napoleon bonaparte, v2-第2章

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the　King　and　Queen　of　Etruria；　Mademoiselle　Hortense　shone　with　that
brilliancy　and　grace　which　made　her　the　pride　of　her　mother；　and　the　most
beautiful　ornament　of　the　growing　court　of　the　First　Consul。

About　this　time　she　inspired　a　most　violent　passion　in　a　gentleman　of　a
very　good　family；　who　was；　I　think；　a　little　deranged　before　this　mad
love　affected　his　brain。　　This　poor　unfortunate　roamed　incessantly　around
Malmaison；　and　as　soon　as　Mademoiselle　Hortense　left　the　house；　ran　by
the　side　of　her　carriage　with　the　liveliest　demonstrations　of　tenderness；
and　threw　through　the　window　flowers；　locks　of　his　hair；　and　verses　of
his　own　composition。　　When　he　met　Mademoiselle　Hortense　on　foot；　he　threw
himself　on　his　knees　before　her　with　a　thousand　passionate　gestures；
addressing　her　in　most　endearing　terms；　and　followed　her；　in　spite　of　all
opposition；　even　into　the　courtyard　of　the　chateau；　and　abandoned　himself
to　all　kinds　of　folly。　　At　first　Mademoiselle　Hortense；　who　was　young　and
gay；　was　amused　by　the　antics　of　her　admirer；　read　the　verses　which　he
addressed　to　her；　and　showed　them　to　the　ladies　who　accompanied　her。　　One
such　poetical　effusion　was　enough　to　provoke　laughter　（and　can　you　blame
her？）；　but　after　the　first　burst　of　laughter；　Mademoiselle　Hortense；　good
and　charming　as　her　mother；　never　failed　to　say；　with　a　sympathetic
expression　and　tone；　〃The　poor　man；　he　is　much　to　be　pitied！〃　　At　last；
however；　the　importunities　of　the　poor　madman　increased　to　such　an　extent
that　they　became　insupportable。　　He　placed　himself　at　the　door　of　the
theaters　in　Paris　at　which　Mademoiselle　Hortense　was　expected；　and　threw
himself　at　her　feet；　supplicating；　weeping；　laughing；　and　gesticulating
all　at　once。　　This　spectacle　amused　the　crowd　too　much　to　long　amuse
Mademoiselle　de　Beauharnais；　and　Carrat　was　ordered　to　remove　the　poor
fellow；　who　was　placed；　I　think；　in　a　private　asylum　for　the　insane。

Mademoiselle　Hortense　would　have　been　too　happy　if　she　could　have　known
love　only　from　the　absurd　effects　which　it　produced　on　this　diseased
brain；　as　she　thus　saw　it　only　in　its　pleasant　and　comic　aspect。　　But　the
time　came　when　she　was　forced　to　feel　all　that　is　painful　and　bitter　in
the　experience　of　that　passion。　　In　January；　1802；　she　was　married　to
Louis　Bonaparte；　brother　of　the　First　Consul；　which　was　a　most　suitable
alliance　as　regards　age；　Louis　being　twenty…four　years　old；　and
Mademoiselle　de　Beauharnais　not　more　than　eighteen；　and　nevertheless　it
was　to　both　parties　the　beginning　of　long　and　interminable　sorrows。

Louis；　however；　was　kind　and　sensible；　full　of　good　feeling　and
intelligence；　studious　and　fond　of　letters；　like　all　his　brothers　（except
one　alone）；　but　he　was　in　feeble　health；　suffered　almost　incessantly；　and
was　of　a　melancholy　disposition。　　All　the　brothers　of　the　First　Consul
resembled　him　more　or　less　in　their　personal　appearance；　and　Louis　still
more　than　the　others；　especially　at　the　time　of　the　Consulate；　and　before
the　Emperor　Napoleon　had　become　so　stout。　　But　none　of　the　brothers　of
the　Emperor　possessed　that　imposing　and　majestic　air　and　that　rapid　and
imperious　manner　which　came　to　him　at　first　by　instinct；　and　afterwards
from　the　habit　of　command。　　Louis　had　peaceful　and　modest　tastes。　　It　has
been　asserted　that　at　the　time　of　his　marriage　he　was　deeply　attached　to
a　person　whose　name　could　not　be　ascertained；　and　who；　I　think；　is　still
a　mystery。

Mademoiselle　Hortense　was　extremely　pretty；　with　an　expressive　and　mobile
countenance；　and　in　addition　to　this　was　graceful；　talented；　and　affable。
Kindhearted　and　amiable　like　her　mother；　she　had　not　that　excessive
desire　to　oblige　which　sometimes　detracted　from　Madame　Bonaparte's
character。　　This　is；　nevertheless；　the　woman　whom　evil　reports；
disseminated　by　miserable　scandal…mongers；　have　so　outrageously
slandered！　　My　heart　is　stirred　with　disgust　and　indignation　when　I　hear
such　revolting　absurdities　repeated　and　scattered　broadcast。　　According
to　these　honest　fabricators；　the　First　Consul　must　have　seduced　his
wife's　daughter；　before　giving　her　in　marriage　to　his　own　brother。；
Simply　to　announce　such　a　charge　is　to　comprehend　all　the　falsity　of　it。
I　knew　better　than　any　one　the　amours　of　the　Emperor。　　In　these
clandestine　liaisons　he　feared　scandal；　hated　the　ostentations　of　vice；
and　I　can　affirm　on　honor　that　the　infamous　desires　attributed　to　him
never　entered　his　mind。　　Like　every　one　else；　who　was　near　Mademoiselle
de　Beauharnais；　and　because　he　knew　his　step…daughter　even　more
intimately；　he　felt　for　her　the　tenderest　affection；　but　this　sentiment
was　entirely　paternal；　and　Mademoiselle　Hortense　reciprocated　it　by　that
reverence　which　a　wellborn　young　girl　feels　towards　her　father。　　She
could　have　obtained　from　her　step…father　anything　that　she　wished；　if　her
extreme　timidity　had　not　prevented　her　asking；　but；　instead　of　addressing
herself　directly　to　him；　she　first　had　recourse　to　the　intercession　of
the　secretary；　and　of　those　around　the　Emperor。　　Is　it　thus　she　would
have　acted　if　the　evil　reports　spread　by　her　enemies；　and　those　of　the
Emperor；　had　had　the　least　foundation？

Before　her　marriage　Hortense　had　an　attachment　for　General　Duroc；　who　was
hardly　thirty　years　of　age；　had　a　fine　figure；　and　was　a　favorite　with
the　chief　of　state；　who；　knowing　him　to　be　prudent　and　discreet；　confided
to　him　important　diplomatic　missions。　　As　aide…de…camp　of　the　First
Consul；　general　of　division；　and　governor　of　the　Tuileries；　he　lived　long
in　familiar　intimacy　at　Malmaison；　and　in　the　home　life　of　the　Emperor；
and　during　necessary　absences　on　duty；　corresponded　with　Mademoiselle
Hortense；　and　yet　the　indifference　with　which　he　allowed　the　marriage　of
the　latter　with　Louis　to　proceed；　proves　that　he　reciprocated　but　feebly
the　affection　which　he　had　inspired。　　It　is　certain　that　he　could　have
had。　　Mademoiselle　de　Beauharnais　for　his　wife；　if　he　had　been　willing　to
accept　the　conditions　on　which　the　First　Consul　offered　the　hand　of　his
step…daughter；　but　he　was　expecting　something　better；　and　his　ordinary
prudence　failed　him　at　the　time　when　it　should　have　shown　him　a　future
which　was　easy　to　foresee；　and　calculated　to　satisfy　the　promptings　of　an
ambition　even　more　exalted　than　his。　　He　therefore　refused　positively；
and　the　entreaties　of　Madame　Bonaparte；　which　had　already　influenced　her
husband；　succeeded。

Madame　Bonaparte；　who　saw　herself　treated　with　so　little　friendship　by
the　brothers　of　the　First　Consul；　tried　to　make　his　family　a　defense　for
herself　against　the　plots　which　were　gathering　incessantly　around　her　to
drive　her　away　from　the　heart　of　her　husband。　　It　was　with　this　design
she　worked　with　all　her　might　to　bring　about　the　marriage　of　her　daughter
with　one　of　her　brothers…in…law。

General　Duroc　doubtless　repented　immediately　of　his　precipitate　refusal
when　crowns　began　to　rain　in　the　august　family　to　which　he　had　had　it　in
his　power　to　ally　himself；　when　he　saw　Naples；　Spain；　Westphalia；　Upper
Italy；　the　duchies　of　Parma；　Lucca；　etc。；　become　the　appendages　of　the
new　imperial　dynasty；　when　the　beautiful　and　graceful　Hortense　herself；
who　had　loved　him　so　devotedly；　mounted　in　her　turn　a　throne　that　she
would　have　been　only　too　happy　to　have　shared　with　the　object　of　her
young　affections。　　As　for　him；　he　married　Mademoiselle　Hervas　d'Almenara；
daughter　of　the　banker　of　the　court　of　Spain。　　She　was　a　little　woman
with　a　very　dark　complexion；　very　thin；　and　without　grace；　but；　on　the
other　hand；　of　a　most　peevish；　haughty；　exacting；　and　capricious　temper。
As　she　was　to　have　on　her　marriage　an　enormous　dowry；　the　First　Consul
had　demanded　her　hand　in　marriage　for　his　senior　aide…de…camp。　　Madame
Duroc　forgot　herself；　I　have　heard；　so　far　as　to　beat　her　servants；　and
to　bear　herself　in　a　most　singular　manner　toward　people　who　were　in　no
wise　her　dependants。　　When　M。　Dubois　came　to　tune　her　piano；
unfortunately　she　was　at　home；　and　finding　the　noise　required　by　this
operation　unendurable；　drove　the　tuner　off　with　the　greatest　violence。
In　one　of　these　singular　attacks　she　one　day　broke　all　the　keys　of　his
instrument。　　Another　time　Mugnier；　clockmaker　of　the　Emperor；　and　the
head　of　his　profession　in　Paris；　with　Breguet；　having　brought　her　a　watch
of　very　great　value　that　madame；　the　Duchess　of　Friuli　had　herself
ordered；　but　which　did　not　please　her；　she　became　so　enraged；　that；　in
the　presence　of　Mugnier；　she　dashed　the　watch　on　the　floor；　danced　on　it；
and　reduced　it　to　atoms。　　She　utterly　refused　to　pay　for　it；　and　the
marshal　was　compelled　to　do　this　himself。　　Thus　Duroc's　want　of　foresight
in　refusing　the　hand　of　Hortense；　together　with　the　interested
calculations　of　Madame　Bonaparte；　caused　the　misery　of　two　households。

The　portrait　I　have　sketched；　and　I　believe　faithfully；　although　not　a
flattering　picture；　is　merely　that　of　a　young　woman　with　all　the
impulsiveness　of　the　Spanish　character；　spoiled　as　an　only　daughter；　who
had　been　reared　in　indulgence；　and　with　the　entire　neglect　which　hinders
the　education　of　all　the　young　ladies　of　her　country。　　Time　has　calmed
the　vivacity　of　her　youth；　and　madame；　the　Duchess　of　Friuli；　has　since
given　an　example　of　most　faithful　devotion　to　duty；　and　great　strength　of
mind　in　the　severe　trials　that　she　has　endured。　　In　the　loss　of　her
husband；　however　grievous　it　might　be；　glory　had　at　least　some
consolation　to　offer　to　the　widow　of　the　grand　marshal。　　But　when　her
young　daughter；　sole　heiress　of　a　great　name　and　an　illustrious　title；
was　suddenly　taken　away　by　death　from　all　the　expectations　and　the
devotion　of　her　mother；　who　could　dare　to　offer　her　consolation？　　If
there　could　be　any　（which　I　do　not　believe）；　it　would　be　found　in　the
remembrance　of　the　cares　and　tenderness　lavished　on　her　to　the　last　by
maternal　love。　　Such　recollections；　in　which　bitterness　is　mingled　with
sweetness；　were　not　wanting　to　the　duchess。

The　religious　ceremony　of　marriage　between　Louis　and　Hortense　took　place
Jan。　7；　in　a　house　in　the　Rue　de　la　Victoire；　and　the　marriage　of　General
Murat　with　Caroline　Bonaparte；　which　had　been　acknowledged　only　before
the　civil　authorities；　was　consecrated　on　the　same　day。　　Both　Louis　and
his　bride　were　very　sad。　　She　wept　bitterly　during　the　whole　ceremony；
and　her　tears　were　not　soon　dried。　　She　made　no　attempt　to　win　the
affection　of　her　husband；　while　he；　on　his　side；　was　too　proud　and　too
deeply　wounded　to　pursue　her　with　his　wooing。　　The　good　Josephine　did　all
she　could　to　reconcile　them；　for　she　must　have　felt　that　this　union；
which　had　begun　so　badly；　was　her　work；　in　which　she　had　tried　to　combine
her　own　interest；　or　at　least　that　which　she　considered　such；　and　the
happiness　of　her　daughter。　　But　her　efforts；　as　well　as　her　advice　and
her　prayers；　availed　nothing；　and　I　have　many　a　time　seen　Hortense　seek
the　solitude　of　her　own　room；　and　the　heart　of　a　friend；　there　to　pour
out　her　tears。　　Tears　fell　from　her　eyes　sometimes　even　in　the　midst　of
one　of　the　First　Consul's　receptions；　where　we　saw　with　sorrow　this　young
woman；　brilliant　and　gay；　who　had　so　often　gracefully　done　the　honors　on
such　occasions　　and　atte