he
received intelligence of the fresh measures which had
been taken against his brother, and of Napoleon's
* See "Pieced Justificative;-," Xos'. 11 and 12.
202 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
departure for Rochefort. This news made him
suddenly change his resolution ; for he was about to
risk passing through England with the intention of
obtaining the safe-conduct from the British Govern-
ment which would be necessary to enable him to land
in the United States. It will readily be supposed that
he abandoned his intention.
( 203 )
CHAPTER XX.
SOME FEATURES OF NAPOLEON'S CHARACTER; VARIOUS
ANECDOTES OF HIS LIFE, AND PARTICULARS RE-
LATING TO THE PERSONS WHO FORMED THE
IMPERIAL COURT.
THE GAME OP " BARS " M. DE CAULAINCOURT — THE HOT PASTY —
M. DE MENXEYAL — ■ THE ETIQUETTE OF THE COURT OP THE
TUILERIES — ■ M. BAEBIER — THE " MATERNAL SOCIETY " — M. TER-
NAUX THE OLD AND THE NEW NOBILITY — THE DUKE OF PLA-
CENZA AND COUNT CHAPTAL — THE " GRAND SERYICE " AND THE
" PETIT SERVICE" — THE PASTIMES OF MARIE - LOUISE — THE
" PETITES ENTREES " MESDAMES DE ROVIGO AND DE BOITLI.E —
M. DE SAINT-AIGNAN — THE WHIP-STROKE AND THE SWORD-CUT —
THE BILLIARD-ROOM — THE EMPRESS'S ALBUM — COUNT DE LACEPEDE
— THE DUCHESS OF WEIMAR — MADAME BERTRAND.
I have now only to add a few touches which will
serve to complete the portrait of Napoleon in his
private life. This was an aspect under which he was
little known, and has never been painted in true
colours. The same remark applies to the principal
personages of his family, and in general to all those
individuals who combined in lending that brilliancy
and splendour to the Imperial Court of which nothing
but the memory now remains.
While he was as yet only First Consul, Napoleon
204 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
frequently received writers, savants, and artists at
his table. In the country he played at various games
with them, especially at " Bars," a youthful pastime
which he continued to enjoy, doubtless because it is
an image of war. After he had been invested with
the Imperial dignity, he considered that decorum
forbade him to continue to act thus, and he limited
himself to riding on horseback, which he liked very
much, although he had several falls. One of these
occurred one day at Trianon, when he was amusing
himself by pursuing the Empress through the wind-
ings of a shrubbery. He j umped up at once, got into
the saddle, laughing merrily, and rode off crying,
" Casse-cou ! "
I have seen him play at Bars after his marriage
with Marie-Louise, and although he had already
grown very stout, he still ran lightly. One day, when
the Court was at Rambonillet, there was a great game
of Bars, in which the Emperor fell twice, without
hurting himself. He darted forward to seize his
adversary, the Grand Marshal, who always slipped
away from him, so that the Emperor was twice over
sent rolling on the sand. He jumped up without a
word, and went on with the game more gaily than
before.
He liked luxury and magnificence on all public
occasions ; but he desired that strict economy should
be maintained in his own house. Once, when on the
napoleon's economy. 205
way to Compiegne the horses were going more slowly
than he liked, he let down the glass of the carriage,
and called to the outrider in attendance, "Faster,
faster ! " M. de Caulaincourt, who, as Grand Equerry,
preceded him in another carriage, heard this order,
and, putting his head out of the window, shouted
to the postillions, with an oath, that he would dis-
charge them all if the pace was changed. The horses
continued accordingly to go at a trot. On arriving
at Compiegne, the Emperor complained of the slowness
of the journey.
" Sire," answered M. de Caulaincourt, coolly, " give
me more money for your stable expenses, and you
may kill as many horses as you please."
Napoleon changed the conversation.
One day, when at breakfast with the Empress, he
asked one of the first ladies who was in attendance
what might be the cost of a hot pasty which was
on the table.
" Twelve francs to your Majesty," she answered
smiling, " and six francs to a bourgeois of Paris."
" That is to say that I am robbed ! " exclaimed
Napoleon.
" No, Sire ; but it is the custom for a king to pay
dearer than his subjects."
" That is just what I don't understand," said he,
" and I mean to take order about it."
As a matter of fact, he entered into small details
206 NAPOLEON AND MAEIE-LOUISE.
of household economy which are often neglected by
private individuals.
The same orderliness prevailed in the Empress's
affairs. Each month the Countess de Lucay presented
to her a statement of the expenditure of the preceding-
month ; she signed it, and it was handed to M. de
Ballouhai, Secretary of Expenses, whose duty it was
to pay them. He had held the same office in the house-
hold of the Empress Josephine, and the Emperor,
after his marriage with Marie-Louise, retained him in
that capacity, as a reward for his perfect probity,
his exactitude, and his attachment. M. de Ballouhai
afterwards accompanied the Empress to Parma, where
he received the most touching proofs of confidence
and regard from her. The state of his health has
since obliged him to return to Paris.
Napoleon's handwriting was always very bad, and
latterly it was quite illegible. Only the secretaries
who were accustomed to it could decipher it. In his
signature it was impossible to distinguish anything
be} 7 ond the three first letters, the rest was a random
scrawl. Nothing could be more fatiguing than the
post of First Secretary to Napoleon, which was filled
by M. do Menneval for ten years. The Emperor then
made him Secretary of Commands to Marie-Louise,
and said to her, in presenting him, that M. de Menneval
was the most estimable and the discreetest man he
had ever known, but that he had worn him out with
overwork. As a matter of fact, no night ever passed
napoleon's habits. 207
without his sending for M. de Menneval to dictate
something to him, and he was frequently called several
times in the same night.
He subsequently proved that he deserved the high
esteem with which the Emperor honoured him. He
was placed in a difficult position at Blois and at
Orleans, for he was a witness of the intrigues with
which the Empress was surrounded, and he ventured,
without overstepping the bounds of respect, to lift up
the voice of truth. He never shrank from obeying
the suggestions of duty and affections. M. Fain,
who had been for a long time in the Emperor's service
as a secretary, took the place of M. de Menneval, and
displayed attachment and fidelity to the Emperor
which will do him immortal honour.
The physical organization of the Emperor was very
remarkable. He had the faculty of sleeping at will,
and this it was which enabled him to bear night-work
so easily. He generally went to bed at ton, rose
between one and two, worked until five or six, took
his bath, was dressed, received several persons, break-
fasted at ten, then worked again until noon, when he
would come to his wife's apartment, or go out walking ;
but when business was urgent, he would stay at it
until evening. During the day he would come down to
see the Empress several times, and they would visit their
sim together. If Napoleon had a little time to himself,
after he had kissed his wife and played with his child,
he would seat himself in an arm-chair, and, while stil!
208 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
talking, go fast asleep, waking only when he was told
that some one or something was waiting for him.
He dined every day between seven and eight
o'clock, alone with Marie-Louise. On Sundays there
was a family dinner. Such was the etiquette of the
Tuileries, from which there was no departure except
in the case of Madame Lannes or Madame de Luq-ay,
either of whom occasionally made a third at their
Majesties' table.
On their short journeys, Napoleon every day
invited three or four ladies, and as many men, but
that honour was confined to certain persons.
When a petition was presented to him, he handed
it to an aide-de-camp, or put it in his pocket. The
latter meant that he would have it looked into.
When he put the petition into his left pocket, which
was called in the palace his " good " one, it was a sure
sign that he was disposed to grant what was asked of
him, even without the form of examination.
The Emperor had peculiar ideas and expressions
of his own. One day, when he was talking with the
Empress about some persons of whose conduct he did
not approve, he said : " Chastity in a woman is what
courage is in a man. I despise a coward and a
woman without modesty ! "
Talking of Corvisart, the Emperor said he was an
egoist ; that he had entrails but not " bowels."
The Empress protested against this, and said every-
body was selfish, that she herself was selfish.
UNGROUNDED FEARS. 209
"Don't say, my Louise," said Napoleon gravely,
" that you are selfish ; I know no more hideous vice."
Among the absurd stories circulated about the
Emperor, those which imputed unbounded and revolt-
ing profligacy to him were most widely believed. I am
about to cite two facts which will prove how much
credit these inventions deserved.
The Emperor was very reserved with the ladies of
the household, most of whom were of a staid age.
Among the younger ladies, there was one who had
some personal attractions, and whose head was filled
with all the tales to which I have just alluded, so that
her virtue was in a continual state of alarm. She
meditated day and night upon her means of defence,
prepared her speeches, and was resolutely determined
to resist every kind of seduction, all sentiment, and
even violence. With each day she expected the
advent of the moment at which she would have to
summon up all her resources ; she hardly dared to
sleep ; at length she made up her mind to impart
her fears to one of her companions. This lady, who
understood the true state of affairs, begged her to calm
herself, and to wait for the attack before troubling her-
self about the defence. As a matter of fact, the
Emperor took no notice either of her or of the others,
and she soon learned to laugh at her own terrors.
Napoleon was always angry when he saw novels
being read. They were hidden when notice of his
coming was given, but he frequently took the Empress's
P
210 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
readers by surprise. He had ordered his librarian, M.
Barbier, to make a selection of books, and to send them
to Marie-Louise. M. Barbier, who was rather a man
of letters than a strict censor, included in his choice
the Satires of Juvenal. The Emperor arrived just as
we had received the books ; he saw the Juvenal, and
scolded vehemently about it, saying that young women
had no business with such a book. He then informed
us that, for the future, every book should pass through
his cabinet ; and, sending for his librarian, he lectured
him severely.
I have been told by Madame Walewska, who
honoured me with the title of her friend, and whom
Napoleon always highly esteemed, that she breakfasted
with him at Malmaison on the day before his departure
for Rochefort, and that he was perfectly easy in his
mind, even cheerful, and played for half an hour with
her son, the little Alexander, with all his usual
affection.
The Emperor was very fond of children. The pages
looked upon him as a kind father, rather than an
absolute master. He used the " tutoiement " towards
them all, and called them by their Christian names. He
had pet names for his particular favourites among them.
No one knew better than Napoleon what it was
to be restricted in means. During the latter part of
his sojourn at Elba, his Master of the Palace was
obliged to cut down his table expenditure, by sub-
stituting the wine of the country for his Chambertin
napoleon's philosophy. 211
and his favourite Bordeaux. He consented willingly,
and even laughingly, to this exercise of economy.
Officers of every nationality, who had served under
him, came to his rocky realm, and were so earnestly
desirous of being taken once more into his service,
that, when he met them with the objection of the
smallness of his means, some of them were content to
receive from twenty to thirty-five sous a day, rather
as a pledge of his esteem than as a recompense for their
attachment. It is well known that, at St. Helena,
he required to put in practice all the philosophy
with which a man could be endowed by nature and
experience ; but even before his departure he had
already regained entire tranquility at Malmaison,
while his fate was still in uncertainty. At Elba, he
invited Madame Bertrand's young family to dine with
him almost every Sunday; and he seldom let her
children leave him without making them some present,
cither of money or sweets, which he would put into
his pockets for this express purpose. I do not think
that such sentiments are incompatible with the out-
ward appearance of indifference, and all the demonstra-
tions of cold-heartedness, when the situation was such
that it not only justified indifference, but even lent it
an air of heroism.
Napoleon was deeply affected when lie bade adieu to
his mother and sister, on leaving the Island of Elba ; so
much so, that he said, " I must go now, or I shall never
212 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
In addition to what I have already said of Napoleon,
I must relate a few anecdotes, and also give a denial
to certain others which are entirely unfounded.
The following story gained extensive currency.
It was said that the Emperor, in talking with Marie-
Louise, complained of the Empress of Austria, and
of the Archdukes, and that, after having expressed
his displeasure with them, he added, "As for your
father, I have nothing to say about him : he is a
blockhead {ganache)." The Empress did not under-
stand this word, and no sooner had Napoleon with-
drawn than she asked the ladies who were with her
what it meant. None of them ventured to tell
her its true meaning, but one said that the word
ganache signified a grave person, one of weight.
The Empress forgot neither the expression nor the
definition, and applied the word, some time after-
wards, in a very amusing way, when she was
acting as Eegent of the French Empire. One day,
while an important question was under discussion
at the Council, she remarked that Cambaceres had
not yet spoken. Turning towards him, she said —
" I should like to know your opinion on this
subject, because I know that you are a ganache."
Cambaceres, on receiving this compliment, could
only look at her with astonishment and confusion,
repeating in an undertone the word "ganache !"
" Yes," said she, " a ganache, a cool-headed man, a
man with sound sense. Is not that what it means ? "
FALSE AND FOOLISH STORIES. 213
Nobody enlightened her, and the discussion was
continued.
Of course it will be perceived at once that this
anecdote is absolutely false. It is neither true nor
likely. I have said elsewhere that Marie-Louise
spoke and wrote French as well as the best-educated
Parisian. 1 will add now, that I am quite sure
Napoleon never used so slighting an expression in
speaking of his father-in-law, with whom he had
been very friendly for a long time. Besides, when-
ever he made any jests upon the house of Austria,
Marie-Louise defended it with warmth. One day,
for instance, when Napoleon was talking to his wife
about the plans of the Emperor of Austria, for seizing
upon certain towns which he wanted, he said :
" You see plainly that your father is a robber, and
that he appropriates what does not belong to him."
" That is true," she replied : " but you steal
kingdoms ; my father takes only a few towns."
Napoleon laughed heartily at this answer, and
asked the persons present whether a woman, who
ought to respect her husband, had any right to call
him a robber.
The Emperor, who was anxious to make Marie-
Louise popular with the people, instituted the Societe
Maternelle, of which he made her president. Madame
do Segur was nominated vice-president; other ladie-
joined the Society. The object of the institution
was to give aid to mothers of poor families having
214 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
several children. They were attended in their con-
finements ; provided with soup, wine, and clothes for
their infants ; and lastly, when they had several
children, they were paid for nursing the latest born
like ordinary nurses. Madame de Segur filled her post
in this institution with the kindness of heart, zeal,
and intelligence which distinguished her, and she was
the support and consolation of all the poor women
who had recourse to her. Since the departure of
Marie-Louise, this institution has been improved.
The Duchess d'Angouleme, who was so charitable
and munificent, became its president, and augmented
its resources.
Napoleon wished his Court to be brilliant. A sure
method of pleasing him was to have a well-regulated
house, and elegant equipages, to give fetes and receive
on a large scale. He sometimes said, speaking of
certain great personages, who were suspected of par-
simony, "They are curmudgeons, who hoard up their
money." He took great notice of the dress of the
ladies. On coming into the salon he looked at each
in succession, and his look was a regular inspection.
He would go and say a gracious word to a lady
whom he considered well-dressed, while one whose
attire displeased him would be distinctly allowed to
know it. He detested shawls, and no one could
ever keep one on in his presence. The Cashmeres.
which he put up with much against his will, and
often talked about, displeased him still more. It was
napoleon's tastes. 215
in order to put them out of fashion that he ordered
some from M. Ternaux, designed by M. Isabey, which
were certainly prettier than the Indian ones. Never-
theless, the fashion still prevailed, and the latter
continued to enjoy the preference. Since then, they
have been perfectly imitated by M. Ternaux, and the
Emperor paid him a very high price for his first
attempts. He preferred diamonds for ornaments,
and nothing could surpass the brilliancy of the
spectacle at the Tuileries on a gala day. Even those
who were accused of avarice endeavoured to surpass
everybody else in diamonds. But " economizers "
were the constant objects of Napoleon's jests and
sarcasms. Sometimes they disregarded what he said,
but occasionally they got angry, and the only result
was to harden their resolution to save.
It was quite natural that there should be a great
disparity in a Court of such various material. The
old nobles, happy to find themselves once again at
their ease, freely enjoyed their fortune, sharing it
with all those who surrounded them, without for-
getting the poor. The newly enriched — princes, dukes,
counts, barons, etc. — emulated them in luxury, but
with less success. There were, however, some who
rose to the level of their rank, but the number was
small. Among the former were the Duke of Piacenza
and Count Chaptal. Many persons are unaware that
the former founded an establishment in the Depart-
ment of Seine et Oise which gives employment to
216 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
more than three hundred families. It is a cotton-
spinning factory, which he set up at Dourdan, in
a very poor district, totally without resources.
There now exists in that place a well-built village,
called by its inhabitants Ville-Brun, from motives
of gratitude to their benefactor. The Duke has,
besides, established a primary school for children.
Everybody knows what important services have been
rendered to French industry by Count Chaptal, and
the superb establishment which he has created at
Chambord.
The Emperor knew every detail of what went
on, and used to amuse himself by relating it all to
the Empress. After his second marriage, he had a
great desire to give his Court a better tone ; above
all, he was anxious to change its moral aspect, and to
lend at least an appearance of propriety to everything
Among the ladies who had been his favourites, only
two preserved a place in his affections. One was
Madame Walewska, who has always shown him a
tender and faithful attachment ; the other was a
lady whose name I shall not disclose : up to the
last moment the latter retained a certain influence
over him.
The Princes and Princesses had ladies to accom-
pany them. They formed their suite at the pro-
menade, adorned the salon in the evening, and con-
tributed by their conversation to the general amuse-
ment. In the case of the Queens these ladies were
BARREN HONOUR. 217
called " dames du palais ; " in that of the Princesses,
" dames pour accompagner." These places were much
sought for, and almost all given by favour. Those
who obtained them were envied, because those who
desired them did not understand the disagreeables and
tribulations attached to them. Every three months
the list of " waits " was made out ; but it was a very
troublesome business to find the twelve ladies who
were required, some being ill, others absent, or in an
interesting situation. When, however, the list was
at length completed and the ladies nominated, they
arranged the order of waiting between themselves,
four to each month. Of these four, two only were on
duty every day ; the two others came in the evening,
and on Sunday. The two ladies whose waiting was
called the " grand service " appeared at eleven o'clock
in the morning, in the salon appropriated to them.
They were free either to occupy themselves, or to
do nothing, and remained there until one o'clock.
Then her Majesty went out, either in a carriage or
on foot. If on foot, they formed her suite. If it
happened (but this was very rare) that the Lady-in-
Waiting and the Lady of the Bedchamber were not
at the Palace, then the Empress took one of these
ladies in her carriage, generally the oldest or the most
important, and not the one whom she would have
preferred. But such fortune rarely befell them ; they
most usually followed in another carnage, with
the Gentleman-in -Waiting 1 and a Chamberlain. The
218 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Equerry and the Page on duty were always on horse-
back, one on the right and the other on the left
of her Majesty's carriage. The drive lasted one or
two hours. On returning to the Palace the Empress
bowed to these ladies, and went into her private
apartments, followed by her Lady-in- Waiting and her
Lady of the Bedchamber. The two ladies remained
at the Palace until five o'clock. They then asked
leave to retire, obtained it, and returned home, very
tired, very much bored, very discontented, and very
happy when nothing disagreeable had taken place.
They had to come back at seven o'clock, and were nut
free until Marie-Louise retired to rest.
The evening was more agreeable than the dav. The
Emperor almost always asked for the suite ; then the
two ladies, the Chamberlain, the Equerry, and the
Page came in. Nevertheless, I have seen a Duchess
and a Countess who were on duty exposed to a very
mortifying incident. All persons who had been pre-
sented were admitted on the days of grand ceremonial,
but a small number formed the private society of the
Court. This was composed of the Ministers, the great
dignitaries, and the favourites, both men and women.
They had what is called the " petites entrees ; " that is
to say, the right of coming every day and at any hour.
They all assembled in the same salon. When the
Emperor had dined, he passed into his own salon,
talked for a while alone with the Empress, all the
doors standing open; afterwards he called for the
A POINT OF ETIQUETTE. 219
" entries " and the suite. The Chamberlain repeated
the order, and each came in according to rank. If
he did not ask for the suite, then those who had not
the " petites entrees " remained in the first salon. These
" entre'es " were given, and taken back, every three
months, so there should not be too many people at
once. One day that the Duchess of Rovigo and Madame
de Bouille were "de grand service," the Emperor asked
only for the " entrees." The Chamberlain and the
Equerry only were there ; they came in, and the two
ladies remained entirely alone. Madame de Bouille
called for her carriage, and went away in a rage. The
Duchess, who was at least as much mortified, more
prudently remained; and this was well, for the Emperor,
being informed who were the ladies on duty that day,
hastened to say that they w r ere to come in. The
Duchess only was to be found. She said that Madame
de Bouille had been taken ill ; but she was not believed,
and the Emperor loudly condemned the conduct of
the Countess. That evening he made himself very
agreeable to the Duchess of Rovigo.
In addition to the Ladies of the Palace, there were
several Chamberlains, some of whom were nomi-
nated by the Emperor to the service of the Empress.
The same was done with respect to the Equerries and
the Pages. There were four, and sometimes six, who
took their turn (I don't include among them Prince
Aldobrandini, her Majesty's First Equerry). Among
these Chamberlains and Equerries there was the same
220 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
mixture as elsewhere, and it would have been natural
that the old nobility, thus socially united with the
new, should give the tone and politeness of former
times to the Imperial circle. This, however, was not
the case ; and I must here remark, as several persons
have done, that the old nobility affected the worst
tone, and talked in the most indecent and unbecoming
manner. These same individuals, on their return to
the Faubourg St. Germains, would resume the habits
and demeanour which they ought never to have laid
aside. There were, however, some to whom this
censure does not apply. In the service which he
rendered to their Majesties, M. de Saint- Aignan united
profound respect to all the graces of the mind, ex-
tensive information and fine manners. M. de M
and M. d'E — ■ — ought to have imitated him, but they
did nothing of the kind. A disagreeable adventure
occurred to the former. One day, when it was raining,
he rode out of the Elysee Bourbon, by the side of the
Empress's carriage, and, perceiving an individual who
had kept his hat on his head, he struck the hat off
with his whip, and flung it into the mud. The owner
of the hat ascertained his name. A duel followed, and
M. de M received a sword wound, which was
fortunately not dangerous. He was blamed, and
particularly by the Emperor, who expressed his
displeasure at such conduct, adding, " It is very well
done ; he has only got what he deserved."
It will be surmised from what I have just
PALACE PURSUITS. 221
related, that the Ladies of the Palace, who were forced
by their service to pass five or six hours with these
gentlemen, did not find their societ}^ very pleasant,
and indeed they often complained of it. They were
obliged to listen to narratives of scandalous adven-
tures, which made some of them blush, and embar-
rassed most of them ; they also had to endure very
unbecoming jesting upon their own affairs. The
Emperor was ignorant of all this. Before him every-
body was respectful, polite, and reserved ; but they
made up for that when his back was turned.
I must add, to finish what I have to say about
the salon, that a lady and two gentlemen played
cards with the Empress ; that other card-parties were
made up between the ladies, but in another room ;
and that the Emperor generally passed the evening in
talking with one or two of his Ministers, whom ho
took into a little salon, where there was a billiard-
table for the Empress. Napoleon played billiards
very badly, without any attention, and ran about
the whole time : he chose that time to give vent
to his anger, or to scold, if he had anything to com-
plain of. His voice only was heard, and he was
rarely answered. -Indeed, except himself, nobody Avas
heard to speak in the salon ; although it was filled
with courtiers, it was impossible to distinguish any
voice. There was some talking, of course, but it was
carried on in very low tones, and according to the
usage of the old Court. The Emperor sometimes
222 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
played at whist, and he delighted in cheating, and
laughed with all his heart when this was perceived,
although nobody dared to make any observation to
him on the subject.
Napoleon never relinquished friendships which he
had formed in his youth. When he became First
Consul, he continued to receive the friends of his
humbler days at St. Cloud, with all his former fami-
liarity. Of those who composed the Imperial Court,
no one was more deserving of the esteem and friend-
ship of honourable men than Count de Lacepede, the
friend and worthy successor of the illustrious Bouffon,
Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour from the
foundation of that institution, and who lost his post
on the arrival of Louis XVIII. at Paris. Count de
Lacepede then retired to an estate which he possessed
in the Department of Loire et Garonne.
When he was informed of the return of Napoleon,
he did not hasten, like so many others, to grovel at the
feet of his former master. He remained in his retreat,
occupied by literary and scientific labours, until a
courier came, bringing him the Emperor's order to
resume his former functions, and also to preside over
the Senate. Louis XVIII. had quitted France. The
authority of Napoleon was recognized everywhere.
It was his duty to render obedience to the summons.
He therefore repaired to the post which was assigned
to him. On the return of the King in the following
year, he was a second time deprived of his functions,
BUFFON". 223
and was, besides, struck off the list of senators. Never-
theless, no place was ever so well filled as that of
Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour, while it
was held by M. de Lacepede. He had the art of send-
ing away even those whom he could not satisfy, well
pleased. The Emperor had nominated him to the
Seignory of Paris. This, with the Grand-Chancellor-
ship, gave him a right to two separate salaries. For
several years he refused to receive more than one,
thus setting a good example of disinterestedness to
the courtiers. What need had he of a great fortune ?
He had simple tastes, he lived without any display,
and devoted every moment which he could spare from
public affairs, to study. The venal men who sur-
rounded Napoleon regarded his conduct with dis-
pleasure. They induced the Emperor to take a false
view of it, and Count de Lacepede was ordered to
receive his two salaries. He availed himself of this
necessity to give freer course to his love of doino-
good. Among the numerous instances of those which
I could relate, I shall limit myself to only one. A
senior clerk, in the Bureau of the Legion of Honour,
a highly respectable man with a family, had been ill
for several months, and all the symptoms of his illness
indicated that it was caused by mental anxiety. One
of his intimate friends succeeded in discovering the
secret, and learned that a debt of twenty thousand
francs, contracted daring the Revolution, for the sub-
sistence of his family, still remained unpaid, and that
224 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
his creditor was threatening him every month with
a prosecution. This friend was acquainted with M.
de Lace'pede, and, after having gravely reflected upon
the position of the sick man, he went to the Chancellor
and told him all, adding, that a person of his acquaint-
ance, a man of merit and talent, would lend the
twenty thousand francs that were necessary, on the
sole condition that M. de Lacepede should give him
the place, if the senior clerk died before that sum of
money had been repaid. " That is impossible," replied
the Count, after a moment's thought. " I am very
sorry, but it would be unjust towards the under-clerk,
who has been doing his work since his illness, and
who deserves to have the place should so unfortunate
an event occur." The intercessor returned home ill
satisfied with the result of his attempt. Presently
a letter was brought to him from Count de Lacepede.
I give an exact copy of it.
" Sm,
" Have the goodness to hand to our friend
M. the accompanying trifle, and impress upon
him that he must not think of reimbursing me until
he has entirely recovered his health, and until he
possesses one hundred thousand livres a year.
" I am, etc.,
" B. G. E. L. V. S. Count de Lacepede."
The " trifle " accompanying this letter was twenty
thousand francs in bank notes.
THE DUCHESS OF WEIMAE. 225
Everybody has heard how Napoleon, when a de-
spairing woman implored him to pardon her hus-
band, burned in her presence a letter containing
the sole existing proof of his treason. The incident
is too well known to be related in detail. Another
of the same kind is less familiar. After the battle
of Jena, the French army commanded by Napoleon
was expected at Weimar. The most wealthy and
distinguished people of that city, especially the
ladies of the reigning family, fled to Brunswick,
because, as the Duke was serving in the Prussian
army with his troops, the vengeance of the conqueror
was to be dreaded. The Duchess alone resolved not
to abandon her capital. She retired into a wing of her
palace with her ladies, and caused apartments to be
prepared for the Emperor. On his arrival, the Duchess
left the little room which she had reserved for herself,
and took her place at the head of the grand staircase,
to receive him with all due ceremony.
" Who are you ? " said Napoleon, on seeing her.
"I am the Duchess of Weimar."
" In that case I am sorry for you, as I shall crush
your husband."
He paid her no more attention, but retired into
the apartment prepared for him. The following
morning the Duchess learned that pillage had been
begun in the town. She sent one of her chamberlains
to the Emperor to inquire after his health, and
to ask for an audience. This proceeding pleased
Q
226 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Napoleon, and he sent word to the Duchess that he
should come and ask her to give him breakfast.
Hardly had he arrived before he began, according to
his custom, to question her.
" How could your husband, Madame," said he,
" have been so foolish as to make war upon me ? "
" Your Majesty would have despised him had he
done otherwise."
"Why?"
" My husband has passed thirty years in the
service of Prussia. It is not at the moment when
the King had to contend against so powerful an
enemy as your Majesty, that the Duke could forsake
him with honour."
This answer, which was as adroit as it was just,
seemed to soften the Emperor.
"But how came the Duke to attach himself to
Prussia ? "
" Your Majesty must be aware that the younger
branches of the House of Saxony have always followed
the example of the Elector. Now, the policy of the
Prince having led him to ally himself with Prussia
rather than with Austria, the Duke could not do
otherwise than imitate the head of his house."
They continued to converse for some time upon
the same subject, the Duchess still displaying equal
intelligence and high spirit. At last Napoleon rose,
exclaiming —
" Madame, you are the most estimable woman 1
THE BRIDGE OF LODI. 227
have ever known. You have saved your husband.
I pardon him ; but it is to you alone that he owes it."
At the same time, he commanded the pillage in
the town to be stopped, and order was restored there
immediately. Some time afterwards he signed a
treaty which secured the existence of the Duchy
of Weimar, and he ordered the courier who was the
bearer of it, to present it to the Duchess.
Since it has become the fashion to deny every
kind of talent and every kind of merit to a man who
has certainly conceived and executed extraordinary
things, an effort has been made to deprive him of the
glory of even his most brilliant actions. For instance,
it has been said that the famous passage of the
Bridge of Lodi was not an act of bravery, but a suc-
cessful stratagem ; that the flag which he held in his
hand when he flung himself upon the bridge was
almost white, and that the enemy, taking it for a
flag of truce, had suspended the fire during his
passage. No more absurd fable could be imagined.
To credit it we should have to suppose that the enemy
were mad, or blind, if they could take for the bearer
of a flag of truce an officer advancing towards them
not alone, not even attended by a few men, but
followed by a body of troops which occupied the
whole breadth of the bridge, and came on at the
charge. Among other things with which Napoleon lias
been reproached, is his answer to the Corps Legislatif
at the beginning of January, IS 14. "In three
228 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
months," he had said, " we shall have peace, the enemy
shall be driven out, or I shall be dead." "Why did
he not get himself killed ? " asked certain persons.
Perhaps he could not. All the officers who were
with him in the neighbourhood of Troyes affirm that
he exposed himself in such a way as to prove that
he sought death.*
The following is a less known fact. In the various
conflicts which took place around Brienne, the Emperor,
aware of the resistance which he experienced, placed
himself at the head of a squadron of Chasseurs, and
joined the vanguard. There he led a succession of
charges for two hours in the midst of a hail of balls.
A young man whom I know has assured me that he and
several others saw Napoleon fired at more than twenty
times without being hit. His suite made incredible
efforts to induce him to leave this dangerous post, but
totally in vain ; he seemed to be endeavouring to end
his life. It would have been happy for him and for
France if he had perished in the Plain of Champagne.
We should not have seen the Hundred Hays and the
disasters which have followed them, nor he himself
have endured captivity and humiliations to which
death would have been far preferable.
My last words regarding Napoleon shall refer to
his departure for St. Helena.
On his arrival at Iiochfort, he still hoped that he
* " Perhaps he could not." Instead of these words, it would be
more true to say that " death would have none of him." This is
what he himself said at Fontainebleau.
LOWER DEEPS. 229
could freely embark for America. He had been led to
believe this, but he found English vessels posted to
oppose his passage. There was in the port a Danish
barque, whose Captain had married a French woman ;
and being touched by the Emperor's great misfortunes,
this man came to him and proposed to conduct him to
the United States if he would intrust himself to him.
He told him that there was a perfectly secure hiding-
place in his ship, but that it could only contain a
single man and some clothes, and he pledged his word
of honour that there Napoleon should be safe from
discovery. It is asserted that Napoleon was very
near accepting this offer, but the persons who ac-
companied him, fearing that it was only a snare,
did everything they could to prevent him. Napoleon
believed in the honour and generosity of the English
Government : the whole world knows how he was
treated.
The captivity of Napoleon at St. Helena; the
tortures of every kind which were inflicted upon him
by the Sovereigns, in revenge for his victories, and the
glory which he had had shed upon the French name;
the mean malice of the English Government, — all the
sufferings inflicted on this Great man have obscured the
wrong done by his ambition. Every generous heart
was moved in his favour to compassion for the hero
struggling against a vile Governor, who was the im-
placable agent of the English Minister. Deep pity
was felt for the husband, the father, separated not
230 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
only from his wife and from his son, but also from his
mother and his sisters, by whom he was so dearly
loved, and who were refused permission to join him.
Had anything more been needed to revive the love
of Napoleon and hatred of his oppressors in the
hearts of the French, his death has augmented
these two sentiments. No fact exists in history com-
parable to the emotion with which his ashes were
received. All France crowded the route over which
the coffin passed, following it with enthusiasm, saluting
it with shouts until the moment of its arrival at the
Invalides. Thenceforth, for years, there was an inces-
sant crowd eager to look upon his tomb. Napoleon
alone has had such a triumph after his death. All
honour be to him who claimed those ashes, and like-
wise to him who brought them back to France !
( 231 )
APPENDIX.
PIECES JUSTIFICATIVES.
No. 1.
A Report made to the Corps Legislatif, by the Extra-
ordinary Commission appointed by that Body, on
the 28th of December, 1813 :—
Gentlemen,
The Extraordinary Commission which you
have appointed, in virtue of the Emperor's decree of
the 20th of December, 1813, presents the Report which
you are expecting under these grave circumstances.
It is not for the Commission only, it is for the
Corps Legislatif as a whole, to express the senti-
ments which are inspired by the communication of
the original documents in the custody of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, by command of his Majesty.
That communication has taken place under the pre-
sidency of his Serene Highness the Arch-Chancellor
of the Empire. The documents which have been
placed before us are nine in number.
232 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
Among these documents are notes, by the French
Minister and the Austrian Minister, which date back
to the 18th and 21st of August.
They also include the speech delivered by the
Regent to the English Parliament, on the 5th of
September. The Regent said —
" It is not within the intentions of his Majesty, or
within those of the Allied Powers, to demand from
France any sacrifice which may be incompatible with
her honour and her just rights."
The present negotiation for peace begins with the
10th of last November. It was arranged by the
agency of the French Minister in Germany. Having
been present at an interview between the Ministers
of Austria and England, he was commissioned to
carry back the words of peace to France, and to make
known the general and compendious bases upon which
peace might be negotiated.
The Minister of Exterior Relations, M. le Due de
Bassano, replied, on the 16th, to this communication
from the Austrian Minister. He stated that a peace
founded on the basis of the general independence of
nations upon both land and sea was the object of
the desires and the policy of the Emperor ; in con-
sequence, he proposed that a Congress should be
assembled at Manheim.
The Austrian Minister replied, on the 28rd of
November, that their Imperial Majesties and the King
of Prussia were ready to negotiate, as soon as they
APPENDIX. 233
should have received an assurance that the Emperor
of the French admitted the general and compendious
bases previously communicated.
The Powers hold that the principles contained in
the letter of the 16th, although generally shared by
all the Governments of Europe, could not take the
place of bases.
On the 2nd of December, the Minister of Exterior
Relations, M. le Due de Bassano, gave the desired
assurance.
Recapitulating the general principles of the letter
of the ICth, he announces, with lively satisfaction,
that his Majesty the Emperor gave his adherence to
the proposed bases, that these would involve great
sacrifices on the part of France, but that she would
make those sacrifices without reluctance, in order to
give peace to Europe.
To this letter the Austrian Minister replied, on the
10th of December, that their Majesties had learned,
with satisfaction, that the Emperor had adopted the
essential bases of the balance of power and the tran-
quility of Europe, that they had given orders for the
communication of the document to their Allies, and
did not doubt that negotiations might be opened
immediately after their answers.
According to the communications which have been
made to us, the negotiation stops with this latter
document.
With that document it is permissible to hope it
234 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
will resume its natural course, when the delay, ren-
dered necessary by a more distant communication,
shall be over. It is, then, upon these two documents
that our hopes may rest.
While this correspondence was taking place be-
tween the respective Ministers, there was printed, in
the Frankfort Gazette, and placed before your Com-
mission, in virtue of the close letter of his Majesty, a
declaration of the Allied Powers, under date of the 1st
of December, in which, anions;- other things, the follow-
ing passage is to be remarked : —
" The Allied Sovereigns desire that France may be
great, strong, and fortunate, because the greatness of
the French power is one of the fundamental bases of the
social edifice. They desire that France may be fortu-
nate, that French commerce may revive, that the Arts
— a gift of peace — may flourish afresh, because a great
people can only remain quiet in proportion to its
prosperity. The Powers confirm to France an extent
of territory which she never knew under her kings,
because a brave nation is not a fallen one for having,
in its turn, sustained reverses in a stubborn and
sanguinary conflict, in which it has fought with its
accustomed intrepidity."
It results from these documents that all the belli-
gerent Powers have plainly expressed a desire for
peace.
You have especially observed therein that the
Emperor has manifested a resolution to make great
APPENDIX. 235
sacrifices, that he has acceded to the general and com-
pendious bases proposed by the Allied Powers them
selves.
The most patriotic anxiety does not require that
those general and compendious bases should as yet
be made known.
Without seeking to penetrate into Cabinet secrets,
when the knowledge of them is not necessary for the
object to be attained, is it not sufficient to know that
those bases are only the conditions desired for the
opening of a Congress ? Does it not suffice to remark
that those conditions have been proposed by the Allied
Powers themselves, and to be convinced that his
Majesty has given his full adherence to the bases
necessary to the opening of a Congress in which all
rights and all interests are to be discussed ? The
Austrian Minister has, besides, acknowledged that the
Emperor had adopted bases essential to the restora-
tion of the balance of power in Europe, and conse-
quently the adherence given by his Majesty to those
bases has been a great step towards the pacification
of the world.
According to the Constitutional regulations, it is
the province of the Corps Legislatif to express the
sentiments to which these communications give rise ;
for it is enacted by clause 30, of the Senatus-con-
sultum of the 18th Frimaire, Year XII., that —
"The Corps Legislatif, on every occasion when the
Government shall make a communication to it ; on any
236 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
other subject than the voting of a law, shall form
itself into a general committee to deliberate upon its
answer."
As the Corps Legislatif expects its Commission to
offer reflections appropriate to the preparation of a
response worthy of the French nation and of the
Emperor, we take leave to express some of our senti-
ments to you.
The first is that of gratitude for a communication,
which at this moment summons the Corps Legislatif
to take cognizance of the political interests of the
State.
We experience a feeling of hope, in the midst of
the disasters of war, on seeing kinsxs and nations
emulating each other in pronouncing the name of
peace.
In fact, gentlemen, the solemn and reiterated
assurances of the belligerent Powers agree with the
universal desire of France for peace, with that desire
which is generally expressed around each one of us in
our respective departments, and which finds its natural
organ of expression in the Corps Legislatif.
According to the general bases contained in the
declarations, the desire of all humanity for a firm and
honourable peace would seem to be about to be
realized speedily. It will be honourable, because, for
nations as for individuals, honour consists in the
maintaining their own rights and respecting the
rights of others. That peace will also be firm, because
APPENDIX. 237
the true guarantee of peace is the interest which each
of the contracting parties has in remaining faithful
to it.
What, then, can hinder and retard its blessings ?
77 o
The Allied Powers bear the striking testimony to the
Emperor that he has adopted the bases essential to
the restoration of the balance of power and the tran-
quility of Europe.
We have, as the first pledge of his pacific inten-
tions, Adversity, that true counsellor of kings, the
plainly expressed need of the people, and even the
interest of the Crown.
To these pledges you will, perhaps, think it useful
to entreat his Majesty to add one still more solemn.
If the declarations of the foreign Powers were
fallacious, if they desired to enslave us, if they
meditated the rending asunder of the sacred soil of
France, it would be necessary, to prevent our country
from becoming the prey of the foreigner, to render the
war national ; but, in order the more securely to effect
that righteous operation which saves empires, is it not
necessary to unite the nation and its monarch in closer
bonds ?
It is a necessity to impose silence upon our enemies
respecting their accusations of aggrandizement, of
conquests, of alarming preponderance. Since the
Allied Powers have thought it their duty to reassure
tiie nations by publicly proclaimed protestations, is it
not worthy of his Majesty to enlighten them by
238 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
solemn declarations, upon the designs of France and
the Emperor ?
When that Prince to whom history has preserved
the name of " Great " wanted to rekindle the spirit of
his people, he revealed to them all that he had done
for peace, and his high confidences were not without
effect.
Would there not be real greatness in disabusing
the Allied Powers, in order to prevent them from
accusing France and the Emperor of desiring to hold
too extensive a territory, whose preponderance they
seem to dread ?
It is not, indeed, for us to inspire words which
would resound throughout the universe ; but in order
that the declaration might have a useful influence
upon the foreign Powers, and produce the hoped-for
influence in France, would it not be desirable that it
should proclaim to Europe and to France a promise
not to continue war except for the independence of
the French people and the integrity of their territory ?
Would not this declaration have an indisputable
authority in all Europe ?
When his Majesty should thus have replied, in his
own name and in that of France, to the declaration of
the Allies, there would be seen, on the one side, the
Powers who protest that they do not want to appro-
priate to themselves a territory recognized by him as
being necessary to the balance of power in Europe,
and, on the other, a monarch which would declare
APPENDIX. 239
himself to be animated solely by the resolution to
defend that territory.
That, if the French Empire only remained faithful
to those liberal principles, which, however, the chiefs
of the nations of Europe have all proclaimed, France
would then, being forced by the obstinacy of the enemy
to a war of the nation and of independence, to a war of
acknowledged justice and necessity, be capable of dis-
playing energy, unity, and perseverance in support of
her rights, she has already given sufficiently striking
proofs. Unanimous in her desire to obtain peace, she
will be equally unanimous in her efforts to conquer it ;
and she will again show the world that a Great nation
can do all it wills, when it wills nothing except that
which its honour and its just rights demand.
The declaration, for which we venture to hope,
would meet the views of the Powers who do homage
to French valour ; but this is not enough to rally the
nation itself and to put it into a state of defence.
It is, according to the laws, for the Government to
propose such means as it believes to be surest and
speediest for repulsing the enemy and securing a firm
and lasting peace.
Those means will be effectual, if the French an;
convinced that the Government aspires to the glory
of Peace only ; they will be effectual, if the French are
convinced that their blood will be shed solely in
defence of their country and of protecting laws ; but
those consoling words <; country " and " peace" would
240 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
resound in vain if the institutions which promise the
benefits of both one and the other be not guaranteed.
It appears, therefore, indispensable to your Com-
mission that, when the Government shall propose the
promptest measures for the safety of the State, his
Majesty shall be, at the same time, entreated to main-
tain the entire and constant execution of the laws
which guarantee to Frenchmen the rights of liberty,
security, and property, and to the nation the free
exercise of its political rights. This pledge appears
to your Commission the most effectual means of
restoring to the French people the energy which is
needed for their own defence.
These ideas have been suggested to your Com-
mission by the desire and the necessity for binding the
throne closely to the nation, in order to make com-
bined efforts against arbitrary anarchy and the
enemies of our country.
Your Commission has limited itself, according to
its functions, to laying before you reflections which
have appeared to it appropriate to the preparation of
the answer which you are called upon to make by
the Constitution.
How will you convey it ? The Constitutional
regulation determines the method : it is by discussing
vour answer in general committee ; and as the Corps
Leo-islatif is called upon to present an address each
vear to the Emperor, you will probably think fit to
adopt that mode of conveying the answer to the com-
APPENDIX. 241
munication which has been made to you. If his
Majesty's first thought, in important circumstances,
has been to collect the deputies of the nation around
the throne, is it not their first duty to make a fitting
response to that convocation by letting the truth,
and the people's desire for peace, be known to the
monarch ? *
No. 2.
Napoleon's Speech to the Deputation from the Corps
Legislatif, January 1, 1814.
Gentlemen,
I called you together that you might assist
me to do good ; you have disappointed my expecta-
tion. You have allowed yourselves to be led by five
factious persons.
M. Laine is a mischievous man. I know that he
maintains relations with the Regent of England,
through the medium of I)e Seze, the lawyer. M.
Raynouard has said that General Massena committed
vile and base acts in a certain chateau : he has lied.
The imputation cast on the General is a calumny.
How comes it that a Marshal of the Empire is treated
in such a fashion ? I know how all numerous assem-
blies are led : one gets into this corner, another into
* At St. Helena the Emperor declared this document to be incor-
rect, and that, as it was reported, it was not reasonable. As Napoleon
did not indicate (he passages which were not correct, I give the report,
with his observation.
R
242 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
that, and presently the whole mass follows the im-
pulse that it has been given.
Among you, eleven-twelfths are honest people, but
there are also schemers and agitators; I know them.
In the Corps Legislatif there are worshipful magis-
trates, procurators-general, judges, notaries, an Envoy
Extraordinary to the United States ; but intrigue has
dictated your choice. The same men appear on the
Diplomatic Commission, on the Finance Commission,
and on the Commission for drawing up the Address.
The Report of your Commissions has given me
great pain ; I would rather have lost two battles.
To what did it tend ? To augment the claims of the
enemy ! It proposed that I should yield more than
the enemy exacts. If they were to demand Cham-
pagne Brie, I should then have to give up also ? Yes,
a frank declaration of my sentiments was desired ;
I have made it : we will no longer fight to make or
to keep conquests, but only to deliver France.
If abuses have been committed, I ought to have
been told of them, division by division. I should
have put my Commissaries in communication with
my Ministers ; they would have verified those abuses.
We should have washed our dirty linen at home.
But is it in presence of the enemy that these remon-
strances ought to have been made '. The object of
them was to humiliate me. It was designed to throw
dirt in my face. I may be killed, but none shall
dishonour me.
APPENDIX. 243
I was not born among the kings, and I care not
for the throne. What is a throne ? Four bits of
gilded wood, covered with a length of velvet. A
thousand woes surround thrones ; but while I sit on
one, I will defend its rights. The nation has more
need of me than I of it.
Your Commission has humiliated me more than
the enemy did ; it has said that Adversity is the truth-
telling; counsellor of kino\s ; and that thought is a true
one, but the application that is made of it is cowardly.
My enemies have never reproached me with not being
above adversity ; to do so is to add irony to insult.
In four months, I shall publish the odious Report
of your Commission. If any one thinks proper to
circulate it, I shall have it printed in the Moniteur,
with notes from my own hand.
What did you want to do ? To carry us back to
the Constitution of 1791 ? I will not have a consti-
tution about which I understand nothing. If Louis
XVI. had not accepted it he would be reigning still.
Did you reckon the faubourgs Saint-Antoine and
Saint-Marceau ? Did you want to imitate the Legis-
lative Assembly ? It allowed itself to be governed by
the Girondists, by Vergniaux, Guadet, and the rest.
What has become of them ? They are in the grave.
Who are you, to reform the State ? You think
you are the representatives of the nation. In Eng-
land the Commons are representatives, because they
are nominated by the people : our Constitution is not
244 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
the same ; that is not my fault. You are only depu-
ties to the Corps Legislatif. The real representative
of the nation is I, who have been three times pro-
claimed their Sovereign by four millions of citizens.
The Senate and the Council of State share the legis-
lative power with me, and before you ; every autho-
rity is attached to the throne, all is in the throne.
I repeat, that more than eleven-twelfths of you
are good ; but you have let yourselves be led by fac-
tious men. M. Laine* is a traitor; I shall keep an eye
upon him and the evildoers, and I will repress them.
Return to your Departments. I count upon the
good spirit which you will take back thither. Tell
your fellow-citizens that the resources of France are
not so much exhausted as it is supposed. If I again
meet with reverses, I will await my adversaries in
the plains of Champagne. In three months we shall
have peace ; the enemy will be driven out, or I shall
be dead.
No. 3.
The Emperor Napoleons Act of Abdication.
The Allied Powers having proclaimed that the Em-
peror Napoleon was the sole obstacle to the restora-
tion of peace in Europe, the Emperor Napoleon,
laithful to his oath, declares that he renounces, for
himself and his heirs, the throne of France and of
Italy, and that there is no personal sacrifice, even that
APPENDIX. 245
of life, which he is not ready to make to the interest
of France.
(Done at the Palace of Fontainebleau, on the
11th of April, 1814.)
(Signed) Napoleon.
(Countersigned) Dupont (of Nemours),
Secretary-General of the Provisional Government.*
No. 4.
The Speech addressed by Napoleon at the Moment of
his Departure, to the Troops of the Old Guard
who had remained, with him.
Officers, subalterns, and soldiers of my Old Guard,
I bid you farewell.
For the twenty years that I have commanded you,
I have been well pleased with you ; I have always
found you on the path of glory.
The Allied Powers have armed the whole of Europe
against me ; one portion of the army has forsaken its
duty, and France has yielded to private interests.
With you and the brave men who have remained
* I have been told that after Napoleon had executed this deed,
hi' displayed the utmost calmness, the noblest resignation, and that
he seemed like one relieved of a heavy load. He talked, a few
minutes afterwards, familiarly and like any ordinary citizen, with
the general officers of his Court, about the results of the Revolution,
as though it had nothing to do with him, and made a long allocution
to them full of generous sentiments.
246 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
faithful to me, I could have carried on civil war for
three years ; but France would have been unhappy,
and that would have been contrary to the aim which
I have incessantly kept before me. It was, then, my
duty to sacrifice my personal interests to her hap-
piness : I have done so.
My friends, be always faithful to the new Sovereign
whom France has just chosen for herself; do not for-
sake that dear country, too long unhappy. Do not
lament my fate ; I shall always be happy in knowing
that you are so. I might have died, nothing could
have been easier to me ; but no ! I shall always follow
the path of honour. I will write what we have
done !
I cannot embrace you all, but I am about to em-
brace your chief. Come, General ! [He embraced
General Petit.] Bring me the eagle. [While embracing
it, he said] Dear eagle, may these kisses resound
in the hearts of all my brave men.
Farewell, my children ! Adieu, my friends ! Come
round me once more !
No. 5.
It was only for the purpose of counteracting the
effect of the " Address of the Provisional Government
to the Army," upon the mind of his troops, that
Napoleon put forward the following " Order of the
Day," which was dated the 4th of April, 1814 : —
APPENDIX. 247
The Emperor thanks the army for the attachment
which it manifests to him, and principally because it
recognizes that France is in him, and not in the people
of the capital. The soldier follows the fortune and
the misfortune of his general, his honour and his
religion. The Due de Ragusa did not inspire his
companions in arms with those sentiments. He has
gone over to the Allies. The Emperor cannot approve
the condition under which he has taken this step ; he
cannot accept either life or liberty from the mercy of
a subject. The Senate has permitted itself to dispose
of the French Government : it has forgotten that it
owes the power which it now abuses to the Emperor ;
that it is he who saved one part of its members from
the storm of the Revolution, and who took the other
part out of obscurity, and protected it from the enmity
of the nation. The Senate avails itself of the Articles
of the Constitution to overturn it ; it unblushingly
reproaches the Emperor, regardless of the fact that, as
the first Body of the State, it has taken part in all the
events that have occurred. It has gone so far as to
dare to accuse the Emperor of having changed certain
Acts in publication : the whole world knows that he
had no need of such artifices ; a sign was an order for
the Senate, which always did more than was desired
of it. The Emperor has always been accessible to the
wise remonstrances of his Ministers, and he expected
from them, in that circumstance, a most definite jus-
tification of the measures which he had taken. If
248 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
enthusiasm was admitted into the public speeches and
addresses, then the Emperor has been deceived ; but
those who spoke in such a fashion ought to attribute
the fatal result of their flattery to themselves. The
Senate does not hesitate to speak of libels published
against foreign Governments ; it forgets that they were
concocted within itself. If these men remained faithful
so long as fortune was constant to their Sovereign, and
no complaint of the abuse of power was ever heard ;
if the Emperor did despise men, as he is reproached
with despising them, the world will acknowledge now
that he had reasons which justified his contempt. He
held his dignity from God and from the nation ; they
alone could deprive him of it. He has always regarded
it as a burden, and when he accepted it, he did so with
the conviction that only he could carry it worthily.
Good fortune seemed to be his destiny ; now that fate
has decided against him, the will of the nation alone
could persuade him to remain longer upon the throne.
If he must regard himself as the only obstacle to
peace, he readily makes the last sacrifice to France.
He has therefore sent the Due de Moskowa to Paris
to open negotiations. The Army may be certain that
its honour will never be in opposition to the welfare
of France.
APPENDIX. 249
No. 6.
Treaty between the Allied Powers and his Majesty
the Emperor Napoleon.
Article I. — His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon
renounces, on behalf of himself, his successors and
descendants, as well as on behalf of all the members
of his family, all rights of sovereignty and dominion
over the French Empire, the Kingdom of Italy, and
every other country.
Article II. — Their Majesties the Emperor Napoleon
and Marie-Louise shall retain their titles and rank,
and enjoy them during their lifetime. The mother,
brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces of the Emperor
shall also retain, in whatsoever place the}' reside, the
titles of Princes of his family.
Article III. — The Island of Elba, which the Emperor
Napoleon has chosen as his place of residence, shall
form, during a life, a separate principality, which he
shall hold wholly as his property and his sovereignty.
There shall also be granted to the Emperor Napoleon
an annual revenue of two millions of francs, as his
absolute property, which shall be charged as an
annuity upon the Great Book of the Public Debt.
Of this sum one million of francs shall be reversionary
to the Empress.
Article IV. — The Duchies of Parma, Piacenza, and
Guastalla shall be given wholly as property and
250 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
sovereignty to her Majesty the Empress Marie-Louise ;
they shall pass to her son and to his descendants in
the direct line. The Prince, her son, shall take in
future the title of Prince of Parma, Piacenza, and
Guastalla.
Article V. — All the Powers undertake to use their
good offices with the States of Barbary to secure
respect for the flag of Elba, and with that purpose
their relations with those States shall be assimilated
to those of France.
Article VI. — There shall be reserved, in the terri-
tories which by these presents he has renounced, to
his Majesty the Emperor Napoleon, for himself and
his family, domains or annuities upon the Great Book
of the Public Debt, producing a revenue of two
millions five hundred thousand francs, free of all
charges and deductions. These domains or annuities
shall belong entirely to the Princes or Princesses of his
family, who may dispose of them as they shall think
proper. They shall be so shared among them that
each shall have following revenues : —
Madame Mere, 300,000 francs; King Joseph and
his wife, 500,000 francs ; King Louis, 200,000 francs ;
Queen Hortense and her children, 400,000 francs ;
King Jerome and his wife, 500,000 francs ; the Princess
Elisa (Bacciochi), 300,000 francs ; the Princess Pauline
(Borghese), 300,000 francs.
The Princes and Princesses of the house of the
Emperor Napoleon shall retain, as well, the real and per-
APPENDIX. 251
sonal property of every kind whatsoever, which they
shall possess by public and individual right, and the
annuities which they shall also enjoy (as individuals).
Article VII. — The pension of the Empress Jose-
phine shall be reduced to a million in domains, or in
inscription upon the Great Book ; she shall continue
in the sole possession of her property, both real and
personal, with power to dispose of it in accordance
with the laws of France.
Article VIII. — A suitable establishment shall be
formed out of France for Prince Eugene, Viceroy
of Italy.
Article IX. — The property which the Emperor
Napoleon possesses in France, whether in extraordinary
domains, or in special domains attached to the Crown
of France ; in funds placed by the Emperor, either on
the Great Book of the Public Debt, or in the Bank
of France, in Forest share, or in any manner what-
soever, and which his Majesty resigns to the Crown,
shall be reserved as capital, which shall not exceed
two millions, to be employed in donations to persons
whose names shall be inscribed upon a list signed
by the Emperor Napoleon, and which shall be trans-
mitted to the Government.
Article X. — All the Crown Jewels shall remain
in France.
Article XI. — His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon
shall replace in the Public Treasury, and the other
depositaries, all the sums which shall have been taken
252 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
from them by his command, with the exception of
that which has been appropriated to the Civil List.
Article XII. — The debts of the household of his
Majesty the Emperor Napoleon, such as they existed
on the day of the signature of the present treaty, shall
be paid out of the arrears due by the Public Treasury
to the Civil List, according to the estimate which shall
be signed by a commission nominated for the purpose.
Article XIII. — The obligation of the Mont-Napoleon
of Milan (Mont-de-Pie'te) towards creditors, French
or foreign, shall be discharged, unless it should be
otherwise ordained hereafter.
Article XIV. — All the necessary passports shall be
delivered to allow free passage to his Majesty the
Emperor Napoleon, the Empress, the Princes, the
Princesses, and all the persons of their suite who shall
desire to accompany them, or to establish themselves
out of France, as well as for their equipages, horses,
and effects. Consequently, the Allied Powers shall
furnish officers and troops to escort them.
Article XV. — The Imperial French Guard shall
furnish a detachment of from twelve to fifteen
hundred men of all arms, to serve as an escort to his
Majesty the Emperor Napoleon, so far as Saint-Tropez,
the place of his embarkation.
Article XVI. — A corvette and the necessary vessels
shall be furnished for the transport of his Majesty the
Emperor Napoleon and his household ; and the corvette,
shall belong wholly to his Majesty the Emperor.
APPENDIX. 253
Article XVII. — The Emperor Napoleon shall take
with him, and retain as his Guard, four hundred men
— officers, subalterns, and volunteer soldiers.
Article XVIII. — No Frenchman who shall have
accompanied the Emperor Napoleon, or his family,
shall be held to have lost his rights as a Frenchman
by not returning in the course of three years ; at least
he will not be comprised in the exceptions the making
of which the French Government reserves to itself
after that term.
Article XIX. — The Polish troops of all arms' shall
be at liberty to return to Poland, and shall keep their
arms and baggage as a testimony to their honourable
services. The officers and soldiers shall retain the
decorations which they have obtained, and the pen-
sions that are attached to them.
Article XX. — The High Allied Powers guarantee
the existence of the present treaty, and pledge them-
selves to obtain that it be accepted and guaranteed by
France.
Article XXI. — The present Act shall be ratified,
and the ratifications exchanged at Paris in two days.
Done at Paris, the 12th of April, 1814.
'Signed) Metternjch, Staihox, Rasou-
MONSKY, NESSELRODE, CASTLE-
REAGH AND HaRDEXBERG, NEY
AND CA'JLAINCOURT.
254 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
No. 7.
The Proclamation of Marshal Auger eau to
his Troops.
Soldiers,
The Senate, the interpreter of the National
will, weary of the tyrannical yoke of Napoleon Buona-
parte, pronounced his fall (de'cheance) , and that of his
family, on the 2nd of April.
A new monarchical constitution, strong and liberal,
and a descendant of our former kings, replace Buona-
parte and his despotism.
Your grades, your honours, and your distinctions,
are secured to you.
The Corps Legislatif, the great dignitaries, the
Marshals, the Generals, and all the Corps of the Great
Army have given their adherence to the decrees of
the Senate, and Buonaparte has abdicated the thrones
of France and Italy, on behalf of himself and his heirs,
by an Act, dated the 11th of April, at Fontainebleau.
Soldiers, you are released from your oaths ; you
are released by the nation in which sovereignty
resides; you are again released, were it necessary, by
the abdication of a man tvho, after leaving immolated
millions of victims to his cruel ambition, has not been
capable of dying like a soldier !
The nation calls Louis XVIII. to the throne, lie is
a Frenchman born; he will be proud of your glory and
APPENDIX. 255
will surround himself with your chiefs : a descendant
of Henry the Fourth, he will have the heart of his
ancestor, he will love the soldier and the people.
Let us, then, swear fidelity to Louis XVIII. and to
the Constitution which presents him to us; let us
hoist the true colour of France, before which every
emblem of a revolution which is ended disappears ;
and you will soon find a just recompense for your
noble deeds, in the gratitude and the admiration of
your King and country.
Marshal Augereau.
Head-quarters, Valence, 1G April, 1814.
No. 8.
The following proclamation was issued, as I have
said, by order of General Dalcsme ; I have been assured
that it w T as chiefly drawn up by himself: —
Inhabitants of the Island of Elba,
Human vicissitudes have brought the Em-
peror Napoleon into your midst ; and his own choice
gives him to you as your sovereign. Before entering
within your walls, your august and new monarch has
addressed the following words to me, and I hasten to
impart them to you, because they are the pledge of
your future welfare : —
" General ! I have sacrificed my rights to the inte-
rests of the country, and 1 have reserved to myself
256 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
the sovereignt}*- of the Island of Elba, which has been
consented to by all the Powers. Be so good as to
make this new state of things known to the inhabi-
tants, and the choice which I have made of their island
for my abode, in consideration of the mildness of their
manners and their climate. Tell them that they shall
be the constant objects of my warmest interest."
Elbese ! these words need no comment ; they fix
your destiny. The Emperor has judged you rightly.
I owe you this justice, and I render it to you.
Inhabitants of the Island of Elba, I shall soon be
going away from you ; and that parting will be pain-
ful to me, for I love you sincerely ; but the idea of
your welfare alleviates my regret, and, wherever I may
be, I shall always be united to this island by the
memory of the virtues of its inhabitants, and by my
good wishes for them.
Dalesme, General of Brigade.
Porto-Ferrajo, 4th May, 1S14.
No. 9.
The new flag of the island, adopted by Napoleon,
was immediately hoisted; and the fact was recorded
in the following statement : —
On this present 4th of May, 1814, his Majesty the
Emperor Napoleon, having taken possession of the
Islam I of Elba, General Drouot, Governor of the Island,
APPENDIX. 257
in the name of Napoleon caused the flag of the island
— a white ground, crossed diagonally by a red band
with three golden bees — to be hoisted on the forts.
This flag was saluted by the batteries of the forts on
the coast, the English frigate, Undaunted, and the
French vessels of war in the port. In witness whereof,
we, Commissaries of the Allied Powers, have signed
the above, together with General Drouot, Governor of
the Island, and General Dalesme, Superior Comman-
dant of the Island.
Done at Porto-Ferrajo, the 4th May, 1814.
[Here follow the signatures of the Commissaries.]
No. 10.
Two days after the date of the above document,
the charge of the Vicar-General of the Island of Elba,
Joseph-Philippe Arrighi, a distant relative of Napo-
leon, appeared.
Joseph-Philippe Arrighi, Honorary Canon of the
Cathedral of Pisa and the Metropolitan Church of
Florence, etc. (under the Bishop of Ajaccio, Vicar-
General of the Island of Elba and Principality of
Piombino).
To our well-beloved in the Lord, our brethren
composing the clergy, and to all the faithful of the
Island, health and benediction!
Divim Providence, which, in it.-- benevolence, irre-
s
258 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
sistibly disposes all things, and assigns their destinies
to the nations, has decreed that, amid the political
changes of Europe, we should be the subjects of
Napoleon the Great.
The Island of Elba, already celebrated for its pro-
ducts, is about to become illustrious henceforth in
the history of nations through the homage which it
renders to its new Prince, whose glory is immortal.
The Island of Elba takes rank among nations, and its
narrow territory is ennobled by the name of its
Sovereign.
Elevated to so sublime an honour, it receives into
its bosom the Lord's anointed, and the other distin-
guished personages who accompany him.
When his Imperial and Royal Majesty made choice
of that island for his retreat, he made known to the
universe in what favour he held it !
What wealth is about to inundate our country !
What multitudes will Hock from all sides to look
upon a hero !
The first day he set foot upon the shore, he pro-
claimed our destiny and our happiness.
" I will be a good father," said he ; " be you my
cherished children."
Dear Catholics, what tender words ! What ex-
pressions of kindness ! What a pledge of our future
felicity ! Let those words charm our thoughts, and
may they, being fixed in your minds, afford you an
inexhaustible source of consolation !
APPENDIX. 259
Let them be repeated by fathers to their children ;
let the remembrance of those words, by which the
glory and the prosperity of the Island of Elba are
secured, be perpetuated from generation to generation.
Fortunate inhabitants of Porto- Ferrajo, it is with-
in these walls that the sacred person of his Imperial
and Royal Majesty will dwell ; among you, renowned
in all times for the mildness of your character, and
your affection for your Princes, Napoleon the Great
will reside ; never forget the favourable idea which he
has formed of his faithful subjects.
And you, the faithful in Jesus Christ, conform
yourselves to your destiny : " non sint schismata inter
vos, paccrn habeta, et Deus paces et dilectionis erit
vobiscum."
Let fidelity, gratitude, and submission reign in
your hearts ! Be you all united in respectful senti-
ments of love for your Prince, who is rather your
father than your Sovereign. Celebrate with pious joy
the goodness of the Lord, who, from all eternity, has
reserved you to this happy event.
We command, in consequence, that next Sunday,
in all the Churches, a solemn To, Deum shall be sung,
in thanksgiving to the Almighty, for the favour which
he has granted us in the abundance of His mere)'.
Given at the Episcopal Palace of the Island of
Elba, 6th of May, IS] 1,
Armgiit, Vicar-General.
Fi? vxcesco Axoiolettt, Secretary.
260 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
No. 11.
The two following letters furnish incontrovertible
proof of Lucien's wish to go to the United States
with his family, and of the negotiations which were
set on foot between him and the English Cabinet
with that object.
Neuilly, June 26, 1815.
You will have learned, my dear Pauline, the fresh
misfortune that has befallen the Emperor, who has
abdicated in favour of his son. He is about to depart
for the United States, where we shall all join him.
He is full of courage and calm. I shall endeavour to
rejoin my family in Rome, in order to take them to
America. If your health permit, we shall meet again
there. Adieu, my dear sister. Mamma, Joseph,
Jerome, and I embrace you.
Your affectionate brother,
Lucien.
P.S. — -I have retired to your pretty place at
Neuilly.
No. 12.
A Letter from Cardinal Fesch to Princess Borghese.
Paris, June 29, 1815.
Lucien set out for London yesterday, in order to
procure passports for the rest of his family.
APPENDIX. 261
Joseph will wait for his passports, Jerome also.
Lucien has left his second daughter, who has just
arrived from England ; she will return thither in a
few days. I foresee that the United States will be
the goal of these journeys. I think you ought to
remain in Italy; but bear in mind that firmness of
character is one of the most estimable gifts with
which the Creator has endowed your family. Sum-
mon your courage, then, to imitate them in this, and
place yourself above misfortune ; nothing ought to
hinder you from practising the closest economy. At
present, we are all poor, even with what remains to us
from last year.
Your mother and your brothers embrace you, and
I do so likewise, with all my heart, with all the
attachment which you know I feel.
Your affectionate Uncle,
Cardinal Fesch.
A letter from the Bishop of Hortosia to M. de
Talleyrand, Archbishop of Rheims, dated from Rome,
the loth of March, 1815, and which I give as a side
light upon history, will elucidate the opinion which
was professed by certain individuals among the
high notabilities whom Napoleon had created during
his reign, at the epoch of his return to France.
This letter, which is not known, as it has never been
printed, is a document of great value in the history of
tin' Hundred Days.
& o
262 napoleon and marie-louise.
My Lord,
The flight of Buonaparte is now known at
Paris, and we learn that he was at Digne, in Provence,
on the 24th of this month.
This flight has given us a more thorough know-
ledge of the men with whom we live. At first we
perceived that there were many Jacobins at Rome,
who were rejoiced at that flight, and spread the most
absurd rumours ; then came the English, ironically
pretending to pity us, but afterwards talking of the
great resources of Buonaparte and the number of
malcontents in France ; lastly, regarding him as already
the master of the country.
Others said, " Why were not vessels of observation
always there ? "
And when the reply was made, " But you had
some there of your own, and you even had a Com-
missary in the island ? " " Yes," they would say ;
" but it was not our business to stop him."
" What, then, were you there for ? " said I, sharply,
to the son of the famous Lord North, who passes for
having a great deal of cleverness. "I can conceive
that if you had seen Buonaparte, by himself, taking a
sea-trip, you might have ignored it; but when you
see a flotilla of seven vessels with fifteen hundred
armed men and cavalry, the first duty of the ships
which meet it is certainly to demand, Who are you,
and whither are you going ? Acknowledge, sir, that
you are to blame. Happily the philanthropic days of
APPENDIX. 263
your sovereign Allies are past ; it is for us to do justice
upon him now. Confess that you are jealous of the
revival of the prosperity of France ? "
He answered not a word, and I changed the subject.
On the other hand, the Court of Rome regarded
the Government of France as already changed. In
his proclamations, Buonaparte again appeals to the
liberty of the people.
His mother, who is still at Porto Ferrajo with
Madame Bertrand, said to some English people who
went to see her, that her son no longer fought to
conquer ; and, addressing the English, she added, " He
will offer England an honourable peace."
These English are detestable ! Almost all those
who have come to Italy have been to see Buonaparte
at Elba, and they even go there, now that he has left
the island, to see his mother. Here, forty-six cases,
sent by his mother, have been allowed to enter with-
out inspection.
Cardinal Fesch said, yesterday, at the house of the
Marchesa Massini, sister of the Duchesse d'Esclignac,
that Buonaparte already had an army of fifty thou-
sand men ; that Massena was for him, and that thirty
departments had sent deputations to the Island of
Elba, to invite him to France ; he spoke in great
delight. On all occasions this man shows that he is
against the Bourbons ; he is not worthy to be Arch-
bishop of Lyons, and I am sure your Excellency will
find a means of getting rid of him. He is an enemy
20-i NAPOLEOX AND MARIE-LOUISE.
of the King ; you should hear what his servants say
of him ! In January, he refused the Ambassador's
invitation to attend the Mass at the church of St.
John Lateran, on Santa Lucia's day, in memory of
Henri IV. Although the Ambassador has behaved
too well to him, although he has asked him to dinner
twice, he has not deigned to visit him once. As for
me, I have not visited him, and even at the Am-
bassador's I have taken no notice of him.
Lucien, who, up to this moment, had appeared
indifferent about his brother, is now urging his cause.
The day before yesterday, at the house of the Princess
of Wales, who had just come from Naples, he talked
in the most unseemly way ; he laid out Buonaparte's
route, and told how he would be at Grenoble on the
6th, at Lyons on the 8th, and at Paris on the 15th,
adding that he must now have an army of eighty
thousand men.
This Princess of Wales is like a mad woman ; she
is going away to-day without having seen Rome, and
she embarks at Ancona. Yesterday and the day
before, she had Cardinal Fesch and Lucien, one on her
right, the other on her left, all the evening ; and she
received only the English and some foreign Ministers,
not one French person was there. Besides, the Pope
lias made it up with Murat ; that is to say, he has
yielded and made a step backward. A month ago lie
had the Post at Naples closed, and the letters taken
by force to the Papal Post. Since then, all communi-
APPEXDIX. 2G5
cation was interrupted ; but, the day before yesterday,
we learned with astonishment that the Naples Post
had been reopened. Your Excellency will see that
France only obtains nothing. This is no doubt be-
cause we do not speak here with the firmness and
dignity which becomes a great Power.
Lucien Buonaparte, Cardinal Fesch, Louis and
Madame Buonaparte, are the zealous patrons of this
Isoard, whom that cowardly Court would like to keep
as judge-advocate of that of France. He is in con-
stant correspondence with it, and is soliciting to be
sent to Rome. His valet-de-chambre, who is expecting
him, tells every one this. The Envoys Plenipotentiary
of Austria and Spain obtain all that they demand,
because they deal continually in threats.
What made the Pope yield to Murat ? It was his
having ordered his Consul to ask for his passports, and
said, in a letter which he wrote to his Holiness, that
he demanded passage for some troops. This, however,
was refused, another route being indicated. It would
not be inexpedient that his Majesty should be in-
formed of all these matters.
This letter should have reached you, my Lord,
earlier ; but at the Legation they had not the good-
ness to give me notice that M. de Beaufrecourt was
passing through, and would be for a week in Rome ;
for he dined at the Ambassador's, where I was not.
A thousand affectionate respects to your Excellency.
Bishop of Hortosia.
266 NAPOLEON AND MARIE-LOUISE.
P.S. — The Pope has not replied to the letter of the
Bishops, sent by Consalvi, because of your having
signed it as the titulary of your See ; otherwise it is
favourably regarded.
THE END.
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List of Publications. 15
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List of Publications. 23
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List of Publications. 25
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