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Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tlie Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924024331195 
 
Cornell University Library 
 DC 216.G92 
 
 3 1924 024 331 195 
 
Josephine in 1805. 
 
 GJi ard. 
 
EMPRESSES^/^FRANCE 
 
 BY H. A. G U E R B E R, author 
 
 OF "STORIES OF THE WAGNER OPERAS," 
 "STORIES OF FAMOUS OPERAS," "LEGENDS 
 OF SWITZERLAND," ETC. ^ ^ ^ 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 NEW YORK jft DODD • MEAD 
 AND COMpA|T^Y ^ MDCCCCI 
 
Copyright, 1901 
 By Dodd, Mkad and Company 
 
 All rights reserved 
 
 
 ,V L' 
 
 UNIVERSITY PRESS • JOHN WILSON 
 AND SON • CAMSCIPCE, U.S.A. 
 
Metiicattti 
 
 TO 
 
 MY ELDEST BROTHER 
 FREDERIC SAMUEL GUERBER 
 
 WITH WHOM I VISITED MANY OF THE HISTORICAL PLACES 
 
 MENTIONED IN THIS VOLUME 
 
 AND WHO IS THEREFORE LOVINGLY CONNECTED 
 
 WITH THEM IN ALL MY MEMORIES 
 
EMPRESSES ?/' FRANCE 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TN the course of extended researches into the history 
 of France, I first became aware of the fact that 
 neither in French nor in English does there exist any 
 brief yet comprehensive work giving the fives of the 
 Queens and Empresses. The lack of such a book having 
 proved a great annoyance to me, I felt it would per- 
 chance assist other students were I to weave my copious 
 notes into consecutive narratives which would also interest 
 the general public. 
 
 While the Queens of France are very numerous and 
 often insignificant, the Empresses are three women of 
 note, whose lives extend over more than a century. As 
 their sayings and doings form an important part of the 
 stirring history of their time, it has seemed best to give 
 them a volume to themselves. 
 
 Josephine, Marie Louise, and Eugenie are names 
 which call to mind endless pageants and touching or 
 dramatic scenes, which historians, noveHsts, poets, and 
 playwrights have already used in their works, and will 
 doubtless use again. Even Marie Louise, characterless 
 
Prefi 
 
 ace 
 
 as she was, has recently aroused fresh interest in the liter- 
 ary world, owing to the appearance of Edmond Rostand's 
 play, which gives, in a series of moving pictures, the 
 aspirations and early death of her son, " L'Aiglon," and 
 her own intrigues with the man who ultimately became 
 her third spouse. 
 
 Two other modern plays, " More than Queen " and 
 " Madame Sans Gene," are also connected with the 
 Empresses of France, whose varied lives are described in 
 these pages. In admiring the works of poets, novelists, 
 or playwrights, it is well also to note how cleverly they 
 have taken advantage of the least historical facts, which, 
 magnified or brought into greater relief, serve to enhance 
 the dramatic force of their novels, poems, or plays. 
 
 The data for these narratives has been carefully collated 
 from newspapers, letters, histories, poems, and memoirs 
 of the time, thus giving as accurately as possible the 
 views held by the Empresses' contemporaries, together 
 with any new light modern research could supply. In 
 depicting the lives of sovereigns who played prominent 
 parts in notoriously licentious courts, it has not been 
 deemed possible or advisable to gloze over certain un- 
 savoury episodes, or to adapt the book exclusively for 
 " babes and sucklings," or even for the wholly ignorant 
 or innocent " maid of sixteen." 
 
 It is also not without considerable reluctance that I 
 undertook to give an account of the sole survivor of this 
 
 vi 
 
Preface 
 
 unfortunate but brilliant trio, for her misfortunes have 
 rendered her sacred to the world at large. But history 
 is pitiless, and those who ascend a throne are necessarily 
 exposed to the " white light which beats " upon it. In- 
 ured to all species of dissection and calumny, as well as 
 to the most fulsome flattery, they know it is hard, if not 
 impossible, to obtain the exact truth here below. 
 
 Long residence in Paris and familiarity with all French 
 sources of information have supplied material which I 
 could not else have secured ; and no pains have been 
 spared to ascertain the real facts, as well as to collect the 
 picturesque gossip and legends, which have all the value 
 of history in certain cases. 
 
 vii 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 JOSEPHINE I 
 
 MARIE LOUISE i45 
 
 EUGENIE 250 
 
 Index of Principal Names 407 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Josephine in 1805 .... Frontispiece 
 
 Bonaparte and Eugene de Beauharnais 12 
 
 The Morning of the i8th Brumaire, Nov. 9, 1799 . 44 
 
 Josephine 64 
 
 The Coronation of Josephine, 1804 90 
 
 Josephine's Bedroom at Fontainebleau 114 
 
 The Divorce of Josephine, 1809 118 
 
 Marie Louise 146 
 
 The Marriage of Marie Louise, 1810 . . . . 160 
 
 The Triumph of Marie Louise 164 
 
 Review Day under the First Empire, 1810 . . . 168 
 
 Marie Louise and the King of Rome, 1811 . . . 176 
 
 The Imperial Family, 1811-1812 180 
 
 Napoleon and the King of Rome 184 
 
 Napoleon receiving the Portrait of His Son, 18 12 194 
 
 The King of Rome, 1814 ... 204 
 
 The Duke of Reichstadt . . . .... 244 
 
 Eugenie ... 250 
 
 Queen Victoria at the Tuileries, 1855 . . . 292 
 
 Return of the Army of Italy, 1859 324 
 
 Reception of the Ambassadors of Siam, 1862 . 348 
 
 The Emperor, Empress, and Prince Imperial . 358 
 
 The Prince Imperial as a Cadet 374 
 
 Eugenie, 1872 394 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 JOSEPHINE 
 
 THE first wife of Napoleon I., Rose Jose- 
 phine Tascher de la Pagerie, was born on 
 her father's plantation, Les Trois-Islets at 
 Martinique, on the 23rd of June, 1763. That same 
 day the island was formally restored to France after the 
 Seven Years' War ; so Josephine was born of French 
 parents on French soil. 
 
 Brought up like a little queen among her father's 
 slaves, she learned to rule in her cradle, and as most of 
 her life was spent out of doors amid the luxuriant tropi- 
 cal vegetation, she unconsciously imbibed a great love 
 for Nature and flowers, colour and perfume. 
 
 Among her earliest recollections was a fearful hurri- 
 cane which swept the island when she was only three 
 years old, and in which she nearly lost her life. After 
 a childhood spent on her father's estate, where her will 
 was law, and where all lessons were in the form of play, 
 Josephine was sent to a convent school at Port-Royal. 
 There she received the usual education of a young lady, 
 which consisted mostly in the practices of religion, with 
 a mere smattering of accomplishments. This education 
 finished, she returned home, and resumed her dreamy, 
 indolent life there. In the course of a walk, she and her 
 companions once visited an aged negress who told them 
 their fortunes. The old woman predicted that Josephine 
 would marry, have two children, lose her husband by a 
 tragic death, and ended by exclaiming : " And then you 
 will be Queen of France — yes ; more than queen ! " 
 
 VOL. I. — I I 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Although little attention was paid to this prophecy at 
 the time, some accounts state that the fortune-teller 
 declared that Josephine would be very unhappy toward 
 the end of her life, and would die in a hospital in a time of 
 dire confusion. But this addition, as well as many of the 
 details concerning her first marriage, are evidently later 
 accretions, and the only part of the prophecy thoroughly 
 authenticated refers to her becoming Queen of France. 
 
 Like most cr^oles — a name given to the children of 
 European parents born in the West Indies or near the 
 tropics — Josephine matured early, and when still a mere 
 girl lost her heart to a young English lad. But this first 
 love affair was soon checked by her parents, who de- 
 cided to marry her to the son of an old neighbour who 
 had returned to France. Josephine therefore set sail 
 with her father, although she was still so childish that 
 she took her doll with her to beguile the long hours on 
 shipboard. Arrived at Brest, where the nineteen-year- 
 old betrothed. Viscount de Beauharnais, welcomed them, 
 the travellers went on to Fontainebleau, where Josephine 
 was married on the I2th of December, 1779. 
 
 Shortly after the wedding, the sixteen-year-old bride 
 was presented to Marie Antoinette, then at the height 
 of her beauty and prosperity. Josephine's first home 
 was in Paris, where her married life proved anything but 
 happy. The young Viscount de Beauharnais, a favourite 
 at court, wished his wife to shine in society ; but as she 
 was young and timid, and no beauty, in spite of her 
 graceful form, blue eyes, brown hair, and regular features, 
 she attracted very little attention. Hoping she might 
 attain prominence by her intellectual gifts, which were 
 of no mean order, the Viscount next urged Josephine to 
 cultivate her mind. But the superficial education she 
 had received had instilled no desire for knowledge, and 
 
Josephine 
 
 as Josephine was naturally indolent and pleasure-loving, 
 she devoted little time to serious pursuits. 
 
 When her husband found fault with her, and drew 
 unpleasant comparisons between her and the ladies whose 
 society he frequented, she grew very jealous, and soon 
 began to watch him closely. The young Viscount de 
 Beauharnais was not free from the fashionable vices of 
 the day, so before long she discovered sufficient cause 
 for recrimination and tears, which only embittered her 
 own life and made her position more difficult. 
 
 The birth of a son, Eugene, in September, 1781, did 
 not effect any great change in the uncomfortable marital 
 relations of the ill-assorted Beauharnais couple, and 
 shortly after the birth of Hortense in 1783, the Viscount, 
 influenced by calumny, began a suit for divorce. Al- 
 though he accused Josephine of being unfaithful, no 
 satisfactory proofs were ever produced, so the court not 
 only acquitted her of all blame, but forced him to pay 
 her alimony, while granting them a legal separation. 
 
 Another proof of Josephine's innocence of her hus- 
 band's charges, is the continued kindness of her father- 
 in-law, who not only took her to his own home at 
 Fontainebleau, but devised all sorts of amusements to 
 distract her from her sorrows. Once he even took her 
 to the Trianon, where she recognised in the Queen's 
 beautiful gardens many familiar tropical plants and 
 flowers which she had loved as a child. While wan- 
 dering through the palace that day, admiring its paint- 
 ings, she suddenly found herself face to face with Marie 
 Antoinette. The Queen, recognising her, spoke kindly 
 to her, gave her the necklace she then wore, and, pre- 
 senting her to the King, made him promise a commission 
 to Josephine's son, who was of about the same age as 
 the first Dauphin. 
 
 3 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Notwithstanding the kindness of her father-in-law 
 and of the royal couple, Josephine was so unhappy in 
 France, that she finally decided to accept her father's 
 invitation and return to Martinique. Leaving Eugene 
 at school near Paris, under his grandfather's protection, 
 she therefore set sail with Hortense, in 1788, and spent 
 the next two years in her island home. 
 
 During that time, the Viscount de Beauharnais, who 
 had incurred the displeasure of his family and the court 
 by his unkind treatment of his wife, turned over a new 
 leaf, and worked to such good purpose that he won an 
 honourable position for himself. He also renewed rela- 
 tions with Josephine, and finally induced her to forgive 
 the past and return to France in 1790. 
 
 Never a good manager of finances, Josephine found 
 barely enough money to pay for her own and her 
 daughter's passage, and her travelling outfit was so very 
 scanty that Hortense, an active child of seven, set out 
 with only one pair of shoes. A good mimic, she had 
 learned to dance and sing like the negroes on her grand- 
 father's plantation, and greatly amused the sailors during 
 the long journey by her childish antics. But constant 
 dancing soon wore out the soles of her shoes, and know- 
 ing her mother would keep her in the cabin if she dis- 
 covered their sorry plight, the child carefully concealed 
 it, until she hurt her foot upon a nail. Bloody foot- 
 prints betrayed the pitiful state of affairs to Josephine, 
 who, weeping profusely, kept the child below until one 
 of her sailor friends came in quest of her. As soon as 
 he learned the reason of Hortense's detention, he vol- 
 unteered the gift of an old pair of shoes of his own, 
 which, recut and resewn, served to protect the agile feet 
 of the little dancer until they reached France. Many 
 years later, when exhibiting the priceless treasures be- 
 
 4 
 
Josephine 
 
 stowed upon her by the Pope and crowned heads of 
 Europe, Josephine laughingly told her ladies that among 
 all the gifts she had ever received, the one which had 
 pleased her most was the sailor's cast-ofF shoes ! 
 
 Once re-united, the Beauharnais family lived together 
 in " sweet concord," and in 1791 the Viscount became 
 President of the Legislative Assembly. As such, he 
 received the news of the King's escape and arrest at 
 Varennes. But, although he respected and would fain 
 have protected the unfortunate royal family, he was an 
 ardent republican, and was therefore one of the first to 
 give up his aristocratic title. For some time his house 
 was a great social centre, and there Josephine met many 
 of the noted people of the day. Older now, and less 
 timid than when she first came to Paris as a bride, she 
 did the honours of her salon with much of the graceful 
 tact which later characterised her, and which has never 
 been surpassed. Besides, her amiability and invariable 
 kindness of heart soon won her many admirers. Al- 
 though she took no part in the political discussions of 
 the time, she proved an excellent listener, and thoroughly 
 enjoyed all her social successes, for she was an innate 
 coquette and always very anxious to please. 
 
 When the Legislative Assembly came to an end, the 
 Viscount de Beauharnais was appointed general-in-chief 
 of the army of the Rhine; but soon after the King's 
 execution, all aristocrats became suspected of favouring 
 the royal party. During the Reign of Terror, even the 
 staunchest patriots were accused of conspiring against 
 their country, if they bore aristocratic names, and 
 General de Beauharnais, who had distinguished himself 
 in his new oiBce, was therefore deprived of his command 
 and recalled to Paris. There Josephine urged him to 
 emigrate while it was yet time ; but Beauharnais insisted 
 
 5 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 that no one could molest so true a patriot as he, and, 
 transferring his family to La Ferte, he settled down 
 quietly to enjoy rural life With them. 
 
 While living at La Ferte, he learned of the trial and 
 execution of the unhappy Queen Marie Antoinette, and 
 his wife again urged him to emigrate. But, in spite of 
 her prayers and sundry friendly warnings to escape 
 while he could, Beauharnais remained calmly at home, 
 until he, too, was suddenly arrested by order of the 
 Committee of Safety. 
 
 Leaving her children in the care of a trusted servant 
 and of an old aunt, Josephine immediately followed her 
 husband to Paris, where she left no stone unturned to 
 prove his innocence and effect his release. But the 
 French Revolution was now in full swing; proofs of 
 guilt were no longer necessary to sentence a man to 
 death, and all Josephine could obtain was a permission 
 to visit Beauharnais in prison. Before long, however, 
 she, too, incurred the suspicions of the republicans, 
 and was arrested and taken to the Carmelite Convent, 
 which then served as a place of detention, all the 
 ordinary prisons being overcrowded. 
 
 Here Josephine spent nearly four months of captivity. 
 She was confined with many other ladies — whose only 
 crime consisted in aristocratic name or title — in the 
 room where one hundred and twenty priests had been 
 massacred two years before. The apartment still bore 
 traces of this sanguinary deed, and was generally known as 
 the Room of the Three Swords, because a trio of bloody 
 weapons, leaned against the wall after the massacre, had 
 left indelible imprints upon its white surface. Huddled 
 together in this awful place, the poor women strove 
 by every means in their power to obtain news from 
 without, and beguiled some of the weary hours of con- 
 
 6 
 
Josephine 
 
 finement by telling each other stories about their happy 
 childhood. 
 
 Meanwhile, Josephine's two children, aged eleven 
 and twelve, petitioned the government for their parents' 
 release ; but all they obtained was a permit to visit their 
 mother once every two weeks. As all their interviews 
 were in the presence of witnesses, who reported and dis- 
 torted all they said, such meetings proved very unsatis- 
 factory. But the Beauharnais soon discovered a way 
 to outwit the prison authorities, and hid tiny notes 
 inside the collar of Fortune, the pet dog which they 
 always brought into the prison with them. These, 
 Josephine cleverly removed, while pretending to pet the 
 little creature, concealing her answers in the same way, 
 and thus managed for some time to correspond with 
 her husband and friends. But she was soon to be 
 deprived of this consolation also. 
 
 The property of all aristocrats was confiscated upon 
 their imprisonment, so Josephine's faithful servant soon 
 had to support Eugene and Hortense, who were finally 
 apprenticed, by order of the government, to a cabinet- 
 maker and to a seamstress. The children, kept hard at 
 work by their task masters, were no longer allowed to 
 visit their mother, and for some time were without 
 tidings of either parent. Josephine, who had contrived 
 by indirect means to ascertain that her husband had 
 been transferred to the Conciergerie to be tried, there- 
 fore remained ignorant of his fate, until she saw his 
 name in a list of the victims guillotined on the 7th of 
 Thermidor, 1794. 
 
 The Viscount de Beauharnais, sentenced to die with 
 forty-five other prisoners, spent his last moments in 
 writing a touching farewell letter to Josephine. In this 
 epistle he begged her pardon for all the sorrows he had 
 
 7 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 caused her, fully acquitted her of all blame in their past 
 disagreements, foretold that she and France would yet 
 be happy, and sent her, as a last souvenir, the hair which 
 had just been cut ofF preparatory to his death. Letter 
 and token were entrusted to a friend, who conveyed 
 them safely to Josephine some time later, when she 
 had been released from captivity in the Carmelite 
 Convent. 
 
 Upon reading her husband's name among the last 
 victims of the guillotine, Josephine fell to the ground in 
 a swoon, and when she recovered consciousness gave 
 way to such violent grief that she became very ill. 
 Two days later, the gaoler came to remove her bed, and 
 when she languidly inquired whether he meant to give 
 her another to replace it, he roughly answered : " You 
 won't need any, citizeness. You are ordered to the 
 Conciergerie. You know where you go from that 
 place ! " 
 
 An eloquent gesture completed the sense of his phrase 
 so unmistakably, that it wrung a cry of horror from all 
 but Josephine, who neither feared nor hoped for death, 
 but seemed utterly indifferent to all that was going on. 
 She was not to be left without the poor comfort of a 
 pallet, however, for the prison doctor immediately 
 ordered her bed restored to her, saying her condition 
 was so precarious that she would surely die within a 
 week, and thus spare the Republic the expense of a trial 
 and execution. 
 
 The gaoler gone, Josephine's companions crowded 
 around her in tears ; but she listlessly turned from the 
 window out of which she was then gazing, and amazed 
 them all by reminding them of the fortune-teller's pre- 
 diction, saying : " Ladies, be comforted. I am not to 
 die. Don't you know that I must first be queen ? " 
 
 8 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 This sounded so much like mockery to her compan- 
 ions, that one of them bitterly retorted : " Then appoint 
 your ladies of honour ! " 
 
 Josephine, however, paying no heed to this sally, 
 again gazed out of the window into the street below, 
 where she now perceived a common woman trying to 
 attract her attention. The poor creature first held up 
 her rough woollen dress, then picked up a stone, and 
 vanished with a gesture which was the exact counter- 
 part of that made by the gaoler. Josephine, conjecturing 
 that this by-play was intended to convey some message, 
 tried to guess the riddle, murmuring : " Dress " (robe) 
 " stone " (pierre) " guillotined ! " without being able to 
 understand. But just then one of the keepers kicked a 
 barking dog, muttering : " Will you be quiet, you dog 
 of a Robespierre ! " The pantomime and the gaoler's 
 half-uttered curse, were enough for the quick-witted 
 Josephine, and as soon as the man was out of hearing, 
 she triumphantly announced to her companions that 
 Robespierre had fallen from power, and had evidently 
 paid the penalty of his crimes. 
 
 These tidings caused great rejoicing among the 
 prisoners, whose only hope lay in the bloody tyrant's 
 fall. One of the captives, Madame de Fontenay, 
 prided herself upon having caused his ruin, because she 
 had written to her lover, Tallien, warning him that his 
 name was on the proscription lists, and bidding him act 
 at once or he would die. This note, carefully concealed 
 in a cabbage stalk, and cast out of the prison window, 
 was picked up by a friend and carried to Tallien, who, 
 as Madame de Fontenay advised, acted boldly. The 
 very day that Robespierre fell and was sentenced, this 
 lady was released from prison ; but, mindful of her fellow- 
 captives, she procured their freedom two days later. 
 
 9 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Josephine, a widow, ill and penniless, now went to 
 join her family, and after a short time spent in mourn- 
 ing and regaining strength, returned to Paris to try and 
 recover some of her husband's confiscated property for 
 her own and her children's support. The beautiful 
 Madame de Fontenay — now called Madame Tallien 
 — kindly took Josephine under her protection, inviting 
 her to dinner several times a week, and introducing her 
 to all the influential people who might further her cause. 
 Knowing Josephine's poverty, she thoughtfully supplied 
 her most urgent needs and relieved her from all possible 
 expense. For instance, wheat was then so scarce that 
 only small rations of white bread were sold to persons 
 rich enough to indulge in such a luxury. In issuing 
 dinner invitations, therefore, ladies made it a rule to 
 request their guests to bring their own bread. But 
 Madame Tallien always made an exception in favour 
 of Josephine, whom she generously supplied with this 
 precious food. 
 
 Exerting every charm to attain her ends, Josephine 
 won back a few fragments of her property. She also 
 journeyed to Hamburg to arrange with a banker there 
 for remittances from Martinique, and on her return 
 rented a small house from actor Talma, in Chante- 
 reine Street. Here she lived for some time, frequent- 
 ing republican society, not only because she delighted in 
 company, but because she hoped thereby to further her 
 own and her children's interests. 
 
 At that time her real poverty was cleverly concealed 
 under an appearance of affluence, which she kept up by 
 expedients, and it is said she had only six undergarments 
 to sixteen dresses. A mistress of the art of pleasing, 
 she revelled in the luxurious, licentious society which 
 met in the drawing-room of Barras at the Luxembourg, 
 
 lO 
 
Josephine 
 
 or in the salons of Madame Tallien, Madame de Stael, 
 and other fast or fashionable ladies of the day. 
 
 Using all her arts of coquetry and dress, Josephine 
 not only tried to reach her own ends by flattering Bar- 
 ras and the other members of the Convention, but won 
 countless favours for former friends and acquaintances, 
 in the same way. It was probably in the salon of Bar- 
 ras that she first met Napoleon Bonaparte, where, accord- 
 ing to one account, he eagerly inquired who she was, 
 while she was bending over a bunch of violets. 
 
 Four years before, young and unknown, this remark- 
 able man, watching the attack upon the Tuileries, grimly 
 muttered that if the King would only turn his cannon 
 upon the mob, the revolt could soon be quelled. A year 
 later, in 1793, at the siege of Toulon, he showed so 
 much strategic skill, and won such distinction, that 
 Barras, who was present on that occasion, chose him 
 as helper, when called upon to put down the revolt of 
 the sections on the 13th of Vendemiaire (October, 1795). 
 Not only were the sections disarmed by Bonaparte's 
 order, but searches were made in all the houses for any 
 weapons which might be concealed there by the rebels. 
 
 According to one story, on the first anniversary of the 
 Viscount de Beauharnais' death, Josephine gave Eugene 
 his father's picture and sword. These he proudly hung 
 up in his own room, and worshipping his father's mem- 
 ory, he soon induced six of his comrades to form with 
 him the " Order of Filial Love," each member wearing 
 a portrait of General de Beauharnais as badge and tak- 
 ing a solemn oath upon his famous sword. One day, 
 on returning from school, Eugene was heartbroken to 
 learn that this precious sword had been forcibly removed. 
 He immediately sped to the Tuileries, where he elo- 
 quently pleaded with Bonaparte for its restitution. 
 
 II 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Touched by the lad's filial love and patriotic fervour, 
 Bonaparte restored the weapon, and treated him so 
 kindly that Josephine felt it incumbent upon her to call 
 and thank the republican officer. 
 
 Flattered by the visit of this graceful lady, who bore 
 an old and aristocratic name, Bonaparte soon returned 
 her call, and having fallen violently in love with her at 
 first sight, began to woo her with all the impetuous ardour 
 of his nature. Meeting her at Barras', Tallien's, and in 
 all the fashionable salons, and assuming that she must 
 be as prosperous as she appeared, Bonaparte, although 
 dependent upon his pay only, urged her to marry him 
 soon. But his own family greatly opposed the match, and 
 Josephine's two children also objected, at first ; while 
 Barras did all he could to favour the plan. It may be, 
 as some authorities claim, that the latter had grown weary 
 of Josephine's extravagance and constant importunity in 
 behalf of her friends, and that he was anxious to provide 
 for her, so she should cease to trouble him. The fact 
 remains, however, that he urged her to accept the Gen- 
 eral's hand, for he said : — 
 
 " I want you to marry little Bonaparte, whom I shall 
 name general-in-chief, for I am reserving for him the 
 conquest of Italy." 
 
 At that time Josephine was not in love with Bona- 
 parte, but merely flattered by his devotion, for many 
 people now endorsed Barras' opinion : " That Cor- 
 sican will do great things." Her first marriage had 
 riot proved a success, and although far from being an 
 inconsolable widow, she considered a Bonaparte rather 
 beneath her in rank. Besides, the new suitor impressed 
 her as too visionary to prove a desirable husband, and 
 she openly marvelled at his independence and conceit 
 when he hotly resented Barras' patronage, crying: 
 
BoNAPARTF. AND EUGENK UK BeAUHARNATS. 
 
Josephine 
 
 " Do they think I need protection to insure success ? 
 Some day they will be only too happy if I grant them 
 mine. My sword is at my side, and that will carry me 
 a long way." 
 
 On the part of so young and untried an officer, this 
 language did seem boastful in the extreme, and Josephine 
 was not blind to that fact. But, at the same time, she 
 stood in some awe of her strange suitor, for she wrote to 
 a friend : — 
 
 " I admire the General's courage, the extent of his in- 
 formation about all manner of things, concerning which 
 he talks equally well ; the quickness of his intelligence, 
 which makes him catch the thought of another even be- 
 fore it is expressed ; but I confess that I am afraid of 
 the power he seems to wield over all about him. His 
 piercing scrutiny has in it something strange and inex- 
 plicable, that awes even our Directors : think, then, how 
 it frightens a woman." 
 
 The result was, that unable to resist Bonaparte's ener- 
 getic wooing, Josephine finally consented to marry him, 
 reasoning that a civil contract — the only one current 
 at that time — could easily be broken, should she ever 
 wish to recover her freedom. The match seemed so far 
 beneath her, however, that her lawyer vehemently re- 
 monstrated when she told him about it, although she had 
 entered his study with a stranger, who gazed dreamily out 
 of the window while she transacted her business. The 
 lawyer, finding her obstinate, finally exclaimed : " Bona- 
 parte ! Why, madame, he has nothing but his hat and 
 his sword ! " 
 
 These words were uttered in tones so loud, that it 
 was impossible the stranger should not have heard them, 
 and Josephine, wishing to end an embarrassing interview, 
 laughingly addressed him, saying : — 
 
 13 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 " General, have you heard what Monsieur Raguideau 
 has said ? " 
 
 " Yes," answered Bonaparte, turning around suddenly, 
 " and he has spoken like an honest man. What he has 
 said to you makes me esteem him highly. I hope he 
 will continue to take charge of our affairs, for I am ready 
 to trust him wholly." 
 
 The banns were now published, and Bonaparte an- 
 nounced his coming marriage to the government, saying : 
 " It is a new tie which binds me to my country ; an- 
 other pledge of my firm resolve to stake my fate on the 
 Republic." 
 
 Two weeks after the first notification of his coming 
 marriage, Bonaparte received the promised appoint- 
 ment as General-in-Chief of the Army of Italy, and 
 on the 9th of March, 1796, he and Josephine were 
 united in matrimony in the presence of Barras, Lemarrois, 
 Tallien,and Calmelet, who signed their names as witnesses 
 on the marriage register. As it was impossible to obtain 
 legal papers from Martinique just then, owing to the 
 war, Josephine was dispensed from producing her cer- 
 tificate of birth, and could thus approximate her age to 
 Bonaparte's, making herself appear four years younger 
 than she actually was, while he resorted to a similar strata- 
 gem to make himself seem two years older. Both bride 
 and groom, therefore, registered their ages as twenty-eight, 
 and, leaving the tribunal, went to Josephine's tiny house, 
 6 rue Chantereine, where they spent a brief honeymoon. 
 
 This was Bonaparte's first serious passion, and all his 
 friends bear witness that he felt it with all the energy of 
 his character. He knew, however, that Josephine did 
 not yet love him, and when urged to depart for Italy 
 and conquer, passionately exclaimed : " A conquest ! I 
 crave but one, the heart of Josephine ! " 
 
 14 
 
Josephine 
 
 In spite of his unmistakable passion for his newly- 
 wedded wife, his passion for glory was still greater, and 
 even during the two short days he spent with Josephine 
 at 6 rue Chantereine, he managed to lock himself up 
 in another room to study his maps and plan his coming 
 campaign. When she rapped on the door, begging ad- 
 mittance, he told her through the keyhole that they must 
 adjourn love until victory was won. Two days after his 
 wedding, Bonaparte tore himself away from Josephine, 
 and set out with Junot for Nice. During that post- 
 journey, he made sundry stops, and every time he paused 
 to rest, he dashed ofF vehement love-letters to Josephine, 
 in which he wrote : " You are the perpetual object of 
 my thoughts, my imagination exhausts itself in wondering 
 what you are doing. If I picture you sad, my heart is 
 rent and my sorrow increased. If you seem merry, play- 
 ful with your friends, I upbraid you for having so readily 
 forgotten our painful separation of three long days." 
 
 Far more in love than his wife, he even vows he is 
 not sure he has rested well until he knows she has slept 
 peacefully, and all his letters testify to the intense fervour 
 of his affection for his absent bride. 
 
 On the 22nd of March, Bonaparte reached the head- 
 quarters of the Army of Italy at Nice, and by a fervid 
 proclamation to the soldiers roused their enthusiasm and 
 confidence to the highest pitch. But even in the midst 
 of his constant absorbing duties, and on the eve of his 
 first battle, he still found time to write love-letters to 
 Josephine, in which he declares that the history of his 
 life is expressed in the words : " To live for Josephine ! " 
 and pleads incoherently for her love, saying : " Love me 
 like your eyes ; but no, that is not enough ; love me like 
 yourself, more than yourself, like your thought, your 
 mind, your life, your all ! " 
 
 IS 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 In one letter he is full of hope, grateful for any token 
 of affection on her part, and charmed with anything she 
 writes. In the next, he is extravagantly jealous, com- 
 plains of her coldness, and vows he fears nothing so 
 much as losing his place in her heart. All his hopes 
 centre in her, and on " Fate," in which he places a curi- 
 ous trust, as he testifies by having the words " To Des- 
 tiny " inscribed inside Josephine's wedding ring. 
 
 During the second week in April, 1796, Bonaparte 
 writes : " A loving thought from my only wife, and a 
 victory from fate, that is what I long for; a single 
 thought, an undivided one, worthy of the one who thinks 
 of you at every moment of the day ! " 
 
 Although history does not state whether the undivided 
 thought for which he longed ever fell to his lot, we 
 know that he won the battle of Montenotte on the 
 morrow, and two days later that of Millesimo. During 
 the armistice of Cherasco, which followed these triumphs, 
 he despatched Junot to Paris with the captured flags, en- 
 trusting to his care a passionate letter to Josephine, in 
 which he implores her to place herself under the protec- 
 tion of Junot and of Joseph Bonaparte, and join him 
 without delay, or he will fall ill with longing for her. 
 
 Junot made such good speed on this errand, that he 
 posted from Nice to Paris in one hundred and twenty 
 hours, and when the news of the French triumph in 
 Italy became known in the capital, the people became 
 almost delirious with joy. Josephine, hearing Bona- 
 parte's name in every mouth, no longer regretted her 
 marriage, and during the next few weeks greatly enjoyed 
 being the cynosure of all eyes at the patriotic demon- 
 strations in honour of the victories her husband had 
 won. Dressed with the utmost care, and escorted by 
 the handsome young Junot, she gracefully descended the 
 
 16 
 
Josephine 
 
 steps of the Luxembourg on the loth of May, revelling 
 in the sensation she created ; for every one was saying, — 
 
 " There, that 's his wife. . . . That 's his aide-de- 
 camp. . . . How pretty she is ! Long live General 
 Bonaparte ! Long Uve Citizeness Bonaparte ! She is 
 kind to poor folks." 
 
 Her slender, supple form, graceful carriage, dainty 
 dress, and careful use of cosmetics, so cleverly concealed 
 her real age, that the spectators really thought her both 
 young and beautiful, and even her detractors admitted 
 that Madame Bonaparte was still lovely then. The 
 cheers of the people, however, would have been even 
 louder and more enthusiastic on this occasion, had they 
 but known that the man whom they were acclaiming 
 had just won the battle of Lodi, and that he was to make 
 a triumphal entrance in Milan on the 15th. But the 
 arrival of these joyful tidings a few days later afforded an 
 excuse for new celebration, on the Champ de Mars, on 
 the 29th of May, where there were more cheers and a 
 new ovation for Josephine. 
 
 This was the Golden Age of the French Republic, 
 when officers and soldiers were all alike young and en- 
 thusiastic, when they all thirsted for fame more than 
 gain, and when Bonaparte, who won his nickname of 
 " Little Corporal " at the battle of Lodi, exultantly 
 cried : "With twenty thousand men like those, one 
 could sweep all across Europe ! " When he said this, 
 one of his stalwart grenadiers confidently retorted : 
 " Let the Little Corporal go on leading us at this rate, 
 and I promise he won't find us lagging behind ! " 
 
 But although Bonaparte was received with the wildest 
 
 enthusiasm at Milan, although the most charming ladies 
 
 crowded around him seeking his favour, he constantly 
 
 longed for Josephine, and had no eyes for any other 
 
 VOL.1. — 2 17 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 woman. At the state reception on the i6th of May, at 
 the planting of the Liberty Tree, and at the gala per- 
 formance at the Scala on the i8th, he ardently wished 
 that Josephine were beside him, sharing his triumphs ; 
 wondered at her delay in joining him, and waxed jealous 
 because he fancied himself forgotten. Like most true 
 lovers, he was nervous and superstitious, and when the 
 glass over her picture — which he constantly wore next 
 his heart — was accidentally broken, he turned fearfully 
 pale, and despairingly cried that Josephine must be either 
 ill or unfaithful ! 
 
 The fact was, however, that Josephine was not ill at 
 all, but enjoying his triumphs in the midst of her friends. 
 Parisian society now seemed doubly fascinating to her ; 
 she delighted in all the adulation she received, was far 
 too indolent not to dread a long, fatiguing journey, arid 
 therefore kept postponing her departure from day to day. 
 Bonaparte's fiery letters tickled her vanity without touch- 
 ing her heart very deeply, for when he became, so jealous 
 and despairing that he tragically wrote : " Beware of 
 Othello's dagger ! " she laughed indulgently, and gently 
 remarked to her friends : " Bonaparte is very funny ! " 
 
 As a last pretext she took advantage of a slight indis- 
 position to hint that it might be wiser to abstain from so 
 long a journey when in an interesting condition. This 
 letter cast Bonaparte into a fever of anxiety and appre- 
 hension, and called forth an answer, part of which is 
 given here : — 
 
 " I care for honour because you do, for victory be- 
 cause it gratifies you, otherwise I would have left all 
 else to throw myself at your feet. Dear friend, be sure 
 and say that you are convinced that I love you above all 
 that can be imagined, — convinced that every moment 
 of my time is consecrated to you ; that never an hour 
 
 i8 
 
Josephine 
 
 passes without thought of you ; that it never occurred to 
 me to think of another woman ; that they are all, in my 
 eyes, without grace, without beauty, without wit ; that 
 you — you alone, as I see you, as you are — could 
 please and absorb all the faculties of my soul; that you 
 have fathomed all its depths ; that my heart has no fold 
 hidden from you, no thoughts which are not attendant 
 upon you ; that my strength, my arms, my mind, are all 
 yours ; that my soul is in your form, and that the day 
 you change, or the day you cease to live, will be that of 
 my death ; that nature, the earth, is lovely in my eyes 
 only because you dwell within it. If you do not believe 
 all this, if your soul is not permeated, saturated with this 
 thought, you distress me, you do not love me. Between 
 those who love there is a magnetic bond. You know 
 that 1 could never see you with a lover, much less en- 
 dure your having one; to see him and to tear out his 
 heart would for me be one and the same thing ; and 
 then, if I could, I would lay violent hands upon your 
 sacred person. . . . No, I would never dare, but I 
 would leave a world where that which is most virtuous 
 had deceived me. I trust in and am proud of your 
 love. Misfortunes are trials which mutually develop 
 the strength of our passion. A child lovely as its 
 mother is to see the light in your arms. Wretched man 
 that I am, a single day would satisfy me ! A thousand 
 kisses on your eyes, on your lips. Adorable woman ! 
 What a power you have ! I am sick when you are 
 sick; besides, I have a burning fever. Detain the 
 courier only six hours, and let him return at once, 
 bringing to me the darling letter of my queen." 
 
 Not content with writing thus to his wife, he also 
 sends an extravagant letter to his brother, imploring him 
 to forward tidings of Josephine, and offering to give up 
 
 19 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 everything and return to Paris, if she cannot travel with- 
 out endangering her precious health, for he can no longer 
 live without her. 
 
 These letters and the complete disappearance of all 
 symptoms which could have prevented her journey, 
 finally induced Josephine to tear herself away from her 
 beloved Paris, leaving Hortense in Madame Campan's 
 boarding-school. Stepping into her travelling carriage, 
 on the 24th of June, — sobbing as if her heart would 
 break, — Josephine, attended by her maid, and escorted 
 by her brother-in-law, Junot, and another officer, set out 
 for Italy. Her tears were soon dried, however, and 
 some writers claim that she beguiled the weary hours of 
 the journey by a very lively flirtation with one of her 
 fellow-travellers. On the way to Italy, they met sun- 
 dry couriers, all bearing letters from Bonaparte to Jose- 
 phine, who could not help being flattered by these con- 
 stant tokens of her husband's devotion. Besides, her 
 journey seemed one long ovation, and when she reached 
 Milan, she was met at the city gate by Duke Serbelloni, 
 who formally escorted her to his beautiful palace, which 
 had been placed at the victorious general's disposal. 
 
 Bonaparte, who had been watching for Josephine 
 with such feverish impatience, was, to his great chagrin, 
 absent from the city just then ; but as soon as duty per- 
 mitted, he hastened to join his beloved wife. One of his 
 friends, writing of this time, states : " At Milan, Gen- 
 eral Bonaparte was very happy, for then he lived for his 
 wife only. Such was the state of affairs for a long time. 
 Never did a purer, truer, more exclusive love take pos- 
 session of the heart of a man, and this was a man of a 
 superior order." 
 
 The fact of his superiority was now very apparent to 
 Josephine, for the bridegroom from whom she had parted 
 
 20 
 
Josephine 
 
 a few weeks before, the penniless young officer whose 
 alliance had been considered far beneath her, had already 
 attained an exalted position, and was even then treating 
 with Pope and kings as with equals. The whole penin- 
 sula rang with his name, because he had freed northern 
 Italy from bondage, claiming, in exchange for his services, 
 great sums of money and priceless art treasures, which 
 greatly enriched France. Besides, he was about to re- 
 new the war with the Austrians, under Wiirmser, a fact 
 which forced him again to part from Josephine, whom 
 he promised to send for as soon as he could. 
 
 Every courier brought her new letters just as passion- 
 ate as before, assuring her of his constant love and devo- 
 tion, and saying : " Incessantly I recall to memory your 
 kisses, your tears, your delightful jealousy, and Jose- 
 phine's peerless charms incessantly kindle a live and 
 burning flame in my heart and in my senses. When 
 shall I — free from care, from all claims of duty — be 
 able to spend every instant beside you, to have nothing 
 to do but to love you, nothing to think of, but to talk to 
 you of my love and to prove it to you. ... I thought I 
 loved you a few days ago, but since I have seen you 
 again I feel that I love you a thousand times more." 
 Such is his love for her that it includes all she cares for; 
 her children even seem like his own, and although he 
 heartily dislikes dogs, he is so infatuated, that he sends 
 " Millions of kisses, and even to Fortune, in spite of his 
 naughtiness." 
 
 Love and warfare fill all his heart and mind, and 
 although in the very midst of military operations, he still 
 finds time for sentimental walks by moonlight along the 
 shores of the Italian lakes, where he dreams of Josephine. 
 Two days without news drive him almost frantic, and 
 when a courier arrives at last and fails to bring a letter 
 
 21 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 from her, he who sent her " a thousand kisses as hot as 
 my heart, as pure as yourself," writes, in playful reproach : 
 
 " Shame upon you. You are a wicked, cruel, homely 
 tyrant ; a pretty little monster. If I could, you know, 
 lock you up in my heart, I would imprison you there 
 for ever ! " 
 
 After the victory of Castiglione, he immediately sends 
 for her, because he fancies she brings him good luck, and 
 considers her the embodiment of his " Star." He is right, 
 for it is she who determines him to leave Brescia, a few 
 hours before Wiirmser attacks the city, and thus saves 
 him from capture. Josephine, herself caught in the 
 eddying tide of warfare, sheds bitter tears at the sight of 
 the wounded, and Bonaparte, beside himself with rage, 
 then grinds his teeth and registers a grim vow that 
 " Wiirmser shall pay dear for the tears you shed." He 
 further declares, with all a lover's exaltation : " I will 
 comfort her. She shall have all joys, all glories. I will 
 make that face, now bathed in tears, beam with de- 
 light." 
 
 Fired by love and ambition, Bonaparte, after sending 
 Josephine to central Italy, begins a six days' campaign, 
 which, after two battles and four fights, leaves him vic- 
 torious, with twenty-one flags and 16,000 prisoners. 
 
 Josephine, in the meanwhile, has been in imminent 
 danger of capture and death, for she barely left the 
 chapel where she had taken refuge, when it was entirely 
 destroyed by Austrian cannon balls from Mantua. Dur- 
 ing this brief separation Bonaparte again writes : " Ab- 
 sence is horrible; the nights are long, wearisome, and 
 lonely ; the days monotonous. A thousand kisses, very 
 sweet, very tender, very exclusive ! In a few days we 
 shall see each other again ; that is the sweetest reward for 
 all my fatigue and efforts." 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 Josephine, in writing to her aunt and sending gifts to 
 her children, now declares that she is weary of the 
 honours lavished upon her, and complains of her health ; 
 but she concludes her letter, saying : " I have the most 
 amiable husband one could find. I have not even time 
 to wish for anything. My will is his. He worships me 
 all day long, just as if I were a divinity ; it is impossible 
 to find a better husband." But while she vows she can 
 find no fault with him, he gently chides her for not writ- 
 ing more often and fully, and threatens to pounce upon 
 her unexpectedly, some dark night, just as if he were a 
 jealous spouse, adding : " Your letters are as cold as if 
 you were fifty, as cold as if they were written after fif- 
 teen years of marriage ! " 
 
 Soon, however, he has other causes of anxiety besides 
 Josephine's fancied coldness, for the Directory fails to 
 send the troops and supplies he asks, and, jealous of his 
 fame, threatens to divide the command he has hitherto 
 held alone. Bonaparte, incensed, asks for his release, 
 pleading impaired health; which is no vain excuse, for 
 he is now a prey to malarial fever, as well as to the skin 
 disease which troubled him ever since the siege of Toulon. 
 Still, in the midst of battles, disappointment, sickness, 
 cares, and excitement, he never forgets Josephine, but 
 sends her hasty, illegible, misspelled, eccentric letters, 
 full of passionate protests of ardent love, and of longing 
 to be with her once more. 
 
 On the eve of Areola, he is again despondent, and the 
 situation seems so precarious to everyone that the 
 Milanese, dreading that the worst may come, keep close 
 watch night and day over Josephine, lest she should slip 
 away and abandon them to their fate. But although it 
 seems as if Bonaparte cannot escape from the Austrian 
 toils, he slips out of Verona on November 14th, to return 
 
 23 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 triumphant four days later, having won a great victory 
 at Areola. 
 
 Exposure during this brief campaign brings on new 
 attacks of fever, and, being in a morbid frame of mind, 
 he again doubts Josephine's love. His suspicions in- 
 crease, when, upon returning unexpectedly to Milan, he 
 finds that she has gone to Genoa. But her absence is 
 legitimate, for that repentant city is giving a brilliant fete 
 in her honour. While there, she is so busy receiving 
 visits and congratulations, attending balls and hearing 
 serenades, that she finds no time to write him a line. 
 But although Bonaparte reproaches her, he confesses it 
 is foolish on his part to expect " lace to weigh as much 
 as gold," and fervently prays : " May fate concentrate 
 in my heart all sorrow and troubles, but may it grant to 
 my Josephine none but happy and prosperous days." 
 His fit of morbid jealousy is entirely dispelled by 
 his wife's return, however, and contemporary writings 
 testify to her happy influence over him. " The General- 
 in-chief was then steeped in the bliss of his marriage ; 
 Madame Bonaparte was charming, and all the cares of 
 the government of Italy did not prevent her husband 
 from revelling in all the happiness of his home." 
 
 By this time Bonaparte had assumed all the state 
 his position demanded, and the glittering pink-granite 
 Serbelloni palace was the centre of a brilliant military 
 court, which included eight of the General's aides-de- 
 camp. Here Josephine presided with ineffable grace. 
 She was so fascinating, and so cleverly seconded her 
 husband's efforts, that she fully justified his proud boast : 
 " I win battles ; Josephine wins me hearts." 
 
 Bonaparte's name had now become so famous, and 
 France was so proud of him, that the Directory com- 
 missioned the artist Gros to paint his portrait, flag in 
 
 24 
 
Joseph 
 
 me 
 
 hand, as he appeared on the bridge of Areola. The 
 painter, therefore, came to Milan, where he vainly begged 
 for a sitting. But the successful General had not the 
 patience for such an ordeal, and Josephine, forced to resort 
 to stratagem, held her husband fast on her lap for a few 
 moments every day after breakfast, as that was the only 
 way in which he could be induced to pose for his famous 
 picture. Bonaparte was then the slender, sallow youth 
 with the inspired glance, so ably depicted by Gros, and 
 whenever any of the emigres saw him, they deemed 
 this unhealthy colour a sure sign of early demise, and 
 openly rejoiced at the prospect of being soon rid of 
 the republican general. 
 
 Bonaparte's happy life at Milan was again interrupted 
 by a last desperate effort on the part of General Wiirmser 
 to recover lost ground. But the battles of Rivoli, La 
 Favorita, and Corona, forced him to evacuate Mantua 
 early in February, 1797, and thus enabled Bonaparte to 
 dictate terms of peace to Austria. During this cam- 
 paign, notwithstanding his many triumphs, Bonaparte 
 writes to Josephine : " I never was so bored as during 
 this horrid war." Then, learning that she is ill, he 
 becomes almost frantic, and says : " Believe me, noth- 
 ing equals my love for you, unless it is my anxiety." 
 
 On the 19th of February, 1797, Bonaparte signed the 
 treaty of Tolentino with the Pope, and sent word to 
 Josephine to join him as soon as possible, charging her 
 meanwhile : " Write to me, think of me, and love me. 
 Thine for life." Although most of Bonaparte's letters 
 written during this war have been carefully preserved, 
 most of Josephine's are lost ; but they are said to have 
 been comparatively cold and fragmentary, for at that 
 time, the love was mostly on his side, she graciously 
 allowing herself to be adored. 
 
 25 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 The Italians, who loved Bonaparte because they could 
 claim him as a fellow-countryman, greatly admired 
 Josephine's graceful self-possession, and the nobles, 
 recognising her as their equal, did not resent her exalted 
 position or begrudge her the gifts and homage showered 
 upon her. Then, too, Josephine still exerted considera- 
 ble influence over Barras, her tact preventing many a 
 serious collision between Bonaparte and the Directory. 
 
 Although thirty-four years old and somewhat faded, she 
 made so skilful a use of paint and powder that she still 
 appeared youthful, and her husband was so enamoured 
 that he was absolutely faithful to her, although fidelity 
 on the part of a man was not the rule in his day. He, 
 therefore, deserved great credit, for many fair creatures 
 had tried to shake him in his allegiance to Josephine. 
 This circumspect conduct, however, proved good policy 
 too, for had he given way to any excesses, he would 
 undoubtedly have incurred the censure of the older oiE- 
 cers, who were already somewhat jealous of his superior 
 talents and position. 
 
 The heat proving oppressive in the city, Bonaparte 
 and his household removed in May to the charming 
 castle of Montebello, five miles from Milan, where he 
 spent three months, surrounded by a host of generals, 
 army contractors, noblemen, ladies, etc. Here, too, he 
 received his mother, his two brothers, Joseph and Louis, 
 and his three sisters, Pauline, Eliza, and Caroline. For 
 their entertainment, the " court of Montebello " made 
 several excursions to the Italian lake region, visiting 
 many interesting places, including the charming Borro- 
 mean islands. It was at Montebello, also, that Pauline 
 Bonaparte, young, pretty, and giddy, was married to 
 General Leclerc, Bonaparte having consented to this 
 match principally because he thought it would please the 
 republican party. ^6 
 
Josephine 
 
 One of Bonaparte's favourite amusements at this time 
 was telling ghost stories at nightfall, and he was never 
 so happy as when he had frightened Josephine so sorely 
 that she clung timidly to him. Besides he often left his 
 work for a few moments to join his guests in the garden 
 at Montebello, and once slyly shook a heavily laden tree 
 so that the fruit came thumping down upon the heads 
 and shoulders of the fair ladies collected beneath it. 
 Most of them ran away screaming and laughing ; but 
 Josephine stood quite still, and when Bonaparte con- 
 gratulated her upon standing fire as well as his grena- 
 diers, she sweetly answered : " And why should I not ? 
 Am I not the wife of their commander ? " 
 
 Her pet dog Fortune, having accompanied her thither, 
 Bonaparte once pointed him out to a guest, saying with 
 mock fury : " Do you see his lordship yonder ? He 's 
 my rival. He was in full possession of madame's bed 
 when I married her. I tried to oust him, but in vain. 
 I was told I must make up my mind to share the bed 
 with him, or sleep alone elsewhere. It vexed me con- 
 siderably, but there was no alternative. So I made 
 the best of it. But he — the favourite — proved less 
 accommodating than I, and I still bear tokens of that 
 fact on my leg." 
 
 Bonaparte was soon avenged, however, for Fortune, 
 having ventured to attack a big dog belonging to the 
 cook, was suddenly caught in the mongrel's teeth and 
 flung aside a moment later with a broken spine. The 
 cook, trembling lest the General's wrath should be 
 visited upon him, was greatly relieved when Bonaparte 
 secretly tipped him, confessing that he was not at all 
 sorry to be rid of his wife's troublesome pet. 
 
 On the 14th of July, 1797, on the anniversary of the 
 taking of the Bastille, Bonaparte and his court returned 
 
 27 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 to Milan, where a grand military celebration took place, 
 to the great delight of the Milanese. Although Bona- 
 parte was very republican in his tastes, and in general 
 simple and unostentatious, he knew when and how to 
 dazzle people by his pomp, and loved to impress the 
 public by an occasional display which, although some- 
 what theatrical according to present views, never failed 
 to produce the effect he desired. 
 
 Although very busy looking after the welfare of his 
 troops, and arranging for the government of the recently 
 freed and conquered provinces, Bonaparte was not blind 
 to the political intrigues at home. It was during the 
 summer of 1797 that he sent Augereau to Paris with an 
 army of twelve thousand men, to uphold the authority 
 of the Directory or executive party, which was then at 
 odds with the legislative party or the Council of Five 
 Hundred. In doing this, he defeated the plans of the 
 Moderates and Royalists on the i8th of JVuctidor, and 
 thus prevented a new outbreak of civil war in France. 
 
 Pauline's marriage festivities being ended, and the 
 Bonaparte family having again departed, the General and 
 Josephine went on to Passeriano, to meet a new Austrian 
 commissioner, and settle the terms of the much dis- 
 cussed peace. The Emperor of Austria, hoping to 
 awe his adversary, sent a finished diplomat, the Count 
 of Cobentzel. But although this nobleman fancied 
 it would be a comparatively easy task to intimidate 
 Bonaparte by his grand manner and diplomatic skill, he 
 soon found the republican general more than a match 
 for him. 
 
 The Directory, jealous of Bonaparte's fame, proved so 
 troublesome at this time, that all Josephine's efforts were 
 required to keep the peace between her husband and 
 Barras, whose jealousy and antagonism were growing 
 
 28 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 daily. Bonaparte, therefore, again ofFered to resign, but 
 his proposal was not accepted, because the Directors 
 dreaded the censure of the people, a contingency which 
 Bonaparte had foreseen and which enabled him to carry 
 out his own plans more fully. 
 
 The Venetians, whom he had determined to sacrifice 
 in order to wrest Mantua and the Adige from Austria, 
 now invited him to visit their city, offering to give a 
 celebration in his honour. Lacking in truth and honour, 
 and most unscrupulous, Bonaparte could nevertheless 
 not accept such an invitation from a people he meant 
 to betray, so he sent Josephine in his stead, and she 
 graced the celebration with all her wonted benevolence 
 and amiability. During the four days of perpetual en- 
 chantment she spent in Venice, there were regattas by 
 day and by night on the Grand Canal and Lagoons, 
 illuminations, serenades, balls, and torchlight processions. 
 Flowers, gifts, and speeches were showered upon her, and 
 the great officers of the republic did their best to please 
 her, and thus conciliate the favour of her husband. But 
 in the midst of these festivities, their hearts were sore, for 
 French experts had come to select the works of art 
 which were to be sent as tribute to Paris, and in punish- 
 ment for a popular uprisal in the spring the bronze 
 horses were removed from St. Mark's. Not only were 
 these and other masterpieces carried off, but the state 
 ship " Bucentaur " was destroyed, because it could not 
 weather the storms to which it would be exposed during 
 a round-about journey to Paris, and the French would 
 not leave such a trophy in the hands of the Venetians. 
 
 While Josephine was receiving this superb ovation 
 from the Venetian authorities, and the French troops in 
 garrison there, Bonaparte was hastening the conclusion 
 of the treaty, which he was determined to sign before 
 
 29 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 the Directory could interfere with his plans. Finding 
 the Austrians still inclined to temporise, he clinched 
 matters by giving vent to a simulated burst of passion, 
 wherein he seized a trayful of precious china, — the gift 
 of the Russian empress Catherine, — and violently 
 dashed it to pieces on the floor, crying : " You want 
 war ; well, you shall have it. See, your Austrian Mon- 
 archy will be broken up like that before three months 
 are over ! " 
 
 Then he marched out of the room where the con- 
 ference had been held, and mounting his horse, rode 
 away without deigning to listen to the apologies and 
 explanations oiFered by the Austrian plenipotentiaries. 
 They were so thoroughly frightened by this volcanic 
 outburst of fury, that they consented the selfsame day 
 to the conditions he imposed. Bonaparte immediately 
 became as amiable as if no difference had occurred, and, 
 while waiting for the clerks to finish drafting the double 
 copies of the treaty of Campo Formio, entertained the 
 Austrian diplomats with ghost stories, told so graphically 
 that they greatly frightened poor Josephine. When the 
 copies were finished, the treaty of Campo Formio was 
 duly signed, and arrangements were made for an ex- 
 change of prisoners, which included among other famous 
 people, Madame Royale, the daughter of Louis XVI., 
 now only released from her prison in the Temple. 
 
 Bonaparte proudly refused the estates, titles, and 
 millions offered him by the Emperor of Germany, and 
 accepted only six magnificent horses. But although he 
 posed as modest and disinterested, the war booty had 
 been immense; and while he affected to leave it all to 
 his officers and men, he secured considerable money for 
 himself, as well as for his ever-greedy and needy family. 
 
 The treaty signed, Bonaparte went back to Milan, 
 30 
 
Josephine 
 
 and proceeded from thence to Turin, where the King of 
 Sardinia presented him with a beautiful horse, around 
 whose neck he had also hung a magnificent diamond 
 necklace for Josephine. At Turin, Bonaparte parted 
 with his wife, and while the former journeyed north- 
 ward to attend the peace congress at Rastadt, Josephine 
 remained in Italy to see her son Eugene, then garrisoned 
 there. 
 
 When Bonaparte reached Paris on the 5th of Decem- 
 ber, 1797, Josephine had not yet arrived ; so his brothers, 
 who had always opposed the marriage, and who dreaded 
 her influence, took advantage of her absence to try and 
 poison his mind against her. In fact, the Bonaparte 
 family, Barras, and several other noted persons, accuse 
 Josephine of having led a fast and immoral life, not only 
 before Beauharnais died, and during her widowhood, but 
 even after her marriage with Bonaparte. Many writers 
 claim, however, that while her conduct was undoubtedly 
 frivolous, and often imprudent, no fault was proved 
 against her either during her first or second marriage; 
 although others acknowledge that Josephine was any- 
 thing but inconsolable during her period of mourning, 
 and that she followed the corrupt examples of her prin- 
 cipal associates during those licentious times. 
 
 However this may be, the machinations of his family, 
 his own jealousy, and current gossip, could not destroy 
 Bonaparte's love for his wife, whom he welcomed gladly 
 on her return. It is said by some that she came 
 back in time to witness from a balcony the grand fete 
 given at the Luxembourg, on the loth of December, in 
 honour of the treaty of Campo Formic. There, in the 
 presence of the government and the people, Bonaparte 
 solemnly delivered the treaty he had just signed, and 
 gave a modest account of the sixty-seven battles he 
 
 31 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 had fought during the Italian campaign. But while 
 Josephine was radiant, he seemed rather indifferent 
 to, and even bored by the constant acclamations of the 
 enthusiastic people. 
 
 Early in January, 1798, he and Josephine attended a 
 grand ball given by Talleyrand, where Josephine shone 
 with all her wonted grace, and where Madame de Stael 
 insisted upon being presented to the hero of the evening. 
 This presentation Bonaparte tried to elude, for in his 
 youth he was always embarrassed in the presence of 
 ladies, never knew how to address them, and particularly 
 objected to blue stockings. Madame de Stael, who was 
 as voluble as she was enthusiastic, paraded her admira- 
 tion for him, and, hoping to win a compliment, inquired 
 coquettishly : " General, which woman do you love and 
 admire most ? " 
 
 " My wife ! " answered Bonaparte, coolly. 
 
 " That is a matter of course, but what kind of a 
 woman would you prize most highly ? " 
 
 " The one who could keep house best." 
 
 " I can understand that too ; but tell me, whom would 
 you consider first among women ? " 
 
 " The one who bore the most children." 
 
 This disconcerting answer so thoroughly quenched the 
 enthusiasm of the fair writer that she withdrew, inform- 
 ing her escort that Bonaparte was a strange character 
 indeed. But some people claim that this repulse roused 
 her antipathy, and kindled in her vindictive breast the first 
 spark of the hatred with which she was to pursue Bona- 
 parte as long as she lived, and which was to work him 
 such incalculable harm. 
 
 We are told, however, that Bonaparte received Madame 
 de Stael thus coolly, principally because she had written 
 him admiring letters in Italy, in which she was tactless 
 
 32 
 
Josephine 
 
 enough to pity him for being married to so insignificant 
 a creature as Josephine, and wherein she hinted quite 
 plainly that she — Madame de Stael — was far better 
 fitted by nature to be the mate of a man of genius. 
 These letters incensed and disgusted Bonaparte, who 
 hotly exclaimed : " How can a blue stocking, a manu- 
 facturess of sentiment, dare to compare herself to 
 Josephine ! I shall not answer those letters ! " 
 
 Although many ladies besides Madame de Stael tried 
 to attract and monopolise Bonaparte's attention at 
 Talleyrand's ball, he remained close to his wife the 
 whole evening, seemed entirely wrapped up in his admi- 
 ration of her, and offered no one else any attentions. 
 On all sides, however, he received nothing but compli- 
 ments and congratulations, for every one was eager to 
 please him. David was commissioned to paint his pic- 
 ture for the Directory, and even theatre managers 
 obsequiously inquired what plays the General preferred, 
 whenever he honoured them by his presence. When 
 Bonaparte asked one of them whether it would be 
 possible to give, in the same evening, two short plays 
 which he wished to see, the manager happily remarked : 
 " Nothing is impossible for General Bonaparte ; he has 
 struck that word out of our dictionary." 
 
 Josephine enjoyed her husband's glory to the full, and 
 when Eugene returned from Italy, and Hortense came 
 home from boarding-school for a visit, her cup of hap- 
 piness would have been quite full, had it not been for 
 the continued malevolence of her husband's relations, 
 who lost no occasion to find fault with all she said and 
 did. Her salon was again a social centre ; but although 
 Bonaparte was a soldier, he seemed to enjoy most the 
 society of literary men, gave dinners in their honour, and 
 spent hours in conversation with them. Fearing lest 
 VOL. I. — 3 33 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 the people would grow accustomed to him, and cease to 
 applaud him if he became an old story, Bonaparte ap- 
 peared in public very seldom, but often remarked to 
 Josephine that he must do something great if he would 
 maintain his exalted position in the eyes of the world. 
 Still, notwithstanding this greed for popular applause, 
 none knew its value better than he ; for when some one 
 complimented him on the ovations he was receiving, he 
 once cynically remarked : " Bah ! the people would 
 crowd around just as eagerly if I were being led to the 
 scaffold ! " 
 
 Bonaparte, however, soon wearied of inaction, com- 
 plained that " Paris weighed upon him like a leaden 
 mantle," and finding the proposed invasion of England 
 impracticable, he suddenly determined to execute a long 
 cherished plan, and to wage war against that country in 
 Egypt. This project received the full sanction of the 
 Directory, who were not aware, however, that Bonaparte 
 undertook the expedition in the hope of founding an 
 Eastern Empire, or, failing that, to enhance his glory, for 
 he intended his coming Eastern triumphs to serve as 
 stepping stones to the first position in France as soon as 
 a favourable opportunity occurred. His plans were so 
 cleverly made, that the public did not even suspect he 
 was on the eve of departure, when, on the 3rd of May, 
 1798, he and Josephine dined with Barras, and then went 
 to the theatre to see Talma. On returning home at mid- 
 night, Bonaparte abruptly informed Josephine that they 
 would start for Toulon in a couple of hours, and, with- 
 out giving her time to bid farewell to her daughter, who 
 had returned to Madame Campan's boarding-school, 
 hurried her into the carriage and drove away. 
 
 This journey proved very uneventful until near the 
 end, when an overhanging branch striking the carriage, 
 
 34 
 
Josephine 
 
 brought the horses to a sudden stand-still on the very 
 brink of a broken bridge, where Bonaparte and Josephine 
 would have perished in the darkness, had not their 
 advance been so fortunately checked. 
 
 Bonaparte, who had taken Josephine with him to enjoy 
 her company as long as possible, told her on reaching 
 Toulon, on the 9th of May, that she could go no farther 
 with him, but that he would send for her as soon as cir- 
 cumstances would permit. He further urged, in case 
 his absence were prolonged, that she should betake her- 
 self to the baths of Plombieres, for the cure her physi- 
 cians recommended. Their parting in the Independence 
 Hotel was very affecting, Bonaparte shedding copious 
 tears, and embarking only at the last moment upon the 
 overladen ship. From a balcony in this hotel, Josephine 
 saw the vessel raise anchor, and watched it sail out of 
 sight. Two letters from Malta, robbed her of all hope 
 of joining Bonaparte for the present, and it proved 
 fortunate that she did not set out, for the vessel upon 
 which she had planned to sail soon fell into the hands 
 of the English. 
 
 Josephine, abandoning all intention of joining her 
 husband, now went on to Plombieres, in the Vosges 
 Mountains, to spend three months there, taking the 
 baths, and drinking the waters, which were to restore 
 her impaired health, and, the physicians hoped, enable 
 her in time to become a mother. There she found a 
 numerous party of gay friends from Paris, for the prev- 
 alent clinging fashion, which necessitated the wearing 
 of but one garment under low-necked and short-sleeved 
 gowns, considerably increased the rate of mortality 
 among women, and was the cause of much ill-health. 
 
 One day, when Josephine was on a wooden balcony, 
 nineteen feet above ground, the flimsy structure suddenly 
 
 35 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 gave way beneath her, and she fell to the ground, half 
 buried under the ruins. At first, every one thought such 
 a fall must prove fatal, and Josephine begged for Hor- 
 tense, who hastened to Plombieres to bid her mother 
 farewell. But, by the time she reached the baths, it had 
 already been ascertained that, aside from severe con- 
 tusions, Josephine was quite unharmed. Treated like a 
 sovereign, — a daily bulletin being despatched to Barras, 
 so he could keep her Paris friends informed of her pro- 
 gress, — Josephine's convalesence proved very agreeable. 
 The regimental band came daily from the neighbouring 
 garrison to serenade her, sundry deputations congratulated 
 her upon her narrow escape, and so many flowers, gifts, 
 and attentions were showered upon her, that she found 
 time pass very pleasantly until she was able to resume 
 her cure and wonted amusements. 
 
 It was while she was still at Plombieres that Josephine 
 received her first letters from Egypt, and when she re- 
 turned to Paris in September, she made final arrange- 
 ments for the purchase of Malmaison, a pretty country 
 residence about five miles from Versailles. Bonaparte, 
 on leaving, had particularly enjoined upon her the acquisi- 
 tion of a country place, where he could retire whenever 
 he longed to rest, and where she could gratify her taste 
 for nature and flowers. Josephine secured this estate 
 fori 60,000 francs, Bonaparte having left her the necessary 
 funds for the first payments, and immediately began re- 
 modelling and furnishing the house to suit herself, adorn- 
 ing it with many of the art treasures she had collected 
 in Italy. 
 
 After spending the autumn at Malmaison, Josephine 
 returned to her Paris house, which Bonaparte had pur- 
 chased, — in the street which now bore the name Vic- 
 toire, in compliment to his achievements in Italy, — and 
 
 36 
 
Joseph! 
 
 ine 
 
 there spent a delightful winter in the midst of her friends, 
 enjoying the social intercourse she loved. Her continued 
 acquaintance with Madame Tallien, however, brought 
 her in contact with the fastest set of the day, in a con- 
 stant round of balls, dinners, and receptions. Josephine 
 herself entertained every Thursday, and while possessing 
 only the vaguest notions of literature, did the honours 
 of her salon with such captivating courtesy, was so uni- 
 formly kind, and so good a listener, that all the learned 
 men of the time frequented her house. 
 
 But her husband's relatives found fault with all this 
 gaiety, and Madame Laetitia Bonaparte would fain 
 have seen her graver, more dignified, and especially less 
 lavish with her money. Economy, the pet virtue of Bona- 
 parte's mother, formed, however, no part of Josephine's 
 programme, and although jewels had been showered upon 
 her in Italy, and she already possessed a notable collec- 
 tion of cameos and pearls, ^he never could resist pur- 
 chasing any gem which caught her fancy. Her dress, 
 too, cost exorbitant sums ; for she went everywhere, 
 and prided herself upon being always gowned to perfec- 
 tion. When the Bonapartes advised her to live more 
 modestly, and to avoid being seen in certain houses, she 
 truthfully declared that Bonaparte depended upon her to 
 watch over his real enemies, who were not in Egypt, 
 but at Paris. 
 
 Thus from the very first she worked for him with 
 all the skill of a consummate diplomat, "winning 
 hearts," as he so pithily said ; for she charmed all who 
 met her, never offended any one, was devoted to her 
 friends, easily forgave her enemies, and proved so uni- 
 formly affable and obliging that every one praised her. 
 
 For a time, the French lived in continual expectation 
 of glorious tidings from the East ; but when the English 
 
 37 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 fleet cut off all communication, and month after month 
 passed by without news, rumours of defeat and of Bona- 
 parte's death gradually spread abroad, and those who had 
 been secretly jealous of his former triumphs, began to 
 belittle them. These rumours of death and disaster 
 ultimately reached the Directory, and Josephine, going 
 thither to inquire whether any official news had come 
 from Egypt, once overheard some men remark : " Here 
 comes the wife of that hypocrite, Bonaparte. If he is 
 not dead to Europe, he is at least dead to France ! " 
 This remark put her on her guard, and prevented her 
 granting much credence to the vague reports which came 
 to her ears, for she henceforth rightly suspected they had 
 been started by her husband's enemies. 
 
 Meantime, Bonaparte was in Egypt, cut off from all 
 news from home, and one day when he was talking of 
 Josephine to Junot, the latter ventured to inform him 
 that his wife was unfaithful, strengthening this assertion 
 by relating the worst gossip current concerning her life in 
 Paris and Italy. Bonaparte, who had always been 
 madly jealous, was beside himself with anger when he 
 heard these tales, and in his rage and excitement swore 
 he would exterminate his wife's admirers, vociferating : 
 " As for her, divorce ! yes, divorce, public divorce in 
 the face of all the world ! " Indeed, Junot could not 
 calm the storm he had raised, so even the seventeen- 
 year-old Eugene, who served as Bonaparte's aide-de-camp 
 in this campaign, had to listen to angry denunciations of 
 his mother, while the General paced back and forth in his 
 tent. His friends, hoping to help him recover his self- 
 control, suggested that a divorce would only serve to dim 
 his own glory, but he retorted : " My glory ! Ah, what 
 would I not give so that what Junot told me might not 
 be true ; I love that woman so dearly ! If Josephine is 
 
 38 
 
Josephine 
 
 guilty, divorce must separate me from her for ever. I 
 wron't be the laughing stock of all the Parisian fops. I 
 am going to write to my brother Joseph to have the 
 divorce pronounced immediately ! " 
 
 It w^as fortunate, however, that communications were 
 so difficult, for even the letter in which Bonaparte bit- 
 terly reproached Josephine for her supposed infidelity 
 was a long while in reaching her. But although Bona- 
 parte was wounded to the heart by Junot's disclosures, 
 which — strange to relate — he believed without inves- 
 tigation, he could not cease to love Josephine, and 
 showed his affection for her by watching over her son as 
 carefully as if the boy had been his very own, and by 
 shielding him as much as possible from all danger. 
 
 Absolutely faithful to Josephine until then, Bonaparte, 
 who had forbidden all licence in his army under penalty 
 of death, now seemed to consider himself freed from all 
 moral restraints, and so freely indulged in immoral ex- 
 cesses, that he actually scandalised his own staff, which 
 was none too strait-laced. He even showed such 
 marked and public attentions to Madame Foures, the 
 wife of a young officer, that Eugene de Beauharnais, 
 whom duty compelled to attend his general everywhere, 
 finally rebelled. His indignant protest, however, merely 
 recalled Bonaparte to a sense of outer decorum, for he 
 did not immediately end an unsavory connection which 
 caused much scandal at that time. 
 
 Not very long after Junot's unfortunate disclosures, 
 Bonaparte, who had been without news from home for 
 many months, suddenly received from Sir Sydney Smith 
 a bundle of French newspapers, showing that during his 
 absence France had not only lost Italy, but that the enemy 
 was even then crossing the Rhine, and his country was in 
 imminent danger. After a night spent in devouring the 
 
 39 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 news sent by the English, Bonaparte suddenly determined 
 to forsake his present unsuccessful undertaking and return 
 to France, in spite of the English fleet blockading the 
 Egyptian ports. 
 
 This sudden resolve was communicated to his step- 
 son in the abrupt announcement : " Eugene, you are 
 going to see your mother again," and- the plan thus 
 briefly formulated was immediately carried out. 
 
 Leaving Kleber at the head of the Egyptian army, 
 Bonaparte secretly embarked with a few friends, and, 
 cleverly dodging the English vessels, finally landed at 
 Frejus, bringing the first news of the second battle of 
 Aboukir. The tidings of his return, of the triumph of 
 the French at Aboukir, of Massena's victory in Switzer- 
 land, and of Brune's in Holland, reached Paris simul- 
 taneously, so that it is no wonder if the common people 
 felt as if Bonaparte's mere presence brought back France's 
 good luck. 
 
 Josephine, who happened to be dining with one of 
 the Directors and his wife, rose from table as soon 
 as the news reached her, and made hasty prepara- 
 tions to go and meet her returning spouse. Aware of 
 the tales told by Junot and the Bonapartes, she was 
 feverishly anxious to gain Bonaparte's ear first, knowing 
 she could dispel his doubts and mitigate his anger, if she 
 could only see him before his family completely poisoned 
 his mind against her. Indeed, she still felt so sure of his 
 deep affection for her, and of her unbounded influence 
 over him, that she warmly cried : " Let me but see him 
 first, and he will throw himself in my arms ! " 
 
 She therefore set out in hot haste with Hortense, tak- 
 ing the direct road to Lyons, and it was only on arriving 
 there, that she learned that Bonaparte had taken another 
 route, thus reaching Paris only to find her gone. With 
 
 40 
 
Josephine 
 
 a heart full of disappointment and lively apprehension, 
 Josephine now retraced her steps, her mind dwelling 
 continually upon the scenes which had doubtless taken 
 place at home during her absence. 
 
 In fact, when Bonaparte reached his house on the i6th 
 of October, 1799, and failed to find Josephine there, his 
 anger rose to positive frenzy. His brothers, who soon 
 came to welcome him, added fuel to his wrath by the tales 
 they told, and worked him up to such a pitch of fury that 
 when Josephine finally arrived, — three days later, — he 
 utterly refused to see her. Kneeling before his closed 
 door, she tearfully implored him to listen, her children 
 joining their voices to hers, until he finally opened the 
 door to inquire coldly and sternly what excuse she could 
 offer for her black perfidy. Some authorities state that 
 the estrangement lasted three days, that Josephine was 
 ordered out of the house, and that this cruel command 
 was rescinded only because she showed such touching 
 grief and submission. However that may be, her tears 
 and explanations ultimately dispelled Bonaparte's doubts, 
 or at least wofl his forgiveness, for a complete reconcilia- 
 tion took place, and when Lucien called early one morn- 
 ing, he was amazed, upon entering his brother's bedroom, 
 to find Josephine again sharing her husband's couch, and 
 to see the couple evidently on the best of terms once 
 more. 
 
 Some historians claim that Bonaparte, although con- 
 vinced of Josephine's guilt, forgave her through sheer 
 infatuation ; others declare that he took her back merely 
 to avoid the scandal of a divorce, which might then have 
 seriously damaged his political prospects ; but most author- 
 ities agree in concluding that Josephine gave a satisfac- 
 tory explanation of her past to the man whom she 
 cleverly helped to attain his ambitious ends. Most of the 
 
 41 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 gossip concerning her probably arose from the fact that 
 she was so frequently seen in the company of the beau- 
 tiful Madame Tallien, whom she had met in prison, and 
 to whom she owed the preservation of her life. The 
 fact that Madame Tallien and several other women of her 
 acquaintance had, to express it mildly, very loose ideas 
 concerning love and marriage, cast a slur upon Jose- 
 phine's fair fame which has never been entirely effaced, 
 although many of the accusations made against her have 
 since been disproved. 
 
 Bonaparte, however, showed that he realised the harm 
 such associates must necessarily do her, for as soon as 
 he had risen high enough to be able to dispense with the 
 indirect assistance of these friends, — which was invalu- 
 able to him at the beginning of his career, — he bade 
 Josephine cease to receive them, save in the morning 
 and in secret. As Bonaparte and his wife publicly ap- 
 peared on the best of terms after his return from Egypt, 
 all the scandalous rumours so sedulously spread by the 
 Bonaparte family were effectually silenced, and Jose- 
 phine's enemies had to renounce all present hope of 
 ousting her from her husband's heart and home. 
 
 The reconciliation between Bonaparte and Josephine 
 came none too soon, for he sorely needed her tactful co- 
 operation to carry out his ambitious schemes. From 
 her he learned in detail all that had happened in the 
 inner political circle during his long absence, and finding 
 the time propitious for action — or the " pear ripe," as 
 he graphically expressed it — he prepared to carry out 
 his cherished plan of becoming head of the government, 
 although he then lacked ten years of the age required for 
 the Director's office. 
 
 He began operations by parading a fear lest the Direc- 
 tors should make away with him by unlawful means, and 
 
 42 
 
Josephine 
 
 at the civic banquet on the 15th of Brumaire, avoided 
 touching anything save bread and water, ostentatiously 
 brought and served by his ovs^n aide-de-camp. In all the 
 private conferences during the fortnight preceding the 
 revolution which brought about the Consulate, Josephine 
 was present. While she took no active part in the 
 political discussions, she was so useful in carrying out 
 many of her husband's plans, that a contemporary writes : 
 " She fully justified Bonaparte's restored confidence." 
 
 His plan was to break up the Directory by forcing 
 the resignation of three out of five of the Directors, and 
 to prevent hostile members of the government from get- 
 ting wind of this intention until it was too late. To 
 secure Gohier, President of the Directory, Josephine 
 wrote his wife a charming note, inviting her and her 
 husband to breakfast at eight o'clock on the i8th of 
 Brumaire. The hour was so unusual that it aroused 
 suspicions, and Madame Gohier came alone. But 
 when Bonaparte showed his displeasure at her husband's 
 absence, and forced her to write to him to urge him to 
 come, she, on the contrary, warned him to keep away, 
 declaring she felt sure the invitation was an ambush. 
 
 The moment for action having come, Bonaparte, pro- 
 tected by a strong escort, proceeded to the Council of the 
 Five Hundred, where he haughtily called the government 
 to account, saying : " What have you done with the 
 France which I left so glorious ? I left peace, I find 
 war. I left you victories, I find defeats. I left you the 
 millions from Italy, and everywhere I find despoliating 
 laws and poverty. What have you done with the hun- 
 dred thousand Frenchmen whom I knew, my compan- 
 ions in glory ? They are dead. This state of things 
 cannot go on. Before three years were over it would 
 lead us to despotism." 
 
 43 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Then, under pretext of upholding liberty, he secured 
 the persons of two of the recalcitrant Directors and — 
 the three others having resigned — proceeded, with the 
 help of his brothers and friends, to establish a new gov- 
 ernment, the Consulate, in which he would occupy the 
 highest position. Another fatiguing and eventful day 
 still lay before him, for on the morrow he and his adhe- 
 rents went to St. Cloud, whither the Council of the Five 
 Hundred had been transported, to dismiss that assembly. 
 
 In the meantime, Josephine, anxiously awaiting devel- 
 opments at home, was pleased and touched when Bona- 
 parte's mother suddenly appeared in her salon to beg for 
 news. The two women fell weeping in each other's 
 arms, and Josephine, who never harboured feelings of 
 resentment, generously and courteously welcomed the 
 woman who was then trembling for the lives of her sons. 
 Napoleon, Lucien, and Joseph were all three engaged in 
 this political upheaval, which was not unlike those which 
 had already caused so much blood to flow in France. 
 The fears of the trembling women were therefore only 
 partly allayed by the brief messages which Bonaparte 
 sent Josephine from time to time, and both were greatly 
 relieved by the safe return of the conquering hero at 
 three o'clock in the morning. 
 
 After rapturously embracing Josephine, giving her a 
 graphic sketch of the principal events of the day, during 
 which his life had several times been in danger, Bona- 
 parte dictated an artful proclamation where might par- 
 aded as right, and, after a few hours of slumber, awoke, 
 as he had long dreamed, master of Paris and France. 
 His last words, as he lay down to rest beside his wife 
 on the 19th of Brumaire, were the exultant remark: 
 " By the way, to-morrow we sleep in the Luxembourg ! " 
 
 Bonaparte, First Consul of France, set out, the very 
 44 
 

 
 
Josephine 
 
 next day, with Josephine, in a plain carriage, to take 
 possession of the new abode, where he and his wife 
 were to serve a two months' apprenticeship at holding 
 court. During these two months, many social changes 
 also took place; the Bonapartes, abandoning republican 
 customs, and Josephine being again called Madame 
 instead of Citizeness. The royalists, who knew that 
 Josephine was a monarchist too, and who fancied that 
 Bonaparte would yet restore the King, covered his 
 sword with flowers, and were frequently seen at the 
 receptions at the Luxembourg, and it was partly owing 
 to their countenance, that Bonaparte won so many 
 adherents, and was chosen First Consul by such a large 
 majority when the elections finally took place. 
 
 At the Luxembourg, Josephine's apartments, directly 
 above those of the Consul, communicated with them 
 by a small private staircase. This allowed them to be 
 together whenever business did not prevent, for theirs 
 was the sort of marriage where the wife could truthfully 
 be called a helpmate. Josephine, as charming and 
 tactful as ever, received her friends every evening in the 
 Luxembourg, where Bonaparte occasionally appeared in 
 her salon. When he was present, he gave the signal 
 for the breaking up of the party at about ten, by remark- 
 ing abruptly : " Let 's go to bed." But when he 
 remained in his study, all visitors were dismissed by the 
 brief announcement made by a servant: "Madame, 
 the First Consul has gone to bed." 
 
 In company, Bonaparte was as awkward, abrupt, and 
 rude, as Josephine was graceful, smooth, and polite ; but 
 when he was interested, his conversation was fascinating 
 in the extreme, as all his contemporaries bear witness. 
 His lack of ease, especially in the presence of women, 
 probably arose from lack of horne training and neglected 
 
 45 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 childhood, and Talleyrand expressed the general opinion, 
 when he once remarked : " It is a great pity that so 
 great a man should be so ill-bred." 
 
 It was during his sojourn at the Luxembourg, on the 
 20th of January, 1800, that Bonaparte gave his sister 
 Caroline in marriage to his friend Murat. His consent 
 was, however, very reluctantly given, for he considered 
 Murat, the son of an inn-keeper, far beneath his family. 
 But Murat's magnificent conduct at the battle of 
 Aboukir, and the fact that such an alliance would 
 please the republican party, finally induced Bonaparte 
 to yield to his sister's wishes. 
 
 From the very first, Bonaparte expressed a determina- 
 tion to surround the new government with all the pomp 
 necessary to impress the common people ; so he soon 
 decided to inhabit the Tuileries, the palace of the kings. 
 This building, used by the Directors and consuls for 
 business purposes, was now to become the Consular 
 dwelling, and when Bonaparte visited it to give orders 
 for its renovation, he pointed contemptuously at the 
 liberty caps decorating its walls, and abruptly ordered 
 " that rubbish " removed, and the Liberty Tree felled. 
 
 Although it had first been decreed that all three con- 
 suls should live in the Tuileries, one of them, Cam- 
 baceres, expressed great reluctance to move into a palace, 
 " merely to move out again," as he said. A separate 
 abode was, therefore, assigned to him in a pretty mansion 
 close by, a dwelling which he retained throughout the 
 Consulate and Empire. The Third Consul, Lebrun, 
 however, occupied the pavilion where Madame Eliza- 
 beth had once lodged, and Bonaparte, being First 
 Consul, appropriated the king's apartments, allotting 
 to Josephine, Marie Antoinette's rooms on the ground 
 floor. Josephine, who still hoped that royalty might 
 
 46 
 
Josephine 
 
 ultimately be restored in France, and who, being a 
 monarchist, considered it almost desecration to occupy 
 the Queen's lodgings, made timid objections, which were 
 ruthlessly set aside by her autocratic husband. As for 
 him, he felt no scruples of any kind, openly rejoiced at 
 the coming change, and playfully awoke his wife on the 
 1 8th of February, 1800, with the exultant cry : "Wake 
 up, little Creole, wake up ! You sleep in the house of 
 your masters to-night. And we will go there with a 
 flourish which will speak to the eyes and the hearts of 
 the people. They like a pompous show ! " 
 
 But while permitting his wife to see his exultation, 
 Bonaparte carefully concealed it from every one else, 
 seemed cold, silent, and somewhat bored, and remarked 
 regretfully to his secretary, Bourrienne : " You are very 
 lucky, for you have n't got to make a show of yourself. 
 You can go as you please. As for me, I have to go in 
 a procession ! " 
 
 Josephine, being allowed no share in the coming 
 pageant, drove off quietly to the Tuileries with her 
 daughter, under the secretary's escort, and, comfortably 
 seated in Lebrun's apartment, witnessed the solemn 
 arrival of the three consuls in all the bravery of crimson 
 coats and broad gold lace. The consuls had left the 
 Luxembourg at one, in a state carriage drawn by the six 
 white horses given to Bonaparte at the Treaty of Campo 
 Formio. They were escorted by the government offi- 
 cials in full array, and by a part of the troops, the 
 remainder being drawn up in line along their passage 
 and in front of the Tuileries. 
 
 On arriving at the foot of the Grand Staircase, 
 Bonaparte alighted with his companions, and, being 
 the only military consul, immediately sprang upon a 
 magnificently accoutred steed to review the troops, 
 
 47 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 amid deafening acclamations of "Long live the First 
 Consul ! " 
 
 Josephine, from Lebrun's windows, witnessed this 
 ovation, and the people, perceiving her, nudged each 
 other, saying : " Do you see Josephine ? She has brought 
 him good luck," for the soldiers all shared their General's 
 belief that Josephine was his good angel, and his bright 
 particular " Star." 
 
 The military pageant over, Bonaparte ran quickly up 
 the broad steps trodden by so many kings, and, entering 
 the apartments of Louis XVL, which were henceforth 
 to be known as his, graciously received the congratula- 
 tions of his friends. But although he had now reached 
 one cherished goal, he was not at all blind to the perils 
 of his position, for he remarked to his secretary the very 
 next day: "Getting into the Tuileries isn't everything; 
 the thing is to stay here. Who is n't there who has n't 
 lived in this palace ? Thieves and members of the 
 National Convention." Then, pointing out the house 
 whence he had witnessed the siege of the Tuileries on 
 the loth of August, 1792, he grimly vowed the people 
 would have a harder time ousting him than good 
 Louis XVL 
 
 As in the Luxembourg, Bonaparte's apartments in the 
 Tuileries communicated with those of Josephine by a 
 private staircase, and here, too, they were often together 
 and could see each other at any moment. Their recep- 
 tion rooms were, however, quite separate, and the society 
 they received differed in many points ; for while Bona- 
 parte entertained statesmen, officers, and staunch repub- 
 licans, Josephine received the old aristocracy of the 
 Faubourg St. Germain, which crowded around her more 
 than ever, hoping, through her, to influence Bonaparte 
 to effect a Bourbon restoration. 
 
 48 
 
Josephine 
 
 A few days after her arrival in the Tuileries, Jose- 
 phine held her first official reception there for twelve 
 foreign ambassadors and many other great state officials. 
 While there were as yet no chamberlains, the Tui- 
 leries had already many of the aspects of a court, and 
 Josephine, although still addressed as Madame Bona- 
 parte, now held levees just like a queen. At this first. 
 official reception, she won golden opinions by the charm- 
 ing grace with which she did the honours, by her lack 
 of all assumption, and by her pleasing appearance. No 
 one would have guessed that the graceful woman, clad 
 in plain white muslin, with a string of pearls around her 
 neck, was more than six years older than her husband, 
 who seldom donned his consular costume, but preferred 
 the simple uniform which was so much more becoming 
 to him than any other garb. 
 
 While Bonaparte was giving audiences to officials and 
 diligently attending to business, Josephine entertained 
 her friends, giving charming breakfasts to about a dozen 
 ladies almost every day. But while Bonaparte encour- 
 aged her to entertain as much as possible, he would no 
 longer allow her to receive those among her former 
 friends whose past could not bear the closest scrutiny. 
 For however lax in morals himself, Bonaparte was 
 very desirous that his court should contrast favourably 
 with those of the kings, and be, at least outwardly, moral 
 and decorous. Even Madame Tallien, who had saved 
 Josephine's life, could never obtain admission to the 
 Tuileries, and Josephine, forced to refuse her this favour, 
 wrote to her a touching letter which proved that she 
 never forgot past benefits and was not, like her husband, 
 essentially ungrateful towards most of those who had 
 been kind to her when poor. 
 
 Although the First Consul and his wife often dined 
 VOL. I. — 4 49 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 in private together, they gave state dinners once a week 
 in the gallery of Diana, inviting about two hundred 
 guests to each of these great banquets. Bonaparte, 
 who ate very fast, — sometimes even using his fingers 
 instead of knife or fork, with utter disregard of the most 
 elementary table manners, — could seldom be induced to 
 linger more than twenty minutes at table. The result 
 was, that his guests, knowing they would not be 
 given time to satisfy their appetites, learned in time to 
 take the necessary precaution of dining at home in 
 advance when invited to the Tuileries. 
 
 Besides state dinners, balls, and receptions, Bonaparte 
 gratified the popular love of display by periodical reviews, 
 distributions of prizes, processions, etc. The people, in 
 those days, fancied him a favourite of the gods, for he 
 seemed able to control even the elements, and, " if it hap- 
 pened to rain or the day was cloudy, it often came to 
 pass that at the moment Bonaparte appeared, the clouds 
 broke and the sun shone out." This fact greatly im- 
 pressed the common people, who, therefore, cheered him 
 all the more enthusiastically. 
 
 Meantime a great reaction had taken place in fashion- 
 able circles. The return of many of the emigres, the 
 consequent reopening of their salons, and the renewal of 
 the opera balls — closed for the past ten years — had given 
 a new impetus to trade, by supplying work for all those 
 who live upon the pleasures of the rich. Josephine, the 
 acknowledged leader in all matters of society and fashion, 
 was treated like a queen, and greeted as such wherever 
 she appeared by the rising of all the ladies present. Her 
 taste was exquisite, and much of her time, thought, and 
 money was devoted to the all important feminine 
 question " dress." 
 
 The returning emigres, who crowded into her salon, 
 SO 
 
Josephine 
 
 and yet were somewhat ashamed of being seen in a 
 republican court, declared they showed her marked 
 attentions, not only in hopes of winning favours for 
 themselves and friends, but especially with a view of 
 furthering the cause of their King. She was so gracious 
 to them all, and so anxious that Bonaparte should recall 
 the Bourbons, that the royalists were greatly encouraged, 
 and Madame de Guiche was sent over to feel her way; 
 she informed Josephine that her husband's services, if 
 Louis XVIII. were restored, would be recognised by 
 the title of Connetable of France, and that grateful 
 royalists would erect a monument on which he would be 
 represented crowning his King. 
 
 Bonaparte, who was secretly pleased to see his wife 
 attract so many of the aristocrats to the Tuileries, was 
 not, however, to be caught by such a bait, especially as 
 he had already determined to be head of the state him- 
 self. When Josephine, therefore, reported this offer to 
 him, he drily remarked : " And did you tell her that this 
 monument would have as pedestal the corpse of the First 
 Consul .? " for he fully realised that the people did not 
 then want and would not allow any Bourbon to rule 
 over them. But Josephine and Hortense would not 
 give up hope, and so often implored him in behalf of 
 the royal dynasty that he once said to his secretary : — 
 
 " These women belong entirely to the devil ! They 
 are mad for royalty. The Faubourg St. Germain has 
 turned their heads ; they are made the protecting genii of 
 the royalists ; still they do not trouble me, and I am not 
 displeased with them." 
 
 When the secretary, shortly after this, ventured to 
 hint to Josephine that she might interfere with her hus- 
 band's policy if she gave too much encouragement to 
 the royalists, she remarked : — 
 
 SI 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 " I wish I could persuade him to recall the King, lest 
 he himself may have the idea of becoming such ; for the 
 fear that he may do this always awakens in me a fore- 
 boding of evil which I cannot banish from my mind." 
 
 It was while dreading lest her husband might wish to 
 become king, that Josephine began also to be haunted 
 by the fear that if he assumed the crown he would 
 divorce her, to secure by a new marriage an heir to his 
 throne. This dread embittered her life, off and on, for 
 several years before the divorce she had foreseen actually 
 took place. 
 
 Throughout the winter and spring of 1800, Bona- 
 parte was very busy legislating for his new government, 
 gathering the power more and more into his own hands, 
 and preparing for a new campaign in Italy. To blind 
 the English and Austrians, he publicly announced that 
 he was going to Dijon and perhaps to Geneva ; but Jose- 
 phine was quite aware of his secret intentions when he 
 left her at three o'clock in the morning on the 6th of 
 May, saying : " Courage, my good Josephine ! I shall 
 not forget thee, nor will my absence be long." 
 
 With incredible speed for those times, he crossed 
 France, sent armies over the Simplon and Mt. Cenis, 
 and crossing the St. Bernard himself with the remain- 
 der of his men, hemmed the Austrian army in between 
 his own forces and the French troops stationed along the 
 frontier and at Genoa. The Austrians, brought to bay 
 at Marengo, where it seemed at first as if they would 
 frustrate all Bonaparte's plans, finally saw the tide of bat- 
 tle turn entirely against them. Bonaparte here won so 
 glorious a victory, that in this one encounter he recovered 
 all the ground lost in Italy during his absence, and could 
 return home triumphant after a campaign which had lasted 
 only forty days. 
 
 52 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 When the people heard that he had arrived at the 
 Tuileries in the night of July 3rd, they assembled be- 
 neath his windows and greeted him with such deafening 
 acclamations, that his heart filled with pride and he rapt- 
 urously exclaimed to his secretary : " Do you hear the 
 cheers of the people which have not yet ceased ? It is 
 as sweet to me as the sound of Josephine's voice." 
 
 On the 14th, when the Consular Guard returned, a 
 grand fete was held at the Tuileries, Invalides, and 
 Champ de Mars, and as Eugene also received a share 
 of the honours awarded, this proved a doubly happy day 
 for Josephine, who was present at the grand review. 
 The ovation given to the First Consul on this occasion 
 even surpassed the one he received on his return from 
 Italy ; but although it seemed as if he must have reached 
 the height of his ambition, he was not satisfied, for he 
 ruefully cried : " If I were to die to-morrow, after ten 
 centuries I would not fill half a page in universal 
 history ! " 
 
 Bonaparte, who had never been modest, and who de- 
 lighted in flattery, however fulsome, was, however, greatly 
 pleased when in answer to his question : " Well, gentle- 
 men, have you done much work since I went away ? " 
 the obsequious Senate promptly replied : " Not as much 
 as you. General." Josephine, too, was unstinted in her 
 meed of praise, and as he now felt sure of his hold upon 
 her affections, and had quite ceased to be jealous, these 
 were happy times for them both. Bonaparte was indul- 
 gent and generous to Josephine, who on her part was so 
 submissive and devoted, that the marriage was considered 
 • unusually harmonious, as well as a case of true love on 
 both sides. 
 
 Togetjper, the Consul and his wife attended the gala 
 performance at the Theatre Fran^ais, and when all the 
 
 S3 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 fetes were ended, set out for Malmaison, which, in the 
 meantime, had been newly decorated and furnished with 
 great taste. Here they passed the summer, Bonaparte 
 spending several days a week in town to despatch his 
 business, and Josephine always parting from him regret- 
 fully, to welcome him on his return with rapture. The 
 presence of Hortense, of her companions, of Bonaparte's 
 pretty sisters, and of his handsome young aides-de-camp, 
 made the house very lively, and Josephine and the First 
 Consul merrily joined in the games and dances on the lawn. 
 Bonaparte's favourite amusement was, however, " pris- 
 oner's base," which he played with great enthusiasm, but 
 where he was singularly awkward and unfortunate. Often 
 tripping and falling when closely pursued, he was fre- 
 quently captured by the enemy. But while he bore his 
 own mishaps and imprisonment with great good humour, 
 he could not endure to see Josephine caught, and kept 
 clapping excitedly for a rescue until she was released. 
 
 He also delighted in walking with her around her do- 
 main, which was gradually enlarged, until it became a 
 fine country place with extensive pleasure grounds. 
 These were laid out with great taste and skill, Bonaparte 
 and Josephine planting certain trees themselves, and the 
 latter taking a particular interest in her flower-beds and 
 hot-houses. These were enriched by gifts from abroad ; 
 for, knowing Josephine's fancy for rare plants and ani- 
 mals, her friends and her husband's admirers vied with 
 each other in procuring new specimens for her collec- 
 tions. Josephine's gardeners also made sundry experi- 
 ments under her directions, which led to great results, 
 and it is said she introduced the camellia in France. 
 
 In those days, Josephine was very near her husband 
 in heart, mind, and person, watching him so closely that 
 he once said : " Not one of my thoughts, not one of my 
 
 54 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 actions escaped Josephine ; siie followed, grasped, guessed 
 everything, — a fact which sometimes inconvenienced me 
 in my occupations." This close communion with the 
 man whom she now loved with all the depth of which 
 she was capable, made Josephine very happy, as is evinced 
 by a letter to her mother wherein she says : " You ought 
 to love Bonaparte ; he makes your daughter very happy ; 
 he is kind, amiable, in a word, a charming man." 
 
 But although perfectly happy while Bonaparte was 
 with her, Josephine was anxious and unhappy whenever 
 he was away ; for she knew he had many enemies, and 
 was in continual fear for his life. Besides the disap- 
 pointed republicans, the royalists, who, ever since the 
 last Italian campaign, had relinquished their long cher- 
 ished hope of Bonaparte's restoring the power to the 
 Bourbons, were now his deadly foes, and both parties 
 alike plotted to kill him. 
 
 Hearing of assassins and conspiracies, Josephine, timid 
 by nature, grew very apprehensive, and therefore partic- 
 ularly objected to the long drives to and from Paris. 
 Her fears were not without foundation, as was fully 
 demonstrated by sundry royalist attempts to murder the 
 First Consul, which were checked by the watchful police. 
 Then came the fatal explosion in December, 1800. 
 
 It seems that the First Consul — contrary to his usual 
 custom — had announced that he and his family would 
 attend a grand performance of Hayden's " Creation." 
 But, exhausted by the mental exertions of the day, Bona- 
 parte sank into an easy-chair after dinner, and fell into 
 a deep sleep, from which he was roused with difSculty 
 when the moment came to set out. He, therefore, 
 stumbled sleepily off to his carriage, leaving Josephine, 
 Hortense, and his sister to follow with General Rapp. 
 
 Josephine, in honour of the occasion, wore for the first 
 SS 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 time a magnificent cashmere shawl, just sent her from 
 Constantinople. She was about to follow her husband, 
 when Rapp suddenly remarked : " Let me make a sug- 
 gestion, madame ; you have not put on your shawl as 
 becomingly as usuaL" 
 
 Josephine, smiling indulgently, bade her escort kindly 
 arrange the folds to suit his fancy, and patiently allowed 
 him to redrape it, until Madame Murat exclaimed that 
 they would be late, for she had heard her brother drive 
 off. In this way, it happened that Bonaparte was slightly 
 ahead of his party. As he drove through one of the 
 narrow streets leading to the opera house, there was a 
 sudden fearful explosion of an infernal machine placed 
 there on purpose to kill him ; but, as it went off a 
 second too late, his carriage remained unharmed. Many 
 people near there, however, were instantly killed, and 
 others sorely wounded. But the carriage containing 
 Josephine and her friends, which should have been 
 directly behind the First Consul's, was fortunately too 
 far away to suffer serious damage, although a splinter 
 from the shattered windows slightly cut Hortense's 
 cheek. 
 
 Bonaparte, with his usual great presence of mind, 
 immediately bade his coachman drive on, and on reach- 
 ing the opera went right into the hall, where the per- 
 formance had already begun, and where the noise of 
 the explosion had been mistaken for a salvo of artillery. 
 But, although apparently unmoved, the First Consul was 
 very anxious about his wife, for he hastily despatched an 
 aide-de-camp to see if she were safe. This man reached 
 the scene of the accident just in time to assure the faint- 
 ing Josephine of her husband's safety, and then hurried 
 her on to the opera, where Rapp appeared first at the 
 door of the consular box. Bonaparte, seeing him, 
 
 56 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 breathlessly whispered : " Josephine," but at the same 
 moment his anxious glance rested upon his wife, who, 
 although pale and trembling, was quite unharmed. 
 
 The audience, learning a few moments later of the 
 First Consul's narrow escape, stopped the performance 
 to give him an enthusiastic ovation. Deafening cheers 
 also accompanied Bonaparte all the way home, where 
 the principal officials were awaiting his arrival to present 
 their congratulations. This impromptu reception over, 
 Josephine, still pale and trembling, cast herself into her 
 husband's arms, tearfully crying : " What a life when 
 I must be ever trembling for you ! " 
 
 Seeing her tears, Bonaparte gave full vent to his wrath 
 at the negligence of the police, which had entailed the 
 death of many persons. But while he breathed anger and 
 revenge, Josephine secretly wrote to the chief-of-police, 
 begging him to seize and punish only the instigators of the 
 crime, and to permit all their tools and accomplices to 
 escape unmolested. She also visited the wounded to 
 see that her orders concerning them were faithfully car- 
 ried out, and that they had every care, for she was ever 
 gentle, compassionate, and very kind to the poor. 
 
 This conspiracy served to consolidate the very power 
 the royalists sought to destroy, and again raised the 
 question which so sorely troubled Josephine, — namely, 
 who would succeed the man who had rendered such brill- 
 iant services to his country, since he had no child ? 
 
 Early in 1801, Bonaparte signed the treaty of Lune- 
 ville, which left France with no real foe save England, 
 and which proved the beginning of four years of 
 peace for France. After this treaty, many of the still 
 absent emigres returned, old customs crept in once more, 
 and the Republican day of rest, occurring every ten days, 
 again made way for the time-honoured Sunday. During 
 
 57 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 that same year Bonaparte's birthday was officially cele- 
 brated for the first time by the French nation, on 
 August 15th, and in memory of the recently estab- 
 lished peace, the bloody Place de la Revolution was offi- 
 cially transformed into the Place de la Concorde, by 
 which name it is still known to-day. Bonaparte, who 
 subsequently declared : " I really thought that the fate 
 of France, of Europe, and my own were settled, and 
 that there would be no more wars," now devoted all 
 his energies to matters of government and education, 
 completing, with the help of learned French jurists, the 
 famous Code which still bears his name. 
 
 Meanwhile, Josephine was in her element, for the 
 many entertainments given, were so many excuses for 
 the purchase of the new gowns and jewels in which her 
 heart delighted. But, while she spent enormous sums 
 for her toilet, she was also generous to a fault, and 
 supported many needy aristocrats. She also often inter- 
 ceded in their behalf with the First Consul, who, at her 
 request, restored the confiscated property to the widow 
 of the Duke of Orleans, and to many others. Noted 
 foreigners again came to Paris as of old, and Josephine 
 felt particularly flattered by a visit from the Infant of 
 Parma, who solemnly paid his respects to her, although, 
 seven years before, his aunt, Marie Antoinette, had been 
 beheaded on the square which he could see from the 
 palace windows. He was not her only royal guest, how- 
 ever, for the visit of the King and Queen of Etruria 
 soon followed, in whose honour there were many 
 festivities. 
 
 That winter, Madame de Stael intrigued incessantly 
 to obtain admission to the Tuileries, where she still 
 hoped to win the favour of the First Consul, and obtain 
 through him the repayment of the million francs which 
 
 58 
 
Josephine 
 
 her father had loaned the King. This claim, however, 
 was rejected on the plea that the Republic paid no debts 
 contracted by the King. This refusal, together with Bona- 
 parte's failure to meet Madame de Stael's advances or 
 appreciate her talents, so enraged the vindictive woman, 
 that she became his inveterate foe, and spoke so freely 
 against him that he finally exiled her. 
 
 The summer months, spent at Malmaison in the usual 
 way, were particularly happy for Josephine, because in 
 July, 1 80 1, the First Consul made a Concordat, or treaty, 
 with Pope Pius VII., whereby the Roman Catholic religion 
 was to be officially restored in France the next summer. 
 The amusements at Malmaison now included, besides 
 the usual dances and games, amateur theatricals, in 
 which Hortense and Bonaparte's secretary proved the 
 best actors. A small theatre was built for these per- 
 formances, in which Bonaparte and Josephine took the 
 liveliest interest, although neither of them formed part 
 of the amateur troop, which consisted mainly of the 
 younger members of the Consular household. 
 
 But, in spite of all these causes for happiness, Josephine 
 still mourned the fact that she had no child by her 
 second husband, and, hoping to conciliate the Bonaparte 
 family, still inimical to her in spite of her uniform kind- 
 ness, she began to plan a marriage between her daughter, 
 Hortense and Bonaparte's favourite brother, Louis. She 
 fancied that such an alliance would not only silence for 
 ever the slanderous tongues of some of Bonaparte's de- 
 tractors, who accused him of improper intimacy with 
 his step-daughter, but that her husband would take such 
 an interest in the offspring of Hortense and Louis — 
 whom he treated like his children — that he would in 
 time entirely forget he had no son of his own. 
 
 Josephine, therefore, regardless of the fact that both 
 59 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 parties had other attachments, and that they had no 
 tastes in common, persuaded Bonaparte that this alliance 
 was most desirable, and thus ultimately brought about a 
 marriage which was to blast two young lives, and cause 
 her, too, bitter sorrow. The young people, seeing no 
 hopes of being united to those they loved, listlessly con- 
 sented, and after a civil marriage at the Tuileries, re- 
 ceived the nuptial benediction in their future home, rue 
 Victoire. Bonaparte insisted that Murat and Caroline 
 — who had been obliged to forego a religious ceremony 
 when married at the Luxembourg — should now receive 
 a blessing too ; but when Josephine begged that she 
 might share it also, he peremptorily refused. That may 
 have been, as some people claim, because he deemed it 
 impolitic to let the public know that his marriage had 
 hitherto lacked religious sanction, or he may have already 
 foreseen his divorce, and have realised that merely legal 
 bonds would be more easily broken than those imposed 
 by the Church. 
 
 Hortense's marriage over, Bonaparte and Josephine 
 journeyed to Lyons, where a grand ovation awaited 
 them, and on their return attended the housewarming 
 ball of the Governor of Paris, Junot, Duke of Abrantes. 
 While Bonaparte showed his interest by inspecting the 
 house from garret to cellar, Josephine, clad in silver- 
 striped robes, and crowned with dark-hued grapes, won 
 golden opinions as usual for her graceful tact. She also 
 rejoiced in the sensation she created ; for she was so 
 tastefully arrayed, and had so cleverly managed to dis- 
 guise the ravages of time, that she appeared little older 
 than her daughter, although the latter was a bride and 
 barely twenty. 
 
 The Consular court removed to Malmaison very early 
 that spring, and it was there that Josephine one morning 
 
 60 
 
Josephine 
 
 received a shabby petitioner, who claimed to have taught 
 the First Consul to vifrite at Brienne. Bonaparte, who 
 was present, and who often made fun of his almost 
 illegible caligraphy, now abruptly exclaimed : " And a 
 fine penman you made of me. Just ask my wife ! " 
 
 But Josephine, seeing the poor man embarrassed by 
 this unexpected sally, merely smiled and said : " I assure 
 you, sir, that his letters are perfectly charming." The 
 kindly tact which thus set the poor man at ease, and the 
 graceful compliment to which he was far from insensible, 
 so charmed Bonaparte, that he granted the old man a 
 pension for life. 
 
 It was thus that Josephine was ever ready to give a 
 happy turn to her husband's remarks, and her graceful tact 
 often won for him friends whom his total lack of amenity 
 would otherwise have repelled. But whereas Josephine 
 was ready to help Bonaparte, she also dreaded his ambi- 
 tion, and although she had ceased to plead with him not 
 to become king, she truthfully declared : " To be the 
 wife of the First Consul fulfils my highest ambition ; let 
 me remain so." 
 
 It was as First Consul that Bonaparte effected the 
 peace of Amiens in 1802, and when Fox afterwards 
 came to Paris, he was duly invited to Malmaison. 
 There, Josephine did the honours so acceptably, that she 
 completely bewitched the English statesman, who, learn- 
 ing of her love for flowers, thereafter sent her many rare 
 specimens, in spite of the fact that war soon broke out 
 again between the rival countries. 
 
 The Senate, wishing to reward Bonaparte for con- 
 cluding peace with England, now suggested that he 
 should be Consul for life, having power to choose his 
 own successor. Josephine viewed these new honours 
 with terror, and also reluctantly saw him accept St. 
 
 61 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Cloud as a country residence. She loved Malmaison 
 best of all her dwellings, for friends could be received 
 there informally, and she clearly perceived that her 
 husband's real enemies were the men who flattered 
 him, filling his head with ideas of divorce and re- 
 marriage for the sake of founding a new dynasty. Be- 
 sides, new dignities entailed new duties, and Josephine, 
 who had hitherto entertained like any other lady, 
 soon after found herself at the head of a semi-regal 
 "household," where four ladies helped her receive her 
 guests. 
 
 While waiting for the elections to confirm her hus- 
 band's new title, Josephine journeyed to Plombieres for 
 her health, leaving Hortense to preside over the estab- 
 lishment at Malmaison. The letters which Bonaparte 
 wrote to Josephine during this separation, offer a strange 
 contrast to those written in Italy, although he still 
 showed a gratifying interest in all that concerned her, 
 assuring her that her return would " give great pleasure 
 to her friend, who was lonely without her." 
 
 But, although he claimed to be lonely, he managed to 
 amuse himself during her absence by paying rather awk- 
 ward attentions to young Madame d'Abrantes, among 
 others. One of his eccentric performances was to enter 
 her bedroom every morning at five, seat himself by her 
 bedside, beguile an hour in conversation or reading de- 
 spatches, and then leave her after playfully pinching her 
 feet through the blankets. Remonstrances and locked 
 doors proving equally unavailing against Bonaparte's pass- 
 key and compromising attentions, Madame d'Abrantes 
 boldly resorted to stratagem. She induced her husband 
 to disobey orders and spend the night with her at Mal- 
 maison, instead of returning to Paris as usual. On 
 entering the room early the next morning, Bonaparte 
 
 62 
 
Josephine 
 
 was nonplussed to find Junot, and to hear his amazed : 
 " Goodness, General, what are you doing in our wives' 
 rooms so early in the morning ? " 
 
 After muttering a few unintelligible words about 
 waking guests betimes for the hunt, Bonaparte suddenly 
 turned the tables upon Junot, by sternly demanding how 
 he dared thus desert his post? But as he immediately 
 added that his old comrade was forgiven, and must 
 remain to share the day's amusements, the warm-hearted 
 young fellow forgot everything except his General's kind 
 oversight of a breach of discipline. Madame d'Abrantes, 
 however, was not so easily gulled, for she contrived, 
 henceforth, never to spend a night at Malmaison without 
 the protection of her husband's presence. 
 
 As we have already seen, Bonaparte had concluded 
 a treaty with the Pope, whereby he agreed to restore 
 the Catholic religion in France. On the day appointed 
 for the execution of this " Concordat," Bonaparte went 
 in state to Notre Dame, where a solemn Mass was cele- 
 brated in the presence of all the officials. Although the 
 First Consul never pretended to be devout, he gave so 
 edifying an example of decorum on this occasion that no 
 lack of reverence was ever after shown in church by 
 even the greatest unbeliever. Josephine, who delighted in 
 all the outward practices of religion, without being really 
 devout, was too happy for words as she sat up in the 
 rood-loft, surrounded by a bevy of ladies, all vying in 
 the freshness and elegance of their gowns. Although 
 most of her attendants were noted for their youth and 
 beauty, Josephine was so tastefully arrayed for this 
 ceremony, that she appeared to advantage among them, 
 and at a distance, no one would have dreamed that she 
 could be more than twenty-five years of age. 
 
 One month after this imposing ceremony at Notre 
 63 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Dame, Bonaparte's birthday was again celebrated with 
 great pomp, a blazing star shining above Notre Dame 
 during the grand illumination, as a delicate compliment 
 to his superstitious belief in such an orb. The cele- 
 brations extended all over the country, and the Parisians 
 went out to St. Cloud in throngs, to behold the superb 
 play of the waters in the park fountains. 
 
 Toward the end of October, 1802, Josephine and 
 her husband left Paris to visit the public buildings, hos- 
 pitals, and manufactories in the western provinces, and 
 give a new impetus to trade by showing a lively interest 
 in the various industries. Josephine ably seconded the 
 Consul in this laudable purpose, and was delighted to 
 receive choice samples of the workmen's skill, which 
 she acknowledged so gracefully that she invariably 
 charmed the donors. 
 
 Although Bonaparte was almost adored in France at 
 that time, he was virulently hated in England, where, 
 knowing that he was lacking in truth and moral prin- 
 ciples, he was openly charged with heinous crimes of 
 which he was innocent. The EngUsh thus started one 
 slander, which although unfounded, blasted the life of poor 
 Hortense, and caused Josephine many a tear. Accord- 
 ing to this vile report, the First Consul was improperly 
 intimate with his step-daughter, and had married her 
 to his brother merely so as to adopt his own child, which 
 was said to have come into the world shortly after the 
 wedding. To refute this rumour, which was entirely 
 false, and which, fortunately, had not yet reached Hor- 
 tense's ears. Napoleon insisted upon her dancing at a 
 large ball, where her appearance bore ample witness to 
 her condition. Besides, the newspapers commented upon 
 it ; and about ten months after her marriage, announced 
 the birth of her first child, who was named Napo- 
 
 64 
 
JostPHINF,. 
 
 Ga-aril. 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 leon Charles, after his illustrious uncle and his paternal 
 grandfather. 
 
 When Josephine finally informed her daughter of the 
 slanderous rumours connected with her name, Hortense 
 fainted with horror, and being already very unhappy 
 with an uncongenial husband, sank into a state of de- 
 spondency which she never entirely shook ofF. But 
 while Josephine and her daughter were cut to the heart 
 by this base calumny, Napoleon, strange to relate, felt 
 rather flattered by it, telling Josephine that it was only 
 another proof of the general desire that he should be 
 succeeded by a son who would inherit his talents as well 
 as his name and fame. 
 
 Josephine, who no longer cherished any hope of off- 
 spring from her second marriage, now began to hope 
 that her grandson might some day rule over France, for 
 Napoleon, who was very fond of children, showed great 
 interest in his little nephew, dandling him with unusual 
 skill, playing with him as soon as he was old enough to 
 take notice, watching over every phase of his develop- 
 ment, and rapturously declaring that his brother's son 
 resembled him most in character and appearance. Jose- 
 phine, however, equally delighted with her first grand- 
 child, fondly averred that the boy was the exact image of 
 his mother at the same age, and tried to have him with 
 her as much as possible. 
 
 The winter of 1802-3, which saw Josephine's 
 new interest in her grandchild, was busy and happy too. 
 To encourage commerce, Napoleon bade his wife en- 
 tertain as much as possible, thus setting an example to 
 all those whose means permitted display. Josephine, 
 who delighted in dress as much as ever, although her 
 charms were somewhat dimmed, was only too glad of 
 any pretext for devising new costumes, upon which she 
 VOL. I. — s 65 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 spent much time, and no less than a million francs per 
 year. Her budget of expenses, which is not without in- 
 terest, included in one year three thousand francs' worth 
 of rouge. She paid her hairdresser a salary of six 
 thousand francs, and ordered in one year two hundred 
 white muslin dresses, costing from five hundred to two 
 thousand francs apiece, five hundred and fifty-eight 
 pairs of white silk stockings, five hundred and twenty 
 pairs of dainty shoes, five hundred lace-trimmed chemises 
 at three hundred francs each, two hundred and fifty-two 
 hats, and, after shawls came into fashion, no less than 
 sixty, which cost from eight to ten thousand francs 
 apiece. Strange to relate, however, her wardrobe in- 
 cluded but two flannel petticoats, and two pairs of tights 
 for riding. Warmth was supplied by cloth or velvet 
 gowns, which, as they were low-necked and short- 
 sleeved, were often supplemented by redingotes lined 
 with fur or silk. The fit of gowns in her day precluded 
 the use of many underclothes, and, aside from a chemise 
 and corset, Josephine wore nothing but a slip, even when 
 her upper garment was one of her favourite white muslins. 
 The shoes and slippers, made to match her gowns, were 
 for ornament more than use, for it is said that when she 
 once showed her shoemaker some footgear which re- 
 vealed holes after one day's wear, he gravely examined 
 them, and justified himself by exclaiming : " Ah ! I see 
 what it is. Madame must have walked in them ! " 
 Josephine also delighted in dainty wrappers, nightgowns, 
 and caps, and her husband once declared that her night 
 toilet was as elegant as that used by day, and that she 
 was graceful even in bed. 
 
 But while Josephine was extravagant in her tastes, 
 and could never refuse to purchase any article of 
 jewelry or dress which happened to strike her fancy, 
 
 66 
 
Josephine 
 
 she also gave lavishly to all who asked, or to 
 whom she thought a gift might afford gratification. 
 The result of this extravagance and generosity was a 
 continual state of indebtedness, and although her allow- 
 ance was large, her husband was frequently obliged to 
 supplement it by paying her bills. Whenever, there- 
 fore, he saw her with reddened eyes, or embarrassed de- 
 meanour, refusing to confess the cause of her grief, he 
 suspected financial difficulties, and, after storming and 
 scolding awhile, paid her debts, and, touched by her tears, 
 always ended by saying : " Come, Josephine, come, my 
 darling, don't weep, be comforted." 
 
 As no one could surpass Josephine in taste in dress, 
 she generally managed to please her husband's fastidious 
 eye ; but she so accustomed him to the use of cosmetics, 
 that he deemed them an indispensable adjunct to a lady's 
 toilet, and bluntly informed the ladies who appeared at 
 the Tuileries, St. Cloud, or Malmaison with unpainted 
 faces : " You have forgotten your rouge ! " Many of 
 his biographers declare that he never addressed " a gra- 
 cious or even a polite phrase to a woman," a lack of 
 social amenity due to his lack of good breeding, to a 
 species of timidity which he never acknowledged, and 
 especially to his vanity, for he had long ago determined 
 that no woman should ever have any influence at his 
 court. 
 
 In speaking to ladies. Napoleon not only criticised 
 their looks and apparel in the bluntest way, but was in 
 the habit of asking delicate questions concerning the 
 number and care of their children, speaking so loud that 
 every one could hear, and using terms unsuited to ears 
 polite. It therefore often required all Josephine's tact 
 to smooth down the feathers he had ruthlessly rufHed, 
 for ladies were often seen, even after the briefest con- 
 
 67 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 versation with Napoleon, on the verge of an outbreak 
 of hysterical tears. Still, such was the fascination this 
 popular hero exercised, that most women courted his 
 attention, and a few strove to win his favour and occupy 
 the position of court favourite. But Napoleon fully 
 realised that times had so changed that open immorality 
 would only damage his prospects, and although he had 
 not sufficient principle to refrain from sin, he made an 
 effort to preserve outward decorum. 
 
 Since his marriage. Napoleon had changed from a 
 poor, puny, homely, and comparatively unknown officer, 
 to an apparently healthful and undeniably handsome 
 man of unequalled fame and fortune. But whereas, in 
 1796, he was desperately in love with his wife, who 
 then seemed his superior in fortune, rank, and beauty, 
 her attractions had so greatly paled that his passion had 
 waned, while her affection increased to such an extent 
 that she now used every device to retain her hold upon 
 him. Her conduct, once questionable, was now above 
 reproach, and the Bonapartes, who still dreaded her 
 influence, and feared lest she might yet induce her 
 husband to adopt Eugene de Beauharnais as his suc- 
 cessor, openly regretted that they could find no fault 
 with her save the barrenness for which she could not 
 be blamed. 
 
 Napoleon, entirely forgetting the pangs he had suf- 
 fered from jealousy, now inflicted all its tortures upon 
 poor Josephine ; for while he carefully concealed his 
 delinquencies from the public, he often confided them 
 to his wife. Although generally good-tempered and 
 kind, he was cruel in the extreme when under the spell 
 of one of his brief passions, and, when she remonstrated, 
 brutally declared : " You must submit to anything I 
 please, and consider it a matter of course that I should 
 
 68 
 
Josephine 
 
 allow myself such indulgences. I have the right to 
 object to all your complaints by an everlasting I. I 
 am a being apart, and the laws of morality and propriety 
 do not concern me." 
 
 Such fallacious reasoning gives the measure of the 
 moral man. But when these passing fancies were over, 
 he invariably came back to Josephine, expecting full 
 forgiveness, and required at all times the most unbounded 
 devotion on her part. Josephine, ever ready to drop 
 everything to please him, often read aloud to him for 
 hours, because he preferred her voice to any other. 
 Owing to his habit of rapid eating, — he seldom spent 
 more than fifteen minutes at table, — and perchance to 
 the first stages of the stomach-cancer from which he 
 died. Napoleon was subject to violent spasms of indi- 
 gestion, often followed by nausea. In such attacks he 
 threw himself on the floor, writhed and groaned extrava- 
 gantly, — not having learned as yet to bear pain with 
 fortitude, — and called for Josephine, who had to pet 
 and nurse him like a baby. It was these spasms of 
 indigestion, or rather his lack of self-control when a 
 prey to them, that gave rise to the false rumour that 
 Napoleon was subject to epileptic fits. When ill, or 
 idle, Josephine was his favourite companion ; for although 
 she was not the intellectual paragon her enthusiastic 
 admirers describe, she was eminently sympathetic, and 
 rarely combated her husband's views. In spite of her 
 naturally shallow and frivolous disposition, she was so 
 receptive, and had met so many interesting people who 
 talked freely to her, that she was quite well informed. 
 Besides she was blessed with an innate fund of common- 
 sense, which prevented her being blinded by the exalted 
 position which she attained. 
 
 The claims of dress and society, however, left her 
 69 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 little time for the cultivation of her mind, and aside 
 from what she read to her husband, Josephine seldom 
 opened a book. When she did, it was some novel 
 borrowed from her attendants and read surreptitiously ; 
 for she knew Napoleon abominated fiction and ruthlessly 
 cast it into the fire whenever he saw it. Thus, almost 
 deprived of the only kind of literature she might have 
 enjoyed, Josephine had recourse to the gossip of the 
 day, which was diligently poured into her ears, and 
 which she privately retailed to Napoleon, who used her 
 — as well as others — as a species of social detective. 
 The information thus obtained, he maliciously used as 
 a kind of mental thumbscrew, gloating over the helpless 
 wrath of the victims when they found their most cher- 
 ished secrets known to Napoleon. They were all the 
 more dismayed because he generally used information 
 of an unsavoury character as a means of torment, and 
 they well knew that while he claimed plenty of latitude 
 and deemed himself above all moral laws, he would 
 tolerate no open scandal at his court, nor receive people 
 whose reputation was tainted. In fact, the etiquette 
 around him and his wife daily grew more rigid, and 
 after the formal restoration of religion, the First Consul 
 required all his household to attend daily Mass in the 
 castle chapel. 
 
 Even when untrue to his wife. Napoleon carefully 
 treated her with every mark of respect in public, dining 
 and driving with her daily. But these drives were not 
 always enjoyable, for he was often cross or wilful, and 
 once insisted upon driving, in spite of his notorious lack 
 of skill with horses, until there was a runaway, and he 
 and Josephine were nearly killed. 
 
 Although Napoleon and Josephine had separate apart- 
 ments at the Tuileries and at St. Cloud, they generally 
 
 70 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 slept in the same room, for Josephine had persuaded her 
 husband that he was safest in her company, because she 
 slept so lightly that she would be sure to hear and warn 
 him of any nocturnal attempt against his life. In spite 
 of this vaunted wakefulness, however, Josephine slept 
 so soundly the first night at St. Cloud, that she was 
 amazed to discover on the morrow that her new draw- 
 ing-room had caught fire during the night, and that 
 the conflagration had been discovered and extinguished 
 without her knowledge. 
 
 When not too busy. Napoleon often strolled into his 
 wife's room during the day, and when she was dressing, 
 he tumbled over her things, ruthlessly destroyed any 
 article of apparel which did not suit his fancy, inquired 
 into prices of materials, pulled her hair, playfully slapped 
 and pinched her bare arms and shoulders, and behaved, 
 in short, more like a teasing boy than like the chief of a 
 great nation. Josephine generally bore these visits with 
 her usual gentle nonchalance, but when he hurt her 
 too badly with his rough caresses, she would drawl 
 impatiently : " Stop, Bonaparte, do stop ! " 
 
 He was in her dressing-room, presiding over her 
 toilet, while he lay on the floor playing with Hortense's 
 baby, when the diplomatic corps came to see him on the 
 14th of March, 1803. Rising leisurely, he went into 
 the great hall to receive the dignitaries. Although he 
 had been in the sunniest mood a few moments before, 
 he now suddenly stepped up to the British ambassador, 
 and so rudely denounced England's failure to execute 
 the treaty of Amiens, that, as he intended, war soon 
 ensued. The declaration was no sooner made than he 
 determined to inspect the armament at Antwerp, and 
 deeming it advisable to produce a favourable impression 
 wherever he went, bade Josephine prepare to accompany 
 
 71 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 him with all her household, and take part in the semi- 
 regal progress he planned. Not only were new dresses 
 and jewels purchased for this occasion, but Napoleon 
 procured from the Senate the crown jewels, which had 
 last been worn by Marie Antoinette, and had never 
 decked any save queens of France. 
 
 The Consular party left St. Cloud on the 24th of 
 June, 1803, and two days later reached Amiens, where, 
 as Napoleon had foreseen, the priests had influenced the 
 people to receive them like the kings of old, even offer- 
 ing them the traditional gift of four white swans, which 
 were sent to grace the Tuileries basin. From Amiens, 
 Napoleon and Josephine proceeded to Boulogne, Dun- 
 kirk, and Lille, where throngs of people awaited their 
 coming, and where so many balls and receptions were 
 held in their honour, that Josephine wrote to her 
 daughter that all her time was spent " receiving com- 
 pliments." This was, however, only a beginning; for 
 they passed on into Belgium, — then a part of France, — 
 and were received with lively demonstrations of joy at 
 Ostende, Bruges, and Ghent. In the latter city the 
 Prefect of the Department made the following flowery 
 address to Josephine, which is only a sample of the 
 adulation which was offered to her at every stage in this 
 memorable journey : " You — whose tender affection is 
 to the First Consul's happiness what the admiration of 
 his century is to his glory — deign to accept our hom- 
 age. We well know here, madame, what a power you 
 wield over all hearts by your benevolence. When ac- 
 companied by irresistible charm, by all the graces of 
 mind and talent, this virtue is all powerful. Therefore, 
 madame, deign to believe that all here are subject to 
 your will." 
 
 In fact. Napoleon and Josephine were welcomed 
 72 
 
Josephine 
 
 everywhere as if they were divinities, and, as they de- 
 voutly attended Mass as often as possible, they won 
 golden opinions from all the clergy, who, anxious to 
 show their gratitude to the First Consul for restoring 
 their worship, taught the people to love and' honour him 
 and his wife. But poor Josephine received an uninten- 
 tional stab at their hands at Mechlin, where the arch- 
 bishop, in his welcoming address, mentioned " the 
 sacred bond" uniting her and her husband, which 
 unfortunately did not exist, and whose omission she 
 regretted more and more as time went on. Notwith- 
 standing her secret mortification, she acknowledged his 
 compliments in her usual graceful way, playing her part 
 as well as any of the queens who had preceded her. 
 
 Josephine received, however, the greatest and most 
 pleasing ovation at Brussels, where the people, knowing 
 her love for flowers, showered choice blossoms down 
 upon her as she slowly entered the city in the new car- 
 riage they had just given her. Military pageants, tri- 
 umphal arches, illuminations, balls, and receptions formed 
 only a part of the festivities in her honour, and on Sun- 
 day she was solemnly escorted to St. Gudule's, where 
 she sat in the gallery, while her husband monopolised 
 the oiEcial honours preceding the grand midday Mass. 
 
 Thus eighty towns were visited in forty-eight days, 
 the Consular party returning to St. Cloud in time for 
 the official celebration of Napoleon's birthday, which 
 was kept as usual. Napoleon's court was very brilliant 
 in those days, and his sisters were often seen there. 
 One of these, Pauline, lost her husband in the West 
 Indies, but the brief court mourning was scarcely over, 
 when her re-marriage became imminent, for she made 
 a conquest of the Italian Prince Borghese, and thus 
 had the satisfaction of being the first in her family 
 
 73 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 to bear the title of princess. Her first appearance at 
 court in her new role was in November, and the 
 ladies, not wishing to be eclipsed by the new prin- 
 cess, all donned their most becoming gowns. Jose- 
 phine, however, had put on a simple white robe which 
 made her appear so young and charming that Napoleon 
 exclaimed : " Ah ! Josephine, I shall be jealous ; you 
 are planning mischief. Why are you so beautiful 
 to-day ? " 
 
 Delighted with the compliment which vividly recalled 
 the happy time when he had eyes for her alone, Jose- 
 phine answered : " I know that you like to see me in 
 white, and so I put on a white gown. That is all." 
 
 " Well, if you did it to please me, you have succeeded," 
 answered Napoleon, gallantly kissing her round shoulder, 
 despite the spectators present, and leading her to the 
 mirror so she could see how well she looked. This 
 simple toilet equally pleased the new princess, who ap- 
 peared in a green velvet gown fairly covered with the 
 famous Borghese jewels; but her stay in the Tuileries 
 was nevertheless very short, for when she discovered 
 that her dress was not in harmony with the blue furni- 
 ture in the room, she refused to sit down, even for a 
 moment, and soon took her leave. 
 
 Pauline, like the rest of the Bonapartes, disliked 
 Josephine, who, despite their rudeness, was always kind, 
 and often interceded in their behalf when their brother 
 was displeased with their conduct, which was often open 
 to censure. But Josephine was kind to every one, and 
 was never weary of trying to conciliate everybody. Her 
 utmost efforts, however, failed not only where the 
 Bonapartes were concerned, but also with the Moreaus. 
 
 General Moreau had helped Bonaparte to become 
 First Consul, expecting to secure that title in his turn ; 
 
 74 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 but his hopes were blasted when the people named Bona- 
 parte Consul for life, with the privilege of appointing 
 his successor. Urged on by his wife, who envied Jose- 
 phine's exalted position, Moreau then joined a conspiracy 
 formed by Pichegru, Cadoudal, Polignac and others, to 
 effect a counter-revolution, and restore royalty in France. 
 Thanks to Napoleon's police system, this plot was dis- 
 covered in time ; but while Pichegru and Cadoudal were 
 executed, Moreau was banished to America, whence he 
 returned only to bear arms against his former comrade 
 in the battle of Leipzig, where he was killed. Realising 
 that Moreau had been induced to conspire by an envious 
 wife. Napoleon bore a flattering testimony to Josephine, 
 when he cried : " Not every man has as good a wife 
 as I ! " He was right, Josephine was good, and she 
 proved it by pleading for Polignac's pardon, which was 
 finally granted, to the great relief of the royalist party. 
 
 The plot, however, had further fatal consequences ; 
 for it so roused Napoleon's suspicions and anger, that he 
 determined to end all future attempts of a similar nature 
 by seizing and executing the Duke of Enghien, a mem- 
 ber of the royal family, who was then in Germany. A 
 troop of dragoons, therefore, crossed the frontier one 
 night, seized the unsuspecting Duke in bed, and con- 
 veyed him to Vincennes. Tried there by a special jury, 
 he was executed immediately, although he protested to 
 the last that he had no designs against the First Consul's 
 life, and begged to be allowed to see him. 
 
 Josephine, who often guessed her husband's thoughts, 
 discovered this plan, and vainly tried to induce him to 
 give up all thought of arresting the Duke, because she 
 rightly felt that such a deed of treachery would smirch 
 his fame for ever. On the way to Malmaison, on Sun- 
 day afternoon, she told Madame de Remusat that the 
 
 75 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Consul intended to arrest the Duke, and when this court 
 lady saw Napoleon plant a cypress on the morrow, she 
 thought the tree singularly appropriate to the time. The 
 news of the Duke's capture and arrival at Vincennes 
 made Madame de Remusat turn so pale that Napoleon* 
 abruptly asked her why she did not use rouge, and when 
 she indifferently answered that she had forgotten to bring 
 any, he laughingly declared that Josephine would never 
 be guilty of such an oversight, and gave vent to the 
 strange aphorism : " Two things are eminently becoming 
 to a woman, rouge and tears." 
 
 Josephine, as we have seen, had thoroughly accustomed 
 him to rouge, and now, in her distress lest he might carry 
 out his purpose and kill the Duke, fell down on her 
 knees before him and tried the power of tears. But 
 Napoleon would not heed her, and, roughly pushing her 
 away, reiterated fiercely : " Mind your own business. 
 This is none of woman's business ! " 
 
 But although he could thus silence the wife who feared 
 nothing so much as his displeasure, he could not check 
 her tears, which flowed more freely than ever when a 
 messenger brought her the Duke's last letter, and a token 
 which he could trust no one else to deliver so safely to 
 the lady he loved. 
 
 Although some authorities claim that Napoleon's sub- 
 ordinates were over-hasty, and that the Duke's life would 
 have been spared had the First Consul's orders been 
 rightly executed. Napoleon himself justifies the deed in 
 his will. But he was very gloomy in those days at 
 Malmaison, and after a dinner where Josephine wept 
 incessantly, and where no one uttered a word, he cal- 
 lously dismissed the whole subject, saying : " At least, 
 they will see we are not to be trifled with, and I hope 
 they will henceforth leave us alone ! " 
 
 76 
 
Josephine 
 
 Under such circumstances, the sojourn at Malmaison 
 proved anything but enjoyable; but Josephine greatly 
 dreaded the return to Paris, and constantly wondered 
 how the news would be received by the country at large, 
 since even Napoleon's flatterers seemed struck dumb. 
 This thought secretly troubled Napoleon also ; but, strange 
 to relate, the execution caused so little sensation at the 
 time, that Talleyrand, who later condemned the deed, 
 and professed the utmost devotion to the royal family, 
 gave a brilliant ball three days after the tragic event. 
 Many aristocrats were present at this entertainment, but 
 the Consular party remained quietly at Malmaison until 
 the next Sunday, when they attended Mass in the Tui- 
 leries as usual, but Napoleon gave no sign of feeling, 
 although closely watched. 
 
 His inward trepidation was perceptible, however, at 
 his next public appearance at the opera, for, contrary to 
 his usual custom, he waited for Josephine before show- 
 ing himself in the front part of his box, and when he 
 did step forward with her, it was with as set a face as if 
 about to storm an enemy's battery. Josephine, ghastly 
 pale beneath her rouge, trembled visibly, but instead of 
 the hisses both fully expected, they were greeted with 
 such enthusiastic applause that they felt deeply relieved. 
 About a week later, that Senate proposed that Napoleon 
 should assume the crown ; and when he and his household 
 removed to St. Cloud for the rest of the summer, it was 
 to prepare for the new parts they were soon to play as 
 Emperor and Empress, such a title being deemed best 
 fitted to rulers who owed their elevation to the army. 
 
 The days of preparation at St. Cloud were fraught 
 with excitement and heartburnings, for all the courtiers 
 were anxious for titles, places, and emoluments, and 
 Napoleon had no small task to satisfy even the members 
 
 77 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 of his own family. Lucien and Jerome, having con- 
 tracted marriages which he considered beneath the family 
 dignity, and obstinately refusing to give up their wives, 
 were simply disowned, although Josephine interceded 
 warmly in behalf of the brothers-in-law who had treated 
 her so badly. In fact, she begged so hard that, although 
 Napoleon would not yield, he kissed her, exclaiming : 
 " You are a good woman to plead for them ! " Then, 
 full of his grievance, he added : " It is hard to find in 
 one's own family such resistance to high interests. I 
 shall henceforth have to stand alone and depend on my- 
 self only. Well, I can get along without them, and 
 Josephine will comfort me for all the rest ! " 
 
 After this quarrel, Lucien went off to Italy with his 
 mother, who sided with him in this affair. Lacking 
 children of his own, yet anxious to settle the important 
 question of succession. Napoleon now proposed to adopt 
 the son of Louis and Hortense ; but this raised a storm 
 of opposition in his family, and even Louis declared he 
 would never consent, either because he still resented 
 the rumour which ascribed this child to Napoleon, and 
 feared to confirm it by consenting, or because he would 
 not relinquish all hopes of wearing the crown himself. 
 When Napoleon insisted, he therefore vehemently re- 
 plied : " No, I will never consent to it, and rather than 
 bow down before my own son, I will leave France and 
 take Napoleon with me, and we will see whether 
 you dare rob a father of his child in the face of the 
 world ! " 
 
 Such opposition as this was insurmountable for the 
 present ; so the Senate, at Napoleon's request, duly an- 
 nounced that the imperial title would descend to Napo- 
 leon's offspring, and, in default of heirs to his body, to 
 his adopted son, or to Joseph and Louis Bonaparte 
 
 78 
 
Josephine 
 
 and their children, the two other brothers being formally 
 excluded from the succession. 
 
 These were also trying times for Josephine, for not 
 only was she drawn into all the disputes, and called upon 
 to sympathise with all parties in turn, but her tact was 
 constantly required to smooth out differences. Besides, 
 her own heart was sorely oppressed, for, being a royalist, 
 it did not seem right to her that Napoleon should occupy 
 the throne, and she was again haunted by the dread that, 
 once crowned, he would repudiate her, to secure both a 
 princely alliance and an heir to his power. Her most 
 serious trouble, however, was a new fancy of Napoleon's 
 for a court lady, which so roused Josephine's jealousy, 
 that she rashly incurred her husband's anger. 
 
 Indeed, it seemed for awhile as if the Bonapartes' 
 machinations would yet prevail, and Josephine be di- 
 vorced even before she had ascended the throne, and it 
 was then that Hortense said to Madame de Remusat : 
 " My mother has been very imprudent ; she is going to 
 lose a crown, but at least she will have peace." Hor- 
 tense was, however, mistaken, for Josephine's tears and 
 submissive behaviour so entirely disarmed Napoleon's 
 wrath that he declared that while he hoped she would 
 be brave enough to spare him all trouble by taking the 
 initiative, should circumstances ever require it, he would 
 never be able to part with her as long as she remained 
 so affectionate and obedient. 
 
 On the 1 8th of May, the Senate formally voted that 
 the title of emperor be awarded to Napoleon, and then 
 all the Senators drove ofF in hot haste to St. Cloud, 
 where Cambaceres, the former second consul, and pres- 
 ent arch-chancellor, formally welcomed, " Napoleon, 
 Emperor of the French." Then, turning to Josephine, 
 he declared that France fully appreciated her goodness, 
 
 79 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 her gentle influence over the head of the state, and the 
 amiable tact which gave a peculiar charm to all she did, 
 and concluded by saying : " The Senate congratulates 
 itself on being the first to greet your Imperial Majesty, 
 and he who has the honour to be its spokesman pre- 
 sumes to hope that you will deign to count him among 
 the number of your most faithful servants." 
 
 This senatorial election, confirmed by a plebiscite 
 giving over three million votes to two thousand five 
 hundred, proved most gratifying to Napoleon, who now 
 proceeded to bestow titles and offices. His two brothers 
 were made princes, and the fact that their wives were 
 styled princesses made Napoleon's sisters clamour for 
 similar titles. He refused at first, but their tears, remon- 
 strances, and fainting fits finally prevailed. Sixteen of 
 his generals received the title of marshal, and as their 
 wives were delighted to see them fill important positions 
 in the imperial court, they joyfully reported that, " Every 
 one is wild with joy in the castle of St. Cloud ! " 
 
 The very next day their Imperial Majesties held their 
 first formal levee at the Tuileries, and gave a family 
 dinner-party to the newly made princes and princesses. 
 But while all the courtiers poured out adulation without 
 stint, a punster called up the ghost of the murdered 
 Duke by slily remarking : " 'T is a fine play, but there 
 are twenty scenes \vingt scenes is pronounced nearly like 
 Vincennes] too many." 
 
 It was only on 14th of July — the anniversary of the 
 taking of the Bastille — that Napoleon appeared in public 
 with all the pomp of his new dignity. After hearing 
 Mass in the Church of the Invalides, he distributed 
 Legion of Honour crosses in the presence of all his court 
 and of a vast concourse of people. Josephine, clad in 
 rose-coloured tulle strewn with silver stars, and crowned 
 
 80 
 
Josephine 
 
 with diamond ears of wheat, was simply dazzling on this 
 occasion, and the grace and affability she displayed made 
 every one declare that " she outshone all the ladies who 
 accompanied her." 
 
 The ceremony over, the new Empress proceeded to 
 Aix-la-Chapelle, to drink the waters there, her husband 
 arranging every particular of her journey, dictating each 
 address she was to make on the way, and prescribing 
 every item of her conduct most minutely.. These in- 
 structions covered more than twenty-one closely written 
 foolscap pages, and throughout the journey Josephine 
 diligently conned these speeches and instructions. 
 While she was drinking the mineral waters at Aix-la- 
 Chapelle, Napoleon inspected his armaments at Calais 
 and Dunkirk, writing her brief, but affectionate letters, 
 in which he said : " I want very much to see you. 
 You are always necessary to my happiness." 
 
 On joining Josephine at Aix-la-Chapelle, where he 
 restored the yearly festival in honour of Charlemagne, 
 Napoleon went with her to visit the mighty emperor's 
 tomb in the cathedral vault. There the priests showed 
 him a small casket, declaring it could only be opened by 
 a man destined to rule the world. To their apparent 
 surprise, and Napoleon's secret gratification, the box 
 flew open at his touch ; but when the same priests tried 
 to win Josephine's favour by offering her Charlemagne's 
 right arm, she gracefully answered that she would never 
 consent to deprive Aix-Ia-Chapelle of so priceless a relic, 
 as she was so fortunate as to be protected by the arm of 
 a man as great as Charlemagne. 
 
 Taking different routes, so as to gratify as many peo- 
 ple as possible by a sight of their pompous retinue, the 
 Emperor and Empress proceeded to Cologne, Bonn, and 
 Coblentz. There, Josephine embarked upon a yacht 
 VOL.1. — 6 8i 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 and sailed up the Rhine, stopping here and there to en- 
 joy the view, and receive the addresses of the various 
 dignitaries of the places she passed. Throughout this 
 trip, she fascinated every one by her charming manners 
 and genuine kindness of heart, and dressed so artistically 
 that she had the secret satisfaction of outshining many 
 younger women, and among them the Princess of Baden, 
 who had been suggested as the most suitable wife for 
 Napoleon, in case of divorce. From Mayence, where a 
 new ovation awaited them, but where Napoleon showed 
 his usual want of consideration by making Josephine 
 attend a ball in spite of a violent sick headache, the Im- 
 perial party journeyed by different roads back to Paris. 
 
 From the moment of their return, they and their court 
 were almost exclusively engrossed by extensive prepara- 
 tions for the coming Coronation, which Napoleon had 
 fully determined to make the finest pageant which had 
 ever been seen, and the question was now mooted 
 whether Josephine should be crowned too. The Bona- 
 partes were all against it, for they had not abandoned all 
 hope of getting rid of her and of the dreaded Beauhar- 
 nais by a divorce. Josephine, on the other hand, was 
 very eager to be crowned, not because she coveted the 
 honour, but because she fancied it would make her po- 
 sition more secure, and effectually prevent any further 
 plans for divorce. As for Napoleon, he was divided be- 
 tween an affectionate desire to gratify Josephine, and a 
 secret conviction that he might yet regret it, for he knew 
 it would be easier to repudiate an uncrowned consort, 
 should he eventually decide to marry again for the sake 
 of an heir. Selfish calculation had already won the day, 
 and the tearful Josephine had been coldly informed that 
 she would have no share in the coming solemnity, when 
 the too openly paraded satisfaction of his brothers and 
 
 82 
 
Josephine 
 
 sisters produced a sudden revulsion, and Napoleon 
 announced a change of mind. 
 
 On the yth of November, 1804, the Emperor called 
 a family and official council at the Tuileries, to regulate 
 every detail of the ceremony ; but here new difficulties 
 arose, his brothers and sisters flatly refusing to carry their 
 Imperial Majesties' trains, as etiquette required. The 
 quarrel raged for six days before a compromise was 
 effected, whereby Napoleon's two brothers consented to 
 support the Emperor's mantle, while his sisters performed 
 the same office for the Empress, on condition that cer- 
 tain officers of their households were detailed to do them 
 honour by carrying their trains. 
 
 Napoleon, who was very dramatic in all his tastes, 
 sent for actors and artists to suggest the best setting for 
 this ceremony, and finally commissioned the painter 
 Isabey to make seven working designs of the principal 
 scenes in the coronation ceremony, so that each partici- 
 pant would know exactly where and how to stand and 
 move. It was next to impossible to execute such a 
 commission satisfactorily in the given space of time ; so 
 the artist cleverly substituted a huge ground plan of the 
 cathedral, upon which he grouped a hundred or more 
 dolls, dressed to represent the various dignitaries. This 
 device charmed the Emperor, who made all his court 
 study the grouping and attitude of the puppets, until all 
 knew perfectly each detail of the part they were to play 
 in the great pageant. Even coachmen, horses, grooms, 
 pages, and guards were made to practise their various 
 parts, driving over the whole course in the appointed 
 order, so that there might not be even the slightest hitch 
 in the glorious performance. 
 
 Meantime, jewellers, dressmakers, tailors, armourers, 
 carriage-makers, saddlers, etc., were all hard at work, for 
 
 83 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 no expense was spared to make this a most brilliant 
 spectacle, the people being all agog with curiosity, and 
 particularly pleased by the fact that the Pope was coming 
 to Paris in person for the ceremony. Toward the end 
 of the month, under pretence of hunting, the Imperial 
 court was transferred to Fontainebleau, and there Na- 
 poleon met Pius VII. at the cross-roads, on the 25th of 
 November. Dismounting from his steed, the Emperor 
 advanced toward the papal carriage, and the aged prelate 
 was compelled to step out in the mud, although he rue- 
 fully glanced at his white garb and slippers before doing 
 so. The first greetings exchanged, a carriage drove up, 
 forcing its way, as if by accident, between the imperial 
 and papal parties in such a manner that the Pope and 
 Emperor were separated. They, therefore, entered the 
 vehicle simultaneously from opposite sides, thus settling 
 the vexed question of precedence. This was a clever 
 device on the part of the Emperor, who, while wishing to 
 show every courtesy to his reverend guest, was childishly 
 unwilling at any time to allow any one to precede him. 
 
 Driving thus, side by side, they arrived at the castle, 
 where Josephine stood on the steps to welcome her 
 guest, and receive the apostolic blessing. The next day 
 the Pope gave her a private audience, and, learning that 
 her marriage still lacked Heaven's sanction, promised to 
 use his influence to make Napoleon consent to a relig- 
 ious ceremony before the coronation took place. On 
 the 29th of November, the court set out for Paris, the 
 Pope and Emperor riding side by side in the same car- 
 riage, escorted by the magnificent Mameluck guards. 
 Thus they passed through the throng to the Tuileries, 
 where the Pope and his suite were lodged in the Flora 
 Pavilion. There the Holy Father held daily receptions, 
 and when the weather prevented his going out for the 
 
 84 
 
Josephine 
 
 drive, in the course of which he blessed the kneeling 
 people, the crowd was admitted into the Gallery of 
 Apollo, where the Pope moved slowly between two dense 
 rows of ardent Roman Catholics. 
 
 Although it was customary for a sovereign to receive 
 communion in public at his coronation, Napoleon re- 
 fused to do so, saying it would be an act of rank hypoc- 
 risy on his part. He was, however, forced to yield to 
 another religious ceremony; for the Pope absolutely 
 refused to consecrate Josephine for coronation unless 
 the Church first sanctioned their union. In deference 
 to the Emperor's wishes, however, this ceremony was 
 performed only at midnight, on the eve of the corona- 
 tion, and so secretly that people doubted for years whether 
 it had really taken place. This marriage was performed 
 by Cardinal Fesch, Napoleon's uncle, and witnessed by 
 Berthier and Talleyrand, the priest of the parish being 
 absent, although his presence was later declared indis- 
 pensable to make the contract binding. Josephine, over- 
 joyed to have her wish fulfilled at last, notwithstanding 
 Napoleon's evident reluctance, wept so profusely that 
 her eyes were still red the next morning, and she care- 
 fully hoarded the certificate, little suspecting the fatal flaw 
 which made it null. 
 
 That self-same night, another religious ceremony was 
 taking place at Notre Dame, where red lights blazed 
 on the tall towers, for General de Segur held solemn 
 vigil over the imperial insigniae which had been laid on 
 the altar. This was no small honour or responsibility, 
 for the precious stones adorning these ornaments were 
 invaluable from historic association, aside from their in- 
 trinsic worth. He must, therefore, have rejoiced to see 
 day dawn without accident, although the 2nd of Decem- 
 ber, 1804, proved bitterly cold and very misty. 
 
 85 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 To prolong the procession, and prevent any confusion, 
 it had been arranged that the papal cortege would leave 
 the Tuileries at nine ; so long before that hour, the 
 people took up their stations in the street to see it 
 pass. The Pope was escorted by troops and Church 
 dignitaries, and preceded by a monk on a white mule, 
 bearing aloft a huge cross. The Pope himself sat in 
 a state carriage, drawn by eight dapple-grey steeds, bless- 
 ing the people on either hand as he passed slowly on to 
 Notre Dame. 
 
 Meantime, the court assembled for Napoleon's in- 
 spection at the Tuileries. The Emperor himself was 
 clad in white velvet, embroidered with gold, his crim- 
 son doublet and cloak fastened by diamond buttons, 
 while a flashing aigrette held the plumes in his black vel- 
 vet toque. Josephine wore a marvellous robe of silver 
 tissue, embroidered with gold, her white neck being set 
 off by an elegant " fraise " of jewelled lace, and her head 
 crowned with innumerable short curls and a diadem in 
 which the crown fitted exactly, as Napoleon had care- 
 fully ascertained the day before. Aside from the diadem 
 and crown, which represented an almost fabulous sum of 
 money, she also wore diamond earrings, a necklace, and 
 a belt which made her seem ablaze with jewels. This 
 costly apparel was so becoming, that the court ladies tell 
 us she looked only twenty-five, although she was in real- 
 ity already past forty when crowned. 
 
 Napoleon's brothers and sisters were so gorgeous in 
 their court array, that he looked at them with undis- 
 guised admiration, and, unable to restrain his exultation, 
 proudly exclaimed : " Ah, Joseph ! if our father could 
 only see us ! " But the dead father was not the only 
 member of the family missing on this occasion, for 
 Lucien and Jerome were still in disgrace because they 
 
 86 
 
Josephine 
 
 would not repudiate their plebeian wives, and Madame 
 Laetitia had refused to grace the ceremony from which 
 they were debarred. 
 
 Legend states that when all the court was assembled 
 and ready to start. Napoleon suddenly perceived the 
 lawyer who had objected to his marriage with Jose- 
 phine, and archly pointing to his toque and the sword 
 in whose hilt the magnificent " Regent " blazed, tri- 
 umphantly remarked : " Well, Monsieur Raguideau, 
 here 's the hat and sword ! " 
 
 It was half-past ten when the Imperial cortege finally 
 started. Napoleon and Josephine stepping into their won- 
 derful glass coach, which rested on richly chased gilt 
 wheels, and was surmounted by an imperial crown and 
 four gilt eagles. Josephine had scarcely seated herself 
 in this sumptuous carriage, when she perceived that she 
 had made a mistake, and laughingly changed places, bid- 
 ding Napoleon imitate her unless he preferred to ride 
 backward like a man condemned to the gallows ! (This 
 mistake, which only caused amusement at the time, was 
 later regarded as one of the bad omens which marred this 
 solemn occasion.) When the Emperor and Empress 
 were duly seated, Joseph and Louis took their places 
 opposite them, and as the coach moved slowly out of 
 the gate, drawn by its eight steeds covered with rich hous- 
 ings, it was greeted by deafening cheers. The proces- 
 sion, consisting of twenty regiments of cavalry and 
 eighteen six-horse carriages full of court dignitaries, 
 slowly passed across the Carrousel, up the rue de Ri- 
 voli, across the Pont au Change, and as the dazzling im- 
 perial coach drew up before the archiepiscopal palace, the 
 sun suddenly burst through the clouds. 
 
 This happy coincidence gave new zest to the cheers, 
 for every one considered it a good omen ; besides, the 
 
 87 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 warm sunshine was very welcome to people who had 
 been standing on the cold pavement for hours, and were 
 grateful for any warmth. They were not the only ones 
 to suffer from the cold, however, for all the court ladies 
 were bare-necked and scantily clothed, and it was for- 
 tunate that Josephine was carefully painted, for she 
 would else have appeared blue with the cold, the only 
 provision for her comfort in the imperial coach being a 
 small rug of white fur spread under her daintily shod 
 feet. 
 
 At the archiepiscopal palace, Josephine donned her im- 
 perial mantle of crimson velvet, heavily embroidered with 
 gold and lined with ermine, and there, too, Napoleon ex- 
 changed his court costume for the coronation garb of white 
 satin, and an imperial mantle, which, while it greatly resem- 
 bled Josephine's, was even richer than hers, and weighed 
 no less than eighty pounds. The procession was formed 
 and about to enter the cathedral, when Josephine sud- 
 denly dropped her ring, which Eugene found and restored, 
 but whose temporary loss was subsequently considered 
 another evil omen. The ushers, heralds, pages, masters 
 of ceremonies, and dignitaries bearing the Empress' in- 
 signiae slowly advanced in picturesque groups ten feet 
 apart, and were followed by Josephine, escorted on either 
 hand by squire and chamberlain, while her sisters-in- 
 law supported her imperial mantle. These ladies were 
 followed by the officers of their households bearing their 
 trains ; then came the Empress' ladies of honour, and the 
 state dignitaries carrying Napoleon's insigniae. 
 
 The Emperor himself walked proudly alone, his 
 mantle supported by his two brothers, and by Cambaceres 
 and Lebrun, who had been second and third consuls, 
 but were now arch-chancellor and arch-treasurer of the 
 new Empire. Next came court dignitaries, state offi- 
 
 88 
 
Josephine 
 
 cials, ministers, officers, etc., all in gala uniform, and 
 fairly blazing with decorations and gold lace. This 
 glittering cortege slowly moved up the aisle of the huge 
 church, which was all hung with crimson and gold, and 
 brilliantly illuminated by innumerable candles. The 
 Pope and clergy, picturesquely grouped near the altar, 
 awaited the coming of this procession ; and when their 
 Imperial Majesties had taken their places on a small 
 platform, Pius VII. solemnly intoned the Veni Creator. 
 During this part of the ceremony, the Emperor con- 
 signed his hand of justice, sceptre, crown, sword, and 
 mantle to the appointed dignitaries, who laid them on 
 the altar. Then Josephine gave her ring, mantle, and 
 crown to her officers, to be disposed of in a similar 
 way. 
 
 After the Emperor had taken his oath, he and Jose- 
 phine knelt side by side on their crimson, gold-embroid- 
 ered cushions, while the priests sang the litany. They 
 were next led to the altar, solemnly anointed by the 
 Pope, and duly escorted back to their seats. But the 
 grand musical Mass was again interrupted at the 
 " Gradual," for the blessing of the imperial ornaments, 
 and their Majesties, advancing once more to the altar, 
 received these emblems, one by one, from the hands of 
 the Pope himself, donning them with the help of their 
 attendants. The Emperor had received all his attributes, 
 save the crown, which the Pope slowly raised, expecting 
 to place it upon the imperial head. But Napoleon, who 
 had been watching for this moment, suddenly made a 
 step forward, took the crown from the aged prelate's 
 hands, and, facing the immense audience, proudly and 
 deliberately crowned himself! At that very moment, a 
 tiny stone fell from the vault high above him, striking 
 his head with considerable force ; but he paid no heed to 
 
 89 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 the accident, which was perceived by very few, although 
 one spectator managed to secure and preserve the stone 
 as souvenir of this bad omen. 
 
 Napoleon, having thus crowned himself, now pro- 
 ceeded to do the same for Josephine, who, advancing 
 slowly, gracefully sank down on her knees before him, 
 with clasped hands and a bent face, making such an ex- 
 quisite picture that none who saw it could ever forget 
 it. Napoleon, touched by her attitude, gently fitted the 
 crown upon her head, lingering over his task " as if 
 promising it would rest lightly " upon the brow of the 
 woman he loved. 
 
 Both being crowned, now proceeded, in the same order 
 as they had entered, toward the great throne erected 
 against the main door of the cathedral. There was, 
 ho<vever, a slight delay at this point, for the haughty 
 princesses suddenly hung back, and only resumed their 
 office of mantle-bearers when sharply called to order by 
 Napoleon. But their help was so grudgingly given, that 
 Josephine felt as if they were pulling her backward, and she 
 almost rolled down the steep steps leading to the throne. 
 Napoleon, holding his sceptre and hand of justice, and 
 further embarrassed by his unwonted long robes, also 
 experienced some difficulty ; but both finally reached their 
 thrones safely, where they received the Pope's blessing. 
 This was followed by deafening cheers from the audience, 
 while booming cannons announced abroad that " Na- 
 poleon, Emperor of the French, was crowned and 
 enthroned." 
 
 A few minutes later, the glittering procession again 
 swept through the church toward the altar, for the Te 
 Deum. and the Offertory, their Majesties' crowns being 
 temporarily removed by their attendants at the Elevation 
 of the Host. When Mass was finally over, and the 
 
 90 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 Emperor had duly sworn to respect the constitution, the 
 Imperial party went back to the archiepiscopal palace, 
 from whence they drove back to the Tuileries, so slowly, 
 that it was half-past six before they arrived there, and a 
 good part of the journey had to be accomplished by 
 torch light. 
 
 Once home, Napoleon impatiently removed his state 
 trappings to resume his wonted uniform ; but he playfully 
 insisted upon Josephine retaining her becoming apparel 
 for their tete-a-tete dinner. In fact, his mood was so 
 merry that evening, that he gallantly informed the court 
 ladies that they owed him thanks for affording them so 
 fine a chance to display their charms and good taste, and 
 was far more complimentary than usual. 
 
 The coronation ceremony was followed by a series of 
 public and private entertainments, which made that win- 
 ter the gayest the capital had ever seen. Popular fetes 
 with games and feasting, military pageants, illuminations, 
 gala representations, balls, and receptions, followed each 
 other with bewildering rapidity, and the Emperor and 
 Empress were received everywhere with extravagant 
 demonstrations of joy. Almost the only drawback was 
 the pouring rain which marred the distribution of the 
 eagles to the troops on the Champ de Mars. Both their 
 Majesties appeared there in imperial state ; but Josephine 
 had to withdraw long before the end of the ceremony, 
 for the water began to drip through the dais above her 
 head and threatened to ruin her beautiful gown. Napo- 
 leon's sister Caroline alone remained at her post, although 
 she had a puddle of water in her lap before the ceremony 
 concluded ; but she laughingly averred that she was only 
 learning her trade, as all princesses must be trained to 
 endure the greatest discomfort with a pleasant smile on 
 their lips. 
 
 91 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 The city of Paris gave their Majesties a magnificent 
 banquet and ball, presenting Josephine with an elabo- 
 rate toilet service of massive gold, and giving Napoleon a 
 fine table service of silver gilt plate. But while the Im- 
 perial party was feasting in the City Hall, the people held 
 high revelry on the square, where the municipality pro- 
 vided food for all, and where the fountains flowed with 
 beer and wine. The marshals' ball, given soon after at 
 the Opera House, was equally magnificent, for each of 
 those newly appointed officers contributed ten thousand 
 francs, and every device was used to insure a brilliant 
 success. 
 
 Besides Isabey's famous cartoons, one of the most 
 interesting mementos of the Coronation now extant is 
 doubtless the huge painting which is said to contain about 
 one hundred portraits. David, who had helped arrange 
 the pageant, had been commissioned to commemorate 
 it, and, the choice being left to him, he selected the 
 moment when Napoleon crowned Josephine. The 
 picture was greatly admired, but when one critic ven- 
 tured to remark that Josephine was made to appear too 
 young, the artist slily retorted : " Well, go and tell 
 her so ! " 
 
 As soon as this huge painting was finished. Napoleon 
 came to view it, and after a prolonged, silent examina- 
 tion, he approached the anxious painter and said : " Well 
 done, David, very well done. You seized my whole 
 intention, you have represented me as a French knight. 
 I am much obliged to you for thus transmitting to com- 
 ing centuries the proof of affection I wished to bestow 
 upon the one who shares with me the cares of the gov- 
 ernment." Then, removing his hat and bowing low, 
 Napoleon added impressively : " David, I salute you ! " 
 
 The picture which elicited such praise from Napoleon 
 92 
 
Josephine 
 
 is, however, inaccurate in some respects, for Madame 
 Lastitia, who occupies the centre of the background, 
 was not present. 
 
 The Coronation having taken place, imperial etiquette 
 was strictly maintained. Napoleon regulating every detail 
 with military precision. Josephine now had an exten- 
 sive " household," for besides her first lady-in-waiting, 
 Madame de la Rochefoucault, she had seventeen other 
 ladies to attend her in turn. They all found her a 
 gentle, amiable mistress, and her reader declared : " I 
 don't think there ever existed a better tempered or 
 gentler-natured woman." This excessive good nature, 
 however, degenerated into weakness ; for Josephine, as 
 we have seen, could never refuse a gift or favour, and 
 was so lavish that she often spent far more than even 
 her large allowance would warrant. 
 
 Besides, people presumed upon her good-nature, and 
 shortly after her coronation, for instance, induced her to 
 plead for pardon for a man who had murdered his wife 
 in a fit of jealousy. Josephine, therefore, attacked Napo- 
 leon, finally using the argument that he must grant this 
 favour as it was the first she asked of the Emperor. 
 But Napoleon still refused, explaining his reasons for 
 doing so, and proudly added : " When it is known that 
 even your persuasions could not induce me to commit 
 an act of injustice, no one will henceforth dare to 
 petition me for such a purpose." 
 
 The brilliant winter of 1805 ended with the baptism 
 of Hortense's two young sons at St. Cloud; and soon 
 after, the Pope departed, joining the Imperial party again 
 at Lyons for the celebration of Easter. Josephine had 
 little time to prepare for this journey, her first intima- 
 tion of their departure being Napoleon's midnight order : 
 « Horses at six for Italy." In spite of this short notice, 
 
 93 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 however, she was ready in time, for she prided herself 
 upon never keeping any one waiting half a minute, when 
 punctuality depended upon her alone, and often said : 
 " Punctuality is true politeness, especially in the great." 
 
 The journey proved most enjoyable, for although 
 Napoleon had not taken her into his confidence, all his 
 preparations had been carefully made in advance, includ- 
 ing the transportation of her suite and luggage, which 
 he laughingly declared was a more serious problem than 
 the removal of the artillery of a whole division of the 
 grand army. After a series of ovations, and a brief 
 visit at Brienne, the Imperial party reached Mont Cenis, 
 where they found elegant sedan-chairs awaiting them, 
 in which they were carried over the mountain ; and 
 when they reached Marengo they celebrated the fifth 
 anniversary of the battle, by laying the corner-stone of 
 a monument to Desaix. Napoleon here gave Josephine 
 the sight of a sham battle, admirably described in one of 
 the most thrilling chapters of Xaintine's " Picciola." 
 
 On the morrow. Napoleon met his brother Jerome at 
 Alexandra, and having prevailed upon him to repudiate 
 his young American wife, at last deigned to restore him 
 to favour. Then Napoleon and Josephine passed on 
 to Milan, where a new ovation awaited them, and where, 
 from a gallery in the magnificent cathedral, Josephine 
 saw her husband raise the iron crown of Lombardy to 
 his head, and heard the thrilling tone in which he uttered 
 the time-honoured : " God has given it to me, woe to 
 him who touches it ! " 
 
 Although Josephine was not crowned Queen of Italy, 
 she had a full share of all the honours showered upon 
 her husband, appearing everywhere with the grace and 
 affability which had won the Italians' hearts when she 
 was only the wife of General Bonaparte. At the Brera 
 
 94 
 
Josephine 
 
 Exposition, she and Napoleon greatly admired Canova's 
 Hebe, which they purchased for Malmaison, and his fine 
 statue of Clement XIII. ; but such a throng had collected 
 there to see them, that an old man was knocked down, 
 and when Josephine compassionately raised him with her 
 own hands, the impressionable crowd almost went mad 
 with joy. 
 
 On the 7th of June, Josephine had a new gratification, 
 for Eugene de Beauharnais was appointed viceroy of 
 Italy, amid the deafening cheers of the people, whom 
 this choice delighted. The only drawback to the Em- 
 press' pleasure over this appointment, was the thought that 
 she would be parted from this beloved son. Napoleon, 
 finding her weeping over this prospect, added, however, a 
 new pang to her sorrow by remarking sadly : " If the 
 absence of your children causes you such grief, judge of 
 my feelings. The affection you display for them, makes 
 me feel very keenly the misfortune of having none of 
 my own." 
 
 After establishing his sister Eliza in the principality 
 of Lucca and Piombino, Napoleon returned to Turin 
 with Josephine, where they had recently taken leave 
 of the Pope ; and hearing that a new coalition was 
 forming, and war would soon be declared, the Imperial 
 couple suddenly hastened back to France. Such was 
 the speed with which they travelled, that their suite and 
 baggage could not keep up with them, and water had to 
 be thrown upon the smoking axles at every relay. But 
 even this rate of speed seemed too slow for Napoleon, 
 who constantly thrust his head out of the window, 
 crying : " On ! on ! we do not move ! " Posting thus 
 at full speed, they arrived at Fontainebleau unex- 
 pectedly, after an absence of one hundred days, and 
 while the caretaker of the palace improvised a meal 
 
 95 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 for them, Josephine borrowed a change of linen from 
 her former chambermaid. 
 
 The next day, the Imperial couple drove on to St. 
 Cloud ; and when they appeared at the Opera that even- 
 ing, their return was hailed with extravagant delight by 
 the Parisians. Josephine spent the main part of that 
 summer at St. Cloud, entertaining incessantly, and en- 
 joying frequent visits from her daughter and two small 
 grandsons ; while the Emperor diligently continued his 
 preparations for war. But, one evening, he abruptly 
 remarked to Josephine : " You have played the part of 
 Empress long enough, now you must again become the 
 wife of a general. I am going to leave immediately, and 
 I will take you with me to Strasburg." 
 
 This decision was gladly welcomed by Josephine, 
 because she knew that she would thus sooner receive 
 news from him during the campaign. But the letters 
 she got at Strasburg, although anxiously expected and 
 eagerly read, were not by far as affectionate as those 
 she had received from Italy, and laughed over, nine 
 years before. Napoleon wrote that he was never so 
 well and happy as when exposed to the turmoils and 
 hardships of war ; but Josephine longed for peace, because 
 her tender heart ached at the thought of the suffering 
 each battle entailed, and because she was sad and lonely 
 without her husband. 
 
 But although she begged permission to share the 
 Emperor's fatigues and perils, he would not allow her 
 to do so, and bade her go instead to Baden, Stuttgart, 
 and Munich, where, he said, she must accept every 
 homage, " For they owe you everything, and you owe 
 them nothing but courtesy." 
 
 Josephine eagerly welcomed this opportunity to draw 
 nearer to the man she loved, and set out with her suite, 
 
 96 
 
Josephine 
 
 enjoying all the adulation she received, but anxiously 
 watching for tidings of the next battle. They reached 
 her late one evening, Napoleon's messenger having 
 ridden one hundred and fifty miles in twelve hours, to 
 bring her the news of the victory of Austerlitz, the cul- 
 minating point of his military glory. Josephine, whose 
 keen ears had caught the first sound of hoof-beats, ran 
 out to meet the messenger, and in her delight rewarded 
 him with a diamond ring which she drew from her own 
 finger. 
 
 The next day, the happy tidings were confirmed by 
 a letter from Napoleon, and by the time Josephine 
 reached Munich, rumours were already afloat that the 
 Emperor was arranging a marriage between Eugene and 
 Princess Augusta of Bavaria. The demands of society 
 and a slight indisposition having prevented Josephine 
 from writing as fully and frequently as usual during this 
 journey. Napoleon addressed her the following playful 
 remonstrance : — 
 
 " Great Empress, no letter from you since your 
 departure from Strasburg. You have passed through 
 Baden, Stuttgart, and Munich without writing us a 
 word. That is neither very kind nor very loving." 
 Then, after briefly giving her the news, he concluded 
 in the same strain, saying, " Deign, from the height of 
 your grandeur, to vouchsafe a little attention to your 
 slaves." 
 
 On the last day of that eventful year. Napoleon 
 entered Munich by torchlight, and on the morrow 
 solemnly proclaimed Maximilian Joseph, King of 
 Bavaria. Four days later, he wrote to his stepson, bid- 
 ding him join him as soon as possible at Munich, but 
 giving him no hint of the reason for summoning him 
 VOL. I. — 7 97 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 thither. Eugene, travelling night and day, reached 
 Munich early one morning before his mother had risen, 
 and was immediately ushered into Napoleon's presence. 
 Knowing how happy Josephine would be to hear of her 
 son's safe arrival, one of her women hastened to an- 
 nounce his coming ; but when Josephine heard that her 
 son had gone to Napoleon first, she burst into jealous 
 tears, which only ceased when the door was flung wide 
 open and Napoleon entered with Eugene, exclaiming 
 soothingly : " There, madame, there is your big booby 
 of a son. I am bringing him to you myself ! " 
 
 Josephine's " big booby," a handsome, noble-hearted, 
 dashing young soldier of twenty-four, was now informed 
 of his stepfather's plans. But although it seemed 
 somewhat strange that his bride should have consented 
 to the marriage nine days before he knew anything 
 about it, he was too heart-whole to object. Josephine, 
 watching the two young people carefully, was further 
 delighted to see how favourably they impressed one 
 another, and when the wedding took place eleven days 
 later, she could congratulate her son upon having com- 
 bined a love-match with a political alliance. Her joy 
 over this marriage and unexpected reunion was, besides, 
 enhanced by the fact that Napoleon now publicly adopted 
 Eugene, giving him his own name, and promising that 
 he should inherit the crown of Italy. 
 
 The wedding festivities over, the young people went 
 to Milan, while Napoleon and Josephine returned to 
 France, where they were welcomed with greater enthusi- 
 asm than ever, for the victory of Austerlitz had greatly 
 enhanced the national glory. The return of their 
 Majesties was the signal for new festivities, which cul- 
 minated in the spring with the marriage of Stephanie de 
 Beauharnais, Josephine's niece, whom Napoleon adopted 
 
 98 
 
Josephine 
 
 before marrying her to the Prince of Baden. This was 
 a new occasion for heartburnings, for Napoleon's sisters 
 resented the fact that precedence should be given to the 
 Emperor's adopted daughter, and Josephine found him 
 far too attentive to so young and charming a princess. 
 Still, she dared not show her jealousy, for she was glad 
 to further the interests of the Beauharnais family, and 
 fully enjoyed appearing with her husband on the Tui- 
 leries balcony, in all the bravery of her imperial state, to 
 present the newly married couple to a cheering crowd. 
 
 This marriage was soon followed by a reception of 
 the Turkish embassy, which brought Josephine beautiful 
 pearls and priceless Eastern stuffs, and by the official 
 reception of the Dutch envoys, who offered the crown 
 of Holland to Louis and Hortense. But although 
 Josephine was proud to think her son and daughter 
 were ruling over the kingdoms of Italy and of Holland, 
 she nevertheless missed their presence sorely. Besides, 
 she knew how regretfully Hortense left the congenial 
 society of Parisian artists and writers, to follow her 
 morose husband into a country where people and language 
 seemed equally strange. She also mourned parting with 
 her grandchildren, both of whom she idolised; while 
 Napoleon centred all his affections upon the eldest, a 
 remarkably bright child of three. This boy showed a 
 strange preference for his august uncle, although the 
 latter teased him unmercifully at times, and was never 
 so pleased as when he had roused the spirited child's 
 anger or resistance. 
 
 Josephine tried to keep in touch with Hortense by 
 a lively correspondence, wherein she revealed all her 
 maternal tenderness, and her strange dependence upon 
 the stronger character of her daughter. She was, however, 
 to see Hortense again much sooner than she expected, 
 
 99 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 for, a new war having broken out against Russia and 
 Prussia, Napoleon arranged that Hortense and Stephanie 
 should meet Josephine at Mayence, and keep her com- 
 pany there, while their husbands joined him with their 
 armies. 
 
 Finding that he must start sooner than expected, 
 Napoleon suddenly determined to leave the Tuileries 
 without warning Josephine, who, discovering his inten- 
 tion at the last minute, ran down to his carriage half 
 dressed, clinging so passionately to him that he could not 
 leave her behind. He, therefore, gave a few hasty orders, 
 and rolling her up in his travelling rug, drove quickly 
 away. This tete-a-tete journey proved most enjoyable 
 to Josephine ; but when the moment of parting came, 
 Napoleon was moved to tears and almost fainted at the 
 sight of his wife's great grief. 
 
 Josephine, left at Mayence with her suite, beguiled 
 the time in the congenial society of her daughter and 
 niece, eagerly watching for her husband's brief letters, 
 wherein he stated that while all was going well for him, 
 the hapless Queen of Prussia would soon have the " cruel 
 pleasure " of witnessing a battle. Josephine, who was 
 as credulous as most Creoles of her time, was telling fort- 
 unes by cards, and had just predicted, " Great news, in- 
 credible victory," twice in succession, when a messenger 
 arrived from Jena, with a letter from Napoleon, saying : 
 
 " My dear Josephine : we have overtaken the Prussian 
 army, it no longer exists. I am well and press you to 
 my heart." 
 
 This strange coincidence so delighted her that she 
 triumphantly exclaimed : " Well, will you believe in my 
 cards, after this ! " 
 
 Napoleon's subsequent letters were almost equally 
 brief bulletins of health and success ; but while he seemed 
 
 lOO 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 to think of nothing but glory, she pitied the vanquished, 
 and gently reproached her husband for mentioning un- 
 happy Queen Louise in slighting terms. Napoleon an- 
 swered this letter by a compliment which pleased her 
 greatly, for he said : " I have received your letter in 
 which you seem to reproach me for speaking ill of 
 women. The truth is, I hate a scheming woman above 
 all things. I am used to good, sweet, conciliating 
 women, those are the ones I love. If they have spoiled 
 me, it is none of my fault, but yours." Then he went 
 on to tell her how he had given Madame de Hatzfelt 
 leave to burn the only tangible proof of her husband's 
 treachery, — posing as a magnanimous man, although 
 history claims that Hatzfelt could never have been justly 
 sentenced to death on this evidence, — and concluded his 
 letter with the words : " So you see, I love good, sweet, 
 simple women, because those only are like you." 
 
 Prussia was conquered ; but peace had not yet been 
 signed, and as it seemed as if the war might carry him 
 still further away, Josephine entreated to be allowed to 
 join him. For a time Napoleon encouraged her to be- 
 lieve they might soon meet ; but he finally announced 
 that he must go on to Poland, and that it was entirely 
 out of the question that she should travel so far at the 
 beginning of winter. This decision was a severe blow 
 to Josephine, who feared that a prolonged absence would 
 weaken her influence, and who was further disquieted by 
 rumours of Napoleon's unveiled admiration for the hand- 
 some Polish women. But although he vowed he was 
 flattered by her jealousy, and had no time to ascertain 
 whether the Polish women were pretty or not, he was 
 deceiving Josephine, who suited him so well that he had 
 fully determined not to divorce her until he was quite 
 sure he could become a father. Urged on by evil 
 
 lOI 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 counsellors, ever ready to help him gratify each passing 
 fancy, however criminal, Napoleon selected for this im- 
 moral experiment Madame Walewska, a beautiful young 
 Polish wroman, who had recently been married to an old 
 and unloved spouse. Artful people so worked upon the 
 feelings of this ardently patriotic young woman, that they 
 made her believe that Poland would be lost unless she 
 consented to sacrifice herself upon what they wickedly 
 called the altar of her country. 
 
 Napoleon, violently enamoured of her beauty, and de- 
 termined to overcome her resistance, helped to confirm 
 her in this belief by one of his famous simulated outbursts 
 of anger, dashing his watch to pieces in her presence and 
 violently declaring : " But remember, that, like this watch, 
 which I hold in my hand and destroy in your presence, 
 Poland's very name shall perish with all your hopes, if 
 you drive me to extremities, by repelling my love and 
 withholding your own." 
 
 Young, inexperienced, and not only forsaken, but urged 
 on by persons who were older and should have been 
 wiser, the unfortunate woman succumbed, and, yielding to 
 Napoleon's personal magnetism, — to which she was not 
 insensible, — forsook all that honour holds dear, in the 
 mistaken belief that she was serving her country. But 
 she gave many proofs of unselfish love to the man who 
 so cruelly used her, not only following him to the castle 
 of Frankenstein, where she lived in utter seclusion in 
 one room, but accompanying him later to Paris. There, 
 she was presented at court, and she ultimately bore him 
 a son, who, although never openly recognised, is men- 
 tioned by name in Napoleon's will. He lived to become 
 one of Napoleon III.'s principal advisors, and his striking 
 resemblance to his illustrious father called forth frequent 
 comments at the court of the Second Empire. 
 
Josephine 
 
 Madame Walewska further showed her devotion to 
 Napoleon by visiting him at Fontainebleau and Elba, 
 where she offered to share his exile, and by making 
 friends with Josephine, whom she visited at Malmaison 
 after the abdication, to mourn with her over Napoleon's 
 misfortunes. After the battle of Waterloo, Madame 
 Walewska married one of Napoleon's cousins; but it is 
 popularly believed that her death, in 1816, was caused 
 by her intense grief over her former lover's sufferings on 
 the island of St. Helena. 
 
 While under the spell of his passion for Madame 
 Walewska, Napoleon, hoping to blind Josephine, wrote 
 more frequent and affectionate letters than usual. But 
 this stratagem proved a failure, for Josephine intuitively 
 perceived when Napoleon was deceiving her, and in this 
 case her suspicions were amply confirmed by the spies 
 whom she feed to keep her posted concerning all her 
 husband's doings. Her jealousy and dejection became 
 so apparent, that rumours of it reached Napoleon's ears, 
 and when he bade her return to Paris, he added : " They 
 tell me you are always weeping ; shame ! how naughty 
 that is ! Your letter of the 7th wounds me. Do try 
 to be worthy of me and stronger-minded. I wish you 
 to assume all the necessary state in Paris, and above all 
 to be contented. I am perfectly well and love you very 
 dearly ; but if you cry all the time, I shall consider you 
 devoid of courage and force of character. I don't like 
 cowards, and an empress must be brave." 
 
 These bracing admonitions proved quite ' unavailing, 
 however ; for Josephine knew there was no truth or 
 honour in the man she loved, and that his protestations 
 of fidelity were all false. She dared not, however, resist 
 his will, so she sadly parted from her daughter and 
 grandchildren, and wended her way back to Paris alone, 
 
 103 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Still, Josephine's nature was never very deep, and 
 even while she grieved over her private sorrows, her 
 vanity was nevertheless gratified by the continuous ova- 
 tion which accompanied her to Paris, where her return 
 was welcomed by a series of fulsome addresses. In 
 February, Josephine learned the news of the victory at 
 Eylau, and in March rejoiced over the birth of Eugene's 
 first child, who was called Josephine, at Napoleon's 
 special request. But these good tidings could not silence 
 the court gossip concerning Napoleon and his Polish 
 mistress, gossip which was reported to Napoleon, and 
 which he bade Josephine check, saying : " I learn, my 
 dear, that the slander talked in your drawing-room at 
 Mayence is being revived. Do silence people. I will 
 be very much displeased with you, if you do not put a 
 stop to it." 
 
 Although in most of his letters he enjoined upon her 
 to be " gay and contented," she was very far from that 
 enviable state of mind. Still her mental suffering was to 
 be further intensified by the sudden news of the death, 
 from croup, of her eldest grandchild, her favourite, as well 
 as Napoleon's. These tidings reached her on the same 
 day as Gerard's picture, representing the boy playing with 
 his illustrious uncle's hat and sword. 
 
 Josephine, not daring to leave the country without 
 Napoleon's permission, hastened immediately to Laeken 
 on the frontier, imploring Hortense to meet her there, so 
 they could mingle their tears. But the calamity which 
 almost robbed Hortense of her senses, and which so 
 sorely afflitted Josephine, merely shocked Napoleon, 
 although he promised a reward of twelve thousand francs 
 for the best paper on the treatment of the fell disease 
 which had so suddenly robbed him of the promising 
 child he had often wished to adopt as his heir. 
 
 104 
 
Joseph! 
 
 ne 
 
 Hortense's health was so affected by the loss of this 
 boy, that her husband allowed her to return with Jose- 
 phine to Paris ; and when the physicians ordered her to 
 Cauterets in the Pyrenees, he followed her there, during 
 a period of temporary peace in their troubled matrimonial 
 affairs. Napoleon, whose nature would not brook 
 grieving over the past, tried to brace Hortense by philo- 
 sophical platitudes, which, however, proved less helpful 
 than Josephine's companionship and her tender letters, 
 full of womanly details about the pretty sayings and 
 doings of the second child, who remained with her while 
 his mother was in the Pyrenees. 
 
 In June, Napoleon won the battle of Friedland, and 
 had the famous interview with the Emperor of Russia at 
 Tilsit. There they arranged the terms of a peace, in 
 which Napoleon abandoned the cause of the Poles, while 
 Alexander allowed the King of Prussia to be robbed of 
 a great part of his territory. This monarch, in despair, 
 sent for his wife, hoping she might obtain better terms 
 from the conqueror ; but while Napoleon was evidently 
 flattered by the beautiful queen's attempt to mollify him, 
 he resisted all her efforts, and proudly wrote to his wife : 
 " While I was polite, I did not give up my politics." 
 
 Other accounts claim that, keeping his own interests 
 constantly in sight. Napoleon proved very unchivalrous 
 toward Queen Louise, leading her to expect more than 
 he was willing to grant, and playing with her as a cat 
 does with a mouse. He was so elated over his victories 
 and the terms of peace he finally secured, that Josephine, 
 who knew him better than any one else, ruefully cried : 
 " The Emperor is so happy that he will surely scold a 
 great deal when he comes back ! " 
 
 The Emperor's return, after almost a year's absence, 
 was welcomed by addresses full of flattery, for this last 
 
 105 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 campaign had further enhanced his military glory. Not 
 only did he now deem himself invincible, but he con- 
 sidered himself so far above all other human beings ; that 
 even his wife no longer dared to call him Bonaparte as 
 of old, but generally addressed him as " your Majesty " 
 and " Sire." In her fear of rousing his displeasure, and 
 thereby furnishing a pretext for the dreaded divorce, she 
 dared neither reproach him for his infidelity, nor object 
 openly to Madame Walewska's presentation at court. 
 Instead of finding fault with him, she, on the contrary, 
 tried to retain her hold upon him by the utmost gentle- 
 ness and submission, showing almost abject gratitude 
 when he allowed her to share his next birthday ovation 
 at St. Cloud. 
 
 In that same month of August, they celebrated in the 
 Tuileries the marriage of Jerome Bonaparte and the 
 Princess of Wurtemberg, which had been definitely set- 
 tled at Tilsit, where Jerome was named King of West- 
 phalia. Hortense, having returned from Cauterets more 
 depressed than ever, after her brief reconciliation and last 
 quarrel with her husband, joined Josephine at Fontaine- 
 bleau, where both women spent hours in the beautiful 
 forest, musing over their sorrowful positions, while 
 Napoleon hunted as usual. But his company was even 
 more disquieting than his absence, for he now constantly 
 spoke of his need of an heir, declaring that it was only 
 too evident no member of the Bonaparte family would 
 ever submit to be ruled by a Beauharnais, or any other 
 man he might select to succeed him. Anxious to spare 
 his own feelings and repute, he told Josephine that her 
 love for him ought to prompt her to spare him further 
 pain by taking the initiative, and withdrawing of her own 
 free will, so that he could marry again. 
 
 Sundry hints had prepared Josephine for what was 
 io6 
 
Josephine 
 
 coming, and knowing that assent or opposition would be 
 equally dangerous, she now followed a clever piece of 
 advice by saying submissively : " Sire, you are the mas- 
 ter and shall decide my fate. When you order me to 
 leave the Tuileries, I will obey instantly ; but the least 
 you can do is to command it positively. I am your 
 wife ; I have been crowned by you in the presence of the 
 Pope. Such honours cannot voluntarily be set aside. 
 If you divorce me, all France must know that it is you 
 who send me away, and shall be made fully aware both 
 of my obedience and of my profound sorrow." 
 
 Fouche, one of Napoleon's most efficient, but un- 
 scrupulous servants, acting probably by his order, 
 although apparently of his own volition, sent Josephine 
 a diplomatic letter, in which he, too, urged her to with- 
 draw, so his master could marry again. But instead of 
 answering this letter, Josephine showed it to Napoleon, 
 complaining of Fouche's officiousness, and renewing her 
 declaration that in this matter she would yield only to 
 positive orders from him. 
 
 Napoleon, caught in his own trap, or really displeased 
 at Fouche's impertinence, now wrote him a sharp letter, 
 bidding him mind his own business, and, being a prey 
 just then to one of his spasmodic attacks of love for 
 Josephine, he vowed with tears that he would never be 
 able to bid her depart. This vacillation on his part 
 arose not only from his undoubted though supremely 
 selfish love for Josephine, but also from a sneaking fear lest 
 another wife might prove more exacting and less accom- 
 modating. Besides, he was not free from a superstitious 
 dread that good luck might desert him if he broke off his 
 marriage, for he was aware that, according to the popu- 
 lar belief, " a man who fails in his duty to a woman who 
 has claims upon his love and protection, never after- 
 
 107 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 wards prospers." This conviction had been encouraged 
 by Josephine, who once showed him a star, saying : 
 " Bonaparte, behold that bright star ; it is mine ; and 
 remember, to mine, not to thine, has sovereignty been 
 promised. Separate our fates and your star fades ! " 
 
 Now, while one faction of courtiers was in favour of 
 the divorce, the majority of the officials liked Josephine, 
 and wished her to remain, for they realised, as Talley- 
 rand said, that " she is gentle and good, she has the art 
 of pacifying him [Napoleon] , she can put herself in the 
 place of others. She is a refuge to us in a thousand 
 occasions. If a princess arrives here, you will see the 
 Emperor quarrel with all his court and we will all be 
 crushed." Indeed, Josephine was so kind and good, 
 that, even in the midst of these divorce perplexities, and 
 while she was mourning for her mother, who. had just 
 died at Martinique, she never forgot the comfort of 
 others. She even showed her solicitude for her hus- 
 band's soldiers, by refusing to allow them to mount 
 guard at night before her door at Fontainebleau, saying : 
 " These brave soldiers have enough to suffer from the 
 hardships of war when on the battlefield. In my ser- 
 vice they must rest. I don't wish them to spend any 
 sleepless nights here." 
 
 The depression of Hortense's and Josephine's spirits, 
 and his own uncertainty regarding the divorce, made 
 the Emperor leave Fontainebleau without regret, and 
 resolve to journey alone to Italy, in spite of the fact that 
 Josephine longed to go thither to see her son and new 
 granddaughter. But, although not averse to monopo- 
 lising all the attention and adulation on this journey. 
 Napoleon wrote his wife frequent duty letters, " such as 
 are written at fifty," to use his own expression, although 
 he was then only forty years of age. 
 
 io8 
 
Joseph 
 
 ine 
 
 During that journey, he had an interview with his 
 still recalcitrant brother Lucien, who again not only re- 
 fused to part with his wife, but showed all his old ani- 
 mosity for Josephine, by retorting pointedly to one of 
 Napoleon's contemptuous remarks : " At least my 
 woman of gallantry is young and handsome ! " This 
 taunt so angered the Emperor that he broke his watch, 
 crying : " I could crush you as I crush this bauble ; but 
 you are my brother, go ! " 
 
 Josephine, meantime, had returned to Paris to wel- 
 come the Old Guard home from the war. She was 
 also present at the military school celebration ; but al- 
 though as gracious and affable as ever, such pageants 
 had lost many of their charms, for she fancied each 
 might be her last. 
 
 On returning from his journey, at nine o'clock in the 
 evening on the ist of January, 1808, Napoleon affec- 
 tionately returned Josephine's good wishes ; but he no 
 longer lived on the same intimate footing with her as of 
 yore, and seldom entered her apartments. Still, he was, 
 as a rule, kind and pleasant, and greatly enjoyed the 
 masked balls, which he and Josephine frequently at- 
 tended. She never failed to recognise him there, 
 and often managed to mystify him, laughing merrily 
 when he remarked one day : " Do you know, gentlemen, 
 that I was regularly discovered by a young lady who 
 seemed an accomplished intriguer, and yet, would you 
 believe it, I could never recognise the flirt ! " 
 
 But even in the midst of her happiest hours and most 
 peaceful amusements, the divorce spectre would suddenly 
 rise, for now and again Napoleon himself mentioned it, 
 saying : " What a glorious sacrifice you can make, not 
 only to me, but to our empire ! " Still, when he was 
 ill or depressed, no one could comfort or nurse him so 
 
 109 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 acceptably as Josephine, whom he then clung to with 
 tears, crying : " No, my poor Josephine, I shall never 
 be able to part with you ! " 
 
 One of these hysterical demonstrations occurring one 
 day after she was all dressed for a ball, the Empress was 
 forced to give up attending it so as to minister to him. 
 However, the impending divorce might have been con- 
 summated sooner, had not affairs in Spain suddenly re- 
 quired all Napoleon's presence further south. He 
 therefore set out for Bayonne, bidding Josephine join 
 him on the way, although this time she would fain have 
 remained in Paris until her daughter 's third confinement 
 was safely over. Forced to leave before this event, 
 Josephine heard of the birth of her grandson — the 
 future Napoleon HI. — at Bordeaux, where these good 
 tidings helped to make her sojourn pleasant. From 
 thence, she proceeded to Bayonne, whither Napoleon 
 had preceded her, and where he used her as an uncon- 
 scious tool, while he despoiled the Spanish king of his 
 throne, which he bestowed upon his brother Joseph. 
 
 While Napoleon discussed politics with the inefficient 
 King, Josephine amused the Queen by talking dress and 
 fashions, and lavishing dainty gifts upon her. But 
 when she discovered the real motive of her husband's 
 apparent kindliness, she was greatly dismayed, and 
 although she dared offer no open remonstrance, her 
 common-sense plainly told her that the time would 
 come when Napoleon's overweening ambition would 
 cause his downfall. 
 
 After their sojourn at Bayonne, their Imperial Majes- 
 ties visited other great cities in southern and western 
 France, returning to St. Cloud for the imperial birthday 
 festivities. A brief period of comparative inaction now 
 ensued, before the Emperor set out alone for Erfurth, 
 
Josephine 
 
 to meet his new ally, the Russian Emperor, and discuss 
 important plans with him. 
 
 During this time the Emperor was in such a genial 
 mood that on the eve of his journey he indulged in what 
 was to prove his last game of prisoner's base, calling out 
 servants with torches so that the game might be finished 
 in spite of the gathering darkness. But although 
 Josephine would have liked to accompany him, he 
 would not take her with him on this voyage, for, as she 
 shrewdly suspected, one of the questions to be discussed 
 was that of his divorce and remarriage with the eldest 
 sister of the Czar. His letters, however, made no mention 
 of the latter fact ; but instead, he posed in them as an 
 elderly man, saying: "The Emperor Alexander dances, 
 but I do not. Forty is forty." 
 
 The brilliant assembly at Erfurth, however, soon dis- 
 persed, and Napoleon, after a brief stay in Paris, hastened 
 on to Spain, returning thence only in January, 1809, to 
 set out soon after on a new Austrian campaign. Once 
 more, Josephine accompanied him as far as Strasburg, 
 taking up her abode there as 'Regent, with Cambaceres 
 as main assistant, and parting there from the husband 
 who, in one sense, was never to belong to her again. 
 This sojourn in Strasburg was enlivened by visits from 
 Hortense and Stephanie, and by letters from Napoleon, 
 giving minute instructions and brief reports of his doings 
 and health. But this was, on the whole, a sorrowful 
 time for Josephine, for aside from the already mentioned 
 causes of worry and grief, she greatly disapproved of the 
 Emperor's policy, and felt that his unjust treatment of 
 the Pope would necessarily be punished. All these 
 anxieties so preyed upon her health, that she had to un- 
 dergo a course of treatment at Plombieres before return- 
 ing to Malmaison, where her flowers were thriving, and 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 where no less than one hundred and eighty-four different 
 species, unknown to France, had already bloomed for 
 the first time. 
 
 The Emperor's cold letters made Josephine dread his 
 return, for she knew they heralded the end ; but his last 
 missive again revived all her hopes, and left her entirely 
 unprepared for what was coming. Napoleon wrote 
 from Nymphenberg : " I am here since yesterday, in 
 good health, and won't leave till to-morrow. I will stop 
 one day at Stuttgart. You will be warned of my arrival 
 at Fontainebleau twenty-four hours in advance ; I rejoice 
 at the prospect of seeing you, and await that moment 
 with impatience. I embrace you. Wholly yours." 
 
 This transformed Josephine's despondent mood to one 
 of joyful anticipation, and she anxiously awaited the 
 arrival of the courier to set out for Fontainebleau, where 
 she fancied a joyful reunion would yet take place. 
 Either by accident, or through design, Napoleon travelled 
 so rapidly that he overtook his own courier at the gates 
 of Fontainebleau, and, sending him on to summon 
 Josephine, entered the palace where so many important 
 events in his life were still to occur. There, he was 
 joined by Cambaceres, to whom he immediately gave his 
 instructions for the coming divorce, which he now de- 
 clared indispensable. He wished the statement clearly 
 made that he and the Empress separated by mutual con- 
 sent for the sake of France, arranged that Josephine 
 should retain her title, rank next to the future Empress, 
 have Malmaison, the Elysee, and Navarre as abodes, 
 receive a million francs income, all her debts being paid, 
 and added : " I wish ever to keep her near me as my 
 best and most affectionate friend." 
 
 This matter had scarcely been settled, when the 
 Emperor heard a carriage drive up, and thinking it 
 
Josephine 
 
 brought Josephine, he ran down to open the door. But 
 when he found it only contained some of her attendants, 
 he withdrew displeased to his study, and when Josephine 
 arrived a few minutes later, bent so closely over his work 
 that he seemed absorbed in that only. Struck to the 
 heart at the Emperor's failure to meet and welcome her 
 at the door, as usual after a long absence, Josephine en- 
 tered his study with much trepidation, and when he coldly 
 remarked : " Ah ! you have come, madame ? It is well, 
 for I was about to start for St. Cloud," tears sprang to 
 her eyes. Still these tokens of feeling, and her explana- 
 tion of the delay, mollified the Emperor's wrath to such 
 an extent that he soon consented to kiss her, acknow- 
 ledged that he had been hasty, and gently dismissed her 
 to prepare for their t6te-a-tete meal. 
 
 With the utmost despatch, Josephine donned a white 
 satin gown all trimmed with swansdown, twined bluets 
 and silver wheat in her hair, — a toilet which proved so 
 becoming that her lord and master deigned to appear 
 pleased, and became quite genial. But Josephine soon 
 discovered that her worst presentiments were to be justi- 
 fied, for the passage establishing private communication 
 between their rooms had already been closed by his 
 order. Napoleon, who liked to depute all disagreeable 
 tasks to others, decided to make Josephine's children 
 break the news of the divorce to her, and therefore sum- 
 moned them both to court. Meantime, he tried to pre- 
 tend that all was just as usual, surrounded himself with 
 august guests, and gave hunting parties as long as they 
 remained at Fontainebleau. But he carefully avoided 
 being alone with his wife, and when they journeyed 
 back to Paris, made the trip on horseback, rather than be 
 shut up in the carriage alone with her, where she might 
 perchance embarrass him by inconvenient questions. 
 
 VOL.1. — 8 113 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 All these manoeuvres did not escape Josephine's keen 
 perception ; but she still hoped that the divorce would be 
 deferred until the royalties visiting in Paris had departed. 
 Napoleon, however, was not inclined to brook further 
 delay, for his decision was made, and as Hortense flatly 
 refused to be his intermediary, he suddenly resolved to 
 break the news to Josephine himself. It was well he 
 did so, for by the 30th of November the situation had 
 become unbearable, and the t^te-a-t6te meals silent and 
 constrained. At dinner, on that day, Josephine wore a 
 big white poke to conceal the tears which, in spite of 
 all her efforts at self-control, coursed down her cheeks 
 throughout the meal. The Emperor himself broke the 
 silence only once, to ask an attendant a question con- 
 cerning the weather, and when he and Josephine passed 
 into the drawing-room, where they generally took coffee, 
 he abruptly began : 
 
 "Josephine, my good Josephine, you know how I 
 have loved you," and then, gazing into her grief-stricken 
 face, he continued : " Josephine, my destiny is more 
 powerful than my will, my dearest affections must be 
 sacrificed to the interests of France ! " 
 
 This was enough; poor Josephine understood that 
 the die had been cast, and, falling to the floor, she lay 
 there in a semi-conscious state, moaning from time to 
 time : " No, no, I cannot survive it ! " Napoleon, 
 meantime, quickly opened the door into the neighbouring 
 room, and, calling in the Prefect of the Palace, bade him 
 carry the Empress down to her room by the private 
 staircase, so that she might receive the care her condition 
 required. But as the Prefect feared to trip and fall in 
 the narrow stairway, the Emperor had to summon his 
 secretary also, who held a light while Napoleon and the 
 Prefect bore Josephine away. 
 
 114 
 
J(.)Sr,PHlNE's BeDRdO.M at FoNTAINEI-iLKAU. 
 
Josephine 
 
 When they had gently laid her down upon her bed, 
 summoned her women, and seen the first signs of return- 
 ing consciousness, the Emperor dragged the Prefect 
 away, and in his perturbation confided his secret to him, 
 saying : " The interests of France and of my dynasty 
 have wrung my heart ; divorce has become an imperative 
 duty. I am all the more grieved by the scene which 
 Josephine has just made, as Hortense must have told 
 her, already three days ago, of the unhappy obligation 
 which condemns me to part with her. I pity her from 
 the depths of my heart ; but I thought her stronger- 
 minded than that, and was not prepared for such a 
 paroxysm of grief." 
 
 After sending for the doctor, Cambaceres, and Fouche, 
 Napoleon had an interview with Hortense, in which he 
 coldly informed her that, his mind being fully made up 
 concerning the divorce, tears and lamentations would 
 prove of no avail. Hurt by his tone, Hortense haughtily 
 retorted that he would be troubled by no such demon- 
 strations on their part, adding : " The Empress will 
 most assuredly submit to your wishes. She will descend 
 from the throne, as she ascended it, at your request. 
 Her children, content to lay aside a greatness which has 
 never made them happy, will willingly consecrate their 
 lives to the consolation of the best and tenderest of 
 mothers." 
 
 Reassured concerning the outcome of the affair. 
 Napoleon now allowed his stepdaughter to see his un- 
 doubted grief at parting with Josephine. He implored her 
 not to forsake him, but to remain with him, were it only 
 for the sake of her children, whose future he promised to 
 assure, and sadly added : " However great this cruel sac- 
 rifice may be for both parties, we must carry it out with 
 the dignity which circumstances require." 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 The last night of November was equally troubled for 
 both their Imperial Majesties, although spent apart ; but 
 while Napoleon kept his own counsel after the first 
 emotions were passed, Josephine confided her sorrows to 
 all her ladies, uttering no reproaches, but bewailing her 
 sad fate, and finding no consolation save in the thought 
 that the separation grieved Napoleon also. This convic- 
 tion, strengthened by all she saw and heard, and the 
 tender sympathy of Hortense and of all her household, 
 proved the Empress' main support during the ensuing 
 fortnight, in which, in spite of all that had occurred, she 
 kept hoping that Napoleon might still retract his deci- 
 sion. But although the coming event was known to so 
 many persons within the Palace, it was not yet openly dis- 
 cussed, and, as far as the royal guests could perceive, all 
 went on as before. However broken-hearted, Josephine 
 had to appear in public as usual, and play the part as- 
 signed her, gracing a Te Deum at Notre Dame, the open- 
 ing of the Legislative Assembly, a gala dinner, and a huge 
 ball. At the latter entertainment, the Emperor ordered 
 that she should no longer be met at the door of the City 
 Hall as usual ; and the omission of this ceremony, 
 although the officials thoughtfully tried to disguise it as 
 much as possible, inflicted a cruel stab upon Josephine's 
 sensitive heart. She felt it so keenly that she lacked 
 the courage to appear at the next court function, and 
 was also absent from the state reception in the throne 
 room on the loth. Her last public appearance was at a 
 fete at Gros Bois on the 12th of December, and, as 
 Napoleon had announced that he meant to enjoy him- 
 self, every one tried to contribute to the gaiety of the 
 occasion. But the sight of Josephine's gentle, woebe- 
 gone face checked all hilarity, and the entertainment 
 proved a failure as far as real enjoyment was concerned. 
 
 116 
 
Josephine 
 
 Meantime, Eugene had arrived in Paris, and, learning 
 from Hortense how matters stood, offered to resign all 
 to follow his mother. But both she and Napoleon in- 
 sisted upon his retaining the viceroyalty of Italy, the 
 Emperor telling him plainly that he depended upon him 
 to take care of the longed-for son and " make a man of 
 him " should he (Napoleon) be unable to do so himself. 
 Thus appealed to by beings almost equally dear, Eugene 
 yielded ; but, keenly alive to his mother's suffering, tact- 
 fully advised Napoleon to spare her as much pain as pos- 
 sible by acting promptly. Thus adjured, Napoleon called 
 a family council at nine p.m. in the Grand Salon of the 
 Tuileries, on Friday, December 15, 1809. It con- 
 sisted of his mother; Louis, Jerome, and Murat, with 
 their wives ; the Queen of Spain, Prince Eugene, Cam- 
 baceres, and Count Regnault de St. Jean d'Angely. 
 When all were assembled. Napoleon entered the room, 
 leading Josephine by the hand, and producing a paper, 
 read the following statement with tears in his eyes : — 
 
 " My cousin. Prince Archchancellor, I sent you a 
 sealed letter to-day, bidding you come here, so that I 
 might inform you of a resolve made by me and by the 
 Empress, my very dear wife. I am very glad that the 
 kings, queens, and princesses, my brothers, sisters, 
 brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and my stepson, — who 
 has become my son by adoption, — as well as my 
 mother, should hear what I have to tell you. 
 
 " The policy of my kingdom, the interests and needs 
 of all my people — which have constantly guided all my 
 actions — demand that I leave the throne, upon which 
 Providence has seated me, to children who will inherit 
 my love for my people. For several years past, I have 
 abandoned all hope of having children by my marriage 
 with my well-beloved wife, the Empress Josephine. It 
 
 117 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 is that fact which compels me to sacrifice my dearest 
 afFections, to heed nothing but the welfare of the state, 
 and to ask for the dissolution of my marriage. 
 
 " Having reached the age of forty, I can still cherish 
 the hope of living long enough to train in my ways and 
 modes of thought the children which Providence may 
 yet vouchsafe me. God knows what pangs such a re- 
 solve has cost me, but no sacrifice is above my courage, 
 when it is clearly demonstrated to me that it will tend to 
 the welfare of France. I must add that, far from ever 
 having any cause of complaint, I can only praise the 
 love and devotion of my dearly beloved wife. She has 
 embellished fifteen years of my life, and the recollection 
 of these years will ever be engraved in my heart. 
 Crowned by my hand, I wish her to retain the rank and 
 title of Empress, but I am desirous, above all, that she 
 should never doubt my feelings for her, and that she 
 should ever consider me her best and dearest friend." 
 
 This speech, delivered with moving eloquence, so 
 overcame poor Josephine, that she vainly tried to read 
 the paper she held, — which she finally handed to Count 
 Regnault de St. Jean d'Angely, who read as follows : 
 
 " With the permission of my august and beloved 
 spouse, I must declare that, as I can no longer cherish 
 any hope of having children to satisfy the demands of 
 his policy and the interests of France, I pride myself 
 upon giving him the greatest proof of love and self-sac- 
 rifice that has ever been given on earth. I owe every- 
 thing to his affection, his hand crowned me, and on this 
 throne I have received naught but tokens of love and 
 devotion from the French people. I believe I am prov- 
 ing my gratitude for all these sentiments, by consenting 
 to the dissolution of a marriage, which is henceforth con- 
 sidered an obstacle to the welfare of France, and which 
 
 ii8 
 
o ■«; 
 
 o 
 
Josephine 
 
 deprives it of the happiness of being some day governed 
 by the offspring of the great man, whom Providence has 
 so evidently called to eiFace the harm done by a fearful 
 revolution, and to restore the altar, throne, and social 
 order. But the dissolution of my marriage will in no- 
 wise change the feelings of my heart. The Emperor 
 will ever have in me his best friend. I know what vio- 
 lence this deed, enforced by his policy and by such 
 weighty interests, does to his heart, but we both glory in 
 the sacrifice we are making to the welfare of our 
 country." 
 
 Cambaceres, who had drawn up the necessary paper, 
 handed the pen to Napoleon, who signed without a 
 word. Then Josephine, supported by Hortense, who, 
 according to different accounts, was garbed in black or 
 white satin like her mother, advanced to sign in her 
 turn. The tension of this moment was so great that 
 Eugene fainted ; but Napoleon gently kissed his wife and, 
 helped by Hortense, led her back to her apartments, 
 whither Eugene had been carried, and where she was 
 now left to the care of her children and attendants. 
 
 That night, after the Emperor had gone to bed, his 
 door was suddenly opened, and after a moment's hesita- 
 tion, Josephine rushed to his bedside and, sobbing con- 
 vulsively, clasped both arms around his neck. Signing 
 to his servant to leave them alone together. Napoleon 
 drew Josephine to his heart, and after they had spent 
 some time weeping in each other's arms, he finally said : 
 " Come, my good Josephine, be more reasonable. 
 Come, be brave, be brave, I will always be your friend." 
 
 After they had thus taken affectionate leave of each 
 other, and the Empress had gone, a servant found Napo- 
 leon buried in the bed-clothes, evidently a prey to violent 
 grief. But no other word was spoken that night, al- 
 
 119 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 though the Emperor could not sleep, and lay still, watch- 
 ing for the dawn, which was to herald their final 
 separation. But all was bustle and confusion in Jose- 
 phine's apartments, where her women prepared for im- 
 mediate departure, while Hortense and Eugene lavished 
 consolations upon their unhappy mother. At eleven, 
 Prince Eugene had to leave the Empress to attend a Senate 
 meeting, where Napoleon's and Josephine's papers were 
 again read. Then the formal request for a divorce was 
 submitted to the Senate, and, after a dignified speech by 
 Regnault de St. Jean d'Angely, Eugene expressed his 
 own and his family's gratitude to the Emperor, their 
 conviction that heirs of his body were indispensable to 
 the interests of France, and concluded by saying that 
 the tears which this sacrifice had wrung from the Em- 
 peror, sufficed for his mother's glory. 
 
 The matter was voted upon that self-same day, and 
 the divorce pronounced by eighty votes against seven. 
 The Senate not only decreed that the ex-Empress should 
 be allowed two million francs annual income, but voted 
 the following flattering address : 
 
 " Madame, Your Imperial and Royal Majesty has 
 just made the greatest of sacrifices to France. History 
 will for ever bear it in mind. The august wife of the 
 greatest of monarchs could not associate herself to his 
 immortal glory by a more heroic act of self-sacrifice. 
 The French have long revered your virtues, madame, 
 they prize the touching kindness which inspires all your 
 words as it directs all your deeds. France will admire 
 your sublime self-sacrifice, and will award to your Impe- 
 rial and Royal Majesty the undying homage of its grati- 
 tude, love, and respect." 
 
 At four o'clock that afternoon, the Emperor suddenly 
 seized his hat, and bidding his secretary follow him, went 
 
Josephine 
 
 rapidly down the private staircase to Josephine's apart- 
 ment. Hearing her husband enter, Josephine fell upon 
 his neck, sobbing convulsively. He kissed her several 
 times, then, seeing she had fainted, placed her upon the 
 lounge, and bidding his secretary, Meneval, remain with 
 her until he could bring tidings of her recovery, passed 
 hastily out of the palace and drove ofF to the Trianon, 
 where he had decided to spend the first days of his 
 widowerhood. 
 
 Josephine, upon recovering her senses under the ten- 
 der ministrations of her attendants, seized Meneval's 
 hands, crying : " Tell the Emperor not to forget me. 
 Assure him of an affection which will endure whatever 
 happens. Promise to give me news of him as soon as 
 you reach the Trianon, and see that he writes to me." 
 But, when the secretary had gone, she had to prepare to 
 leave the palace in her turn. Clad in sombre garments, 
 and closely veiled, she passed slowly out to her carriage, 
 her sobs preventing her speaking a word of farewell to 
 the sorrowing attendants, who had assembled to show 
 their beloved mistress, for the last time, every token of 
 loving and respectful sympathy. 
 
 Escorted by Hortense and Eugene, Josephine left the 
 palace of the Tuileries and drove to Malmaison, which 
 seemed cheerless enough, for the rain was falling and 
 the ground was all strewn with dead leaves. The first 
 hours spent at Malmaison were most trying, for the 
 Empress constantly spoke of Napoleon, weeping pro- 
 fusely meanwhile. But, in spite of her sorrow, she 
 uttered no word of reproach against her husband, and 
 seemed touchingly grateful when she received the few 
 lines he sent her from the Trianon. An almost sleep- 
 less night was followed by another equally mournful 
 day, although Josephine received numerous visitors; 
 
 121 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 for the courtiers, knowing such an act of deference 
 would please the Emperor, crowded around the Empress 
 with even more respect than usual. Josephine, ever 
 sociable and kindly, received them with all her custom- 
 ary gentleness, concealing the ravages of grief under a 
 broad-brimmed bonnet. She was evidently touched by 
 all these tokens of love and sympathy, and the official 
 newspaper having made the divorce public, rejoiced to 
 see how universally she was regretted. 
 
 On the 1 8th of December, Napoleon made his first 
 call upon his divorced wife, who, making a great effort, 
 received him with apparent calm. They met like ordi- 
 nary acquaintances, shaking hands, and after a brief, 
 constrained conversation in the presence of witnesses, 
 parted again in the same formal way. But that even- 
 ing Napoleon wrote an affectionate letter to Josephine, 
 assuring her of his undying affection, and imploring her 
 to be brave and happy. This tender epistle was followed 
 by others, so full of solicitude, that Madame de Remusat 
 begged her husband to prevail upon Napoleon to moder- 
 ate the expression of his love and regret, for the sake of 
 the unhappy wife who could not bear such an emotional 
 strain. 
 
 The following Sunday brought another brief call from 
 Napoleon, and as the Empress received him formally at 
 the door, he begged her to accompany him for a little 
 walk. They strolled about together, and sat for awhile 
 side by side on a garden bench ; but the proprieties were 
 carefully observed, for they constantly remained in full 
 view of the drawing-room, where the court ladies and 
 gentlemen had meantime assembled. This was a doubly 
 happy day for Josephine, because Napoleon invited her 
 to visit him at Trianon on the morrow. There, he 
 detained her to dinner, treating her with such kindly 
 
 122 
 
Josephine 
 
 ease that the tie between them seemed stronger than 
 ever. This Christmas dinner, — the last meal they 
 were ever to take together, — therefore proved quite 
 happy to Josephine ; but when Napoleon wrote on the 
 morrow that he had returned to the Tuileries, where he 
 felt very lonely, she again wept bitter tears, because 
 she no longer possessed the privilege of hastening thither 
 to comfort him. 
 
 Although his letters now played a little less ruthlessly 
 with her tender sensibilities, they continued quite fre- 
 quent and sympathetic, urging her to see her friends 
 as much as possible, and visit her plants. Besides he 
 gave her other tokens of affectionate interest, for, after 
 his visit on the yth of January, he allowed her consider- 
 able sums for improvements and new furnishings at 
 Malmaison, again paid her debts, and announced that he 
 had ordered a magnificent set of dishes for her use. 
 He also arranged that she should not be neglected, for 
 at his first levee he asked sundry of his officers when 
 they had last seen the Empress, and urged them all to 
 visit her often. Such requests were equivalent to com- 
 mands, so the road to Malmaison was well travelled, in 
 spite of the inclement winter weather, and none could 
 help commenting upon Josephine's gentle resignation, 
 and her utter devotion to the man whose rooms she 
 preserved just as he had left them, carefully dusting 
 them with her own hands. 
 
 The ex-Empress was, however, an old story ; the 
 most interesting topic of conversation being, of course, 
 the coming sovereign. Josephine's civil and religious 
 marriages had both been annulled : the former by the 
 Senate, as we have seen, and the latter by the metro- 
 politan clergy, who now declared the marriage in the 
 Tuileries, on the eve of the coronation, invalid, because 
 
 123 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Napoleon had yielded only to necessity, and because the 
 parish priest had not witnessed the ceremony. The 
 religious marriage was broken under this specious pre- 
 text, and through the metropolitan clergy, only because 
 Napoleon knew it would be useless to apply to the Pope. 
 
 Hitherto, Josephine's position had been comparatively 
 easy to bear, for she was surrounded by her children and 
 friends, visited by the Emperor, and received innumer- 
 able tokens of respect and sympathy. Besides, there 
 was solace in the thought that the Emperor was lonely 
 and missed her, for as yet no one had come to take the 
 place she had left vacant. She knew, however, that 
 this state of affairs could not endure, and, strange to 
 relate, began to take a lively interest in the discussions 
 concerning a new marriage. 
 
 Even before the announcement of the divorce. Napo- 
 leon had taken measures to secure a Russian princess ; 
 but Josephine so dreaded his marriage to a person of 
 different religion, that she confided to Madame de 
 Metternich that they were all in favour of an Austrian 
 alliance, and felt sure the Emperor would prefer it 
 too, were he only sure his suit would be accepted at 
 Vienna. Madame de Metternich immediately wrote 
 to her husband, who cleverly negotiated this alliance. 
 The Emperor, meantime, held a council in the Tui- 
 leries, on the 2 1st of January, where he artfully 
 made it appear that he could have his pick among the 
 marriageable princesses, but considered an Austrian alli- 
 ance best for the good of the country. All naturally 
 coincided in this decided opinion, and as few difficulties 
 were encountered, the marriage contract was signed at 
 the Tuileries, on the yth of February, i8io. 
 
 Malmaison had proved so cold and uncomfortable, 
 that Josephine had obtained Napoleon's permission to 
 
 124 
 
Josephine 
 
 remove to the Elysee at the end of January. There, 
 she took leave of Eugene, who went back to Italy, 
 whence he was soon summoned to return for the wed- 
 ding of Napoleon and Marie Louise. Josephine, little 
 suspecting how soon her son would come back, felt his 
 departure deeply ; still, she was a little less lonely in the 
 capital than at Malmaison, although she did not see 
 the Emperor as frequently as she had hoped, and their 
 interviews grew more and more constrained. The 
 coming Empress and wedding festivities were the theme 
 of all conversations, a subject naturally painful to Jose- 
 phine, who was glad to wend her way back to Malmaison 
 in the beginning of March. She was then so exhausted 
 by past emotions that she said : " It seems to me 
 sometimes that I am dead, and that there remains to 
 me only a vague faculty of feeling that I no longer 
 exist." 
 
 Josephine, however, remained a very short time at 
 Malmaison. This place was so near Paris, that fearing 
 the echoes of the wedding festivities would annoy her. 
 Napoleon cleverly suggested she should visit her castle 
 at Navarre, near Evreux. Josephine obeyed, although 
 reluctant to go so far away from her children, whose 
 presence was required at the wedding . There, Hor- 
 tense helped carry the new Empress' train, and it is 
 no wonder if her tears did drop upon the gorgeous fabric, 
 as rumour declares, for she must have been vividly re- 
 minded of the coronation service where she had performed 
 a similar office for her beloved mother. Eugene, too, 
 witnessed the ceremony with secret pangs, and as soon 
 as the festivities were over, hastened ofF to Navarre. 
 There he found his mother a prey to great depression, 
 and almost blind from the tears which had flowed so 
 persistently during the last few months. In fact, her 
 
 125 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 thoughts were constantly with her rival, and as one at- 
 tendant said : " One must be a woman and put one's self 
 in the Empress' place to understand all she felt ! " 
 
 But, in spite of neglect, — the inevitable concomitant 
 of her position, — and small slights which she felt very 
 keenly, Josephine tried to be as brave as she could, and 
 sought distraction in planning improvements in her new 
 and by no means comfortable home. Still, her hard situ- 
 ation was made even more cruel by malicious reports from 
 court, stating that the new Empress was so jealous that 
 Josephine would soon be deprived of her title, and what 
 she dreaded most of all, exiled from France. 
 
 The discomfort of her present abode and an ardent wish 
 to draw nearer Paris made Josephine crave Napoleon's 
 permission to return to Malmaison, a favour which he 
 granted officially, and which she acknowledged in a letter 
 wherein she addressed the Emperor as a vassal, and humbly 
 begged for some token of his continued regard. This 
 touching missive called forth a friendly answer from Com- 
 pifegne, where Napoleon was concluding his honeymoon, 
 in which he gently chided her for addressing him in such 
 a formal way, assured her his sentiments were quite un- 
 changed, and concluded with the words : " I leave you 
 to judge which one of us is the most friendly, you or I. 
 Good-bye, my dear, keep well and be just to me and to 
 yourself." 
 
 This letter not only put an end to Josephine's stiff 
 formality, but enabled her henceforth to write to him 
 almost as freely as before. Her return to Malmaison 
 was also less painful than she expected, for Napoleon 
 had already departed with Marie Louise, and, as the court 
 was deserted, the ex-Empress had no dearth of company. 
 Besides, she was busy preparing to visit some mineral 
 baths, and as the Emperor preferred that she should not 
 
 126 
 
Josephine 
 
 frequent any place where they had been seen together, she 
 went to Aix in Savoy, instead of Aix-la-Chapelle. It 
 was almost on the eve of her departure for that place, 
 that she had the mingled pain and pleasure of another 
 brief but friendly visit from Napoleon, the first since his 
 second marriage. 
 
 Josephine was joined at Aix by Hortense, who had 
 parted with her husband for ever, Napoleon acquitting 
 her from all blame, and promising her his protection. 
 But Hortense was so sad that her society would have 
 greatly depressed Josephine, had they not both been 
 cheered by the presence of the young Count of Flahaut, 
 who soon fell deeply in love with the younger woman. 
 She returned his affections, and deeming herself free from 
 all other ties, although no divorce had been pronounced, 
 entered into a secret connection with him a few months 
 later. They had a son, born in October, i8i i, who was 
 brought up by his paternal grandmother, and who subse- 
 quently became a prominent figure at the court of his 
 half-brother. Napoleon III., where he was known as the 
 Duke de Morny. 
 
 While at Aix, Josephine also received a visit from 
 Eugene, and hearing his wife was too delicate to travel 
 more than necessary, went with him to see her at Geneva. 
 While there, she made an excursion on Lake Bourget, 
 where, owing to a sudden squall, she found herself in 
 danger of drowning in a very small lake, which, Napoleon 
 said, " would have been a dreadful fate for a dweller of 
 the Ocean Islands." His letters, Josephine's greatest 
 pleasure, grew less and less frequent, however, as time 
 went on, and Josephine sadly foresaw the moment when 
 they would cease entirely. 
 
 After spending nearly two months in Switzerland, where 
 she greatly enjoyed the beauties of Nature, and made an 
 
 127 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 excursion on the Mer de Glace at Chamounix, Josephine 
 asked Napoleon's permission to return to the Elysee or 
 Malmaison. He suggested that she should rather visit 
 her son in Italy ; but as he offered no objection to her 
 living at Navarre, she elected to spend the winter there 
 instead. The Emperor refused Josephine's request to 
 dwell near Paris, only because Marie Louise was very 
 jealous, and he was reluctant to annoy her now that she 
 was in an interesting condition. Josephine, therefore, 
 only stopped twenty-four hours at Malmaison, where the 
 Emperor sent his servant Constant, saying : " Tell the 
 Empress I am well and that I desire her to be happy." 
 This confidential servant was, thenceforth, a trusted 
 messenger between them, for he was equally devoted to 
 them both, and could answer all the questions either 
 cared to ask. 
 
 This jealousy on the part of Marie Louise was both 
 flattering and annoying to Josephine, for while it tickled 
 her vanity that a wife of eighteen should consider her a 
 dangerous rival, she would fain have made friends with 
 her successor so as to see her former husband more fre- 
 quently, and instruct the new wife how best to please him 
 and minister to his comfort. Napoleon, too, would have 
 Hked to see these two women friends ; but Marie Louise 
 stubbornly resisted all his efforts to bring them together, 
 wept whenever the Emperor mentioned Josephine's name, 
 and showed so great an aversion to her presence in the 
 neighbourhood, that he soon recognised the futility of 
 trying to induce them to be friends. 
 
 Josephine's winter at Navarre was very cheerless, in 
 spite of the society of devoted friends, who tried to en- 
 liven her by walks, drives, music, fancy-work, reading, 
 plays, and animated conversation. Josephine, grateful for 
 their efforts, strove to shake off her depression and take 
 
 128 
 
Josephine 
 
 an interest in various charitable institutions which she 
 founded. She also tried to give pleasure to her friends by 
 organising little parties, among others a New Year's Day 
 lottery, where, by a clever arrangement, each guest re- 
 ceived a gift chosen by the ex-Empress with particular 
 regard to the recipient's tastes or needs. 
 
 Josephine was loved at Navarre, as everywhere else, 
 so her birthday on the 19th of March was celebrated 
 with as much rejoicing as if she had still been on the 
 throne. Not only did the common people present her 
 with their choicest flowers on this occasion, but her 
 attendants surprised her with a pleasant entertainment, 
 little suspecting that her rival was even then in the 
 throes of childbirth, and the Paris churches full of 
 devout people praying for the safe advent of the long- 
 desired heir. 
 
 The news of the birth of the King of Rome was, 
 however, published far and wide by salvos of artillery 
 and by the signal telegraph, so it soon reached Josephine 
 at Navarre, where she warmly exclaimed : " The Em- 
 peror must be very happy, and I, too, rejoice over his 
 happiness, rejoice to see the wishes of the French ful- 
 filled at last ! I am reaping the fruit of my painful 
 sacrifice, since it insures the prosperity of France. I 
 regret being so far away from Paris. If I were at Mal- 
 maison I would have frequent and speedy tidings." 
 
 But, although tears dimmed her eyes while she spoke, 
 she immediately began to plan how they could celebrate 
 the great event in the most suitable way, and, having 
 given the necessary orders, wrote a long letter to the 
 Emperor to congratulate him upon the birth of a son. 
 
 Eugene, who had been summoned to Paris to be one 
 of the required official witnesses of the birth of the 
 Emperor's heir, left immediately after the event for 
 VOL. I. — 9 129 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Navarre, and the Emperor said : " You are going to see 
 your mother, Eugene; tell her that I am sure she will 
 rejoice more than any one else over my happiness. I 
 would already have written to her, had I not been ab- 
 sorbed by the pleasure of gazing at my son. I tear 
 myself away from him only for indispensable duties. 
 But this evening I will fulfil the sweetest of all, by 
 writing to Josephine." 
 
 True to that promise, he wrote to Josephine, sending 
 the following lines by a special messenger : " My dear, 
 I have received your letter, and thank you. My son is 
 large and very healthy. I hope he will thrive. He has 
 my chest, my mouth, and my eyes. I trust he will be 
 equal to his destiny. I am always well pleased with 
 Eugene, who has never caused me any sorrow." This 
 letter, wherein her son was mentioned as affectionately 
 as his own, overjoyed Josephine, who rewarded the 
 messenger by giving him a magnificent diamond ring. 
 According to other authorities, however, Napoleon's 
 letter concluded with the still more flattering sentence : 
 " This infant, in concert with our Eugene, will con- 
 solidate my happiness and that of France." 
 
 At the ball given at Navarre in honour of the new- 
 born King of Rome, Josephine again decked herself in 
 a beautiful gown, all shot with silver, wore a magnificent 
 diadem, and did the honours of the evening with her 
 wonted grace and affability, thinking of nothing but the 
 entertainment of her guests. Besides, her sojourn in this 
 country residence during the remainder of that spring and 
 summer was enlivened by frequent visits from Eugene, 
 who enjoyed rural life, and was very glad to cast aside all 
 etiquette, playfully remarking : " 'T is a hard trade, that 
 of king, when one has not been brought up to it ! " 
 
 Although many people fancied that Marie Louise 
 130 
 
J 
 
 osephine 
 
 would cease to be jealous of Josephine now that she 
 was the mother of the Emperor's heir, she still refused 
 to see her on her return to Malmaison in Septem- 
 ber. There the ex-Empress was happy in revisiting 
 her old haunts, and delighted in the company of her 
 two grandsons, who often stayed with her, and whom 
 she fairly idolised. 
 
 To gratify her oft-expressed wish, the Emperor also 
 arranged that she should see the King of Rome at the 
 Trianon. This visit was kept secret, however, as any 
 mention of Josephine was sure to produce a fit of sulki- 
 ness on the part of the child's mother. It was so success- 
 ful, however, that it seems to have been renewed from 
 time to time, until the child was old enough to speak. 
 He was evidently fascinated by Josephine, and once 
 begged her to come and live with him. When she sadly 
 answered that she could not do so, he wonderingly in- 
 quired : " Why not, since both papa and I wish it ? " 
 
 Josephine celebrated her birthday at Malmaison with 
 her daughter and grandsons, and shortly after received 
 Napoleon's last visit before his fatal Russian campaign. 
 Hearing her son was to take part in this expedition, 
 Josephine now journeyed to Milan, so as to be present 
 at her daughter-in-law's fourth confinement. This visit, 
 however joyful otherwise, proved full of sad reminis- 
 cences for Josephine, who was not sorry to leave for 
 Aix in Savoy. There she remained some time, and 
 then visited the little castle of Pregny near Geneva, 
 which she purchased for the sake of its fine view of 
 Mont Blanc. 
 
 On arriving at Malmaison in October, just after the 
 Malet conspiracy, she was unpleasantly impressed by the 
 general atmosphere of discontent and failure, which 
 seemed so different from anything she had hitherto 
 
 131 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 known. But although it roused some apprehensions in 
 her heart, she was greatly reassured when Hortense told 
 her that she had seen all the Emperor's letters to Marie 
 Louise, wherein he spoke most encouragingly of their 
 situation, and did not seem at all dismayed by the dis- 
 asters of the Russian campaign. 
 
 Still, news of death, sickness, and disaster constantly 
 reached her by indirect means, and such tidings, coupled 
 with a dearth of letters from the Emperor or from 
 Eugene, gradually opened her eyes to the truth, and 
 showed her plainly that the Emperor was no longer 
 considered infallible as of old, nor worshipped as a god. 
 She felt, however, that his presence might still retrieve 
 everything, and was, therefore, greatly relieved when she 
 heard that he had returned, in the middle of the night, 
 on the 1 8th of December. 
 
 The year 1813 beginning on a Friday, the supersti- 
 tious Josephine began to anticipate double misfortunes, 
 which soon came thick and fast. Not only were the 
 worst tidings from Russia confirmed, but new war clouds 
 loomed up on the horizon. Indeed, the only bright spot 
 was Eugene's promotion to the chief command of the 
 absent army. But although many people wore mourn- 
 ing, the Emperor wished the capital to appear as gay as 
 usual, and made Hortense entertain, notwithstanding her 
 poor health, which drove her to Aix in Savoy early in 
 the summer. She left her children with Josephine, and 
 journeyed thither with a friend, who, missing her foot- 
 ing, fell into a deep chasm and was drowned in a moun- 
 tain stream. This sad accident so affected Hortense's 
 already shattered nerves, that Josephine grew very 
 anxious about her, as well as about Napoleon, who, 
 after the victories of Lutzen, Bauzen, and Dresden, 
 suffered an awful defeat at Leipzig. 
 
 132 
 
JosephiiK 
 
 A few days after his return from this disastrous cam- 
 paign, Napoleon sent his secretary to Josephine, who 
 wept with pity when told that the Emperor was so wor- 
 ried and overworked, that he scarcely allowed himself 
 three hours of sleep. In fact, as the secretary said. 
 Napoleon was so weary physically, that at times even 
 his mental energy flagged, and he no longer showed his 
 former confidence and promptness of decision. But 
 while many were already preparing to desert him, others 
 rallied more closely around him, and among them Louis 
 Bonaparte. This act of brotherly loyalty greatly pleased 
 both Josephine and Hortense, although the latter was 
 now separated from her hypochondriac husband for ever. 
 
 Just before beginning his campaign against the in- 
 vaders. Napoleon paid his last visit to Josephine at Mal- 
 maison. On this occasion they wept together, and the 
 Emperor bitterly cried : " Ah ! I have been as fortunate 
 as ever was man on the face of this earth ; but in this 
 hour, when a storm is gathering over my head, I have 
 not, oh, Josephine, in the wide world, any but you whom 
 I can wholly trust ! " This confession, on the part of 
 so confident a man as Napoleon, increased Josephine's 
 alarms to such an extent that her health suffered greatly, 
 and one of her ladies, describing her state of anxiety at 
 this time, says : " I have seen her face flush or pale, her 
 eyes shine or grow dim, as each day's mail brought sad 
 or reassuring news. I myself have witnessed the dis- 
 consolate sight of her sleepless nights, her terrible dreams. 
 I have seen her tears flow, and mine have mingled with 
 them. I have seen her Majesty spend whole days buried 
 in mournful thoughts." 
 
 No wonder poor Josephine was sad, for things were 
 going from bad to worse, and even Napoleon's letters 
 were far from reassuring, for he was so discouraged 
 
 133 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 that he wrote from Brienne : " To me death would 
 now be a blessing. But I would fain once more see 
 Josephine ! " 
 
 The news from Paris was equally disquieting, and 
 when Marie Louise prepared to leave the capital for 
 Blois, Hortense advised Josephine to retire to Navarre. 
 The same day, therefore, both Empresses left home, flee- 
 ing from the enemy ; but while Marie Louise was ac- 
 companied by her son and followed by many courtiers, 
 Josephine was comparatively alone. She was so reluc- 
 tant to leave at all, that sights and sounds of battle were 
 already perceptible on all sides when she entered her 
 carriage. A false alarm that the Cossacks were com- 
 ing caused great terror to her and to her attendants, and 
 when it was over she sadly cried : " Surely, surely Na- 
 poleon is ignorant of what is passing within sight of the 
 gates of Paris ; or if he knows, how cruel must be the 
 thoughts which now agitate his breast ! " 
 
 Hortense, meantime, remained in Paris as long as 
 possible, withdrawing to the Trianon only at the last 
 minute, and listening from there to the sounds of the 
 battle of Paris. It was only when the cannonading ceased, 
 and the city surrendered, that she went on to Navarre to 
 join her mother. Four days after her arrival there, a 
 messenger came in the middle of the night, to announce 
 Napoleon's abdication ; but Josephine would not believe 
 his tidings, and interrupted him several times, crying : 
 " The Emperor lives ; repeat it to me ! " When fully con- 
 vinced that Napoleon was still alive, but was to be ban- 
 ished to Elba, she rose in haste and ran half-dressed to 
 Hortense's apartment, saying : " Ah, Hortense ! how 
 unhappy he must be ! What ! They wish to confine 
 him in the island of Elba ? If it were not for his wife, 
 I would go and shut myself up there with him. It is 
 
 134 
 
Josephine 
 
 now that it would be sweet to me to be with him, to 
 talce half his griefs. No, I have never suffered so much 
 from the divorce as now." 
 
 Hortense, deeming it impossible for any Bonaparte to 
 remain in France, now began speedy preparations to re- 
 move with her children to Martinique ; but, considering 
 Marie Louise most to be pitied under the present cir- 
 cumstances, went first to visit her at Rambouillet, and offer 
 any consolation in her power. To her surprise, however, 
 she was very coldly received, and soon after dismissed with 
 the remark : " My father is coming, your presence might 
 prove importunate." The fact was that Hortense had 
 arrived too late, for Marie Louise had already fallen back 
 into the dependence and subjection of her early girlhood, 
 and ceasing to be Empress of France had become once 
 more an Austrian archduchess. 
 
 Hortense, therefore, returned to Navarre, where news 
 was anxiously expected, and where Josephine little 
 dreamt that the man she still loved, and would have 
 unhesitatingly followed to Elba, had just attempted to 
 commit suicide. Even in the midst of the severest 
 pains inflicted by poison, he gave a thought to her, 
 saying to an attendant : " Let Josephine know that I 
 thought of her before quitting life." 
 
 Josephine, who had heard of him on the 8th, longed 
 to visit him at Fontainebleau, like the faithful Madame 
 Walewska ; and had she been in Marie Louise's place, 
 she would undoubtedly have defied everybody, driving 
 through Paris in state to join him openly and proudly. 
 Four days before his departure for Elba, Napoleon wrote 
 that he meant to spend his time henceforth in writing 
 history, adding : — 
 
 I have heaped benefits upon millions of ingrates, and they 
 have all betrayed me ; yes, all ! I except from this number 
 
 135 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 the good Eugene, so worthy of you and of me. Adieu, my 
 
 dear Josephine. Be resigned as I am, and never forget him 
 
 who never forgets and will never forget you. Farewell, Josephine. 
 
 (Signed) Napoleon. 
 
 P. S. I expect to hear from you at Elba. I am not veiy well. 
 
 Napoleon set out for Elba on the 20th of April, 18 14, 
 and reached his new abode on the 4th of May. Marie 
 Louise left France three days later, to wend her way 
 toward Vienna; while Josephine returned to Malmaison 
 before the end of the month, summoned thither by the 
 allied Powers, who showed her and her children every 
 mark of respect. 
 
 It was from Malmaison that Josephine wrote Napo- 
 leon a long letter, wherein she expressed her sympathy 
 in his sorrow over the defection of his marshals, and 
 parting with his faithful soldiers. Therein she offered, 
 in spite of the divorce, to join him in Elba, if her pres- 
 ence could afford him any consolation, and provided she 
 was "the only one to fulfil her duty." This letter, like 
 many others of hers since given to the public, has un- 
 fortunately been tampered with, and is therefore hot 
 inserted here verbatim ; but however changed the 
 phraseology, there is no doubt of Josephine's senti- 
 ments. She expressed them freely to all, even to the 
 noble visitors who came frequently to Malmaison, in- 
 cluding the Emperor Alexander, who at his first visit 
 said : " Madame, I burned with a desire to behold you. 
 Since I entered France I have never heard your name 
 uttered except with blessings. In the cottage and in 
 the palace I have collected accounts of your angelic 
 goodness, and I do myself a pleasure in thus presenting 
 to your Majesty the universal homage of which I am 
 the bearer." 
 
 This pretty speech, delivered in a tone of intense 
 136 
 
Josephine 
 
 conviction, by the handsome and powerful ruler who 
 had once been her husband's devoted friend, and who 
 was even now his most generous foe, could not but 
 please Josephine, who received him so charmingly that 
 he called again and again, and used all his influence to 
 assure her and her children a happy future. Josephine 
 now reaped the reward for all her former kindness to 
 the royalists. The returning Bourbons, unable to forget 
 the benefits she had bestowed upon their party, tried 
 to requite them by offering Eugene the post of Con- 
 netable, — which he refused, — by giving Hortense the 
 title of Duchess of St. Leu, and by assuring to Josephine 
 the possession of Malmaison with a suitable income. 
 
 Josephine, ever grateful, graciously expressed her 
 thanks to the Czar, giving him the priceless cameo 
 which she had received from the Pope at her coronation, 
 and requested an audience of Louis XVIIL so that she 
 might thank him also for his kindness to her and her 
 children. We are told that when she appeared before 
 this gouty monarch, her graceful carriage produced so 
 favourable an impression upon him, that he actually rose 
 to receive her, an act of homage he showed to few, 
 owing to his age and infirmities. 
 
 The Czar, having begged permission to see St. Leu, 
 Hortense went thither with her mother to receive him 
 on the 15th of May. They two showed Alexander the 
 grounds, and did the honours so acceptably that he spent 
 a charming day. But while Josephine exerted herself to 
 please this august guest, the sorrows of the past few 
 months, and her continued anxiety for Napoleon, had so 
 undermined her health that she once remarked : " I 
 don't know what ails me, but I am sometimes overcome 
 with such an accession of sadness that I feel I shall 
 die." 
 
 137 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 The next day she was back at Malmaison, where, 
 charmingly dressed as usual, she received her guests, and 
 strove to smile upon them ; but Madame d'Abrantes, 
 touching her hand at leaving, exclaimed in dismay, for 
 it was burning with fever. Josephine tried to reassure 
 her by saying : " It is nothing, a little fatigue, my usual 
 habits have been disturbed. When my own and my 
 children's affairs are settled, I will rest." 
 
 On the 23rd of May she entertained the King of 
 Prussia and his two sons at dinner, and on the morrow 
 received the Russian Grand-Dukes, although she was 
 suffering from a heavy cold and so exhausted that she 
 had to withdraw several times to take a little rest. Be- 
 sides, her illness and depression were increased by an 
 article in the paper, stating that the remains of little 
 Prince Napoleon Charles were to be removed from 
 Notre Dame to an ordinary cemetery. In her anxiety to 
 keep this piece of news from Hortense, who, as well as 
 Eugene, was quite ill with a cold, she made such exer- 
 tions, that her children failed to perceive her precarious 
 condition until she had taken to her bed, and the 
 physicians pointedly told them she had not long to live. 
 
 Josephine herself so little suspected her illness was 
 fatal, that when she heard the Czar was coming to 
 dinner, she insisted upon donning her prettiest pink 
 wrapper so as to receive him suitably. A messenger 
 having failed to meet and stop this august guest, Hor- 
 tense and Eugene did the honours of their mother's 
 house, while the Czar expressed deep sympathy, sharing 
 their anxieties in the friendliest way, and promising to 
 send frequently to inquire for the invalid. 
 
 Josephine, meantime, was already failing fast, talking 
 to herself, when half asleep, about " Bonaparte," " Elba," 
 and " Marie Louise," which plainly indicated that her 
 
 138 
 
Josephine 
 
 mind dwelt incessantly upon her main sources of grief. 
 But when roused, she was as gentle and thoughtful as 
 usual, and when told to prepare for death on Pentecost 
 Sunday, she confessed, received the Sacrament, and after 
 embracing and blessing her children, quietly said : " At 
 least I shall die regretted. I have always desired the wel- 
 fare of France, and I have done all that lay in my power 
 to contribute to it. I can truthfully say to you who are 
 present in this my dying hour, that Napoleon's first wife 
 never caused a tear to flow." 
 
 Then, asking for Napoleon's picture, she kissed it, 
 and, according to some authorities, held it to her breast 
 while she prayed : " O God, watch over Napoleon 
 while he remains in the desert of this world. Alas ! 
 though he has been guilty of great misdeeds, has he not 
 expiated them by great suffering ? Just God, Thou 
 hast looked into his heart, and hast seen by how ardent 
 a desire for useful and durable improvements he was 
 animated. Deign to approve my last petition, and may 
 this image of my husband bear witness that my latest 
 wish and my latest prayer were for him and for my 
 children." Hortense having fainted, Eugene supported 
 his dying mother alone, until she passed away at noon 
 on the 29th of May, 18 14, at the age of fifty-one. 
 
 Her death, occurring just four weeks after Napoleon's 
 arrival at Elba, created very little stir in France, the of- 
 ficial newspaper merely announcing that : " The mother 
 of Prince Eugene had died at noon in her castle at Mal- 
 maison, in consequence of an illness which first seemed 
 a catarrhal fever, and which suddenly assumed such a 
 malignant character that the patient succumbed at the 
 end of three days. She received with as much piety as 
 resignation all the consolations of religion. A few hours 
 before her death she took pleasure in dwelling upon the 
 
 139 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 regrets of the numerous families she had been able to 
 oblige, and it seems as if this hope softened her sorrows 
 greatly." 
 
 The physicians who attended Josephine in her last ill- 
 ness declared, however, that she died of grief over Napo- 
 leon's sorrows, for her slight illness would never have 
 proved fatal had she not been too broken-hearted to 
 resist. But while many mourned, none regretted that 
 she was taken, for she was thus spared the sorrows and 
 agitations which would else have embittered her old age. 
 Had she lived even one day longer, it would only have 
 beeri to see France sign a humiliating treaty, whereby 
 it renounced all the advantages won by Napoleon at the 
 cost of so many precious lives. 
 
 Josephine's body was exposed from the day of her 
 death to that of her interment on June 2nd, and visited 
 by about twenty thousand persons. Her funeral was 
 imposing, though simple, her grandchildren being chief 
 mourners, because Eugene was too ill to attend. Many 
 noted persons were present, however, besides the repre- 
 sentatives of the Allies, and the procession closed with 
 two thousand of the poor who had long lived upon her 
 bounty. The church at Reuil whose bells could be heard 
 so clearly at Malmaison, was chosen as Josephine's last 
 resting-place, and her body still lies there, in the pedestal 
 of CasteJlier's simple monument, which bears the brief 
 inscription : 
 
 TO JOSEPHINE 
 
 EUGENE AND HORTENSE 
 
 1825 
 
 Many touching tributes were paid to the ex-Empress, 
 the Czar saying : " She is no more ; that woman whom 
 France named the beneficent, that angel of goodness is 
 no more. Those who have known Josephine can never 
 
 140 
 
Josephine 
 
 forget her. She dies regretted by her offspring, her 
 friends, her contemporaries." 
 
 Her death, however, was also felt to be very oppor- 
 tune, not only because it saved her from further dis- 
 appointments, but because it relieved the Bourbons, 
 whose sentiments were best expressed by the Countess 
 du Cayla, Louis XVIII.'s favourite : " Alas ! how in- 
 teresting a lady was this Josephine ! What tact, what 
 goodness ! How well she knew how to do everything ! 
 And she shows her tact and good taste to the last, in 
 dying just at this time." 
 
 The Bourbons were, indeed, spared great embarrass- 
 ment and considerable expense by not having to provide 
 for the woman who had supported so many royalists, 
 and who, in spite of her huge income, died, as she had 
 lived, deeply in debt. But her children loyally assumed 
 all her liabilities, and paid them punctually, so that no 
 stigma should rest upon the name of their beloved 
 mother. 
 
 Although I can find no record of the way in which 
 Napoleon received the tidings of Josephine's demise, he 
 once stated that the sudden news of her death was " one 
 of the keenest griefs of that fatal year of 1814." When 
 he returned to France in 18 15, and met Hortense in the 
 Salon of the Tuileries, he bitterly reproached her for 
 having remained in France and accepted favours from 
 his foes. He then blamed Josephine, too, saying, " he 
 could find no excuse for her," and that " her conduct 
 had cut him to the heart ! " When Hortense exclaimed, 
 sobbing : " Your name was the last word on her dying 
 lips ! " he coldly retorted : " She should have respected 
 it," and declared she should never have asked the king's 
 permission to retain her title, for " it was an ineffaceable 
 title, beyond the power of any sovereign to annul or con- 
 
 141 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 fer, having been confirmed by the Pope himself." But 
 his temporary irritation soon subsided, and when he had 
 forgiven and embraced Hortense, he begged for de- 
 tails of Josephine's last hours, adding : " You saw my 
 poor Josephine die. In the midst of my disasters her 
 death rends my heart." 
 
 Later, upon meeting his favourite physician, Corvisard, 
 who was ill at the time of Josephine's death. Napoleon 
 reproachfully exclaimed : " You let my poor Josephine 
 die without your services." Then sending for the physi- 
 cians who had attended her, he questioned them closely, 
 and was evidently touched and pleased to see how con- 
 stantly he had been in her thoughts, how faithfully she had 
 loved him, and to learn the unanimous verdict that she 
 had died of grief over his sorrows. 
 
 Although very busy re-organising his government, and 
 preparing to fight a new coalition. Napoleon went out to 
 Malmaison before the famous " Champ de Mai." Hor- 
 tense, who had not entered the house since her mother's 
 death, received him in the vestibule. After they had 
 visited Josephine's tomb, and all the familiar nooks and 
 corners of house and garden, and eaten a cheerless meal 
 opposite her empty chair. Napoleon suddenly asked to 
 see the room in which she had died. Forbidding Hor- 
 tense to accompany him, lest it should move her too 
 painfully, he entered it alone, spent some time there, and 
 came out with tears in his eyes. 
 
 A few weeks later, after the crushing defeat at Water- 
 loo, and his second abdication. Napoleon returned to 
 Malmaison, where he remained from the 25th to the 
 29th of June, 1815. Hortense was there to receive 
 and comfort him, and when he finally departed, she gave 
 him a portrait of Josephine, and her own diamond neck- 
 lace, fearing lest he might fall short of funds. It was at 
 
 142 
 
Josephine 
 
 Malmaison that Napoleon bade his family a final farewell, 
 and, entering his carriage, began the journey which was to 
 end on the barren rock of St. Helena. The spot where 
 his foot last rested at Malmaison was marked until 1870 
 by an eagle and brief inscription, although the estate 
 often changed hands during that time. But in 1 861, it 
 was purchased by Josephine's grandson, the Emperor Na- 
 poleon III., who, remembering perfectly how the rooms 
 looked when he was a child, had them carefully restored, 
 and turned the whole place into a Napoleonic Museum, 
 for the benefit of the state. 
 
 But during the Franco-Prussian war, Malmaison was 
 entirely dismantled, and since then most of the grounds 
 have been divided up into building lots and sold. For 
 years Josephine's old home bore few signs of her sojourn 
 in it; but it is now again being restored as a museum, 
 and the mere name of Malmaison always calls up a grace- 
 ful Creole figure, strolling under the trees, and taking a 
 tender interest in all the flowers which met her eye. 
 
 At St. Helena, Napoleon often mentioned Josephine, 
 but whereas in the beginning he said : " She was right, 
 my separation from her has brought misfortune upon my 
 head ; " he subsequently persuaded himself that the di- 
 vorce was none of his doing, and said : " I ought not to 
 have allowed myself to be separated from Josephine. 
 No, I ought not to have been divorced from her ; that 
 was my misfortune." 
 
 In 1820 he proudly declared: "My divorce has no 
 parallel in history, for it made no change in the ties 
 which united us as a family, and our mutual tenderness 
 remained the same. Our separation was a sacrifice 
 which reason imposed in the interest of my crown. 
 Josephine was devoted to me. She loved me dearly ; 
 and nobody ever had my place in her heart ; I was first, 
 
 143 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 her children came afterward. She was right, for she was 
 the one being I loved most, and her remembrance is yet 
 all powerful in my heart ! " 
 
 A year later, when very ill and about to die. Napoleon 
 saw Josephine in a dream, and upon awakening said to an 
 attendant : " I have just seen my darling Josephine, but 
 she would not embrace me. She rose just as I tried to 
 take her in my arms. She was seated there. It seemed 
 to me that I had seen her the day before. She has not 
 changed ; always the same, just as devoted to me as ever. 
 She told me we should soon meet, never to part again. 
 She promised it to me." 
 
 This vision seemed so real to the dying captive, that 
 he inquired of the attendant whether he had not seen the 
 Empress too, and the last words his watchers could dis- 
 tinguish were faint murmurs of " France," " army," and 
 " Josephine," his three great passions being still " strong 
 in death." 
 
 144 
 
MARIE LOUISE 
 
 MARIE LOUISE of Austria, second wife of 
 Napoleon I., and great-granddaughter of the 
 Empress Marie Therese, was born at Vienna, 
 December 12, 1791. Like all Austrian archduchesses, 
 she was brought up in strict seclusion, and in the utmost 
 subjection to parental rule. Although her education 
 included fluency in the principal European languages, 
 drawing, and music, it excluded all individual thought, 
 and kept her in utter ignorance of many practical things, 
 under the pretext of preserving her innocence. Not 
 only were school books mutilated, all mention of love, 
 marriage, and children, for instance, being suppressed, 
 but none but female pets were allowed in her neigh- 
 bourhood. 
 
 Even in the nursery, however, the name of Napoleon 
 was abhorred ; the imperial children invariably selecting 
 their ugliest toys to represent this bugaboo, whom they 
 subjected in effigy to every torture and indignity infantile 
 ingenuity could devise. The court having been obliged 
 to flee into Hungary when Marie Louise was about four- 
 teen, she naturally hoped her father might triumph, and 
 vindictively remarked, concerning Napoleon : " Perhaps 
 God has allowed him to advance so far, so that when 
 He will have forsaken him, no hope will remain to him." 
 
 The motherless Marie Louise found herself at fifteen 
 
 under the iron rule of a step-mother, only four years her 
 
 senior, who also hated Napoleon with all her heart ; and, 
 
 believing like Marie Louise, that Eckmiihl was an 
 
 VOL. I. — 10 145 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Austrian victory, the Empress warmly echoed her wish : 
 " May he also lose his head ! " 
 
 Instead of perishing, Napoleon continued his victories, 
 which culminated with Wagram, in spite of all the 
 Austrian courage. An Austrian fanatic's attempt to 
 murder him at Schonbrunn, only served to convince 
 him more forcibly than ever of the need of an heir, 
 and thus actually hastened his preparations for divorce 
 and the negotiations for a royal bride. Already, some 
 time before, a list had been drawn up of the eighteen 
 marriageable European princesses, first among whom 
 ranked a sister of the Czar. Her extreme youth, her 
 mother's objections to an alliance with Napoleon, and a 
 difference in religious belief, might all have been sur- 
 mounted, however, had not Napoleon chafed at delay, 
 and Metternich dreaded an alliance which would result 
 in Austria's subjection. This minister, therefore, re- 
 solved to benefit his country by urging, instead, a mar- 
 riage with Marie Louise, and he-was overjoyed when his 
 wife wrote that Josephine, Hortense, and Eugene openly 
 advocated the plan. Indeed, Josephine wrote to Madame 
 Metternich that she felt sure the Emperor would choose 
 the archduchess in preference to any other bride, were 
 he sure his suit would be accepted at Vienna, and added 
 that she fancied acceptance could hardly be doubtful 
 were the Austrian Emperor only made to see that " his 
 ruin and that of his country would be certain if he did 
 not consent." 
 
 Josephine's reason for preferring this alliance was a 
 superstitious dread of seeing any but a Roman Catholic 
 on the throne, and an ardent desire to prevent a more 
 serious breach between Napoleon and the Pope. Na- 
 poleon, whose vanity was tickled at the prospect of a 
 marriage with one of the oldest and proudest families in 
 
 146 
 
MaRIF. LdUISE. 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Europe, the same which had given the last queen to 
 France, nevertheless affected some hesitation, and allud- 
 ing to his descent from a race of Italian noblemen, he 
 haughtily declared : " I certainly should not contemplate 
 this marriage were I not aware that Marie Louise's 
 origin is as noble as my own." 
 
 For a time, Josephine's successor was the theme of 
 every conversation; but although some of the courtiers 
 openly advocated a French bride, it was soon apparent 
 that nothing short of a princess would satisfy Napoleon's 
 vanity. At a council in the Tuileries, — seventeen 
 years to a day after Louis XVL's death, — the Emperor 
 made believe discuss the merits of the different alliances, 
 showing his own preference so plainly, however, that his 
 supposed advisers could only coincide with his opinion 
 that an Austrian alliance was preferable to a Russian. 
 But Cambaceres objected to this decision, predicted war 
 with the rejected party within two years, and privately 
 remarked to a friend : " I know that the Emperor is 
 familiar with the road to Vienna, but I am not so. sure 
 he can find his way to St. Petersburg ! " 
 
 The Czar's delay in accepting the Emperor's veiled 
 proposals were now seized upon as a pretext to break 
 off all negotiations with Russia, and Napoleon abruptly 
 asked the Austrian ambassador whether a marriage con- 
 tract with Marie Louise could be signed immediately. 
 This official, perceiving that any hesitation would be 
 construed as an insult by the impatient suitor, signed the 
 contract on February 7, 18 10, although he really had 
 no power to do so without consulting the Austrian court, 
 and although the future bride's consent had, as yet, not 
 even been asked. 
 
 In fear and trembling, he despatched a special courier 
 to Vienna with a copy of this contract, and an auto- 
 
 147, 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 graph letter from Napoleon, who, it seems, took special 
 pains to write as legibly as possible on this occasion. 
 But his caligraphy was so poor that the letters had to 
 be skilfully touched up by his secretary before they could 
 be read by any but the initiated. Francis II., upon receiv- 
 ing this communication, declared that, in such a matter 
 as this, his duty as a father came before his obligatbns as 
 a sovereign, and he bade Metternich impart the proposal 
 to the archduchess Marie Louise, and let her decide with- 
 out any reference to him. The clever diplomat therefore 
 hastened off to the blue-eyed, flaxen-haired, rosy-cheeked 
 archduchess, whose schooling was so perfect, that after 
 listening to all he said, she dutifully inquired her father's 
 wishes. 
 
 When informed that Francis left the decision entirely 
 to her, Marie Louise gently refused to assume such a 
 responsibility, and declared her entire readiness to subor- 
 dinate all personal wishes to the welfare of her father's 
 kingdom. Francis II., perceiving that such an alliance 
 would assure at least a few years of peace to Austria, dared 
 not refuse, and after reluctantly consenting to sacrifice 
 his daughter to his politics, he publicly announced the 
 coming marriage. The news created a great sensation in 
 Vienna, where, as it guaranteed peace, it was hailed with 
 such satisfaction that Metternich was greatly elated, and 
 said : " I pity the princess, but let her not forget that it 
 is a fine thing to restore peace to such a good people." 
 
 He also wrote to the French capital : " The new Em- 
 press will please in Paris, and cannot but please there on 
 account of her kindness, her great sweetness and sim- 
 plicity. Rather homely than pretty of face, she has a 
 fine figure, and when fixed up and properly dressed will 
 look quite handsome. I have begged her to engage a 
 dancing master as soon as she gets there, and not to 
 
 148 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 dance until she can do it well. She is most anxious to 
 please, and one can always do so when actuated by such 
 a desire." 
 
 The marriage was no sooner decided than great prepa- 
 rations were begun, and, to insure its lacking naught in 
 pomp and solemnity, the same etiquette was observed as 
 for the nuptials of the unhappy Marie Antoinette. The 
 stir of all these preparations so delighted the pleasure- 
 loving Viennese, that the French ambassador wrote 
 home : " All glances are fixed almost exclusively upon 
 Madame the archduchess. All those who have the 
 honour of approaching her are eagerly interviewed, and 
 every one is delighted to hear that she is in the happiest 
 frame of mind, and makes no attempts to conceal her 
 satisfaction at this marriage." The ambassador, know- 
 ing also how eagerly all details would be read, then went 
 on to describe the princess as a model of gentleness, 
 kindness, and modesty, mentioned her tall stature, good 
 figure, and robust health, and pronounced her features 
 "regular and very sweet." 
 
 One of Marie Louise's first gifts from her imperial 
 fiance was a miniature portrait, set in sixteen diamonds, 
 valued at five hundred thousand francs, and which, accord- 
 ing to Austrian custom, she immediately hung around her 
 neck, her only comment in reference to her future bride- 
 groom being however an indifferent : " He is not ill- 
 looking." Meantime her own portrait was being made 
 by two painters at once, so that the most favourable like- 
 ness could be forwarded straight to Paris. There it is 
 said the Emperor studied it closely, and was greatly 
 pleased to recognise the " Hapsburg lip," for he had 
 fully determined to marry none but an unmistakable 
 descendant of that famous race. 
 
 Although the French ambassador reported Marie 
 149 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Louise pleased with the match, it is probable that an 
 unsophisticated girl of eighteen, who had hitherto been 
 kept in nun-like seclusion, gave the marriage itself little 
 thought. Still she was quite dazed by the adulation she 
 now received for the first time, and dazzled by the bril- 
 liant preparations, which progressed rapidly as soon as the 
 Viennese court had been duly satisfied of the legality of 
 Josephine's divorce. As it was Lent, a special dispen- 
 sation was procured, and the wedding fixed for Sunday, 
 March II, 1810. On the eve of this day, Marie 
 Louise, according to custom, solemnly renounced all 
 claim to the Austrian crown for herself and her children, 
 and two days after the sixteenth anniversary of Jose- 
 phine's marriage, she went in state to the Augustine 
 Church, where she was married by proxy, in the presence 
 of the whole court, and of a special French envoy, the 
 Prince of Neufchatel. On this solemn occasion, Marie 
 Louise's uncle personated the absent Emperor, to whom 
 he immediately wrote a courteous letter, expressing his 
 pleasure at having been selected, even temporarily, to fill 
 the place of so great a monarch. After the marriage, at 
 the official reception, the French ambassador first con- 
 gratulated his new mistress, who perfunctorily remarked 
 that she would " strive to please the Emperor and to 
 contribute to the happiness of the French people, which 
 had become her own." 
 
 Glowing descriptions of wedding, reception, and gala 
 dinner were immediately forwarded to Paris, to the im- 
 patient bridegroom, who read with delight that, " All 
 glances were fixed upon the principal actor, the adored 
 princess who will soon make our sovereign happy," and 
 his love of display was fully gratified by the assurance 
 that "the ladies were wearied by the weight of the 
 diamonds and pearls which covered their garments." 
 
 150 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 On the 13th of March, after a whole day of rest, the 
 Empress of the French took tender leave of her family, 
 was escorted to the door by her step-mother, and, weep- 
 ing unrestrainedly, stepped into the travelling carriage 
 which was to bear her away from home. Escorted by a 
 body of cuirassiers, and dignitaries in carriages drawn by 
 six horses, the new Empress ( in her coach drawn by 
 eight steeds) passed through long lines of troops, and 
 crossed the bridge, while bands played and cannons 
 boomed. But the cortege of eighty-three carriages could 
 proceed but slowly, owing to muddy roads, so it took 
 some time to reach Linz, where Marie Louise met her 
 father, who had come thither to bid farewell to the gentle 
 daughter whom the people called : " Louise the Pious." 
 This public parting, however, did not satisfy a father's 
 heart, and when Marie Louise arrived at St. Poltern in 
 Bavaria, she found that Francis IL had journeyed thither 
 incognito, merely to enjoy the sad pleasure of embracing 
 her once more. The journey was now resumed, every city 
 or hamlet doing its utmost to honour the new Empress, 
 who was to be delivered into the hands of French repre- 
 sentatives at Braunau, where a group of three adjoining 
 pavilions was erected for that express purpose. One of 
 these was considered the Austrian Pavilion, and another, 
 by courtesy, the French ; the connecting space being 
 recognised by both nations as neutral ground. 
 
 According to custom, Marie Louise entered the first 
 with her Austrian escort, was delivered into the hands of 
 the French authorities in the second, and when all the 
 formalities had been fulfilled, and her dowry of five 
 hundred thousand francs, duly paid in new coin, she 
 passed over to French soil. The imperial household, 
 waiting in the third pavilion, were so eager to behold 
 their new mistress, that one of them had actually brought 
 
 151 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 a gimlet, with which he bored a hole through the wooden 
 partition to which ladies and gentlemen alike applied 
 curious eyes in turn. Still, all were delighted with the 
 appearance of Marie Louise, who wore a heavy robe of 
 gold brocade, and professed themselves overjoyed to see 
 Napoleon's miniature hanging from her neck. 
 
 Business concluded, the Empress, with tears in her 
 eyes, watched her Austrian attendants file past her throne, 
 ere she was conducted by the Prince of Neufchatel into 
 the French pavilion. There she was first introduced to 
 the Queen of Naples, — Napoleon's sister, — who had 
 come thither to bid her welcome to France. Entering 
 the same carriage, the sisters-in-law next drove slowly 
 into the city of Braunau, where great preparations had 
 been made to receive the Empress, and whither both 
 French and Austrian escorts accompanied them. 
 
 In her lodgings here, opposite the City Hall, Marie 
 Louise found an elaborate French toilet-table and the 
 trousseau prepared by Napoleon's order, and, according 
 to time-honoured custom, proceeded to divest herself of 
 every stitch of Austrian raiment so as to assume a purely 
 French garb. But, unlike Marie Antoinette, she was 
 spared the embarrassment of a public toilet, customs 
 having so changed during the past twenty-five years that 
 even Levers and Couchers were now only the more or 
 less formal receptions of fully dressed sovereigns. 
 
 It is stated that Marie Louise's trousseau consisted of 
 sixty-four dresses, valued at 126,976 francs, seventeen 
 shawls at 39,860 francs, sixty pairs of shoes, etc., etc.; 
 in short, more than four hundred thousand francs worth 
 of wearing apparel, and a sum of 360,000 francs was 
 promised her for the yearly replenishing of this sumptuous 
 wardrobe. Napoleon, who had taken the liveliest interest 
 in the preparation of this trousseau, examined and criticised 
 
 152 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 every article before it was sent to her. It is also said 
 that he playfully slapped his servant's cheeks with one of 
 the pretty new shoes, — which seemed remarkably small 
 for so tall a bride, — and remarked gleefully : " Constant, 
 that 's a promising shoe. Have you seen many feet 
 that could wear that ? " 
 
 After receiving the homage of the town authorities at 
 Braunau, Marie Louise wrote to her father, mentioning 
 the ordeal she had just passed through, stating rue- 
 fully : "I had to endure a two hours' toilet. I assure 
 you that I am already as strongly perfumed as the other 
 French women," and she concluded her missive with re- 
 newed expressions of regret at leaving her beloved home. 
 It was in this town that Marie Louise took leave of all 
 her Austrian attendants save one, and, stepping into her 
 carriage drove away, after receiving a touching fatherly 
 blessing from the Prince of TrautmannsdorfF, the Aus- 
 trian nobleman who had been charged to deliver her into 
 the hands of the French envoys. 
 
 The Empress now journeyed on to Miinich, where a 
 sorrowful experience awaited her, for the Queen of 
 Naples, wishing to get her new sister-in-law entirely 
 under her own control, suddenly dismissed the Austrian 
 lady who was to escort her to Paris and remain with her 
 there one year. Too timid to resist, after being drilled 
 for years to implicit obedience, Marie Louise wept and 
 yielded, but she wrote to her father : " How painful 
 this separation is to me ! I could not make a greater 
 sacrifice to my husband, and still I do not believe that 
 he wished it." 
 
 The Queen of Naples, having met with no active 
 resistance in her first attempt at tyranny, next declared 
 that Marie Louise must also send back her little 
 lap-dog, for Napoleon could not endure pets, and 
 
 IS3 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 she even forbade the Empress to take leave of her 
 last Austrian friend ! This act of cruelty, however, 
 roused the indignation of Marie Louise's new attendants, 
 who cleverly smuggled Madame Lazanski into her 
 mistress' room, where they had a long .private interview 
 while the Queen of Naples slept. 
 
 The journey, which had hitherto been a perpetual 
 triumphal march, continued in much the same way, the 
 Empress being greeted at every stopping place with 
 speeches, receptions, and balls, while the road over which 
 she travelled was strewn with flowers and arched with 
 garlands, and the air resonant with cannon, cheers, 
 bell-ringing, and joyous music from the military bands 
 stationed along the way. 
 
 Marie Louise had received her first letter from 
 Napoleon at Braunau, and after that, a courier met her 
 daily, with letters and presents of flowers or game. As 
 the Emperor's caligraphy was a hopeless puzzle to all 
 but those inured, Marie Louise had to beg the Queen 
 of Naples' help to read these letters ; but every evening 
 she personally answered the missive received during the 
 day. 
 
 On crossing the Rhine, Marie Louise was met by 
 twenty generals with their troops, and at Strasburg 
 received a formal welcome to France, where her pres- 
 ence seemed to assure peace after eighteen years of 
 warfare. One of the spectators of the festivities there, 
 is said to have been the Austrian general, Neipperg, who 
 was to play so important a part in Marie Louise's life 
 a few years later, but whose presence she did not even 
 notice, absorbed as she was by the popular demonstra- 
 tions. There, also, she met Count Metternich once 
 more, and received and answered the first paternal letter, 
 declaring she felt sure she would be quite happy, wishing 
 
 154 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 he could read Napoleon's letters, — which daily grew 
 longer and more lover-like, — and assuring him, with 
 much girlish pride : " He pays me every possible 
 attention." 
 
 Her letters to the Emperor were also growing longer 
 and less stiff, and Napoleon's servant vows his master 
 received them with ever-increasing eagerness and pleas- 
 ure. In fact, the epistolary wooing was progressing very 
 favourably, for Marie Louise, on her side, watched for 
 each new courier, anxiously asking what could detairi 
 him, if he failed to appear at the usual time. Her letters, 
 together with those received from his sister and from 
 other members of the Imperial cortege, — which were 
 all full of Marie Louise's gentleness, sweetness of dis- 
 position, fine figure, and other personal charms, — worked 
 Napoleon up to the same pitch of impatience as if he 
 had been an enamoured youth, in prey to his first passion. 
 
 Now it had been carefully arranged that the Emperor 
 should meet his bride on March 28th, in a pavilion built 
 for that express purpose between Soissons and Com- 
 pi^gne, where the Empress was to fall at his feet and 
 he would graciously raise her to the position she was 
 ever after to occupy at his side. This stiff program 
 was, however, destined never to be carried out, for 
 Napoleon, learning that Marie Louise had travelled 
 faster than he expected, secretly left Compiegne, — 
 where he had been hunting for the past week, — and, 
 accompanied by Murat only, rode forward to meet his 
 bride. 
 
 Napoleon and his brother-in-law were standing under 
 the church porch at Courcelles, to escape from the 
 pelting rain, when Marie Louise's carriage stopped at 
 the relay, late in the afternoon on the 27th of March. 
 Suddenly the Emperor appeared at the carriage door, 
 
 15s 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 tore it open, and just as one of the attendants exclaimed : 
 " The Emperor ! " he sprang into the coach to embrace 
 his bride. All ceremony and preconceived arrangements 
 were thus upset, and Napoleon, seated opposite his wife 
 and sister, eagerly examined this " fine girl, radiant with 
 youth, freshness, health, and strength, with her beautiful 
 golden hair, blue eyes, and general appearance of inno- 
 cence and candour." Such was her surprise, that she, 
 too, stared at the man to whom she had been married 
 two weeks before, forgetting all else. But, however 
 eloquent the glances this couple exchanged, their first 
 remarks were as commonplace as those of ordinary 
 mortals, for Napoleon briefly exclaimed : " You 're 
 surely not afraid of mud," on sitting down, and the new 
 Empress naively remarked : " Why, you 're much better 
 looking than your picture ! " This exclamation neverthe- 
 less delighted the Emperor, who th6n and there decided 
 that they would journey on together, and despatched a 
 courier ahead of him to announce their arrival at 
 Compiegne that evening. 
 
 All the elaborate program for the morrow's reception 
 was thus upset, but to the untold satisfaction of Marie 
 Louise, who had greatly dreaded the formal meeting and 
 longed to have it safely over. At nine o'clock the cortege 
 arrived at Compiegne, where, despite short notice and 
 pouring rain, arches had been hastily erected and the 
 castle brilliantly illumined to welcome the bridal party. 
 Napoleon led the new Empress straight to her apart- 
 ments, where one authority declares she was overjoyed 
 to find a piece of unfinished fancy-work which she had 
 left behind her at Braunau, as well as her birds and little 
 lap-dog, which the Emperor had sent for as soon as he 
 learned that she seemed to miss them. Napoleon and 
 Marie Louise supped in these rooms alone with the 
 
 156 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Queen of Naples, and then paid a brief visit to Pauline 
 Borghese, whom illness confined to her chamber. 
 
 On returning with the Empress to her private rooms. 
 Napoleon inquired what parting instructions her father 
 had given her, and when Marie Louise innocently an- 
 swered that he had bidden her " Belong to her husband 
 wholly, and obey him in all things," he suddenly deter- 
 mined to make another change in the official program, 
 and claim his marital rights immediately, instead of wait- 
 ing until another marriage ceremony had taken place. 
 Instead, therefore, of spending the night elsewhere — 
 as etiquette prescribed — he remained in the castle, slily 
 asking his servant the next morning whether any one had 
 noticed the violation of proprieties, which, after all, was 
 only a repetition of Henry IV.'s behaviour with Marie 
 de Medicis. It was quite evident to all, however, that 
 the Emperor was not only rather proud of himself, but 
 charmed with his bride, for he gaily tweaked one of his 
 unmarried officers' ears and said to him confidentially : 
 " My dear fellow, marry a German. They are the 
 nicest wives in the world, good, innocent, and as sweet 
 and fresh as roses." 
 
 His toilet ended, the Emperor hastened back to Marie 
 Louise, who remained in bed until noon to recover from 
 the fatigues of her journey, her husband having breakfast 
 served by her women on a small table by her bedside, 
 so that he could share this meal with her. 
 
 While the Empress was preparing for some presenta- 
 tions which were to take place at one o'clock, the Em- 
 peror wrote to his father-in-law : " Allow me to thank 
 you for the fine present you have sent me. May your 
 fatherly heart rejoice in the happiness of your daughter." 
 This missive was despatched by a special courier, with 
 one from Marie Louise, in which, after expressing her 
 
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Empresses of France 
 
 relief at being spared the ceremonious meeting at Com- 
 piegne, she frankly added : " Since that .'moment I have 
 been almost intimate with him ; he loves me deeply, and 
 I return his affection. I am convinced that I shall be 
 happy with him. My health continues good. I am 
 quite rested from my journey." Certainly, this letter did 
 not sound as if she were a great martyr to duty, nor did 
 her subsequent missives, for five days later she wrote : 
 " I am as happy as it is possible to be." 
 
 At one o'clock on the 28th of March, all the ladies 
 and officers of the Empress' household — whom she had 
 not yet seen — were presented and took their oath of 
 fidelity. Next came the introductions of all the digni- 
 taries, and a joyful recognition of Count Metternich and 
 Prince Schwarzenberg, who both rejoiced in their share 
 in effecting so satisfactory a marriage. Napoleon, too, 
 was in a genial mood that day, and when he and Marie 
 Louise dined in state together, he donned a fantastic 
 costume designed by his sister Pauline, but which he 
 judged so unbecoming that he never wore it again, pre- 
 ferring the uniform in which he always appeared to his 
 best advantage. 
 
 On the 31st of March the Imperial party left Com- 
 piegne for St. Cloud, Napoleon and Marie Louise riding 
 in state in the same carriage, and pausing at the entrance 
 of the Bois de Boulogne, where the Empress was wel- 
 comed by the Prefect of the Seine with the pompous 
 speech : " Escorted thither from Vienna by the love of 
 the nations, your Majesty now knows that it is your 
 destiny to reign over all hearts by the ascendency of your 
 virtues, as well as by the charms of your person. It will 
 be our duty and privilege, Madame, to enable you to find 
 again in your present abode, the countries you love best, 
 those where you were most beloved, and to strive to 
 
 158 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 render the testimony of our respect and of our love, 
 worthy of your Majesties." Crowds had collected all 
 along the road to give the Imperial party a continuous 
 ovation until they reached St. Cloud, where a state din- 
 ner and new presentations closed the day. . 
 
 On the 1st of April, 1810, at 2 p.m. at St. Cloud, in 
 the Gallery of Apollo, Napoleon and Marie Louise 
 were married by civil rite, the Arch-Chancellor conclud- 
 ing the brief ceremony in this curious way : " In the 
 name of the Emperor and of the law, I declare that His 
 Imperial and Royal Majesty, Napoleon, Emperor of the 
 French, King of Italy, and her Imperial and Royal High- 
 ness, the Archduchess Marie Louise are united in 
 marriage." Salvos of artillery published the news of Na- 
 poleon's civil marriage abroad, — salvos which were re- 
 peated from point to point, until they even reached the 
 ears of the unhappy Josephine at Navarre. This was, 
 however, a proud day for Napoleon, who stood beside the 
 young Empress in the same hall where he had faced the 
 Assembly in Brumaire in 1799, where he had been pro- 
 claimed Emperor in 1804, and whence he was to set out 
 for the fatal campaign in Russia in 181 2. 
 
 The official signing of the wedding contract followed 
 the civil marriage, the Emperor's family crowding eagerly 
 forward to inscribe their names on the sheet beneath 
 those of Napoleon and Marie Louise. Not only were 
 Madame Mere and Napoleon's brothers and sisters 
 present on this occasion ; but Eugene and Hortense also 
 had prominent places in the cortege at the Emperor's 
 special request. In fact, the only guests who failed to 
 appear were fourteen Italian cardinals, who refused to 
 accept as binding a divorce not pronounced by the Pope, 
 and whose absence roused a storm of imperial wrath. 
 
 After a family dinner, a play was given in the 
 159 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Orangerie, which was followed by a grand illumination 
 of the Park with all its spouting fountains ; for, although 
 it was raining in Paris on that day, the weather was fine 
 at St. Cloud. This fortunate state of affairs was to 
 favour their Majesties also on the morrow, the sunshine 
 following them as they drove in state to the capital for 
 their religious marriage at the Tuileries. Magnificent 
 preparations had been made there for their reception, a 
 sham Arc de Triomphe being erected on the spot where 
 the foundations for the real one had already been laid, and 
 which bore the inscription : 
 
 TO NAPOLEON AND MARIE LOUISE 
 THE CITY OF PARIS 
 
 The state carriage halted directly under the broad 
 arch, while the Governor of Paris delivered his wel- 
 coming address, and then proceeded down the Champs 
 Elysees. Dense crowds of spectators lined both sides 
 of the way, all gazing in open-mouthed admiration 
 at the pageant, and especially at the Empress, who 
 wore all the glittering crown jewels so lately seen 
 on Josephine. Moving slowly, the procession came 
 at last to the Place de la Concorde, where Marie 
 Louise's great-aunt, Marie Antoinette, was beheaded 
 sixteen years before, and finally drew up before the great 
 entrance of the Tuileries, barely in time for the wedding 
 in the Salon Carre of the Louvre. 
 
 There, all had been ready for hours, and the spec- 
 tators were already in their places, save the still delin- 
 quent cardinals. The Imperial cortege entered the Salon 
 Carre at the stroke of three. Napoleon duly attended by 
 his brothers and dignitaries, while Marie Louise's mantle 
 was supported by her five sisters-in-law, one of whom, 
 — the unhappy Hortense, — could not restrain the heavy 
 
 1 60 
 
J 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 tears which dropped on the new Empress' embroidered 
 robes. But whereas Hortense was sad, and could not 
 forget Josephine, Napoleon was simply radiant, until he 
 perceived the absence of the cardinals, when his brow 
 lowered and remained overcast throughout the remainder 
 of the ceremony. 
 
 The marriage over, the Imperial party returned to 
 their apartments, where Marie Louise removed her crown 
 and mantle, which were carried in state to Notre Dame. 
 But after she had rested for a few minutes she appeared 
 with her husband on the balcony of the Tuileries, to re- 
 ceive the enthusiastic homage of the Parisian crowd. 
 Next came a state banquet, followed by a grand illumi- 
 nation, the Emperor and Empress viewing the fireworks 
 from the balcony, before listening to a brilliant cantata 
 which had been composed for this occasion, which was 
 further honoured by one hundred and fifty epithalamiums. 
 
 The next day, their Majesties held an official recep- 
 tion in the Tuileries, and heard many addresses, to one 
 of which Napoleon made the following characteristic 
 response, — naming himself before his bride in truly 
 imperial, but not very gallant style : " I and the Em- 
 press feel that we deserve the feelings you express by 
 the love we bear to our people." 
 
 The fourteen Italian cardinals who had roused the 
 Emperor's wrath were not only refused admittance on this 
 occasion, but Napoleon banished them from court, be- 
 sides depriving them of the privilege of wearing their red 
 gowns, thereby making them famous in history as the 
 Black Cardinals. 
 
 Although over forty. Napoleon was very anxious to 
 please his eighteen-year-old wife and win her heart. He 
 found her gentle and modest, and as she had emerged 
 from the schoolroom only to marry, court restrictions 
 
 VOL. I. — II i6i 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 did not seem so irksome to her. Her private life was 
 just as simple, quiet, and uneventful as before, her time 
 being still devoted to music, painting, embroidery, and 
 reading. But, although quiet, she was never alone, for 
 etiquette required the constant "presence of one of her 
 ladies. Indeed, the Empress was guarded as closely as 
 the Archduchess had been ; but as she was of a 
 very tractable disposition, she allowed her husband or 
 Madame de Montebello — who was eighteen years her 
 senior and "a lady of honour who was an honourable 
 lady indeed " — to regulate her every movement. She 
 had been so little accustomed to freedom or amusement, 
 that the monotony of this seclusion was not burdensome 
 to her ; and after the first novelty wore ofF, she greatly 
 preferred it to state receptions, banquets, reviews, or 
 other ceremonies, or even to the long drives through 
 the capital, when she was always accompanied by a part 
 of her household. In fact, Marie Louise was so con- 
 tented with her lot, that she then wrote : " What my 
 father often told me has come true, I find the Emperor 
 extremely amiable," and on another occasion, still 
 speaking of Napoleon, she declared : " We suit each 
 other perfectly." 
 
 Metternich, having known Marie Louise from infancy 
 and negotiated this marriage, the Emperor was particu- 
 larly anxious to have him see how happy his wife 
 really was, so he ushered him into the Empress' pres- 
 ence one day, and, contrary to all precedent left him 
 alone with her, locking the door upon them both. An 
 hour later, he returned to release his prisoners and 
 laughingly inquired : " Well, have you had a good talk ? 
 Did the Empress say much harm of me ? Did she 
 laugh or did she cry ? " But then, catching himself up, 
 he seriously declared that he did not care to know their 
 
 162 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 secrets, a statement which Metternich slily repeated to 
 him the next day, when curiosity suddenly became ram- 
 pant, and he tried to discover what his young wife had 
 said about him to her old friend. Still, any doubts on 
 this question were futile at that time, for Marie Louise 
 was well pleased with her fate, and greatly flattered by 
 the fact that the Emperor changed some of his habits 
 merely to please her. He took all his meals with her, 
 catered to her individual tastes by ordering plenty of 
 sweets, gratified her every wish, and made her frequent 
 brief visits in the course of the day, to make sure she 
 was neither sad nor homesick. 
 
 It is also said that one of the rooms of the Tuileries 
 was furnished by his order exactly like her pet nook at 
 home, all her girlish possessions having been secretly 
 conveyed thither from Vienna for this express purpose. 
 Shortly after the wedding. Napoleon led her along the 
 dark and narrow corridors of the palace to this room, 
 laughing gleefully when she clung to him in her terror 
 of spooky corners, and saying : " Don't be afraid, my 
 little Marie Louise, you are with me, no harm can hap- 
 pen to you." But when they reached the mysterious 
 apartment, and the door was flung open, Marie Louise 
 fairly gasped with pleasure and surprise, and began to run 
 around the room, touching the familiar objects and loudly 
 expressing her delight. Then, remembering the pains 
 her husband had taken to procure her this pleasure, she 
 impetuously ran to the window where he stood watch- 
 ing her rapture, and clasped her arms around his neck. 
 This demonstrative embrace, seen by the crowd gazing 
 up at the palace windows, caused a burst of lusty cheers, 
 which drove the shame-faced young Empress back to the 
 very depths of her new apartment, where the Emperor 
 followed her, highly pleased. 
 
 163 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 The wedding ceremonies being all over, Napoleon 
 and Marie Louise withdrew to Compiegne for a brief 
 honeymoon, during which the young bride took her first 
 dancing lessons, and Napoleon, who had only recently 
 mastered the art, often took a turn with her in spite of 
 his forty years. He also volunteered to teach her to 
 ride, a proposal which charmed Marie Louise, who had 
 hitherto been deprived of that pleasure for fear of an 
 accident. Early every morning, therefore, horses were 
 brought to the door, and the Emperor not only mounted 
 the Empress himself, but at first walked by her side, 
 holding her fast until she grew accustomed to the 
 motion, and gained sufficient courage to sit upright in 
 her saddle. When she had progressed far enough to 
 ride without support, Napoleon mounted his own steed 
 to ride around the park or garden with her, laughing 
 merrily at her terrors, urging her steed by sly touches of 
 his whip, and directing her how to sit or hold her reins. 
 But, boisterous as he was, he was also careful that no 
 harm should befall her, and to guard against possible 
 accident, he stationed watchful attendants every ten 
 paces along their course, giving them orders to check 
 the Empress' horse when necessary, to save her from 
 any fall. These riding lessons were carried on until 
 Marie Louise became sufficiently expert to enjoy the 
 hunting parties at Compiegne and Fontainebleau, where, 
 she was often seen with her ladies during her brief 
 reign. 
 
 One day, Marie Louise expressed a casual regret that 
 there was no stately grape arbour at Compiegne, under 
 which they two could stroll, in shade and seclusion, and 
 reminded Napoleon of the one at Schonbrunn. The 
 indulgent husband immediately sent for a skilled land- 
 scape gardener, who planned an arbour eighteen hundred 
 
 164 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 meters long, and so lofty that one could even drive under 
 it in a coach and four. 
 
 On the 27th of April, the Imperial honeymoon 
 ended, and Napoleon set out with his wife for a tour in 
 Northern France, where they were received with music, 
 flowers, and fulsome speeches galore. In fact, popular 
 adulation reached such proportions that in one hamlet 
 Napoleon was addressed as " Pater Noster," while Marie 
 Louise was welcomed as " Ave Maria, gratia plena ! " a 
 performance which did not seem to shock any one at 
 the time. Thus their Majesties journeyed on, midst 
 plaudits and salvos ; but although constant representation 
 soon grew rather wearisome to Marie Louise, she would 
 not consent to let the Emperor finish his tour alone, but 
 gratified him hugely by begging permission to remain 
 with him until they returned to St. Cloud, on the ist of 
 June. 
 
 Ten days later, they attended a grand festival given in 
 their honour at the Hotel de Ville, which consisted of a 
 banquet followed by a ball, illuminations, and fireworks. 
 Then came a series of private fetes culminating in the 
 ball of the Austrian ambassador. Prince Schwarzenberg. 
 He had erected in his garden a huge but flimsily built ball- 
 room, which was artistically draped, festooned with gar- 
 lands, and brilliantly lighted with countless wax tapers. 
 The ball was at its height ; and the Emperor had just left 
 Marie Louise upon the dais, to take a stroll among the 
 dancers, when the light draperies from one of the win- 
 dows suddenly blew against a lighted candle. Some gen- 
 tlemen, standing near, tried to seize the flaming draperies 
 and tear them down, but the fire had already reached the 
 decorations, and three minutes later the whole room 
 was ablaze. The panic which ensued is indescribable. 
 Metternich took up his post by Marie Louise, where 
 
 16s 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Napoleon joined him as quickly as possible ; while Prince 
 Schwarzenberg and the principal officers, — who im- 
 agined the fire was intended to cover an attempt at 
 assassination, — immediately surrounded them both, to 
 convey them to a place of safety. In fact, it was only 
 when the Empress was seated in her carriage, that the dis- 
 tracted ambassador rushed back into the hall, where his 
 wife and daughters had been dancing, a moment before, 
 with some of their distinguished guests. 
 
 Satisfied that the fire was purely accidental. Napoleon 
 now bade Marie Louise drive to St. Cloud alone, 
 and hastened back to the scene of the conflagration to 
 direct the work of the rescuers. But, despite his inspir- 
 ing presence, and the heroism of the Austrian ambassador 
 and many of his guests, many precious lives were lost, 
 and the corpses were recognised on the morrow only by 
 the jewels, or orders, scattered near them or clinging to 
 their charred bones. Among other distinguished vic- 
 tims of this horrible catastrophe, was the wife of the 
 Austrian ambassador, who, having escaped once, rushed 
 back into the flames in quest of one of her daughters. 
 
 Meantime, Marie Louise had driven home; but the 
 utmost anxiety reigned in the palace until the Emperor 
 returned there at four o'clock in the morning, grimy and 
 weary, but quite safe. He hastened immediately to his 
 wife's room to reassure her, and, sinking exhausted into 
 a chair, allowed her attendants to remove his charred 
 gloves, while he graphically described the heartrending 
 scenes which he had just witnessed. This calamity cast 
 a gloom over everything for a while, and although both 
 Napoleon and Marie Louise escaped unharmed, super- 
 stitious people began to whisper that it was a presage 
 of coming evil 
 
 The Emperor, who, according to most writers, was a 
 i66 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 kind master and easy to live with when not crossed, 
 continued kind and attentive to Marie Louise, and was, 
 at first, so afraid of hurting her feelings and being con- 
 sidered stern or exacting, that he once begged Metter- 
 nich to explain to her a necessary point of etiquette in 
 his stead. He was so careful not to frighten her, that 
 she considered him quite angelic, and soon wrote home : " I 
 assure you, dear papa, that the Emperor has been greatly 
 slandered. The more one learns to know him, the more 
 one appreciates and loves him," and on another occasion : 
 " The Emperor is the most amiable of men." 
 
 But, notwithstanding this indulgence for his wife, 
 Napoleon was very strict with others, and woe betide 
 the attendant who failed to observe the etiquette he pre- 
 scribed ! One of his principal tenets was that no man 
 should ever be allowed within the sacred precincts of 
 the Empress' private rooms, and especially that she 
 should never remain even for a moment alone with 
 any male visitor or attendant. A cabinet-maker having 
 constructed a chest with secret drawers for Marie 
 Louise's use, had to obtain the Emperor's special per- 
 mission before he could explain to her its cunning 
 mechanism. But, even then, a lady-in-waiting was 
 present, although, on this one occasion only, she stood 
 so far away that she could not hear what was said. 
 The Emperor, having forgotten granting this permis- 
 sion, happened however to enter his wife's room just 
 then, and seeing her apparently alone with a man, he 
 was about to discharge all the vials of his wrath upon 
 that unfortunate individual and the attendants, when his 
 wife checked him by a hurried explanation. 
 
 On another occasion he roundly scolded a lady-in- 
 waiting who ventured to go to the door to give an 
 order while Marie Louise was taking a singing lesson. 
 
 167 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 When she tried to excuse herself, he sternly retorted : 
 " Madame, I honour and respect the Empress, but the 
 sovereign of a great Empire must be placed out of reach 
 of all suspicion." These precautions, so customary at 
 that time, were, however, in no wise derogatory to Marie 
 Louise's fair fame, which Napoleon guarded so jealously. 
 Not even he could reach her without passing through 
 the room of the chief lady-in-waiting, who challenged 
 him as well as any one else, and mounted guard over 
 her charge night and day, like the veriest duenna. 
 
 Napoleon's divorce and second marriage having been 
 effected solely for the sake of an heir, he was, of course, 
 very anxious to see this wish fulfilled, and was therefore 
 quite overjoyed about the middle of August, when the 
 court physicians announced that the Empress was in a 
 fair way to crown his hopes. Although this news was 
 not officially proclaimed until late in November, it was 
 too good a secret to keep, and gradually leaked out ; but 
 while no notice could be taken of it until formally con- 
 firmed, all were ready with congratulatory speeches on 
 the anniversary of the Coronation and of Austerlitz, 
 when a solemn Te Deum was sung. 
 
 Some writers aver that the first official intimation of 
 the coming event was given by Napoleon, at Fontaine- 
 bleau, immediately after the christening of Hortense's 
 third son, who was to succeed him on the imperial 
 throne. The Emperor then pointedly remarked to the 
 assembled guests : " I trust, ere long, we shall have 
 another baptism." 
 
 If Napoleon had been kind and indulgent to his young 
 wife before she was with child, he was doubly attentive 
 now, and, discovering by accident that she had refused to 
 buy some rubies which she wanted, but deemed too costly, 
 he surprised her by presenting her w^ith others worth eight 
 
 i68 
 
Pi 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 times as, much on New Year's Day. He also gave her 
 valuable presents to bestow upon her family and friends, 
 and as she always showed signs of unmistakable jealousy 
 at any mention of Josephine, and wept when told that her 
 husband called upon her, he now paid his visits secretly, 
 excusing himself for making a mystery of such a matter 
 by saying, that it would "hurt his wife's feelings," should 
 she hear what he had done. Still Napoleon was very 
 boyish in many ways, and not above teasing his wife, for 
 one day he tantalisingly exclaimed : " There, you see your 
 father is a thief, he takes what does not belong to him." 
 Whereat she promptly retorted : " That 's true ; but you 
 are worse than he ; you steal kingdoms, and he only 
 seizes a little land ! " 
 
 Only once Napoleon so far forgot himself as to 
 exclaim in her presence that the Emperor of Austria, — 
 whose notorious stupidity often exasperated him, — was 
 a "chump "(aw ganache). Marie Louise, unversed in 
 French slang, innocently asked what that might mean, 
 and being mendaciously informed that it signified " a 
 fine fellow," electrified the court soon after by gravely 
 applying that term to a diplomat whom she wished to 
 address in a particularly gracious manner ! 
 
 One day when Napoleon entered Marie Louise's 
 apartment, he found her amusing herself by concocting 
 an omelet. Although a hurried attempt was made to 
 conceal this undertaking from him, he sniffed and poked 
 around until he had discovered the secret, and then cried : 
 " What, you are making an omelet ? Bah ! you don't 
 know anything about it. I '11 show you how to do it ! " 
 Speaking thus, he immediately set to work ; all went well 
 until he undertook to toss the omelet, which fell on the 
 floor, and the imperial cook fled, laughing uproariously. 
 
 But gentle as the new wife was, she could be very 
 169 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 obstinate too, and Napoleon found her on the whole far 
 less accommodating than Josephine. Not only did she 
 keep him waiting, — a thing no one else ever dared do, 
 — but she insisted upon having her rooms quite cold, 
 although he shivered in them, and called for a fire. Veiy 
 often, too, she sat down to table without him, instead of 
 waiting his good pleasure for hours, as her predecessor 
 had done. But Napoleon took all these innovations very 
 philosophically, was extremely indulgent, and exacted 
 very little entertainment from his placid young wife, 
 whose sole " art of pleasing " is said to have consisted in 
 moving her ears without stirring a single muscle of her 
 face ! This talent was often called into requisition by 
 her ladies, as time went on, to vary the monotony of the 
 long hours spent with her, for, feeling no lively interest 
 in any one but herself or her absent family, Marie 
 Louise was not by far as charming a companion as 
 Josephine. 
 
 Fortunately, the coming of a tiny stranger furnished a 
 new and absorbing topic of conversation for the court 
 ladies, who, after all, took a far keener interest in the 
 preparations than the apathetic young mother expectant. 
 A baby outfit costing three hundred thousand francs was 
 carefully planned, and, after due deliberation. Napoleon 
 selected the Countess de Montesquiou — a most estima- 
 ble lady of forty-six — to take entire charge of the im- 
 perial child from the moment of its birth, bestowing 
 upon her the sonorous title of "Governess of the Children 
 of France." As a lady of such high degree as the Empress 
 never nursed her own offspring, a nurse was also care- 
 fully chosen, — the wife of a joiner of Fontainebleau, — 
 and as the sex of the child could not of course be deter- 
 mined beforehand, two baskets were prepared — blue for 
 a girl and pink for a boy. As the time drew near for 
 
 170 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 the advent of the ardently expected babe, all manner of 
 gifts began to pour into the palace, and the Prefect of the 
 Seine officially presenting the Empress with an exquisite 
 silver-gilt cradle, in the name of the City of Paris. This 
 article of furniture, designed by Prud'hon, an artist of 
 note, was a masterpiece, crowned by a dainty figure of 
 Glory upholding a glittering star. Below this exquisite 
 statuette, silken curtains fell on either side of the downy, 
 lace-covered nest, at the foot of which crouched a young 
 eagle apparently about to soar up to the star, upon which 
 its ardent gaze was fixed. 
 
 Although the Empress seldom appeared in public after 
 the end of January, she exercised daily in the Tuileries 
 garden, where the people watched her move slowly up 
 and down the walks, and often blessed her audibly, and 
 wished her good luck. The birth of the Emperor's child 
 being a matter of national interest, the public was in- 
 formed that the first symptoms of parturition would be 
 announced by the ringing of the church bells, while the 
 conclusion would be proclaimed by the cannon of the 
 Invalides, twenty-one salvos being fired for a girl, and 
 one hundred and one for a boy. 
 
 On the 19th of March the church bells suddenly 
 began pealing, so all night long the churches were full 
 of devout people, eagerly praying for the safe arrival of 
 the longed-for heir. As custom requires the presence 
 of a certain number of witnesses to testify to the legiti- 
 macy of royal oiFspring, the physician, nurse, four court 
 ladies, and two chambermaids remained in the Empress' 
 apartment all night, while Napoleon, his family, and 
 officials waited in adjoining rooms. From time to time, 
 the Emperor stole softly to his wife's bedside to hold her 
 hand, and encourage her gently ; but when she fell asleep 
 in the early morning, the attendant physicians declared 
 
 171 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 his presence would not be required for some time. 
 Napoleon, therefore, withdrew to his dressing-room, 
 where he proceeded to take a bath to refresh himself 
 after his long vigil. But, while he was thus engaged, 
 the door suddenly burst open, and the distracted physi- 
 cian rushed in, declaring that the Empress was again in 
 pain, for unexpected complications had arisen. Napo- 
 leon, seeing the physician had lost the presence of mind 
 so indispensable at that moment, immediately exclaimed, 
 in the most reassuring way : " Come, come, Mr. Du- 
 bois, don't lose your head. Save the mother, think of 
 her only. Just imagine you are attending the wife of 
 some shopkeeper on the rue St. Denis. You cannot 
 do any more for her than for anybody else ; but, whatever 
 happens, consider the mother first. I will follow you 
 immediately ! " 
 
 Somewhat braced by these instructions, the physician 
 now hastened back to his patient, closely followed by 
 the Emperor, who had not even taken time to dry him- 
 self, and was only half-clothed. At sight of his wife's 
 suffering, the man who had never quailed on the field of 
 battle in the midst of dead and dying, suddenly turned 
 fearfully pale. But even then his presence of mind did 
 not entirely desert him, for while kissing and comforting 
 Marie Louise, he encouraged her attendants to do all 
 they could for her speedy relief. But when all were at 
 work, and his presence superfluous, once more he did — 
 what many another brave man has done — turned and 
 fled. 
 
 The use of instruments becoming necessary toward 
 the end, Marie Louise lost her self-control and bitterly 
 cried : " Must I be sacrificed merely because I am an 
 Empress ? " but Madame de Montesquiou, who was 
 helping hold her, gently reassured her, saying : " Cour- 
 
 172 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 age, Madame, I have gone through the same operation. 
 I assure you your precious life is not in danger." 
 
 The latter statement, however, proved not quite true, 
 for after the birth of the babe at 8.40 that morning, 
 Marie Louise lay in such a critical condition that the 
 child was hastily put down on the floor, where it 
 remained, blue, lifeless, and unheeded. Without a look 
 at, or a question concerning his eagerly expected heir. 
 Napoleon kissed his wife, speaking affectionately to her. 
 But Madame de Montesquiou and the others, finally 
 released from other duties, began to rub the inanimate 
 child, forced a few drops of brandy down his throat, and 
 worked to such good purpose that at the end of seven 
 minutes a lusty cry proclaimed him very much alive. 
 At the first sound. Napoleon pounced like an eagle upon 
 his son and heir, took him in his arms, kissed him raptu- 
 rously, and, rushing to the door, exultantly exhibited 
 him to the expectant throng in the neighbouring room. 
 A second later, the child was again in the hands of his 
 startled attendants, and Napoleon, finding his presence in 
 the sick room unwelcome, now passed on to his own apart- 
 ment, where he gave the signal for general congratula- 
 tions by exclaiming : " Well, sirs, we have a fine strong 
 boy ! He had to be coaxed a bit before he would put in 
 an appearance, but he has come at last ! " -Then, a 
 wave of recollection coming even in the midst of his 
 exultation, he added, in moved tones : " Dear wife, how 
 brave she has been and how she has suffered ! I had 
 rather never have another child than see her suffer like 
 this again." This impression, so natural under the cir- 
 cumstances, was, however, never to pass away, and as the 
 physicians later told him that another birth would prob- 
 ably cost his wife's life, we are informed that Napoleon 
 never even wished for other children, but was satisfied 
 
 173 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 with the sole heir upon whose precarious life he built all 
 his hopes for the future. 
 
 The church bells had proclaimed that the expected 
 infant would soon appear, so a dense but noiseless crowd 
 collected in the Tuileries garden at early dawn, and 
 gazed eagerly up at the Empress' window, waiting with 
 bated breath for some sign of the expected news. 
 Napoleon, standing behind the curtain of Marie Louise's 
 room, looked down upon a sea of upturned faces, and 
 saw the start which welcomed the first boom of the In- 
 valides' cannon. No sound save the heavy reverberation 
 of the mighty guns, and the breathless, unanimous count- 
 ing of the multitude, could now be heard on the vast 
 square. But when the twenty-one shots were followed 
 by others, and no doubt remained that a son had been 
 born in the Tuileries, the crowd simply went mad with 
 joy, ceased counting, and cheered so lustily that tears 
 coursed down the Emperor's cheeks. Napoleon's 
 servant, speaking of this thrilling moment, declares : 
 " Glory never made him shed a single tear, but the bliss 
 of being a father touched the soul which the most bril- 
 liant victories and the most sincere testimonies of public 
 admiration had left almost unmoved." 
 
 At 10.30, Madame Blanchard, the famous aeronaut, 
 went up' in a balloon, carrying huge supplies of papers, 
 announcing the birth of Napoleon's heir, which she 
 tossed out by the handful, thus scattering abroad the 
 news which cannon and signal telegraph were doing 
 their best to publish far and wide. Everywhere the joy- 
 ful tidings were welcomed with the same extravagant 
 demonstrations of joy, for no one suspected that the 
 child who had been styled King of Rome, even before 
 he came into the world, was to die, like his illustrious 
 father, in exile ! 
 
 174 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 In his ecstasy, Napoleon could scarcely tear himself 
 away from the cradle where his son slumbered ; but he 
 wrote in person to the Emperor of Austria and to 
 Josephine, remarking, as he signed the missives : " Those 
 are very good letters. I never signed better ones." 
 Then he entrusted them to special couriers, who made 
 the utmost despatch, proudly proclaiming the news as 
 they dashed along on their joyful errand. 
 
 At nine o'clock of the evening of the 20th of March, 
 181 1, on his birthday, the little King of Rome was pri- 
 vately baptised in the chapel of the Tuileries, Napoleon 
 himself holding the child over the font, and all who were 
 present at this ceremony bear witness to the pride with 
 which his eyes rested upon the long-desired heir of all 
 his glory. Two days later, at a state reception, the 
 Emperor received the congratulations of Senate and 
 diplomats, and was delighted when the former made a 
 flattering allusion in their speech to " the new star which 
 has arisen on the horizon of France, and whose first rays 
 disperse the faintest shadows of the darkness in the 
 future." ^ 
 
 Meantime, the chamberlains — whose number had 
 been doubled for this express purpose — were kept busy 
 from morning until night answering inquiries, receiving 
 congratulations, and acknowledging the two thousand 
 poems written to celebrate the joyous advent of Napo- 
 leon's heir. But while no one was allowed to approach 
 the young mother, sundry deputations and dignitaries 
 were vouchsafed a glimpse of the child, whom the Legis- 
 lative Assembly honoured with a special address, gravely 
 read aloud in his sleeping presence. The Governess' 
 acknowledgment of this speech was duly reported by the 
 deputation to the Legislature as follows : " We con- 
 veyed to him, gentlemen, the expression of your most 
 
 17s 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 tender sentiments, mingled with such wishes as the love 
 of our own children inspires within us. Madame the 
 Governess received them, and thanked us in the name 
 of the young Prince, regretting, no doubt, that she was 
 unable to add his personal sentiments to those which she 
 expressed to the Legislative Assembly." 
 
 These addresses and demonstrations all pleased the 
 Emperor greatly, and he ordered that all these tokens of 
 congratulation, as well as the two thousand poems, 
 should be printed as a souvenir of the birth of the King 
 of Rome, in whose honour the whole city was brilliantly 
 illuminated on the night of his birth. Balloons being all 
 the rage, a huge one was launched from the Champ de 
 Mars, and all openly wondered where it would fall. It 
 was, therefore, considered a particularly happy omen 
 when news came that it had landed in Rome ; but the 
 Emperor started when he heard that it was found resting 
 upon Nero's tomb, and he made a violent effort to shake 
 off a superstitious dread, by exclaiming carelessly : 
 " Well, I would sooner see it there, than in the dust of 
 the streets ! " 
 
 Although the Empress had been so ill, she recovered 
 with surprising rapidity, and while paler and less 
 plump than before, she felt so well that she took her 
 first airing on the terrace of the Tuileries on the 17 th 
 of April, the people showing their pleasure by cheering 
 her enthusiastically. The next day she took a drive, 
 and on Sunday was solemnly churched in the Chapel of 
 the Tuileries. Even this ceremony wearied her so little 
 that on the 21st of April, the imperial court could re- 
 move to St. Cloud, where the little Prince was to be 
 brought up as much as possible in the open air. There 
 his mother resumed her wonted occupations, writing in 
 her first letter to her father : " You can't imagine my 
 
 176 
 
Marik Louisk and 'imip: Kin(; of Rome, i8i r. 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 great happiness, I would never have believed that I 
 could experience such rapture. My affection for my 
 husband has increased, if such a thing wrere possible, 
 since the birth of this son. I am still moved to tears 
 when I think of the proofs of tenderness which he has 
 given me. Those tokens would bind me to him were 
 not my heart already won by all his good qualities. He 
 bids me remember him to you. He often inquires about 
 you and says : ' Your father must be very happy to have 
 a grandson.' When I tell him that you already love 
 this child he is delighted. I take the liberty of sending 
 you my child's picture. You will doubtless see that he 
 looks like the Emperor. He is very strong for five 
 weeks old. When he came into the world he weighed 
 nine pounds. He is very healthy and spends the whole 
 day in the garden. The Emperor takes a great interest 
 in his son, he dandles him, plays with him, and tries to 
 feed him, but cannot manage that." 
 
 Marie Louise talked thus of her child at first, but 
 her maternal instincts were never strongly developed, 
 and her babe always seemed more of a curiosity and a 
 plaything to her than " flesh of her flesh." She, there- 
 fore, left him without any compunction to the care of 
 his governess and nurse, and begged to accompany her 
 husband when he set out for Normandy. When they 
 returned to St. Cloud in June, they found the boy well 
 and happy, and in fine condition to make his first appear- 
 ance in public on the 7th of June, for a formal baptism 
 at Notre Dame. 
 
 On this occasion, the King of Rome, with his gover- 
 ness and nurse, occupied the place of honour in the pro- 
 cession in the great glass coach, his Imperial parents, 
 sumptuously attired, following in a more modest equipage. 
 The ceremony, which was as imposing as possible, took 
 
 VOL.1. — 12 177 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 place at 7 p. m., the slanting rays of the setting sun 
 falling down upon the group at the font. As soon as 
 the christening ceremony was over, the governess handed 
 the infant to the Empress, who held him while the 
 herald gave the signal for cheering, by crying loudly : 
 " Long live the King of Rome ! " But Marie Louise 
 was always afraid of the baby, and held him so awk- 
 wardly, that Napoleon, fearing all the people might not 
 have a good look at him, suddenly seized the boy himself, 
 and held him high above his head in the dazzling sun- 
 beam, his eye resting proudly on the tiny figure, the 
 centre of attraction on this momentous occasion ! 
 
 When the little King had been restored to his gover- 
 ness, he was taken to the Archiepiscopal palace, and 
 from thence home, while Napoleon and Marie Louise 
 attended the remainder of the service, and returned to 
 the Tuileries by torchlight. This formal christening of 
 the heir of the Empire was the signal for festivities 
 of all kinds in Paris and elsewhere, culminating with a 
 fete at St. Cloud, on the 23rd of June. For the next 
 few weeks, however, the park was almost deserted ; but 
 throngs again invaded it for the Emperor's birthday cele- 
 bration on the 15th of August. This was closely fol- 
 lowed by the festivities for Marie Louise's twentieth 
 birthday, which was celebrated at the Trianon, just be- 
 fore the Imperial couple set out for a tour in the north, 
 in the course of which Marie Louise felt deeply injured 
 because she had to part with her husband for a fortnight ! 
 She was, however, not alone, for all her household ac- 
 companied her, and she certainly had no time to mope, 
 for she was sumptuously entertained in every town 
 through which she passed. After Napoleon rejoined her 
 in Brussels, they journeyed together through Holland, 
 where Marie Louise drove into Broeck, — a town 
 
 178 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 whose pavement had never before been defiled by an 
 animal's tread, — and where the Mayor opened for her 
 express benefit the front door of his house, although such 
 entrances were never used except for funerals. 
 
 From Holland the Imperial party proceeded to Diissel- 
 dorf and Cologne, returning to Paris to spend the winter 
 of 1811— 12 in the Tuileries, where the most rigid eti- 
 quette was still observed. There the Empress' life 
 resumed its monotonous regularity. Awakening at 
 eight, she breakfasted in bed, read her letters and played 
 with her baby until nine, when she proceeded to her 
 daily toilet. When this was concluded, she received the 
 persons admitted to the " petites entrees," or morning 
 receptions. At twelve, she lunched with the Emperor, 
 who always had his child brought in, and held him on 
 his knee while he ate. During this meal he played 
 with the boy, dipping his fingers in the gravy, letting 
 the child suck them, laughing uproariously over his 
 grimaces and smeared face, and deriding the governess 
 whenever she objected to any of these rash performances. 
 
 In fact, the Emperor adored his son, who, in spite of 
 rough caresses, became devoted to him and was generally 
 good-tempered when with him. People soon discovered 
 that Napoleon was never so accessible as at this hour, 
 when he seldom refused any petition, — a fact soon noted 
 by those who craved favours. They, therefore, made 
 Madame de Montesquiou their spokeswoman. She, 
 and the Prefect of the Palace — who waited upon their 
 Majesties — were the only outsiders present at these 
 family parties, during which Marie Louise idly watched 
 her husband play with the child whom she was afraid to 
 handle, and who openly preferred his governess to her. 
 But while she did not know how to amuse him, Marie 
 Louise paid frequent visits to his nursery in the course of 
 
 179 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 her afternoon, which was devoted to music, drawing, and 
 fancywork, varied by a two hours' ride or drive. Then, 
 after dining alone with Napoleon, she generally played 
 billiards or cards until she retired at ten or eleven. 
 
 Marie Louise, although not a fond mother, was, how- 
 ever, proud of her son's undeniable beauty and clever- 
 ness, and when Napoleon was not too busy, she often 
 went with the boy to his study for brief calls. As the 
 entrance of this study was forbidden to all outsiders, the 
 nurse always placed the little King of Rome in her arms 
 at the door, and Napoleon, knowing the insecurity of her 
 grasp, invariably sprang forward as soon as he saw her 
 to take the child himself. He was thus often seen at his 
 desk, his son on his knee, or reading, while the child 
 played or slept beside him, and sometimes both stretched 
 out on the floor, the Emperor working out strategic 
 problems with coloured blocks, which his son promptly 
 knocked over with his tiny hands, mistaking them for 
 mere toys set up for his amusement. When old 
 enough to creep or walk, the King of Rome worked 
 greater havoc in his father's learned combinations than 
 the enemy at Leipzig or Waterloo ; but the Emperor's 
 equanimity was never ruffled, and with exhaustless 
 patience he began his combinations anew as often as 
 disturbed. 
 
 This gentle forbearance, so foreign to his nature, was 
 almost invariable with Marie Louise and the boy, and his 
 valet bears witness that, as " father and as husband, he 
 could have served as example to all his subjects." Still, 
 Marie Louise's quasi-indifFerence to the child often an- 
 noyed him ; and when she insisted upon leaving the boy 
 to accompany him on his journeys, he once impetuously 
 informed her that she would never win the French people's 
 hearts, if she did not show herself a better mother ! It 
 
 1 80 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 is said that this unwelcome truth caused a noisy scene in 
 the palace, such as had been frequent in the days of 
 Josephine, but entirely unknown since Marie Louise had 
 entered its doors. But although the Emperor swore in 
 his anger that his wife should henceforth remain at home, 
 he evidently changed his mind, for he took her with him 
 to Dresden in May, sending his son to St. Cloud to be 
 weaned. 
 
 This northward journey was momentous indeed, for 
 the Emperor had summoned to Dresden so many of his 
 friends and allies, that the court he held there is con- 
 sidered the culminating point of his imperial splendour. 
 Marie Louise had the pleasure of meeting her father 
 there, and the undeniable satisfaction of completely 
 eclipsing her stepmother by the magnificence of her 
 jewels and attire, in which she took great pride, al- 
 though she had not Josephine's innate taste. Her dis- 
 play greatly incensed the Empress of Austria, who 
 vainly tried to recover her old ascendency, ahd domineer 
 over Marie Louise as of old ; but while the latter loaded 
 her stepmother with gifts, she obstinately refused to show 
 her even the requisite deference, in spite of her husband's 
 repeated injunctions. Thus, by her insolence, Marie 
 Louise made a covert enemy of the Austrian Empress, 
 and all Napoleon's paraded gallantry in escorting this lady 
 to and fro, when she was carried thro,ugh the long rooms 
 of the palace in her sedan-chair, could not mitigate the 
 ill-effect produced by Marie Louise's conduct. Still Na- 
 poleon hoped to blot out all remembrance of his wife's 
 vanity by gifts, which he dispensed in such profusion 
 during this sojourn, that he subsequently declared he 
 had fairly " gorged her relatives with diamonds." 
 
 The Austrians were not the only royalties at Dresden, 
 however, for the King of Prussia and the Czar of Russia 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 also came thither to confer with Napoleon. It is even 
 said that it was here that the King shrewdly advised the 
 Czar to avoid an open conflict with Napoleon, saying : 
 " Attract the French into the heart of Russia, and let 
 fatigue and cold conquer them ! " 
 
 It was here, too, that Marie Louise, crossing the rooms 
 with Napoleon one day, suddenly found herself face to 
 face with the Count of Neipperg, to whom she addressed 
 a few insignificant words, little suspecting the prominent 
 part he would play in her life only two years later. 
 
 On the 29th of May, 181 2, at three o'clock in the 
 morning, Napoleon bade good-bye to his wife, kissing 
 her effusively, and leaving her quite woe-begone at the 
 prospect of their first prolonged separation. But her 
 tears soon dried, for she was to meet her father at Prague 
 before returning to Paris. Although, according to some 
 authorities, the courtly and attentive Neipperg here acted 
 as one of her chamberlains, and everything was done to 
 please and amuse her, her vanity being gratified by being 
 set above both father and stepmother, Marie Louise 
 nevertheless missed Napoleon, as the following extracts 
 from her letters prove : " I could be perfectly happy 
 here were the Emperor with me, but without him I can 
 know no happiness." " I have very good news of the 
 Emperor, who is near Konigsberg, and who is cheerful 
 and satisfied. I sl\all be so only at the moment when I 
 see the Emperor once more, and I would like to be able 
 to purchase that moment at the expense of a few years 
 of my life." " He writes to me very often, and every 
 day that I receive a letter is a happy day for me. . . . 
 Nothing can comfort me for the absence of the Emperor, 
 not even the presence of all my family." 
 
 While she still pretended to be devoted to her family, 
 Marie Louise was so deficient in tact, that she mortified 
 
 182 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 them frequently by an arrogant display of her possessions, 
 and, no longer restrained by Napoleon, she drew such 
 odious comparisons between her old and her new homes, 
 that she sorely wounded German national pride. 
 
 This total lack of kindly feeling or diplomacy, was to 
 have, before long, evil consequences which she little sus- 
 pected when she left Prague on the ist of July, escorted 
 by her father, who was going to drink the waters of 
 Carlsbad. There, father and daughter parted, the latter 
 returning to St. Cloud, where she arrived on the i8th, 
 welcomed by booming cannon, and where she found the 
 King of Rome in radiant health and spirits. Three 
 days later, while out driving with her boy, she received 
 a charming ovation from the people, and on the 26th, 
 held her first solitary official reception ; for, although she 
 had not been appointed Regent during her husband's 
 absence, he had bidden her preside over all the court 
 functions. These — except when it was a question of 
 dazzling her family — were always somewhat of an or- 
 deal for her, and, in spite of much practice, she never got 
 rid of a certain timidity, which always made her appear 
 cold and awkward, and contrasted unfavourably with 
 Josephine's graceful desire to please. But Marie 
 Louise, though cold, was undoubtedly dignified, and 
 however weary of speeches and representation, she was 
 far too thoroughly imbued with a sense of the re- 
 quirements of her position to shirk any of her official 
 duties. Still, she felt undeniably lonely during this first 
 prolonged separation from her husband, and wrote to her 
 father that she found it " most painful," adding : " I have 
 scarcely courage enough to refrain from pitying myself." 
 
 Napoleon had left his wife well surrounded, but 
 while her boy was not the absorbing delight he would 
 have been to a more devoted mother, she was quite 
 
 183 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 proud of him, for she wrote : " Every day he becomes 
 handsomer and stronger, he can already walk alone ; he 
 has fifteen teeth, but has not yet begun to talk." 
 
 She commissioned Gerard to paint the picture of this 
 charming child, which, when finished, was forwarded to 
 Russia, where the Emperor spent his birthday in the 
 midst of the army, and where it reached him on the eve 
 of the battle of Borodino. Such was the Emperor's im- 
 patience to behold this new effigy of his idolised son, 
 that he could scarcely wait until the box was unpacked, 
 and, seizing the picture, set it up with his own hands on 
 a chair before him. Then he openly gloated over the 
 boy, who was represented playing with a cup and ball, to 
 which the painter had artfully given an illusive re- 
 semblance to a globe and sceptre, thus enhancing the 
 whole representation by a subtle touch of allegory. 
 Napoleon was so proud of this portrait that he called in 
 all of his staiF to view it, and said : " Gentlemen, you may 
 be sure that if my son were fifteen years old, he would 
 be here in person among so many brave men, and not in 
 effigy only." 
 
 Then, longing to share his joy with all the army, 
 he had the picture placed in front of his tent, where 
 it was stared at with all the open-mouthed admira- 
 tion that even the grim old grenadiers felt for the ideally 
 beautiful child of their beloved chief. On the morrow, 
 when the battle was imminent, this innocent child-face 
 seemed out of place amid the coming carnage, so Napo- 
 leon entrusted it to an officer, saying gently : " Take it 
 away and guard it carefully ; he sees a field of battle too 
 soon." But when he arrived in Moscow, the picture was 
 again unpacked, and placed by his order, in his bedroom. 
 
 Although the Russian campaign turned out far dif- 
 ferently from what he had expected. Napoleon kept the 
 
 184 
 
Napoleon and the K i x ( ; of Rome. 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Parisians ignorant of the real state of affairs, by ordering 
 a solemn Te Deum at Notre Dame, which Marie Louise 
 attended in state. Just then, however, the French army 
 was preparing to leave the devastated city of Moscow, 
 to begin its fatal retreat, and the tidings of disaster, 
 carefully concealed, gradually leaked out, and were 
 already pretty well-known when, three days later, the 
 famous Malet conspiracy took place. 
 
 Marie Louise, in her luxurious chamber at St. Cloud, 
 and Napoleon, spending a cheerless night in his travel- 
 ling carriage, vainly trying to devise plans to cheat fate 
 and save his men, little suspected that by means of 
 forged papers, a former lunatic would convince some 
 French officers that the Emperor was dead, arrest offi- 
 cials, and come within an ace of overthrowing the whole 
 Imperial government ! But this is what really occurred, 
 and instead of immediately proclaiming the King of 
 Rome, the officials lost their heads, and had not the mis- 
 take been discovered in time, a new revolution would 
 surely then have occurred in France. 
 
 It was the news of this attempt and his aversion to 
 witness suffering he could not remedy, that suddenly de- 
 termined Napoleon to leave his army in Murat's charge, 
 and return in haste to the capital, where his presence was 
 imperatively needed, and where none but his strong 
 hands would be able to hold the reins of the government 
 when the people learned the full extent of their losses in 
 the Russian campaign. That return journey was made 
 incognito, at the utmost speed, with scarcely a pause, 
 save at Warsaw and Dresden, where Napoleon wrote to 
 the Austrian Emperor to announce his return. Pressing 
 on, he next crossed the Rhine, and on reaching French 
 soil determinedly cried : " I am still the Emperor." 
 
 His carriage failing him near home, Napoleon drove 
 i8s 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 up to the Tuileries in an ordinary stage-coach, at half- 
 past eleven at night, on the i8th of December, 1812, 
 seven months after his confident departure for the north. 
 Only one of his aides was with him, so the belated 
 travellers were not only refused admittance, but had con- 
 siderable difficulty in convincing the guards of their 
 identity, and in effecting an entrance into the palace. 
 Marie Louise, suffering from a heavy cold, had retired in 
 a depressed mood that evening, and her lady-in-waiting 
 was about to lock all the doors, when two men enveloped 
 in furs suddenly entered into her room. To spring for- 
 ward and prevent their entrance into the Empress' sacred 
 chamber was the work of a moment, and she was about 
 to summon the guards, when one of the intruders flung 
 aside his cloak, revealing the characteristic face and form 
 of the Emperor ! Even while she gasped in speech- 
 less surprise at the unexpected apparition of the man 
 whom all still deemed in the frozen depths of Russia, 
 Napoleon passed hurriedly on into the room of Marie 
 Louise, who, alarmed by the sounds next door, had 
 already risen and donned her wrapper. 
 
 The official journal duly announced the Emperor's 
 return on the next day, and called a council at the 
 Tuileries, where Napoleon took a high hand with his 
 officials, and indignantly demanded what the Malet 
 conspiracy meant ? He also took them so roughly to 
 task for sundry errors, that he managed to cast the 
 blame of the Russian failure entirely upon them and 
 upon the inclement weather. But on the morrow he 
 seemed to have recovered aH his serenity, spoke of the 
 disasters his army had encountered as of a mere trifle, 
 and again mentioned the coronation of the Empress and 
 of the King of Rome, which he declared should take 
 place early in spring. 
 
 186 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 After being seven months apart, Napoleon and Marie 
 Louise were now almost inseparable, and the Emperor 
 seeming more devoted than ever to his little son, who could 
 now both walk and talk, and who often ran away from 
 his attendants to go in quest of his favourite playfellow. 
 Many charming anecdotes are told of this engaging 
 little Prince, which, viewed in the light of subsequent 
 events, have become of permanent interest. To teach 
 the little man obedience to nursery rules. Napoleon, 
 it seems, gave strict orders that he should never be 
 admitted into his apartments if he came thither alone, 
 and Madame d'Abrantes relates the following charming 
 scene in her Memoires. One morning the little King 
 of Rome came trotting along the corridor, and, looking 
 up at the tall officer on guard, imperiously ordered : 
 " Open the door for me. I want to see papa ! " 
 
 The officer, true to his instructions, answered gently 
 but firmly : " Sire, I cannot open the door for your 
 Majesty." 
 
 " Why not ? " demanded the little autocrat. " I am 
 the little King." 
 
 At the gentle reminder : " But your Majesty is all 
 alone," the golden-haired cherub seemed somewhat non- 
 plussed ; but his governess appearing a moment later, 
 he seized her hand, and thus protected, stamped his tiny 
 foot and cried : " Open the door ! The King wishes 
 it ! " 
 
 This time, all being in order, the tall officer flung the 
 door wide, solemnly announcing : " The King of 
 Rome ! " 
 
 Idolised by his father and the people, the King of 
 Rome was brought up with judicious care by his gover- 
 ness, who, perceiving his violent temper when crossed 
 in any way, once ordered all the blinds of the nursery 
 
 i8j 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 closed while he lay kicking and screaming on the floor. 
 The child, surprised at the sudden darkness, suddenly 
 stopped his piercing cries to inquire why the room was 
 so dark, and she quietly answered : " So you should not 
 be heard. Sire. The French would never want you for 
 their king if you were naughty, and I love you too dearly 
 to let them hear or see you in such a rage." 
 
 The child, awed by her tone, now timidly inquired : 
 " Did I scream very loud ? " and when the governess 
 gravely answered : " Yes, you did," he asked whether she 
 thought he had been heard by the people ? He was almost 
 broken-hearted, therefore, when she sadly declared : " I 
 fear they did ; " and could not be comforted until he had 
 crept into her lap and won her forgiveness by promising : 
 " I '11 never do so again, Mama Quiou. Forgive me." 
 He was so sensitive, proud, and intelligent, that this 
 promise was well kept, and Mama Quiou's lesson made 
 a deep impression upon his childish brain, besides teach- 
 ing him an important lesson in self-control. 
 
 The worst punishment which could be inflicted upon 
 him, was to forbid his looking at the soldiers mounting 
 guard in the Tuileries' yard ; and when a lady once went 
 to call on his governess, and found him scowling in a 
 corner, he resentfully pointed to " Mama Quiou," saying : 
 " She will not let me look at my papa's soldiers." 
 
 This firmness on the part of his governess was, how- 
 ever, a great blessing to the baby King of Rome, who, 
 surrounded by courtiers, and naturally high-tempered, 
 would have been simply unbearable if spoiled. 
 
 Even Napoleon, indulgent as he was to this only child, 
 was anxious to train him properly, and when the boy 
 once ran into his study and clambered up into his lap 
 without heeding some gentlemen assembled in council 
 there, — he had been early taught to kiss his hand and 
 
 i88 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 make a bow, — Napoleon sternly pushed him aside, and 
 said : " You did not make your bow, Sire ! Come, 
 greet these gentlemen properly." The baby King now 
 ducked his curly head and kissed his dimpled hand with 
 infantile grace, and the proud father, catching him up in 
 his arms, joyfully cried : " Well, gentlemen, I trust no 
 one will ever say I neglect my son's education. You 
 see he already knows his manners ! " 
 
 Aware of his deep love for this child, many petitioners 
 tried to win a hearing through him ; so the King of 
 Rome soon learned that the rolls of paper they held 
 were intended for him. He, therefore, collected them 
 eagerly, and tied them all up in a bundle to carry into 
 his father's study, where he proudly delivered them all 
 into his keeping. Once, looking out of his window, he 
 was deeply impressed by the sight of a small boy in deep 
 mourning among the petitioners. In answer to his many 
 questions, his governess explained that the little boy was all 
 dressed in black because his father had died in Spain, 
 fighting for the Emperor, and that he was now asking 
 for a pension, so that he and his mamma should have 
 enough to eat. This pitiful story so impressed the baby 
 King that he eagerly seized the roll of paper the boy 
 tendered. But, instead of tying it up in the bundle with 
 the others, as usual, he kept it carefully apart. On the 
 morrow, when delivering the petitions, he gave Napoleon 
 the bundle first, and then, climbing up into his lap, cried : 
 " Here, papa, here is the petition of a little boy. His 
 papa died for your sake, and his mamma asks for a pen- 
 sion because she is very poor and feels so badly." 
 Needless to state, that petition was granted ! 
 
 The Emperor loved to have his boy with him indoors 
 or out, and sometimes played blindman's buff with him 
 on the lawn, where an occasional tumble called forth 
 
 189 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 peals of laughter from both. Sometimes, too, he would 
 give the little King his hat and sword, and lie in the grass, 
 watching him strut to and fro in his borrowed trappings. 
 But often the sight of this little child called forth re- 
 marks such as the one he made to the Duke of Gaete 
 at Compiegne, saying : " Behold a child who would have 
 been far happier to have been born a private individual 
 with a moderate income. He is destined to bear a heavy 
 burden upon his shoulders ! " In speaking thus, Napo- 
 leon was, of course, referring to the child's probable des- 
 tiny, so different, after all, from his real career ! 
 
 Before long, the King of Rome grew so accustomed 
 to his father's rough handling, — which he bore without 
 a whimper, — and to his queer caresses and noisy dem- 
 onstrations, that his governess felt no fear whatever 
 when the Emperor once took him to a grand review, 
 and, setting him astride his horse, in front of him, pre- 
 sented him thus to the soldiers, who gave him a rousing 
 cheer. When Marie Louise inquired on their return 
 whether the child had been frightened, Napoleon scorn- 
 fully exclaimed : " Afraid ! Of course not ! He knew 
 he was in the midst of his father's friends ! " This 
 reply, coming to the ears of the soldiers, filled their 
 hearts with just pride, and when called upon to cry : 
 " Vive le roi ! " ( Long live the King ) two years later, 
 many of them used to cry heartily : " Vive le roi de 
 Rome et son petit papa ! " ( Long live the King of Rome 
 and his little father), the conclusion being, of course, 
 only muttered behind their bristling mustaches. 
 
 As Napoleon always tried to keep his young wife with 
 him as much as possible, she rode to Melun with him for 
 a hunt, and from thence to Fontainebleau, where they 
 spent a week with Pius VIL A prisoner, the Pope was 
 here induced to sign the second Concordat, and Marie 
 
 190 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Louise wrote to her father : " We have been at Fon- 
 tainebleau for the past six days. The Emperor and Pope 
 have settled the affairs of Christendom in the very best 
 w^ay. The Pope seems very happy. Since yesterday 
 morning he has appeared quite joyful and gracious ; he 
 signed the treaty in less than a quarter of an hour." But 
 when the poor Pope realised how cleverly he had been 
 tricked, he recalled this treaty, saying manfully : " No, I 
 will not give up my conscience to recover my crown ! 
 I cannot ! " 
 
 Meantime, new war clouds, looming up on the horizon, 
 prevented the coronation of Marie Louise and of the King 
 of Rome, which had been set for the 7th of March, 1813, 
 and also ended the work on the baby King's new palace 
 on the site of the present Trocadero. Instead, Napoleon 
 prepared for war, investing his young wife with the title 
 of Regent before he departed. Of course, this title was 
 chiefly complimentary, for nothing was done without 
 Napoleon's personal knowledge, and his trained officials 
 were all at their posts ; but the new dignity pleased and 
 occupied Marie Louise, who proudly wrote to her father : 
 "You can readily understand how much I am flattered 
 by this new proof of the Emperor's confidence." 
 
 Mindful of the Malet conspiracy, the Emperor this 
 time arranged everything so that the government could 
 run on smoothly even if he were killed, fixing the Em- 
 press' dowry at four million francs, and appointing the 
 Elysee and Trianons as her dower houses. All his 
 measures having thus been taken, he set out, but although 
 absent, kept up so lively a correspondence with the 
 Tuileries, that he knew every detail of what was going 
 on there, and was pleased to learn how well the Regent 
 acquitted herself at her first official reception. Still, he 
 was no longer an indulgent bridegroom, and did not hesi- 
 
 191 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 tate to criticise his wife whenever her conduct did not 
 suit him, as the following curt letter plainly shows : 
 
 Madame and Dear Friend : I have received the letter in 
 which you tell me that you received the Archchancellor in bed. 
 My intention is that under no circumstances, and under no pre- 
 text, you should receive any one in bed. It is not proper until 
 one is past thirty. 
 
 (Signed) Napoleon. 
 
 Meantime, Napoleon had refused to sign a treaty re- 
 ducing France to her old dimensions, and not content 
 with the victories of Liitzen and Bauzen, postponed 
 treating for peace in the hope that a third victory would 
 enable him to secure more favourable terms. The flags 
 taken from the enemy in these two battles were sent on 
 to Paris, where a Te Deum was sung, and where Marie 
 Louise then received such an ovation that she wrote to 
 her father : " I came home quite moved at the affection 
 of the people for the Emperor. Never did the French 
 cheer him more heartily. He is conqueror and peace- 
 maker ! " 
 
 Marie Louise was wrong, however ; Napoleon was no 
 peacemaker, but he made use of a brief armistice to sum- 
 mon her to Mayence, wishing to show the Germans how 
 well she was treated, and how devotedly she loved him. 
 Every detail of this journey was carefully prescribed by 
 Napoleon, who kept Marie Louise with him there for a 
 week. But while she was pleased to see her husband, and 
 outwardly as majestic and serene as ever, she was sorely 
 troubled at the possibility of a speedy rupture between 
 France and Austria. Still, even this prospect did not 
 weaken her affection for her husband, to whom she clung 
 tearfully at the moment of parting, and who tenderly em- 
 braced her in the presence of the assembled court. 
 
 192 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 The Emperor having gone, Marie Louise sailed down 
 the Rhine in the Prince of Nassau's yacht, and, after visit- 
 ing sundry points of interest along the storied river, 
 landed at Cologne, and passing through Aix-la-Chapelle, 
 returned to St. Cloud. She arrived there on the 9th of 
 August, 18 13, and was met, as she stepped out of her 
 carriage, by her little son, who was thriving, and seemed 
 to have grown even during her brief absence. This 
 lovely child was now a great centre of attraction, and 
 many people came to St. Cloud on purpose to see him 
 drive around in his dainty gilt carriage, drawn by two 
 snow-white sheep. 
 
 The very day she reached home, Marie Louise went 
 out driving with him, and both were cheered enthusiasti- 
 cally, and on the 15th of August she returned to Paris 
 for the official celebration of the Emperor's birthday. 
 There were, as usual, solemn services, receptions, con- 
 gratulations, speeches, illuminations, plays, and fireworks, 
 but this time the Empress had to appear alone on the 
 Tuileries balcony to acknowledge the plaudits of the 
 crowd, and therefore could not coiisider the occasion as 
 festive as usual. Marie Louise could not tarry very long 
 in Paris, for her own saint's day was to be celebrated by 
 the official inauguration of the great basin at Cherbourg. 
 A heavy cold caught on this journey somewhat marred 
 her enjoyment of this celebration, but still did not prevent 
 a joyful return to Paris, for the news of the victory of 
 Dresden had roused great popular enthusiasm, and 
 kindled a lively hope that the Emperor would soon make 
 peace. This joyful anticipation was, however, not to be 
 fulfilled, and after being a whole week without tidings, 
 Marie Louise suddenly learned that her father had joined 
 the coalition, and that it behooved her to go in state to 
 the Senate, to appeal to French patriotism, so that the 
 VOL. I. — 13 193 
 
Emp 
 
 of Fi 
 
 resses or Jt< ranee 
 
 present crisis might be faced successfully. Marie Louise 
 obeyed, personally delivering the address which Napoleon 
 had composed for her, and which concluded with the 
 words : 
 
 " Sharing for four years my husband's most intimate 
 thoughts, I know by what emotions he would be torn 
 on a disgraced throne and wearing a dishonoured crown. 
 Frenchmen, your country, your honour, appeal to you ! " 
 
 This speech, made by so young an Empress, was en- 
 thusiastically received, the Senate decreeing the immediate 
 drafting of two hundred and eighty thousand men. A 
 few days later, Marie Louise received one of Napoleon's 
 doctored bulletins, twenty flags taken from the enemy, 
 and the following official letter dated Frankfort, Novem- 
 ber I, 1813. 
 
 Madame and Very Dear Wife : — I send you twenty 
 flags taken by our armies at the battles of Wachau, Leipzig, and 
 Hanau. This is an homage which I take pleasure in offering 
 you. I desire you to see in it a mark of my great satisfaction 
 with your conduct during the regency which I entrusted to you. 
 This letter having no other purpose, I pray God to keep you in 
 his safe and holy keeping. 
 
 (Signed) Napoleow. 
 
 But the battle of Leipzig, so cursorily mentioned in 
 the above missive, was anything but a victory, and the 
 flags were sent on merely to pave the way for the Em- 
 peror's picturesque return a few days later. Marie 
 Louise, hearing two carriages drive up suddenly one even- 
 ing, ran in girlish haste to meet her husband, whose 
 kindness to her had been all the more marked since 
 her father's sudden and unexpected defection. Indeed, 
 Napoleon had felt so sure that his marriage with Marie 
 Louise made such a move on Austria's part impossible, 
 
 194 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 that he was entirely unprepared for it, — a grievous mis- 
 take which was to cost him his crown. 
 
 But however sore he might feel over what he did not 
 hesitate to term Austrian treachery, Napoleon was care- 
 ful never to utter a word against the Emperor of Austria 
 in Marie Louise's presence, laid no check upon her 
 correspondence, — which continued almost as regularly 
 as if the countries were still at peace, — and was un- 
 usually quick to resent anything which sounded like a 
 criticism of his wife. The news of the crushing defeat 
 he had suffered at Leipzig could not, however, remain 
 hidden ; but although the Emperor still seemed undaunted, 
 Marie Louise was sorely depressed and often in tears, 
 and the people openly begged for peace. This longing 
 extended from hut to palace, and Napoleon, stealing into 
 his son's nursery one evening, overheard the little one 
 pray : " Dear God, inspire papa with a wish to make 
 peace, for the happiness of France and of us all." 
 Napoleon smiled when he heard this childish prayer ; 
 but he made no remark, for he well knew that Madame 
 de Montesquiou would do what she thought right, 
 regardless of his displeasure, and, besides, he also felt 
 that the boy's prayer was only a faint echo of count- 
 less others breathed all over his realm. But his pride 
 forbade his yielding to the general desire until he had 
 retrieved his recent losses, and he longed to enhance his 
 glory by new triumphs. Still he could not but perceive 
 that the anniversaiy of Austerlitz and of his coronation 
 was not celebrated with as much enthusiasm as usual, 
 and in his speech at the opening of the Legislative 
 Assembly on the 19th of December, he felt it necessary 
 to remind the people of their duty to their country, 
 proudly concluding : "I am confident that the French 
 will ever be worthy of themselves and of me." 
 
 195 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Two days later, the invasion of France began, and as 
 popular dissatisfaction became more marked, and Napo- 
 leon's perplexities and work increased, he grew weary 
 and irritable. But while he sometimes admitted in 
 private that he had been too prone to war in the past, 
 he hotly defended his policy in public. Still, in the 
 state reception in the Tuileries on the ist of January, 
 1 8 14, he expressed a firm intention soon to conclude 
 peace as the people wished, even if he were forced to 
 sacrifice his dearest ambition of making France the 
 greatest power in the world. 
 
 Even in the midst of perplexities which prevented his 
 devoting more than three hours to rest, and of the 
 anxieties which he did not strive to conceal from his 
 old friends or from Josephine, Napoleon always wore a 
 cheerful countenance before Marie Louise, encouraging 
 her in the belief that his difficulties with Austria were 
 merely temporary, and that a reconciliation would soon 
 ensue. The fact was, however, that the situation was 
 so precarious that he was very glad to be reconciled to 
 his brothers Joseph and Louis, whom he now implored 
 to stand by his wife and child should any evil befall 
 him. 
 
 On the 24th of January, almost on the eve of his 
 departure to check the invaders, Napoleon summoned 
 the officers of the National Guard to the Hall of Mar- 
 shals in the Tuileries. There he suddenly appeared 
 before them, with the Empress and the King of Rome, 
 solemnly placed them under their protection, and point- 
 ing to the wondering child concluded his speech by 
 saying : " I entrust him to your care, gentlemen, I 
 entrust him to the loving care of my faithful city of 
 Paris." The unexpected presence of a young woman 
 and of an innocent child, and the eloquent falter in the 
 
 196 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Emperor's voice when he mentioned his wife and son, 
 touched the chord which vibrates so strongly in every 
 human heart, and one and all solemnly swore to be 
 loyal to the trust he reposed in them, and to defend his 
 family as faithfully as their own. 
 
 Before leaving, the Emperor again appointed his wife 
 Regent, with Joseph as her main adviser, giving that 
 brother minute instructions how to proceed in every 
 emergency. Then, two days after the moving scene in 
 the Hall of Marshals, the Emperor left the Tuileries, at 
 7 A. M., bidding an affectionate farewell to the wife and 
 son whom he was never to see again ! 
 
 Although they had been married nearly four years, 
 Marie Louise had only spent two years and eight months 
 with her husband ; but she wept profusely on bidding 
 him adieu, while she felt secretly aggrieved to per- 
 ceive how the mere prospect of a struggle invigorated 
 him, making him appear ten years younger. Still, her 
 position as Regent, prevented her devoting much time 
 to moping or seclusion, for on the very next day she had 
 to receive a deputation from the National Guard, headed 
 by General Moncey, bearing a loyal address which they 
 requested her to forward to the Emperor, so that he 
 might know he could rely upon their faithful services. 
 The Empress, having been notified of their coming, had 
 prepared a long and touching appeal to their patriotism, 
 but the Archchancellor would not allow her to deliver 
 this, lest the people should grow frightened and deem 
 the situation more desperate than it was. Marie Louise, 
 therefore, had to content herself with the customary 
 dignified acknowledgment, which, however, only fostered 
 the popular belief in her coldness and lack of sympathy. 
 
 In spite of protestations, it was nevertheless clear that 
 the end could not be far away, unless a decided change soon 
 
 197 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 occurred ; for many had already deserted the sinking Im- 
 perial cause, and others would soon follow. Successive 
 important defections made Napoleon keenly realise that 
 his worst fears might yet perchance be verified, and the 
 enemy press on to the gates of Paris ; but although he 
 would now fain have made peace, the only conditions the 
 coalition would grant seemed to him too humiliating to 
 accept. When he next wrote to his brother, therefore, 
 he emphatically renewed his instructions, that should he 
 be either defeated or killed, Joseph must remove both Em- 
 press and King of Rome to Rambouillet, or some other 
 place of safety, adding : " For my own part, I had rather 
 my son should have his throat cut, than ever see him 
 brought up in Vienna as an Austrian Prince ; and I have 
 high enough an opinion of the Empress to be sure that 
 she shares these views as far as a woman and a mother 
 can. 
 
 And yet Napoleon himself was not quite hopeless, for 
 a new plan he had suddenly devised, " brought about a 
 series of small victories, which gave a brighter aspect to 
 his fortunes. The news of these successes reached 
 the Tuileries, when Joseph was reviewing the National 
 Guards, who cheered madly when they heard it, to the 
 great delight of the little King of Rome, gazing at 
 them from his nursery window, and who now received a 
 spontaneous ovation. 
 
 The flags captured at the recent engagements were 
 sent to the capital, where the Minister of War publicly 
 laid them at the Empress' feet. She received them 
 graciously, answering his formal speech by saying : 
 " It is with keen emotion that I behold these tro- 
 phies which you present to me in obedience to the 
 orders of the Emperor, my august spouse. In my eyes 
 they are pledges of the safety of the country. May all the 
 
 198 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 French rise in arms on seeing them ! May they gather 
 in throngs around their sovereign and father ! Their 
 courage, directed by his genius, will soon accomphsh the 
 deliverance of our territory." 
 
 In his anxiety to leave nothing undone w^hich might 
 save the country. Napoleon now wrote a very clever letter 
 to the Emperor of Austria, clearly explaining the posi- 
 tion, and appealing so strongly to his sense of honour 
 and fatherly affections, that Francis was almost per- 
 suaded to withdraw from the coalition and sign a separate 
 peace with his son-in-law. 
 
 Marie Louise, also, strove to detach her father from 
 the coalition, and although she had never interfered in 
 political matters before, now wrote : " It is poor policy 
 to force a disgraceful peace upon us, for it cannot last. 
 Imagine, my dear father, in what a state I am. It 
 would be a blow I could not survive. Therefore, I 
 beseech you, dear father, remember me and my son. 
 You know how much I love you, and how strongly I 
 flatter myself that I enjoy your paternal affection. . . . 
 It depends upon you only to end my anxiety. You 
 will do so, won't you ? " 
 
 But this letter was of no avail either, and while the 
 Regency considered the peace proposals made by the 
 Congress of Chatillon, — which Napoleon scorned, — 
 he won a new victory. Joseph now implored him to 
 make use of this advantage to secure peace through his 
 wife's intercession, but he proudly answered : " I do not 
 wish to be protected by my wife ; this idea would spoil 
 her and divide us. What is the use of such talk ? Let 
 her lead her own life ; speak to her only about what she 
 must know in order to affix her signature ; and, above 
 all, avoid everything which could make her think I 
 desire to be protected by her or by her father, . . , Be- 
 
 ^99 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 sides, all that can only disturb her and injure her 
 excellent disposition." 
 
 Napoleon fought his last battle in this fatal campaign 
 at Arcis-sur-Aube, and, finding the day going against 
 him, did all he could to be killed, even riding up to a 
 bursting shell, which, exploding, slew his horse but left 
 him unharmed. This disappointed him greatly, for 
 while he knew the bulk of the army still idolised him, 
 and would follow him blindly, he fully realised that his 
 officers were weary of warfare and would soon desert 
 his cause. 
 
 Meantime, Marie Louise had remained in Paris anx- 
 iously awaiting letters and instructions from Napoleon 
 which failed to appear, and constantly dreading to re- 
 ceive tidings of his death, for she knew he would not be 
 willing to survive his downfall. By great mischance, a 
 letter in which the Emperor described his last plan for the 
 safety of the capital, fell into the hands of the enemy, who 
 were thus enabled to frustrate his aims entirely. This 
 letter was then forwarded to the Empress, who perused 
 with terror the ominous sentence : " This step saves me 
 or ruins me." 
 
 She was now in a sad predicament. Young and in- 
 experienced herself, she felt no confidence in her hus- 
 band's brothers, although their insight at that time 
 proved clearer than Napoleon's, for already, on the i6th 
 of March, Louis wrote to his brother, saying : " If your 
 Majesty does not sign peace, you may be sure that your 
 government will not last more than three weeks. It 
 needs only a little coolness and common-sense to judge 
 of the state of affairs." This truthful yet tactless letter 
 only made Napoleon still more reluctant to yield, for he 
 never could brook adverse criticism, however well meant. 
 
 In her perplexity, the young Empress — she was not 
 200 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 yet twenty-two — called a council at the Tuileries, on 
 the 28th of March, 18 14, and there asked the advice 
 of many men of note besides Joseph, Talleyrand, and 
 Cambaceres. But opinions varied greatly, and while 
 some advocated the young Regent's taking her son in 
 •her arms and appealing to the people, like Marie Theresa, 
 others urged her instant departure from Paris. They 
 were hotly discussing the pros and cons of this question, 
 when Joseph suddenly produced Napoleon's letter of 
 February 8th, and a later missive dated March i6th, 
 wherein he said : " You must not let the Empress and 
 the King of Rome fall into the enemy's hands. . . . 
 Do not abandon my son, and remember that I had 
 rather know him in the Seine, than in the hands of the 
 enemies of France. The fate of Astyanax, a prisoner 
 among the Greeks, has always seemed to me the most 
 melancholy in history ! " 
 
 Marie Louise, trained to impUcit obedience to parental 
 or marital commands, no sooner heard these letters read, 
 than she declared no choice remained, and that she 
 would leave with her son at eight o'clock on the mor- 
 row, unless contrary orders arrived in the interval, add- 
 ing : " Even if I were to fall into the Seine, as the 
 Emperor said, I should not hesitate for a moment about 
 leaving. A wish which he has formally expressed, is for 
 me an order." 
 
 So far, Marie Louise had behaved Uke a model wife, 
 mother, and Frenchwoman ; but the people, who could 
 not forget that she was an Austrian, were suspicious of 
 her, and the first rumours of her coming departure 
 awakened grave apprehensions. All that night the 
 palace was closely observed, and the watchers soon 
 perceived by the lights flitting incessantly to and fro 
 behind the windows, that Senate and court were pre- 
 
 201 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 paring to accompany the Empress and King of Rome. 
 Not only were the most important papers, the principal 
 art treasures, the crown jewels and court garments 
 hastily packed for removal, but a treasure of about ten 
 millions in specie formed part of the Empress' baggage 
 train. 
 
 At 7 A. M., in the dull grey light of a March morn- 
 ing, the packing was all finished, and Marie Louise and 
 her son arrayed for the journey. But although she had 
 already donned her brown travelling suit, and the car- 
 riages were at the door, ready loaded, the Empress 
 lingered, loath to depart, and still hoping that the 
 Emperor would send more definite orders. 
 
 The officers of the National Guard, who had so 
 solemnly promised to defend her and the King of 
 Rome, now appeared to urge her to remain with them, 
 justly alleging that her departure might create a panic 
 among the people, who considered her presence a guar- 
 antee of safety, and would remain true to the Emperor 
 as long as she was in their midst. These arguments, 
 backed by extravagant protestations of devotion, shook 
 the Empress' resolution for a moment, and while her 
 chief advisers again excitedly discussed what she had 
 better do, she withdrew to her chamber. The nervous 
 strain she had undergone, proved too great for a char- 
 acter not steeled by education, circumstances, or age, 
 and, petulantly flinging off her wraps, Marie Louise sank 
 into a chair, buried her face in her hands, and wept help- 
 lessly, crying : " Goodness ! If they would only make up 
 their minds and end this agony ! " 
 
 The three-year-old King, who had been brought to 
 his mother equipped for the journey, but whom the un- 
 wonted bustle and noise troubled and confused, caught a 
 word here and there which mysteriously alarmed him. 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 An unusually precocious child, he began to ponder over 
 them, and when, shortly before twelve, a move was 
 finally made, he suddenly burst into a passion of tears, 
 and, clinging convulsively to doors and railings, obsti- 
 nately refused to leave the palace, screaming in his 
 terror : " Don't go to Rambouillet. It is an ugly old 
 castle. Let us stay here. I don't want to leave my 
 house. I don't want to go away. Now that papa is 
 absent, I am master here ! " 
 
 Reasoning, bribery, and persuasion proving equally 
 unavailing, one of the officers seized the struggling child 
 to carry him down to the waiting carriage, his governess 
 following closely, to unclasp the baby fingers which 
 clutched frantically at every object in reach. This 
 stormy scene, on the part of a child whom they had 
 never seen otherwise than gentle and obedient, struck 
 many of the spectators as an evil omen, and since then 
 many people have wondered whether this vehement pro- 
 test was not prophetic instinct on the part of the baby 
 King of Rome, who was leaving for ever the palace 
 where his birth had been welcomed with rapture three 
 years before. 
 
 It was raining dismally, and when the long line of 
 carriages drove slowly away from the Tuileries on that 
 29th of March, it really did look like " the funeral of an 
 empire." Talleyrand, who was so soon to turn open 
 traitor, made the cynical remark : " Well, so that 's the 
 way this glorious reign was to end. To finish his career 
 like an adventurer, instead of ending peacefully upon the 
 greatest of thrones, and after having given his name to 
 his century. . . . What an end ! " 
 
 Marie Louise, driving away in the rain with her 
 reluctant son, — although she did not then suspect that 
 all was over, — must have thought this departure offered 
 
 203 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 a sad contrast to her arrival, four years before, at 
 Napoleon's side, for the religious marriage at the Louvre. 
 But anything seemed preferable to the agonising sus- 
 pense of the last few hours, and the journey continued 
 peaceably, the people staring at the string of carriages in 
 apathetic wonder or hopeless despair. After a night 
 spent at Rambouillet, Marie Louise, alarmed by new 
 tidings, went on to Chartres, Vendome, and Blois, where 
 she arrived on the 2nd of April. Being joined there by 
 her councillors and all the officers of the state, she pre- 
 sided over the Regency meetings with praiseworthy 
 regularity, although by this time even she, in her 
 ignorance, could perceive that matters were pretty hope- 
 less. She, therefore, spent some very anxious days and 
 nights at Blois, hovering between hope and despair, 
 anxiously awaiting definite instructions from the Emperor, 
 and issuing her last proclamation, which ended thus : 
 " You will be faithful to your oath. You will heed the 
 voice of a princess who was entrusted to your fidelity, 
 and who glories in being a Frenchwoman. My son was 
 less sure of your hearts in the day of our prosperity." 
 
 But, alas ! all was already over in France for her, 
 because, in spite of General Moncey's heroic defence, 
 Paris had been forced to surrender. The Emperor, has- 
 tening to his capital to make a last stand, learned at the 
 same hour the surrender of the city and the departure of 
 the Empress, both of which pieces of news surprised 
 him greatly. Still he was glad to hear that Marie Louise 
 was safe, and cried : " Yes, I wanted her to go, for 
 Heaven knows what her inexperience might not have 
 induced her to do ! " 
 
 Nevertheless, he still deluded himself with the belief 
 that a sudden, bold move might yet save him, and sent 
 
 204 
 
Thk. King of Rome, i8 
 
 14. 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 one of his faithful followers to Paris to treat with 
 the enemy, while he withdrew to Fontainebleau, where 
 he was to remain from March 31st to April 20th, and 
 suiFer all " the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." 
 
 Marie Louise at Blois, surrounded by her household, 
 maintained the appearance of a court where the usual 
 etiquette was rigidly preserved, and none dared tell her 
 of the successive defections which left her husband de- 
 fenceless, and of the fatal effect her own flight had pro- 
 duced in the capital. On Palm Sunday, April 3rd, the 
 Empress attended Mass, and on the selfsame day Napo- 
 leon wrote urging her to implore her father and Metter- 
 nich to support the Regency, advising her to flee with 
 her son to Emperor Francis, who would surely never 
 suffer them to be robbed of their crown. 
 
 The next day, on the 4th of April, yielding to the 
 advice of his few remaining friends. Napoleon signed his 
 abdication at Fontainebleau, on the round mahogany 
 table which bears an inscription to that effect, artd which 
 is still shown to visitors. This paper — his first abdi- 
 cation in favour of his son — stated that " The Allied 
 Powers having proclaimed that the Emperor Napoleon 
 was the sole obstacle to the re-establishment of peace in 
 Europe, the Emperor Napoleon, faithful to his oath, de- 
 clares that he is ready to descend from the throne, to 
 leave France, and even to die for the good of his coun- 
 try, inseparable from the rights of his son, from those 
 of the Empress' Regency, and the maintenance of the 
 laws of the Empire. Done at Fontainebleau, April 4th, 
 1814." 
 
 But although Napoleon believed the Empire could 
 yet be saved for his son, it was already too late, for 
 Marmont had deserted his cause, and the Bourbons had 
 been summoned back to France, thanks to the machi- 
 
 205 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 nations of the royalist party, now openly headed by 
 Talleyrand. The very day that Napoleon signed his 
 abdication, Marie Louise wrote to her father, saying : 
 " Our position is so gloomy and alarming that my son 
 and I have no other refuge than you. I am sure that at 
 this moment you alone can aid us. I am convinced that 
 you will listen to my prayer, and will refuse to sacrifice 
 to England and Russia my peace and the interests of 
 your grandson. . . . Paris would have been defended 
 more seriously, if it had not been thought that it was 
 attacked by you, and that you would not abandon your 
 daughter and your grandson. Hence, I entrust myself to 
 your hands, dear father ; I am sure that you will save us 
 from this terrible situation. ... I entrust to you the 
 safety of what I hold dearest in the world, a son too 
 young to know sorrow or grief." 
 
 Poor Marie Louise could not go straight to her father 
 as Napoleon advised, for she did not then know where 
 he was,' and feared to fall into the hands of the Russian 
 or Prussian troops. Her only hope was none the less in 
 that weak-minded father, who had already once sacrificed 
 his daughter to his enemy, and who, thanks to his advisers, 
 was now about to sacrifice both her and his grandson. 
 In fact, the Austrians cynically remarked when some one 
 mentioned Marie Louise : " The marriage, the marriage, 
 politics made it, politics could undo it." 
 
 Although not aware, as yet, of all the perils of her 
 position, Marie Louise was very anxious, and spent days 
 and nights in tears, regretting having consented to leave 
 the capital, and crying : " Those who thought I should 
 have stayed in Paris were right ; my father's soldiers 
 would, perhaps, not have driven me away." But when 
 some of her followers advised her to return to the capi- 
 tal before it was too late, she dared not follow this advice. 
 
 206 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Besides, every once in a while, she wondered whether 
 it were not her duty to join the Emperor at Fontainebleau, 
 and she once said : " My place is at the Emperor's side 
 when he is so unhappy. I desire to go to him, and I 
 shall be happy anywhere, provided I am with him." 
 
 But these impulses, encouraged by Madame de 
 Montesquiou and Madame de Montebello, were never 
 of long duration, and Marie Louise, who had never 
 been obliged to make up her own mind, left alone with 
 people who had no authority over her, wavered and 
 wept, and did nothing. She was, however, willing and 
 ready to do as she was told, and openly wondered that 
 Napoleon should abandon her thus to her own devices. 
 There were, however, three good reasons for this con- 
 duct : first, he fancied that if left entirely to the Emperor 
 of Austria, Marie Louise and his son would receive 
 better treatment at the Allies' hands than if he inter- 
 fered. Second, he dreaded seeing Marie Louise, whom 
 he rightly considered a fair-weather wife, and, in the 
 third place, he " wished to remain free for the plan 
 he was considering." Marie Louise, who suspected that 
 this might be some bold move which her presence might 
 hinder or jeopardise, dared not move, and therefore 
 passively awaited her fate. 
 
 Hers was indeed a trying position for so young a 
 woman, but like most placid, unenergetic natures, there 
 was, nevertheless, a vein of obstinacy in her character ; 
 it suddenly revealed itself when her Council tried to 
 make her remove to Orleans, so as to rally the remains 
 of the Imperial army around her, and perchance even yet 
 retrieve all that had been lost. Her brothers-in-law then 
 insisted more vehemently than usual, and finally threat- 
 ened to remove her and her son by force ; but Mane 
 Louise fled to her apartment, and, sending for De Bausset 
 
 207 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 hysterically, cried : " My two brothers and their arch- 
 chancellor are there, in that room. They have just told 
 me I must leave Blois at once, and that if I resist 
 they will have me put into the carriage with my son ! " 
 
 Seeing her agitation, the Prefect of the Palace quietly 
 and respectfully asked : " May I ask your Majesty what 
 is your wish ? " 
 
 " I wish to remain here, and await the Emperor's 
 instructions," answered the unhappy Empress. So De 
 Bausset immediately declared that he would uphold her, 
 and went to inform Joseph and Louis that his mistress 
 would not leave. As the enemy were advancing rapidly, 
 several of the senators now bade the Empress farewell, 
 and the semblance of a government, which had been 
 rigidly maintained at Blois until the 7th of April, was 
 then allowed to lapse. 
 
 On Good Friday, April 8th, only three hours after 
 Marie Louise's final refusal to accompany the fleeing 
 courtiers, the Russian General Schouwaloff entered Blois 
 with his troops, ostensibly to protect the Empress and 
 King of Rome, but in reality to guard them closely, 
 prevent their joining the Emperor, and escort them on to 
 Orleans. But before leaving Blois, Marie Louise again 
 wrote to her father and husband, and concealed upon 
 her own and her attendants' persons the crown-jewels, 
 which she feared might else be stolen on the way. Then, 
 accompanied by her son. Napoleon's mother, two of his 
 brothers and their wives, Marie Louise set out, under 
 foreign escort, for Orleans, where she was still received 
 as a sovereign, but where she soon perceived that her 
 sway was over, for her treasures and crown-jewels 
 were confiscated, as well as much of her own private 
 property. 
 
 On Easter Sunday, Marie Louise sadly attended Mass 
 208 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 at Orleans, and after the service bade farewell to the 
 Bonapartes, and to most of her attendants, who tried to 
 cheer her by congratulating her upon the just received 
 news that the Allies promised to confer upon her the 
 sovereignty of Parma. But Marie Louise's heart was 
 sorely oppressed, and her health seriously affected by 
 the anxieties of the past few months. Besides, her 
 suspense concerning Napoleon was harder to bear than 
 any certainty, and even Meneval, her secretary, was full 
 of forebodings, for he had received a letter wherein 
 Napoleon hinted that he intended to commit suicide. 
 Meneval, who had been the Emperor's secretary for 
 years, and who was deeply attached to his master, now 
 began a correspondence with his successor, Baron Fain, 
 who really wrote under Napoleon's dictation, although, 
 for safety's sake, the letters did not bear his signature. . 
 This daily correspondence, however, only increased 
 Marie Louise's perplexities, for while Napoleon said his 
 wife and son should join him on the way to Elba, — 
 which was henceforth to be his sole kingdom, — he gave 
 no definite instructions how they were to do so. One 
 of these letters states : " The Emperor is very well, 
 for, as I have already told you, his health is not affected 
 by his moral sufferings. He hopes to hear that the 
 Empress is becoming consoled, and that she expects to 
 be happy in the humble condition to which she is reduced. 
 The Emperor is glad that the Empress is to have Parma 
 and Piacenza, because her independence is thereby as- 
 sured, and she will have the most beautiful country in 
 the world to live in, if she grows tired of the rocks of 
 Elba; while Elba is a retreat that can suit the Emperor 
 only, for he no longer wishes to rule anywhere." 
 
 At first, Marie Louise seemed eager to join Napoleon ; 
 but the talk of the people around her already began to 
 VOL. I. — 14 209 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 undermine this resolution, and commenced the work of 
 alienating her affections from Napoleon, — a work 
 planned by Metternich and Talleyrand, who were soon 
 to pursue it with more vigour. Only a few people around 
 her now ventured to remind her of her duty, and, as 
 neither Napoleon nor her father sent any definite instruc- 
 tions, she felt as helpless as a cork tossed amid the 
 waves, and cried in despair : " I am really to be pitied ! 
 Some advise me to go ; others to stay. I write to the 
 Emperor, and he does not answer my questions. He 
 tells me to write to my father, but what will my father 
 say, after he has allowed me to be treated with such 
 contumely ? I am abandoned, and I commit myself to 
 Providence. It advised me wisely when it counselled 
 me to become a canoness. I should never have come to 
 this country. . . . Go to the Emperor ? But I cannot 
 go without my son, who is only safe with me. . . . On 
 the other hand, if the Emperor fears an attack on his 
 life, — which is very probable, — and has to take to 
 flight, the embarrassment I should cause him might make 
 him fall into the hands of the foe, who, I have no doubt, 
 desire his death. I- don't know what to do ; I am 
 broken-hearted. ... I can understand that people 
 should hate me in this country, yet I am not to blame. 
 Why did my father marry me off, if he entertained the 
 plans he is now carrying out .? " 
 
 Poor Marie Louise was then indeed in sad straits, and 
 she certainly cannot be blamed if she did not possess 
 either the firmness or energy necessary to meet her per- 
 plexing fate. On the nth, she sent another letter to 
 the Emperor, who exclaimed upon reading it : " Dear 
 Louise," but again avoided giving her any definite 
 answer. The poor man had many perplexities of his 
 own," for that day Caulaincourt brought him a treaty. 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 which he refused to sign, because he considered it sim- 
 ply degrading. Such was Napoleon's mental suffering, 
 that in the middle of that night he tried to execute a 
 long-cherished plan, and attempted suicide by swallowing 
 some poison which his own physician had given him in 
 Russia. But the drug had lost its strength, and merely 
 made him so violently ill that he had to rouse his attend- 
 ants. At first, thinking death near, he gave them a few 
 last messages ; but finally, seeing he would continue to 
 live, he bitterly cried : " Everything has betrayed me, I 
 am condemned to go on living." This despondent mood 
 soon changed, however. The man whom no misfortune 
 could daunt for any length of time, soon persuaded him- 
 self that fate must have further designs upon him, and 
 therefore resigned himself to live, saying : " God does 
 not want me to die." 
 
 Then, ashamed of this cowardly attempt to escape his 
 misfortunes, he enjoined such strict silence upon his fol- 
 lowers, that several insisted as long as he lived that the 
 reported attempt at suicide was merely a violent attack 
 of indigestion, such as had frequently affected him. 
 Although pale and weak. Napoleon rose the next morn- 
 ing as usual, and amid the respectful silence of a few 
 faithful friends signed the treaty he abhorred. This 
 done, he began to plan for the future, sending Caulain- 
 court to escort Marie Louise to him, in case she stiU 
 wished to come, but bidding him use neither persuasions 
 nor coercion, saying : " I know women well, and espe- 
 cially my wife. Instead of the court of France, such as 
 I had made it, to offer her a prison is a very great trial. 
 If she were to bring a sad face or to appear bored, I 
 would be inconsolable. I prefer solitude to the sight 
 of melancholy. If her inclinations lead her to me, I will 
 receive her with open arms ; if not, let her remain in 
 
 211 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Parma, or Florence, wherever she reigns, in short. I 
 will claim nothing from her except my son." 
 
 This speech reveals not only his low estimate of 
 woman's character, but the unbending pride which could 
 not brook the thought of asking his wife to share a 
 less brilliant lot with him than that which he had offered 
 her at first. But while the sight of her and her son 
 would undoubtedly have enhanced the pangs he suffered, 
 it would, nevertheless, have been a salve to his pride to 
 demonstrate to Europe and posterity, that the wife who 
 had been forced to marry him, had learned to love him 
 too well to forsake him now that his future was dimmed. 
 This satisfaction, which was to fall to the lot of his 
 brother Jerome, was, however, denied to him, and 
 whereas his brother's wife has earned the admiration of 
 posterity by her constancy, Marie Louise has only earned 
 the world's pitying contempt. 
 
 Unfortunately, Caulaincourt did not reach Marie Louise 
 until she was surrounded by Russians, who would probably 
 have prevented her departure had she attempted to join 
 her husband. Napoleon, therefore, proceeded to prepare 
 for his journey, bidding farewell to the friends who 
 came to see him, and gladly receiving from Isabey a 
 recent portrait of his wife and son, which he was to take 
 with him into exile. He also wrote sundry letters to his 
 wife, expressing his sympathy with her sufferings, and 
 saying in his last epistle from Fontainebleau : " You can 
 always count on the courage, the calmness, and the 
 friendship of your husband Napoleon. A kiss to the 
 little King." 
 
 Napoleon required all the courage and calmness pos- 
 sible, not only to face the affecting farewells at Fontaine- 
 bleau, but also to endure the awful scenes he encountered 
 on his way to the coast. But before setting out from 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Frejus, he wrote to Dr. Corvisard, thanking him once 
 more for his devoted care of his wife and child, and 
 saying : " Give me news of Marie Louise, and never 
 doubt my affection for you." The next day he em- 
 barked on an English frigate, which conveyed him and 
 his followers to the Island of Elba, where he landed on the 
 4th of May, 1 8 14, amid the cheers of the happy people. 
 In the meantime, Marie Louise had left Orleans on 
 the nth, and gone on to Rambouillet, where she received 
 her father's ardently expected visit on the i6th of April. 
 He came, accompanied by Metternich only, and as soon 
 as he alighted Marie Louise fairly thrust the little King 
 into his arms, tearfully imploring his protection for them 
 both. Then, controlling her emotion with difficulty, she 
 led him to her private apartment, where they had a long 
 conversation together. But although the Emperor of 
 Austria spent the night at Rambouillet, and they thus 
 had plenty of time to discuss plans, he was careful not 
 to tell her that she was to be parted from her husband 
 for ever, but merely advised her to visit Vienna before 
 going to the baths Corvisard prescribed to restore her 
 impaired health. Francis also wrote a friendly letter to 
 Napoleon, announcing this decision, although in all the 
 discussions with the Allies he showed himself most 
 hostile to his son-in-law, who owed all the provisions for 
 his own and his family's comfort and safety to the gen- 
 erosity of his former friend, Alexander, Czar of Russia. 
 
 Indeed, had not Alexander been influenced by Talley- 
 rand and Madame Kriidener — a friend of Madame de 
 Stael and hence Napoleon's bitter enemy — =- it is likely 
 he would have favoured Marie Louise's Regency, for he 
 was a very chivalrous monarch. He visited her at Ram- 
 bouillet, where he also paid his respects to the " little 
 King," and the King of Prussia immediately followed this 
 
 213 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 example, being equally charmed by Napoleon's son. Poor 
 little fellow, although only three, his precocious mind 
 already took note of some of the changes around him, for 
 he once gravely remarked : " Oh, I see very well I am no 
 longer King, for I have no more pages ! " 
 
 On the 23rd of April, three days after Napoleon's de- 
 parture for Elba, Marie Louise left Rambouillet and set 
 out for Austria. Although no longer Empress of 
 France, she still travelled in state, no less than twenty- 
 four carriages being required to convey her attendants 
 and baggage. This journey home, however, contrasted 
 sorely with her arrival ; for she now passed through a 
 country devastated by war, and ruin and poverty met her 
 eye instead of prosperity and rejoicing. During this 
 voyage she openly preferred French language and at- 
 tendants, and while she herself seldom mentioned the 
 Emperor, — for Metternich had cleverly insinuated that 
 she had never been loved, — the others spoke of him 
 very freely. Indeed, Madame de Montesquiou diligently 
 strove to keep his memory green with both mother and 
 child by frequent references to him, and carefully taught 
 the boy to pray for his father night and morning. 
 
 The French frontier once crossed, Marie Louise's 
 journey lost much of its lugubrious aspect ; and, as she 
 drew near Vienna, it assumed a festive appearance, until 
 it seemed, as one of the spectators said, as if " Austria, 
 forced to lend temporarily an adored princess, was cele- 
 brating her return as a victory." In Tyrol, the horses 
 were even unharnessed, so that the people themselves 
 could drag the carriage ; and when Marie Louise re-entered 
 Schonbrunn, she was escorted by her stepmother, who 
 had kindly come to meet her, and surrounded by all her 
 family, who warmly congratulated her upon her return 
 into their midst. 
 
 214 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Marie Louise, with all a cat's sensuous love of 
 material comfort and wonted surroundings, soon resumed 
 the quiet life of her girlhood days, until it almost seemed 
 as if she had never left Austria. Drawing, painting, and 
 music again beguiled many hours, and she diligently 
 studied the Italian language, so as to be able to address 
 her new subjects fluently when she reached Parma. 
 But her life was extremely quiet and retired, although 
 many people were curious to behold her, and went to 
 Schonbrunn on purpose to see the King of Rome, whose 
 graceful salutations charmed everybody, and who was 
 unanimously pronounced " the handsomest child in the 
 world ! " 
 
 But, however calm and contented in outward appear- 
 ance, Marie Louise was impatiently awaiting her father's 
 return, and as soon as she heard he was coming, she 
 sallied forth to meet him. He embraced her affec- 
 tionately ; but when she anxiously inquired what he would 
 do for her, coldly answered, " that, as his daughter, all that 
 he had was hers, but as a sovereign, he did not know her." 
 This was sad news for Marie Louise, who now began to 
 fear lest she might lose Parma as well as France, a pros- 
 pect which dismayed her greatly, for she was pleasure- 
 loving and egotistical in the extreme, and had been look- 
 ing forward pleasurably to her life in Parma, where she 
 would be first, and no longer the mere satellite of some 
 great planet as she had been at the Tuileries. 
 
 The Emperor of Austria, after spending the night 
 with her at Schonbrunn, made his triumphal entrance into 
 Vienna on the following day, to attend a solemn Te 
 Deum, and receive his people's congratulations on his 
 victorious return. Of course, Marie Louise took no 
 part in this solemnity, but remained quietly at Schon- 
 brunn, where her father soon joined her again with the 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 rest of the family, and where all set diligently to work to 
 wean her affections from Napoleon, and obliterate all trace 
 and recollection of the four years she had spent in 
 France. 
 
 This was a very congenial task for the Empress of 
 Austria ; but, strange to relate, Napoleon found his warm- 
 est advocate in Marie Louise's grandmother, the ex- 
 Queen of Naples, whom he had despoiled of a throne. 
 A generous adversary, she owned her hatred for Napo- 
 leon, but openly declared that, " when one is married it is 
 for life," and urged that since her relatives would not 
 allow Marie Louise to leave Vienna openly, she ought 
 to tie her sheets together, escape by her window, and join 
 her husband at any cost. She, alone, among the Aus- 
 trians encouraged Marie Louise to wear Napoleon's 
 picture, to speak of him, write to him, and, above all, 
 remain faithful to him now that he was unfortunate, 
 were it only for duty's sake. But heroics were not in 
 Marie Louise's line ; she found it far easier to yield to 
 the general pressure ; and when her grandmother 
 upbraided her, and indignantly inquired : " What will the 
 world say of you ? It will judge you harshly ! " she 
 merely wept. 
 
 When driven to bay by this energetic grandmother, 
 Marie Louise began to temporise, saying she would wait 
 until she reached Parma, where she would be her own 
 mistress, and could therefore act as she pleased. Still she 
 was glad to escape from her admonitions by going to 
 Savoy, where she insisted upon taking the baths that Dr. 
 Corvisard had recommended before she left France. 
 This journey, however, was opposed by the Austrians 
 and by Napoleon, for they both feared the ex-Empress 
 might be insulted in France ; but Marie Louise's charac- 
 teristic gentle obstinacy won the day, and she finally 
 
 216 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 departed for Aix, although forced to leave her son in 
 Vienna under Madame de Montesquieu's care. As 
 Metternich feared that Napoleon's friends might yet 
 win Marie Louise's ear, and undo the work begun, he 
 selected General Neipperg — whom Marie Louise had 
 already seen at Dresden and Prague — to continue the 
 alienating process which he and Talleyrand had planned. 
 Count Neipperg, an Austrian by birth, was a very 
 clever diplomat who hated Napoleon bitterly, and who had 
 helped to effect his overthrow by inducing Bernadotte, 
 King of Sweden, and Murat, King of Naples, to join the 
 coalition against him. Similar wiles had, however, failed 
 a little later with Eugene de Beauharnais, who, when 
 sounded by this smooth tempter, frankly cried : " I don't 
 understand politics ; but if it is true that the Emperor has 
 abdicated, let us not lose a minute, but join our troops 
 and go and uphold the authority of the Empress Regent 
 and of her son ! " 
 
 This was the man whom Metternich selected to 
 mount guard over Marie Louise, instructing him to 
 estrange her from her husband at any price, and authoris- 
 ing him to use all and any means necessary to accomplish that 
 purpose. When Neipperg asked what these directions 
 implied, Metternich brutally bade him " please that 
 woman and become her paramour," an order which this 
 forty-year-old man gladly undertook to carry out. 
 
 The Austrian general, therefore, joined Marie Louise 
 with a small force of soldiers when she drew near Aix, for 
 the ostensible purpose of protecting her from possible insult, 
 and acted as her chamberlain during the brief absence of 
 some of her French attendants. A slender, handsome, 
 curly-haired blond, of courtly address and consummate 
 cleverness, he nevertheless produced a disagreeable im- 
 pression upon Marie Louise at first, because he had lost 
 
 217 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 one eye in battle, and wore a startling black patch to 
 conceal its absence. But Marie Louise soon grew ac- 
 customed to this peculiarity, and, yielding gradually to his 
 seductive arguments, became in time fully convinced that 
 she would best further her husband's and son's interests 
 if she obeyed her father implicitly until her own affairs 
 were settled and she was safely installed in Parma. 
 Neipperg proceeded so cautiously, that even Marie 
 Louise's French attendants did not at first perceive 
 his aim, and the Empress herself still wrote, on the an- 
 niversary of the Emperor's birthday : " How can I be 
 happy on the 15th, when I am obliged to spend this day, 
 so solemn for me, far from the two persons I love most 
 dearly." 
 
 She so little suspected that she was a prisoner, and 
 Neipperg her keeper, that she gradually allowed him to 
 persuade her that she would best serve Napoleon's in- 
 terests by promising to hold no communication at all 
 with him, and to deliver his letters, unopened, into 
 her father's hands. This lack of news — her last letter 
 was dated July 31, 18 13 — greatly disquieted the Em- 
 peror, who tried to communicate with her by every means 
 in his power. But every attempt failed, and even the 
 man he sent to escort her to Elba was refused admittance 
 to her presence by the omnipresent and ever watchful 
 Neipperg. Realising that it was probably by order of 
 the Emperor of Austria that letters were intercepted. 
 Napoleon nevertheless trusted Marie Louise's honour so 
 implicitly that he never even suspected that his wife would 
 promise not to communicate with him. He also still 
 expected her to join him as soon as she had finished her 
 cure at Aix in Savoy, and had her apartments at Elba 
 freshly decorated, suggesting to the painter as sentimental 
 device for the ceiling,, "two pigeons tied by the same 
 
 218 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 string, the knots drawing tighter as they fly farther apart." 
 Indeed, Napoleon felt so sure that Marie Louise was 
 conning, that he carefully hoarded his sole remaining 
 fireworks to give her a grand welcome, and was so 
 desirous not to aiFord her even the slightest cause for 
 jealousy, that when Madame Walewska came to Elba 
 with her son, offering to share his exile, he kept her 
 visit as secret as possible, and sent her away again as 
 soon as he could. 
 
 Napoleon, who had so sorely tried Josephine, is said 
 never to have been unfaithful to Marie Louise, which, if 
 true, gave her no excuse for deserting him as she did. 
 This visit of a young woman and child, however, caused 
 considerable comment, and many of the soldiers who had 
 followed him to Elba, firmly believed that the Empress 
 had visited the island incognita, to give their Emperor a 
 glimpse of his beloved son and confer with him con- 
 cerning their future. 
 
 Meantime, Marie Louise was yielding more and more 
 to the subtle influence of Neipperg, who played admir- 
 ably on the piano, sang duets with her, escorted her on 
 all her excursions, afoot or on horseback, and proved, 
 in short, an accomplished and devoted cavalier. But 
 whereas he apparently deferred to her every whim, he 
 artfully got her so completely under his control that he 
 unconsciously undermined all her beliefs, made her view 
 the past in a false light, persuaded her that she had been 
 a victim or a martyr, that Napoleon had never loved her, 
 and that hence she owed him no duty at all. This work 
 of complete alienation, so well begun during the six 
 weeks' stay at Aix, was pursued with the utmost dili- 
 gence and skill during a journey in Switzerland, where, 
 as Marie Louise was travelling incognita, and her French 
 attendants, De Bausset and Mencval, always had large 
 
 219 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 correspondences tO' attend to, the Austrian chamberlain 
 was often her sole male escort. 
 
 He was not slow to take advantage of this opportu- 
 nity, and made such good use of his time, that he not only 
 entirely effaced Napoleon's image from Marie Louise's 
 fickle heart, but cleverly proceeded to imprint his own 
 upon it instead. All this was done so unobtrusively, and 
 with such consummate skill, that none of her French 
 attendants had any inkling of the danger until too late. 
 But Neipperg was no novice at such work, for he had 
 already persuaded one man's wife to run away with him 
 several years before, and although he had married this 
 woman after her divorce, and she had given him several 
 sons, he had wearied of her in time, forsaken her, and 
 now they were entirely estranged. 
 
 Neipperg took Marie Louise to see Hapsburg Castle, 
 — the cradle of her race, — and finding an old lance- 
 head, playfully presented it to her as a relic of her re- 
 nowned ancestor the great Rudolf. Marie Louise, 
 attaching a peculiar sentimental value to this token, 
 had fragments of it set into rings, which were worn as 
 souvenirs by all who had taken part in this excursion. 
 Thus, travelling slowly through this beautiful country, 
 with all her tastes for comfort gratified and her egotism 
 flattered by being always given a prominent place, 
 Marie Louise returned to Schonbrunn early in October, 
 so entirely under Neipperg's sway, that she would no 
 longer have ventured to do the least thing without his 
 knowledge and consent. 
 
 Meantime, the Congress had assembled at Vienna, 
 and when Marie Louise arrived there, social gaiety had 
 already attained such a swing that an old beau wittily 
 said : " The Congress dances, instead of progressing, 
 (Le Congres danse, il ne marche pas)." But whereas 
 
 220 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Vienna had never been so lively before, Marie Louise 
 had no share in the festivities, and the contrast between 
 her present seclusion and isolation, and the adulation re- 
 ceived during the past four years, when she had been the 
 chief actress in every festive scene, proved very hard to 
 bear. She was now allowed only surreptitious peeps at 
 all these gay doings, a fact which proved a great griev- 
 ance, for although loath to exert herself to please others, 
 Marie Louise was extremely frivolous, and delighted in 
 compliments, attentions, and pretty clothes. Besides 
 she would have been glad to have had an opportunity 
 to appear in the dainty gowns which she continued to 
 order from Paris in large quantities, in spite of her 
 reduced fortunes, and thus dazzle Count Neipperg, who 
 now monopolised all her thoughts. 
 
 Napoleon, driven almost frantic by lack of news of 
 wife and child, finally wrote, on the loth of October, to 
 implore the Duke of Tuscany, Marie Louise's uncle, to 
 forward his letters to her and give him tidings of his 
 family. He enclosed a missive which was duly delivered 
 to Marie Louise, but it reached her with her father's in- 
 junctions not to return any answer, and as she did not 
 even try to disobey this command. Napoleon waited in 
 vain for a reply. Convinced now that the Allies pre- 
 vented her writing, or confiscated her letters, he ceased to 
 write, in utter despair. 
 
 The Allies were, meanwhile, bitterly regretting the con- 
 cessions made to Napoleon and his family, and already 
 busily occupied in trying to retract them. But whereas 
 the timid Francis deprived his grandson of his title, as 
 well as of a crown, he refused to yield to the Allies' sug- 
 gestion that the boy should be educated to take religious 
 orders. Still, he supported his daughter's cause with so 
 little energy, that Neipperg, fearing lest her claims might 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 be set aside, became her champion in the Congress. By 
 diplomacy, and as a reward for the undeniable services 
 he had rendered the Allies, Neipperg finally obtained that 
 Marie Louise should reign over Parma as long as she 
 lived, securing for himself the office of her prime minis- 
 ter and chief adviser. But for many months the matter 
 remained undecided, and during that time he worked so 
 skilfully upon Marie Louise's fears, and made it so ap- 
 parent that he was her sole advocate and friend, that she 
 learned to depend upon him more and more, and did 
 nothing save by his advice. 
 
 None of Napoleon's many friends or spies dared 
 give him even a hint concerning this dependence, re- 
 garding which Talleyrand wrote to Paris, saying : " The 
 Empress, handed over to * * * is not even careful to 
 conceal her strange infatuation for this man, who is 
 master of her mind and body." But they felt no such 
 delicate scruples concerning other matters, and not only 
 warned Napoleon that plans were now afoot to deprive 
 him of Elba, and banish him to St. Helena or elsewhere, 
 but also bade him guard against secret attempts at assassi- 
 nation, for he was sorely in the Allies' way, and they 
 might yet try to get rid of him. 
 
 These tidings, added to his anxiety concerning his wife 
 and child, the non-receipt of the funds promised him, 
 and the general discontent in France, all conspired to 
 determine Napoleon to make another bold attempt to re- 
 trieve his fortunes. Taking advantage, therefore, of the 
 temporary absence of the English commissioner who 
 generally mounted guard over him, Napoleon embarked 
 on February 26th, with his small band of followers, and, 
 cleverly dodging the frigates supposed to guard him, 
 landed in France on the ist of March, 1815, declaring: 
 " The Congress is dissolved ! " 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Every one knows the story of that marvellous march to 
 Paris, and the fact that all the troops sent out to check him 
 received him with transports of joy, and joining his forces, 
 escorted him in triumph to Paris. He arrived there on 
 March 20, 1815, on his son's fourth birthday, without 
 having fired a single shot, or met the slightest resistance. 
 But during the twenty days which elapsed between his 
 landing in France, and his arrival at Paris, he wrote twice 
 to Marie Louise, from Grenoble and Lyons, begging her 
 to join him with her son just as soon as she could. 
 
 The disputes in Vienna had, meantime, been growing 
 more acrimonious, each representative wishing to gain 
 everything for his own country to the detriment of the 
 rest, while the foreign guests were absorbed by a con- 
 tinual round of fashionable entertainments. But while 
 even Marie Louise found a champion in Neipperg, no 
 one spoke a good word for Napoleon, who seemed for- 
 gotten, save by a few loyal attendants and by his little 
 son, who, although physically unlike him, inherited many 
 traits of character from him. A precocious child, he not 
 only knew how to read fluently even at that early age, 
 but already had some knowledge of history and geography. 
 His governess, however, wisely tried to keep him igno- 
 rant concerning the changes in his fortunes, but in some 
 strange way he gleaned an inkling of what had happened, 
 and suspiciously inquired, when the Prince de Ligne 
 came to see him : " Is he a marshal ? Is he one of 
 those who deserted my father ? " Reassured on this 
 point, he received the Prince gladly, and they two, the 
 oldest and youngest persons of importance at Vienna 
 at that time, became great playfellows, spending many 
 happy hours together drilling toy soldiers, until the old 
 Prince died, and thus afforded Congress the novel 
 entertainment of a state funeral. 
 
 223 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 It was shortly after this, that the news of Napoleon's 
 escape reached Vienna, where it created a great sensa- 
 tion, and tightened the fast-loosening bond between the 
 Allies, who forgot all dissensions and unanimously 
 agreed to join forces once more to crush their foe defi- 
 nitely. The tidings of Napoleon's escape were especially 
 unwelcome at Schonbrunn, where they reached Marie 
 Louise when she returned from a ride with the inevitable 
 Neipperg. Selfishly dreading to lose Parma, and be 
 obliged to return to the husband whom she no longer 
 loved, and was conscious of having betrayed, Marie Louise 
 now wrote a letter to Congress, denying any knowledge 
 of, or complicity in, Napoleon's plans, and placing her- 
 self and her son wholly under the Allies' protection. 
 This missive, instigated and dictated by Neipperg, not 
 only won for him fresh encomiums from the Congress, 
 but is said to have determined the Allies to pursue Napo- 
 leon with more rancour than they would else have shown. 
 
 Still, after Neipperg had left her, Marie Louise, ever 
 anxious to keep on the winning side, began to wonder 
 whether she had not been too precipitate ; for, in case her 
 husband succeeded, he might resent what she had done. 
 But while she deemed it might have been wise to leave 
 a door open whereby to escape, she really felt no sym- 
 pathy with Napoleon, for she acquiesced by her silence, 
 when her uncle bluntly remarked : " My poor Louise, 
 what I wish for you and for us all, is that your husband 
 may break his neck ! " 
 
 When Napoleon's letters reached her, she handed 
 them over to her father without a pang, and he laid 
 them, still unopened, before the Congress. It formally 
 declared war on Napoleon, on the 13th of March, 18 15, 
 each ally pledging himself to do all in his power to 
 suppress Napoleon for good and all, before that memor- 
 
 224 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 able assembly dissolved. Just then, the vague rumour of 
 an imperial plot to kidnap the little King of Rome caused 
 his sudden removal from Schonbrunn to Vienna, where he 
 was placed under the personal care of the Emperor of 
 Austria. Apartments adjoining those of Francis were 
 allotted to the child, who thenceforth spent many hours 
 of every day in his grandfather's study, where he became 
 a great pet. 
 
 It was well that the King of Rome's grandfather 
 loved him dearly, for he was now separated from 
 his beloved governess, " Maman Quiou." She had 
 cared for him faithfully ever since his birth, and was 
 dismissed merely because she taught him to honour and 
 pray for his father, and would fain have seen them to- 
 gether once more. Fearing lest some base attempt might 
 be made upon the life of her precious charge, and 
 treacherously ascribed to her, Madame de Montesquieu 
 absolutely refused to surrender the King of Rome until 
 she received a written order from the Emperor of Austria, 
 and a medical certificate testifying that the boy left her 
 hands in perfect mental and physical condition. This 
 separation, which almost broke poor " Maman Quiou's " 
 heart, was also intensely painful to the sensitive little King, 
 who became silent and melancholy, looked askance at 
 his German attendants, and clung pathetically to Madame 
 Marchand, the last of his French friends. Just then 
 Marie Louise was very unhappy, too, not at the separa- 
 tion from her son, whose loyalty to his father was a 
 constant reproach to her, but because Neipperg was 
 about to leave her to take part in the coming war. Still, 
 before he left, he supplied her with written instructions 
 for behaviour in every possible emergency, and during 
 his six months' absence kept up a lively and voluminous 
 correspondence with her, for he well knew the importance 
 
 VOL.1. — 15 225 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 of maintaining his unbounded influence over that plastic 
 nature. 
 
 Meantime, Napoleon impatiently expected his wife 
 and son, whom the people were eager to welcome once 
 more, as was shown by these toasts, given at a popular 
 banquet, on the 26th of March : " To her Majesty the 
 Empress. May she, on her return to our midst, find in 
 the liveliness of our transports an expression of the love 
 which the French bear her, and of the regrets caused by 
 her absence." " To the Prince Imperial. May that 
 august child, the source of such great hopes, grow up 
 sheltered by his father's genius and inherit his great 
 qualities for the happiness and glory of France." 
 
 Still it is said that Napoleon, suspecting that Marie 
 Louise was not a free agent, did not feel as confident of 
 her immediate return as he declared, and that he soon 
 sent secret emissaries to contrive her escape in disguise, 
 were she only willing to-leave Vienna. Meneval, who 
 was still with her, and who still contrived to communi- 
 cate from time to time with the Emperor's secretary, 
 now thought it best to hint how matters stood, and 
 wrote : " I do not know when the Empress will go to 
 France. The Cabinet is far from inclined to allow her 
 to do so just now. The mind of the Empress is so 
 troubled, that she dwells with terror on the thought of 
 returning to France. All possible means have been 
 employed during the past six months to estrange her 
 from the Emperor. When, by chance, I have been 
 able to speak a word in private to her, I have besought 
 her to keep neutral, and not to sign any papers. But 
 they have induced her to take sundry steps to declare 
 that she has no part in the Emperor's plans, and to place 
 herself under the protection of her father and of the 
 Allies." In another letter he tries to excuse her, by 
 
 226 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 saying that she feels that "as she did not share his 
 [Napoleon's] disgrace, she cannot share a prosperity to 
 which she has not contributed," and that she " is really 
 good, only dominated just now by foreign influences." 
 
 Foreign influences were soon to be the only ones 
 left around her, for early in April her French lady-in- 
 waiting died, imploring her, with her last breath, to return 
 to her husband. But it was now too late. Marie 
 Louise had burned her bridges behind her by her letter 
 to Congress, and her last scruples seem to have vanished 
 when she learned that the Countess of Neipperg was 
 dead, and the General thus free to contract new ties. 
 
 On the 1st of April, Napoleon formally wrote to the 
 Emperor of Austria, claiming "the objects of his dearest 
 affections, his wife and child ; " but this appeal proved 
 unavailing, and when some one asked the Czar to inter- 
 fere, he declared it would be impossible for him to do 
 so, as " the Archduchess Marie Louise had informed 
 him that she would not return to France at any 
 price." In fact, Marie Louise's sympathies were now 
 so thoroughly and exclusively enlisted on the Austrian 
 side, that she longed to take part in the public proces- 
 sions which were praying for success in this war, and 
 was only with difficulty deterred from doing so. But 
 this fact was not known in Paris, where the people 
 expected her to be present at the ceremony of the 
 Champ de Mai, and where the soldiers tried to com- 
 fort their idolised chief for the absence of his wife and 
 son, by boldly crying : " We will go to Vienna and get 
 them." 
 
 Meneval, having given up all hope of influencing 
 Marie Louise, now prepared to leave her, and he reports 
 that in their last interview the Empress said : " I feel 
 that all connection between me and France is about to 
 
 227 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 be severed, but I will never forget that adopted country. 
 Assure the Emperor that I wish him well. I hope he 
 will understand how unfortunately I am placed. I will 
 never consent to a divorce, but I flatter myself that he 
 will consent to an amicable separation, and that he will 
 bear me no resentment. This separation has become in- 
 dispensable. It will not alter my feelings of esteem and 
 gratitude." Having thus spoken, Marie Louise pre- 
 sented her faithful attendant with a jewelled snufF-box, 
 and withdrew to conceal the emotion she undoubtedly 
 felt during this parting scene. 
 
 Meneval's farewell visit to the little King was far 
 more satisfactory, however ; for although the child seemed 
 melancholy and constrained, and hardly answered his 
 questions at first, he drew Meneval into a window niche 
 before his departure, and, making sure they would not be 
 overheard, eagerly whispered : " Mr. Meva, tell him I 
 still love him dearly ! " 
 
 On reaching Paris, Meneval found Napoleon, not in 
 the Tuileries, — where the empty rooms afFected him too 
 painfully, — but in the Elysee, where he wandered sadly 
 up and down, and was once found in tears before his 
 child's portrait. The Emperor closely questioned Me- 
 neval concerning his wife and son, and in this first 
 interview his worst fears were evidently confirmed, for 
 although he never spoke a harsh word against Marie 
 Louise, he seemed deeply hurt by her desertion, and so 
 depressed that he winced when the people sang, in their 
 queer dialect : — 
 
 " Ah ! dis done. Napoleon, 
 A n'vient pas ta Marie Louise ? " 
 "(Say, Napoleon, isn't your Marie Louise coming?) " 
 
 On entering the Tuileries, on March 20, 18 15, 
 amid the delirious joy of his followers, he felt sure his 
 
 228 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 wife and child would soon be with him, and was there- 
 fore confident and full of hope in the future ; but now 
 that they failed him, this joyous confidence vanished 
 never to return, except for a moment at the battle of 
 Waterloo, when he declared that, although he had but 
 120,000 men to oppose to the enemies' 230,000, there 
 were still ninety chances in favour of his winning the 
 day ! But Fortune had deserted Napoleon for good and 
 all, and in spite of his genius, he was beaten by the 
 Allies at Waterloo, and returned to the Elysee only to 
 abdicate a second time in favour of his son, saying : — 
 
 My political life is over, and I proclaim my son. Emperor 
 of the French, under the name of Napoleon II. The ministers 
 will form the governing council for the present. The interest I 
 bear my son makes me urge the Chambers to promulgate a law 
 organising the Regency without delay. Unite all of you for 
 the safety of the public, and so as to remain an independent 
 nation. 
 
 (Signed) Napoleon. 
 
 22nd June, 1815. 
 
 This abdication was, however, to be as futile as the first, 
 for Napoleon II. figures in history merely as a matter of 
 courtesy. 
 
 Meantime, the victory of Waterloo had been cele- 
 brated with grand rejoicings in Austria, where the 
 Viennese felt so sure of Marie Louise's sympathy that 
 they gave her a grand serenade in honour of her hus- 
 band's downfall. 
 
 Banished to St. Helena, — where he spent six years 
 of martyrdom, no less cruel because part of his suffer- 
 ings were imaginary or self-inflicted, — Napoleon en- 
 joyed the sympathy of many even among his foes. 
 Devoted friends accompanied him into exile ; his mother 
 and sisters vainly petitioned to share his imprisonment ; 
 
 229 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 his brothers wished to join him in turn ; strangers sent 
 him gifts : but his wife alone made no sign, expressed 
 no compassion, shed no tear. This callous indifference, 
 this lack of womanly sympathy, this unprincipled de- 
 sertion of a husband who — whatever his faults — had 
 always been kind to her, compels history to point a 
 finger of eternal scorn at Marie Louise, whose short- 
 comings would else have been judged more leniently. 
 
 The Congress of Vienna and the second Treaty of 
 Paris ultimately assured to Marie Louise the coveted 
 duchies of Parma, Plaisance, and Guastella for life, but 
 only on condition that she left her son in Vienna under 
 his grandfather's immediate care. Marie Louise made 
 no remonstrance against this decree, gave up her child as 
 readily as her husband, and set forth with Neipperg to 
 take possession of her new estates in April, 1816. Her 
 son, being deprived of his title and inheritance, was, 
 however, duly promised the Duchy of Reichstadt in 
 Austria, at his mother's death. 
 
 In the beautiful poem entitled " Napoleon IL," Victor 
 Hugo declares that when the Allies came to divide the 
 spoils, " England took the Eagle and Austria the Eaglet," 
 designating Napoleon and his son by these poetic terms. 
 M. Edmond Rostand, the gifted author of " Cyrano de 
 Bergerac," appropriated this poetic simile for his drama 
 " L'Aiglon " (The Eaglet), wherein he depicts, in mov- 
 ing scenes, the aspirations of Napoleon's talented son, 
 and his early and pathetic death. To construct this 
 wonderful play, he cleverly used all a poet's license, 
 touching up high lights, darkening shadows, magnifying 
 trifling occurrences to secure dramatic climaxes, and de- 
 viating from history wherever it would best serve his 
 consummate art. This play, written, it is said, for Sarah 
 Bernhardt, has awakened new interest in the life of 
 
 230 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Napoleon's son, who has been known in turn as >King 
 of Rome, Little Bonaparte, Prince Imperial, Napoleon 
 II., Francis, Duke of Reichstadt, and lastly as Napoleon, 
 or the Eaglet of Rostand. The author of " L'Aiglon " 
 takes equal liberties with Marie Louise, who was an 
 essentially uninteresting woman in real life, as has 
 already been seen, and as the conclusion of her history 
 proves. 
 
 Although Marie Louise relinquished possession of her 
 son without a murmur, she made a point of visiting him 
 every year, coming to Vienna under the escort of the 
 inevitable Neipperg, who corresponded regularly with 
 young Napoleon, after the latter became old enough to 
 write. This correspondence, which may soon be pub- 
 lished, will doubtless clear up many obscure points in 
 the history of this prince, who has been viewed as the 
 innocent scapegoat for all his father's crimes, or, as 
 the French express it, " une victime expiatoire." It is 
 probable that at that time the young Prince viewed 
 Neipperg — as he ostensibly was — merely in the light 
 of his mother's devoted friend and general factotum, 
 and was not yet aware of his treacherous machinations. 
 Gentle and dutiful toward his mother, the boy never 
 showed her the intense devotion he always felt for his 
 exiled and unhappy father, or the filial affection which 
 he displayed toward his grandfather, whose weakness of 
 character robbed him of his birthright, although the old 
 man loved him more than any of his other children or 
 grandchildren. 
 
 In Parma, Marie Louise found peace and comfort, and 
 Neipperg managed so cleverly that she never discovered 
 that she was merely his tool and a virtual prisoner. Not 
 only did he govern her estates for her, but he opened all 
 her letters, received her guests, and never allowed any 
 
 231 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 one to approach her save through him. Even at night, 
 Neipperg mounted close guard over her, for it is said her 
 sleeping apartment could be reached only by passing 
 through his own, and that of a maid whom he always 
 appointed himself. Napoleon was never mentioned at the 
 court of Parma, save in terms of contempt and as a base 
 adventurer, for Neipperg carefully collected all that was 
 written against him, and had these works read aloud to 
 Marie Louise. She, instigated by Neipperg, professed 
 the utmost devotion for the Bourbons, who now sat upon 
 the throne she had occupied during four brief years, and 
 nothing annoyed her more than occasional enthusiastic 
 attempts on the part of the Italians to cheer for 
 Napoleon, their old hero. 
 
 Napoleon kept Marie Louise's portrait beside his 
 son's bust on his mantelpiece at St. Helena, and 
 repeatedly declared : " Marie Louise is virtue personi- 
 fied. She is Innocence with all its attractions." 
 Whatever he may have known or suspected concern- 
 ing her delinquencies, no word of blame ever crossed his 
 lips. His physician, venturing in 1817 to express regret 
 that Marie Louise did not write to him, he defended her 
 warmly, saying : " I believe that Marie Louise is so cir- 
 cumstanced, as far as I am concerned, that she might be 
 — in that respect — not considered a free agent. I 
 have always had cause to praise the conduct of my good 
 Louise, and I think it is entirely out of her power to do 
 anything to help me." 
 
 One evening, while dreaming aloud by the fireside. 
 Napoleon suddenly remarked that if he were only free, he 
 would travel throughout the world, adding : " Do you see 
 me at Vienna, or at Parma, surprising the Empress at 
 Mass or during a drive ? What fun it would be ! " But 
 while he smikd at this thought and was happy, Marie 
 
 232 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Louise feared nothing so much as his return, and the 
 wild rumours of his escape which occasionally disquieted 
 Europe, caused no greater perturbations anywhere than 
 in her faithless heart. 
 
 In fact, Marie Louise had no desire whatever to do any- 
 thing but forget him and the years spent in France; for 
 she not only openly declared, " I was sacrificed," when- 
 ever any reference was made to her marriage, but coldly 
 refused to allow a book about him to be dedicated to 
 her, and even issued an edict forbidding its sale in her 
 estates. 
 
 Napoleon, being obliged to part successively with his 
 secretary Las Cases, his physician O'Meara, and his 
 friend General Gourgaud, besought them, in turn, to visit 
 his wife and son, giving them many affectionate messages 
 to deliver, and imploring them to send him news. These 
 friends faithfully tried to acquit themselves of these — to 
 them — sacred commissions ; but they never obtained an 
 interview with Marie Louise, and she ignored even the 
 most touching letters, or answered them only in a cold 
 and perfunctory way. 
 
 In January, 1819, Napoleon rejoiced over the arrival 
 of two priests and a doctor sent by his mother. They 
 brought him a portrait of his son, which was sent by 
 Eugene, but no token or message from his faithless wife. 
 Although his friends tried to send him news of the boy, 
 all their efforts were vain ; and a German botanist, who 
 had lately seen the child, only succeeded in smuggling a 
 golden curl and a few traced lines into the fond father's 
 keeping, but was never allowed to speak a word to the 
 prisoner of Sir Hudson Lowe. 
 
 In 1820, when Napoleon was dying of cancer in a 
 mere hut on a barren island, Marie Louise, in a com- 
 fortable palace in a lovely land, complacently wrote : " I 
 
 ^33 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 can only congratulate myself upon my lot. I am con- 
 tented, happy, and quiet here. My health is excellent, 
 and what I prize more highly still, my son thrives and 
 is developing physically and mentally to his great advan- 
 tage under the eye of my father, who loves him dearly, 
 and in the hands of his excellent governor, who is as 
 much attached to him as to his own child." 
 
 In fact, her son, the Duke of Reichstadt, was then a 
 most interesting lad of nine, playing quietly in the study 
 where his grandfather discussed matters of state. Some 
 writers claim that he was brought up in utter ignorance 
 of his illustrious origin, but this statement has been dis- 
 proved. Well taught and far advanced for his years, 
 his father's history and fate were no secrets to him ; 
 for his grandfather had directed his teachers to answer 
 all his questions truthfully, so as to enable him to learn 
 early how to guard against Napoleon's errors. But all 
 he learned only served to increase his secret adoration 
 for the father whom he had not seen since he was three 
 years old, but to whom he ever remained absolutely 
 loyal. The beautiful cradle brought as a trophy from 
 Paris, also served to recall the familiar story told of his 
 birth, which must also have recurred to his mother's 
 memory when she congratulated the Bourbons on the 
 advent of their " Child of Miracle." Nevertheless even 
 then. Napoleon still had numerous admirers and partisans 
 in France, who now began to call his child : " The 
 Son of the Man," and did not despair of seeing him 
 some day occupy his glorious father's throne. 
 
 In January, 1821, Napoleon felt his end draw near, 
 and made a will disposing of all his property, and leav- 
 ing messages and instructions for his wife and son. He 
 even willed his heart to Marie Louise, bidding his physi- 
 cian preserve it in alcohol and carry it to Parma, saying : 
 
 234 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 " You must tell her that I loved her dearly, and never 
 ceased to love her. You must also relate to her all that 
 you have seen, everything pertaining to my situation." 
 Then, attending to his religious duties. Napoleon sank 
 into an unconscious state, and breathed his last on the 
 5th of May, 1821. 
 
 The heart which Napoleon had thus left to his faith- 
 less wife could not be taken to her, however ; Sir Hud- 
 son Lowe peremptorily refusing to allow any part of the 
 hero to be borne away from the island. But this gov- 
 ernor, unfeeling as he was, wrote to Lady Holland to 
 announce the death of the man whose captivity she had 
 tried to lighten by thoughtful gifts. He did not, how- 
 ever, break the news to Marie Louise, who learned it 
 through the newspapers on the 17th of July, 1821. 
 Neipperg immediately wrote to Metternich announcing 
 that as soon as the news was officially confirmed the 
 court of Parma would wear mourning and hold private 
 religious services. He reported also that " Her Majesty, 
 although deeply aiFected by the news which had reached 
 her, continues, nevertheless, to enjoy very good health." 
 Indeed, Marie Louise's health was so good, that three 
 days later, on receipt of the official notification of Napo- 
 leon's death, she donned a new and becoming mourning 
 robe, and was present at the funeral service, held in 
 her private chapel " for thy servant, the husband of our 
 archduchess," who was, however, never once mentioned 
 by name. 
 
 Marie Louise also ordered a thousand masses to be 
 said at Parma and at Vienna for the rest of Napoleon's 
 soul ; but the sorrow Neipperg mentioned, and her indif- 
 ference to the living Napoleon, did not prevent her 
 writing immediately to England to ask that any legacy 
 the dead Napoleon had left her or her son might not 
 
 23s 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 be withheld from them. Less than three months later, 
 although still dressed in black, she attended the theatre 
 frequently, to the surprise of the Italians, who mourned 
 for Napoleon far more truly than she. 
 
 Dr. Antomarchi, arriving at Parma just then, bearing 
 a letter from General Bertrand, — one of Napoleon's 
 devoted friends at St. Helena, — was received with the 
 utmost courtesy by Neipperg, who announced that Marie 
 Louise was not able to see him, but that she "took 
 pleasure in rendering to the dead Napoleon the cult she 
 had devoted to him during his life." Then Neipperg 
 dismissed the physician courteously, giving him a dia- 
 mond ring in Marie Louise's name. But that very even- 
 ing. Dr. Antomarchi saw her in a private box at the 
 theatre, and was deeply touched by the pallor and deli- 
 cate appearance which he mistakenly ascribed to sorrow 
 for Napoleon's death. 
 
 The truth is, however, that Marie Louise, although 
 she had openly declared she would never claim a divorce, 
 had nevertheless long been faithless to her marriage 
 vows. By means of some pious jugglery, and with 
 the knowledge and consent of her father, she had 
 entered into a secret connection with General Neip- 
 perg. When this morganatic marriage was celebrated, 
 is still a mystery; but the fact remains that Marie 
 Louise already had one living daughter by Neipperg, 
 and that a few weeks after Napoleon's death she gave 
 birth to a son, known as Count of Montenuovo. Her 
 pallor, when Dr. Antomarchi saw her in the theatre, 
 was owing to a recent confinement, and not at all to 
 grief; for Marie Louise never felt or expressed any sym- 
 pathy whatever for the captive Napoleon, nor showed 
 the slightest remorse for her heartless desertion of him. 
 
 Neipperg never openly claimed his position as her 
 236 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 husband, and the connection, thanks to his diplomacy, 
 was never openly referred to at Parma, although three 
 living children are ascribed to him and to Marie Louise, 
 two of whom lived to marry and have issue. This fact 
 gave rise to the — perchance — malicious report that 
 Marie Louise's intimacy with Neipperg had already 
 begun when Napoleon escaped from Elba, and that 
 intimacy is alleged as the reason why she refused to join 
 her husband in Paris, and stirred the Allies up against 
 him. But if Marie Louise was too indifferent to listen 
 to Dr. Antomarchi's narrative. Napoleon's other rela- 
 tives were not, and the story he told to Madame Laetitia 
 wrung from her many tears, as she sat spinning in her 
 Roman home, all other occupations being irhpossible to 
 her now that she was nearly blind. 
 
 The person who mourned Napoleon most sincerely, 
 however, was the son who had parted from him in baby- 
 hood, and who received the tidings at Schonbrunn on the 
 22nd of July, 1821. Although only ten years old, the 
 boy melted into tears, and his grief had an intensity and 
 duration seldom seen in a child. The Austrian Em- 
 peror, who wisely concealed nothing from him, now 
 allowed him and his attendants to wear mourning, an 
 outward mark of respect which he could not avoid. 
 
 The Duke of Reichstadt's devotion to his father's 
 memory increased instead of diminishing as time went 
 on, for the imaginative lad pondered deeply on all he 
 saw and heard, and he lived only in hopes of carrying out 
 the glorious plans his father had made. Debarred from 
 all intercourse with the Bonapartes, or with his father's 
 friends, he never received any of the tokens left him, but 
 eagerly perused the memoirs written by Napoleon's at- 
 tendants, and thus learned how his father had lived and 
 died in St. Helena, and received his last messages and in- 
 
 237 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 structions. A reserved, silent lad, the Duke of Reichstadt 
 seldom spoke of his own feelings ; but although filial in 
 his behaviour to Marie Louise when she visited him 
 yearly at Vienna, he never showed her a tithe of the 
 passionate devotion he felt for his dead father. Her 
 connection with Neipperg never being openly men- 
 tioned, he may not have known it until after his father's 
 death ; but he never mentioned it at any time, as far as 
 we now know, although he must have been aware of 
 the existence of a half brother and sisters. 
 
 Marie Louise pursued her calm, self-satisfied existence 
 at Parma, and when Lamartine visited her there in 
 1827, he reported: "She speaks of the past as of an 
 historical epoch which has no connection with her or 
 with the present. The Empress and Marie Louise are 
 two totally separate creatures ; she is far from regretting 
 anything, for she is happy in her new relations." 
 
 These so-called " new relations " were the real source 
 of her comfort, for Neipperg made a capable sovereign 
 for her estates, where he nevertheless carefully assumed a 
 subordinate position, making Marie Louise's pleasure his 
 first care. But his close watch over her never relaxed, 
 and whether he really loved her or not, the position he 
 occupied must have fulfilled all his ambitions, for he 
 had the satisfaction of dealing the most bitter blow to 
 his hated foe. Napoleon. 
 
 Fate decreed that Neipperg's triumph should be short, 
 for in 1829 he fell ill, and died without being able to 
 leave Marie Louise any definite instructions for the future. 
 She went into mourning, and wept profusely for " the 
 dear General," for whom she erected a magnificent 
 monument ; but although many people fancied she 
 would prove so inconsolable that she would gladly 
 resign Parma to her successor and retire to Vienna, she 
 
 238 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 soon dried her tears, and as her admirably organised 
 state gave her little trouble, held fast to it. Before 
 long, she again gave dinner parties just as before, and she 
 attended the theatre as regularly as usual six weeks after 
 Neipperg w^as laid to rest. Besides, she strove to banish 
 any sad ideas by a new journey in Switzerland, where 
 former associations were evidently neither vivid nor 
 painful enough to mar her pleasure in any way. 
 
 Meantime her son was growing up, and his ed- 
 ucation being nearly finished, his grandfather deemed 
 it time to introduce him into society. The young man, 
 who was a familiar figure in his grandfather's study and 
 on the Prado, — where he rode fiery horses with con- 
 summate grace and skill, — had otherwise lived in great 
 retirement all these years. He made his social debut 
 at a grand ball given by the English ambassador. Lord 
 Cowley, where he was the observed of all observers, at- 
 tracting considerable attention by his birth, by his tall 
 stature, fair hair, regular features, and the deep blue eyes 
 whose fiery glance recalled his father. But however un- 
 like Napoleon in outward appearance, the young man pos- 
 sessed the same powerful imagination, the same restless 
 ambition, the same enthusiasm, and the same love for 
 everything pertaining to war. Indeed, had not too rapid 
 growth engendered delicate health, the young Duke 
 would already have joined the regiment to which he 
 belonged, for he was determined to become a soldier 
 worthy of his sire. 
 
 It was at his first ball that the Duke of Reichstadt 
 not only won the golden opinion of the Viennese ladies, 
 but attracted the attention of Marmont, his father's old 
 friend and companion in arms. This encounter charmed 
 the Duke, who, forgetting the defection which had dealt 
 Napoleon such a severe blow, only remembered Mar- 
 
 239 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 mont's years of faithful service, and longed to hear him 
 relate the story of his campaigns. This meeting was, 
 therefore, only a prelude to many others ; for the Emperor 
 of Austria bade Marmont instruct his grandson in the 
 history of his time, giving him graphic accounts of the 
 engagements he had witnessed. These lessons lasted 
 about three months, and were equally well enjoyed by 
 master and pupil, the former bearing delighted witness 
 to the tatter's keenness of perception and strategic 
 insight. 
 
 On first entering into society, the Duke of Reich- 
 stadt also met M. de Prokesch-Osten, an Austrian officer 
 who had written an able work on Napoleon's last cam- 
 paign. This book, eagerly studied by Napoleon's son, 
 paved the way for a friendship, equally deep on both 
 sides, and which was to endure until death. In the 
 society of this man, to whom, although considerably older, 
 he could confide all his hopes and aspirations, the young 
 Duke poured out his soul, and found not only a sympa- 
 thetic listener, but an ardent admirer, who has since 
 borne testimony to the superiority of his mind. 
 
 Those conversations with Marmont and Prokesch- 
 Osten, together with his studies, which comprised all 
 that had then been written concerning Napoleon's career, 
 worked the Duke up to a ferment of enthusiasm and 
 ambition, which was in nowise allayed by the agitation 
 of the times. That was an epoch of political turmoil, 
 not only in Poland and France, but in Italy also ; for, if 
 the French were restive under Bourbon rule, the Italians 
 were doubly so under Austrian government. In France, 
 the Bourbons, having become impossible in 1830, the 
 Bonapartist faction issued a proclamation calling Napo- 
 leon II. to the throne. Unfortunately for them, how- 
 ever, their candidate was young, and in the hands of the 
 
 240 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Austrians, who, knowing the Italians positively adored the 
 name of Napoleon, feared to lose their possessions in Italy 
 should a Bonaparte again occupy the French throne. Had 
 Francis II. been sure of forfeiting nothing, he would prob- 
 ably not have opposed this plan, for, seeing how affairs 
 were tending, he deemed it advisable to warn his grand- 
 son that a sudden turn of Fortune's wheel might bring 
 him back to the Tuileries, and even remarked, in 1831 : 
 " If the French asked for you, and the Allies consented, 
 I should not oppose your mounting the throne of France." 
 Knowing besides that the Bonapartists were numerous 
 and popular, he once declared : " You will no sooner 
 appear on the bridge of Strasbourg, than the reign of the 
 Orleans will be over." 
 
 These assurances naturally made the fiery-souled youth 
 dream dreams and see visions, which were never to be 
 fulfilled. His Bonaparte relatives, who had never been 
 allowed to communicate with him in any way, and 
 whose letters had all been intercepted, now tried to open 
 relations with him by means of a cousin. Countess 
 Camerata, who came to Vienna in disguise. She con- 
 trived at last to send a note to the Duke of Reichstadt, 
 who, discovering it was the third she had written, and 
 that two others must already have fallen into the hands 
 of spies, courteously refused to enter into personal com- 
 munication with her. The Countess, it is said, once 
 managed to kiss his hand, but aside from that had no 
 intercourse with the Duke, who wished to return to 
 France openly, at the request of the people, and refused 
 to stoop to conspiracy. The political agitations in 
 France resulted at last in the ejection of the Bourbons 
 and the election of Louis Philippe, who, in spite of 
 opposition, held his own until 1848. 
 
 To compensate his beloved grandson for the collapse 
 VOL.1. — 16 241 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 of all the hopes so rashly fostered, Francis II. allowed 
 him to join his regiment, hoping that would prove a 
 substitute. But too rapid growth had entailed great 
 delicacy of constitution, and, in spite of a man's stature 
 and an abnormal brain development, the Duke still pos- 
 sessed the stomach and lungs of a mere child. Excite- 
 ment, exposure, and fatigue, therefore, soon produced ex- 
 treme lassitude, which only irritated the young man, and 
 made him impatiently exclaim : " I owe a grudge to this 
 wretched body, which will not do what my soul wishes." 
 
 The court physician vainly advised rest and quiet, 
 saying : " It is a great pity your Royal Highness has 
 not the power to change bodies, as you change horses 
 when you have tired them out ; but I implore you, my 
 lord, bear in mind that you have a soul of iron in a body 
 of crystal, and that an abuse of will power can only be 
 fatal to you." 
 
 Such sage advice was, however, entirely thrown away 
 on so ambitious a patient, for the Duke persisted, con- 
 cealing his weakness and suffering with heroic fortitude, 
 and spurred on to efforts far beyond his strength by 
 thoughtless companions, who fancied his lack of physical 
 endurance due merely to effeminate treatment. But his 
 hoarse voice, oppressed lungs, and increasing emaciation 
 finally so alarmed his physicians, that they prevailed upon 
 the Emperor to exert his authority and place the young 
 man under arrest at Schonbrunn. For a soldier there 
 is no appeal from such an order ; but as the Duke left his 
 grandfather's presence, he turned toward the physician, 
 livid with rage, and cried : " It is you who place me 
 under arrest." 
 
 This anger, so natural in an ambitious youth suddenly 
 cut off from all he loves, soon subsided, however, for 
 the Duke was fair-minded and generous, as well as ambi- 
 
 242 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 tious. But, whereas his health improved at first under 
 strict regimen and by dint of great care, his eager spirit 
 could not but wear out his frail body. Like all con- 
 sumptives, he was full of hope as soon as the slightest 
 amelioration of his condition became perceptible, and 
 was so energetic, morally and mentally, that few even 
 among his intimates ever suspected all he suffered from 
 weakness and depression. 
 
 Cut off from the active pursuits he loved, and kept 
 indoors by a cold, damp climate, the young Duke now 
 devoted much time to the study of poetry and religion, 
 which he eagerly discussed with his friends. Then, 
 encouraged by a slight improvement in his condition, he 
 again won his grandfather's consent to rejoin his regi- 
 ment ; but he was forced to give up after a few days, 
 and withdraw once more to Schonbrunn, where he spent 
 the next six months in a hopeless struggle with weakness 
 and death. The fact that he was a virtual prisoner, and 
 could not even seek the milder climate of Italy, which 
 his physicians recommended, and that all his hopes were 
 blasted, made him feel like an eaglet with a broken 
 wing ; and his friend Prokesch has since declared : "The 
 Prince was killed by the grief which devoured him, and 
 which was the result of his situation, and the inactivity 
 to which his most noble faculties were condemned. It 
 is impossible for me to relinquish the conviction that a 
 happy and active youth would have contributed greatly 
 to strengthen his body, and that the checked development 
 of his organs was the result of his moral sufferings." 
 
 Pulmonary disease alone, is enough to carry off any 
 young man, but some scurrilous persons have ventured 
 to suggest that the Duke's untimely end was due to all 
 manner of excesses, although they can allege no proof 
 of their statements. They declare, among other things, 
 
 243 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 that the son of Napoleon had sundry love-affairs, includ- 
 ing the popular dancer, Fanny Elssler, his cousin the 
 Archduchess, and his mother's reader among his many 
 sweethearts. 
 
 In the spring of 1832, the Duke of Reichstadt, after 
 spending the winter in town with his grandfather, re- 
 moved to Schonbrunn, where he sat on the balcony in 
 the sunshine, sadly noting the signs of the last spring he 
 would ever see on earth. A trifling increase of strength 
 kindled a new gleam of hope, but once more his restless 
 spirit drove him to overtax his feeble frame. After a 
 morning ride in which he exerted himself considerably 
 to control the fiery steed he rode so well, the Prince 
 insisted upon taking an afternoon drive, in the course 
 of which he was chilled by a cold wind, so he returned 
 home only to fall a prey to inflammation of the lungs. 
 This proved the last straw, every one now felt that his 
 days were numbered, and Marie Louise was summoned 
 to Vienna in great haste. 
 
 Just then his friend Prokesch was travelling in Italy, so 
 the Archduchess Sophy, mother of the present Emperor 
 of Austria, sat by his bedside, nursing him with all an 
 elder sister's love and devotion. She had come to Vienna 
 as a bride, when the Duke was only thirteen, and from 
 the first they had been playmates and friends. Perceiv- 
 ing the end near, she now suggested that they should 
 partake of the sacrament together in his room, saying : 
 " We will join our prayers, I for your recovery, you for 
 my safe deliverance." The Duke gladly consented, and 
 lying there on his death-bed, received communion, while 
 his cousin knelt beside him, little suspecting that the 
 child, whom she then expected, would end his life in a 
 tragic way in Mexico, for it proved to be the unhappy 
 Maximilian. 
 
 244 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 Unseen by the Duke of Reichstadt, his attendants all 
 witnessed this touching ceremony, which they knew 
 would soon be followed by a birth and a death. The 
 angel of life was, however, the first to appear, and the 
 Archduchess was, therefore, not present when her cousin 
 breathed his last. Marie Louise, detained at Triest by 
 illness, arrived at Schonbrunn only on the 24th of June, 
 and almost fainted when she beheld the change in her 
 son. From that moment she watched over him with the 
 utmost devotion, and as if full of remorse for not having 
 sooner shown him all a mother's tender love. The Duke, 
 who had always been rather cold and reticent with her, 
 now seemed pleased to have her near him, and his grand- 
 father having finally granted him permission to travel, 
 he spoke eagerly of visiting her in Italy the next winter. 
 Meantime the heat grew very oppressive at Schonbrunn, 
 and the appearance of a thunder-storm was hailed with 
 joy ; because all hoped it might cool the air and afford 
 relief to the labouring lungs of the poor patient. The 
 storm broke with great fury right over the lordly castle, 
 and in the midst of its rush and roar the lightning 
 knocked down one of the imperial eagles crowning the 
 edifice. This accident was viewed in the light of an 
 evil omen by the Duke's attendants, who now remem- 
 bered that a violent storm had also heralded Napoleon's 
 death, and that it was in this very room that the Duke 
 had received the tidings of his father's demise just eleven 
 years before. 
 
 Marie Louise, exhausted with watching, finally con- 
 sented to retire for a few hours' needed rest, and as the 
 Duke asked to remain alone, his attendants pretended to 
 withdraw also. But from their posts they kept close 
 watch over the patient, who at half-past three in the 
 morning suddenly rose up in bed, crying aloud : " I 
 
 245 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 succumb ! I succumb ! " Rushing forward, the atten- 
 dants tenderly supported the dying Duke, who gasped, 
 " My mother ! My mother ! " and sank back exhausted, 
 as Marie Louise came into the room and fell upon her 
 knees beside her dying son, who, gazing affectionately 
 upon her, passed away without further suffering. 
 
 The news of the Duke's death was immediately con- 
 veyed to the Emperor, who was then at Linz, for he 
 could not bear to see his favourite die. Although he 
 mourned his grandson sincerely, he knew life had little 
 to offer so ardent a spirit, and thoughtfully said : " I 
 consider the Duke's death happy as far as he is con- 
 cerned. I do not know whether his death is fortunate 
 or unfortunate for the public weal. As for me, I shall 
 always regret the loss of my grandson." 
 
 Meanwhile, in a darkened room in Rome, Prokesch 
 was telling Madame Laetitia how clever and manly this 
 grandson was, and how utterly devoted to the memory 
 of the father whom he so closely resembled in character, 
 and promised to rival in genius. This old, nearly blind 
 grandmother, wept for joy on hearing this enthusiastic 
 description, and sent her grandson her portrait and a lock 
 of his father's hair, together with her blessing. But 
 although she said : " Let him respect his father's last 
 wishes ! His hour will come, and he will mount to his 
 father's throne," that prediction was never to come true. 
 Indeed, only a few hours after it was made, the Duke of 
 Reichstadt was called away, for his brief pilgrimage on 
 earth was already ended. 
 
 Marie Louise and the Emperor of Austria were not 
 the only mourners for the Duke, who was regretted by 
 all his father's adherents and by many of the Viennese, 
 with whom he had always been a favourite. His funeral 
 was very imposing, though simple, and his body finally 
 
 246 
 
The Duke of Reichstadt. 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 lowered into the vault of the Capuchin Church, to rest 
 near that of his famous ancestress, the Empress Marie 
 Therese, on the very spot where his father had stood 
 after the battle of Wagram, little suspecting that the 
 sole heir of all his glory would be interred there at 
 twenty-one ! 
 
 Only a short time before his demise, the ex-King of 
 Rome pathetically remarked that his birth and death 
 would comprise his whole history, and that his cradle 
 and grave would be close together, for the famous silver- 
 gilt crib was even then in the Imperial Treasury at 
 Vienna, where it can still be seen. 
 
 Francis II. missed his grandson as long as he lived, 
 and he was the first of the imperial family to follow him 
 into the tomb. As for Marie Louise, she mourned as 
 faithfully as her shallow nature would allow ; and de- 
 clared, with exaggerated sentiment : " I count each one 
 of the days that pass ; it is one interval less separating 
 me from a being so beloved. I suffer ; but then how 
 can one think of complaining after witnessing such cruel 
 suiFering endured with such calmness and resignation." 
 Nevertheless, she did not belong to the inconsolable 
 kind. Of the clinging vine order of woman, she had to 
 lean upon some one, and since Neipperg's death, she had 
 gradually learned to depend more and more upon her 
 new chamberlain, Charles de Bombelles, a French noble- 
 man and another inveterate foe of Napoleon I. On the 
 17th of February, 1834, she married this man, with the 
 knowledge and consent of her family, but this third 
 marriage also was kept secret until her death, and 
 acknowledged only in her will. 
 
 De Bombelles bitterly hated Napoleon, whose name 
 and features were so obnoxious to him, that he is said to 
 have destroyed the magnificent toilet-table which the 
 
 247 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 city of Paris gave Marie Louise, and which Neipperg 
 had spared. It was valued at 250,386 francs, and he 
 destroyed it merely because Napoleon's portrait appeared 
 in one of the medallions. It is further stated that De 
 Bombelles broke it up with his own hands, selling the 
 precious metal of which it had been fashioned for 
 125,000 francs, and giving that money to the cholera 
 fund. 
 
 About a year after her son's death, Marie Louise 
 lost her father; but although she again expressed heart- 
 rending sorrow, every one knew her emotions were not 
 deep enough to disturb permanently the even current of 
 her selfish life and therefore wasted little sympathy upon 
 her. While the four years which she had spent in Paris 
 seemed to have been completely effaced from her 
 memory, others could not but remember all she had 
 said and done when there, and wondered how she felt 
 when Napoleon's remains were brought back to Paris, 
 and solemnly entombed in the Invalides with every token 
 of respect. Those who had shared the Emperor's exile 
 were honoured guests on this occasion, and old General 
 Moncey, tearfully viewing the scene, thankfully ex- 
 claimed : " Now I can die ! " But Marie Louise had 
 no share at all in the pageant, because she had chosen to 
 discard all claim to her husband's glory. 
 
 Marie Louise continued to enjoy a monotonously com- 
 fortable existence in her duchy, varied by occasional 
 journeys to Vienna, until she died at Parma on the 17th 
 of December, 1847, from inflammation of the lungs. 
 She had lived fifty-six years, and when she died the 
 estate for which she had sacrificed husband, son, and 
 reputation passed into the hands of the Duke of Lucca. 
 Marie Louise was buried in the Capuchin Church at 
 Vienna, where six coffins stand between hers and her 
 
 248 
 
Marie Louise 
 
 son's. Like moist clay in the hand of a potter, Marie 
 Louise yielded unresistingly to every pressure ; but 
 whereas her naturally weak character, the force of ad- 
 verse circumstances, and the strong influences brought 
 to bear upon her are urged as excuses for her conduct, 
 history will ever point out the fact that she was griev- 
 ously wanting in sympathy, womanliness, and motherli- 
 ness. Even her unlovely traits might, however, have 
 been forgotten or excused, had she not proved faithless 
 in times of trial to the man whom she had pretended to 
 love as long as fortune smiled upon him, for the world 
 will forgive almost anything except faithlessness in a 
 woman. 
 
 249 
 
EUGfiNIE 
 
 ON May 5, 1826, the fifth anniversary of 
 Napoleon's death at St. Helena, an earthquake 
 shook the city of Grenada so violently that the 
 Countess de Teba, not daring to remain in her house, 
 rushed out into her garden, where, it is said, she gave 
 birth to her second child. This golden-haired, blue- 
 eyed daughter, Eugenie Ignace Augustine, became in 
 time Empress of the French, and, as for many years she 
 shone pre-eminent, her parentage and the early environ- 
 ments which served to form her character are now of 
 vital interest. 
 
 A Scotchman named Kirkpatrick, who claimed to de- 
 scend from the Stuarts, was driven out of his native land 
 when they definitely lost the throne, and after some 
 wanderings and a sojourn in the United States, finally 
 settled in Malaga, Spain. His duties as American Con- 
 sul affording him scant means and occupation, he also 
 carried on there a small traffic in colonial wares. It is 
 even claimed that he dispensed rare wines, in the little 
 parlour behind the shop, to a select class of customers, 
 who were waited upon by his wife and daughters. One 
 of the latter, Manuela, had attended boarding-school in 
 Paris, spending her holidays there with her aunt, Madame 
 de Lesseps, the mother of the famous engineer of that 
 name. 
 
 The two cousins, who were nearly of the same age, 
 were very good friends, and there Manuela also met for the 
 
 250 
 
The PImpkess Eugenie. 
 
 From II Fortran />!' U'i»/erhalUr. 
 
Eugenie 
 
 first time Don Cipriano, Count de Teba, a nobleman 
 related to many of the oldest families in Spain, such as 
 the Guzmans, Cordovas, etc. Eager to better herself, 
 and to enjoy social advantages, Manuela determined to 
 marry Don Cipriano ; for although he w^as quite poor, 
 far older than she, and had lost one eye in fighting for 
 Napoleon I., she knew his elder brother was unmarried, 
 and that Don Cipriano and his children would, therefore, 
 ultimately inherit the family title, estates, and fortune. 
 This shrewd calculation proved correct in time, although 
 the family greatly objected to Don Cipriano's marriage 
 at first, finding just fault with his wife. In her desire 
 to shine in society, Manuela freely used her beauty and 
 wit to attract to her salon fashionable people whose 
 morals were not above reproach, but who enjoyed the 
 free and easy intercourse which she encouraged. Don 
 Cipriano, jealous of the many admirers who rallied around 
 his gay young wife, first in Malaga, then in Grenada, 
 and lastly in Madrid, where they lived in turn, criticised 
 her behaviour harshly, but was very devoted to his 
 children, whom he brought up to admire and almost 
 worship his favourite hero. Napoleon. 
 
 The family reached Madrid when Eugenie was already 
 eight years old, and, as her uncle was now dead, her 
 father bore the title of Count de Montijo, and thus held 
 an enviable position. Still he was very unhappy, for 
 he loved quiet and solitude, and the many visitors who 
 came to see his handsome and witty wife only roused his 
 wrath. The Countess, nevertheless, continued to enter- 
 tain, receiving not only the fast and fashionable set, but 
 all the men of note in statecraft, science, and literature, 
 many of whom have borne witness to her charm and 
 intellectual brilliancy. Among the strangers who fre- 
 quented her salon, we find Washington Irving, George 
 
 251 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Ticknor, and Prosper Meriinee, who all mention her 
 in their writings in laudatory terms. These visitors 
 not only admired the beautiful Countess de Montijo, but 
 made great pets of her children, both daughters being 
 especially pretty and interesting maidens. Thus Eugenie 
 was accustomed to society and adulation from babyhood, 
 and early learned the attraction and power of her almost 
 flawless beauty. In such surroundings, the coquetry and 
 love of pleasure which she had inherited from her 
 mother, would have made a mere flirt of the girl, had 
 there not been at the same time a strong dose of her 
 father's fearless and upright character in her composition. 
 This combination made Eugenie delight, even as a little 
 girl, in doing rather unusual and startling things, which, 
 however, served to attract further attention to her. 
 
 Keen artistic perceptions, and an innate taste for dress, 
 caused her to twine violets in her golden curls even when 
 a mere child, and, pleased with the effect, she sent a 
 shepherd lad to get the flowers high up in the mountains, 
 when she could no longer obtain them down in the 
 valley. A child of vivid imagination, these graceful 
 blossoms further pleased her, because they were the 
 Bonapartist emblem, for her father had told her how 
 Napoleon- had picked some on coming back from Elba, 
 and she knew they served as badge for all his partisans. 
 Her love for these dainty flowers was further heightened 
 by an old crone who, seeing her crowned with violets, 
 once predicted that " her happiness would bloom with 
 those flowers," a prophecy which made a deep impression 
 upon her childish and superstitious soul. 
 
 We are told that the Countess de Montijo's coquetry 
 gave rise to much recrimination upon the part of her 
 husband, and that frequent marital quarrels culminated 
 in such complete estrangement, in 1834, that Manuela 
 
 252 
 
Eugenie 
 
 gladly seized the double pretext afforded by cholera and 
 political disturbances to leave Madrid with her three 
 children. 
 
 She then went to France, where her son soon died, 
 and from that time on, led a wandering life, seeking con- 
 genial society at the various fashionable watering-places, 
 and spending gay winters in London or Paris. There, 
 many of her old friends rallied around her, and, as she 
 was as clever as beautiful, men of letters such as Laborde, 
 Behle, and Merimee came to see her almost daily. The 
 latter, who had already known her in Spain, obtained 
 from her the material for his well-known tale of " Car- 
 men," which forms the theme of Bizet's famous opera of 
 the same name. He was also very fond of Eugenie and 
 of her sister, who delighted in the stories he told them, and 
 enjoyed no greater treat than rambles in his company. 
 The Countess de Montijo, whose own mode of life 
 gave cause for censure, was nevertheless very careful of 
 these two daughters, who were charming children, al- 
 though allowed far more freedom than most girls of their 
 time. Both girls delighted in active pursuits, and greatly 
 enjoyed riding, gymnastic exercises, and dancing. The 
 latter lessons they shared in 1836 with the children of 
 the chief of police, and thus, it is said, Eugenie obtained 
 a glimpse of Louis Napoleon when he passed through 
 Paris, a prisoner, after his rash attempt at Strasbourg. 
 Only ten years old, with an ardent admiration for the 
 name of Napoleon, Eugenie gazed with sympathetic in- 
 terest upon the prisoner on his way to exile, and this one 
 glimpse proved enough to kindle a vivid spark of interest 
 in her romantic little soul. 
 
 The next year she and her sister were boarding pupils 
 in the convent school of the Sacred Heart in Paris, while 
 their mother returned to Madrid. At school, Eugenie 
 
 253 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 was a general favourite, her beauty, spirit, and intelligence 
 making her a natural leader there as well as everywhere 
 else. Her ardour and enthusiasm were such that she 
 studied and played with equal intensity, and was so 
 deeply impressed with the devotion of the nuns, that she 
 strove to emulate them in the rigid practices of religion. 
 But the girls' school days were abruptly shortened by a 
 sudden summons to Madrid, where their father lay dy- 
 ing, and where they arrived too late to receive his last 
 blessing. 
 
 The whole Montijo fortune now passed into the hands 
 of widow and children, who, after a brief season of mourn- 
 ing spent at their country-seat, returned to Madrid. The 
 Countess de Montijo, at the zenith of her beauty and 
 more charming than ever, was soon surrounded by the 
 best society in town ; and as she was as ambitious as 
 before, she was determined to secure good matches for 
 her beautiful daughters, who were now fifteen and six- 
 teen years of age. Instead of keeping them in strict 
 seclusion, she allowed them to see and be seen, and 
 while guarding them carefully, did not object to their 
 riding, driving, or attending concerts, theatres, and 
 bull-fights, with their admirers, and under suitable 
 chaperonage. 
 
 The girls, whose beauty was almost equal, although 
 they were very unlike in colouring, received a great deal 
 of attention, one of their admirers being the Duke of 
 Berwick and Alva. But as his attentions were impar- 
 tially divided between them, each secretly fancied herself 
 beloved. Warm-hearted and enthusiastic as she was, 
 Eugenie, therefore, imagined herself heart-broken when 
 she overheard the young man ask for her sister's hand. 
 In fact, she was so romantic and uncontrolled at that 
 time, that it is said she procured poison, tried to kill her- 
 
 254 
 
Eugenie 
 
 self, and was saved only with great difficulty from the fatal 
 consequences of her childish folly. We are further told 
 that this rash deed affected her superb health, leaving its 
 traces in an almost imperceptible twitch of the eyelids, 
 and an hysterical tendency when overtired or excited. 
 
 Although she imagined herself inconsolable, Eugenie 
 soon recovered from her childish infatuation for her 
 brother-in-law, whom she instead learned to love in a 
 purely fraternal way, and with whom she was subse- 
 quently always on the best of terms. Her sister being 
 married, Eugenie now monopolised most of the attention 
 of her mother's guests, who greatly admired her daring 
 horsemanship, her striking costumes, her unconventional 
 manners, and raved over her red-gold hair, blue eyes, 
 dazzling complexion, delicately pencilled eyebrows long, 
 dark lashes, pearly teeth, beautiful hands and feet, and per- 
 fect form. Her elegance, grace, vivid imagination, and 
 bright intellect, as well as her beauty, attracted attention 
 everywhere, and she received all this homage with queenly 
 condescension and without the least ostentation. 
 
 At the bull-fights, Eugenie was the cynosure of all eyes, 
 and her enthusiasm for the Toreador's skill then reached 
 such a pitch, that she publicly bestowed upon him a gay 
 cap, which rumour claimed was embroidered by her own 
 fair hands. This notoriety, which would have either dis- 
 mayed or turned the head of any girl brought up in a 
 different way, seemed a mere matter of course to Eugenie, 
 to whom adulation had been a daily meed from baby- 
 hood, and who never rated it highly, while she craved for 
 it through habit. 
 
 The Countess de Montijo, who had long striven to 
 obtain a position at court through her numerous influen- 
 tial friends, was finally appointed first lady of honour to 
 Queen Isabella, an exalted post which fully satisfied her 
 
 255 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 ambitions. She now entertained more than ever, and her 
 salon was frequented not only by ambassadors, Spanish 
 Grandees, and all her former habitues, but also by many 
 distinguished foreigners, including the sons of Louis 
 Philip, King of the French, who came to Madrid for 
 matrimonial purposes. Eugenie and her mother nat- 
 urally took part in the royal wedding festivities, and' thus 
 grew well acquainted with the two young princes, who 
 never forgot them. Indeed, the Duke d'Aumale, meet- 
 ing the Empress Eugenie many years later, in the Bay of 
 Naples, ventured to remind her of old times, by saying : 
 " What a lovely young girl you were. Empress," at which 
 she immediately .retorted : " And what a delightful, cour- 
 teous young man, you were." 
 
 But the gay life at the Spanish court came to an 
 abrupt end. It is said that the Countess de Montijo, 
 having violated some of the proprieties too openly, was 
 asked to resign ; but it is probable that court life, with its 
 rigid etiquette, speedily lost all charms for her, and that 
 she was not sorry to relinquish the coveted position after 
 enjoying it only three months. 
 
 Eugenie, too, was weary of the worldly pleasures 
 which she had so long enjoyed. Even in the midst of 
 social whirl, she had always been very devout, and feel- 
 ing dissatisfied and unsettled, she now determined to do 
 something really great by renouncing the world, and all 
 its attractions, to become a nun. Such a life appealed to 
 her poetical mind and ardent nature, and she really 
 fancied for a while that she had a vocation for a religious 
 life. But when she reached the convent where she in- 
 tended to seek admittance, a crazy nun exclaimed : " My 
 daughter, do not seek for rest within our walls, you are 
 called to adorn a throne ! " 
 
 Eugenie seems to have considered this prophecy 
 256 
 
Eugenie 
 
 a leading of Providence, for with all her Spanish 
 superstition and impulsiveness, she immediately relin- 
 quished all idea of becoming a recluse. With her 
 mother, she again travelled from one fashionable resort 
 to another, easily eclipsing all the other women by her 
 extraordinary beauty, grace, intelligence, and wit. Those 
 whom she thus outshone, jealous of her superior at- 
 tractions, severely criticised the mannish dress she 
 adopted for athletic sports, and commented unkindly 
 upon her frankness of speech and freedom of manner, 
 which, while it offered a strong contrast to the conven- 
 tional young lady of the day, was nothing more than the 
 liberty now conceded to every American girl abroad. 
 In spite of all these ill-natured remarks, and of the title 
 of adventuress, which her detractors freely bestowed upon 
 her, they never could accuse her of anything worse than 
 unconventionality bordering upon imprudence, and never 
 succeeded in producing even the slightest shadow of a 
 proof to their slanderous allegations. 
 
 Eugenie, having been brought up in Spain, France, and 
 England, spoke all three languages with equal fluency and 
 ease, and prolonged sojourns in Madrid, Paris, and Lon- 
 don enabled her to become acquainted with most of the 
 prominent men in Europe, who, one and all, greatly en- 
 joyed talking to her. We are told that she was in 
 boarding-school in England, when Louis Napoleon re- 
 turned from his American exile, that she keenly regretted 
 the failure of his Boulogne attempt in 1840, and felt so 
 sorry when he was imprisoned in the fortress of Ham, 
 that she actually wrote to a mutual friend, placing her 
 fortune at Napoleon's disposal if it would enable him to 
 escape and attain his ends. 
 
 Some people even claim that she frequently met 
 Louis Napoleon in London in 1847—48, where the 
 VOL. I. — 17 257 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 romantic interest she had long felt in the nephew of the 
 illustrious emperor rapidly deepened into love. It is 
 also said that Louis Napoleon was so far from insensible 
 to her charms, that he then urged her to marry him ; but 
 she insisted upon his postponing all such matters until 
 he had reached his goal, when, perchance, he might have 
 more ambitious views. The Revolution of 1848, and 
 expulsion of Louis Philip, enabled Napoleon to re-enter 
 France, where, before the end of the year, he became 
 Prince-President of the Second French Republic. 
 
 This was only the first step in his new political 
 career, for in 1 85 1 he achieved the Coup d'etat, which 
 resulted in his almost unanimous election to the Imperial 
 throne in the following year. Even as Prince-President, 
 Louis Napoleon entertained a great deal at the Elysee, 
 and when the Countess de Montijo and Eugenie reap- 
 peared in Paris, they were naturally included among his 
 guests. Still, some people claim that Napoleon and 
 Eugenie met here for the first time, although they had 
 long known about each other through mutual friends. 
 
 At the Elysee, — as elsewhere, — Eugenie was the hand- 
 somest of all the women present ; but while Louis Napo- 
 leon evidently admired her, he did not distinguish her in 
 any marked way. She and her mother were, however, 
 invited to a hunting party at Fontainebleau, where 
 Eugenie's daring horsemanship so charmed Napoleon 
 that he begged his fair guest to accept the horse she rode 
 with such grace and skill. Every fall. Napoleon went 
 to Compiegne, also, where he invited series of guests to 
 take part in the hunts which were given there. Eugenie 
 and her mother were among the invited, and they, too, 
 enjoyed the afternoon rides in the beautiful forest, and 
 the dances or fine plays which succeeded a formal 
 evening meal. 
 
 258 
 
Eugenie 
 
 Some authorities aver that the gallant Prince- 
 President often served here as escort to his charming 
 guest, contriving once to lose his way in the mazes 
 of the forest, where she relieved the wants of a poor 
 family, and where he took advantage of the solitude to 
 propose again. They state that the proposal was accepted 
 then and there, although the engagement was kept so 
 secret that, while many suspected, none felt sure of its 
 existence. Other authorities state that the Prince- 
 President — whose morals were none of the best — made 
 use of this opportunity to press a dishonourable suit, 
 which the lady indignantly rejected. But the rumours 
 afloat concerning this matter are so numerous and con- 
 tradictory, that it is not likely we shall get at the real 
 truth of the matter for many years to come. 
 
 Although deeply smitten with Mademoiselle de 
 Montijo's charms, Napoleon seemed very reluctant 
 at first to conclude an alliance which might prove 
 detrimental to the accomplishment of his ambitious 
 projects. These were his first consideration, and we 
 are told that as soon as he had become Emperor, he 
 sent a friend to the Countess de Montijo to explain 
 that, as the sovereign of a great people, he could not 
 openly take Eugenie to wife until his position was more 
 assured ; but that he was anxious in the mean time to set- 
 tle the matter by a private marriage. This doubtful 
 offer was haughtily refused by both mother and daughter, 
 the latter declaring such an action unworthy of both 
 parties, and adding : " Not a shade of suspicion must 
 ever rest on the wife of a Caesar ! " 
 
 Not long after, Eugenie is said to have made 
 this fact equally plain to Napoleon himself, if court 
 gossip can be credited. It seems that many ladies 
 had been invited to witness a review from the windows 
 
 259 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 of the Tuileries. Riding up beneath the window 
 where Mademoiselle de Montijo sat, Napoleon stopped, 
 looked up, and inquired pointedly, " How can I reach 
 you, Mademoiselle ? " With equal presence of mind 
 and wit, Eugenie clearly answered with a gracious smile, 
 " By way of the Chapel, Monseigneur," for the nearest 
 entrance lay through the Castle Chapel, which was con- 
 nected with the apartment where she sat by a small 
 stairway. 
 
 The marriage of a prince is always a serious question, 
 concerning his family and people as well as himself. 
 Queen Hortense, the mother of Napoleon III., had been 
 anxious to have him marry his cousin Mathilde, for 
 whom he had felt a boyish inclination. But after his 
 arrest at Strasbourg, the lady's father refused to sanction 
 an alliance between them, and instead gave his daughter 
 in marriage to the Russian millionaire DemidofF. This 
 union proved so unhappy, that the couple soon lived 
 apart ; but as the Pope would not grant them a divorce, 
 Princess Mathilde was debarred from marrying again, and 
 Napoleon was therefore forced to seek a wife elsewhere. 
 He is said to have sued in vain for Russian, Spanish, 
 Portuguese, Swedish, German, and English princesses, 
 all of whom refused to marry him, because his position 
 seemed far from secure at that time, and none of these 
 ladies were anxious to experience the sad fate which had 
 befallen so many French queens, empresses, and prin- 
 cesses during the past fifty years. 
 
 These repeated disappointments, added to his un- 
 doubted love for the beautiful Eugenie de Montijo, 
 finally determined Napoleon to take her openly for his 
 wife, after making sure there was no obstacle to their 
 union by asking her frankly whether she had ever loved. 
 Eugenie, who was ever truthful, answered bravely : " I 
 
 260 
 
Eugenie 
 
 would deceive you, sire, did I not confess that my heart 
 has been touched, indeed several times, but I can assure 
 you of one thing, that is, that I am still Mademoiselle de 
 Montijo." " Then you shall be Empress," exclaimed 
 Napoleon, who proceeded to make good his word in spite 
 of the manifold and vehement objections raised by his 
 family and friends. He overruled them all in his usual 
 calm, quiet, impressive way, keeping his intentions as 
 secret as possible in the mean time, although many anec- 
 dotes are told to prove that straws indicated to his ever- 
 watchful partisans which way the current was tending. 
 
 Among these anecdotes the following seem pretty well 
 authenticated. The Countess de Montijo and her daugh- 
 ter naturally formed part of the series of guests invited 
 to Compiegne and Fontainebleau, where the Emperor 
 was, however, careful not to favour one guest more than 
 another. The entertainment at these places was often 
 very simple, and after dinner the guests frequently in- 
 dulged in impromptu hops, to the music of a mechanical 
 piano which boasted only three tunes, a waltz, a polka, 
 and a quadrille. These airs were ground out by oblig- 
 ing guests in turn, the Emperor taking his place at the 
 crank as well as on the floor, where he danced impar- 
 tially with all the ladies present. He also walked and 
 rode with them in the forest, kindling a fire for them at 
 times in some hunting lodge, and enjoying the rambles 
 and picnics on the grass as much as any of his young 
 guests. 
 
 One day, when strolling over the dewy lawn with 
 Mademoiselle de Montijo, Napoleon saw her pause to 
 admire a clover-leaf delicately spangled with dew-drops 
 which sparkled like diamonds. A few moments later the 
 Emperor took occasion to whisper a few words to his 
 friend and relative Bacchiocchi, who soon after vanished. 
 
 261 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 That evening, after his return, the Emperor started forfeit 
 games, in the course of which he artfully contrived to 
 bestow dainty souvenirs upon each of his lady-guests. 
 But although the gifts were apparently apportioned by 
 chance, Eugenie received a dainty enamelled clover leaf 
 breastpin, studded with small diamond dew-drops, an ex- 
 act counterpart of the leaf she had innocently admired 
 that very morning. 
 
 This dainty token, which Eugenie generally called 
 her " talisman," either plainly visible or partly concealed, 
 always formed part of her toilet, simple or elaborate, 
 until the Emperor died, when it was sadly laid aside. 
 But the Empress resumed it when her son left for Zulu- 
 land, and wore it constantly until the news reached her 
 that he, too, was no more. The talisman was then dis- 
 carded for good and all, and soon after bestowed upon a 
 dear friend, the Duchess de Mouchy, with the touching 
 request that she should wear it, and that it might bring 
 her nothing but happiness. It was also during one of 
 these sojourns at Compiegne or Fontainebleau that the 
 Emperor once twisted a flowering spray into the sem- 
 blance of a crown, and placing it lightly upon Made- 
 moiselle de Montijo's glossy curls, softly whispered : " I 
 hope soon to replace it with a better." 
 
 These attentions, although viewed with pleasure by 
 the Countess de Montijo and the fair recipient, were 
 very distasteful to Napoleon's friends, some of whom are 
 said actually to have gone down on their knees in their 
 efforts to make him desist. Besides, we are told that an 
 English lady who had followed him to France, refused to 
 yield her place to any but a woman of royal blood, and 
 that he had considerable trouble in severing his illicit 
 connection with her. To one and all, however, he ex- 
 pressed the same iron-like resolve : " I have decided to 
 
 262 
 
Eugenie 
 
 marry Mademoiselle de Montijo, and I shall marry 
 her," so in time all were forced to yield. 
 
 Still, while he seemed indifferent to the opinion of his 
 family and friends, he was anxious to know how this 
 proposed marriage would strike outsiders. He, therefore, 
 suddenly asked a witty court lady, with whom he was 
 dancing, whether she would advise a Polish or a Spanish 
 alliance ? The lady, who must have had some inkling 
 of the state of affairs, delighted him by replying, as if it 
 were merely a matter of choice between the character- 
 istic national dances : " Sire, if the choice is left to me, 
 I always prefer the Cachucka to the Mazurka !" 
 
 This lady's opinion was not, however, shared by 
 every one, and some of the court dames were so anxious 
 to put down the fair lady who attracted more than they 
 considered her share of imperial attention, that they were 
 actually rude. One of these ladies, the wife of a Cabi- 
 net minister, showed her aversion for Mademoiselle de 
 Montijo so plainly, at the New Year's ball at the 
 Elysee, that Eugenie could not conceal her chagrin. The 
 Emperor, perceiving it, compelled her to tell him what 
 had caused it, and when she informed him, with tears 
 in her eyes, that she could never come to court again 
 to be so insulted, he quietly answered : " I will avenge 
 you. No one will dare insult you after to-morrow." 
 
 The very next day, as French etiquette requires, 
 the Emperor sent his best friend to call upon the 
 Countess de Montijo, and make a formal proposal for 
 her daughter in his name. Of course, the proposal was 
 duly accepted, but although the Countess de Montijo was 
 elated at the thought of the grand match her daughter 
 was about to conclude, she also dreaded seeing her 
 seated upon a throne which had made so many women 
 unhappy, and wrote to a friend : " I do not know 
 
 263 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 whether I should be happy or whether I should weep. 
 How many mothers envy me, who could not understand 
 the tears with which my eyes are filled. Eugenie is to 
 be queen over your France, and, in spite of myself, I re- 
 member that with you queens have but little happiness. 
 In spite of myself, the thought of Marie Antoinette 
 takes possession of me, and I wonder if my child will 
 not have the same fate ? " 
 
 The first rumour of the event which so greatly 
 pleased the Emperor, Eugenie, and her mother, not only 
 caused a drop on 'Change, but made the Emperor's friends 
 draw long faces, although they knew that the bride he 
 had chosen, had, as he expressed it, " intellect enough 
 for two persons, and courage enough for three." His 
 choice being definitely made, however, it now behooved 
 him to impart the news to the Council of State, the 
 Senate, and the Legislative Assembly, which he did a 
 few days later, in the following speech : — 
 
 " I accede to the wish so often manifested by my peo- 
 ple in announcing my marriage to you. The union 
 which I am about to contract is not in harmony with old 
 political traditions, and in this lies its advantage. 
 France, by her successive revolutions, has been widely 
 sundered from the rest of Europe. A wise government 
 should so rule as to bring her back within the circle of 
 ancient monarchies. But this result will be more readily 
 obtained by a frank and straightforward policy, by a 
 loyal intercourse, than by royal alliances, which often 
 create false security and subordinate national to family 
 interests. Moreover, past examples have left supersti- 
 tious beliefs in the popular mind. The people have not 
 forgotten that for sixty years foreign princesses have 
 mounted the steps of the throne only to see their race 
 scattered and proscribed, either by war or revolution. 
 
 264 
 
Eugenie 
 
 " One woman alone appears to have brought with her 
 good fortune, and lives, more than all the rest in the 
 memory of the people ; and this woman, the wife of 
 General Bonaparte, was not of royal blood. We must 
 admit this much, however: in 1810, the marriage of 
 Napoleon I. with Marie Louise was a great event. It 
 was a bond for the future, and a real gratification to the 
 national pride. But when, in the face of ancient Europe, 
 one is carried by the force of a new principle to the level 
 of the old dynasties, it is not by affecting an ancient 
 descent, and endeavouring at any price to enter the family 
 of kings, that one compels recognition. It is rather by 
 remembering one's origin ; it is by preserving one's own 
 character, and assuming frankly toward Europe the 
 position of a parvenu, — a glorious title when one rises 
 by the suffrages of a great people. Thus impelled, as I 
 have been, to depart from the precedents that have been 
 hitherto followed, my marriage is only a private matter. 
 
 " It remained for me to choose a wife. She who has 
 become the object of my choice is of lofty birth, French 
 in heart and education, and by the memory of the blood 
 shed by her father in the cause of the Empire. She has, 
 as a Spaniard, the advantages of not having a family in 
 France to whom it would be necessary to give honours 
 and dignities. She is endowed with the choicest gifts of 
 heart and mind ; she will grace the throne and prove its 
 strongest support in the hour of danger. A good 
 Roman Catholic, she will join me in fervent prayer for 
 the welfare of France. Lovely and good, — of this I 
 am certain, — she will recall the virtues of the Empress 
 Josephine. I have, therefore, come here to tell France 
 that I have chosen a consort whom I love and esteem, 
 in preference to a stranger through whom I might, per- 
 chance, have secured advantages, but for whom I might ■ 
 
 265 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 also have been called upon to make great sacrifices. 
 Without slighting any one, I am following my own incli- 
 nations, after considering everything carefully and pru- 
 dently. While I prefer independence, good qualities, 
 and domestic happiness, to possible dynastic advantages 
 and ambitious calculations, I shall be none the less pow- 
 erful because I am wholly my own master. 
 
 " I am going immediately to Notre Dame, to present 
 the future Empress to the nation and army. The trust 
 which they have shown me will surely be granted in all 
 its fulness to the one whom I have chosen, and when 
 you have made her acquaintance, gentlemen, I am sure 
 you, too, will feel certain that I have been led by the hand 
 of Providence." 
 
 This announcement, for which the public had been 
 duly prepared by a notice in the oiRcial journal, was well 
 received by the majority of the nation. Not only were 
 the people pleased to hear of the Emperor^s marriage, but 
 the flavour of romance in his choice of a bride charmed 
 them greatly. The fact that the future Empress was 
 young, beautiful, and accomplished, that she had spent a 
 good part of her life in France, and was familiar with 
 the customs and language of the country, was also in her 
 favour. Hardly an objection was now raised, for, as one 
 man frankly told the Emperor : " In the presence of a 
 probability, sire, I express my opinion freely. But in 
 presence of an actual fact, I am in the habit of keeping 
 still, and therefore I consider perfect a thing which can 
 no longer be avoided." 
 
 It was, indeed, too late to object, for only one week 
 was to elapse between the announcement of the Em- 
 peror's marriage and its solemnisation at the Tuileries and 
 Notre Dame. So brief a space of time required great 
 activity of preparation, and the whole city was soon in a 
 
 266 
 
Eugenie 
 
 whirl of gossip and excitement. Of course, every one 
 wanted to know all they could about the bride, whose 
 sayings and doings were widely canvassed, while her 
 pictures were sold in great quantities. People also spoke 
 of her many admirers, of the great men she might have 
 married, and whispered that she had already refused two 
 of Napoleon's cousins. Prince Napoleon and Count 
 Camerata. The latter is even said to have followed 
 Eugenie from place to place, and reported to have com- 
 mitted suicide in his despair when the imperial marriage 
 was announced. 
 
 Imitation is the sincerest flattery, and Eugenie, who, 
 had always been greatly admired, was now carefully 
 studied by the women, some of whom actually bleached 
 their hair, or used gold powder to secure that rare red- 
 gold tint, and hairdressers immediately devised wigs, 
 curls, and braids for ladies who were not blessed with 
 a wealth of curly locks. It is also said that cosmetic 
 dealers and dentists found their business greatly im- 
 proved, for all the help of art was called into requisition 
 to reproduce Eugenie's complexion, or reveal, as she did, 
 a dazzling row of pearly teeth between half-open lips. 
 
 Eugenie and her mother moved from their apartment 
 to the Elysee Palace, — which they were to occupy until 
 the wedding, — Napoleon having already taken possession 
 of his uncle's old quarters in the Tuileries. In fact. 
 Countess de Montijo and her daughter had scant time 
 wherein to purchase an elaborate trousseau ; but wherever 
 they went they were followed and admired, the news- 
 papers chronicling their every motion, and expatiating 
 upon the beauty of the future Empress. Her kindness, 
 too, aroused great enthusiasm, and people told how 
 she sent a wounded workman home in her own carriage, 
 picked up a stray child, and on revisiting her old school 
 
 267 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 recognised all her former friends and teachers, and affec- 
 tionately kissed the nuns detailed to fulfil the humblest 
 tasks. 
 
 The newspapers were, however, quite right in calling 
 public attention to the coming Empress' benevolence 
 and good memory, for throughout her reign she was 
 never weary of furthering charitable enterprises, and 
 possessed from the first the truly royal gift of never for- 
 getting the faces or names of those who had once been 
 presented to her. As wedding presents are the natural 
 concomitants of most marriages, various cities of France 
 prepared their offerings, the city of Paris voting 600,000 
 francs for the purchase of a diamond necklace. Eugenie 
 won golden opinions by begging — in a charming letter 
 addressed to the Prefect — that this sum might rather 
 serve to found a home, where poor girls would be trained 
 to earn their living. This charitable request was duly 
 granted, and, in memory of the ornament the city wished 
 to offer the beautiful sovereign, the buildings were dis- 
 posed in a semi-circle to simulate a necklace. There, 
 poor girls were taught to embroider, make lace and arti- 
 ficial flowers, draw, set type, sew, mend, wash, iron, and 
 cook, and trained to be good housekeepers as well as 
 capable wage-earners. At twenty-one, when due com- 
 petency had been attained, each girl received a small 
 sum of money, which enabled her either to marry or to 
 set up for herself in her chosen business. This proved 
 a useful and successful institution, which was often 
 visited by Eugenie, whose generosity was commemorated 
 by an allegorical painting representing her in bridal 
 robes, offering her glittering diamond necklace to a 
 group of orphan children.. 
 
 But if the future Empress was generous and chari- 
 table, the Emperor was both thoughtful and considerate, 
 
 268 
 
Eugenie 
 
 for, fearing lest the jewellers might be disappointed, he 
 purchased the necklace and placed it in the " corbeille," 
 — the usual wedding gift offered by a French bridegroom 
 to his bride. This was, however, only one of the items 
 forming it, another being, — as custom prescribes, — a 
 dainty purse full of gold. But whereas bridal purses 
 generally hold small sums, Eugenie's contained 250,000 
 francs. This amount she also bestowed in charity, 
 after consulting her lover, who paid her daily visits at 
 the Elysee, never failing to bring her a bunch of choice 
 flowers. This brief courtship, in which the public took 
 so lively an interest, was soon over, for the civil mar- 
 riage took place on the agth of January, 1853, ''^ *^^ 
 Hall of Marshals in the Tuileries, in the presence of 
 the Emperor's family and of about one thousand dignitaries 
 and invited guests. 
 
 Eugenie, dressed in a wonderful gown of point 
 d'Alen^on lace over white satin, wore natural flowers 
 in her hair, and many costly pearls. A Spanish lady, 
 seeing her thus attired, implored her to remove those 
 unlucky jewels, reminding her of a Spanish superstition 
 to the effect that the more pearls a bride wears on 
 her wedding day, the more tears she will shed through- 
 out the rest of her life. But Eugenie, generally so 
 superstitious, insisted upon retaining her pearls, and thus 
 decked out, she drove to the Tuileries with her mother 
 and with the Spanish ambassador. She was received on 
 alighting from the carriage by Prince Napoleon and 
 Princess Mathilde (children of Jerome Bonaparte, and 
 hence first cousins to the Emperor), who escorted her 
 up the stairs to the hall where the Emperor awaited her 
 in gala uniform. He immediately led her into the Hall 
 of Marshals, where seats had been placed for them both. 
 
 The brief ceremony was quickly performed, and the 
 269 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 marriage contract signed and witnessed by the contract- 
 ing parties, the Countess de Montijo, the Spanish am- 
 bassador, and the Imperial family. It was engrossed 
 on the Imperial register, where the last entry was the 
 baptism of the infant King of Rome, forty-two years 
 before. The ceremony over, the Emperor and his bride 
 led the way to the palace theatre, where they and their 
 guests were entertained by a cantata composed by Auber, 
 wherein occurred the following complimentary mention 
 of the Empress and of her sunny native land : — 
 
 ' ' Ah, beautiful Spain, 
 
 With thy skies ever bright. 
 Thou hast formed her for us 
 From a ray of sunlight." 
 
 At eleven, Eugenie returned to the Elysee, escorted 
 by her mother, and early the next morning Napoleon 
 visited her to attend Mass and take communion privately 
 with her before setting out for Notre Dame, where the 
 religious marriage was to be celebrated with great pomp. 
 Dressed in white velvet, wearing all the crown jewels, 
 including the famous " Regent," which sparkled on her 
 breast, and the rose-diamond belt, Eugenie was draped 
 in the misty folds of a wonderful lace veil — the gift of 
 the city of Liege — which fell from the diadem crowning 
 her graceful head. At half-past eleven she drove to the 
 Tuileries, where she was received with all the honours 
 shown to a sovereign, and at twelve, bells rang and 
 cannons pealed their one hundred and one salutes. The 
 Emperor now appeared on the balcony of the Tuileries, 
 to present his bride to the assembled people, who cheered 
 madly at the sight of her radiant beauty. The cortege 
 soon after left the Tuileries, the Emperor and Empress 
 sitting side by side in the wonderful glass coach first 
 used for the coronation of Napoleon and Josephine. 
 
 270 
 
Eugenie 
 
 Owing to its transparent sides, Eugenie could be seen 
 as plainly as if she had been riding in an open carriage, 
 and her appearance wrung prolonged and repeated mur- 
 murs of admiration from the throngs on either side of 
 the street. 
 
 When the coach started from the Tuileries, there 
 was a curious repetition of an accident which is said to 
 have happened when Marie Louise set out to be mar- 
 ried, for the gilt crown surmounting the roof suddenly 
 toppled over and fell. This accident, although speedily 
 repaired, was viewed by many in the light of an evil 
 omen. The glittering procession of state carriages, and 
 troops in gala uniform, passed slowly along the rue de 
 Rivoli, between hedges of spectators who cheered lustily, 
 almost drowning the music of the military bands sta- 
 tioned all along the way. Amid flowers, music, and 
 acclamations, the Imperial party drove to Notre Dame, 
 arriving there only at one o'clock. 
 
 The cathedral, magnificently decorated in red velvet, 
 gold fringe, and trophies of flags, was brilliantly illumi- 
 nated by thousands of tapers, which poured down floods 
 of light upon the gay uniforms, dainty gowiis, the flowers, 
 jewels, and orders of the brilliant assembly -impatiently 
 awaiting the arrival of the bridal party. All at once, a 
 signal was given, the clergy moved slowly down the 
 aisle, the doors were flung open, and the archbishop 
 welcomed Napoleon and Eugenie as they appeared on 
 the cathedral threshold. Here, dazzled by the lights 
 and overcome by emotion, Eugenie faltered and almost 
 fainted, but collecting herself bravely, she soon advanced 
 at the Emperor's side toward the nave, where two thrones 
 had been erected on a small platform. 
 
 The Archbishop of Paris immediately began the im- 
 pressive service, which proved so affecting to the bride, 
 
 271 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 that the Master of Ceremonies feared she would faint, 
 and overheard the Emperor whisper words of encourage- 
 ment to her, while tactfully helping her through the long, 
 trying ceremony as much as he could. But although 
 the Emperor and the Master of Ceremonies were anx- 
 ious, Eugenie's self-control and dignity stood her in 
 such good stead, that the spectators gazing upon her, 
 commented with delight upon her simple, modest, and 
 graceful behaviour. 
 
 All the people were charmed when the Emperor 
 proudly led her out of church after the Te Deum, and 
 Cassagnac justly declared : " She entered Notre Dame 
 chosen by the Emperor, she left it adopted by France." 
 
 The people received her with thunders of applause as 
 she stepped out of the cathedral, and her return home 
 proved one long ovation. But, in spite of all these joy- 
 ful acclamations, which she acknowledged so gracefully, 
 a shadow lingered in the Empress' beautiful blue eyes ; for 
 even then, in the midst of her youth, joy, and beauty, an 
 awful presentiment seized her, and she repeatedly fancied 
 she could see Marie Antoinette's pale and woe-begone 
 face, peering out at her here and there amid the dense 
 ranks of the multitude. 
 
 On arriving at the Tuileries, their Majesties again ap- 
 peared on the balcony, before setting out for St. Cloud, 
 where they intended to spend their brief honeymoon in 
 as much privacy and seclusion as the great can obtain. 
 The Emperor made use of this opportunity to drive his 
 beautiful bride through the park to Ville d'Avray and 
 Versailles, taking no servant with him, and followed by 
 no escort. Arrived at Versailles, Napoleon took Eugenie 
 into the palace, where she gazed in mournful admiration 
 at the various portraits of Marie Antoinette, whose life 
 and belongings assumed a strange fascination from the 
 
 272 
 
Eugenie 
 
 moment when she first donned the jewels which had 
 once adorned this unhappy queen. 
 
 A few days later, in accompanying her husband to the 
 newly arranged Museum of Sovereigns in the Louvre, 
 Eugenie begged to see Marie Antoinette's testamentary 
 letter, and tears came into her eyes when she heard the 
 touching words in which this heartbroken mother bade 
 farewell to life, and committed her children to the loving 
 care of her sister, Madame Elizabeth. 
 
 Not only did the new Empress begin her married life 
 by supplying funds for various charitable works ; but the 
 first favour she begged of her husband was the pardon of 
 4312 persons who had been exiled or transported for 
 political offences. She warmly interceded for all such 
 criminals, and once tried to convince the Emperor that 
 it was impossible a man should find time to conspire 
 against any government when he had a wife and six 
 children to support ! As her logic was not irrefutable, 
 the Emperor merely laughed ; but he granted her request, 
 for he was notoriously soft-hearted, and never liked to 
 deny anything to his beautiful consort. Although forty- 
 five at the time of his marriage. Napoleon was as much 
 in love as any youth, and he always paid Eugenie lover- 
 like attentions, calling her by pet names, admiring her 
 more than any one else, and being as faithful to her as a 
 man of his lack of principle could be. 
 
 Napoleon was, however, only one of Eugenie's many 
 admirers, for no one could withhold the meed of praise 
 she so well deserved. She filled her place with a grace 
 and dignity which charmed every one, and her old friend 
 Prosper Merimee declares that from the moment of her 
 marriage, " she was not merely the central figure of an 
 admirable living picture, but a veritable sovereign. She 
 knew how to speak and how to keep silence, she saw 
 VOL. I. — 18 2 73 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 clearly and correctly, because she sought what was good, 
 and studied the duties of her state to devote herself to 
 them." Her husband, too, bore delighted witness to her 
 virtues, declaring, " no woman could suit me better ; she 
 is unselfish, cheerful, good, and intelligent." Besides he 
 always liked to have her with him whenever he visited any 
 charitable institution, for her tact and kindliness enabled 
 her to do just the right thing. Her first visit of this 
 kind was to the educational establishment of the Legion 
 of Honour, at St. Denis, where the Emperor told the 
 pupils : "I am happier than on my previous visit, be- 
 cause this time I am accompanied by the Empress, who 
 will be henceforth the protectress of this establishment, 
 and who will discharge this duty so admirably." 
 
 Napoleon and Eugenie rambled together through the 
 quaint old city before visiting the ancient cathedral, where 
 all the Kings of France had been laid to rest in tombs 
 which remained inviolate until the Revolution. There, 
 again, the Empress was most attracted by the statue of 
 Marie Antoinette, whose remains had been removed 
 thither while the Bourbons occupied the French throne. 
 
 The new Empress was also present when the Emperor 
 formally opened the Legislative Assembly. On this oc- 
 casion, she was accompanied by her mother, and attended 
 by all the court ladies, and when she took her seat in the 
 gallery, the deputies greeted her with enthusiastic cheers. 
 This was the last state function at which the Countess 
 de Montijo appeared before her return to Spain under 
 the escort of her old friend Prosper Merimee. The 
 latter, on his return to France, was called to the Senate 
 by the Emperor, who gave him this post principally be- 
 cause he knew it would please Eugenie. Indeed her de- 
 light was so great when told of this appointment, that 
 she kissed her husband rapturously, although some of her 
 
 274 
 
Eugenie 
 
 attendants happened to be present at the time, and she 
 was seldom publicly demonstrative. 
 
 Merimee, a talented writer, whose wit and talents 
 charmed every one, was ever welcome at court, 
 where he playfully styled himself " the court fool of the 
 Empress," for she delighted in his entertaining conver- 
 sation, and greatly enjoyed his tales and jests. He 
 admired the ease and dignity with which she played her 
 part in court pageants, and he and Cassagnac often com- 
 mented upon it. In fact, the latter has stated that " the 
 distinctive trait of the Empress Eugenie was elegance in 
 all things, — in mind, in tastes, in her manner of receiving, 
 and in her person. It was through this quality, which 
 seems essentially French, and of which Paris is the su- 
 preme judge, that during seventeen years she exerted an 
 unexampled prestige around her, — not simply in the 
 sphere of the throne, but in all the social circles in which 
 she entered during the course of her journeys. She was 
 beautiful and gracious everywhere and to all, — among 
 patricians and among peasants, at Paris and Biarritz. 
 Although many women especially favoured by nature 
 and by fortune have attracted admiration and received 
 homage at court, no one has ever heard it said that a 
 single one of them has equalled, much less eclipsed, the 
 brilliancy of the Empress." 
 
 Not only was Eugenie the first, but Providence made 
 her the most beautiful woman in the land, and as her dress 
 was always tasteful and original, she soon became leader 
 of fashion too. Gifted with an artistic appreciation of 
 colour and form, she naturally studied effect, and as the 
 Emperor bade her encourage French manufactures as 
 much as she could, she set an example by spending money 
 freely for the silks and velvets of Lyons, the laces of 
 Alen^on and Valenciennes, etc., etc. Dress, from her 
 
 275 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 point of view, became an artistic frame for her un- 
 common beauty, which was so nearly perfect that she 
 could wear anything she chose and always look charming 
 in it. 
 
 The papers, from the very first, chronicled her every 
 look and gesture, minutely described her attire on every 
 occasion, and praised her without stint. This admira- 
 tion — to which she had long been accustomed on a 
 smaller scale, for she was always a leader wherever she 
 went — was naturally very pleasing to the Empress. It 
 is also said that she eagerly read all the notices concern- 
 ing herself, and that, although she laughed over the exag- 
 gerated expressions of adulation, she nevertheless craved 
 this sort of notoriety. 
 
 Charmed with her beauty, grace, and elegance, touched 
 by her benevolence and circumspect behaviour, — for 
 Eugenie never had favourites of either sex, — the people 
 all loved her in the beginning of her reign. But when 
 the novelty of popular admiration began to wear off, the 
 Empress, who was accustomed to travel, variety, change, 
 and congenial society, necessarily found court life irksome 
 and monotonous in the extreme. For a woman who 
 had enjoyed an unusual amount of freedom, and who 
 delighted in athletic sports and in open-air pursuits, the 
 restraints of her position were particularly trying. 
 
 For instance, she was never alone, but escorted in all 
 her walks and drives not only by the court lady whose 
 turn it happened to be to attend her, but by officers 
 detailed to watch over her safety. Even meals were 
 seldom enjoyed in private, for under the Second Em- 
 pire the court dignitaries on duty always dined with their 
 Majesties, who were thus constantly in representation. 
 These dinners were, however, often very simple, the 
 Emperor encouraging merry general conversation, with- 
 
 276 
 
Eugenie 
 
 out ever permitting any gossip at all. Even state meals 
 lasted a remarkably short time, for the service was so 
 perfect that their Majesties seldom remained more than 
 three-quarters of an hour at table. 
 
 The evenings, too, were quite a bore; for when 
 the Empress did not attend a theatre, concert, or 
 some state function, the household invariably assembled 
 after dinner in the Hall of Apollo. There the ladies 
 never sat down until the Emperor bade them ; while 
 etiquette required the gentlemen to stand all evening, 
 unless the exigencies of some game required their 
 being seated. Young and old, therefore, stood around 
 singly or in groups, hour after hour, beguiling time 
 by conversation ; for their Majesties had no real love 
 for music, cards, or any other games. Besides the 
 Empress, who was a very rapid reader, generally pre- 
 ferred to peruse privately the books which interested 
 her most, and the Emperor was bored when anything 
 was read aloud which was not of a political or scientific 
 turn. Such books as these, however, are not appropriate 
 for reading in general society, so the entertainment was 
 restricted to conversation in which the Empress bravely 
 did her share, trying to atone for the taciturnity of her 
 spouse. 
 
 All personalities being strictly debarred at court, the 
 interest often flagged, and although Eugenie heroically 
 tried to keep the conversational ball rolling briskly, it 
 often required all her tact and intelligence to prevent 
 awful pauses. Young and active-minded, she was loath 
 to retire early, and as etiquette forbade her guests leav- 
 ing until she had done so, the evenings were often pro- 
 longed until eleven or twelve. Besides, the disagreeable 
 duty of dismissing guests always seemed so discourteous 
 to her, that she often hesitated to give the necessary 
 
 277 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 word or sign permitting her interlocutor to withdraw, 
 and thus, at times, — through sheer kindness of heart, 
 — suffered herself and inflicted upon others painful em- 
 barrassment. 
 
 As long as the Emperor stood, none of the court 
 ladies sat down ; but he was too thoughtful to keep 
 them standing long, and often took a seat when he 
 would have preferred to stand, to invite them to do like- 
 wise. Very frequently, however, the Emperor lingered but 
 a moment among his guests to admire his wife's sprightly 
 conversation, ere he withdrew to his library, to attend 
 to matters of state or pursue the studies he loved. At 
 the close of the evening, Eugenie invariably took leave 
 of her guests by a deep, characteristic curtsey, which 
 gracefully included the people all around her, and which 
 no one ever succeeded in imitating with any accuracy. 
 But a lady informs us that the door no sooner closed 
 behind her, than the unfortunate courtiers all sank into 
 the nearest seats, uttering sighs and groans of relief; for 
 they were often very footsore long before the evening 
 was over. 
 
 Eugenie's private apartments were directly over those 
 of the Emperor, and communicated with them by a 
 private staircase, which enabled the Imperial couple to 
 see each other very frequently in the course of the day. 
 To spare his wife any extra fatigue, the Emperor placed 
 a gong at the head of this staircase, which she struck 
 whenever she wanted him to come up to her, and did 
 not care to send for him through a servant. The rooms 
 which Eugenie occupied, and which had once belonged 
 to Josephine, and since to Marie Amelie, were rather ugly 
 when she first took possession of them ; but in time they 
 were altered to suit her taste, and finally became dainty 
 enough to please their artistic mistress. These rooms 
 
 278 
 
Eugenie 
 
 were decorated with beautiful pictures, and in one stood 
 a huge mirror which reflected the palace garden, the 
 Place de la Concorde, the long stretch of the Champs 
 filysees, and the Arch of Triumph closing the perspec- 
 tive, more than a mile away. 
 
 Although Eugenie had a private oratory where Mass 
 was often celebrated for her only, she attended the ser- 
 vice in the Castle Chapel every Sunday. Many of the 
 court dignitaries had spacious apartments in the Tuileries, 
 where they enjoyed family life, entertaining their friends 
 as freely as if living in their own houses. But the 
 palace, built in an age when sanitary plumbing and 
 steam-heating were equally unknown, is said to have 
 been a pleasant residence only during a small part of 
 the year. It was very cold in winter, and so ill-venti- 
 lated and poorly lighted, that lamps were kept burning 
 in the narrow corridors night and day. Besides, all the 
 water had to be carried up to the upper floors, so house- 
 keeping was not easy. This lack of conveniences made 
 the palace uninhabitable as soon as warm weather began, 
 so the inmates were glad to change their residence to 
 St. Cloud, and thus escape from its pestilential odours. 
 
 Count Tascher de la Pagerie, Grand Master of Cere- 
 monies of the Empress' household, lived with his numer- 
 ous family in the Tuileries, and often gave masked balls, 
 which their Majesties attended in disguise, and where 
 they greatly enjoyed mystifying their friends. These 
 balls proved a welcome break in the monotony of the 
 Imperial lives, and Emperor and Empress always felt 
 perfectly safe; for, aside from the usual sentinels and 
 guards, the Tuileries were filled with detectives in uni- 
 form and in plain clothes. Their duty was to scrutinise 
 every person who appeared, to follow the various inmates 
 of the palace wherever they went, and be ready to help 
 
 279 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 them in any emergency. Whenever a masquerade was 
 given in any part of the palace, the guests were forced 
 to remove their masks for a moment, so that the detec- 
 tives might scan their features, and thus make sure that 
 no uninvited guests forced their way into the palace. 
 Thus their Majesties were constantly guarded, the chief- 
 of-police making a point of following the Emperor 
 wherever he went, so as to protect him against any 
 attempt at assassination. 
 
 The Emperor and Eugenie had not been married many 
 months before they removed to St. Cloud, where the lat- 
 ter delighted in the beautiful park with its secular trees, 
 spouting fountains, delightful glades, and choice flowers. 
 The palace itself was a most charming residence, suffi- 
 ciently near the capital to enable the Emperor to attend 
 to business there, while enjoying country air and freedom. 
 But whereas he was called into the city almost daily, the 
 Empress went there very seldom, preferring to revel in 
 the shade, and take long walks in the park, often climb- 
 ing to the lantern of Demosthenes to enjoy the view, 
 which extended over the whole city of Paris. This 
 sight was particularly impressive on clear nights, when 
 the city lights twinkled in the distance, and the capital 
 looked like some luminous monster crouching in the 
 plain. 
 
 The Imperial couple remained at St. Cloud until the 
 month of August, when they journeyed to Dieppe, where 
 they were received with great rejoicings, and revelled in 
 invigorating sea baths. Their sojourn there ended. 
 Napoleon and Eugenie made a tour through Northern 
 France, visiting Arras, Valenciennes, St. Omer, Dunkirk, 
 Calais, and Boulogne, and receiving everywhere great ova- 
 tions and characteristic presents. In the last-named town, 
 for instance, a deputation of fishermen presented Eugenie 
 
 280 
 
Eugenie 
 
 with a huge silver fish in a net of silver tissue, making 
 an appropriate speech. When Napoleon and Eugenie 
 visited the Amiens Cathedral, the bishop assured the 
 Empress, in the most high-flown terms, of her welcome to 
 a town where a saint bearing her name had long enjoyed 
 a peculiar veneration. 
 
 This journey ended, their Majesties enjoyed another 
 peaceful fortnight at St. Cloud before going to Com- 
 piegne for the hunting season. In this castle, Napoleon 
 and Eugenie entertained in much the same way as the 
 English aristocracy in their country homes, keeping the 
 house full of guests, who came for a week at a time, in 
 groups or series. These were carefully planned to in- 
 clude aristocrats, statesmen, men of science or letters, as 
 well as distinguished foreigners, with their wives and 
 daughters. Eugenie, who had herself been a guest at 
 Compiegne the previous autumn, now made a most 
 charming hostess, entertaining her guests, riding with 
 them to meet, following the hunt at times, and presiding 
 over the picnic-lunches and stately dinners with equal 
 ease and grace. 
 
 The numerous guests, who generally passed their 
 mornings as they chose, spent most of the afternoon out 
 of doors, and in the evening often enjoyed the picturesque 
 sight of the " curee " or torchlight quarry, when the 
 hounds were fed on the remains of the game. Plays 
 and informal dances also formed part of the evening 
 entertainment, which was graced by the ladies in their 
 finest toilets, each guest deeming it incumbent upon her 
 to bring at least fifteen new gowns, and never to appear 
 twice in the same. This rivalry in dress, which pleased 
 the Emperor because it encouraged trade, was, however, 
 a heavy tax upon the guests, some of whom actually re- 
 fused invitations to Compiegne because they felt they 
 
 281 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 could not incur such an expense. The gentlemen, being 
 exempt from the same tyranny of fashion, were, how- 
 ever, only too glad to form part of the series, which 
 included all the men of the time who distinguished them- 
 selves in any walk of art, music, science, literature, 
 and jurisprudence. 
 
 In 1853, °"^y ^^° series of guests were invited, for 
 their Majesties spent only a fortnight at Compiegne. 
 But although that time was devoted principally to recre- 
 ation, the Emperor convened his council there several 
 times, so as to settle pressing matters of state. When 
 first elected Emperor, he boldly proclaimed that " Em- 
 pire means Peace," but, in spite of this fact, he longed to 
 emulate his uncle's military achievements. He was, 
 therefore, not sorry to see a war gradually rising in 
 Eastern Europe, where Russia and Turkey were on the 
 verge of a quarrel, in which France and England were 
 ready to take part. While watching the slow develop- 
 ment of this crisis. Napoleon returned to St. Cloud, and 
 went from thence to Paris, where the winter of 1853—54 
 promised to be more brilliant than any which had pre- 
 ceded it. 
 
 Knowing that the luxury of the rich supplies work for 
 the poor, and hence improves their condition. Napoleon 
 encouraged lavish expenditure on the part of others, and 
 was very free with his own money too. He also di- 
 rected Eugenie to spend her large allowance to the last 
 penny ; but while she bestowed considerable sums in 
 charity, and spent freely upon her toilet, she was no spend- 
 thrift, and never exceeded her income, her accounts 
 always balancing with the most praiseworthy accuracy. 
 The Empress, who dispensed charity charmingly, and who 
 was most generous to her friends, is said, though, never 
 to have thought of scattering around her trifling gifts of 
 
 283 
 
Eugenie 
 
 no great intrinsic value, which become priceless merely 
 because bestowed at the right time and place with a 
 graceful word or gesture. This art, in which Josephine 
 excelled, was beneath, or beyond Eugenie, who, there- 
 fore, in time, earned a reputation for niggardliness which 
 she in nowise deserved. She is thus said to have lost 
 unconsciously a fine opportunity to win the affections of 
 the people around her, which she would, however, have 
 been willing to pay a far higher price to obtain. 
 
 The war, which had been looming up in the eastern 
 horizon for several months, was finally declared in Feb- 
 ruary, 1854, England, France, and Turkey joining forces 
 to oppose Russia. England supplied ships, France gave 
 money and men, and the Crimean War began gaily, the 
 Allies fully expecting it would be over before long. But 
 the seat of war being so remote from the capital, society 
 did not for a moment suspend its gaieties, in which both 
 Emperor and Empress took their full share, for Napoleon 
 had found that he must remain in Paris to keep a firm 
 hand on the governmental helm, although he would have 
 preferred to share the dangers and glories of the French 
 troops in the East. In spite of the distance, however, 
 he occasionally tried to direct the movements of his 
 army, commanded in turn by Generals Arnault, Can- 
 robert, and Pelissier, who found climate and cholera 
 even worse foes to encounter than the Russians, who, ' 
 nevertheless, fought like heroes. 
 
 After seeing his soldiers embark on the English trans- 
 ports at Calais, the Emperor escorted Eugenie to Biar- 
 ritz, — a picturesque bathing resort on the Bay of Biscay, 
 — and leaving her there to enjoy the sea-bathing, took a 
 journey through Southern France. He returned to 
 Biarritz only in time to spend his official birthday with 
 his wife. Napoleon Day was, as usual, the signal for 
 
 283 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 toasts and rejoicings in all parts of the Empire, as well 
 as in the French army in the Crimea. The Prefect of 
 Paris gave a fine banquet at the Hotel de Ville, where, 
 after toasting the Emperor, he gave utterance to the 
 national wish, by saying : — 
 
 " To her Majesty the Empress Eugenie. — May God 
 bless the Emperor in his dearest affections ! May his 
 august helpmate, who feels for the poor and suffering 
 children of our cities all the cares of maternity, soon 
 know all its joys." 
 
 France was indeed eagerly awaiting an heir to the 
 throne ; but while vague rumours had been rife from time 
 to time that the Empress was in an interesting condition, 
 all had proved quite unreliable, and people were already 
 beginning to wonder whether the Empress might not 
 remain childless, like Josephine, and thus forfeit her 
 right to remain on the throne. It is said that this ques- 
 tion troubled Eugenie also at times, for she knew how 
 important it was that Napoleon should have an heir, so 
 as to make his succession safe in the eyes of the people. 
 Her health having suffered from the winter gaieties, 
 Eugenie lingered a few days longer at Biarritz, while 
 Napoleon went to Boulogne to receive visits from Leo- 
 pold, King of Belgium, from the King of Portugal, and 
 from Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. 
 The last-named guest formally invited the French sov- 
 reigns to visit the Queen of England, for the two na- 
 tions were now on a friendly footing, and allies instead 
 of foes, as had been the case during so many years. 
 
 Meantime French and English, fighting side by side 
 at Sebastopol, fancied it would be an easy task to 
 become masters of this city ; but instead of carrying 
 it by assault in a few days, they had to lay siege to it 
 month after month. During this war their forces were 
 
 284 
 
Eugenie 
 
 fearfully decimated by heat, cold, and disease, as well as 
 by the deadly fire in the battles of Alma, Balaklava, and 
 Inkermann. The latter engagement, being considered a 
 French victory, was celebrated in France with great 
 rejoicings. Indeed, the Parisians caught the military 
 fever so violently, that they thronged to witness the 
 review of the new corps of Imperial Body Guards, 
 whose tall stature, glittering uniforms, admirable disci- 
 pline, and great bravery, were equally effective in court 
 pageants and times of danger. 
 
 Before the end of the year 1854, the Russian Em- 
 peror died of pneumonia, and his brother, succeeding 
 him upon the throne, determined to end the war as 
 speedily as possible. Meantime, Napoleon had been 
 very anxious to draw as near the front as possible, and, 
 as the Empress was determined to accompany him, the 
 Sultan of Turkey began to make extensive preparations 
 at Constantinople for the reception of these august 
 guests. This journey was, however, viewed with great 
 disfavour by all the Emperor's staunchest supporters, 
 who frankly told him that there might be no trouble in 
 Paris as long as everything went on well ; but that the 
 turbulent element in the capital would surely rise up at 
 the first hint of disaster, were he not on the spot to hold 
 it in check. These remonstrances had already begun to 
 undermine Napoleon's determination, when he set out 
 early in April, 1855, with Eugenie, for the promised 
 visit to Queen Victoria. 
 
 On landing in England, the Imperial couple were met 
 by the Prince Consort, who escorted them to Windsor. 
 Their trip thither was one long ovation, all the English 
 having turned out to gaze upon the man who had lived 
 as an exile among them, and the woman who owed her 
 position to her beauty and grace. The Queen received 
 
 28s ♦ 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 them at the foot of the staircase at Windsor, where she 
 greeted them cordially, although, as she remarked in her 
 diary, it seemed strange thus to welcome the nephew of 
 England's greatest foe. Victoria was charmed by both 
 her guests, who proved so congenial, that that visit laid 
 the foundations for a lasting friendship which was in 
 years to come to prove such a boon to Eugenie. 
 
 Wishing to produce a good impression upon her royal 
 hostess, Eugenie had carefully designated all the gowns 
 she intended to wear during her visit. By some mis- 
 chance, however, her luggage was delayed, and when 
 she retired to dress for dinner, she found herself without 
 a single suitable gown. In her distress, she called the 
 Emperor into consultation, and had almost decided to 
 accept his first suggestion, — pretend a headache and go 
 to bed, — when he suddenly advised her to borrow a 
 gown from one of her ladies, and appear in that. Clad 
 in a blue silk robe, hastily altered to suit her figure, de- 
 void of all ornaments save a few natural flowers in her 
 glossy hair, Eugenie, nevertheless, appeared so lovely 
 that she created a sensation at the English court. Queen 
 Victoria, writing in her diary, says : " She is full of 
 courage and spirit, and yet so gentle, with such innocence 
 and enjouement that the ensemble is charming. With her 
 great liveliness, she has the prettiest and most modest 
 manners." 
 
 On the morrow the Imperial couple enjoyed a long 
 drive with their hostess, and in the evening attended a 
 
 grand ball in the Waterloo Gallery, where Eugenie 
 
 now in all her Imperial splendour of attire — danced 
 with the Prince Consort, while Victoria opened the ball 
 with Napoleon III. 
 
 The next day a state council was held at Windsor, 
 and there the Prince Consort and English statesmen 
 • 286 
 
Eugenie 
 
 concurred with Napoleon's friends in begging him to 
 relinquish his plan of visiting the Crimea, and remain at 
 home to secure peace and order in Western Europe. 
 After this council was over, Napoleon III. was led to 
 St. George's Chapel, where the Queen solemnly be- 
 stowed upon him the Order of the Garter, an honour 
 which he acknowledged in a well-turned English speech. 
 This reception in England, where he was now an 
 honoured guest, was doubly gratifying to him, because 
 he so clearly remembered the years spent there in ob- 
 scurity and comparative poverty. The visit was equally 
 pleasant to Eugenie, because she felt flattered to have 
 won the friendship of the woman whose virtues she 
 admired, and whom she knew at the same time to be 
 the most respected and influential sovereign of her time. 
 
 The two ladies proved so congenial that the Imperial 
 visit seemed all too brief, and Eugenie was glad to have 
 Victoria accompany them back to London, where the 
 Lord Mayor gave a sumptuous banquet to the Imperial 
 guests at Guildhall. While in London, their Majesties 
 attended the opera, and visited the Crystal Palace, which 
 had so charmed Napoleon that he had arranged to have 
 an exposition in Paris, and he now formally invited 
 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to come there and 
 see it. 
 
 The visit ended. Napoleon and Eugenie returned to 
 Paris, whence they wrote cordial letters to the Queen 
 and Prince Consort, thanking them heartily for the 
 pleasure they had enjoyed, rejoicing over the bonds of 
 friendship which now united the two thrones, and joy- 
 fully anticipating a new meeting next year. 
 
 Only a few days after their return, Eugenie was 
 greatly frightened, for the Emperor, riding out one day 
 to join her in the park, was suddenly attacked by an 
 
 287 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 assassin, whose shots fortunately missed aim. Napoleon, 
 as calm and impassive as usual, showed no signs of trep- 
 idation when the man attacked him, and rode on appar- 
 ently unmoved, through a cheering crowd. But Eugenie 
 could not restrain her tears, when the riders spontaneously 
 formed a body-guard for her husband, giving him an 
 ovation which showed how well they then loved him. 
 On reaching the Tuileries, the Imperial couple found 
 that the news of the attempt, and of Napoleon's almost 
 miraculous escape, had preceded them, for their family 
 and household were already assembled to present hearty 
 congratulations. Besides, that evening the Emperor and 
 Empress attended the opera, where the audience actually 
 stopped the performance to give them a special ovation, 
 and when they left the building, they discovered that the 
 people — wishing to testify their satisfaction — were 
 giving them an impromptu illumination. 
 
 The next day, Napoleon and Eugenie drove together 
 to Notre Dame, where a solemn Te Deum was sung in 
 gratitude for the Emperor's escape from the assassin's 
 bullets. But this attempt, together with the advice 
 received from his friends at home and abroad, made 
 Napoleon perceive that it would be best to relinquish his 
 cherished project of visiting the Crimea, and helped him 
 turn all his energies to governing his Empire and assur- 
 ing the success of the Exposition of 1855. This was 
 to be held in the Palais d'Industrie, built in the Champs 
 ifilysees for that express purpose, — a building which was 
 used for more than forty years for exhibitions of all 
 kinds. Napoleon also began the negotiations which 
 ultimately ended the Crimean War, in which France 
 won glory and honour, but only at the cost of many 
 lives and untold suffering. 
 
 The First Exposition in Paris was officially opened by 
 
Eugenie 
 
 the Emperor and Empress on the 15th of May, 1855. 
 It attracted many strangers to the capital, and as long as 
 it lasted Napoleon and Eugenie entertained one distin- 
 guished guest after another, for princes and dignitaries 
 came from all parts of the world to behold it. The 
 King of Portugal with his brother was their first royal 
 guest, and when his visit was over, the Empress journeyed 
 incognita to Eaux Bonnes in the Pyrenees, where the 
 physicians ordered her for her health. In spite of pre- 
 cautions, a person of such striking appearance could not 
 help being recognised wherever she went ; but although 
 the people considerately refrained from giving her formal 
 receptions, crowds assembled to see her pass, and she 
 was enthusiastically cheered whenever she appeared in 
 public. 
 
 The Emperor, who had been detained in the capital 
 by his manifold duties, joined her only for a few days 
 at Biarritz, and escorted her back to Paris, where they 
 celebrated Napoleon Day together, before receiving the 
 long promised visit of their English guests. Napoleon 
 III. met Queen Victoria at Boulogne, and bidding her 
 a cordial welcome, escorted her by train to Paris, where 
 a grand reception awaited her. Queen Victoria, the 
 Prince Consort, their two eldest children and attendants, 
 then drove with the Emperor along the gaily decorated 
 and brilliantly illuminated streets, amid the cheers of 
 the delighted Parisians, who had not seen any but exiled 
 English sovereigns in nearly four hundred years. Thus 
 they passed along the Boulevards to the Place de la 
 Concorde, all along the Champs Elysees, under the 
 great Arch, and through the Bois de Boulogne to St. 
 Cloud, where the Empress awaited their coming. 
 
 This drive through Paris, amid music, cheers, and 
 dazzling lights, the torchlight procession through the 
 VOL.1. — 19 289 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Bois, and the formal reception at St. Cloud, where 
 Imperial guardsmen stood like statues on either end of 
 each step on the grand staircase, made the visit appear 
 more like a trip to fairy-land than anything real. And 
 the Empress, in diaphanous robes and flashing jewels, 
 certainly looked more like a fairy Queen than like a 
 mortal woman, thus completing the charming delusion. 
 The whole court had assembled in honour of the royal 
 guests, who were escorted to their apartments by Napo- 
 leon, Eugenie, Prince Napoleon, and Princess Mathilde. 
 When the travellers had donned their state apparel, they 
 were conducted to the famous Apollo Gallery, where 
 the court dignitaries were duly presented. This formal- 
 ity over, they took their seats in the banquet hall, where 
 an elaborate repast was served with such perfection and 
 despatch that the Queen commented upon it afterwards 
 in her diary. 
 
 The next day being Sunday, Queen Victoria and her 
 family attended private religious services in their own 
 rooms, and spent the remainder of the day strolling with 
 their hosts through the matchless park, where they 
 admired the grand old forest trees, the velvety turf 
 dotted with beautiful statues, and viewed with rapture 
 the fantastic play of the fountains, whose cool spray 
 seemed particularly grateful on a warm August afternoon. 
 The next morning the Emperor drove his guests to the 
 Exposition, leaving the Empress at home ; for she was 
 not strong enough at that time to endure the fatigue of 
 sightseeing, and the Emperor feared she might faint in 
 a crowded place. As is generally the case in Paris, the 
 art-exhibition proved the greatest attraction, and Napo- 
 leon, perceiving the Prince Consort's admiration for one 
 of Meissonier's pictures, secretly purchased it, and pre- 
 sented it to his guest as a souvenir of his visit. After 
 
 290 
 
Eugenie 
 
 thus spending a few hours at the Exposition, Napoleon 
 drove his guests to the Palais de Justice and the Sainte 
 Chapelle, pausing on the way thither to point out the 
 Conciergerie, where he had been imprisoned in 1840. 
 
 The next day, Napoleon and Eugenie took their guests 
 to Versailles, where they visited the castle, saw the 
 fountains play, strolled through the grounds, and exam- 
 ined the Trianons, so inextricably linked with the mem- 
 ory of Marie Antoinette. The day closed with a gala 
 performance at the opera, in honour of the English 
 Queen, who, as well as her husband, was no mean judge 
 of the best music rendered by the greatest artists of the 
 day. They were particularly pleased, however, when 
 the programme concluded with the English national 
 anthem, all the audience uniting in the strain with the 
 most flattering enthusiasm. _ On the morrow, the royal 
 visitors viewed the industrial part of the Exposition, and 
 drove incognito to the principal points of interest in the 
 great capital, leaving the inspection of the art treasures 
 in the Louvre until the next day, when they also at- 
 tended the great ball given in their honour by the city 
 of Paris. 
 
 It had already been rumoured that the Empress — 
 who now avoided all unnecessary fatigue — had had the 
 famous diamond girdle enlarged ; but owing to the hoop- 
 skirts which, it is said, she had recently introduced, no 
 one could detect any change in her appearance, when 
 she entered the ball-room, leaning upon the Prince Con- 
 sort's arm, and closely following her husband and Queen 
 Victoria. She took no part in the dancing, however, but 
 quietly looked on, while the Emperor danced with the 
 Queen, and Prince Albert selected Princess Mathilde as 
 his partner. Still, when they proceeded to examine the 
 ' interesting old building, with its fund of historical rem- 
 
 291 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 iniscences, Eugenie gladly joined them, for she was well 
 informed, and took a lively interest in France's past. 
 
 The next day was marked by a grand review on the 
 Champ de Mars, and a visit to the Invalides, where Vic- 
 toria was deeply impressed by her first sight of Napoleon's 
 tomb, and expressed her satisfaction that the prolonged 
 feud between France and England had finally ceased. 
 A dinner at the Tuileries and a play finished that day, 
 the morrow being devoted to the inspection of St. 
 Germain, Malmaison, and the Fort on Mt. Valerien, 
 and closing with a grand ball in the Hall of Mirrors at 
 Versailles. 
 
 The Empress, who had gone thither early in the day, 
 so as to rest and dress, received her royal guests at the 
 head of the famous staircase, and her white robes, trim- 
 med with green, and flashing diamonds, made her such a 
 vision of loveliness, that even her husband could not re- 
 frain from exclaiming aloud : " How beautiful you are ! " 
 
 This breach of proprieties delighted Victoria, who 
 had, meantime, spent several quiet hours with Eugenie, 
 and, learning to know her more intimately, admired her 
 more and more. These two women, so isolated by their 
 exalted positions, felt drawn so closely together, that after 
 that visit they corresponded frequently, thus keeping up 
 the friendship which was to unite them for many a year, 
 and which many trials only strengthened. The ball in 
 the brilliantly illuminated hall, where the huge mirrors 
 reflected the jewels and lights, as well as the magnificent 
 fireworks given in the grounds, is described as one of 
 the most brilliant scenes the old palace ever witnessed. 
 It produced so deep an impression on those who beheld 
 it, that its remembrance still lingers in their memories 
 like a vision of enchantment, and the young Princess 
 Royal, then about fifteen, is said to have been more than 
 
 292 
 
- ^ 
 
 w 
 3 
 
 O! 
 
Eugenie 
 
 delighted to dance in that beautiful hall with the Em- 
 peror of the French for a partner. 
 
 Queen Victoria, having confided to Napoleon her 
 affection for Queen Marie Amelie, — whom she was 
 then harbouring in her realm, — he drove her the next 
 day to the St. Ferdinand Chapel, erected on the spot 
 where the young Duke of Orleans had been thrown 
 from his carriage and killed. There the Emperor 
 bought the Queen one of the Orleanist medals as a 
 souvenir. Victoria accepted it wonderingly, but she 
 little suspected that the Imperial couple, who were 
 now entertaining her so sumptuously, would once be 
 driven out of France too, and come to England to claim 
 her kindly protection. 
 
 The visit ended, Eugenie parted regretfully with her 
 friends, giving them pretty souvenirs of their visit, to- 
 gether with fresh flowers from her own garden, and 
 watched them drive away with her husband, who es- 
 corted them back to their yacht. There he bade them 
 farewell, but only after many promises had been ex- 
 changed to meet again before very long. 
 
 Sebastopol having fallen at last, after a heroic defence, 
 the Parisians celebrated the surrender with grand rejoic- 
 ings, for they foresaw that it would hasten the conclu- 
 sion of the Crimean War. Soon after this demonstration, 
 the Emperor visited the Exposition in state to distribute 
 the medals, the Empress and court being present in gala 
 attire to lend the ceremony due importance. But al- 
 though the awards were made, the Exposition did not 
 close, and it was soon after visited by Victor Emmanuel, 
 — then King of Sardinia, — who came to Paris with his 
 two principal advisers. Nigra and Cavour. These guests 
 were entertained almost as sumptuously as Queen Vic- 
 toria, a grand hunt at St. Germain replacing the ball at 
 
 293 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Versailles, as no ladies formed part of the regal party. 
 These guests were, however, bound for England, so 
 their visit took place in two divisions, part of the fes- 
 tivities occurring only on the way home. 
 
 The greatest pageant that fall was the welcome home 
 of the Crimean troops, which the Emperor reviewed on 
 the Champ de Mars, while Eugenie witnessed the pic- 
 turesque sight from the windows of the Ministry build- 
 ing. She now seemed in excellent health and spirits, 
 and although none of the vague rumours concerning her 
 had as yet been officially confirmed, the fact that she 
 took part in very few gaieties, and that her mother had 
 come to spend the winter with her, seemed to substan- 
 tiate the hope that she was now with child. 
 
 Early in the new year — 1856 — the Emperor received 
 the assurance that the Crimean War was definitely over, 
 and during the months of February and March welcomed 
 the plenipotentiaries of the different powers who assembled 
 in Paris to sign the treaty. 
 
 The announcement made, early in the spring, by the 
 Archbishop of Paris, that the nation's prayers were 
 requested for the Empress, who expected soon to give 
 birth to the longed-for heir, caused a joyful sensation 
 throughout the country. Provision was immediately 
 made that bells should ring when the decisive moment 
 drew near, and that the sex of the new-born child should 
 be proclaimed by twenty-one or one hundred and one 
 guns, the greater number being, of course, used to 
 designate an heir to the French throne. 
 
 Labour having begun early in the morning on March 
 15th, the courtiers hastily assembled in the Tuileries, to 
 remain there, in a state of feverish suspense, until all was 
 over. As in the case of Marie Louise, there were com- 
 plications and delays, the expected Prince Imperial com- 
 
 294 
 
Eugenie 
 
 ing into the world only at three o'clock in the morning of 
 the i6th of March, 1856. The Emperor, the Countess de 
 Montijo, and three court ladies, with the physicians and 
 nurses, were the only persons allowed in the Empress' 
 room, until Napoleon himself summoned Prince Napo- 
 leon and Prince Lucien — the next of kin — to witness 
 the birth of the Imperial heir and testify to his legiti- 
 macy. As is always the custom, the Minister of State 
 and Keeper of Seals, who were also witnesses, next drew 
 up a paper, which the princes signed, thus refuting the 
 malicious rumour which one of them started a little later, 
 alleging that the heir was a mere foundling, surreptitiously 
 smuggled into the Empress' apartment in a warming pan. 
 
 At six o'clock in the morning, the ringing of bells and 
 the booming of one hundred and one guns proclaimed 
 the joyful advent of an heir, whom the Parisians received 
 with as lively demonstrations of joy as any child yet born 
 in the Tuileries. It had been arranged that the Pope and 
 the Queen of Sweden — a granddaughter of Josephine 
 — should be sponsors to Napoleon Eugene Louis Jean 
 Joseph, who was privately baptised in the Tuileries 
 chapel, immediately after Mass, on Palm Sunday, the 
 priest praying aloud : — 
 
 " Good God, watch over this cradle, the resting-place 
 of so many hopes. Train Thou the son of the 
 Emperor so that he may form the happiness of this great 
 nation. Grant him his father's magnanimity, and his 
 mother's kindness and inexhaustible charity. To ex- 
 press all our wishes in one word, vouchsafe to him, O 
 Lord, a heart worthy of his destiny and of his name." 
 
 Those who were present at this impressive ceremony 
 on the Prince's birthday, treasured the palms they re- 
 ceived as souvenirs of the baptism of the Prince Imperial, 
 while the people showed their joy by illuminating the 
 
 295 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 whole city with a magnificence which had liot yet been 
 equalled. The public joy was further heightened by the 
 announcement that the Emperor and Empress would be 
 sponsors to all the children born in wedlock on that day, 
 within the limits of their Empire, and by the distribution 
 of largesses to the poor and donations to charitable in- 
 stitutions, together with the pardon of many political 
 offenders. Besides, the " Figaro " was allowed to resume 
 publication, — although that paper had been suspended 
 for infringement of press laws, — thanks to the witty idea 
 of the editor, who addressed an humble petition to the 
 new-born babe. 
 
 The Prince Imperial received no less than twenty- 
 eight orders in his cradle ; congratulatory poems rained 
 down upon the Tuileries from all sides, and the Emperor 
 received the felicitations of one official body after an- 
 other. One of the many flattering addresses made on 
 this joyful occasion he answered as follows : — 
 
 " The Senate has shared my joy on hearing that 
 Heaven has given me a son, and you have hailed as a 
 happy event the birth of a Child of France. I use this 
 expression purposely. The Emperor Napoleon, my 
 uncle, who welded into the new system all that was 
 great and good in the old, revived this ancient designa- 
 tion of Children of France. And truly, gentlemen, 
 when an heir is born to perpetuate a national system, 
 that child is not only the offspring of a family, but he is 
 also the son of the whole country, and this name will 
 serve to remind him of his duties. If this was true 
 under the monarchy, which represented more exclusively 
 the privileged classes, how much more so is it now, 
 when the sovereign is the elect of the nation, the first 
 citizen of the country, and the representative of the 
 interests of the people, 
 
 296 
 
Eugenie 
 
 " The unanimous acclamations which surround his 
 cradle do not prevent my reflecting over the destiny of 
 those who came into the world in the same place and 
 under analogous circumstances. If I venture to hope 
 that his fate will be more happy, it is because, trusting 
 in Providence, I cannot doubt its protection, when I see 
 it raise up again, by a series of extraordinary circum- 
 stances, all it deigned to erect forty years ago, as if it 
 wished to ennoble by martyrdom and misfortune the new 
 dynasty which rose from the ranks of the people. Then, 
 too, history has its lessons, which I shall ever bear in 
 mind. It teaches us on the one hand never to abuse the 
 favours of fortune, on the other that a dynasty has no 
 chance of stability unless it remains true to its origin, 
 and busies itself exclusively with the popular interests 
 for whose benefit it was created. This child, who is 
 consecrated in his cradle by the peace which is just be- 
 ing concluded, by the blessing of the Pope, — borne 
 hither by electricity an hour after his birth, — by the 
 acclamations of the people whom the Emperor loved so 
 dearly, this child, I say, will be worthy, I trust, of the 
 destinies awaiting him." 
 
 The Emperor was very happy to have a son, and 
 wishing to give equal cause for rejoicing to his army, 
 invited his faithful generals, Canrobert and Bosquet, to 
 dinner at the Tuileries, and there surprised them both 
 by toasting them Marshals of France. 
 
 The Empress, whose ambitions were satisfied, now 
 that she had given France its expected heir, felt besides 
 that her own position was more secure, for being the 
 mother of Napoleon's only son, she would naturally be 
 appointed Regent should the child be called to the throne 
 during his minority. Still, she gave this welcome heir 
 to France only at the cost of some of her exuberant 
 
 297 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 health, for she was never as strong as before, and could 
 no longer endure the same amount of fatigue. But as 
 she was a devoted mother, she never regretted her lost 
 strength, and showed her gratitude to Providence by 
 many charitable works, in which she took even a livelier 
 interest than before. 
 
 When she learned that the whole nation wished 
 to show its aiFection for the Prince by some suitable 
 gift, she suggested that subscription lists be opened, the 
 maximum amount each person was allowed to contribute 
 being equivalent to five cents. But even so, the amount 
 collected made a large fund which the Empress devoted 
 to the maintenance of day-nurseries and orphan-asylums, 
 where the children of the poor could be well cared for, 
 and which she personally inspected from time to time 
 throughout the remainder of her reign. This work 
 greatly increased Eugenie's popularity, for the French 
 are, as a nation, great child-lovers, and the fact that the 
 Empress's own happiness made her think even more than 
 before of the unhappy poor, pleased all classes. The 
 people, therefore, greeted her more cordially than ever 
 when she again appeared in public, for her youth and 
 beauty, added to the spice of romance of her courtship 
 and the recent halo of maternity, touched all hearts. 
 
 In those days Eugenie seemed very happy, for the 
 present was full of interest, the future seemed rich in 
 promise, and the clouds which were to darken her com- 
 ing years had not yet appeared within her range of 
 vision. She recovered sufficiently rapidly from her hard 
 confinement to stand the churching cererriony without 
 fatigue, and to take a lively interest in the completion 
 of the Peace Treaty, which the plenipotentiaries signed 
 with a quill taken from an eagle in the Jardin des 
 Plantes. This joyful event occurring so soon after the 
 
 298 
 
Eugenie 
 
 birth of the Prince Imperial, the members of the Peace 
 Congress enjoyed many of the festivities given in his 
 honour, including the great banquet at the City Hall. 
 
 This entertainment was particularly magnificent, the 
 city having spent fifty thousand francs upon the floral 
 decorations only, and having arranged for the Empress' 
 gratification a series of beautiful pictures representing her 
 birthplace and the scenes where she had spent her child- 
 hood and girlhood. The Elysee, Compiegne, and Fon- 
 tainebleau^ — so intimately connected with her courtship 
 and marriage, — next appeared, and the panorama closed 
 with a fine view of the Tuileries, where her son had 
 just come into the world, and where he was even then 
 sleeping so peacefully in the Imperial nursery. The 
 embassies also gave sumptuous entertainments in honour 
 of the Peace Treaty, and all the members of the Con- 
 gress were invited to the state banquet at the Tuileries, 
 where the Imperial couple sat side by side, and presided 
 with their usual ease and happy tact. After entertaining 
 the King of Wiirtemberg and his suite, the Emperor 
 removed his family and court to St. Cloud, for he wished 
 his son to have all the benefit of the pure air and the 
 fine shade which the park afforded. 
 
 The spring of 1856, which proved so gay in the cap- 
 ital, was, however, very desolate in the Rhone and Loire 
 valleys, owing to extensive inundations, which .in a few 
 hours swept away the work of years, and entailed great 
 suffering on the people, besides the loss of property and 
 life. The news of these calamities no sooner reached 
 Napoleon, than he hastened to the scene of the 
 disaster, to make sure every possible assistance was 
 given to the sufferers, and that no measures of safety 
 or relief were neglected. Not only did the Emperor 
 make great personal exertions, and distribute private 
 
 299 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 alms, but he also appropriated one-half the sum voted 
 for the Prince Imperial's christening feast for the use 
 of the sufferers. His presence on the scene of disaster 
 proved very inspiring to the officials, and his gifts and 
 sympathy so touched the hearts of the people, that they 
 long remembered this deed and showed much gratitude 
 and loyal devotion. 
 
 On the 14th of June, the Prince Imperial was taken 
 in state to Notre Dame, where four thousand privileged 
 guests were to see him christened. The streets of the 
 capital were crowded with people eager to view the 
 pageant, which greatly resembled the Emperor's mar- 
 riage, save that the baby Prince now occupied the famous 
 glass coach, while his proud parents followed in the more 
 modest conveyance used for the coronation of Charles X. 
 The people, who had not yet had a glimpse of the 
 Prince, whom they affectionately called "Loulou," gazed 
 eagerly at him and cheered him madly. The babe was 
 brought into the cathedral by his governess and nurse, 
 and after the water had been dashed over his brow, the 
 Emperor himself held him aloft to show him to the 
 cheering spectators. The child then left the cathedral 
 with his attendants, his parents remaining to attend the 
 grand Te Deum which concluded the religious cere- 
 monies, before they went to the banquet at the Hotel de 
 Ville. 
 
 The next day, being Sunday, was devoted to popular 
 rejoicings, the theatres all giving free representations, 
 which were attended by throngs of people. Besides, no 
 less than three hundred balloons rose from various points 
 in the city, scattering broadcast great quantities of 
 sugared almonds, — the usual accompaniment of a French 
 christening feast, — while large supplies of these sweets 
 were freely distributed among the children in the public 
 
 300 
 
Eugenie 
 
 schools. Commemorative medals were also scattered 
 by handfuls by numerous heralds, who rode all through 
 the city, and the celebration closed with illuminations 
 and fireworks which made the day memorable to all who 
 beheld them. 
 
 On Monday, there was a grand ball at the City Hall, 
 attended by thousands of guests, and on the following 
 Thursday, in the Chapel of St. Cloud, Eugenie officially 
 received the Pope's christening gifts. They consisted 
 of one of the famous papal golden roses for her (a 
 golden rose, on a golden rosebush, apparently growing 
 in a golden vase, which rested on a beautiful pedestal of 
 lapis-lazuli), a picture in choice mosaic for the Emperor, 
 and a relic of the sacred manger for the baby Prince. 
 
 Never very robust, the Emperor had contracted rheu- 
 matism during his six years' imprisonment in the damp 
 fortress of Ham, and as it now troubled him more than 
 usual, his physicians sent him to spend the month of 
 July at Plombieres. The Empress, meantime, remained 
 at St. Cloud with her son, the Emperor writing frequent 
 and affectionate letters to her, and proving as anxious as 
 any young father absent from home for the first time. 
 In one of these letters he says : — 
 
 " You and the little one are everything to me. ... I 
 hail with delight the moment when I shall see you again, 
 as well as our child, and I am rejoicing so over this 
 prospect, that I keep dreading lest in the mean time you 
 or he should fall ill. Don't let any one take him near 
 the pond during his airings. Don't overtire yourself 
 either. All these recommendations may be silly, but 
 when I am happy, I can't help being apprehensive." 
 
 Although he wrote thus tenderly to the wife he un- 
 doubtedly loved. Napoleon, whose life was far from 
 blameless before his marriage, and who was probably ex- 
 
 301 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 posed to greater temptations than any other man of his 
 time, did not long remain strictly faithful to Eugenie. 
 A vein of weak sentimentality in his composition made 
 him particularly prone to succumb to temptations, and 
 although he tried to keep his delinquencies from his 
 wife, there were too many persons around him, who, 
 through mistaken zeal, or mean delight in the suffer- 
 ing of others, revealed to Eugenie all that was going on. 
 Truthful and spirited, the Empress rightly considered 
 such lapses of morality a disgrace, and, as she was ex- 
 tremely frank and fearless, she denounced them in no 
 measured terms. 
 
 Napoleon, deficient in moral sense, like most of his 
 race before him, instead of reforming, merely tried to 
 carry on his intrigues with greater circumspection, and 
 seemed greatly hurt when his wife refused to close her 
 eyes and ears, let him do just as he chose, and be 
 pleased with any attentions he cared to show her. This 
 conduct on the part of her husband, sorely embittered 
 Eugenie's married life, although, at that time, few 
 people suspected this state of affairs, for she had too 
 much dignity to show all she felt, and concealed as well 
 as she could this unhappy state of affairs. 
 
 The fact that her life was not as happy as it seemed, 
 and that she was often cut to the heart by her husband's 
 infidelity, drove Eugenie to seek distracting occupations, 
 for she often felt as if she would go mad unless she man- 
 aged to forget her trials. She, therefore, worked harder 
 than ever in charitable and social affairs, and not finding 
 those sufficient to occupy her active brain, began to take 
 an interest in political matters, from which until then 
 she had rigorously abstained. This move, which her 
 husband greatly encouraged, was, however, later viewed 
 with displeasure by many of the politicians, some of 
 
 302 
 
Eugenie 
 
 whom hated to see a woman mixed up in state affairs, 
 while others feared lest their corrupt practices might now 
 be discovered and ruthlessly denounced. For Eugenie 
 was fearlessly frank; she yielded to impulse in the most 
 undiplomatic way, and, while tactful and kind-hearted, 
 would not countenance any species of wrong-doing or 
 fraud. Such rectitude of purpose agreed ill with the 
 essentially corrupt government of the time, for many of 
 her husband's advisers were mere speculators and even 
 more unprincipled than he. 
 
 But while Eugenie despised double-dealing and sub- 
 terfuge, she was fair-minded and generous, and never 
 resented honest contradiction. Even those who had 
 most strenuously opposed her marriage were always 
 cordially received at the Tuileries, where, in time, 
 many of them became her staunch friends. One of 
 the senators, for example, on hearing Napoleon's speech 
 announcing his coming marriage is reported to have 
 said very emphatically : " A fine speech, but I must say 
 I prefer the sauce to fish," thus expressing, at the same 
 time, his approbation of the discourse, and his disap- 
 proval of the match. Some time after, when dining 
 at the Tuileries, the Empress, who was sitting near 
 him, ventured to remark, as he helped himself to 
 turbot : " Why, senator, I thought you liked the sauce 
 only and hated fish ! " The arch glance accompany- 
 ing the remark quite reassured the senator, who, bow- 
 ing gallantly, informed her that " his tastes had changed," 
 for by this time he had discovered what a really superior 
 woman she was. 
 
 As soon as the Emperor returned from Plombieres, he 
 took his wife and son to Biarritz, where he celebrated 
 the anniversary of the fall of Sebastopol, his wife and 
 son appearing for a moment at the grand banquet, to the 
 
 303 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 delight of all the officers present. The Imperial family 
 lingered at Biarritz until the 30th of September, and 
 stopping at Bordeaux on their way home, made only a 
 brief sojourn at St. Cloud before going to Compiegne for 
 the fall hunts. This was their first visit to this palace 
 since war had been declared, and as the nation was 
 now at peace, and had even formed an alliance with its 
 former foe, no bad tidings came to mar their brief 
 sojourn there. The distinguished guests forming the 
 three series entertained that fall at Compiegne included 
 statesmen, financiers, military heroes, and men of letters, 
 as well as such musicians as Auber, Meyerbeer, and 
 Verdi, and the famous artist Horace Vernet. 
 
 Although the Emperor convened his cabinet there 
 from time to time, politics were otherwise tabooed, and 
 the principal diversion consisted in hunting parties, at- 
 tended by ladies as well as gentlemen, in torchlight 
 quarries with huntsmen and hounds, and in the plays 
 given in the castle theatre by the best actors from the 
 metropolis. While most of the pretty and distin- 
 guished women were present, none could compare with 
 Eugenie, either in the ball-room or the hunting field, for 
 she was as beautiful and as well dressed as ever, and her 
 horsemanship was extremely graceful, as well as daring. 
 
 After spending three weeks at Compiegne, their 
 Majesties returned to the Tuileries, where, before the 
 close of the year, they entertained the Prince of Prussia 
 and his friend Bismarck. The latter already had his eyes 
 wide open ; he gauged the character of Napoleon pretty 
 accurately, and greatly admired his wife and child ; but 
 on the return journey, he is said to have remarked that it 
 was very sad to hear the peasants in the Vosges Moun- 
 tains still talking German. These guests, who were to 
 prove France's most relentless foes, were entertained with 
 
 304 
 
Eugenie 
 
 great splendour, a brilliant review, a hunt at Fontaine- 
 bleau, a ball at the Tuileries, and a gala performance at 
 the opera, being only a small part of the festivities in 
 their honour. 
 
 Early in January, Eugenie held a state reception in 
 the Throne Room in the Tuileries, wrhere many ladies 
 were presented to her. On such occasions all the Im- 
 perial household was on duty, and the court ladies had 
 to stand in groups behind their mistress, — a trying 
 ordeal, as they were required to preserve graceful atti- 
 tudes, which proved quite a task, for they had not even 
 a chair-back upon which to lean or rest a hand from 
 time to time. This state reception was speedily followed 
 by one of the official balls at the Tuileries, which was, 
 as usual, a brilliant pageant. The old palace was all 
 a-glitter with lights, the Imperial Guards, in gala uniform, 
 stood like statues on either side of the great staircase, 
 military men and officials of all kinds appeared in full 
 uniform, wearing all their orders, and the ladies vied 
 with one another in the freshness and elegance of their 
 gowns and in the splendour of their gems. The Em- 
 press generally wore the finest crown jewels, and it was 
 she who opened the ball by dancing the first quadrille 
 in the Hall of Marshals, which, like all the other state 
 apartments, was elegantly decorated with a wealth of 
 palms and of choice flowers. 
 
 This fete was the signal for other social diversions, 
 Walewski, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, giving a very 
 successful masked ball which was attended by all the 
 court. The costumes were varied and tasteful, and as 
 every one knew that the Emperor and Empress jvould be 
 present in disguise, all hoped to recognise them in spite 
 of their masks. The Imperial couple, however, circu- 
 lated about the rooms in dominoes during the first part 
 
 VOL. I. — 20 305 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 of the evening without being discovered. Then, wishing 
 to mystify the people still further, the Empress cleverly 
 escaped, changed her costume, and, reappearing soon after 
 as a gipsy, began to tell the guests' fortunes. She was 
 nevertheless recognised by Imbert de St. Amand, the 
 faithful and voluminous chronicler of the lives of many 
 of the French Queens, and he gracefully assured her 
 that, even under a mask, she still bore the sceptre of 
 beauty, not to mention any other, less potent over the 
 hearts of men. 
 
 Early that spring, their Majesties entertained the 
 Grand Duke Constantine, proudly showing him the 
 wonders of the French capital, which was daily becom- 
 ing more beautiful under the Emperor's directions. 
 Baron Haussmann, who had charge of this work, opened 
 broad thoroughfares, made parks, planted trees, built 
 fountains, and laboured so energetically that he com- 
 pletely transformed the capital, while retaining most of its 
 historical buildings and all its former attractive features. 
 
 All these improvements were carried out by order of 
 Napoleon III., who longed to give light and air to the 
 densely populated quarters of the city. He also insisted 
 upon planting flowers in the squares, although his advisers 
 declared it would be folly to do so, as the people would 
 immediately destroy them all. The Emperor persisted, 
 and was simply triumphant when he proved that the 
 people enjoyed and appreciated his efforts in their 
 behalf, and were quite content merely to admire the 
 blossoms planted for their delectation. During a brief 
 sojourn at Fontainebleau, where the Emperor entertained 
 his Russian guest by a grand hunt, Eugenie inspected all 
 the charitable institutions of the town, pleasing every one 
 by her graceful kindliness, and by the genuine sympathy 
 which she felt for all such undertakings. In the eve- 
 
 306 
 
Eugenie 
 
 ning, she took her guest out on the balcony, to witness 
 the torchlight muster of huntsmen, game, and hounds, 
 and on the morrow drove with him and her husband all 
 through the picturesque old forest. 
 
 It was at Fontainebleau also that they received their 
 next royal guest, Maximilian of Bavaria, who enjoyed 
 the hunts and drives too, and in whose honour the castle 
 was illuminated and superb fireworks given. The Im- 
 perial couple next escorted their august guest to the 
 capital, where he spent a week in a dazzling round of 
 reviews, banquets, bails, and entertainments of ail kinds, 
 not to mention gala performances at the theatre and 
 opera. 
 
 All the sovereigns had been charmed with their 
 reception in Paris, but as the Emperor could not possibly 
 return these distinguished visits in person, he deputed 
 his cousin. Prince Napoleon, to represent him at the 
 Prussian, Bavarian, and Saxon courts. While the Prince 
 was acquitting himself of this duty, their Majesties 
 removed to St. Cloud, whence they started early in 
 August to visit Queen Victoria at Osborne Castle, in 
 the Isle of Wight. As the reigning families could now 
 meet on the familiar footing of old friends, this sojourn 
 proved most agreeable. Besides, the two courts seized 
 this opportunity to settle several political questions in an 
 amicable way, thus strengthening the bond of friendship 
 between both nations, as well as between the two 
 families. A few days after the departure of these guests, 
 Victoria set out on a yachting expedition, in the course 
 of which she and her family landed in France, thus mak- 
 ing, as she playfully wrote to Napoleon, "a peaceful 
 invasion of Normandy." No official notice of this visit 
 having been given, no formal receptions were tendered, 
 but the Queen and her family greatly appreciated this 
 
 307 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 absence of all pomp, and particularly enjoyed journeying 
 from place to place like ordinary tourists. 
 
 Meantime, their Imperial Majesties had returned home 
 to preside over the formal opening of the new Louvre, 
 now joined to the Tuileries, and thus forming but one 
 vast building. This work, which had long been planned, 
 was begun in 1852, and had only just been completed. 
 The various pavilions were richly decorated by the prin- 
 cipal artists of the day, who were, therefore, present when 
 the Emperor inaugurated this magnificent building, and 
 received from his hand their well-earned decorations. 
 
 Napoleon also invited all the workmen to a magnifi- 
 cent banquet, which was served in the palace they had 
 helped to erect, and graced by the Imperial couple, who 
 acted as hosts. So that none of the labourers should 
 have cause to regret a whole day spent in idleness and 
 feasting, Napoleon ordered that their wages should be 
 paid in full that day, although no stroke of work was 
 done. He also made a very happy speech at the end of 
 the banquet, and he and Eugenie showed particular 
 interest in the only woman present. They then learned 
 that she was the widow of a stone-cutter, and that she 
 had worked bravely to finish her husband's contract, 
 thereby earning enough to feed her penniless chil- 
 dren. 
 
 The Emperor's kindly attitude toward all the Paris 
 workmen greatly increased his popularity, as was shown 
 by the volume and fervour of the cheers which greeted him 
 on the morrow, when he appeared in public to celebrate 
 " Napoleon Day," as usual. Soon after, his wife and 
 son set out for Biarritz, while he inspected the camp at 
 Chalons, and made a brief journey to Stuttgart, where he 
 met many of the distinguished persons he had enter- 
 tained at various times in the Tuileries. This diplomatic 
 
 30S 
 
Eugenie 
 
 visit over, he hastened to Biarritz, whence he made several 
 short excursions, for he took a lively interest in agriculture, 
 and had purchased vast stretches of waste lands in various 
 parts of the country, to show the people what drainage, 
 irrigation, and intelligent cuhivation could do for the 
 redemption of barren soil. These model farms proved 
 invaluable object-lessons to French farmers, who were 
 particularly slow to adopt new methods, and so conserva- 
 tive, that they would never have consented to make use 
 of modern agricultural implements and ideas, had they not 
 beheld these practical demonstrations of their worth. 
 
 The Empress adopted Biarritz as her favourite summer 
 resort, not only because she enjoyed the view from Villa 
 Eugenia, and delighted in sea bathing and yachting, but 
 also because it was so near Spain. She could thus make 
 frequent excursions into her native land, and at Biarritz 
 met many Spaniards with whom she liked to converse in 
 her mother tongue. 
 
 During this sojourn, Eugenie made an excursion over 
 the border to St. Sebastian, where the Spanish authorities 
 gave her a charming and characteristic reception, which 
 she greatly enjoyed. This was the most exciting event 
 during her stay at the seashore, where the little Prince 
 grew brown and rosy, and was much admired as he 
 played for the first time in the sand. Soon after her 
 return home, Eugenie went with the Emperor to 
 Chalons, making use of the magnificent, new train of 
 cars presented to the government by the railroad com- 
 pany. This consisted of eleven carriages, connected by 
 a species of vestibule, — a great novelty in those days, 
 — and comprised sleeping, dining, and drawing-room 
 cars, all decorated with great taste and skill. The Em- 
 press was not, however, as sumptuously lodged at 
 Chalons, where accommodations were improvised ; but 
 
 309 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 she merrily adapted herself to camp life, and greatly 
 enjoyed seeing the various military manGeuvres. 
 
 After another brief sojourn at St. Cloud, the Imperial 
 family removed to Compiegne to entertain five series of 
 distinguished guests. One of the ladies visiting there 
 makes the followring mention of the baby Prince, w^ho 
 was now an attractive child of about a year and a half: 
 " The little Prince is perfectly healthy, and as intelligent 
 and nice as can be. I am very glad to see how little the 
 Empress spoils him. When he falls, he has to pick 
 himself up, and he has already been taught not to cry. 
 Moreover, he is obedient. The Emperor would be more 
 inclined to indulge him. He is an amiable child, always 
 merry and good-humoured. On his mother's birthday, 
 the officers of both regiments came into the gallery to 
 present their good wishes. The Emperor and Empress 
 went all around the circle, followed by the little Prince 
 in his nurse's arms. He has already been trained to 
 salute military fashion, and to throw kisses. Of course 
 the two styles of greeting get rather jumbled at times, 
 but you can readily imagine that such a state of affairs 
 makes him all the more successful ! " 
 
 The Compiegne festivities ended, their Majesties 
 enjoyed one day only of unbroken family life before 
 returning to the Tuileries, where the season soon began, 
 and countless demands were made upon the Empress' 
 time and strength. She had spent, on the whole, a 
 pleasant and profitable, although rather uneventful year ; 
 but whereas 1857 ^^^ 1*^^" peaceful and quiet, 1858 
 was to prove far more stirring. 
 
 Early in January, their Majesties decided to attend a 
 benefit performance at the opera. This announcement 
 was eagerly welcomed by an Italian, named Orsini, who 
 had come to Paris intending to kill the Emperor, be- 
 
 310 
 
Eugenie 
 
 cause he fancied Napoleon faithless to the Carbonari 
 oath he had taken in Italy, and thought that he pre- 
 vented that country from securing its freedom. The 
 anarchist had several accomplices, who came with him 
 from England ; but although the French police had 
 received timely warning, they had, as yet, not managed 
 to lay hands upon any of the suspected persons. Orsini 
 and his three associates were posted near the theatre, 
 armed with bombs which they meant to throw at the 
 Imperial carriage as it drove up under the opera porch. 
 On their way to the scene of this attempt, one of these 
 men was arrested ; but the others were all at their post 
 when Napoleon arrived with Eugenie, his carriage sur- 
 rounded, as usual, by a mounted escort. As had been 
 arranged, two of the men threw their bombs, which, 
 falling between the horses of the first group of guards 
 and those of the coach, exploded with a loud noise. 
 Every gas jet in the street was put out by the concussion, 
 every pane of glass in the neighbourhood broken, and 
 the seventy-six missiles the bombs contained scattered 
 far and wide, killing ten persons and wounding about 
 one hundred and fifty others. Several of the horses 
 were positively torn to pieces, and the Imperial carriage 
 completely riddled with shot. 
 
 At the first report, Eugenie bravely threw herself in 
 front of her husband to protect him from further danger, 
 although a fragment of glass had cut her temple. The 
 Emperor's hat was later found perforated like a sieve, 
 but he was quite unharmed, and just as calm as ever. 
 One of the detectives posted near the theatre entrance, 
 sprang forward as the explosion occurred, and tore open 
 the carriage door to rescue their Majesties, whose danger 
 was increased by the kicking and plunging horses. The 
 Emperor, not hearing his excited : " Sire, Madame, 
 
 3" 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 descendez ! " and mistaking him in the darkness for 
 one of the assassins, struck out boldly, knocking him 
 down, a feat which the detective later declared reassured 
 him effectively concerning his master's complete safety. 
 Leaving the detective to pick himself up as best he 
 could, the Emperor sprang out of the carriage, lifted 
 Eugenie out, and hurried her right into the theatre-lobby, 
 where, although pale and trembling, she dauntlessly 
 cried : " Come, Louis, let us go out again and show them 
 we are not cowards like them." The Emperor, cooler, 
 although not less brave, refrained, because he knew the 
 police had its hands full enough caring for the wounded, 
 securing the assassins, and restoring order in the street, 
 where the sudden extinction of all the lights greatly 
 added to the horror and confusion. 
 
 The Emperor, therefore, contented himself with giving 
 explicit orders that the wounded should receive every 
 care, and despatching an emissary to the Tuileries, to 
 make sure that a similar attempt had not been made to 
 kill the little Prince. Then, knowing their presence 
 might prevent a panic in the crowded theatre when the 
 event became known, he and the Empress entered their 
 box as quietly as if nothing uncommon had happened. 
 When the audience learned, however, that the noise they 
 had mistaken for salvos of artillery had been in reality a 
 dastardly attempt at murder, they gave their Majesties a 
 touching and spontaneous ovation. Eugenie, whose white 
 silk dress was spotted with blood, acknowledged these ac- 
 clamations as gracefully as usual, but the colour did not 
 return to her cheeks, until she learned that her son was 
 safe, and no attempt had been made on the Tuileries. 
 
 The news of the explosion spread far and wide, creat- 
 ing a tremendous sensation, and when the performance 
 was over, and their Majesties again ventured out into the 
 
 312 
 
Eugenie 
 
 street, they found an immense crowd stationed all along 
 their passage. The houses on either side were brilliantly 
 illuminated, and they received an ovation which sounded 
 like the roll of thunder to the people anxiously awaiting 
 their coming at the Tuileries. There, too, all the lights 
 were burning brightly, and the big rooms crowded, for, in 
 spite of the advanced hour, all the courtiers and officials 
 had hastened to the palace, to present their heartfelt con- 
 gratulations upon their Majesties' narrow escape. 
 
 It was very late, therefore, before Napoleon and 
 Eugenie could retire, and the Prince's nurse had long 
 been asleep, when she was awakened by the opening of 
 the nursery door, and, starting up, saw the Imperial couple 
 steal on tiptoe to the cradle of their sleeping child. 
 There, they knelt in tears, and kissed the unconscious 
 little sleeper, before they stole away again as noiselessly 
 as they had entered ; but although they fancied them- 
 selves unseen, this touching episode had made a deep 
 impression on the attendant's heart. 
 
 No trace of emotion was visible in either Emperor or 
 Empress the next day, however; and while the police 
 was still busy arresting the assassins, they drove out 
 together unattended, passing all along the Boulevards, 
 and through the most densely populated districts, where 
 the people rewarded them for the confidence they showed 
 by cheering them madly. That day and the next was 
 taken up in receiving deputations and congratulatory 
 addresses, and on the 17th their Majesties were present 
 at the solemn Te Deum, sung in Notre Dame in honour 
 of their almost miraculous preservation. In fact, had not 
 one of the criminals been arrested, and Orsini refrained 
 from casting the last bomb after the lights went out, 
 their Majesties would inevitably have perished, as was 
 clearly demonstrated in the trial which began about a 
 
 313 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 month after this memorable attempt. Had the Em- 
 peror's life alone been endangered, he would gladly have 
 pardoned the assassins ; but he could not liberate a crim- 
 inal whose attempt had cost the lives of many innocent 
 persons, so the trial proceeded without any interference 
 on his part. 
 
 Orsini confessed his guilt, was tried and sentenced ; 
 but although he attempted to clear his accomplices, they 
 were sentenced too. Before paying the penalty of his 
 crime, however, Orsini wrote to Napoleon, imploring him 
 to interfere in Italy's behalf. This passionate appeal, 
 added to his own convictions, and to a warning received 
 from England that a hundred Italians were pledged to 
 kill him, if he did not help their oppressed country, finally 
 determined Napoleon to undertake the Italian war, in 
 spite of the disapproval he knew he would incur on the 
 part of certain of the European powers. 
 
 It took some time, however, to reach this decision, 
 and before his plans were fully matured, May again 
 came around, and the Imperial family removed to Fon- 
 tainebleau to enjoy the spring in that charming retreat. 
 The Emperor felt a special affection for this palace, 
 where he remembered being christened at the age of 
 three, when Napoleon I. and Marie Louise acted as his 
 sponsors. The forest also had delightful associations for 
 him as well as for Eugenie, for they had ridden through 
 it in the days when the Emperor first began his courtship. 
 
 After enjoying a few weeks together in this ideal 
 retreat, the Imperial couple returned to St. Cloud, where 
 the Emperor left his wife and son, while he went to 
 Plombieres to undergo treatment for rheumatism. It was 
 at this bathing resort that Napoleon had his famous 
 interview with the Italian statesman Cavour, and arranged 
 with him that Prince Napoleon should marry Princess 
 
 314 
 
Eugenie 
 
 Clothilde, Victor Emmanuel's daughter, in exchange 
 for French help in driving the Austrians out of the 
 peninsula, and making Italy free " from the Alps to the 
 Adriatic." 
 
 This momentous interview, which was to have such 
 important results, attracted very little attention at the 
 time, the public taking far more interest in a meeting 
 which took place, soon after, at Cherbourg, between 
 Victoria and Napoleon. Both sovereigns went thither 
 accompanied by their consorts, and the Imperial couple 
 not only boarded the English yacht to welcome their 
 guests, but escorted them ashore amid booming cannons, 
 rolling drums, the loud blare of the military bands, and 
 the cheering of the vast crowds assembled to see them. 
 
 But coming events were already casting their shadows, 
 and Victoria commented upon the fact that the Emperor 
 seemed embarrassed, while Eugenie was just as modest 
 and charming as ever. This time the visit was very 
 brief, a fact which Napoleon did not regret, for he knew 
 that England would not approve of his coming policy. 
 Still the sovereigns had several pleasant drives together, 
 and Victoria enjoyed reviewing the French troops drawn 
 up in battle array in her honour. 
 
 When the royal guests had departed, the Imperial 
 couple inaugurated a new basin, visited sundry vessels of 
 their fleet, and unveiled the statue of Napoleon I., which 
 had recently been erected in the city which he trans- 
 formed into one of the finest military ports the world 
 has ever seen. 
 
 Napoleon and Eugenie next made a journey all through 
 Brittany, which seemed like a triumphal progress, for the 
 people there received them with extravagant demonstra- 
 tions of joy. Flowers, addresses, and presents of sundry 
 kinds were showered upon them, the Empress receiving 
 
 31S 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 them all with her wonted tact, but showing most pleas- 
 ure when a little child at Auray gave her a dainty rosary 
 for the baby Prince. Her beauty created a sensation 
 wherever she went, and the wives of the officials thought 
 nothing too good for her, and on one occasion, at least, 
 are said to have made her very uncomfortable by decking 
 her bed with white satin sheets, for they thought nothing 
 else would do for so dainty a creature. The Empress, 
 however, knew how kindly all these attentions were 
 meant, and was, therefore, careful to acknowledge all 
 tokens of love and interest with the graciousness they 
 deserved. 
 
 The Imperial tour ended on the 2ist of August, when 
 their Majesties returned to St. Cloud, where they found 
 their son in the best of health and spirits. They took 
 him with them on their next journey, which was directed 
 to Biarritz, where they spent the month of September, 
 enjoying the sea baths. Immediately after their return 
 to St. Cloud, Napoleon went to the camp at Chalons, 
 where he inspected his troops and watched them perform 
 their complicated evolutions with great precision and 
 skill. The Empress soon joined him there, and Napoleon 
 welcomed her with a display of all the military pomp at 
 his command, giving a grand review for her especial 
 benefit. They next journeyed together to Rheims, where 
 they spent a few days visiting the quaint old town, and 
 viewing with special interest the famous cathedral where 
 nearly all the French Kings were solemnly anointed 
 before their coronation. And there they remembered 
 that the last ceremony of this kind in the venerable old 
 building had been the consecration of Charles X., who 
 had died in exile, and whose family was still in Austria. 
 In the beginning of November, the Imperial family 
 went as usual to Compiegne for the hunting season, 
 
 316 
 
Eugenie 
 
 which this time extended over five wreeks, and proved 
 most enjoyable to all those w^ho made part of the famous 
 series. The Empress was, as usual, the most beautiful 
 among the many handsome women present, and she and 
 her husband were very glad to lay aside much of the 
 formal court etiquette, and to entertain their guests like 
 private parties. The picturesque meets in the forest, 
 where the rich hunting garb of the women, the red coats 
 of the men, the spirited horses, and sleek hounds formed 
 such a pretty picture, was the main diversion, and the 
 Empress herself frequently took an active part in this 
 sport. She seemed as young and rode as well as ever, 
 and greatly enjoyed the exhilaration of her favourite ex- 
 ercise, in which many of the lady guests were glad to 
 indulge in her company. 
 
 The party did not break up until the 5th of Decem- 
 ber, when Napoleon and Eugenie returned to the Tui- 
 leries to begin the winter of 1858-59, which was to 
 prove so very eventful. The new year began very 
 quietly, but many suspected that this state of affairs 
 would not long continue, when Napoleon remarked to 
 the Austrian envoy on New Year's Day : " I regret that 
 our relations with your government should no longer be 
 as friendly as in the past ; but I beg you to assure the 
 Emperor that my personal feelings are quite unchanged." 
 
 The relations were no longer so cordial, simply be- 
 cause Napoleon had determined to help Victor Emman- 
 uel drive the Austrians out of Italy as soon as the 
 marriage between Prince Napoleon and Princess Clothilde 
 was concluded. Although barely fifteen, this Princess 
 was united early in February to Prince Napoleon, who 
 went to Turin to get his bride, and brought her back to 
 Paris in triumph. There they were received with all 
 honour, and although the Princess was not at all pretty, 
 
 317 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 she was so quiet and dignified, so proud of her noble 
 descent, and so self-possessed, that she played her part very 
 creditably. Eugenie, touched that so young a creature 
 should already be married, — and to so undesirable a 
 husband as Prince Napoleon, — met the bride cordially; 
 but the latter fancied herself far above the Empress, and 
 considered her a mere adventuress, or a parvenue, 
 while treating her with perfect outward politeness. All 
 Eugenie's attempts to win Clothilde's liking were, there- 
 fore, unavailing, and many of her kindly speeches were 
 answered with repellent coldness. For instance, the 
 Empress once sympathetically inquired whether she did 
 not find court ceremonials very irksome, whereat the 
 Princess stiffly answered : " No, not at all ; but then / 
 am so accustomed to them at home." 
 
 The Princess was very narrow-minded and bigoted, 
 seldom appeared at court unless circumstances required, 
 spent all her time with her children or in practices of 
 devotion, and always seemed to resent the fact that her 
 husband had once been in love with Eugenie, and had 
 vainly tried to marry her. She was not more hostile to 
 the Empress than her husband, however, whose enmity 
 had ceased to be veiled ever since the birth of the Prince 
 Imperial. 
 
 Indeed, the advent of this child proved a bitter dis- 
 appointment to Prince Napoleon, who hoped to be his 
 cousin's heir and successor. He not only tried to cast 
 a slur upon the Prince's birth, declaring he was a suppos- 
 ititious child, but failing to win credence for that state- 
 ment, sedulously spread all manner of evil reports 
 concerning the Empress' vanity, extravagance, and lack 
 of dignity, until he finally succeeded in poisoning many 
 minds. Seeing none would believe the story he circu- 
 lated concerning the Prince's birth, — which was besides 
 
 318 
 
Eugenie 
 
 confuted by the fact that he himself was one of the wit- 
 nesses who testified to his legitimacy, — he next tried to 
 convince people that the Prince was only half-witted, 
 and never mentioned him save as "that poor infant." 
 Of course the appearance of the bright little Prince soon 
 refuted this slanderous assertion also; but the mother 
 naturally resented such rumours, and, as she despised 
 Prince Napoleon on account of his profligate character 
 and cowardice, she did not take much trouble to conceal 
 her opinion of him. Too frank and fearless to dissimu- 
 late, she let fly many a shaft, which apparently glanced 
 off Prince Napoleon's armour of polished indifference, but 
 in reality left rankling wounds which he avenged in the 
 basest way. 
 
 Meantime, the Empress was present at the solemn 
 assembly of the Legislative Body on February 7th, 1859, 
 and she and the bride, attended by all the court ladies, 
 sat in the gallery to listen to the Emperor's opening ad- 
 dress. In this speech Napoleon again hinted at the 
 coming war, but its shadow was not allowed to dim any 
 of the festivities, and all agreed that the capital had never 
 seen so gay a carnival season. Entertainments were so 
 numerous, that many people attended four or five in the 
 course of the same evening, and all were unusually bril- 
 liant. But all others paled before the fete which the 
 city offered to the bridal couple, and before four masked 
 balls given by the Minister of State, the Minister of For- 
 eign Af&irs, the Legislature, and the Court. These 
 were all as gay as possible, the costumes surpassing all 
 description, and the interest of the guests being height- 
 ened by the fact that their Majesties appeared, masked 
 at all save their own ball. 
 
 All these worldly gaieties were, however, quickly 
 succeeded by the Lenten austerities, the court giv- 
 
 319 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 ing no formal entertainments during that season, 
 save concerts once a week. Still Eugenie continued to 
 entertain informally on Monday evenings, w^hen two or 
 three hundred guests often dropped in at the Tuileries, 
 to pay their respects to the handsome Empress, whose 
 sprightly conversation many of them greatly enjoyed. It 
 was also during these winter months that the Emperor 
 began his famous " Life of Caesar," which was to 
 occupy his leisure hours for several years, and proved 
 a very absorbing and congenial occupation to a man of 
 his studious turn of mind. 
 
 Early in March, Eugenie went in state to the opera, to 
 view the first public performance of Gounod's " Mignon," 
 an opera which proved a great and lasting success, and 
 which is still one of the popular favourites. Then, during 
 Holy Week, their Majesties also visited the Salon, circu- 
 lating freely among the other visitors, and greatly admir- 
 ing Yvon's recently completed " Courtine de Malakoff," 
 which now graces the " Hall of Battles " in Versailles. 
 
 On Holy Thursday, the Empress became aware that 
 matters were rapidly reaching a crisis, so her Easter was 
 not wholly untroubled. Still she had to wait and dis- 
 semble, until diplomatic machinations brought about the 
 war in which France and Piedmont pitted their forces 
 against Austria. Troops were immediately hurried into 
 Italy by land and by sea, and the Emperor prepared to act 
 as General-in-Chief of his own army. But before leav- 
 ing France, he appointed Eugenie Regent, with his uncle 
 Jerome Bonaparte as her chief adviser. He also issued 
 a proclamation, wherein he committed his wife and the 
 Prince Imperial to the loyalty of the nation, saying : 
 
 " I entrust them both to the valour of the army which 
 remains in France to watch over our frontiers and protect 
 our hearths. I entrust them to the whole nation, which 
 
 320 
 
Eugenie 
 
 will, I know, surround them with all the love and devo- 
 tion of which I daily receive so many proofs." 
 
 If the Emperor had full confidence in the people, many 
 of the latter had equally implicit faith in Eugenie, as was 
 proved by a sutler's wife, who, on the eve of going to 
 Italy with her regiment, left her six-year-old daughter 
 with Eugenie's secretary, saying : " I beg Madame the 
 Empress to take charge of my child. I have no fear, for 
 I know that she will take good care of her until I come 
 back." 
 
 Eugenie accepted this responsibility, and provided 
 carefully for the little maiden, as the mother had foreseen. 
 She was, however, sorely troubled at the idea of parting 
 from her husband ; but, in spite of the affecting farewells 
 uttered during his last evening at the Tuileries, and the 
 addresses on the morrow, she maintained all her dignity 
 and composure, thus setting a good example to other 
 wives, who felt it incumbent upon them to imitate her 
 bravery. At half-past five, the Emperor drove with 
 Eugenie to the railway station, receiving a grand ovation 
 on the way thither, for the people cheered madly all 
 along his route, calling out from time to time : " Rest 
 easy, we will watch over your wife and son till you come 
 home ! " 
 
 These demonstrations greatly pleased the Emperor, 
 who maintained his customary impassive mien only with 
 the utmost difficulty, and he and Eugenie were busy every 
 step of the way acknowledging these popular demon- 
 strations of ardent loyalty. The Empress boarded the 
 train with her husband, and accompanied him to Monte- 
 reau, where, after dining with him, she quietly took leave 
 and returned alone to Paris. 
 
 The war which opened thus, was to prove brief and 
 glorious, the French winning the five victories of Pales- 
 
 VOL. I. — 21 321 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 tro, Turbigo, Magenta, Melegnano, and Solferino, but 
 only at the cost of great bloodshed. Throughout this 
 campaign the Emperor directed the movements of his 
 troops with great skill and bravery ; but it is said the 
 sight of the Italian battlefields inspired him with such 
 a horror for warfare, that he never again wished to engage 
 in unnecessary conflicts. The news of these successive 
 brilliant victories greatly delighted the nation, and the 
 Parisians especially gave vent to almost delirious bursts 
 of joy. 
 
 Meantime, the Empress had earnestly undertaken her 
 new duties as Regent, shirking no task however irksome, 
 driving several times a week to the Tuileries to preside 
 over the council meetings, and amazing the ministers by 
 her zeal, her intelligence, and her aptitude in seizing and 
 comprehending difficult questions. She also addressed 
 the Senate and Legislative Assembly, both of which 
 bodies expressed a lively wish to behold the Prince Im- 
 perial before they adjourned. The Empress not only 
 granted this request, but expressed her pleasure in doing 
 so in the following speech : — 
 
 " Gentlemen, I am deeply touched by the request you 
 have expressed to see the Prince Imperial before return- 
 ing to your homes. I rely upon your enlightened patri- 
 otism to maintain the national faith in the courage of 
 our own army, and, when the time comes, in the mod- 
 eration of the Emperor. However difficult my task 
 may be, I feel in my loyal French heart that I shall be 
 able to carry it through. I am encouraged, gentlemen, 
 by your faithful co-operation, and by the support of 
 the people at large, who, during the absence of their 
 ruler, are not likely to fail a woman and a child." 
 
 The members of the Senate and Legislative Assembly 
 were all charmed with the little Prince, who, although 
 
 322 
 
Eugenie 
 
 seldom produced, behaved very creditably, and they all 
 went home to relate how bright and obedient he was, 
 and how unspoiled, in spite of his exalted station and 
 the fact that he was an only child. The Parisians were 
 also soon to have a chance to behold him, for his mother 
 suddenly decided to take him to Notre Dame with her 
 to hear the grand Te Deum in honour of the battle of 
 Solferino. 
 
 Eugenie received the news of this victory one night 
 after she had already retired. She was so pleased, how- 
 ever, that she dressed again hastily, and went down into 
 the garden, to tell the news in person to the officers and 
 sentinels. They, too, were overjoyed, and when the 
 tidings reached the capital, early the next morning, the 
 enthusiasm of the Parisians knew no bounds. The 
 three-year-old Prince Imperial was also greatly excited, 
 when informed that he was to accompany his mother, 
 and he listened very gravely, and promised to be very 
 good, when his governess carefully explained how he 
 must behave. Dressed in white pique, with a broad 
 blue sash across his breast, the Prince left the Tuileries 
 at eleven o'clock, on the 3rd of July, 1859, and drove 
 in an open carriage with his mother. Princess Clothilde, 
 and Princess Mathilde to the venerable old cathedral. 
 They were escorted by the Imperial Guard in full uni- 
 form, troops were stationed along their passage, while 
 the crowds of people cheered with delight, and threw 
 showers of flowers into the carriage. Eugenie bowed 
 and smiled incessantly to acknowledge these favours, 
 and her son threw countless kisses and thoroughly enjoyed 
 all the bustle and noise. 
 
 When they reached Notre Dame, they were for- 
 mally received by the Archbishop, who ceremoniously 
 led them into the church and up to the altar. The 
 
 323 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 little Prince moved slowly up the broad aisle, holding his 
 beautiful mother's hand, and sat down beside her on the 
 platform placed in the choir. There, all could see him, 
 and the vast audience was equally pleased and touched 
 by the childish gravity of his demeanour. Throughout 
 the long service, — which must have seemed almost end- 
 less to a child of his tender years, — he kept his big 
 soulful eyes fixed upon Eugenie, and carefully imitated 
 all she did, rising, kneeling, and crossing himself with 
 infantile grace. A child in his position always appeals 
 to every heart, and the people were delighted with the 
 intelligence he so plainly manifested. Besides, " It was 
 the first time that the son of the Emperor mingled 
 officially with the nation," and the people felt doubly 
 happy because " God granted him the boon of doing so 
 under the auspices of victory." 
 
 On the way home, the Empress and her son received 
 a second ovation, which so pleased the Prince Imperial 
 that he delighted the court by declaring as he re-entered 
 the palace : " I want another Te Deum ! " 
 
 It soon became apparent, however, that the pageant 
 would not immediately be repeated, for Napoleon signed 
 an armistice at Villa Franca, and, perceiving the war was 
 virtually over, returned to France two weeks after his 
 son's memorable visit to the cathedral. His wife and 
 boy were waiting for him at the station, and the Prince 
 was quite hurt when his father anxiously inquired whether 
 he still knew his papa. Napoleon was glad to be home, 
 for he was a family man, and very proud of the child's 
 preference for him, — a preference which was partly due 
 to extreme paternal indulgence. For whereas Eugenie 
 was very firm and strict with her son, the Emperor 
 always spoiled him, and would not allow any one to 
 check or correct him in his presence. 
 
 324 
 
OS 
 
 Sd 
 
 
Eugenie 
 
 Napoleon's return was soon followed by that of the 
 troops, who marched in triumph through the capital, 
 wearing their dusty and travel-stained uniforms, but 
 proudly bearing aloft the eagles and flags still blackened 
 by the smoke of battle. The Empress and Prince Im- 
 perial were stationed on a balcony of the Place Vendome, 
 the Emperor being on horseback in the street below 
 them to review the troops of which he was so justly 
 proud. On this occasion the Prince Imperial wore a full 
 uniform, and delighted the soldiers by drawing his tiny 
 sword and saluting them in true military style. He and 
 his mother — who was gowned in white — again re- 
 ceived a grand ovation, and were kept very busy 
 answering the manifold cheers and salutes. 
 
 Toward the end of the review, the Prince's equerry 
 carried him down into the street, and placed him astride 
 his father's horse. There, held by the Emperor, in a 
 position to see and be seen by all, the little Prince finished 
 the review, which pleased him quite as well as the great 
 Te Deum. 
 
 This memorable celebration closed with a banquet 
 and a grand illumination, and as Napoleon Day came 
 on the morrow, the festivities continued, and the people 
 thus enjoyed two fine holidays in succession. 
 
 The Imperial family next spent a few weeks at St. 
 Sauveur in the Pyrenees, and at Biarritz by the sea, 
 before going to Compiegne for the autumn hunting sea- 
 son. While they were staying there, the treaty of 
 Ziirich was signed, and all the French openly rejoiced 
 over the conclusion of the Italian war. But, although 
 hostilities had ceased, political discussions were still rife, 
 for King Victor Emmanuel was anxious to become mas- 
 ter of all Italy, and have Rome for his capital ; while the 
 Pope was determined not to relinquish any of his tem- 
 
 325 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 poral power, and expected the French to go on support- 
 ing him as before. 
 
 Some of the French were in favour of Italian unity, 
 others inclined to Papal temporal power, so this foreign 
 question caused still more confusion in France, where 
 political parties were already numerous. The Empress, 
 who was a fervent Roman Catholic, naturally sided with 
 the Pope, for whom she felt besides a particular affection, 
 because he was the godfather of her son. 
 
 Since acting as Regent, Eugenie had felt a lively in- 
 terest in state affairs, so she willingly yielded to her hus- 
 band's urging, and assisted at the cabinet meetings, and 
 even at times gave her views upon the subject discussed. 
 She was sufficiently intelligent and independent to have 
 convictions of her own, and as she expressed them freely, 
 even when they differed from her husband's, a new party 
 soon rallied around her. Other political parties were 
 also well represented at court, and Napoleon described 
 the state of affairs pretty aptly when he once whimsi- 
 cally exclaimed : " How can you expect my government 
 to get on ? The Empress is a Legitimist ; De Morny is 
 an Orleanist ; Prince Napoleon is a Republican ; and I 
 am a Socialist. Persigny is the only Imperialist — and 
 he is mad." 
 
 The men he thus jestingly mentioned were, however, 
 his chief advisers, men for whom he felt the greatest 
 affection, and who were devoted to his interests. But, 
 like him, they were in many respects unprincipled men, 
 and unlike him several were very mercenary and in- 
 clined to speculate. The Emperor, however, did not 
 perceive these faults in his adherents, for he was bound to 
 them by close ties of family or friendship. As we have 
 seen. Prince Napoleon was his first cousin ; De Morny 
 his half-brother, although the relationship was not ac- 
 
 326 
 
Eugenie 
 
 knowledged. Napoleon having discovered its existence 
 only after Queen Hortense's death. Persigny had shared 
 Napoleon's fortunes for years, sharing his arrest at the 
 time of the unlucky attempt at Strasbourg. These men, 
 with Walewskij the illegitimate son of Napoleon I., 
 helped the Emperor maintain his authority, and rendered 
 him invaluable services, and Persigny was first to caution 
 him against letting the Empress interfere in state affairs, 
 saying that such a procedure might in time have baleful 
 consequences. 
 
 In fact, Eugenie would have been far happier had the 
 Emperor heeded this advice, for the cabinet meetings 
 were very disquieting to her peace of mind. She had 
 espoused the cause of the Pope so warmly, that she once 
 vowed : " If the Pope leaves the Quirinal, I shall leave 
 the Tuileries ! I would rather see the Emperor mur- 
 dered than doomed for ever." In those passionate words 
 lay the explanation of the Empress' conduct, for she 
 really believed her husband would forfeit his soul's salva- 
 tion if he did not support the Pope's cause. Those who 
 did not concur in these views, naturally accused her of 
 being very bigoted, among others Princess Clothilde, 
 who, although very pious, too, was particularly anxious 
 that her father should secure Rome for his capital. This 
 difference of views helped estrange the two women, who, 
 as we have seen, in spite of good intentions, were never 
 real friends, although they apparently lived on the best 
 of terms together. 
 
 The year i860 was to prove very eventful, for France 
 not only made a treaty of commerce with England, but 
 proceeded — notwithstanding the Treaty of Ziirich — 
 to annex the province of Savoy and the territory of Nice. 
 Walewski, seeing the provisions of the treaty he had 
 made completely ignored, resigned his position, so it was 
 
 327 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 his successor, Thouvenel, who arranged the Treaty of 
 Turin, whereby these two provinces were granted to 
 France, provided the inhabitants signified their consent 
 by plebiscite. Toward the end of January, the court 
 went into mourning for Princess Stephanie, Dowager 
 Duchess of Baden, a niece of Josephine, who had just 
 died. Still, court mournings are very brief. So early 
 in February their Majesties could attend the Pompeian 
 feast given by Prince Napoleon, and a masked ball at 
 the residence of the Duchess of Alva, Eugenie's sister, 
 who had come to settle in Paris with her husband and 
 children. 
 
 Early in June, the Emperor and Empress hastened to 
 Lyons, to greet the widow of Nicholas I., who was pass- 
 ing through the city^ The people were delighted to see 
 Napoleon again, and especially eager to view the Empress, 
 whom they had never beheld. A contemporary writes : 
 " They were charmed. Her Majesty, who is thirty- 
 four, looks twenty-five. She is really lovely, and her 
 kindness is excessive. When the people crowded too 
 closely around the carriage, she was always afraid that 
 those who drew near to present petitions would be hurt." 
 The Emperor, perceiving the popular enthusiasm, prom- 
 ised to return to Lyons in August, when the people 
 could fete him as much as they wished, but in the mean 
 time returned with his wife to Fontainebleau. 
 
 There, as usual, Eugenie occupied the apartment 
 known as the room of the Five Maries, for it had been 
 inhabited by five queens of that name, including her 
 favourite among the French sovereigns, the unhappy 
 Marie Antoinette. Here, as at Compiegne, their Majes- 
 ties entertained considerably, dining in state every even- 
 ing in the famous Hall of Henry H. But the Emperor 
 could not remain there long, having promised to go to 
 
 328 
 
Eugenie 
 
 Baden to meet sundry German Princes, whom his policy 
 disquieted, and who feared lest he would next try to 
 restore France's ancient boundaries, by claiming all the 
 territory west of the Rhine. Napoleon succeeded in 
 calming their worst apprehensions, and returned home 
 only a few days before the death of his uncle, Jerome 
 Bonaparte, the last surviving brother of the Great Em- 
 peror. This Prince died while the Second Empire was 
 still at its height, and was buried with great pomp in the 
 Invalides, — the Bonaparte family tomb. 
 
 A few weeks later, the Empress set out alone for 
 Eaux Bonnes, where she was to spend twenty days, 
 leaving her son at St. Cloud. He was now four years 
 old, and when the pupils of the Versailles Lycee peti- 
 tioned for a visit, he was sent thither in state, with his 
 governess and equerry. Here, too, he acquitted himself 
 very creditably, and as he begged the teachers to give 
 the pupils a holiday, the latter cheered him with tremen- 
 dous gusto when he drove away. 
 
 The Emperor, desiring to exhibit him to the soldiers 
 at Chalons too, sent orders that he should join him 
 there. Like all small boys, the Prince Imperial de- 
 lighted in soldiers, so he was very happy in this camp, 
 where he was allowed to go in and out of the tents, speak 
 to the soldiers at will, and ride beside his father whenever 
 he reviewed the troops. This last performance charmed 
 the men ; for Louis had already learned to manage his 
 small steed with considerable skill, having ridden ever 
 since his third year. Both his parents were excellent 
 riders, and his mother was determined he should be quite 
 as fearless as herself. She therefore often considered 
 his attendants over-careful, and seeing him on his pony 
 one day, pacing slowly along, gave the animal a sharp 
 cut with her whip, which started him ofF at a brisk trot. 
 
 329 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 The riding-master, terrified lest an accident should befall 
 his precious charge, so far lost control of his manners, it 
 is said, as to swear vehemently, while he dashed off in 
 pursuit ; but the faithful governess helplessly wrung her 
 hands, exclaiming : " Oh, Madame, how could you ? 
 you should remember you have only one ! " 
 
 One of the principal amusements of the little Prince 
 was to watch the soldiers make their soup, although he 
 particularly disliked that part of his own dinner. Indeed, 
 it was only because his attendants gravely assured him 
 that he must eat soup if he would grow tall, that he ever 
 consented to touch it. One day, when strolling about 
 the camp, he positively convulsed his audience by plant- 
 ing himself in front of a huge grenadier, and wonderingly 
 exclaiming, after a prolonged contemplation of his un- 
 usual size : " Goodness, what a lot of soup you must 
 have eaten to grow so big ! " 
 
 The Emperor and his son again reviewed the troops 
 together on Napoleon Day, before proceeding to Paris, 
 where they gladly met Eugenie, who had just returned 
 from Eaux Bonnes. That evening, Paris was brilliantly 
 illuminated, and grand , fireworks were set off in different 
 parts of the city for the amusement of an admiring crowd. 
 These fireworks were also plainly visible from St. Cloud, 
 where their Majesties spent the rest of the day, receiv- 
 ing congratulations from all parts of the Empire, for the 
 Emperor's official birthday was then the principal na- 
 tional holiday. 
 
 A few days after this celebration, the Imperial couple 
 set out on the longest and most magnificent tour which 
 they made during their seventeen years' joint reign. 
 Leaving St. Cloud in the middle of August, i86o, they 
 first stopped at Dijon, where the Mayor addressed 
 Eugenie as follows : " Madame, Burgundy is proud 
 
 330 
 
Eugenie 
 
 and happy to welcome your Majesty to its ancient 
 capital. It knows — as well as all the rest of France 
 — that, seated on the throne, you are a gracious Provi- 
 dence for the poor and unhappy, and that, should need 
 arise, you would be the brave sovereign of a great 
 people ! " 
 
 Their Majesties, after attending Mass, received all the 
 town dignitaries, and then partook of a fine dinner be- 
 fore setting out for the official ball. Eugenie drove 
 thither in a brilliantly lighted coach, so all the people 
 could see her in the splendour of full dress attire and 
 crowned with her flashing diadem. She seemed so fair, 
 that a prolonged shout of heartfelt admiration accom- 
 panied her, and' the people marvelled at her great beauty, 
 at the charming way in which she acknowledged their 
 homage, and at the magnificence of the " Hundred 
 Guards " forming her escort. 
 
 The next stop made by the Imperial party was at 
 Chalons, where a deputation of young girls presented 
 flowers to Eugenie, who next proceeded to Lyons. The 
 people there were so enthusiastic that their Majesties had 
 to appear on the balcony several times to acknowledge 
 their greetings, although they spent several days in this 
 city, inaugurating and examining a commercial and ar- 
 tistic exposition, and attending balls and reviews. When 
 they reached Chambery, in Savoy, Napoleon and Eugenie 
 took part in the Te Deum for the elections, for the inhab- 
 itants had almost unanimously declared in favour of an- 
 nexation to France. The usual succession of receptions, 
 dinners, balls, reviews, and illuminations followed, before 
 their Majesties passed on to Aix-les-Bains and Annecy, 
 where one of the magistrates thus greeted Eugenie : — 
 
 " Madame, the city of Saint Francis de Sales rejoices 
 and is proud of the honour of having you, even a brief 
 
 331 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 space of time, within its walls. It is aware that your 
 Majesty's visit is that of an angel of goodness, kindness, 
 and charity ! " 
 
 Here the festivities were charmingly varied by a torch- 
 light regatta, and Eugenie enjoyed a delightful excursion 
 on the lake, which is noted for its picturesque scenery. 
 The state dinner offered by the authorities was prolonged 
 to so late an hour, that the Empress discovered she would 
 not have time to change her dinner costume for a ball 
 gown, before going to the imposing function to which she 
 had been invited. As she did not wish to disappoint the 
 people, who expect splendour on the part of a sovereign, 
 she asked General Fleury whether it would not do if she 
 added the crown jewels and a court mantle to her present 
 attire. He answered that nothing could suit the public 
 better, and the Empress, thus adorned, produced, as he 
 had predicted, a wonderful sensation. 
 
 On the first of September, after visiting Thonon, the 
 Imperial party reached Salenches, where they had the 
 satisfaction of beholding a magnificent storm, and heard 
 the thunder crash and reverberate among the lofty moun- 
 tains. Here, too, they greatly admired the sturdy moun- 
 taineers, stationed in groups around the triumphal arch, 
 before journeying on to Chamonix, where the Empress 
 explored part of the famous Mer de Glace. 
 
 Their Majesties now retraced their steps to Chambery, 
 where a new ovation awaited them, and stopped at 
 Grenoble, Valence, Orange, and Avignon, visiting the 
 Roman ruins and ancient buildings, inspecting the hos- 
 pitals and other charitable institutions, and attending the 
 usual series of entertainments given for their benefit. In 
 the last named town, the Emperor ordered the restora- 
 tion of the old Papal palace, before setting out for Mar- 
 seilles, by way of Tarascon and Aries, where only brief 
 
 332 
 
Eugenie 
 
 stops were made. The Marseillais entertained their 
 Majesties with due magnificence, offering to give the 
 Emperor a beautiful castle just outside of their city, if he 
 would only come and sojourn among them from time 
 to time. To Eugenie, they gave a costly bracelet, con- 
 taining a fine miniature portrait of her son, knowing she 
 would prize such a gift more than anything else. Their 
 Majesties next proceeded by sea to Toulon, where the 
 magistrate pompously greeted Eugenie as a " A modern 
 Blanche of Castille, whose great and pious memory you 
 recall on the grandest throne in the world," and con- 
 cluded his speech with the cordial wish : " May you 
 long enjoy, Madame, all the happiness which, as a 
 monarch, a wife, and a mother, your heart can crave." 
 
 Their Majesties left Toulon, still by sea, and landing 
 at Villa Franca, drove to Nice, where, as usual, they at- 
 tended Mass before beginning their round of festivities. 
 Here, too, they were gladly welcomed, and the people 
 spared no effort to testify their joy at forming at last 
 part of France. 
 
 This visit over, their Majesties sailed to Corsica, 
 where they made a pious pilgrimage to Napoleon's 
 birthplace, viewed all the family relics collected 
 there, and visited the church where Madame Laetitia 
 Bonaparte and her brother Cardinal Fesch were laid to 
 rest. Ajaccio did its best to entertain them sumptuously, 
 before they left for Algiers on the Imperial yacht. It 
 was while Eugenie was thus sailing across the Medi- 
 terranean Sea, that her sister — who had been ailing for 
 some time — suddenly died in Paris. But no tidings 
 of this misfortune had reached her when she landed at 
 Algiers, and went straight to the cathedral as usual. 
 On the morrow the Empress laid the cornerstone for 
 the new boulevard which was to bear her name, before 
 
 333 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 witnessing a picturesque exhibition of Arab skill in 
 horsemanship, hunting, and fighting. The performers 
 not only gave a sham battle, but pursued ostriches and 
 gazelles, and hunted with hawks. Finally they drew 
 up in a line of battle, rushed madly up the height on 
 which the Empress stood, and dropped suddenly on one 
 knee before her. The spectators declare that it was an 
 affecting sight to perceive the whole line .of Arab sol- 
 diers gasp in admiration, when, on looking up, they be- 
 held the beautiful Empress so near at hand. She was 
 greatly charmed by the warriors, and it is said that she 
 took such a fancy to a waiter of ebon hue who served 
 her during this visit, that she attached him permanently 
 to her service. This man, who boasted of royal descent, 
 was as haughty as he was picturesque, utterly refusing to 
 wait upon any one except his beautiful mistress. He 
 always stood directly behind her chair at table, where his 
 dark skin and gaudy costume contrasted in a striking 
 manner with Eugenie's fair complexion and exquisite 
 form. 
 
 Eugenie was very happy during this Algerian visit, 
 for her husband carefully concealed the sad news which 
 he had just received concerning the Duchess of Alva, 
 and she felt no misgivings. Knowing that the people 
 would be grievously disappointed if they did not both 
 attend the ball. Napoleon kept his own counsel until it 
 was over, and even then merely informed Eugenie that 
 her sister was very ill, and that they would return home at 
 onCe. The Empress, pale with apprehension, hastened 
 the preparations for departure, and on her way down to 
 the yacht repeatedly cried : " Oh ! if we can only get 
 there in time," All who heard her knew it was already 
 too late, but none dared reveal that fact, and the yacht 
 steamed off at full speed in spite of the rough weather 
 
 334 
 
Eugenie 
 
 which made all on board very uncomfortable. The 
 Empress alone showed no signs of fear oi of seasick- 
 ness, for she was thinking only of the sister who had 
 been in the same time her friend and confidant, and 
 whom she loved with all the intensity of her nature. 
 
 The storm proved so violent, and the magnificent new 
 yacht so unsafe, that the captain dared not cross the 
 Golfe du Lion in the teeth of the storm, and, therefore, 
 landed his august passengers at the small port of Vendres. 
 Of course, no provisions had been made there for their 
 reception, and they discovered on landing that the near- 
 est railway station was several miles away. While his 
 suite were scouring the town to procure some means of 
 transportation thither, the Emperor, who had been suffer- 
 ing greatly from seasickness, gently broke the news to 
 his wife that her darling sister was no more. Poor 
 Eugenie was fairly bowed down with grief, but, never- 
 theless, determined to hurry on in hopes of viewing her 
 sister's remains once more, and of taking leave of that 
 beloved form before it was laid in the grave. 
 
 The Imperial party, therefore, crowded into the 
 grocers' and butchers' carts, — the only vehicles avail- 
 able, — and drove through the pouring rain to the rail- 
 way station, from whence they journeyed straight through 
 to Paris. On the way they received sundry telegrams, 
 and Eugenie thus learned that her haste was fruitless, 
 her sister's funeral having already taken place. 
 
 When she drove into the great gate at St. Cloud, she 
 saw her boy, who had come thither in his impatience to 
 welcome his parents home ; but even the sight of this 
 beloved son could not dispel the cloud of grief which 
 enveloped Eugenie. This blow, coming as it did, at the 
 end of such rejoicings and splendour as accompanied 
 the Imperial journey, made so painful an impression 
 
 335 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 upon the Empress, that it changed her greatly. Many 
 people commented upon the fact that the loss of her 
 sister seemed to have deprived her of the zest and enjoy- 
 ment of youth, for Eugenie, who, until then in private, 
 had seemed like a light-hearted girl, was now suddenly 
 transformed into a mature and disenchanted woman. 
 She sank into a state of morbid depression, and wrote to 
 a friend : " If you only knew all I have suffered lately, 
 the gnawing anxiety during my journey home from Al- 
 geria ! And then to find, on reaching home, only an 
 empty house ! Not to have had the consolation of 
 even embracing that lifeless body ; all that is a brief 
 epitome of the price we pay for an exalted position here 
 on earth. One often attains it only by trampling over 
 one's own heart ! I have been indulging in sad retro- 
 spection, and I wonder whether earthly gifts are worth 
 the efforts we make to retain our hold upon them ? " 
 
 The Duchess of Alva had been Eugenie's chief friend 
 and sole confidant, and, being of a calm, gentle tempera- 
 ment, had proved a soothing companion and a safe 
 adviser. She knew all Eugenie's matrimonial troubles, 
 and had sustained her by her sympathy in times of 
 trouble. And now that this sister was gone, Eugenie 
 missed her sorely, for not only did the Emperor wring 
 her heart by again proving faithless, but, contrary to her 
 wishes, he allowed Victor Emmanuel to war against the 
 Pope unchecked, and refused to interfere in behalf of 
 the King of Naples, who was then on the eve of being 
 ousted from his realm. 
 
 This accumulation of sorrows proved more than poor 
 Eugenie could endure, and court gossip relates that, not 
 being able to bring the Emperor back to a fitting sense 
 of decency and duty, she suddenly left home after the 
 brief hunting season at Compifegne, and journeyed ofF 
 
 336 
 
Eugenie 
 
 incognita to England and Scotland, although it was then 
 late in autumn and a cheerless season in which to travel. 
 The Empress left with veiy few attendants, and the 
 official newspapers immediately announced that she was 
 travelling solely for her health. But friends soon inter- 
 fered, and a correspondence ensued between the Imperial 
 couple, which, rumour further relates, resulted in a com- 
 plete reconciliation. 
 
 On her way home the Empress privately visited 
 Queen Victoria, and embarking at Folkestone, upon a ves- 
 sel of the French navy which had been sent thither to 
 get her, returned in state to France. The Emperor met 
 her at Amiens, and personally escorted her home, where 
 her return was celebrated by a joyful family dinner, the 
 little Prince being admitted to his parents' table. 
 
 This attractive child was a great comfort to Eugenie, 
 who often had him with her, and watched over every 
 detail of his life and occupation until he was ten years 
 of age. She also superintended his studies, chose all 
 his clothes, had him brought to her the first thing every 
 morning, and spent hours developing his active mind. 
 Sometimes they both went down the private staircase to 
 the Emperor's study, where the boy played while the 
 father worked, or helped him turn on his lathe, manu- 
 facture furniture, or pursue some of the many mechanical 
 occupations which the Emperor loved, and practised 
 whenever he needed relaxation from his arduous desk 
 work. After lunching together, the Imperial family gen- 
 erally separated to fulfil important duties, but the Em- 
 press always saw her son before he set out for his daily 
 drive, and, after the Orsini attempt, never let him depart 
 without crossing his brow as a preservative against evil. 
 
 The little Prince's carriage, open or closed according 
 to the weather, was always surrounded by a mounted 
 
 VOL. I. — 22 337 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 escort, and his favourite drive was in the direction of the 
 Bois de Boulogne, where one of his father's friends had 
 a country seat, in whose grounds he was allowed to play 
 at will. His playmates were Louis Conneau, the son 
 of his father's physician and devoted friend, — a boy of 
 his own age, — and his three cousins, the children of 
 the Duchess of Alva, whom the Empress cared for like 
 a tender mother, after that sister's death. 
 
 The Prince Imperial and Louis Conneau were almost 
 inseparable, although, like most children, they frequently 
 disagreed, and occasionally quarrelled quite vehemently. 
 But the Prince Imperial was so kind-hearted that he was 
 always ready to forgive and forget. Once, having in- 
 vited his young friend to dinner, he bespoke their favourite 
 dessert — raspberry cream. A quarrel having preceded 
 this meal, Louis Conneau went off in high dudgeon. 
 When the dessert was put on the table, the Prince Im- 
 perial burst into tears, and, sobbing convulsively, told 
 the servant to carry it all to Conneau, saying he could 
 not enjoy it alone. 
 
 After his eighth birthday, the Prince Imperial always 
 dined with his parents, he and his mother sitting on 
 either side of the Emperor, and, during the early part of 
 the evening, he and his young companions were wont to 
 play noisy games, chasing each other around the lofty 
 rooms, or crowding around the Emperor, who never 
 checked their boisterous spirits and often played loto or 
 dominoes with them. 
 
 The Prince, his friends, and his father were equally 
 fond of innocent practical jokes, so the young people 
 were delighted when, on the first of April, the Emperor 
 once had turbot served for every course of the dinner, 
 thus giving them " Poisson d'Avril " ( Poisson d'Avril, 
 or April fish, is the French for " April Fool " ) galore. 
 
 338 
 
Eugenie 
 
 One evening, the usual guests at the Imperial table 
 trembled and turned pale, because an owl appeared at 
 one of the Tuileries windows. The Emperor, hearing 
 some of them whisper about an evil omen, tried to cheer 
 them up by declaring they were highly honoured thus 
 to receive a visit from the " bird of wisdom ;" but, in 
 spite of his efforts, he could not dispel their alarms. 
 The next night they were still more terrified, for on 
 looking apprehensively toward the same window, they 
 beheld a whole family of owls stationed on the window- 
 sill ! This time, the Emperor, too, looked grave and 
 made no remarks ; but when the guests rose from table, 
 they discovered that he had fooled them all by having a 
 number of stuffed owls carefully ranged there in order 
 of size. 
 
 Eugenie's firmness and strictness with her own son 
 and with her sister's children was often considered ex- 
 treme, but she had to react against the Emperor's indul- 
 gence. He always winked at the childrens' disobedience, 
 encouraged them in their mischief, tried to beg them ofF 
 from lessons or punishments, wanted to grant their every 
 request, or gratify their every whim, and the severest 
 reprimand he could ever be induced to give his son was 
 a very gentle : " Come, Louis, don't be silly." 
 
 But Eugenie was wiser, and wishing to make her son 
 a man of whom she might justly be proud, she sensibly 
 began to train him early, and directed that he should be 
 brought up as simply as possible. She also checked all 
 attempts at flattery and adulation, and when one of the 
 courtiers once attempted to bend the knee and kiss the 
 Prince's hand, vehemently insisted upon his being treated 
 just like any other small boy, and answered all objec- 
 tions by exclaiming sensibly : " Nonsense, he is only a 
 child ! " 
 
 339 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Even as a little fellow, the Prince Imperial took a 
 lively interest in soldiers, and was therefore very happy 
 when allowed to don a uniform. But his attendants 
 impressed upon him the fact that the wearing of such 
 a costume entailed good behaviour on his part, and 
 brought him most quickly to order, when inclined to be 
 naughty, by informing him gravely that he was disgrac- 
 ing his uniform. 
 
 At ten years of age, the Prince was handed over to 
 the care of his preceptor. General Frossard, who placed 
 him under strict discipline, and insisted upon a prompt, 
 regular, and conscientious discharge of all his duties. 
 Although he had very little trouble with the Prince 
 himself, his task was far more difficult with the 
 Emperor, who sent for his son at all hours to exhibit 
 him to a caller, or to relieve what he deemed the tedium 
 of a distasteful task. As soon as the preceptor perceived 
 this stratagem, he declared that these interruptions must 
 cease, and thereafter, when the Emperor sent for his 
 son, — aside from the hours when he was at leisure to 
 respond to such summons, — General Frossard calmly 
 sent back word " that his Majesty was respectfully 
 informed the Prince's studies could not be interrupted 
 until the stated hour." Sometimes, when the child was 
 with his father, and was reluctant to obey his tutor's 
 summons, the indulgent parent hid his cap to prolong 
 the visit. The General, however, soon became aware 
 of this subterfuge also, and put an end to it by carrying 
 an extra cap in his pocket, which he immediately pro- 
 duced when the excuse was offered that the Prince could 
 not leave until his cap was found. 
 
 It was in the year i860 that Prince Metternich first 
 came to France as Austrian ambassador, bringing with 
 him his young wife. A remarkably witty and attractive 
 
 340 
 
Eugenie 
 
 woman, although not really pretty, Countess Metternich 
 — who was an excellent mother and wife — was never- 
 theless somewhat of a Bohemian in her tastes. Per- 
 fectly virtuous herself, she nevertheless enjoyed shocking 
 people, and dancing as it were on the edge of a 
 precipice. 
 
 When she first beheld the Empress Eugenie, she was 
 captivated by the purity of feature and vivacity of ex- 
 pression which so enhanced her beauty, and rather 
 vexed some of the court ladies by fervently crying : 
 " Would that I could be her Princesse de Lamballes ! " 
 
 These jealous dames showed their displeasure by 
 retorting stiffly : " More than one Frenchwoman would 
 aspire to such an honour." Still, although so open an 
 admirer of the Empress' beauty. Princess Metternich, 
 who belonged to a very ancient and noble Austrian 
 family, never forgot that Eugenie had risen from a com- 
 paratively modest station to her present eminence, and was 
 not always careful how she expressed this conviction. 
 For instance, weary of the tedium of an evening spent 
 in the palace, where she was visiting, she once directed 
 her friends in a whisper to escape as soon as they could 
 and join her in her apartment. Then, pretending a 
 sudden illness, she excused herself from further attend- 
 ance and withdrew. 
 
 The fun had just begun in her rooms, and she and her 
 friends were dancing there merrily, when the doors were 
 suddenly flung wide open and the Empress appeared. 
 Anxious about Madame de Metternich, Eugenie had 
 followed her, as soon as possible, to see that she had 
 every care. She was therefore surprised and indignant 
 at the trickery used, and being very frank, then and 
 there expressed her displeasure in no measured terms. 
 But Madame de Metternich, who would brook no 
 
 341 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 criticism, immediately interrupted, exclaiming hotly : 
 " Madame, you forget that / came into the world a great 
 lady, and I will not allow any reprimand to be addressed 
 to me ! " 
 
 This altercation caused a brief coldness in their rela- 
 tions, and for a time Princess Metternich did not appear 
 at court ; but after a while, the cloud blew over, and she 
 resumed her position there, becoming once more leader 
 in all the court revels. But she was so autocratic that 
 whenever she got up tableaux or entertainments all those 
 whose services she enlisted had to do exactly as she 
 wished. One fair lady, having determined, on one 
 occasion, to wear a costume of her own devising, instead 
 of the one planned by Madame de Metternich, a lively 
 quarrel ensued. The Empress, hoping to smooth out 
 matters, drew Madame de Metternich apart, and urged 
 her to yield, pleading gently in excuse for the court 
 lady's obstinacy the fact that her mother was mad. But 
 the Princess, beside herself with anger at the opposition 
 she encountered, would listen to no argument, and flatly 
 declared : " Well, my father is mad, and I will not 
 yield any more than she." 
 
 This sally greatly amused the court, for the Princess' 
 father, if not actually mad, was very eccentric, doing all 
 sorts of unheard-of deeds to exhibit the perfection of his 
 horsemanship, of which he was inordinately proud. 
 
 Madame de Metternich also often encouraged the 
 Empress to make innovations in the styles, and once 
 urged her to appear at the races at Fontainebleau in a 
 short skirt. A few of the older ladies, who disapproved 
 of this novelty, took occasion to remonstrate privately 
 with the Princess, asking her whether she would advise 
 a similar costume to her own sovereign. Madame de 
 Metternich carelessly answered : " Oh ! that is very 
 
 342 
 
Eugenie 
 
 different. Of course I would not try to persuade the 
 Empress Elizabeth to go out in short skirts. But our 
 Empress is a royal Princess, whereas yours is only 
 Mademoiselle de Montijo ! " 
 
 The Emperor, far more keen-sighted in this matter 
 than his wife, frequently cautioned Eugenie to be careful, 
 saying he fancied that Madame de Metternich was 
 somewhat of a traitor, and repeated all she heard for the 
 benefit of the Austrian court, while she often tried 
 to get hold of state secrets. But Eugenie never sus- 
 pected double dealing, and went on trusting everybody 
 until convinced that her confidence had really been mis- 
 placed. In such cases she was too ruthless, and no 
 motives of policy could make her pretend to like and re- 
 spect people whom she had learned to despise. This 
 undiplomatic frankness often troubled the Emperor, who, 
 when any one complained to him concerning what they 
 termed her capricious moods, tried to smooth over the 
 difficulty by saying suavely : " You know the Empress 
 is very impulsive ; but in reality, I am sure she is very 
 fond of you." 
 
 Princess Metternich was so clever and quick at 
 repartee, that she was a great addition to Parisian society, 
 and her sallies were quoted everywhere. She has be- 
 sides the honour of having introduced Wagner to the 
 Parisians, for shortly after her arrival in the capital she 
 begged the Emperor to order " Tannhauser." He did so, 
 merely to be agreeable to her ; but although all the court 
 were present for the first performance of this now 
 famous opera, it then fell very flat, and some of the parts 
 were actually hissed, for the Parisians preferred at that 
 time catchy music like Offenbach's. 
 
 Owing to her mourning and consequent depression, 
 the Empress, ^s we have seen, took very little interest in 
 
 343 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 social entertainments during the winter of i860— 6 1. In 
 fact she never appeared in public save when her presence 
 was necessary, and could not restrain her tears when the 
 officials presented their congratulations on New Year's 
 Day. But although she refrained whenever she could 
 from appearing at the balls or at the theatre, she craved 
 as much exercise as possible, and was therefore greatly 
 interested when the ponds in the parks froze over, and 
 some of the Russian ladies in the capital began to skate. 
 The Emperor, who had spent much of his life out of 
 France — where such an amusement is rare — delighted 
 in skating also, and all Parisians enthusiastically adopted 
 the new sport, A skate merchant, who had had six 
 thousand pairs of skates on hand for more than ten 
 years, therefore not only disposed of his whole stock in 
 an incredibly short space of time, but had to order twice 
 as many from Holland to supply immediate demands. 
 
 Eugenie, who was a magnificent horsewoman, and 
 who delighted in all kinds of brisk exercise, now deter- 
 mined to learn to skate too, and in a couple of days 
 mastered the art so thoroughly that she ventured to 
 appear in public. It is said, that as a fall would have 
 seemed unseemly on the part of an Empress, and as 
 none of the skaters, save the Emperor, were of suffi- 
 ciently high rank or closely enough related to her to 
 venture to hold her up, her ingenious teacher invented 
 a padded and beribboned stick for her use. The Em- 
 press grasped this in the middle, and held it firmly in 
 front of her, while two expert skaters, seizing either end, 
 guided her hither and thither with the utmost speed and 
 safety. 
 
 Skating parties now became all the rage, and the 
 ladies vied with one another in devising the most pic- 
 turesque skating costumes. But popular enthusiasm 
 
 344 
 
Eugenie 
 
 reached its height when the Emperor ordered a night 
 carnival on the ice, in which he and the Empress took 
 part. 
 
 That winter was also made memorable for the Prince 
 Imperial by a children's party, given by Princess Mathilde 
 in his honour. He came thither in all the glory of a 
 marquis' dress of the time of Louis XV. But he was 
 particularly pleased because the music was furnished by 
 an orchestra of child-musicians, and very anxious to 
 take a little flute-player's place so that the latter might 
 dance too. Still, there was one drawback to his enjoy- 
 ment, his high-heeled red shoes were very uncomfortable. 
 He therefore slipped out of them during supper, and 
 kicked them far under the table. When called to task 
 for such unseemly behaviour at a party, and directed to 
 put them on again, he vehemently protested he would 
 not, saying : " Mamma has given me leave to do any- 
 thing I please." Still his manners were as a rule ex- 
 cellent, and small as he then was, he thanked Princess 
 Mathilde most heartily for all the pleasure she had 
 given him. 
 
 Children's parties were only a small part of the winter 
 diversions, for almost everybody entertained lavishly, and 
 the regulation number^ of grand balls was given in the 
 Tuileries, with all the accustomed pomp. The Empress 
 graced these festivities in her wonted charming way, 
 winning great encomiums for the tasteful elegance 
 of her attire, for the dignity with which she received, 
 and especially for her beauty, which still seemed as 
 radiant as ever. 
 
 In April, the grand mausoleum planned by Visconti 
 in the Invalides, was finally completed, and Eugenie 
 went thither with her husband to see the body of 
 Napoleon laid in its porphyry tomb. The little Prince 
 
 345 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 was also present at this ceremony, descending with his 
 parents into the crypt, to sprinkle holy water upon the 
 coffin of the illustrious founder of his dynasty before it 
 was enclosed in its red sarcophagus. Still, it is said 
 that this final ceremony did not prove nearly as imposing 
 as the interment under Louis Philippe, twenty years 
 before, when Napoleon's ashes were brought back to 
 France, to rest " on the banks of the Seine which he 
 had loved so well." 
 
 In June, at Fontainebleau, Napoleon settled the long 
 pending Italian Question, by formally recognising Victor 
 Emmanuel, King of Italy. When he announced this 
 decision in his cabinet, Eugenie, who was present, burst 
 into tears and fled, for she could not endure the thought 
 that her husband was despoiling the Holy Father. The 
 Emperor, feeling he must pursue this policy, despite her 
 opposition, remained speechless for a few moments after 
 this outburst, and continued the business on hand only 
 after he had despatched one of his friends to see after 
 the Empress. 
 
 But whereas this was a painful memory for Eugenie 
 to connect with the picturesque castle of Fontainebleau, 
 she was soon to take part in a curious and amusing 
 pageant, for the Emperor had decided that he would 
 receive there the ambassadors sent by the Kings of 
 Siam. The panelled Hall of Henry II. was, therefore, 
 duly prepared for the reception of these foreign guests, 
 a dais and throne being erected for their Majesties in 
 front of the historic mantelpiece. The court was 
 ordered to appear in gala attire, but cautioned to main- 
 tain strict decorum, although Oriental etiquette required 
 the ambassadors to approach the Emperor by crawling 
 on their elbows and knees to the foot of the throne. The 
 Prince Imperial, who begged to be present, was duly 
 
 346 
 
Eugenie 
 
 schooled too, and the Duke of Bassano stationed di- 
 rectly behind him to check any sign of merriment, should 
 he forget the instructions he had received. 
 
 The hour having struck, the Emperor and Empress 
 took their places under the dais, the Prince Imperial 
 standing beside his father, while the court ladies and 
 gentlemen grouped themselves on either side of the 
 throne. Then the Master of Ceremonies announced 
 the Siamese ambassadors, who, clad in tunics and trou- 
 sers of gold brocade, and follow^ed by their attendants, 
 came in solemnly on all fours ! The principal ambas- 
 sador experienced great difficulty in covering the ground 
 in this ridiculous attitude, for he wore a pyramidal, 
 stifF-brimmed hat, and carried besides two golden bowls, 
 wherein rested his master's letters enclosed in jewelled 
 caskets. The "greenish chocolate " complexion of these 
 foreign visitors, their bright eyes, queer costumes, and 
 characteristic entrance greatly interested all the specta- 
 tors, some of whom, however, hardly dared glance at 
 them for fear they should laugh. 
 
 At the foot of the first step, the ambassador paused, 
 poised himself on one elbow, and made a speech which 
 was interpreted by a French missionary. Then, resum- 
 ing his painful journey, he crept on to the throne to 
 present His letters. Napoleon leaned eagerly forward 
 to receive them, and end a scene which was distressing 
 to a man of his kindly nature. Only then would the 
 ambassadors consent to resume the perpendicular, and 
 when the Empress kissed the ten-year-old son of one of 
 the emissaries, the delighted father rapturously cried: 
 " Now, my son, thy days will be happy." 
 
 These ambassadors brought the Emperor and Empress 
 strange gifts, which were exhibited on tables, placed in 
 the deep window recesses on either side of the Hall, and 
 
 347 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 at the foot of the throne. They included a filigree 
 crown, a throne, a palanquin, parasols of rich and 
 quaint designs and fabrics, jewelled harness, golden cups, 
 cloisonne enamels, priceless native weapons, stuiFs, and 
 other curiosities too numerous to mention. This famous 
 reception of the First Siamese Embassy has been painted 
 by Gerome, who placed in his picture authentic portraits 
 of the principal persons present, including his own. 
 
 A few days later, the Emperor departed for Vichy, 
 and after his cure there ended, returned to St. Cloud, 
 whither his family had preceded him to welcome the King 
 of Sweden, a grandson of Napoleon's famous General 
 Bernadotte. Entertainments suited to the season were 
 given in honour of this royal guest, and visits paid 
 to the Tuileries, to Versailles, and to the camp of 
 Chalons, where a series of brilliant manoeuvres were 
 executed, and where the performance concluded with 
 a grand review. 
 
 Two days after the departure of this monarch. Napo- 
 leon inaugurated the Boulevard Malesherbe, which had 
 been cut by his order. Then, as the Empress was 
 going to Eaux Bonnes for a cure, he took his son with 
 him to Chalons to spend " Napoleon Day " with the 
 army. This sojourn over, father and son joined Eugenie 
 at Biarritz, and enjoyed a few quiet weeks by the sea with 
 Countess de Montijo, who had journeyed thither from 
 Spain to meet them. The little Prince so enjoyed play- 
 ing on the beach with other children that it is said he 
 felt very reluctant to leave Biarritz for St. Cloud and 
 Compiegne, where Eugenie was pleased to see him take 
 part in a little play. The Empress entertained and 
 hunted here as usual, and conducted several picnic 
 parties to Pierrefonds, — a picturesque old feudal castle, 
 completely restored by VioUet-le-Duc. One of her 
 
 348 
 
CO ^ 
 
 'SI 
 
Eugenie 
 
 august visitors was the King of Holland, and the most 
 important decision Napoleon took here was to aid Max- 
 imilian obtain possession of the Mexican throne. It 
 was for that reason that French troops were sent across 
 the ocean ; but the Emperor little suspected that he would 
 yet have to desert his ally, who was to meet with a very 
 sad end a few years later. This sojourn at Compiegne 
 was greatly saddened by the sudden tidings of the death 
 of the Portuguese King, and the consequent departure 
 of the Princes, who were among Eugenie's guests. 
 Still the court mourning this death entailed was soon 
 over, and gaieties were resumed when their Majesties 
 returned to the Tuileries, to begin 1863 with the usual 
 official reception and congratulations. We are told that 
 Eugenie began this year by thinking of the poor, for 
 whose benefit she insured her life for a large sum of 
 money. Part of this sum was appointed as a perma- 
 nent endowment for the institution she had founded for 
 workingmen's daughters, which prospered as long as she 
 was on the throne. 
 
 The most delightful experience this year reserved for 
 Eugenie, was a visit to Spain, which, while it displeased 
 the French, afforded her infinite satisfaction. She was 
 not only glad to revisit her native land, but proud to be 
 an honoured and admired guest at the Spanish court, 
 where she had formerly appeared merely as a subject. 
 She also enjoyed the sensation produced by her beauty, 
 her jewels, her dress, her wit and animation, and was 
 delighted to speak her native language once more. The 
 American ambassador, attending a court dinner where she 
 was present, writes : " Perhaps, for an Empress, she was 
 too much of a coquette, but as an Andalusian, — which 
 she is, — and looked upon simply as a woman, she was 
 the most perfect creature I have ever seen anywhere." 
 
 349 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Her coquetry, and especially her anxiety to please m 
 Madrid, seemed particularly offensive to the French, 
 who considered it beneath the dignity of the sovereign 
 of so mighty an Empire as their own, and they now 
 began to mutter : " She was determined to become an 
 Empress. Well, now let her act like one." But 
 Eugenie, quite oblivious of the displeasure she inno- 
 cently occasioned, enjoyed her visit thoroughly before 
 proceeding leisurely northward once more, to join her 
 husband and son at Biarritz. 
 
 This proved, as usual, the Imperial holiday, for 
 " Villa Eugenia " was not large enough to permit en- 
 tertaining to any extent, and their Majesties were only 
 too glad to be rid for a brief space of time of the irk- 
 some pomp and etiquette which surrounded them all the 
 rest of the year. It was at Biarritz, taking sea-baths, 
 that Eugenie always regained sufficient strength to fulfil 
 her trying court duties. These proved a severe tax 
 upon her impaired health, and often, when some grand 
 function was over, and she had returned to her private 
 apartments, she sank wearily into a chair, tore off her 
 ornaments with feverish haste, and tossed them all, one 
 after another, into the outstretched gown of her atten- 
 dant. The latter had to see that the crown jewels were 
 duly restored to the official keeper, and Eugenie's private 
 gems put carefully away, for she owned a large and valu- 
 able collection of precious stones of her own. Their 
 custody was entrusted to a faithful old Spanish atten- 
 dant whom the Empress affectionately called " Pepa," 
 while she was known in the rest of the palace as 
 Madame Pollet. She also had charge of all the Em- 
 press' wearing apparel, which was stored in huge ward- 
 robes, or presses, in rooms directly above Eugenie's 
 dressing-room. Speaking tubes and an ingenious lift 
 
 3SO 
 
Eugenie 
 
 permitted the Empress' orders to be transmitted direct 
 to this department, and her garments were lowered 
 through the ceiling, to avoid crushing and soiling them 
 in the long and narrow stairs and corridors. 
 
 A number of carefully made dummies were used by 
 her Majesty's tirewomen to try on her dresses and 
 wraps, thus saving her much fatigue. Gowns were 
 always submitted to Eugenie's approval on those lay 
 figures, so she could stand ofF and judge of the effect 
 some costume would produce, and have it altered under 
 her direction, without undergoing the boredom of stand- 
 ing for any length of time. Although fond of dress for 
 public occasions, the Empress was always very simply 
 attired at home, appearing even early in the morning in 
 a plain black cloth or silk. Over this tight-fitting gown, 
 she threw a handsome wrap before driving out for her 
 almost daily inspection of some charitable institution. 
 Very often, when bent upon such an errand, Eugenie 
 went out incognita, but as her striking appearance and 
 Titian hair was sure to betray her sooner or later, she 
 often went closely veiled. Once or twice, it is said, she 
 even donned a black wig, so as to be able to stroll along 
 the street unobserved, and look into the shop-windows 
 with as much freedom as the humblest of her subjects. 
 
 While making a charity visit, Eugenie once interfered 
 in a quarrel between two boys. She had seen the elder 
 snatch a cake from a child of inferior age and size ; so, 
 hating injustice, she promptly confiscated the cake and 
 gave it back to its rightful owner. The bully, however, 
 set up such a roar, that a number of viragoes suddenly 
 appeared, and setting their arms akimbo, poured out a 
 fearful volley of abuse upon the fine ladies who meddled 
 with the affairs of the poor. Had it not been for one 
 of the ubiquitous detectives, who hurried Eugenie into 
 
 351 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 a carriage and out of harm's way, these irate women 
 might then and there have resorted to violent means of 
 expressing their displeasure with any interference in their 
 concerns. 
 
 The Empress, as we have seen, was naturally leader 
 of French fashions, and it was in her time that Monsieur 
 Worth and Madame Virot laid the foundations of their 
 now world-wide and enviable reputations. But Eugenie 
 often designed her costumes herself, and criticised and 
 frequently altered those supplied by her dressmakers. 
 She is, besides, the inventor of many practical fashions, 
 such as invisible hair nets, coloured petticoats, and last 
 but not least, the invaluable " en tout cas " or summer 
 umbrella, which has only increased in popularity in the 
 course of time. Eugenie's state gowns cost enormous 
 sums, some being valued at 100,000 francs, without 
 counting her ornaments ; while even simple wraps often 
 cost 50,000 francs, and Madame Virot asked 1000 francs 
 for a bonnet. Four times a year the Empress reviewed 
 her wardrobe, bestowing all the clothes she did not care 
 to keep upon her ladies, who, it is said, sold these cast-ofF 
 garments to South American merchants. All Eugenie's 
 white shoes and slippers, however, were sent to the 
 charitable institutions in which she was interested, to 
 serve for the communion toilet of the little girls, for 
 Eugenie's feet were so very small that her slippers fitted 
 these children exactly. 
 
 Eugenie was so indifferent to her attire at home that 
 she sometimes almost shocked her court ladies, one of 
 whom reports that she saw her in a common woollen 
 cardigan jacket in her rooms, such as the market women 
 wore ; but Eugenie donned this for comfort, for her 
 rooms, like the rest of the palace, were almost uninhab- 
 itable in severe winter weather. 
 
 352 
 
Eugenie 
 
 The Empress was always busy and never indolent, 
 hence she owned no lounging robes at all ; and when the 
 Prince Imperial took the measles, and she wished to sit 
 up with him at night, one of her women had to go out 
 and purchase a ready-made flannel wrapper for her use. 
 This illness of the Prince Imperial proved a source of 
 much anxiety to Eugenie for several years, for the physi- 
 cian, wishing to contradict the wild rumours afloat 
 concerning him, allowed him to drive out too soon. A 
 heavy cold taken during this drive produced a relapse, 
 which left the Prince very delicate from about eight to 
 fourteen. He caught this disease at a children's party 
 in the Tuileries, from one of his partners who came to 
 the dance although she had been rather ailing for several 
 days, and her mother had noticed a rash on her neck 
 while dressing her. But the child was so anxious to 
 attend the party, that she successfully disguised her illness 
 and danced all the evening. On reaching home, how- 
 ever, she was taken violently ill, and died on the mor- 
 row, her ball-dress and flowers serving to deck her for 
 the tomb ; but she communicated measles to many of 
 the children present, some of whom were dangerously ill, 
 and suffered for a long time from the consequences of 
 her imprudence. 
 
 The Prince Imperial inherited his mother's taste for 
 art, and early showed a remarkable taste and aptitude for 
 drawing and modelling in wax or clay. He delighted in 
 this latter pastime, and, it is said, often produced por- 
 traits of his father and attendants which resembled the 
 models so ludicrously that Merimee pronounced them 
 " atrociously like ! " Possessed of a keen sense of hu- 
 mour, the Prince often got into mischief. One day he 
 received a box of christening candies in assorted colours. 
 As he was never allowed sweets, he did not eat them, 
 
 VOL. I. — 23 353 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 but, thinking them very pretty, ran ofF to exhibit them 
 to his mother. On his way to her rooms, he had to pass 
 one of the magnificent " Cent Gardes " standing like a 
 statue before his door. An impish idea suddenly pop- 
 ping through his head, he promptly emptied the whole 
 contents of his box into the boot of this man, who, true 
 to his training, gave no sign of perturbation. This per- 
 fectly natural boyish prank is erroneously ascribed by 
 some writers to the Empress herself, whom they also 
 accuse of being the heroine in the following tale. 
 Colonel Verly, commander of the Palace Guards, was 
 justly proud of his men's perfect discipline, and fre- 
 quently boasted that nothing could, even for a second, 
 disturb their statue-like immobility when on duty. The 
 Empress hearing this, laughingly made a wager with 
 Colonel Verly that she would cause the man then on 
 guard in the neighbouring gallery to lapse from his rigid 
 attitude. Colonel Verly accepted the challenge, and 
 escorted Eugenie into the gallery, where she tried every 
 device her bright wits could suggest to disturb the man's 
 statuesque repose. All her wiles having failed, it is said 
 she suddenly marched straight up to him and smartly 
 boxed his ears. But even then, the soldier remained 
 motionless, and Eugenie had to confess she had lost her 
 wager. When Colonel Verly, by her orders, offered this 
 guard a handsome.gift to atone for the indignity which he 
 had received, he is reported to have refused it, saying : 
 " It is sufficient reward for me to have had the hand of 
 my sovereign lady upon my cheek ! " 
 
 Eugenie was very impetuous and high-spirited in her 
 youth, but although such tales as these — and others 
 even less credible — are told about her, her conduct 
 was evidently far from being such as her detractors de- 
 scribe, for they have never been able to produce a shadow 
 
 354 
 
Eugenie 
 
 of real proof to justify any of their allegations, and every 
 one now knows that such stories owed their origin 
 to malice only. 
 
 The year 1865 proved quite a varied one in the Im- 
 perial lives, which otherwise were very monotonous. 
 During this year the Emperor lost his half-brother De 
 Morny, and made his second visit to Algeria. But this 
 time Eugenie refused to accompany him, and during his 
 absence devoted her time to a round of charitable visits. 
 In visiting La Roquette, — a penitentiary, — she was 
 shocked to find child-prisoners doomed either to solitary 
 imprisonment, or to idleness in the company of debasing 
 associates, and immediately determined to effect a reform. 
 Her aim was to place these poor children in the country, 
 where their physical condition could be improved, and 
 their minds and bodies trained so they should ultimately 
 become self-respecting and self-supporting members of 
 the community. Her suggestions were, however, met 
 only by excuses and evasions on the part of the authori- 
 ties, and one man finally ventured to remark, in hopes 
 of discouraging her : " That is. quite true, Madame, but 
 there are so many difficulties in carrying out any plan, 
 that there seems to be no means of help ; and to talk 
 about it is simply to stir up the emotions." 
 
 But Eugenie was not the woman to be deterred by 
 opposition or ridicule from a purpose she had determined 
 to carry out. She therefore retorted : " Excuse me, this 
 is a matter of philanthropy, not of politics ! " and, taking 
 the whole affair into her own hands, pursued it vigor- 
 ously to a successful end. By her prompt and energetic 
 interference, many a child delinquent was transformed 
 into a good citizen ; and the reforms she instituted are 
 still in force to-day, although it is thirty years since she 
 ceased to rule in France. 
 
 355 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Eugenie also visited the House of Correction for 
 women, and was much affected there at the sight of a 
 poor young girl who, although dying, repulsed all the 
 Sisters, saying : " Leave me alone ; there is no God. I 
 cannot suffer more in hell than I have upon earth ! " 
 The Empress drew near the poor woman, and, bending 
 over her, began to speak so gently and persuasively that 
 the girl stared at her in speechless amazement. Finally, 
 she gasped in wonder : " How is it, you are the Em- 
 press, are you not ? And you, who are so beautiful, so 
 rich, and so happy, to take an interest in an outcast like 
 me, and - seem troubled because I suffer ! It must be 
 true then that there is a merciful God, since you have 
 such a kind heart ! " 
 
 The girl was so touched and softened, that she now 
 allowed the Sisters to minister to her bodily and spiritual 
 needs, and, before she died, she crept, a repentant Magda- 
 len, to the feet of her Saviour, and cast upon Him the 
 intolerable burden of all her sins, trusting wholly in His 
 power to save her. 
 
 Although Eugenie always made charity visits as quietly 
 and unostentatiously as possible, it soon became known 
 that she had come to visit the Home, and when she 
 finally came out a crowd was awaiting her. She was 
 almost carried to her carriage by sobbing women, who 
 called blessings down upon her head, kissed her hands 
 and clothes, called her " Sister of Mercy," and cheered 
 until she was out of sight. But when the Empress 
 reached home, she was touched to discover that these 
 poor creatures had snipped her flounces almost to pieces, 
 to secure what seemed to them holy and therefore 
 priceless relics of her visit. 
 
 During the summer of 1865, Eugenie paid her usual 
 visit to Biarritz, where Bismarck came to visit the Em- 
 
 356 
 
Eugenie 
 
 peror, and tramped with him and Merimee along the 
 sands. Writing of this visit and of the German visitor, 
 Merimee says : " He is a big German, very polite and 
 by no means naif. ... He brought writh him his wife, 
 who has the biggest feet in Germany, and a daughter who 
 walks in her mother's footsteps. Adieu, I am going 
 to nurse myself until the fetes at Compiegne make me ill 
 again." 
 
 This gibe against Madame Bismarck's feet, whose size 
 contrasted oddly with Eugenie's and her court ladies', is 
 said to have had no small share in the Franco-Prussian 
 war. It is even reported that Bismarck, on hearing that 
 the court ladies made fun of the wife whom he tenderly 
 loved, then and there swore dire vengeance, and knew 
 no rest until he had wreaked it to the full. 
 
 While staying at Biarritz in 1866, their Majesties 
 suddenly learned that Paris was again threatened by a 
 cholera epidemic, such as had decimated the population 
 in various parts of France in 1849 ^"^ i" 1856. The 
 news no sooner reached them than they hastened back 
 to the capital, knowing their presence would stimulate 
 measures for relief, and encourage the panic-stricken 
 inhabitants. As Eugenie had a heavy cold, the Em- 
 peror slipped out of the palace the next morning, with- 
 out her knowledge, to visit the cholera hospitals alone. 
 When he returned, Eugenie, who was brave and often 
 proudly declared that she belonged " to the race of the 
 Cid and of Don Quixote," reproached him for not hav- 
 ing taken her with him, and announced her intention to 
 visit the hospitals herself on the very next day. 
 
 Her usual companion was allowed to accompany her 
 only after promising to remain in the carriage, for 
 Eugenie would not expose any one else to the danger 
 she faced so bravely. She visited three cholera hospitals 
 
 357 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 that day, speaking to the patients, encouraging the doctors 
 and nurses, and showing herself so womanly and com- 
 passionate that all who saw her were ready to bow down 
 and almost worship her. One of the victims to whom 
 she ministered with her own hand, murmured faintly : 
 " Thank you. Sister," thinking it was one of the nurses. 
 But when a nun bent down to enlighten him, Eugenie 
 prevented her, saying : " Never mind. Sister, he could 
 not have given me a prettier name." 
 
 Her friend Merimee, writing of these visits, said : " I 
 am not sure that this is very prudent, but it is praise- 
 worthy. With reference to hindering her action in such 
 emergencies, you know as well as I do, that it is impos- 
 sible. If we presume to talk to her of danger, she will 
 only expose herself to it all the more." 
 
 He was right, for Eugenie not only braved an epi- 
 demic which made cowards of the most daring, but 
 risked — what many a vain woman would have prized 
 even more than her life — her matchless beauty, by 
 inspecting also the small-pox wards, where many patients 
 were then suffering. Here, too, she entered alone, and 
 when one of the generals commented later upon her 
 courage, she simply answered : " Oh, sir, we are neither 
 of us afraid to stand fire ! " 
 
 But while her charity and fearlessness roused fervent 
 admiration at times, the people resented her interference 
 in state matters, for she was a foreigner, and it seemed 
 to them that such affairs were any way far beyond a 
 woman's comprehension. Besides, they found great 
 fault with what they deemed her narrow views and 
 Spanish bigotry. They, therefore, eagerly welcomed the 
 remark of a wit and punster, who once declared " Le 
 parti d' Eugenie n'est pas le parti du Genie " (Eugenie's 
 party is not that of genius). A few of her friends, notic- 
 
 3S8 
 
The Emferok, E.MPRfcb^ axu Prinll I.mi'Ekial. 
 
Eugenie 
 
 ing this tendency among the people, tried to persuade 
 her not to meddle with politics any more ; but, failing in 
 their efforts, one of them despairingly cried : " If she 
 would only take warning by the example of Marie Antoi- 
 nette ! It is exactly the same story over again. But she 
 will take no hint. My wife tried, but was made to feel 
 that she must not attempt anything of the kind again." 
 
 This critic was both right and wrong ; Eugenie would 
 have probably been spared some of her sorrows had she 
 remained aloof from politics ; but she was acting accord- 
 ing to the dictates of her conscience, which would not 
 permit her to remain passive. Besides, her husband 
 wished her to take part in government affairs, for his 
 health was already very poor, and he foresaw the time 
 when Eugenie might have to stand alone at the helm, 
 until her son could safely take it out of her hands. 
 
 The French were particularly sore just then, because 
 Germany had lately won great laurels in the battle of 
 Sadowa, while the Mexican war, the last military enter- 
 prise in which they had taken part, had proved a distinct 
 failure. Indeed, the Emperor had been forced to recall 
 his troops and abandon poor Maximilian. 
 
 The latter's wife, Carlotta, presented herself at St. 
 Cloud one hot August day, and spent hours trying to 
 wring more assistance from Napoleon. One of her 
 attendants having informed a court lady that her mistress 
 always drank orange water at that hour of the day, some 
 was carried into the room where Carlotta was pleading 
 with Napoleon and Eugenie. The Empress, although 
 annoyed at this trivial interruption, courteously offered 
 the refreshing draught to her guest, partaking of a little 
 of it herself. 
 
 Carlotta, finding she could not secure Napoleon's 
 promise to lend her unhappy husband further aid, de- 
 
 359 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 parted from St. Cloud in anger, exclaiming bitterly : 
 " The grand-daughter of Louis Philippe ought never to 
 have trusted her fate to a Bonaparte ! " 
 
 Her excitement, the heat, and the bitter disappoint- 
 ment combined to make her very ill, and v?hen she went 
 mad a few days later, some of Eugenie's enemies de- 
 clared that the Empress had poisoned her gutst with an 
 innocent glass of orange water. Poor Carlotta became 
 hopelessly mad ; and she fortunately never recovered her 
 senses sufSciently to realise that her gallant and adored 
 husband had been executed in Mexico. 
 
 That summer, the French court sojourned as usual at 
 Fontainebleau and at Biarritz, where Merimee acted as 
 escort to the Empress when she went with the Prince 
 Imperial to visit a famous smuggler's cave near the 
 coast. The autumn season at Compiegne was even 
 more brilliant and interesting than usual, for the Imperial 
 guests often included such famous writers as Alexander 
 Dumas, £mile Augier, Ernest Legouve, Octave Feuillet, 
 Edmond About, Gustave Flaubert, such artists as Meis- 
 sonier and Dore, the musicians Auber, Berlioz, Gounod, 
 and Thomas, and the scientist, Pasteur, who discovered 
 the proper treatment for rabies. 
 
 Napoleon III., having decided to have another Expo- 
 sition in Paris in 1867, immense preparations were made 
 to have it open promptly on the second of April. 
 Again, as in 1856, visitors came in throngs from all 
 parts of Europe and America, and Paris was for a time 
 the " inn of the world." Besides the exiled sovereigns 
 who had taken up their abode in the French capital, 
 many crowned heads now came to visit the Exposition, 
 and they were all sumptuously entertained by Napoleon 
 and Eugenie. Court gaieties succeeded each other with 
 almost bewildering rapidity; but people said that the 
 
 360 
 
Eugenie 
 
 Imperial court was then as corrupt as it was brilliant. 
 The fact is that all the European courts at that time, 
 save the English and Prussian, enjoyed the same unenvi- 
 able reputation ; but while the morals of Napoleon and 
 of his friends cannot bear scrutiny, Eugenie herself can 
 be accused of nothing worse than imprudence and blind- 
 ness concerning the standing of some of the people with 
 whom she associated. 
 
 Among the titled guests entertained by the Imperial 
 couple for the Exposition were two of Queen Victoria's 
 sons. King Oscar of Sweden, the Crown Prince and 
 Princess of Prussia, the Sultan, the Czar, etc., etc. It 
 was during the visit of the Russian Emperor that their 
 Majesties attended the races at Longchamps, where 
 Eugenie attracted more attention by her dazzling beauty 
 and the charming manner in which she acknowledged 
 the people's homage, than the two Emperors seated side 
 by side in the same carriage. Still, they were to furnish 
 their sensation too, for a Pole suddenly sprang forward 
 attempting to kill the Czar, who was saved by the pres- 
 ence of mind and devotion of one of the attendants. 
 Both he and Napoleon showed great calmness and cour- 
 age, and were so little affected by this occurrence that 
 they attended the ball at the Russian Embassy that same 
 evening. 
 
 The King of Sweden, who was also made much of by 
 his Imperial hosts, was present at the distribution of 
 medals at the Exposition, in the middle of the summer. 
 At this ceremony, the Emperor was surprised to see his 
 son suddenly step forward, and present him with a prize 
 for the redemption of waste lands, — a reward he well 
 deserved, — but scarcely expected to receive. The ten- 
 year old Prince acquitted himself well of his part in this 
 affair, and when his little speech was over, he was 
 
 361 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 warmly applauded, while the people cheered loudly for 
 the recipient of the medal. But that day was not to be 
 one of unalloyed pleasure for Napoleon, for the tid- 
 ings of Maximilian's death came just then to fill his 
 heart with sorrow. 
 
 Napoleon and Eugenie were both very superstitious, 
 but the former was fatalistic as well, and already too in- 
 clined to believe a prophecy made in 1841, predicting 
 the rise of a Second Empire, its downfall occurring 
 simultaneously with an attack from the Germans, and 
 the destruction of Paris by fire and bloodshed. Spaniards 
 are, as a rule, all more or less superstitious, so it is no 
 wonder that Eugenie, however strong-minded in other 
 respects, should have believed in omens. In her anxiety 
 to learn something of future events, and stimulated by a 
 thirst for novelty, we are told she eagerly investigated 
 occult and psychic as well as scientific questions, and 
 took a lively interest in all forms of mesmerism, spirit- 
 ualism, and clairvoyance. At one time the whole court 
 was amused by seances, spirit-rappings, and table-mov- 
 ings, which brought a little variety in the usually mono- 
 tonous round of court entertainments. But a charlatan 
 having sought to take advantage of his position to dis- 
 cover state secrets, and direct the course of events by 
 subtle hints and peculiar prophecies, the Emperor put an 
 abrupt end to all such performances. 
 
 Many people erroneously fancied that court life was 
 always as gay as it seemed on state occasions ; and much 
 was said about the revels in which the inhabitants of the 
 Tuileries were supposed to indulge. The fact is that 
 the private entertainments were far quieter and more 
 decorous than those given in many other houses, and so 
 unpretentious, that whenever there was any dancing, a 
 mechanical piano or a hand organ supplied all the music. 
 
 362 
 
Eugenie 
 
 Eugenie, however, tried to make evenings pass pleasantly, 
 not only because she was hospitably anxious to entertain 
 her guests, but because she knew the Emperor re- 
 quired relaxation, and wished to divert his mind as much 
 as possible from his arduous political studies, and beguile 
 the pain which he so often suffered from rheumatism and 
 gravel. Hearing that people cavilled at the so-called 
 court orgies, Eugenie was naturally surprised, and once 
 impatiently exclaimed : « Really, do they find fault with 
 our having a good time at the Tuileries ? It is as 
 little as I can do to give some diversion to the poor 
 Emperor, who is worried all day with politics, and to 
 give him an opportunity to see some pretty faces." 
 
 In 1868, when the press laws were modified, Henri de 
 Rochefort began to edit a revolutionary paper called 
 " La Lanterne," wherein he attacked the Emperor and 
 Eugenie with the utmost virulence. A clever, sarcastic 
 writer, he penned sensational articles, wherein he ranted 
 and raved against their Majesties, whom he accused of 
 every heinous sin he could imagine. But Napoleon and 
 Eugenie attached so little importance to his calumnies, 
 that they at first paid no attention to them. Indeed, 
 Eugenie is said to have read them mainly to discover 
 what the man would say next, and to have laughed quite 
 heartily at times over their ludicrous exaggeration. 
 
 But the slanders she fancied no one could possibly 
 believe, were repeated so often, and reached so many 
 ears, that they gradually won credence, and finally 
 proved an important factor in undermining the faith of 
 the people in the Imperial government. Rochefort be- 
 came so lawless, at last, that his paper had to be sup- 
 pressed ; but he fled to Belgium and continued his attacks 
 with the same vehemence and skill, until he again 
 returned to France. 
 
 363 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Early in May, the Prince Imperial, who had been 
 receiving a preparatory course of instruction in his 
 mother's oratory, was solemnly confirmed in the Chapel 
 of the Tuileries. He was already thoughtful and learned 
 beyond his years, and the usual companion of his father, 
 who delighted in examining mechanical inventions with 
 him, and initiated him into many of his favourite pur- 
 suits. In August, the family went as usual to Biarritz, 
 where the Empress and Prince Imperial were for a time 
 in imminent danger. They had gone out yachting with 
 quite a large party, including the Empress' chaplain. 
 The wind freshened suddenly, and rose to the height of 
 a storm before they could return to shore. The captain 
 losing his bearings in the darkness and tempest, the ship 
 ran upon a rock, causing a great panic, and for a few 
 moments it really seemed as if all on board would perish. 
 But the Empress set a good example by remaining very 
 calm through all the confusion, her only anxiety being to 
 shield her son, whom she held tight in her arms. When 
 she quietly told him : " Don't be afraid, Louis," he 
 showed that he had inherited all her courage and spirit 
 by bravely answering : " I am not afraid, mamma, I do 
 not forget that my name is Napoleon." 
 
 The Empress' courage and calmness proved so inspir- 
 ing, and the crew went to work with such good will, that 
 soon all were safely landed. Meantime, the Emperor had 
 been very anxious, and hastened down to the shore just 
 in time to welcome the returning travellers. The pilot 
 bore witness to Eugenie's fortitude by exclaiming : " Sire, 
 we were able to cross only because the Empress was on 
 board. We never would have accomplished it but for 
 her. She brought us good luck ! " All the sailors fully 
 agreed with him ; but they were less complimentary when 
 it came to the chaplain, for, true to their calling, they 
 
 364 
 
Eugenie 
 
 considered a priest on board equivalent to a Jonah, and 
 ascribed the storm and danger solely to his presence 
 among them. 
 
 In September the Emperor lost another staunch adherent 
 and unacknowledged relative in Walewski, who was an 
 illegitimate son of Napoleon I. This man possessed 
 great diplomatic skill, and was a safer and more honest 
 adviser than many of his contemporaries at the court 
 of Napoleon III. 
 
 In 1869, the centenary of the birth of Napoleon I., 
 the Emperor and Prince Imperial journeyed to Ajaccio 
 in Corsica, where " Napoleon Day " was celebrated with 
 the utmost pomp. Then they proceeded to Algeria, and, 
 after their return, visited the camp at Chalons together. 
 The Prince was daily becoming more of a companion 
 for his father, who, feeling his health failing rapidly, was 
 more and more anxious to keep him as much as possible 
 before the eyes of the people, so that they might learn to 
 love and admire him, and thus be ready to welcome his 
 accession to the throne. 
 
 The Prince Imperial liked travelling with his father, 
 and as he was a born soldier, nothing delighted him so 
 much as a visit to the camp. There he viewed all the 
 mancEuvres with profound interest, and rode beside the 
 Emperor when the latter reviewed the troops. A spec- 
 tator reports that he " held himself so well and was so cool 
 and dignified, that he looked like his father become a 
 boy again." 
 
 Although the Empress had not gone to Corsica or 
 Algeria, she, too, was planning an extended trip ; for it 
 had been decided that she should inaugurate the Suez 
 Canal, which had been built by her mother's first cousin, 
 Ferdinand de Lesseps. This world-renowned engineer 
 had secured his first franchise in 1854, and now, after 
 
 36s 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 fourteen years of hard work, was on the eve of demon- 
 strating the success or failure of his undertaking. He 
 had met with great opposition, especially among the 
 English; for Lord Palmerston, then Prime Minister, de- 
 clared openly that, " All the engineers of Europe might 
 say what they pleased, he knew more than they did, and 
 their opinion would never make him change his one 
 jot ! " 
 
 The Emperor Napoleon, on the other hand, having 
 planned during his imprisonment a ship canal through 
 Central America, was strongly in favour of this scheme, 
 to which he lent all his personal support ; for it had been 
 decided that the canal should be a commercial and not a 
 political affair. In spite of discouragements which would 
 have daunted any one else, De Lesseps persevered, 
 loyally supported by the Empress, who, as her husband 
 was just then too ill to bear a long journey, promised 
 to open the canal for her kinsman. 
 
 The Empress took advantage of this journey to visit 
 Venice, Athens, and Constantinople in the Imperial 
 yacht, and sailed up the Nile, whence she wrote to her 
 husband : — 
 
 My very dear Louis : — I am writing to you on my way 
 up the Nile. If I were to tell you we are cool, it would not be 
 absolutely true, still the heat is quite endurable, for there is a 
 good breeze blowing, but out in the sunshine, it is very differ- 
 ent ! I keep you informed by telegraph of the state of the at- 
 mosphere. I hear from you and Louis every day by telegraph ; 
 it is wonderfiil, and very nice for me to feel bound to the shore 
 by this wire which connects me with those I love. 
 
 I am full of enthusiasm over our charming journey, which I 
 would like to describe to you, but so many other, more learned 
 and graphic writers than I, have undertaken this task, that it 
 seems to me as if I must be satisfied with admiring in silence. 
 
 366 
 
Eugenie 
 
 I was greatly worried to know you were in Paris yesterday and 
 without me, but I learn by a despatch all has gone on satisfac- 
 torily. When one sees other nations, one can better judge and 
 realise the ingratitude of our own. I think, in spite of every- 
 thing, that one ought not to be dismayed, but go on treading 
 the path you have laid out. 
 
 Everybody says and thinks that it is a fine thing to have faith 
 in the concessions which have been granted. I trust, therefore, 
 that your speech will lay stress upon this point, and the greater the 
 need of force later on, the more clearly it will demonstrate to 
 the country that we have real beliefs and are not driven to expe- 
 dients. I am very far away, and too ill-informed concerning 
 events since my departure to speak thus, but I feel sure that our 
 real strength lies in persevering in our beliefs, and I do not like 
 sudden changes. I am convinced that in the same reign one 
 cannot successfully make two Coups d'Etat. I am talking at 
 random, however, for I am preaching to one who knows all this 
 far better than I. Bat some things must be said, if only to 
 prove what you know, that my heart is with you both, and if, 
 in days of calmness, my active spirit likes to roam abroad, I love 
 to be close beside you both in times of trial and anxiety. Far 
 from noise and strife, one inhales a healing peace, and by an 
 effort of imagination I persuade myself that all is well since I 
 know nothing to the contrary. Do seek some amusement, one 
 cannot live without it, and I believe one should build up one's 
 weary mind like one's enfeebled body, and that even the best 
 organised brain can be worn out by a single persistent train of 
 thought. I have learned all this by experience, and I will no 
 longer dwell upon the things which have dimmed the bright 
 colours of my illusions. My own life is over, but I live again in 
 my son, and I believe that the joys which reach my heart 
 through his will prove real. Meantime, I am enjoying my 
 journey, the sunsets, and this strange scenery with its strips of 
 cultivated land about fifty metres wide along either shore, and 
 beyond that the desert with its sand hills all aglow in the blazing 
 sun. Farewell, and believe in the love of your devoted 
 
 (Signed) Eug&ie. 
 
 367 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Eugenie's enemies see in this letter an irrefragable proof 
 that " hers was the brain which planned the schemes 
 which her husband carried out," but others, less preju- 
 diced, only see a wife and mother who took a keen 
 interest in all that concerned her beloved ones at home. 
 
 After visiting Cairo, where she viewed the Egyptian 
 dancers, and made a nocturnal expedition to see the 
 Pyramids illuminated by calcium lights, Eugenie went 
 to Alexandria, and, embarking on the "Aigle," sailed to 
 Port Said, where a fleet of about one hundred and fifty 
 vessels hung out all its bunting and manned all its yards 
 in her honour. Eugenie's vessel was to head the pro- 
 cession, which included vessels from almost every country, 
 on board of which were the Emperor of Austria, the 
 Crown Prince of Prussia, and many other royal personages 
 who had come thither to witness the opening of the 
 Great Canal. 
 
 Ferdinand de Lesseps was on the Empress' yacht; 
 but although he appeared calm and confident, he was 
 trembling lest his plans should fail, and his credit thereby 
 suffer dire shipwreck. Almost at the last minute two 
 serious contretemps arose : first, a huge rock was sud- 
 denly discovered buried in the soft sand in the only 
 section of the canal which had yet to be dug out. This, 
 however, was happily disposed of by means of heavy 
 charges of powder forwarded from Cairo. The more 
 serious mishap, however, was that an Egyptian frigate, 
 having gone part way along the canal, in trying to turn 
 around, buried its stem and stern on either bank, and 
 stuck fast, thus entirely blocking the passage. Giving 
 hasty orders to dig her out, tear her loose, or blow her 
 up if need be, De Lesseps hurried off to his post at the 
 Empress' side, where he eagerly awaited a signal an- 
 nouncing that the passage was free. The French yacht 
 
 368 
 
Eugenie 
 
 was the first to enter the canal, followed by many other 
 vessels, none of which drew more than thirteen feet of 
 water, for the canal was not yet finished, and its depth 
 much less than at the present day. Five minutes before 
 reaching the bend whence the unlucky frigate would be 
 seen, De Lesseps, to his infinite relief, received the 
 signal that the passage was clear. When the Imperial 
 yacht reached the ominous point, the frigate was safely 
 moored to one side of the canal, with flags streaming 
 from its yards and every mast-head, and De Lesseps 
 could record, with a chuckle of amusement, that " every 
 one was charmed with the attention which had placed a 
 large frigate on the passage of the fleet of inauguration ! " 
 At Port Said, the Empress and other august guests 
 landed, and went to a pavilion, where Eugenie took the 
 seat of honour under a dais, and, surrounded by all the 
 royal guests, witnessed the ceremonies by which the 
 Mohammedan, Greek-Catholic, Coptic, and Roman 
 Catholic Clergy proceeded to bless the new canal. The 
 Empress then graciously received some flowers tendered 
 by a group of young girls, before returning to her yacht, 
 amid the deafening cheers of the natives and of six 
 thousand strangers assembled to view the pageant. 
 That evening an illumination and fireworks formed part 
 of the entertainment, and the next day her vessel led the 
 way along the canal to Ismailia, which it reached only at 
 sunset. Eugenie was overjoyed to know that her kins- 
 man's canal was a complete success, but speaking of 
 this journey she afterwards confessed, " That during the 
 whole journey, she had felt as though a circle of fire 
 were round her head, because every moment she fancied 
 that the ' Aigle ' stopped short, saw the honour of the 
 French flag compromised, and the fruit of all our labours 
 lost." De Lesseps adds that at the state dinner she was 
 VOL. I. — 24 369 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 obliged to leave the table, for her emotions overcame her. 
 " We overheard her sobs, — sobs which do her honour, 
 for it was French patriotism overflowing from her 
 heart ! " 
 
 The Empress lodged at Monsieur De Lesseps's house, 
 but visited the Khedive's palace on the next day, and 
 enjoyed an exhibition of Bedouin fine horsemanship. 
 She also attended a grand ball where several thousand 
 people could admire her without restraint in all the 
 splendour of state attire. 
 
 On the 19th of November, 1869, Eugenie sailed 
 back along the canal, which now permanently connected 
 the Red and Mediterranean Seas, greatly shortening the 
 distance between Europe and India, and thereby confer- 
 ring an inestimable benefit especially upon the English, 
 who had so opposed and dreaded this very undertaking. 
 An Englishman who was present at the canal opening, 
 speaking of Eugenie, says : " It was impossible to over- 
 rate the gracious influence of the Empress' presence. 
 The occasion, great as it was, would have lost its 
 romance if she had not been there. She it was who 
 roused the spirit of chivalry, checked the spirit of strife, 
 enmity, and intrigue among rival men, and spread the 
 gauzy hues of poetry over commerce, science, and 
 avarice." 
 
 Meantime, the Emperor took advantage of his wife's 
 absence to submit to an operation which allayed the 
 pain he suffered with such fortitude, although it could 
 not eradicate the disease from which he died. He had 
 always been a liberal in politics and ready to place as 
 much power as possible in the hands of the people. The 
 time now seemed to him propitious to carry out his pet 
 plan to establish in France a constitutional empire. 
 Knowing his health was very precarious, and that in 
 
 370 
 
Eugenie 
 
 case of his demise the power would rest for several years 
 in the hands of a woman and of a boy, he determined to 
 relieve them of as much responsibility as possible by 
 making the long projected change in the government. 
 
 At the next elections, therefore, the people voted on 
 this question, and France became a constitutional Empire 
 by virtue of eight million votes, which showed how 
 eagerly the change was welcomed. It was thus that, 
 early in 1870, Napoleon placed in the people's hands 
 much of the power which he had wielded so long, so he 
 cannot be held wholly responsible for many of the catas- 
 trophes which ensued, although they have all been laid 
 at his door. 
 
 Eugenie was warmly welcomed on her return, and had 
 much to relate of all she had seen and heard during her 
 travels. It is said that traces of her recent expedition were 
 even perceptible in her attire, her favourite tint being 
 now a pale green which became very fashionable and 
 was poetically dubbed " Nile green " or " Eau de Nil." 
 Besides, the " burnoose " or Arab mantle, with its stripes 
 of many hues, now became the favourite summer and 
 evening wrap. But although Eugenie's detractors vowed 
 that fashions occupied far too great a share of her time 
 and attention, she diligently fostered and encouraged 
 charitable institutions, which she frequently visited. 
 Indeed, thanks to her patronage, they increased more 
 rapidly during the Empire than at any other time, for 
 between the years 185 2-1 869 three thousand nine 
 hundred and forty-two new institutions, and one thou- 
 sand nine hundred and four new infant schools were 
 opened in the city of Paris. 
 
 The Empress, besides inspecting all these places from 
 time to time, diligently collected and sorted her husband's 
 papers, which were carefully put aside as valuable histor- 
 
 371 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 ical data. Indeed, Eugenie was so jealous of her hus- 
 band's renown, that she wished all these documents 
 preserved for posterity, and often laughingly remarked 
 when she had saved some paper from destruction : " I 
 run like a mouse after the Emperor's bread-crumbs." 
 
 Not being a liberal in politics, however, she did not 
 approve of the change Napoleon had recently made. 
 Besides, she still wished to help the Pope maintain his 
 temporal power, and thought the Emperor was placing 
 too much authority in the hands of the people. Some 
 writers further add that she was very anxious to have her 
 husband abdicate in his son's favour, so she could wield 
 the Imperial power as Regent. The latter statement 
 seems, however, most unjustifiable ; for while Eugenie 
 did regret to see her husband ready to entrust his 
 power to others, and apparently so lacking in energy, 
 she ascribed his languid indifference to a passing illness 
 only, for she did not suspect how seriously ill he was 
 already. 
 
 Prussia had been enlarging itself on all sides, and, 
 owing to successful wars with Austria and Denmark, had 
 risen in a very few years to the rank of an important 
 power. German statesmen had foreseen and prepared 
 for a conflict with France, which they were determined to 
 bring about in good time, knowing it would result in 
 German unity. A dispute concerning the candidacy 
 of a Hohenzollern Prince for the Spanish throne, proved 
 a spark of fire in the long waiting powder barrel. The 
 Emperor, remembering the scenes he had witnessed on 
 the Italian battle-fields, and too ill to wish for aught but 
 peace, used all his authority to avoid a conflict. But his 
 new cabinet, headed by Ollivier, and especially the 
 Catholic and so called war-party, were in favour of war. 
 The Empress was too spirited a woman to bear any 
 
 372 
 
Eugenie 
 
 insult tamely, and when informed that the King of Prussia 
 had treated Benedetti, the French emissary, cavalierly, 
 she Waxed very wroth indeed. At the Council, Marshal 
 Leboeuf exclaimed with great violence that he would 
 resign immediately if war were not declared instantly, 
 and Eugenie, ill advised, warmly supported his views, 
 saying that " war was an unavoidable necessity, if the 
 honour of France was not to become an empty 
 word." 
 
 In spite of all the pressure brought to bear upon him 
 at a time when he was too ill to endure any strain, 
 Napoleon resisted as long as he could; but, vanquished at 
 last by Eugenie's arguments, he finally consented to do 
 as the war faction wished. It had been impressed so 
 forcibly upon the Empress that the Emperor was ruined 
 unless war was declared, that she rejoiced openly at this 
 decision, and, full of courage and hope, innocently 
 boasted that this was her war. This unfortunate 
 remark, repeated far and wide, attracted much more 
 attention than necessary to the fact that Eugenie was in 
 favour of war, and when it turned out unsuccessfully, 
 made many people lay all the odium of it upon her. 
 
 The Emperor, misled by Marshal LebcEuf 's assurance 
 that all was more than ready {archi pret) and that the army 
 was in such fine condition that not a gaiter button would 
 be missing when called into the field, declared war on 
 the flimsiest of pretexts. All the nation immediately 
 vociferated, " On to Berlin ! " for no one doubted the 
 success of the war in which the Emperor was to act as 
 General-in-Chief, while Eugenie again became Regent. 
 And yet, although murmurs had been heard from time to 
 time, the people still had confidence in the Empress, and 
 Rouher merely expressed the popular belief when he said 
 in his address : " Your Majesty is drawing the sword, 
 
 373 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 and the whole nation is quivering with pride and eager- 
 ness to accompany you. Our august Empress is again to 
 preserve the Imperial power, and our great Legislative 
 Assembly will protect her with respectful devotion. 
 The people well know her generous heart, and have per- 
 fect confidence in her wisdom and energy." 
 
 Preparations were now made with feverish haste, and 
 Eugenie, who was very anxious that her son should be 
 manly and brave, decided that he should accompany his 
 father, although he was then only thirteen years of age. 
 This news was announced to Countess de Montijo in the 
 following despatch : — 
 
 Louis will set out for the army in a few days with his 
 father. I want you to send him your blessing before he leaves. 
 Don't worry. I am perfectly calm. He must do his duty and 
 uphold his name. I write to you by this mail. 
 
 (Signed) Eugenie. 
 
 The grandmother immediately telegraphed her blessing, 
 which the Prince acknowledged thus : — 
 
 Thank you, dear grandmamma, for your dispatch. 1 hope 
 it will bring me luck. I am writing to you to-day. 
 
 (Signed) Louis Napoleon. 
 
 He and his father left St. Cloud at the end of July, 
 bidding farewell to Eugenie, and boarding the train at 
 the Park station, instead of driving through the capital, 
 where the Emperor feared he would not receive the 
 same ovation as when he set out for Italy in 1859. 
 
 Soon after reaching the army headquarters, the Em- 
 peror and his son witnessed a small engagement at Saar- 
 briick, and, when it was over, the fond father telegraphed 
 to Eugenie : — 
 
 Louis has stood fire for the first time [literally, has received 
 his baptism of fire] . He was admirably calm, and never lost his 
 
 374 
 
The PrinlI'; Imperi\l as a Caui'/i'. 
 
Eugenie 
 
 self-possession. One of General Froissard's divisions carried the 
 heights which command the east side of Saarbruck. The Prus- 
 sians made a short resistance. We were in the foremost rank 
 and bullets fell at our feet. Louis has kept one ball that fell 
 close by him. Some of the soldiers wept when they saw him 
 so composed. We lost only one officer and ten men. 
 
 (Signed) Napoleon. 
 
 This telegram, so natural on the part of a doting par- 
 ent when addressed to the mother of an only son, was, 
 however, soon made public. Foreign newspapers, using 
 the literal translation, went into shrieks of merriment over 
 this ridiculous phrase of their own concoction, making 
 all manner of fun of both father and child, and, strange 
 to relate, this mistake still causes occasional comment. 
 
 The Emperor had always maintained, that with the 
 French everything depended on the first move. If that 
 proved successful, the soldiers could be depended upon to 
 fight admirably, while a check at the outset was sure to 
 rob them of confidence in their generals and hence of all 
 courage. The little engagement of Saarbriick was speed- 
 ily followed by the battles of Weissembourg and of 
 Woerth which, being both crushing defeats, may be said 
 to have decided the issue of the war. Indeed, Napoleon 
 himself telegraphed to Eugenie after Woerth : " All is 
 lost. Try to hold your own in Paris." 
 
 These defeats opened the nation's eyes in a very 
 rough way, and when the people discovered that their 
 army was not going " on to Berlin," but that the Ger- 
 mans were coming to Paris, they were in despair. They 
 now blamed the Emperor for hurrying them into an un- 
 necessary war, when no preparations had been made, and 
 discovered with dismay that their boasted army was ill- 
 trained, ill-fed, and ill-armed, and that the enemy out- 
 numbered them eight to one. The people fairly howled 
 
 375 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 with rage and disappointment, while the newspapers 
 shrieked the most bitter denunciations against the 
 government. 
 
 Eugenie, at the news of these defeats and of the popu- 
 lace's anger, immediately hastened back to Paris, although 
 the Tuileries were almost uninhabitable in summer, and 
 took up her abode there, determined to be near at hand 
 in case of emergency. The day after her arrival there, 
 , she issued the following proclamation : — 
 
 Frenchmen ! — The beginning of the war has not been 
 favourable to us, and our armies have suffered defeat, but let us 
 be firm in resistance and hasten to retrieve our losses. Let 
 there be but one party among us, that of France. Let us have 
 but one standard, that of our honour ! I shall be in your midst, 
 and you will see me faithful to my duty and calling, the first 
 where danger threatens, the foremost to guard the banner of the 
 Empire. I call upon all good citizens to preserve order, any 
 violation of it would be equivalent to conspiring with the enemy. 
 (Signed) Eugenie. 
 
 Of an ardent, impetuous nature, Eugenie burned to do 
 something, and even offered to lead the defence ; but her 
 advisers wisely restrained her, knowing the people would 
 be sure to misjudge her, for they now remembered all 
 the scurrilous articles written by Rochefort and others, 
 felt that she was not a born Frenchwoman, knew she 
 had been in favour of this disastrous war, and realised 
 that the Empire had cost vast sums of money. The 
 people were not only dissatisfied with the government, 
 but with the management of the war, and clamoured for 
 another general, until the Emperor yielded to their wishes 
 and entrusted the command to Marshal Bazaine. He 
 then offered to return to Paris himself, and perchance, had 
 he done so, and acted energetically, the Empire might 
 
 376 
 
Eugenie 
 
 yet have been saved. But Eugenie, believing such a 
 move would jeopardise not only his power but his life, 
 sent Napoleon the apparently cruel, but pertinent mes- 
 sage : " Come back victorious, or do not come at all. 
 All or nothing." She would not allow her son to re- 
 turn to the capital either ; for heads were so heated that 
 she feared lest he too might not be safe there. 
 
 Still Eugenie deserved all the support the people could 
 have given her, for she was now nobly straining every 
 nerve to atone for the past and undo the harm she had 
 unwittingly done. Even those who accuse her of vanity, 
 extravagance, and bigotry, in time of prosperity, must 
 concede that when adversity came she showed herself 
 a brave, unselfish, and thoroughly noble woman. She 
 not only worked early and late to establish ambulances 
 for the wounded in the Tuileries galleries, which were 
 turned into hospital wards, where she, too, nursed the 
 sick, but whenever she sat down for a moment, picked 
 lint as fast as her fingers could move. 
 
 Racked with anxiety for her husband and son, as well 
 as for the unhappy people, she could neither eat nor sleep, 
 and, haunted by the sight of suffering, spent days which 
 seemed hke nightmares and long sleepless nights, ob- 
 taining a few moments' rest and oblivion only when she 
 resorted to strong narcotics. During the two months 
 which elapsed between the first engagement, and her es- 
 cape from the palace, it is said that she lived principally 
 upon strong coffee and chloral, which braced her for the 
 time being, but which left her weak and giddy and spent. 
 But poor Eugenie had no time to think of herself; all 
 her energies were bent upon sending troops northward 
 to repel the invader, and when her counsellors urged 
 that if she sent twenty thousand National Guards she 
 would have no men left to hold the turbulent populace 
 
 377 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 in check, and would thus imperil the throne, she pas- 
 sionately cried : — 
 
 " Do not think of me, nor of the dynasty, but think 
 of the army and of France. I will not even allow the 
 question to be discussed. Just realise what a weight of 
 remorse would rest upon us for all time, if it were ever 
 in our power to say that these twenty thousand men 
 might have changed defeat into victory, while we, under 
 plea of protecting ourselves, kept them here in Paris. 
 Lose not a moment ; let General Vinoy leave this very 
 day ! " 
 
 When France so rashly entered upon this war, she 
 had no allies at all ; so Eugenie now implored England 
 and Austria to intervene. Both held aloof, however, 
 England mainly because Victoria's eldest daughter had 
 married the Crown Prince of Prussia, and Austria be- 
 cause the country had not yet recovered from the effects 
 of its recent war and the defeat of Sadowa. Still, 
 Eugenie left no stone unturned, and when she found her 
 appeals disregarded, and perceived that the foe might 
 press on to the very gates of Paris, she packed up the 
 most important papers, the chief treasures of the Louvre, 
 and all the crown jewels, and sent them on board a man- 
 of-war where she knew they would be safe. Her own 
 jewels were forwarded to her mother in Spain, so as to 
 be disposed of there should an emergency arise. Under 
 the influence of intense anxiety, and the double strain of 
 painful excitement and over-exertion, Eugenie aged 
 visibly in the course of these two months ; but although 
 her strength sometimes flagged, her courage and energy 
 never failed, and, sustained by indomitable will power, 
 she bore all her trials with a fortitude which none of 
 those around her could help admiring. 
 
 On the 3rd of September, 1870, the manager of the 
 378 
 
Eugenie 
 
 Telegraph Office came to the Tuileries, and, meeting 
 the Minister of State, said in low and awestruck tones : 
 " I usually attend to the telegrams exchanged between 
 their Majesties myself, but I have not the heart to de- 
 liver this one." The paper which he thrust into the 
 minister's hand was Napoleon's telegram after the army 
 had surrendered at Sedan, wherein he briefly said : 
 
 The army is defeated and taken. I am a prisoner. 
 
 (Signed) Napoleon. 
 
 These frightful tidings almost stunned Eugenie, but 
 she soon remembered that her husband was still alive, 
 her son free, and that it was her duty to defend France 
 and maintain the Imperial authority, which — although 
 she was not aware of the fact — had already slipped out 
 of her hands for ever. Others, however, were better in- 
 formed than she, for when she passed the Emperor's 
 study, she caught a glimpse of his secretary busily 
 destroying private papers. 
 
 The news of the disaster of Sedan, and of the capture 
 of the Emperor and of eighty thousand soldiers, was 
 announced at an informal midnight meeting of the 
 Legislative Assembly, which inimediately deposed Na- 
 poleon, appointed a provisional government, and con- 
 firmed General Trochu's authority as Governor of Paris. 
 Then it adjourned until noon the next day. Meantime, 
 the Republic had already been proclaimed in Lyons and 
 Marseilles, and when the turbulent element in the capi- 
 tal heard of the Emperor's surrender and of the army's 
 capture, they, too, began to vociferate : " Down with the 
 Emperor ! Down with the Empress ! Long live the Re- 
 public ! " and now and then expressed their views by 
 muttering angrily : " An Emperor dies, but does not 
 surrender ! " 
 
 379 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 The night was quiet at the Tuileries in spite of the 
 fact that many of the servants, perceiving the drift of 
 events, and, like rats, deserting a sinking ship, slipped 
 quietly out of the palace, carrying off all they could. 
 When Eugenie rose at six, after a sleepless night, there 
 were no servants to bring her breakfast, and one of her 
 ladies had to wait upon her instead. After hearing 
 Mass in her private oratory as usual, the Empress visited 
 the ambulance wards in the palace, before receiving an 
 early call from General Trochu, who loudly protested 
 his absolute devotion and swore to protect her. It is 
 even said that he and Eugenie then discussed the advisa- 
 bility of her donning a habit and riding with him through 
 the streets to rouse the people, but that this plan could not 
 be carried out because Eugenie's servants had stolen her 
 habits, and there was none left in which she could appear. 
 
 Eugenie next presided over the council as usual, little 
 suspecting it would be her last, and although the advisa- 
 bility of removing to Blois or Orleans was discussed, she 
 so little realised the true state of affairs that she had not 
 yet made the slightest preparation for departure. At 
 one o'clock she received a deputation of the Legislative 
 Assembly, which came to propose to her a species of 
 abdication. Standing near the mantelpiece upon which 
 she lightly leaned, Eugenie silently and patiently heard 
 all they had to say and then answered : 
 
 " Gentlemen, ypu say that your proposal leaves an 
 opening for the future, but on condition that now, in 
 the time of greatest peril, I should forsake the post en- 
 trusted to me. I cannot do this. I must not consent 
 to what you ask. But, believe me, the trials through 
 which I have passed have been so painful, so terrible, 
 that the thought of retaining this crown for the Em- 
 peror and for my son has slight attractions for me. My 
 
 380 
 
Eugenie 
 
 only care, my sole ambition, is to fulfil, to their utmost 
 extent, the duties which devolve upon me. If you 
 believe, if the Legislative Assembly believes, that I am 
 an obstacle, that the Emperor's name is an obstacle, and 
 not a power to quell disorder and organise resistance, let 
 them pronounce the Empire over and I shall not com- 
 plain. I can then leave my post with honour. I shall 
 not have forsaken it. But I feel convinced that the 
 only sensible, patriotic action for the representatives of 
 the country is to rally around me, around my govern- 
 ment, to set aside for the present all personal questions, 
 and to unite our efforts to repel the invasion. As for 
 me, I am ready to brave every danger, and to follow the 
 Legislative Assembly wherever it chooses to go to 
 organise resistance. Should this resistance prove im- 
 possible, I believe I could still be useful in obtaining 
 less unfavourable conditions of peace. 
 
 " Yesterday, the representative of a great power offered 
 the arbitration of the neutral States, on the double under- 
 standing of the integrity of territory in France and the 
 maintenance of the Imperial dynasty. I answered that 
 I was ready to accept arbitration on the first head, but I 
 energetically refused the second. The maintenance of 
 the dynasty is a question which concerns the country 
 only, and I will never countenance the interference of 
 foreign powers in home affairs. If you consider that 
 the continuance of the power in my hands prevents all 
 Frenchmen from uniting in defence of the country, do 
 you believe, gentlemen, that it would be too presumptu- 
 ous, on the part of a woman who voluntarily stepped 
 down from the throne, to ask the Assembly's permission 
 to remain in Paris in any dwelling they chose to assign, 
 so as to have the privilege of sharing the suffering, the 
 peril, and the anxieties of the besieged capital ? 
 
 381 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 « I authorise you to return to the Legislative Assembly 
 and to tell General de Palikao and his colleagues that I 
 have implicit confidence in them, and that I give them full 
 liberty to take such measures in the interest of the country 
 as they judge desirable, which I promise to sanction." 
 
 But when the committee had gone, she added, speak- 
 ing to her friends : " To abdicate would be to weaken 
 our powers of resistance. I wanted nominal authority 
 merely to prevent disorganisation. Let them do what 
 they please, all I ask is to meet this danger. They 
 won't allow me to do so. Ah ! in France one should 
 never be unfortunate." 
 
 Meantime the mob had collected around the Legisla- 
 tive Assembly, which adjourned to another part of the 
 city, when Gambetta declared : " The Republic shall 
 not be proclaimed here, but in the City Hall ! " Part 
 of the mob followed the deputies ; but the greater part 
 congregated on the Place de la Concorde, which was 
 soon black with heads. The crowd vociferated the 
 Marseillaise, waved flags, and cast threatening glances 
 at the Tuileries. Finally a mere boy scaled the palace 
 railings, and amid the encouraging shouts of the mob, 
 tore down the Imperial eagle above one of the gates. 
 This seemed to act as a signal for the work of the 
 vandals to begin, for they broke through the slender 
 barrier and poured like a flood into the garden, where 
 flowers and shrubs were reduced to shapeless pulp be- 
 neath their trampling feet. As they advanced, hoarse 
 cries of " On to the palace ! Abdication ! Down with 
 the Spaniard ! Down with Madame Badinguet ! " were 
 heard on all sides. The latter name was bestowed upon 
 Eugenie in derision, because, when escaping from the 
 fortress of Ham, Napoleon had donned the garments of 
 a mason of that name. 
 
 382 
 
Eugenie 
 
 The cries of the people were of course plainly audible 
 in the palace, where many people had assembled since 
 morning, and where Eugenie's friends were urging her 
 to escape while it was yet time. But the Empress was 
 loath to resign the post of duty, and, instead of fleeing 
 the country, wished to remain in it, declaring pathetically : 
 " One can never be unhappy in France ! " 
 
 The threatening cries made her realise, however, that 
 something must be done, and turning to General Mellinet, 
 she abruptly inquired : " General, can you defend the 
 palace without resorting to arms ? " When he sadly 
 answered : " Madame, I do not think so," she despair- 
 ingly cried : " Then all is over ! Not a drop of blood 
 shall be shed for me or mine. We must not add the 
 horrors of civil war to our present disasters." Even 
 then she could not make up her mind to go, although 
 she implored all those who came to offer her assistance 
 to leave as quickly as possible, and not to expose their 
 precious lives. As it was impossible to bid them indi- 
 vidual farewells, she appeared for a moment in their 
 midst, and after a very few words took a final leave of 
 them, by one of the slow sweeping curtseys which 
 always won the admiration of all beholders. 
 
 Eugenie having vanished, the sorrowing courtiers 
 dispersed, while she hesitated and eagerly questioned the 
 few persons collected in the inner apartment. She was 
 still deliberating whether to go or not, when the Prefect 
 of the Palace announced that the mob were forcing their 
 way into the palace, and that, if she did not depart im- 
 mediately, it would be too late. But it was only when 
 assured that her presence endangered the building and 
 its inmates that Eugenie, turning to her friends, asked 
 for the last time : " Is this your last word ? Can I not 
 be of use in organising the defence ? Tell me, have I 
 done my duty to the very end ? " 
 
 383 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 When they tearfully assured her that she had done all 
 a woman could, and that she must now leave to prevent 
 a crime, Eugenie hastily donned the dark hat and cloak 
 which one of her ladies brought her. Her friends pleaded 
 for permission to accompany her ; but she would not 
 allow any of them to do so, knowing it would be at the 
 risk of their lives. She accepted the escort of Prince 
 Metternich and of the Chevalier de Nigra, the Austrian 
 and Italian ambassadors, because they were well known 
 in Paris, and because, as foreigners and ambassadors, 
 they were sure not to be molested. Her only female 
 companion was her reader. Mademoiselle Lebreton, who 
 insisted upon going with her. 
 
 By this time, a part of the mob had already broken 
 into the palace, and their shrieks were heard on the stair- 
 case when Eugenie took the Chevalier de Nigra's arm, 
 and passed rapidly through the rooms where she had 
 reigned as mistress for seventeen years. As they swiftly 
 passed the tall windows, she caught glimpses of the 
 seething, menacing crowd, and sadly cried : " What 
 folly to waste their powers of resistance thus, with the 
 enemy at our gates ! " 
 
 But although she would fain have lingered, and if 
 necessary have died on the spot rather than flee, the 
 ambassadors hurried her on to a gallery communicating 
 with the Louvre Museum. On reaching the door, they 
 were dismayed to find it locked, and while waiting for 
 the key, shuddered with dread, for the mob was already 
 breaking into the rooms they had just left. The key 
 was fortunately produced without great delay, and as 
 soon as the little group had passed safely, the door was 
 again fastened behind them. Striding swiftly through 
 the deserted Museum, Eugenie was heard to exclaim in 
 mournful accents : " Unhappy palace ! It is then the 
 
 384 
 
Eugenie 
 
 decre^ of fate that all crowned heads shall leave you in 
 this manner ! " 
 
 Then she moved on for a time in silence, murmuring 
 only from time to time : " A hollow dream ! A hollow 
 dream ! " 
 
 Thus they rapidly neared the opposite end of the vast 
 building, and as they approached the gate by which they 
 still hoped to escape, Eugenie said to her escort : " I am 
 holding your arm. Do you feel any tremor? " 
 
 " No, Madame, you do not tremble," answered the 
 Italian ambassador, and as he spoke he marvelled at the 
 courage she showed ; for her husband was a prisoner, she 
 did not know what had become of her idolised son, she 
 had just been driven from the proudest throne in Europe, 
 and was liable at any moment to meet the fate of her 
 predecessor, Marie Antoinette, at the hands of an infuri- 
 ated mob. Verily, it was enough to make even the 
 bravest quail ! 
 
 When the little party reached the St. Germain 
 I'Auxerrois gate, they found a crowd there too ; but, as 
 it seemed even more dangerous to linger than to advance, 
 they ventured out boldly. Prince Metternich had 
 ordered a carriage, but it was not at the spot he had in- 
 dicated, and while he dashed off in quest of it. Monsieur 
 de Nigra remained with the two ladies. They were both 
 closely veiled, and he hoped they might yet escape 
 recognition, when a ragamuffin suddenly caught a glimpse 
 of Eugenie's wonderful hair, and, pointing excitedly, 
 shrilly cried : " Look ! there 's the Empress ! " Before 
 he could repeat this cry or attract the mob's attention. 
 Nigra, with great presence of mind, gave him a stagger- 
 ing box on the ear, exclaiming : " That 's to teach 
 you to cry Empress, when the Republic has been 
 proclaimed." 
 
 VOL. I. — 25 385 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Then, thrusting the ladies into the only cab at hand, 
 he shouted an imaginary address to the coachman, who 
 drove ofF at full speed. Eugenie and her companion 
 were thus adrift in a great city, and it was only after they 
 had driven several blocks that they discovered that three 
 francs was the total amount of their combined fortune ! 
 They had left in such haste, that not only had they taken 
 no luggage with them, but the Empress had entirely for- 
 gotten to provide herself with money. Fearing an alter- 
 cation with the driver, should they not be able to meet 
 his demands, the ladies did not dare to drive far, and get- 
 ting out on Boulevard Haussmann dismissed him quietly. 
 Alone, on foot, and penniless, they knocked at sundry 
 doors ; but none of their friends were at home, and they 
 were afraid to make themselves known to strange 
 servants. 
 
 At six o'clock, they finally reached the house of Dr. 
 Evans, an American dentist who had often been to the 
 palace to attend the Imperial family. Although' his wife 
 was then at the seashore, he was fortunately expecting 
 two patients, who were to stay with him. Hearing that 
 these ladies had come on foot and without any luggage. 
 Dr. Evans told his servants to send them away ; but as 
 the strangers insisted upon seeing him, and still refused 
 to give their names, he went to dismiss them himself. 
 
 To his utter amazement he recognised Eugenie, who 
 implored his aid. He immediately promised to do all he 
 could to help her, and led her and her companion to the 
 rooms prepared for his guests, where he left them, tell- 
 ing his servants that they were the patients he expected. 
 Then he went out for a few minutes to reconnoitre in 
 the streets, where he soon perceived that Eugenie had 
 not escaped a minute too soon, and that great caution 
 would be required to get her safely out of the city. In 
 
 386 
 
Eugenie 
 
 fact the mob was in full possession of the Tuileries, and, 
 not content with slashing the canvases representing 
 their Imperial Majesties, it was already destroying every 
 memento of their presence there. Books and papers 
 were tossed out of the windows and into the gardens, 
 which were soon strewn with valuable documents. But 
 although many people collected these papers as souvenirs, 
 not a single scrap was found incriminating Eugenie in 
 any way, and none could ever be produced as proof of 
 the senseless charges made by her enemies. 
 
 Eugenie, exhausted and in tears, shuddered when she 
 heard Dr. Evans's report, and acquiesced when he pro- 
 posed to take her out of the city early on the morrow. 
 Fearing lest they should be recognised should they 
 attempt to escape by rail, Dr. Evans resolved to resort 
 to stratagem and drove to Neuilly. At the gate he was 
 stopped, but making himself known to one of the offi- 
 cers, he explained that he was on his way to a neigh- 
 bouring insane asylum, to secure admittance for one of 
 his patients. The officer did not for a moment doubt 
 the truth of this assertion, and Dr. Evans, turning to the 
 sentinel, remarked : " I shall want to pass through this 
 gate very often ; look at me well so you will be sure to 
 recognise me and not stop me again." 
 
 Thanks to this precaution, he and his assistant, with 
 Eugenie and Mademoiselle Lebreton passed the gate un- 
 challenged on the morrow, and drove right on to Mantes. 
 There, the same comedy was played, for Dr. Evans 
 begged the hotel-keeper to give him a back room with 
 heavily shuttered windows, explaining that he had to be 
 very careful, as he was taking an insane lady to a private 
 asylum, and was meantime responsible for her safety. 
 The landlord accepted this explanation without demur, 
 and when they drove ofF the next day, Eugenie pre- 
 
 387 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 tended to resist, repeating several times, for his and the 
 coachman's benefit : " I won't go to the asylum ! " 
 
 Changing carriages a little further, so as to confuse 
 any pursuers, they drove on, and, after two days' journey, 
 reached Mrs. Evans at Deauville. Those two days' 
 driving were torture for poor Eugenie, for not only were 
 her nerves shattered by all she had been through, and 
 her frame exhausted by sleeplessness and anxiety, but a 
 heavy cold greatly added to her physical discomfort. 
 Almost crazed with grief and suspense, she could no 
 longer control her tears and wept incessantly. By some 
 mischance, the whole party could only muster a couple 
 of handkerchiefs for her use, so Eugenie was not only 
 forced to wash them in her basin at night, and iron 
 them over her knee in the morning ; but Dr. Evans had 
 to supplement her efforts and turn laundryman at a pool 
 by the wayside. Still, even in the midst of her own 
 overwhelming sorrows, Eugenie was not unmindful of 
 others, and seeing a poor horse brutally ill-treated, inter- 
 fered in his behalf so energetically, that she came very 
 near betraying her identity and thus forfeiting her 
 liberty. 
 
 Dr. Evans had no sooner placed the Empress in his 
 wife's care, than he set out to find some means of get- 
 ting her safely across the Channel. During his absence, 
 Mrs. Evans hastily prepared some light luggage for 
 Eugenie, who, when asked what she wanted, could 
 only repeat : " Handkerchiefs, plenty of handkerchiefs ! 
 Handkerchiefs above all ! " 
 
 Meantime Dr. Evans had discovered that a private 
 yacht, the " Gazelle," belonging to Lord Burgoyne, was 
 then in port. He visited the owner, and in a private 
 interview succeeded in enlisting his sympathies in behalf 
 of the fugitive Empress. The English nobleman not 
 
 388 
 
Eugenie 
 
 only promised to receive the party on board his yacht, 
 but to land them in England, bargaining however that 
 they should not arrive until midnight, so as to avoid 
 detection. 
 
 At twelve, therefore, a gentleman and two ladies quietly 
 boarded the " Gazelle," and one of the latter, stepping up 
 to Lord Burgoyne, addressed him in his own language, 
 saying : " I believe you are the English gentleman who 
 will take me to England. I am the Empress." At this 
 title, which offered such a contrast to her position, she 
 could not restrain her tears, and Lord Burgoyne led her 
 weeping to his wife, who did all she could for the com- 
 fort of her unhappy guest. 
 
 Such a storm had arisen that evening that Lord Bur- 
 goyne felt it was unsafe to venture out to sea; but as, on 
 the other hand, he dared not remain in port lest Eugenie 
 should be in danger, he took his crew into his confidence 
 and asked their advice. The sailors, one and all, voted 
 for an immediate departure, declaring themselves ready 
 and willing to risk their lives for his distinguished passen- 
 ger. So the boat put out to sea, where it encountered a 
 storm of such violence that an iron-clad sank that very 
 night. The " Gazelle " was tossed about like a cork, and 
 in such imminent peril that Lord Burgoyne once lost 
 courage, and bitterly reproached Dr. Evans for urging 
 them to face a storm in which it was inevitable they 
 should all perish. 
 
 Even in the midst of the greatest danger, Eugenie 
 showed no signs of fear; but the pitching and tossing 
 wearied her so greatly that she was doubly glad when 
 they were finally set ashore at Ryde Beach early the 
 next morning. While Dr. Evans was knocking in vain 
 at various hotels, seeking admission. Lord Burgoyne 
 telegraphed to Lord Grandville that he had just landed 
 
 389 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 the Empress on the English coast. This telegram 
 amazed the minister, who immediately bade the fugitive 
 Empress welcome, but intimated his disbelief of the 
 news by wiring to Lord Burgoyne : " Don't you think 
 you may have been imposed upon ? " 
 
 The Empress, according to different authorities, learned 
 either on the yacht, or as she landed, that her son had 
 reached England in safety. In fact, immediately after 
 the Sedan catastrophe, his tutor had hurried him into a 
 train, and, without his knowledge or consent, had carried 
 him off to Belgium, with his attendants and about fifty 
 of the Imperial Guards. From thence he sent the char- 
 acteristic telegram : " We are going straight on to 
 Belgium." (Signed) Filon. [" Filons sur la Belgique." 
 (Signed) Filon.] 
 
 But this despatch reached the Tuileries only after 
 Eugenie had gone, and her anxiety was thus greatly pro- 
 longed. Learning that her son had arrived at Hastings, 
 she now proceeded thither, where friends soon rallied 
 around her. It was while there that she tearfully read a 
 description of the invasion of the Tuileries, and repeatedly 
 exclaimed : " Poor Trochu ! Poor Trochu ! " 
 
 When asked why she was thus commiserating the re- 
 creant Governor of Paris, she innocently answered : 
 " Why, he has often told me, ' Madame, no assailant shall 
 ever enter the Tuileries save over my dead body.' He 
 must therefore be dead. PoorTrochu!" In fact, it never 
 once occurred to Eugenie that any one could prove faith- 
 less, or that Trochu, who had pretended such devotion, 
 could desert her to retain his position. But he and 
 many others, nevertheless, felt kindly toward Eugenie, 
 and showed their sympathy by collecting and forward- 
 ing her private property. 
 
 Meantime, although some French papers claimed that 
 390 
 
Eugenie 
 
 the Empress had carried ofF a large fortune, and that she 
 and the Emperor had invested immense sums abroad 
 during the past years, the fact was, as we have seen, that 
 Eugenie left the Tuileries absolutely penniless, and had 
 to sell some of the diamonds she had entrusted to her 
 mother's keeping to defray her own and her son's ex- 
 penses in England. Although several of the friends 
 who had not been allowed to accompany her when she 
 fled from the Tuileries soon joined her in England, they 
 were nearly as poor as she, and could not therefore do 
 much to help her. But Queen Victoria, who had always 
 been her personal friend, bade her a kindly welcome, and 
 offered her every assistance, and King William of Prussia 
 courteously invited her and her son to share the Em- 
 peror's quarters at Wilhelmshohe. Eugenie gratefully 
 acknowledged all Queen Victoria's friendly offers of 
 assistance ; but she declined King William's offer, saying 
 it was impossible she or her son should accept the hos- 
 pitality of France's bitterest enemy. 
 
 As there seemed no immediate prospect of a return to 
 France, and as her means would not permit her living in 
 a hotel with her suite, Eugenie began to look around her 
 for a suitable abode. Strange to relate, already some 
 time before, an eccentric Englishman had improved his 
 estate of Chiselhurst to serve as a home for the Imperial 
 family, saying : " I am convinced that the Emperor 
 Napoleon III., in spite of all appearances to the con- 
 trary, will be dethroned some day, or will grow weary 
 of reigning over France. Then he will come to Eng- 
 land and live here ! " 
 
 His peculiar premonition came true, for the Empress 
 leased Chiselhurst for a certain number of years, settling 
 there with her son, whose education was diligently pur- 
 sued under her immediate supervision. At first, the 
 
 391 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Germans showed a desire to treat with the Empress as 
 Regent, but she wisely refused to have anything more to 
 do with politics, referring all emissaries to the new gov- 
 ernment established in France. Still, she did not despair 
 of returning to Paris, when these troubles were over; for 
 many Bonapartists longed for the restoration of the 
 Empire, and Rouher, the head of the party, was work- 
 ing as actively as he could to negotiate the return of 
 Napoleon IV., in case the people refused to receive 
 Napoleon III. 
 
 Eugenie kept informed of all that was going on, and 
 once, at least, in the course of the winter, journeyed 
 incognita to Wilhelmshohe to see how her husband was 
 bearing his captivity, and to consult him regarding the 
 course she had best pursue. She found him beguiling 
 the time in study, as usual, and much happier — as far 
 as he was personally concerned — dreaming among his 
 books, than when governing a restive people. Although 
 still ill, he suffered less than when he departed for the 
 war, and on the whole found his seven months of cap- 
 tivity at Wilhelmshohe quite endurable. Still he was 
 very glad when the treaty was finally signed, and he was 
 free to join his wife and son in England. There they 
 talked of the frightful siege of Paris, and of the still more 
 terrible Commune, which had reduced to an unsightly 
 heap of ruins the Tuileries, St. Cloud, and many other 
 public buildings which had once been the ornament and 
 pride of the city. 
 
 The new Republic was at first very insecure, and it 
 often seemed as if the government which had risen so 
 suddenly would collapse utterly, thus enabling the Imperial 
 family to return. Rouher fully believed the change 
 must soon come, so he was constantly journeying across 
 the Channel to confer with the Emperor at Chiselhurst. 
 
 392 
 
Eugenie 
 
 As the Prince Imperial could not be educated at a 
 military school in France, as he wished, Queen Victoria 
 granted him permission to enter Woolwich in 1872, and 
 even offered to have him admitted without undergoing 
 preliminary examination. But the Prince Imperial re- 
 fused to enter by favour, and insisted upon sharing the 
 examination and duties of his comrades, with whom he 
 became a great favourite, although he was already graver 
 and more silent than most lads of his own age. In 
 spite of the drawbacks of a change of country, methods, 
 and language, the Prince stood well in his studies, and 
 by dint of hard work and perseverance ranked at gradua- 
 tion among the best students in his class. 
 
 Meantime, the Emperor's health had not improved, 
 and his physicians constantly urged a new operation. 
 But he had a horror of surgical treatment, and deferred 
 submitting to it until it seemed as if he might soon be 
 recalled to France. Knowing he would require all his 
 former strength and activity in such a contingency, he 
 yielded at last to the doctors' advice and to Eugenie's 
 pleading, and again submitted to the surgeon's knife. 
 Although the operation was not unusual, or very dan- 
 gerous, and although it passed off successfully, he never 
 rallied from the shock, but passed away on the 9th of 
 January, 1873. The physicians so little expected this 
 denouement, however, that it was only a short time 
 before his death that they realised his danger, called the 
 Empress, and telegraphed for the Prince. 
 
 Eugenie hurried to her husband's bedside at the very 
 first summons, and as soon as he saw her he smiled and 
 spoke kindly to her. Then the last sacrament was hur- 
 riedly administered before he sank into a semi-conscious 
 state. But his mind must have been haunted by the hor- 
 rors of the recent war, for when his old friend, Dr. 
 
 393 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 Conneau, once bent over him, he suddenly opened his 
 eyes, and asked, painfully : " Were you at Sedan ? " 
 
 Those were Napoleon III.'s last words. Soon after 
 he became speechless, but even then he knew Eugenie, 
 and he was making a last mute effort to kiss her when 
 he suddenly passed away. The end came so quickly, 
 that when the Prince reached Chiselhurst it was already 
 too late. The poor boy was met at the door by his 
 weeping mother, who informed him of their mutual loss 
 by clasping him close to her heart with the mournful 
 cry : " I have only you, Louis, left ! " 
 
 Eugenie was so prostrated by grief that she could not 
 attend her husband's funeral, but ten thousand loyal 
 Frenchmen crossed the Channel to follow him to the 
 grave, and offer condolences to his son, who acted as 
 chief mourner. But when they would fain have greeted 
 the Prince Imperial as Napoleon IV., and raised the 
 familiar cry : " Long live the Emperor ! " he gently 
 checked them, saying feelingly : " Your Emperor is 
 dead ! " 
 
 The Prince Imperial returned to Woolwich to pursue 
 his studies after reading his father's will, wherein he 
 found this significant phrase : " Power is a heavy burden, 
 because one cannot always do the good one wishes, and 
 because one's contemporaries seldom do one justice." 
 Indeed, even yet, the French scarcely do the Emperor 
 justice, for in spite of all the harm he undoubtedly did, 
 he nevertheless did a great deal of good, too, and one of 
 his lasting claims to the gratitude of his country, as well 
 as of the world, is the improvement and embellishment 
 of the capital, which, owing to his efforts, became the 
 finest city on the globe. 
 
 Bowed down with grief at the loss of her husband 
 whom she loved devotedly in spite of all his faults and 
 
 394 
 
Eugenie, 1872. 
 
Eugenie 
 
 shortcomings, Eugenie, although mourning for him 
 loyally, concentrated all her affections upon her son. 
 The Prince spent all his holidays with her while at 
 Woolwich, and journeyed with her to Switzerland, 
 where they passed part of the summer months in the 
 castle of Arenenberg, where Napoleon III. had once 
 lived with Queen Hortense. 
 
 On the Prince Imperial's eighteenth birthday, six 
 thousand faithful Frenchmen journeyed to Chiselhurst 
 to congratulate him upon attaining his majority, and to 
 hail him once more as Napoleon IV. But the young 
 Prince firmly declared he would never accept such a 
 title, unless it were conferred upon him by a majority of 
 the French nation, and vowed that should he ever be 
 called to rule in France, he would be true to the Bona- 
 partist motto and " Govern for the people and by the 
 people." 
 
 Too old to be content at home doing nothing, and too 
 young to wander the world at will, the young Prince, 
 who was of an active, ambitious nature, was restless and 
 discontented. Like most mothers, Eugenie could not 
 realise that her boy was growing up, and she watched 
 over him as closely as if he were still a child, allowing 
 him little freedom and less money. She had practised 
 the most rigid economy ever since the Emperor's death, 
 but merely to further the prospects of this only son, and, 
 fearing to spoil him by too much indulgence, she is said 
 to have treated him with needless severity. 
 
 The Bonapartists, meanwhile, made frequent pilgrim- 
 ages to Chiselhurst, where they never failed to appear 
 with gifts and addresses on " Napoleon Day," as well 
 as on Eugenie's and the Prince's birthdays. They dili- 
 gently fed the Empress' hopes of seeing this beloved son 
 seated once more on the throne of his father, and, 
 
 395 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 dreaming of the future, Eugenie apparently forgot that 
 young people live mostly in the present. Neither did 
 she realise that the quiet life beside her could be irksome 
 to her son, who was as visionary and ambitious as his 
 namesake who died at Schonbrunn, and whose life had 
 so many points of resemblance with his own. 
 
 Although we are told the Prince Imperial would fain 
 have travelled extensively, Eugenie, either because she 
 could not bear to lose sight of him, or because she 
 deemed it best for his future prospects to remain near 
 France, would not allow him to wander far afield. But 
 what the Prince longed most to do was to enter the 
 army, and his exile seemed most bitter because it de- 
 prived him of the privilege of fighting for his country. 
 He was too patriotic, however, to serve under any other 
 flag, and was, therefore, constantly consumed by longings 
 which could not be fulfilled. 
 
 Hoping to divert and occupy him, as well as to secure 
 aid and heirs for the future, Eugenie tried to secure a 
 wife for him, and with that purpose in view sounded the 
 oldest dynasties in Europe where there were marriage- 
 able princesses. Her efforts failed, but the Prince, com- 
 ing in contact with Princess Beatrice, the young people 
 were mutually attracted. Now, whereas such an alliance 
 would have filled Eugenie's heart with joy. Queen 
 Victoria refused to sanction it, for she realised that a 
 marriage with a Bonaparte offered small guarantee of 
 a stable and peaceful future, and she wished, above all, to 
 secure her child's happiness. 
 
 This disappointment only added to the Prince's rest- 
 lessness, which culminated in 1879, when his classmates 
 prepared to leave for the Zulu war. 
 
 The leaders of the Bonapartist party had frequently 
 declared that some experience in actual warfare would 
 
 396 
 
Eugenie 
 
 be of untold advantage to the Prince Imperial in the 
 future, and that, were he only able to win glory, his 
 political prospects would immediately brighten. This 
 knowledge, and the fact that he felt he owed a debt 
 of gratitude to England, which he was generously 
 anxious to repay, made Louis Napoleon apply, without 
 his mother's knowledge, for permission to serve in the 
 English army. Although reluctant to accept the ser- 
 vices of " the only son of his mother, and she a widow," 
 Victoria could not refuse this generous offer, provided 
 Eugenie consented to let the Prince go. 
 
 Pathetically anxious to further her son's happiness, 
 Eugenie consented, although the thought of exposing 
 him to the dangers of an unhealthful climate and the 
 horrors of savage warfare wrung her maternal heart. 
 Still she showed no weakness, and with the resolution 
 of a Spartan mother bade him go to war. When it 
 became known that the Prince Imperial was going to 
 Africa, many young Frenchmen volunteered to accom- 
 pany him, and forty of them wished to form a body- 
 guard pledged to watch over his safety. But Eugenie 
 refused this offer, declaring bravely : " No, no one shall 
 accompany my son. He has assumed the garb of a 
 soldier, so he must do as other soldiers do. He must 
 go forth to the field of battle mingling with the rank 
 and file, protected as they are and no more." 
 
 Thus Louis Napoleon sailed for Africa ; but although 
 his mother wished him to share all his comrades' duties 
 and perils. Queen Victoria sent secret orders not to 
 expose him unnecessarily, for she was still Eugenie's 
 faithful friend, and felt very sorry for the mother whose 
 only child was going so far away. Notwithstanding her 
 orders, the Prince was once allowed to join a topographi- 
 cal excursion, which, by some fatal oversight, started out 
 
 397 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 without a native escort. The young soldiers set out 
 gaily, for the country seemed quite deserted, and after 
 riding several miles and completing their maps, they dis- 
 mounted to eat their dinner in an abandoned native hut. 
 Carelessly secure, they neglected even ordinary precau- 
 tions, and having placed neither sentinels nor outposts, 
 rushed wildly for their horses when a band of natives 
 sprang upon them from an ambush. The blood-curd- 
 ling cries and uplifted spears of the attacking party, 
 terrified their horses, which reared and plunged so madly 
 that the young cavalrymen had considerable difficulty in 
 mounting them. 
 
 In the confusion each thought only of himself, and 
 only one of the number turned his head for a moment 
 to ascertain what became of the rest. He saw the 
 Prince, running beside his horse, — a spirited grey, — 
 which, maddened by the savages' cries, would not allow 
 him to mount. In a last desperate effort to reach his 
 saddle, Louis Napoleon rested all his weight upon a strap, 
 which, being of inferior quality instead of good leather, 
 suddenly gave way and sent him sprawling in the dust, 
 while his steed galloped away after the rest. 
 
 Alone and dismounted, pursued by a horde of blood- 
 thirsty savages, the Prince sprang to his feet, and, run- 
 ning like a deer, gained a rocky glen where, placing his 
 back against a boulder he faced his foes, determined to 
 sell his life dearly. There he died, " fighting like a 
 lion," as his slayers subsequently bore witness. When 
 his fleeing comrades finally rallied and rode back in quest 
 of him, they found him dead at the foot of a big rock, 
 his body stripped and covered with wounds, all of which 
 were in front, showing that he had died like a hero. A 
 surgeon, examining the body later, declared that the 
 Prince had been killed instantly, for one of the spears 
 
 398 
 
Eugenie 
 
 had entered his eye and pierced his brain. It was thus 
 that Louis Napoleon, the Prince Imperial, or, as he is 
 sometimes called. Napoleon IV., died at Itelezi, on the 
 1st of June, 1879. 
 
 The sad news was, of course, immediately cabled to 
 the English government, whence it was communicated 
 to the aged Duke of Bassano, who had followed his 
 master's fortunes, and always showed the utmost devo- 
 tion to the Empress Eugenie. He was simply overcome 
 with grief, and when informed that he must break the 
 tidings to the Empress, he despairingly cried : " My lips 
 will never be able to utter such words as those ! " 
 
 While he and her other friends were consulting how 
 best to prepare her to bear this awful blow, Eugenie, 
 from whom the papers had purposely been withheld, 
 received by mistake a private letter which roused her 
 suspicions. She rose hastily to inquire what it might 
 mean, and as she passed out of the room apprehensively 
 cried : " Some misfortune has happened to my son ! " 
 On the threshold she met the Duke of Bassano, nerving 
 himself for the awful ordeal, and, noting his attitude, 
 clutched at her heart and eagerly cried : " You have 
 news from Zululand ! " 
 
 " Yes, Madame, and it is not good ! " gently answered 
 her old and trusty friend. Eugenie started ; but brave as 
 ever, and ready for action, she controlled herself as best 
 she could, and said with forced calmness : " Louis is ill ! 
 Well, my dear Duke, we will start immediately and go 
 and nurse him." 
 
 She was turning to give orders for hasty preparations, 
 when the Duke detained her, saying : " There has been 
 a fight." 
 
 " A fight ! Then he is wounded ? " cried Eugenie, 
 who this time received only a bow in answer, for the 
 
 399 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 aged courtier could not speak. The mother, unable to 
 harbour the thought that her boy was dead, and still 
 intent upon reaching him as soon as possible, now went 
 on : " We can start to-day. We will surely find at 
 London some vessel to take us to Suez. There, we 
 will see what to do next. There are vessels leaving 
 every day." She called her women, and gave them a few 
 orders ; but as the Duke remained immovable beside her, 
 instead of bestirring himself in preparing for the journey, 
 she gazed questioningly at him, until he answered her 
 mute appeal by the trembling statement : " The wound 
 is dangerous." 
 
 Eugenie now drew nearer, and, perceiving his tears 
 and grief-stricken face, suddenly understood the full 
 meaning of the news he was trying to impart. With a 
 heart-rending cry, the poor mother fell to the floor in a 
 deep swoon. Throughout that day she sank from one 
 fainting fit into another, until her sorrowing attendants 
 almost hoped she would be spared further suffering, and 
 allowed to follow her beloved son. This was not to be, 
 however ; and Eugenie, on coming to her senses once 
 more, bitterly cried : " I shall not even be able to die, 
 and a merciful God will give me a hundred years of 
 life ! " 
 
 It was days before the unfortunate Empress could shed 
 a single tear, but when the flood-gates of her sorrow 
 opened at last they could not again be closed. 
 
 The news of her loss created widespread sorrow, 
 and every one heartily pitied the widowed mother, who 
 had lost all she had. Tokens of sympathy reached her 
 from all parts of the world, although the Bonapartists — 
 who had never even contemplated such a contingency 
 — were fairly stunned with grief. In fact, when the 
 news reached Rouher, the leader of the Imperial party, 
 
 400 
 
Eugenie 
 
 it proved such an awful shock that he, too, fainted. But 
 when he recovered from his first emotion, he immediately 
 set out for Chiselhurst, to mingle his tears with 
 Eugenie's, and bear her the condolences of all his 
 party, in whose name he made the following touching 
 address : — 
 
 " Madame, we lay our deep, inexpressible sorrow at 
 the feet of your Majesty, for the cruel blow which has 
 fallen upon you strikes France in her dearest memories, 
 as well as in her highest expectations. It has been the 
 will of God that the young Prince should not be spared 
 to your tenderness, to the service of France, and to our 
 sincere devotion, for death has snatched him away at the 
 very moment when we had the right to look for his 
 speedy return to France. We will not compare our 
 grief to yours, boundless as it is ; but we only beg your 
 Majesty to accept the testimony of our feelings, which 
 are shared by the whole of France." 
 
 Rouher was right; all France did mourn for the 
 Prince, for he had been greatly loved by all the people, 
 who had seen him grow up from babyhood in their 
 midst, and the Bonapartists hoped that popular affection 
 for the child, would in time prove a powerful factor in 
 restoring the man to the Imperial throne. These hopes, 
 however, were blasted forever, and all felt that the Bona- 
 partist cause could hardly rally from such a blow, for the 
 next of kin, according to the laws of Napoleonic succes- 
 sion, was Prince Napoleon, whose character inspired no 
 respect, and who enjoyed little popularity in France. 
 
 When Eugenie, who had lightened her widow's mourn- 
 ing a little to please her son, first donned the garb she 
 intended to wear as long as she lived, she showed how 
 conscious she felt that her life was ended, and that noth- 
 ing but patient endurance on earth and hope of reunion 
 VOL. I. — 26 401 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 in heaven now remained to her. The poor woman was 
 indeed very lonely, for all her near relatives were dead, 
 excepting her mother, who was then so ill that she could 
 not even be told of her grandson's death, or help her 
 daughter bear her great affliction. 
 
 The Prince's body was, of course, sent home to his 
 mother, who was not allowed to see it on account of the 
 disfiguration caused by his ghastly wounds. When the 
 cofEn reached Chiselhurst, the unhappy Empress again 
 fainted, but knelt beside it night and day, praying and 
 weeping, finding a strange comfort in being near the 
 remains of her son. 
 
 On the 1 2th of July, 1879, there was a grand public 
 funeral from Chiselhurst, more than a hundred thousand 
 Frenchmen having come over to escort the Prince Im- 
 perial to the grave. The French were not the only 
 people present, however, for other mourners came in 
 shoals from all parts of the country, until it is estimated 
 that no less than one million persons marched in the 
 funeral procession, which Eugenie beheld from her dark- 
 ened window. Representatives of all the reigning fam- 
 ilies were present to show their sympathy and respect, 
 and Queen Victoria and Princess Beatrice came in per- 
 son to mingle their tears with Eugenie's. The funeral 
 services were so impressive, and the thought of the 
 stricken mother so infinitely pathetic, that Christine 
 Nilsson, who had offiered to sing, burst into tears instead, 
 and all the spectators broke down and sobbed with her. 
 
 Since then, Eugenie's life has been one long period of 
 patient endurance and great suffering. She has been 
 almost a recluse, but when at home almost daily visits 
 the place where her son's and husband's coffins lie side 
 by side in Farnborough Church. There they are to 
 remain until the mausoleum which Eugenie is building is 
 
 402 
 
Eugenie 
 
 completed, or until the last will of both father and son 
 can be executed, and their bodies laid in the Invalides be- 
 side the founder of their dynasty, on the banks of the 
 Seine, which they, too, loved with undying affection. 
 On the two coffins violets are generally seen, for Eugenie 
 always strews these Napoleonic emblems over the palls. 
 Then, after spending some time alone with her dead, 
 lost in fervent prayer, — her only refuge, — she goes 
 slowly back to her lonely dwelling. 
 
 The year after the Prince Imperial's death, the Em- 
 press made a pious pilgrimage to Zululand, to visit the 
 place where he had died, and to collect, if possible, de- 
 tails concerning his tragic end. The Duke of Bassano, 
 being too old and ill to accompany her on this journey, 
 his son, who is equally devoted to the Empress, served 
 as her escort, and he bears witness that the stricken 
 mother almost died of anguish on the yery spot where 
 her son fell fighting so bravely. 
 
 Since then Eugenie has taken no long journeys. But 
 she often goes to Windsor to see Queen Victoria, who 
 is still her faithful friend, her visits there being strictly 
 private, for, in spite of all persuasions, the Empress has 
 never appeared in public since her son's death. Husband 
 and son being both gone, there was no reason why 
 Eugenie should not return to France if she wished ; but 
 although she would otherwise gladly do so, she cannot 
 tear herself away from England as long as the remains 
 of those she loved are there. 
 
 From time to time, however, she revisits the places 
 where she was once admired by all, and she has been 
 seen and recognised at various times in Paris and at 
 Fontainebleau, standing as a mere tourist in the rooms 
 she once occupied as sovereign lady. When the crown 
 jewels were exhibited, previous to being sold at auction, 
 
 403 
 
Empresses of France 
 
 she also came incognita to gaze with tear-dimmed eyes 
 upon the glittering stones which were associated with 
 so many brilliant memories. 
 
 When the Empress visits Paris, she lodges in her 
 own house near her former palace, for, as she herself 
 stated, soon after her son's death : " I feel myself drawn 
 to the . spot where the Tuileries stood, as moths are 
 attracted by the light." As Eugenie is no longer " dan- 
 gerous," according to political standards, she is allowed 
 to wander at will in the capital, where she muses over 
 the sad changes in her fortune, and recalls memories, 
 which by contrast, make the present seem desolate 
 indeed. 
 
 In these mournful pilgrimages, Eugenie has generally 
 been accompanied by Mademoiselle Lebreton, the lady 
 who fled with her from the Tuileries, and who has since 
 then proved her constant and ever-faithful companion. 
 We are told that poor Eugenie has wept so many bitter 
 tears that the eyes, about which every one raved, are now 
 dim and almost sightless. Her beautiful Titian hair is 
 as white as snow, and her once erect and graceful form 
 is bent and bowed by acute attacks of rheumatism. She 
 and her companion have visited sundry bathing resorts 
 in quest of relief for the tortures she endures from this 
 disease, but all in vain, and the fact that she suffers so 
 much, makes her seem far older than her actual years, 
 although she has now passed the allotted three score 
 and ten. 
 
 In 1888, the Empress was forced to leave Chiselhurst, 
 with all its happy and painful memories, and seek an- 
 other abode, for the owner wished to occupy his own 
 house. Eugenie, therefore, removed to a place in Farn- 
 borough, where she has since lived in comparative seclu- 
 sion, although far from forgotten. Devoted friends live 
 
 404 
 
Eugenie 
 
 with her there ; others visit her frequently and write to 
 her often ; and on birthdays and anniversaries loving 
 and sympathetic tokens and messages pour in from all 
 sides, proving that she still has a place in the hearts and 
 memories of those who knew her. 
 
 Faithful Bonapartists still make occasional pilgrimages 
 to Eugenie's home, or to the tomb of her beloved dead, 
 where they speak with bated breath of the woman from 
 whom they can no longer expect riches or honours, the 
 woman whom they remember as a queen of beauty, amid 
 scenes of fairy-like splendour, but who has won the 
 world's respect because she nobly bears her " crown of 
 sorrow." 
 
 405 
 
INDEX OF PRINCIPAL NAMES 
 
 A. 
 
 Aboukir, 40, 46. 
 
 Abrant^s, see Junot, 
 
 Abrant&s, Mme. d', 62-63, 138, 187. 
 
 Aigle, 368, 369. 
 
 Aiglon, V, 230, see King of Rome. 
 
 Aix-la-Chapelle, Si, 127, 193. 
 
 Aix-les-Bains, or Aix in Savoy, 127, 
 
 131, 132, 216, 217, 218, 219, 331. 
 Ajacao, 333, 365. 
 Albert, Pnnce, 284, 285, 286, 287, 289, 
 
 290, 291, 292, 293, 307. 
 Alexander, Emperor of Russia, iii, 
 
 136. i37> 138. 213- 
 Algeria, 336, 365. 
 Allied Powers, or Allies, 205, 207, 
 
 Z09, 213, 221-226, 229, 230, 237, 
 
 241. 
 Alma, 285. 
 Alva, 254, 255, 328, 333,334,335, 336, 
 
 338. 
 Amiens, 61, 72, 281, 337. 
 Annecy, 331. 
 
 Antomarchi, Dr., 236, 237. 
 Apollo, Gallery of, 85, 159, 270, 277. 
 Arc de Triomphe, 160, 279, 289. 
 Archbishop of Paris, 271, 272, 323, 
 
 324- 
 
 Arcis-sm'-Aube, 200. 
 
 Areola, 23, 24, 25, 
 
 Arenenberg, 395. 
 
 Aries, 332. 
 
 Aubert, 270, 304, 360, 
 
 Augereau, 28. 
 
 Augusta, Princess, 97, 98. 
 
 Augustine Church, 150. 
 
 Aumale, Due d', 256. 
 
 Auray, 316. 
 
 Austerlitz, 97, 98, 168, 195. 
 
 Austria, 25, 28, 29, 145, 146, 148, 
 169, 175, 181, 182, 192, 194, 195, 
 196, 197, 207, 213, 214, 215, 216, 
 218, 225, 227, 229, 230, 240, 244, 
 246, 3'6, 320, 368, 372, 378. 
 
 Austrian and Austrians, 21, 22, 23, 28, 
 29. 30, 52> I". «24. »35. '45. '46. 
 
 149. 
 
 147. 148. 
 185, 195, 
 220, 227, 237, 240, 
 
 . 340. 341, 343. 384- 
 Avignon, 332. 
 
 150-154, 166, 181, 
 
 199, 201, 206, 216, 
 
 241. 3'5. 316. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bacchiocchi, 261. 
 
 Baden, 82, 96, 97, 98, 99, 328. 
 
 Badinguet, 382. 
 
 Balaklava, 285. 
 
 Ban-as, 10, 11, 12, 13, 26, 28, 31, 34, 
 
 36- 
 Bassano, Duke of, 347, 399-403, 
 Bastille, 27, 80. 
 Bautzen, 132, 192, 
 Bavaria, 97, 151, 307. 
 Bayonne, no. 
 Bazaine, 376. 
 
 Beatrice, Princess, 396, 402. 
 Beauharnais, family, 31, 82, 99, 106. 
 Beauhamais, Viscount, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 
 
 8, II, 12. 
 Behle, 253. 
 
 Belgium, 284, 363, 390. 
 Benedetti, 373. 
 Berlin, 373, 
 Berlioz, 360. 
 Bemadotte, 217, 348. 
 Bernard, St., Mt., 52. 
 Bernhardt, Sarah, 230. 
 Berthier, 85. 
 Bertrand, General, 236. 
 Berwick, see Alva. 
 Biarritz, 275, 283, 284, 289, 303, 304, 
 
 308. 309, 316, 325. 348, 350. 356. 
 
 357. 360. 364- 
 Biscay, Bay of, 283. 
 Bismarck, 304, 356, 357. 
 Bizet, 253. 
 Black Cardinals, 161. 
 Blanchard, Mme., 174. 
 Blois, 204, 205, 208, 380. 
 Bois de Boulogne, 158, 289, 290, 338. 
 Bombelles, Charles de, 247, 248. 
 
 407 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 Bonaparte family, 138, 237, 241, 252, 
 
 265- 329. 3601 396- 
 Bonaparte, Jerome, 78, 79, 86, 94, 106, 
 
 117, 212, 269, 329. 
 Bonaparte, Joseph, 16, 19, 26, 31, 39, 
 
 41, 44, 78, 86, 87, no, 196, 197, 198, 
 
 igg, 201, 207, 208, 209. 
 Bonaparte, Louis, 26, 31, 41, 59, 60, 
 
 64, 65, 78, 87, 99, 105, 117, 133, 196, 
 
 200, 207, 208, 209. 
 Bonaparte, Lucien, 41, 44, 78, 86, 109. 
 Bonaparte, Mme. L<etitia, 26, 37, 44, 
 
 78, 87, 93. "7, 159, 207, 208, 237, 
 
 246, 333. 
 Bordeaux, no, 304. 
 Borghese, 73, 74. 
 Borodino, 184. 
 Bosquet, 297. 
 
 Boulogne, 72, 280, 284, 289. 
 Bourbon, 48, 51, 55, 137, 140, 205, 232, 
 
 234, 240, 241, 274. 
 Bourget, Lake, 127. 
 Bourrienne, 47, 48, 51, 59. 
 Braunau, 151, 152, 153, 154, 156. 
 Brera, 94. 
 Brescia, 22. 
 Brest, 2. 
 
 Brienne, 61, 94, 134. 
 Brittany, 315. 
 Brumaire, 43, 44, 159. 
 Brune, 40. 
 
 Brussels, 73, 74, 178. 
 Burgoyne, Lord and Lady, 388-390. 
 Burgundy, 330. 
 
 Cadoudal, 75. 
 
 Caesar, 259, 318. 
 
 Cairo, 368. 
 
 Calais, 81, 280, 283. 
 
 Calmelet, 13. 
 
 Cambac&fes, 46, 79, 88, in, 112, 115, 
 
 "7. "9, 147, 159. 192, I97> 201. 
 Camerata, 241, 267. 
 Campan, Mme., 20, 33, 34, 36. 
 Campo Formio, 30, 31, 47. 
 Canova, 95. 
 Canrobert, 283, 297. 
 Capuchin Church, 247, 248. 
 Carbonari, 311. 
 Carlotta, 359, 360. 
 Carlsbad, 183. 
 Carmelite Convent, 6-9. 
 Carmen, 253. 
 Caroline Bonaparte, 26, 46, 54, 55, 56, 
 
 60, 91, 117, 152,153,154,157. 
 Carrousel, 87. 
 
 Cassagnac, 272, 275. 
 
 Castellier, 140. 
 
 Castiglione, 22. 
 
 Catherine, 30. 
 
 Caulaincourt, 205, 210, 211, 212, 
 
 Cauterets, 105, 106. 
 
 Cavour, 293, 314. 
 
 Cayla, Countess du, 141. 
 
 Cenis, Mt., 52, 94. 
 
 Cent Gardes, see Imperial Guards. 
 
 Chalons, 308, 309, 316, 329, 330, 331, 
 
 348, 365- 
 Chambery, 331, 332. 
 Chamounix, 128, 332. 
 Champ de Mai, 142, 227. 
 Champ de Mars, 17, 53, 91, 176, 292, 
 
 294. 
 Champs £lys6es, 160, 279, 288, 289. 
 Channel, English, 388, 389, 394. 
 Chantereine, rue, 10, 12, 14, 15, 36. 
 Charlemagne, 81. 
 Charles X., 300, 316. 
 Chartres, 204. 
 Cherasco, 16. 
 Cherbourg, 193, 315. 
 Child of France, 296. 
 Child of Miracle, 234. 
 Chiselhurst, 392-395, 401, 402, 404. 
 Cipriano, Don, 251. 
 City Hall, see H6tel-de-Ville. 
 Clement XIIL, 95. 
 Clothilde, Princess, 315. 3>6. 317,323. 
 
 327- 
 Cobentzel, 28. 
 Code, Napoleonic, 58. 
 Cologne, 81, 179, 193. 
 Committee of Safely, 6. 
 Commune, 392. 
 Compi^gne, 126, 155, 156, 158, 164, 
 
 165, 190, 258, 261, 262, 281, 282, 
 
 299. 304. 3101 316, 325, 328, 336, 
 
 348. 357. 360. 
 Conciergerie, 7, 8, 291. 
 Concortfat, 59, 63, 190, 191. 
 Congress of^ChatUlon, 199. 
 Congress of Vienna, 220-224, 227, 230. 
 Conneau, Dr. and son, 338, 394. 
 Constant, 128, 153. 
 Constantino, 305. 
 Consular Guard, 53. 
 Consulate, 43, 44, 46. 
 Convention, n. 
 Cordovas, 251. 
 Corona, 25. 
 
 Coronation of Josephine, 82-93. 
 Coronation of Napoleon L, 82-93, t68. 
 Corsica, 12, 333, 365. 
 Corvisard, Dr., 142, 213, 216 
 
 408 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 Council of State, 264. 
 Coup d'etat, 258, 367. 
 Courcelles, 155. 
 Courtine de Malakoff, 320. 
 Cossacks, 134. 
 Cowley, Lord, 239. 
 Crimea and War, 282-288, 293, 294. 
 Crown Prince and Princess, 361, ^68, 
 378. .J .J . 
 
 Cz^, 105, III, 137, 138, 140, 146, 147, 
 181, 182, 213, 227, 361, see Alexan- 
 der and Nicholas. 
 
 D. 
 
 David, 33, 92. 
 
 Deauville, 388. 
 
 De Bausset, 207, 208, 219. 
 
 Demidoff, 260. 
 
 Desaix, 94. 
 
 Diana, G^lery of, 50. 
 
 Dieppe, 280. 
 
 Dijon, 52, 330. 
 
 Directors and Directory, 13, 23, 24, 26, 
 
 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 38, 40, 42, 43, 44, 
 
 46. 
 Divorce of Josephine, 114-121. 
 Dor6, 360. 
 
 Dresden, 132, i8i, 182, 185, 193, 217. 
 Dubois, Dr., 172. 
 Dumas, 360. 
 Dunkirk, 72, 81, 280. 
 
 Eagle, see Napoleon I. 
 
 Eaglet, see King of Rome. 
 
 Eaux Bonnes, 289, 329, 330, 348. 
 
 Eckmiihl, 145. 
 
 Egypt, 34-38, 42, 368. 
 
 Elba, Island of, 103, 134, 135, 136, 
 
 138, 139. 209, 213, 214, 218, 219, 
 
 222, 237, 252. 
 Eliza Bonaparte, 26, 54, 95. 
 Elizabeth, Mme., 46, 273. 
 Elssler, Fanny, 244, 
 Elys&, Palace, 112, 125, 128, 191, 228, 
 
 229, 258, 263, 267, 268, 270, 299. 
 Emperor of Russia, see Czar. 
 Enghein, Duke of, 75-77, 80. 
 England, 57, 61, 64, 71, 206, 230, 235, 
 
 257, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 
 
 29i> 293. 294. 3". 3'4i 315. 327, 
 
 337, 378, 389. 390, 391, 392> 397> 
 
 403- 
 Enghsh, 35, 37, 40, 52, 61, 64, 213, 
 
 222, 239, 260, 283, 284, 285, 286, 
 
 287, 289, 291, 315, 361, 370, 388, 
 
 3891 397. 399- 
 
 Erfurth, no, in. 
 
 Etruria, King and Queen of, 58. 
 
 Eugene de Beauharnais, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 
 '2> 3i> 33, 38, 39, 40, 41, 53, 68, 88, 
 95, 97, 98, 104, 116, 117, 119, 120, 
 121, 125, 127, 130, 131, 132, 135, 
 '37, 138, 139, 140, 146, »59, 160, 
 217, 233- 
 
 Eug6nie, 250-405 ; birth of , 250 ; par- 
 entage of, 250; childhood of, 251, 
 252 ; education of, 253 ; orphan, 254 ; 
 girlhood of, 255; at Spanish court, 
 256 ; at watering-places, 257 ; first 
 sees Napoleon, 257, 258; at Com- 
 pifegne, 259 ; courtship of, 259-263 ; 
 anecdotes of, 261-263 ; proposal for, 
 263 ; marriage announced, 264-266 ; 
 engagement of, 266-269 ; at Elys^e, 
 268 ; wedding gifts of, 268, 269 ; 
 dvil marriage of, 269, 270 ; religi- 
 ous marriage of, 270-272 ; honey- 
 moon of, 272 J favour asked by, 27^ ; 
 visits St. Denis, 274; and Mirimfe, 
 275 ; court life of, 276, 277 ; apart- 
 ments of, 278, 279; detectives guard, 
 280; at Compifegne, 281, 282; ex- 
 penditure of, 282 ; sojourn at Biar- 
 ritz, 283 ; reputed pregnant, 284, 
 291 ; visits Victoria, 285-287, 307 ; 
 returns to Paris, 287 ; at Te Deum, 
 288 ; at Exposition, 289; receives 
 Victoria, 289-293 ; at balls, 291, 
 292 ; welcomes Crimean army, 294 ; 
 a mother, 294-297 ; charity of, 298 ; 
 goes to St. Cloud, 300 ; at baptism 
 of son, 300 ; letter to, 301 ; trials 
 of, 302 ; straightforwardness of, 303 ; 
 guests of, 304 ; reception of, 305 ; at 
 masked balls, 306 ; opens Louvre, 
 308 ; at ChSlons, 309 ; birthday of, 
 310 ; and Orsini attempt, 31 1-313 ; 
 at Fontainebleau, 314, 317 ; at Cher- 
 bourg, 315 ; at Rheims, 316 ; with 
 PrincessClothilde, 318 ; balls of,3i9 ; 
 Regent, 320-324; at Notre Dame, 
 324 ; welcomes husband, 324 ; wel- 
 comes Italian army, 325 ; interest in 
 State affairs, 326, 327; atLyons, 328; 
 in Pyrenees, 329 ; fearlessness of, 
 330 ; tour in southeast, 330-332 ; 
 visit to Corsica, 333 ; visit to Algeria, 
 333,334; loses sister, 334, 335; sor- 
 rows of, 336, 337 ; and son, 337-339; 
 and Princess Mettemich, 341-343 ; 
 skating, 344,; at Invalides, 345, 346 ; 
 with Siamese embassy, 346-348 ; 
 visit to Spain, 349, 350; gems of, 
 350 ; apparel of, 351-353 J nurses 
 
 409 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 son, 35^ ; with Imperial Guard, 354; 
 works for child prisoners, 355 J visits 
 fallen women, 356 ; in cholera epi- 
 demics, 357, 358; bigotry of, 358; 
 and Carlotta, 359, 360; guests of, 
 362 ; Rochefort slanders, 363 ; in 
 danger at sea, 364 ; inaugurates 
 Suez Canal, 365-370 ; new fashions 
 of, 371 ; favours Pope, 372 ; and 
 Franco-Prussian War, 373-383 ; 
 flight of, 384-390 ; arrives in Eng- 
 land, 390 ; at Chiselhurst, 391-403 ; 
 at husband's death-bed, 394 ; and 
 son, 395-397; death of son of, 398- 
 402 ; journey to Zululand, 403 ; re- 
 visits France, 404; tributes to, 405. 
 Evans, Dr. and Mrs., 386, 387, 388, 
 
 ^389- 
 
 Evreux, 125. 
 
 Exposition of 1855, 288-294 ; of 1867, 
 
 360-362, 
 Eylau, 104. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fain, Baron, 209. 
 
 Farnborough, 402, 404. 
 
 Faubourg St. Germain, 48, 51, 
 
 Fesch, Cardinal, 85, 333. 
 
 Feuillet, 360. 
 
 Figaro, 296. 
 
 Filon, 390. 
 
 First Consul, 44-79. 
 
 Five Hundred, Council of, 28, 43, 44. 
 
 Flahaut, Count of, 127. 
 
 Fleury, General, 332. 
 
 Fontainebleau, 2, 3, 84, 103, 106, 108, 
 112, 113, 135, 164, 168, 170, 190, 
 205, 209, 212, 258, 261, 262, 299, 
 
 3°5> 306. 307, 3'4. 328, 34^! 3461 
 360, 403. 
 
 Fontenay, Mme. de, 9, 10. 
 
 Fortune, 7, 21, 27. 
 
 Fouch6, 107. 
 
 Four^s, Mme., 39. 
 
 Fox, 61. 
 
 Francis II. (or I. of Austria), 148, 151, 
 169, 199, 205, 208, 210, 213, 215, 
 216, 218, 221, 225, 227, 230, 231, 
 234, 237. 239i 240, 241, 242, 245, 
 246, 247, 248. 
 
 Francis, see King of Rome. 
 
 Franco-Prussian War, 143, 357, 372- 
 
 Frankenstem, 102. 
 Fr^jus, 40, 213. 
 Friedland, 105. 
 Frossard, 340, 375. 
 Fructidor, 28. 
 
 Gaete, Duke of, 190. 
 
 Gambetta, 382. 
 
 Garter, Order of, 287. 
 
 Gazelle, 388, 389, 390. 
 
 Geneva, 52, 127, 131. 
 
 Genoa, 24, 52, 
 
 Gerard, 104, 184. 
 
 German, 157, 183, 192, 225, 233, 26(^ 
 
 304, 329, 357, 362> 372, 393- 
 Germany, 30, 75, 357, 359. 
 Ger6me, 348. 
 Gohier, 43. 
 Golfe du Lion, 335. 
 Gounod, 320, 360. 
 Gourgaud, General, 233. 
 Grand Duke of Russia, 138, 306. 
 Grandville, Lord, 389. 
 Grenada, 250, 251. 
 Grenoble, 223, 332. 
 Gros, 24, 25. 
 Gros Bois, 116. 
 Guastella, 230. 
 Guiche, Mme. de, 51. 
 Guildhall, 287. 
 Guzmans, 251. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hall of Battles, 320. 
 
 Hall of Henry II., 328, 346-349. 
 
 Hall of Marshals, 196, 197, 269, 270, 
 
 3°5- . 
 
 Hall of Mirrors, 292. 
 
 Ham, 257, 301, 382. 
 
 Hanau, 193. 
 
 Hapsburg, 149, 220. 
 
 Hastings, 390. 
 
 Hatzfelt, Mme. de, loi. 
 
 Haussmann, 306, 386. 
 
 HohenzoUem, 372. 
 
 Holland, 40, 99, 178, 179, 344, 349. 
 
 Holland, Lady, 235. 
 
 Hortense de Beauharnais, or Queen 
 Hortense, 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 20, 33, 34, 
 36, 40, 41, 47, 51, 54, 55, 56, 59, 64, 
 
 651 71, 78, 79, 93, 99, 10°, "o4, JOS, 
 108, III, 113, 115, 116, 117, 119, 
 120, 121, 125, 127, 132, 133, 134, 
 
 135, 137, 138, 139, '4°, 141, 142, 
 146, 159, 160, 161, 168, 260, 327, 
 
 395- 
 Hotel de Ville, 92, 116, 152, 165, 284, 
 
 3°o, 3°i, 382. 
 House of Correction, 356. 
 Hugo, 230. 
 
 Hundred Guards, see Imperial Guards. 
 Hungary, 145. 
 
 410 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 I. 
 
 Imbert de St. Amand, 336. 
 
 Imperial Body Guards, 285, 290, 305, 
 
 , 323..33i> 354. 39o- 
 
 Imperial Treasury, 24^. 
 
 Infant of Parma, 58. 
 
 Inkermann, 285. 
 
 Invalides, 53, 80, 171, 248, 292, 329, 
 
 345-346, 403- 
 Irvmg, Washington, 351. 
 Isabdla, Queen, 255, 256. 
 Isabey, 83, 92, 212. 
 Ismailia, 369. 
 Italian and Italians, 26, 31, 55, 147, 
 
 159, 161, 215, 235, 310, 314, 322, 
 ^ 326, 346, 372, 384, 385. 
 Italy, 14, 15 20, 22, 31, 36, 37, 38, 39, 
 
 52, 62, 78, 93, 94, 98, 99, 108, 117, 
 
 125, 128, 159, 240, 241, 244, 245, 
 
 311. 314. 3151 316. 325, 346, 374- 
 Itelezi, 399. 
 
 J. 
 
 Jardin de Plantes, 298. 
 
 J^na, 100. 
 
 Josephine, 1-144 ; birth and education 
 of, I, 2 ; marriage, 2 ; return to 
 Martinique, 3; rejoins husband, 5; 
 imprisonment of, 6-9; widow, 7-14; 
 meets Napoleon, 11; betrothal, 12- 
 13 ; marriage, 14 ; parts with Napo- 
 leon, 15; love letters to, 15-23; 
 triumph of, 16-17; journeys to Italy, 
 20; at Milan, 20-23, 24, 28, 30; be- 
 guiles Napoleon, 25 ; at Moiitebello, 
 26, 27 ; at Passeriano, 28 ; at Venice, 
 29; at Turin, 31; at Talleyrand's 
 ball, 32, 33; at Toulon, 34; parts 
 with Napoleon, 35 ; at Plombferes, 
 36, 62, in; rumors concerning, 36- 
 38; Napoleon reproaches, 39; goes 
 to meet Napoleon, 40; reconciled 
 to Napoleon, 41; helps Napoleon, 
 42, 43; uneasiness of, 44; at 
 Luxembourg, 45 ; removes to Tui- 
 leries, '46, 47; apartments of, 48; 
 friends of, 48-50; a monarchist, 
 51, 52; at review, 53; at Malmaison, 
 36, 53> 54. 59, 60-^3, 67, 75-77, 95, 
 103, III, 112, 121-126, 128, 129, 131, 
 133. 136, 137-140, 142, 143. 292; and 
 infernal machine, 55-75; extrava- 
 gance of, 4, 10, 23, 36, 50, 58, 66, 
 67; generosity of, 58; plans mar- 
 riage of Hortense, 59, 60; wants 
 benediction, 60; with writing mas- 
 ter, 61 ; at Notre Dame, 63; tour in 
 
 West, 64; first grandchild of, 65; 
 tact of, 67; jealousy of, 68, 79, loi ; 
 nurses Napoleon, 69 ; love of gossip, 
 70; at St. Cloud, 71 ; tour in North, 
 72, 73; with Princess Borghese, 74; 
 and Duke of Enghein, 75-77 ; pleads 
 for brothers-in-law, 78 ; hailed Em- 
 press, 79, 80; at Aix-la-Chapelle, 
 81; coronation of, 82-93; with 
 Pope, 84; religious marriage of, 
 85 ; pictures of, 92, 93 ; journey to 
 Italy, 94, 95; return to Paris, 96; 
 journey northeast, 96-98; at mar- 
 riage of Eugene, 98; at marriage 
 of Stephanie, 99 ; at Mayence, 100 ; 
 Napoleon unkind to, 101; loses 
 grandson, 104; preliminaries of di- 
 vorce, 106, 107 ; loses mother, io8 ; at 
 opera balls, 109 ; in Southern France, 
 no; divorce of, 112-121 ; visited by 
 Napoleon, 122, 123; at Trianon, 
 123; and new marriage, 124; at 
 Elysfe, 125; at Navarre, 125, 126; 
 at Aix, 127; Marie Louise jealous 
 of, 128; and Napoleon's son, 129- 
 131; fears of, 132, 133; flight of, 
 134; Napoleon's letter to, 135, 136; 
 with Bourbons, 137 ; last illness of, 
 137, 138; death of, 139; burial of, 
 140; mentions of, 141, 142, 143, 
 144, 146, 147, 150, 159, 160, 161, 
 169, 170, 175, 181, 183, 196, 219, 
 265, 270, 278, 283, 284, 295, 328. 
 
 Josephine, daughter of Eugene, 104. 
 
 Junot, Duke of Abrant&s, 15, 16, 20, 
 38, 39, 40, 60, 62. 
 
 K. 
 
 Khedive, 370. 
 
 King of Rome, 129, 130, 131, 173- 
 180, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187-190, 
 191, 195-198, 201-203, 208, 212-215, 
 217, 221, 223, 225, 226, 228, 230, 
 231. 233, 234, 237-247, 270. 
 
 Kirkpatrick, 250. 
 
 K16ber, 40. 
 
 Konigsberg, 182. 
 
 Kriidener, Mme., 213. 
 
 Laborde, 253. 
 
 Laeken, 104. 
 
 Laetitia, see Bonaparte, Mine. 
 
 La Ftiti, 6. 
 
 La Lantern e, 363. 
 
 Lamartine, 338. 
 
 411 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 La Roquette, 355. 
 
 Las Cases, 233. 
 
 Lazanski, Mme., 152. 
 
 LebcEuf, Marshal, 373. 
 
 Lebreton, MUe., 384, 385, 386, 387, 
 404. 
 
 Lebrun, 46, 47, 48, 88. 
 
 Leclerc, General, 26, 73. 
 
 Legion of Honour, 80, 274. 
 
 Legislative Assemljly, 5, 116, 175,176, 
 195, 264, 274, 317. 322> 373. 379. 
 380, 381, 282. 
 
 Legouv6, 360. 
 
 Leipzig, 75, 132, 180, 194, 195. 
 
 Lemarrois, 13. 
 
 Leopold, 284. 
 
 Lesseps, Ferdinand de, 250, 365, 366, 
 368, 369. 37°- 
 
 LiSge, 270. 
 
 Ligne, Prince de, 223. 
 
 Lille, 72. 
 
 Linz, 151, 246. 
 
 Little Bonaparte, see King of Rome. 
 
 Little Corporal, 17. 
 
 Lodi, 17. 
 
 Loire, 299. 
 
 Lombardy, 94. 
 
 London, 253, 257, 287, 400. 
 
 Longchamps, 361. 
 
 Louis, or Loulou, see Prince Im- 
 perial. 
 
 Louis XV., 345. 
 
 Louis XVI., 3, 5, II, 30, 45, 46, 48, 
 
 59. H7- 
 Louis XVIIL, 51, 52, 137, 141. 
 Louis Napoleon, see Napoleon III. 
 Louis Philippe, 241, 256, 258, 346, 
 
 360. 
 Louise the Pious, see Marie Louise. 
 Louvre, 160, 204, 273, 291, 308, 378, 
 
 384- 
 Lowe, Sir Hudson, 233, 235. 
 Lucca, 95, 248. 
 Lun^ville, 57. 
 Liitzen, 132, 192. 
 Luxembourg, 10, 17, 31, 44, 45, 46, 47, 
 
 48, 60. 
 Lyons, 60, 93, 223, 275, 328, 331,379- 
 
 M. 
 
 Madame Mire, see Bonaparte, Mme. 
 
 Madame Royale, 30. 
 
 Madrid, 251, 253, 254, 256, 257, 350. 
 
 Magenta, 322. 
 
 Malaga, 250, 251. 
 
 Malesherbe, 348. 
 
 Malet, 131, 185, 186, 191. 
 
 Malmaison, 36, 53, 54, 59, 60, 61, 62, 
 
 63. 67, 75. 76, 77. 95. 103. "I. "2. 
 
 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 128, 
 
 129, 131, 133, 136, 137,-138, 139. 
 
 140, 142, 143, 292. 
 Malta, 35. 
 
 Mameluck Guards, 84. 
 Mantes, 387. 
 Mantua, 22, 25, 29. 
 Manuela, see Montijo, Countess of. 
 Marchand, Mme., 225. 
 Marengo, 52, 94. 
 Marie Amelie, 278, 293. 
 Marie Antoinette, 2, 3, 6, 46, 47, 58, 
 
 72, 149, 152, 160, 264, 272, 273,274, 
 
 291, 328, 359. 385- 
 Mane Louise, 125, 126, 128, 130, 131, 
 132, 134, 135, 136, 13S, 145-249; 
 birth and education of, 145 ; pro- 
 posed as bride for Napoleon, 146; 
 marriage contract of, 147; consent 
 of, 148 ; description of, 148, 149 ; 
 proxy marriage of, 150 ; journey to 
 Braunau, 151, Z52 ; trousseau of, 152, 
 153 ; letter from, 154 ; plans for re- 
 ception of, 155 ; Napoleon meets, 
 155, 156; at Compi^gne, 156-158; 
 civil marriage, 159; religious mar- 
 riage, 160, 161 ; household of, 162 ; 
 with Mettemich, 162, 163 ; rooms 
 of, 163; honeymoon of, 164; wed- 
 ding festivities of, 165, 166 ; court 
 life of, 167, 168; stupidity of, 169, 
 170; confinement of, 171-177; jour- 
 ney of, 177, 178, 184; at baptism of 
 son, 177-179; with son, 180, 183; 
 at Dresden, 181, 182; at Prague, 
 183 ; sends portrait to Napoleon, 
 184; and Malet conspiracy, 185; 
 welcomes Napoleon, 1S6; life with 
 Napoleon, 187-191 ; Regent, 191- 
 ip4 ; depression of, 195 ; with Na- 
 tional Guards, 196, 197; receives 
 flags, 198; letter to father, 199; 
 quandary of, 200,201 ; departure of, 
 202-204 ; at Blois, 204-208 ; good 
 intentions of, 206, 207 ; escorted to 
 Orleans, 208 ; promised Parma, 209 ; 
 despair of, 210 ; Napoleon sends for, 
 211 ; at Rambouillet, 213; returns to 
 Vienna, 214-216; Neipperg's prey, 
 217; at Aix, 217-220; journey to 
 Switzerland, 220 ; with Congress of 
 Vienna, 221-225 ; parted from son, 
 225; expected in France, 226; 
 Meneval's reports of, 226-228 ; hears 
 of Waterloo, 229; degeneration of, 
 230; Duchess of Parma, 231-249; 
 
 412 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 Napoleon's view of, 232-23^, 235 ; 
 hears of Napoleon's death, 235 ; 
 morganatic marriage of, 236 ; indif- 
 ference of, 237 ; loses Neipperg, 
 238; second journey to Switzerland, 
 239 ; sent for, 244 ; devotion to dy- 
 ing son, 245, 246 ; marriage to Bom- 
 belles, 247; death of, 248 ; estimate 
 of, 249 ; mentions of, 265, 271, 294, 
 
 314- 
 Marie Thfirfese, 145, 201, 247. 
 Marmont, Marshal, 205, 239, 240. 
 Marseilles, 332, 379. 
 Martinique, i, 4, 10, 13, 108, 135. 
 Mass6na, 40. 
 Mathilde, Princess, 260, 269, 290, 291, 
 
 323, 345. 
 Mayence, 82, 100, 104, 192. 
 Maximilian, 244, 349, 359, 362. 
 Maximilian of Bavaria, 307. 
 ■Maximilian Joseph, 97. 
 Mechlin, 73. 
 
 Mediterranean Sea, 333, 370. 
 Meissonier, 290, 360. 
 M^16gnano, 322. 
 Mellinet, General, 383. 
 M^eval, 114, 121, 209, 219, 226, 227, 
 
 228. 
 Mer de Glace, 128, 332. 
 M&im^e, Prosper, 252, 253, 273, 274, 
 
 275, 333. 358. 360. 
 Metternich, Count of, 124, 146, 14S, 
 
 154, 158, 162, 165, 167, 205, 210, 
 
 213, 214, 217, 235. 
 Metternich, Prmce, 340, 384, 385. 
 Metternich, Princess, 340, 341, 342, 
 
 343- 
 Meyerbeer, 304. 
 Mexico, 244, 359, 360. 
 Mignon, 320. 
 Milan, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 
 
 30, 94, 98, 131. 
 Millesimo, 16. 
 
 Moncey, General, 197, 204, 248. 
 Mont Blanc, 131. 
 Montebello, 26, 27. 
 Montebello, Mme. de, 162, 207. 
 Montenotte, 16. 
 Montenuovo, Count of, 236. 
 Montereau, 325. 
 Montesquiou, Countess of, 170, 172, 
 
 '73, i75> 176, '77, 178, 179. '87, 
 
 188, 189, 195, 203, 207, 214, 217, 
 
 225. 
 Montijo, Countess of, 250, 251, 252, 
 
 267, 269, 270, 274, 294, 295, 343, 
 
 348. 374- . 
 Mont Valenen, 292. 
 
 Moreau, General and Mme, 74, 75. 
 
 Morny, Due de, 127, 326, 327, 355. 
 
 Moscow, 184, 185. 
 
 Mouchy, Duchess of, 262. 
 
 Munich, 96, 97, 98, 152. 
 
 Murat, 46, 60, 117, 155, 185, 217,336. 
 
 Murat, Mme., see Caroline Bonaparte. 
 
 N 
 
 Naples, 256, for king and queen, see 
 Murat and Caroline Bonaparte. 
 
 Napoleon 1., 11-236, 239, 240, 246, 
 247, 248, 250, 251, 252, 265, 270, 
 296, 314, 315, 327, 329, 333, 345, 
 
 346, 365- 
 Napoleon II., 229, 230, 231, 240, see 
 
 King of Rome. 
 Napoleon III., no, 16S, 253-294. 
 Napoleon IV., 392, 394, 395, 399, see 
 
 Prince Imperial. 
 Napoleon Charles, 64, 65, 71, 78, 104, 
 
 138. 
 Napoleon Day, 73, 283, 289, 308, 325, 
 
 330. 348, 365- 395- 
 Napoleon, Prince, 267, 269, 290, 295, 
 
 3071 3'4i 316. 31 7> 318, 326. 328, 
 401. 
 National Guard, 196, 197, 198, 202, 
 
 377- 
 Navarre, 112, 125, 128, 129, 130, 134, 
 
 I35> '59- 
 
 Neipperg, Count and General of, 154, 
 282, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 
 223, 224, 225, 230, 231, 232, 235, 
 236. 237. 238, 239, 247, 248. 
 
 NeufchStel, Prince of, 150, 152. 
 
 Neuilly, 387. 
 
 Nice, 15, 16, 327, 333. 
 
 Nicholas, see Czar, 328. 
 
 Nigra, Chevalier de, 293, 384, 385. 
 
 Nile, 366, 371. 
 
 Nilsson, Christine, 402. 
 
 Notre Dame, 63, 64, 85, 86, 116, 138, 
 161, 177, 178, 185, 266, 270, 271, 
 272, 288, 300, 313, 323. 
 
 o. 
 
 Old Guard, 109. 
 
 OUivier, 372. 
 
 O'Meara, 233. 
 
 Orange, 332. 
 
 Orangerie, 160. 
 
 Order of Filial Love, 11. 
 
 Orleans, 207, 208, 209, 213, 241, 293, 
 
 380. 
 Orsini, 310-314, 323, 337. 
 
 413 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 Osborne, 307. 
 Oscar, see Sweden. 
 Ostende, 72. 
 
 Palais d' Industrie, 288. 
 
 Palais de Justice, 291. 
 
 Palikao, General de, 382. 
 
 Palmerston, Lord, 366. 
 
 Parma, 209, 212, 215, 216, 2x8, 222, 
 
 224, 230, 231, 232, 234, 235, 236, 
 
 237> 238, 248. 
 Passeriano, 28. 
 Pasteur, 360. 
 Pauline Bonaparte, 26, 54, 73,74, 157, 
 
 158. 
 Peace Treaty, 298, 299. 
 P^lissier, 283. 
 Pepa, see Pellet, Mme. 
 Persigny, 326, 327. 
 Piacenza, 209, 
 Picciola, 94. 
 Pichegru, 75. 
 Piedmont, 320. 
 Pierrefonds, 348, 
 Piombino, 95, 
 Pius VII., 59, 63, 84, 85, 86, 89, 90, 
 
 190, igi, see Pope. 
 Place de la Concorde, 58, 160, 279, 
 
 2S9, 382, 
 Place de la Revolution, 58. 
 Place Vend6me, 325. 
 Plaisance, see Piacenza. 
 Plombiferes, 35, 36, 62, iii, 301, 303, 
 
 314- 
 Poland and Poles, loi, 102, 105, 
 
 240. 
 Pollet, Mme., 350, 
 Pope, S. 25, 59> 93. 95. 1°!'. "'. 124. 
 
 137, 142, 146. 159. 260, 295, 297, 
 „ 3°i. 325. 326, 332, 336, 346, 372. 
 Port Royal, i. 
 Port Said, 368, 369. 
 Portugal, 260, 284, 289, 349. 
 Prado, 239. 
 Prague, 182, 183, 217, 
 Pr^gny, 131. 
 Prince Imperial, 300, 329, 330, 337, 
 
 338, 339. 340, 345. 346. 347, 353, 
 360, 361, 362, 364, 365, 366, 367, 
 374, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 
 399, 400, 401, 402, 403. 
 
 Pnnce Imperial, 231, see King of 
 Rome. 
 
 Princess Royal, 292. 
 
 Prokesch-Osten, 240, 243, 244, 246. 
 
 Prud'hon, 171. 
 
 Prussia and Prussian, 100, loi, 105, 
 138, 181, 182, 206, 213, 304, 361, 
 
 372, 373. 375, 392- 
 Pyrenees, 105, 289, 325. 
 
 Q- 
 
 Queen Louise, 101, 105. 
 
 Queen of Naples, 216, see Caroline 
 
 Bonaparte. 
 Queen of Spain, no, 117. 
 
 R. 
 
 Raguideau, 14, 87. 
 
 Rambouillet, 135, 198, 203, 204, 213, 
 
 214. 
 Rapp, Gen., 55, 56, 57. 
 Rastadt, 31. 
 Red Sea, 370. 
 R^gnault de St. Jean d'Angfly, 117, 
 
 118, 120. 
 Reichstadt, Duke of, 230, see King 
 
 of Rome. 
 R6musat, Mme. de, 75, 76, 79, 122. 
 Reuil, 140. 
 Rheims, 316. 
 
 Rhine, 5, 39, 82, 154, 185, 193, 329. 
 Rh6ne, 299. 
 Rivoli, 25, 87, 271. 
 Robespierre, 9, 
 
 Rochefort, Henri de, 363, 366. 
 Rochefoucault, Mme. de la, 93. 
 Roman Catholics, 85, 146, 265, 326, 
 
 332, 337, 368, 372. 
 Rome, 176, 325, 327. 
 Room of the Three Swords, 67. 
 Rostand, Edraond, 230, 231. 
 Rouher, 373, 392, 400, 401. 
 Rudolph of Hapsburg, 220. 
 Russia and Russian, 30, 100, 105, 111, 
 
 124, 13', 132, 130, '47, 159, »8i, 
 182, 184, 185, 186, 187, 206, 208, 
 211, 212, 213, 260, 282, 283, 285, 
 306, 344, 361. 
 Ryde Beach, 389. 
 
 Saarbriick, 375. 
 
 Sacred Heart Convent, 253, 254. 
 
 Sadowa, 359, 378. 
 
 St. Cloud, 279, 280, 281, 282, 289, 290, 
 299, 3°', 3°4, 3°7, 310, 3'4, 3'6, 
 329, 330, 335, 348, 359, 360, 374, 
 
 ^ 392. 
 
 St. Germain, 292, 293, 385. 
 
 St. Denis, 172, 274. 
 
 414 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 St. Helena, 103, 143, 222, 229, 232, 
 
 235, 236, 237, 250. 
 St. Leu, 137. 
 St. Omer, 280. 
 St. Petersburg, 147. 
 St. Poltern, 751. 
 St. Sauveur, 323, 
 St. Sebastian, 309. 
 Salenches, 332. 
 Salon Carre, 160. 
 Sardinia, 293. 
 
 Savoy, 127, 216, 217, 21S, 327, 331. 
 Schonbrunn, 146, 164, 214, 215, 220, 
 
 224, 225, 237, 242, 243, 244, 245, 
 
 396. 
 Schouwaloff, General, 208. 
 Schwarzenberg, Prince, 158, 165, 166. 
 Scotland, 337. 
 Sebastopol, 2S4, 293, 303. 
 Sedan, 379, 390, 394. 
 Seine, 158, 171, 201, 346, 403. 
 Senate, 120, 123, 175, 176, 193, 194, 
 
 201, 264, 274, 296, 322. 
 Serbelloni, 20, 24. 
 Siam, Embassy of, 346-349. 
 Simplon, Mt., 52. 
 Smith, Sir Sydney, 39. 
 Solf^rino, 322, 323. 
 Son of the Man, 232. 
 Sophy, Archduchess, 244. 
 Sovereigns* Museum, 273. 
 Spain and Spanish, no, in, 189, 250, 
 
 251, 253, 257, 260, 262, 265, 269, 
 
 270, 274, 309, 349, 35^. 372, 37'*. 
 
 379, 382, 385, 392. 
 Stael, Mme. de, 11, 32, 33, 58, 59, 213. 
 Stephanie de Beauhamais, 98, 99, 100, 
 
 III, 328. 
 Strasburg, 96, 97, in, 154, 241. ^53, 
 
 260, 327. 
 Stuttgart, 96, 97, 112, 308. 
 Suez Canal, 365-370. 
 Sultan, 361. 
 Sweden and Swedish, 217, 260, 295, 
 
 348, 361. 
 Switzerland, 40, 127, 219, 239, 395, 
 
 Talleyrand, 32, 33, 47, 77, 85, 108, 
 
 201, 203, 205, 210, 213, 217, 222. 
 Tallien and Mme., 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 
 
 37. 42. 49- 
 Talma, 10, 34. 
 Tannl^user, 343. 
 Tarascon, 332. 
 Tascher de la Pagerie, i, 279. 
 
 Tiba, Count and Countess of, 250, 
 
 251. 
 TeDeum, 90, 116, 168, 185, 192, 215, 
 
 272, 288, 300, 313, 323, 324, 325, 
 
 33>- 
 
 Temple, 30. 
 
 Th6atre Franjais, 53. 
 
 Thermidor, 7. 
 
 Thomas, 360. 
 
 Thonon, 332. 
 
 Thouvenei, 328. 
 
 Ticknor, George, 252. 
 
 Tilsit, 105, 106. 
 
 Tolentino, 25. 
 
 Toulon, II, 23,34,35,333. 
 
 Trautmannsdorff, Prince of, 153. 
 
 Trianon, 3, 121, 122, 123, 131, 134, 
 178, 191, 291. 
 
 Trieste, 245. 
 
 Trocad6ro, 191. 
 
 Trochu, General, 379, 380, 390. 
 
 Trois-Islets, i. 
 
 Tuileries, 11, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 53, 
 58, 60, 67, 70, 72, 74. 77, 80, 83, 86, 
 91, 99, 100, 106, 107, 113, 114, 115, 
 116, i£7, 121, 124, 126, 141, 147, 
 160, 161, 163, 171, 173, 174, 175, 
 176, 178, 179, 186, 188, 191, 193, 
 196,197,198,201,203,215,228,241, 
 259, 266, 267, 269, 270, 271, 272, 
 279, 288, 292, 294, 295, 296, 297, 
 299, 303. 304, 3°5. 308. 3'o. 3"2, 313. 
 317, 32°, 321, 322, 323, 327, 339, 
 345, 348, 349, 353, 362, 363, 364, 
 376. 377, 378, 379, 382. 387. 39°, 
 391. 392, 404- 
 
 Turbigo, 322. 
 
 Turkey and Turkish, 99, 282, 283, 
 285. 
 
 Turin, 31, 95, 316, 328. 
 
 Tuscany, 221. 
 
 Tyrol, 214. 
 
 V. 
 
 Valence, 332. 
 
 Valenciennes, 275, 280. 
 
 Varennes, 5. 
 
 Vend^miaire, 11. 
 
 Vendres, 335. 
 
 Venice md Venetians, 29, 366. 
 
 Verdi, 304. 
 
 Verly, Colonel, 354. 
 
 Vemet, Horace, 304. 
 
 Verona, 23, 24. 
 
 Versailles, 36, 272, 291, 294, 320, 329, 
 
 348- 
 Vichy, 348. 
 
 415 
 
Index of Principal Names 
 
 Victoire, rue, 36, 60. 
 
 Victor Emmanuel, 293, 315, 316, 325, 
 
 336, 346- 
 Victoria, 284, 285, 286, 287, 289, 290, 
 291, 292, 293, 307, 315, 337, 361, 
 
 378, 392. 393. 396, 397> 402, 4°3- 
 
 Vienna and Viennese, 124, 136, 145- 
 149, 158, 163, 198, 213, 214, 215, 
 216, 217, 220, 221, 223, 224, 225, 
 226, 227, 229, 230, 231, 232, 235, 
 238, 241, 244, 246, 247, 248. 
 
 Villa Eugenia, 309, 350. 
 
 Villa Franca, 324, 333. 
 
 Ville d'Avray, 272. 
 
 Vincennes, 75, 76, 80. 
 
 Vinoy, General, 378. 
 
 VioUet-le-Duc, 348. 
 
 Virot, Mme,, 352. 
 
 Visconti, 345. 
 
 Vosges, Mts., 35, 304. 
 
 w. 
 
 Wachau, 194. 
 Wagner, 343. 
 Wagram, 146, 147. 
 
 Walewska, Mme., 102-104, i°6, 135, 
 219. 
 
 Walewski, 305, 306, 327, 365. 
 
 Warsaw, 185. 
 
 Waterloo, 103, 142, 180, 229, 286. 
 
 Weissembourg, 375. 
 
 West Indies, i, 2, 73. 
 
 Wight, Isle of, 307. 
 
 Wilhelmshbhe, 391, 392. 
 
 William, 392. 
 
 Windsor, 285, 286, 403. 
 
 Woerth, 375. 
 
 Woolwich, 393, 394, 395. 
 
 Worth, M., 352. 
 
 Wiirmser, 21, 22, 25. 
 
 Wiirtemberg, 106, 299. 
 
 Xaintine, 94. 
 
 Vvon, 320. 
 
 X. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Zulu and Zululand, 262, 396, 399, 403. 
 Ziirich, 325, 327. 
 
 416