  1810 April 2nd—December 31st "Bella gerant alii, tu, felix Austria! nube." SERIES N(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 304-310.)
No. 1. Letter of the Empress Josephine to the Emperor Napoleon. Navarre, April 19, 1810. Sire,-I have received, by my son, the assurance that your Majesty consents to my return to Malmaison, and grants to me the advances asked for in order to make the chÂteau of Navarre habitable. This double favour, Sire, dispels to a great extent the uneasiness, nay, even the fears which your Majesty's long silence had inspired. I was afraid that I might be entirely banished from your memory; I see that I am not. I am therefore less wretched to-day, and even as happy as henceforward it will be possible for me to be. I shall go at the end of the month to Malmaison, since your Majesty sees no objection to it. But I ought to tell you, Sire, that I should not so soon have taken advantage of the latitude which your Majesty left me in this respect had the house of Navarre not required, for my health's sake and for that of my household, repairs which are urgent. My idea is to stay at Malmaison a very short time; I shall soon leave it in order to go to the waters. But while I am at Malmaison, your Majesty may be sure that I shall live there as if I were a thousand leagues from Paris. I have made a great sacrifice, Sire, and every day I realise more its full extent. Yet that sacrifice will be, as it ought to be, a complete one on my part. Your Highness, amid your happiness, shall be troubled by no expression of my regret. I shall pray unceasingly for your Majesty's happiness, perhaps even I shall pray that I may see you again; but your Majesty I limit myself to asking from you one favour: it is, that you will deign to find a way of sometimes convincing both myself and my entourage that I have still a small place in your memory and a great place in your esteem and friendship. By this means, whatever happens, my sorrows will be mitigated without, as it seems to me, compromising that which is of permanent importance to me, the happiness of your Majesty. Josephine. No. 1a. (Reply of the Emperor Napoleon to the preceding.) To the Empress Josephine, at Navarre. CompiÈgne, April 21, 1810. My Dear,—I have yours of April 18th; it is written in a bad style. I am always the same; people like me do not change. I know not what EugÈne has told you. I have not written to you because you have not written to me, and my sole desire is to fulfil your slightest inclination. I see with pleasure that you are going to Malmaison and that you are contented; as for me, I shall be so likewise on hearing news from you and in giving you mine. I say no more about it until you have compared this letter with yours, and after that I will leave you to judge which of us two is the better friend. Adieu, dear; keep well, and be just for your sake and mine. Napoleon. April 23rd.—Battle of Lerida. Suchet defeats Spaniards. No. 2. Reply of the Empress Josephine. A thousand, thousand loving thanks for not having forgotten me. My son has just brought me your letter. With what impetuosity I read it, and yet I took a long time over it, for there was not a word which did not make me weep; but these tears were very pleasant ones. I have found my whole heart again—such as it will always be; there are affections which are life itself, and which can only end with it. I was in despair to find my letter of the 19th had displeased you; I do not remember the exact expressions, but I know what torture I felt in writing it—the grief at having no news from you. I wrote you on my departure from Malmaison, and since then how often have I wished to write you! but I appreciated the causes of your silence and feared to be importunate with a letter. Yours has been the true balm for me. Be happy, be as much so as you deserve; it is my whole heart which speaks to you. You have also just given me my share of happiness, and a share which I value the most, for nothing can equal in my estimation a proof that you still remember me. Adieu, dear; I again thank you as affectionately as I shall always love you. Josephine. No. 2a. To the Empress Josephine, at the ChÂteau Navarre. CompiÈgne, April 28, 1810. My Dear,—I have just received two letters from you. I am writing to EugÈne. I have ordered that the marriage of Tascher with the Princess de la Leyen shall take place. To-morrow I shall go to Antwerp to see my fleet and to give orders about the works. I shall return on May 15th. EugÈne tells me that you wish to go to the waters; trouble yourself about nothing. Do not listen to the gossip of Paris; it Napoleon. No. 3. To the Empress Josephine, at Malmaison. My Dear,—I have your letter. EugÈne will give you tidings of my journey and of the Empress. I am very glad that you are going to the waters. I trust they may do you good. I wish very much to see you. If you are at Malmaison at the end of the month, I will come to see you. I expect to be at St. Cloud on the 30th of the month. My health is very good ... it only needs to hear that you are contented and well. Let me know in what name you intend to travel. Never doubt the whole truth of my affection for you; it will last as long as I. You would be very unjust if you doubted it. Napoleon. July 1st.—Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland, abdicates in favour of his son. No. 4. To the Empress Josephine, at the Waters of Aix, in Savoy. Rambouillet, July 8, 1810. My Dear,—I have your letter of July 8th. You will have seen EugÈne, and his presence will have done you good. I learn with pleasure that the waters are beneficial to you. The King of Holland has just abdicated the throne, while leaving the Regency, according to the Constitution, in the hands of the Queen. He has quitted Amsterdam and left the Grand Duke of Berg behind. I have reunited Holland to France, which has, however, the advantage of setting the Queen at liberty, and that[38] unfortunate My health is good. I have come here to hunt for a few days. I shall see you this autumn with pleasure. Never doubt my friendship; I never change. Keep well, be cheerful, and believe in the truth of my attachment. Napoleon. July 9th.—Holland incorporated with the French Empire. July 10th.—Ney takes Ciudad Rodrigo, after twenty-five days open trenches. No. 5. To the Empress Josephine, at the Waters of Aix, in Savoy. St. Cloud, July 20, 1810. My Dear,—I have received your letter of July 14th, and note with pleasure that the waters are doing you good, and that you like Geneva. I think that you are doing well to go there for a few weeks. My health is fairly good. The conduct of the King of Holland has worried me. Hortense is shortly coming to Paris. The Grand Duke of Berg is on his way; I expect him to-morrow. Adieu, dear. Napoleon. No. 6. To the Empress Josephine, at the Waters of Aix, in Savoy. Trianon, August 10, 1810. Your letter to hand. I was pained to see what a risk you had run. For an inhabitant of the isles of the ocean to die in a lake would have been a fatality indeed! I am fairly well, and beg you to believe in my sincere attachment. Napoleon. August 21st.—Swedes elect Marshal Bernadotte Crown Prince of Sweden. August 27th.—Massena takes Almeida. No. 7. To the Empress Josephine, at the Waters of Aix, in Savoy. St. Cloud, September 14, 1810. My Dear,—I have your letter of September 9th. I learn with pleasure that you keep well. There is no longer the slightest doubt that the Empress has entered on the fourth month of her pregnancy; she is well, and is much attached to me. The young Princes Napoleon are very well; they are in the Pavillon d'Italie, in the Park of St. Cloud. My health is fairly good. I wish to learn that you are happy and contented. I hear that one of your entourage has broken a leg while going on the glacier. Adieu, dear. Never doubt the interest I take in you and the affection that I bear towards you. Napoleon. September 27th.—Battle of Busaco. Like Ebersburg, another of Massena's expensive and unnecessary frontal attacks. He loses 5000 men, but next day turns the position of Wellington, who continues to retire. No. 8. To the Empress, at Malmaison. Paris, this Friday. My Dear,—Yours to hand. I am sorry to see that you have been ill; I fear it must be this bad weather. Madame de la T—— is one of the most foolish women of the Faubourg. I have borne her cackle for a very long time; I am sick of it, and have ordered that she does not come again to Paris. There are five or six other old women that I equally wish to send away from Paris; they are spoiling the young ones by their follies. I will name Madame de Makau Baroness since you wish it, and carry out your other commissions. My health is pretty good. The conduct of B—— appears to me very ridiculous. I trust to hear that you are better. Adieu, dear. Napoleon. No. 9. To the Empress Josephine, at Geneva. Fontainebleau, October 1, 1810. I have received your letter. Hortense, whom I have seen, will have told you what I think. Go to see your son this winter; come back to the waters of Aix next year, or, still better, wait for the spring at Navarre. I would advise you to go to Navarre at once, if I did not fear you would get tired of it. In my view, the only suitable places for you this winter are either Milan or Navarre; after that, I approve of whatever you may do, for I do not wish to vex you in anything. Adieu, dear. The Empress is as I told you in my last letter. I am naming Madame de Montesquiou governess of the Children Napoleon. October 6th.—Wellington reaches the lines of Torres Vedras. November 9th.—Opening of St. Quentin Canal at Paris. No. 10. To the Empress Josephine, at Navarre. Fontainebleau, November 14, 1810. My Dear,—I have received your letter. Hortense has spoken to me about it. I note with pleasure that you are contented. I hope that you are not very tired of Navarre. My health is very good. The Empress progresses satisfactorily. I will do the various things you ask regarding your household. Take care of your health, and never doubt my affection for you. Napoleon. No. 11. To the Empress Josephine, at Navarre. I have your letter. I see no objection to the marriage of Mackau with Wattier, if he wishes it; this general is a very brave man. I am in good health. I hope to have a son; I shall let you know immediately. Adieu, dear. I am very glad that Madame d'Arberg[39] has told you things which please you. When you see me, you will find me with my old affection for you. Napoleon. December 3rd.—English take Mauritius. |
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