of his scheme for alliances with the royal families of Europe. On the 8
April 1806, in the chapel of the Tuileries, was celebrated with great
pomp the marriage of Charles of Baden and Stéphanie de Beauharnais.
Prince Charles, then twenty-three years of age, without being exactly
ugly, had a very plain face; his pink and white complexion and his
chubby figure gave him the appearance of a Dutch doll; and his extreme
timidity contributed an air of awkwardness. But these apparent defects
were only superficial; on better acquaintance one could appreciate
the rare and excellent qualities of his heart, the refinement of his
feelings. He had that true spirit of kindness which inspires more
affection than qualities more brilliant.
Stéphanie, who was born in Paris on the 28 August 1789, was a distant
cousin of Joséphine’s first husband, Alexandre de Beauharnais.
Abandoned by her father, Comte Claude de Beauharnais, when he
emigrated at the beginning of the Revolution, the child had owed her
existence to the charity of friends. At the end of 1804 she was brought
to Paris and placed in the school of Madame Campan by the express
orders of the Emperor, who was indignant at Joséphine’s treatment of
her niece _à la mode de Bretagne_. On his return to Paris after
the Austerlitz campaign, Napoleon installed the young girl in the
Tuileries, and soon became very much interested in her. With her golden
hair, her blue eyes, her slight form, her free ways, this girl of
sixteen greatly attracted the Emperor, and especially so because she
showed not the slightest timidity in his presence. The first week in
March she was formally adopted by the Emperor, who gave her a dot of a
million and a half on the day of her marriage, besides a magnificent
collection of jewels, and a trousseau, selected by Joséphine, which was
in excellent taste and of rare elegance.
This marriage, made under such auspicious circumstances, seemed to
promise a happy future, but these hopes were disappointed, at least at
first. Charles, on account of his timidity, failed to win the love of
his wife, who was too young and too frivolous to appreciate his really
fine qualities. But, as the old French proverb says, _tout vient à
point à qui sait attendre_ (everything comes to him who waits). The
eyes of Stéphanie were finally opened, and she came to love her husband
very dearly. So this union ended, as so many others begin, in perfect
happiness. Their greatest trial was the loss of their two sons, who
died soon after birth. Both of them still young, Charles and his wife
had every reason to hope for another son, but it was not to be. In
December 1818 Charles died suddenly at the age of thirty-five. This
made a great change in the position of Stéphanie. The previous year,
Charles had issued a pragmatic sanction insuring the succession to the
crown to the counts of Hochberg, the issue of a morganatic marriage
between his grandfather, the Grand Duke Charles Frederick, and the
Countess Hochberg.
Stéphanie won the warm affections of the grand-ducal family and of
her subjects. Her death in 1860, during the Second Empire, was deeply
regretted in Baden, as well as at Paris, where she was a frequent
visitor. Her eldest daughter, Louise, married Prince Gustave de Wasa,
and became the mother of the Queen of Saxony; the second, Joséphine,
married Prince Charles of Hohenzollern, and was the mother of the
first King of Roumania, as well as of that prince who in 1870 was
the indirect cause of the Franco-German war. Prince Louis-Napoleon
wanted to marry the youngest daughter, but Stéphanie thought that her
visionary cousin was not a good match for her child, so Marie became
Duchess of Hamilton instead of Empress of the French!
CHAPTER TWENTY
1806
QUEEN HORTENSE
Louis Proclaimed King of Holland--Hortense’s Unhappy Married
Life--Birth of Napoleon-Charles--Louis Buys Saint-Leu--Birth of
Napoleon-Louis--Louis and Hortense at The Hague--Joséphine at
Mayence--The Campaign of Jena--Napoleon’s Letters--The Emperor
at Berlin--The Hatzfeld Episode--Prussia Overwhelmed--The
Emperor in Poland--He Refuses to Allow Joséphine to Join
Him--Battle of Pultusk
On Thursday the 5 June 1806 at the Tuileries Louis Bonaparte was
proclaimed King of Holland. He seems to have accepted his new dignity
with much reluctance, not that he felt unequal to the position--for
he believed himself superior to any task--but because he feared the
dominating force of his brother. That the Emperor, in sending Louis
to Holland, intended to make that country in fact a part of the Grand
Empire, clearly appears in his formal address. In effect he said to
Louis: “You are first of all a Frenchman; you are Constable of the
Empire; you are the guardian of my strong-places; the interest of
France commands, you must obey.” Louis, in substance, replied: “I am a
Hollander; the people who acclaim me look to me for their happiness.”
[Illustration: LOUIS, KING OF HOLLAND]
If Louis was not fully satisfied, for her part Hortense was in despair.
She felt that it was almost an act of suicide for her to leave Paris
to go to this distant country, so cold and damp, to be shut up with a
husband she detested.
After their marriage in January 1802 Louis and Hortense had resided in
the little hôtel loaned them by Napoleon in the Rue de la Victoire.
Almost from the first day they quarrelled over Joséphine, whom Louis
disliked, and whom he wished as far as possible to keep separated
from her daughter. He soon left Paris and was absent for many months.
Practically abandoned by her husband the second month of her marriage,
Hortense spent most of the spring and summer with Napoleon and
Joséphine at the Tuileries and Malmaison. During the three weeks that
her mother went to Plombières, Hortense did the honors of the Château.
The situation was rather equivocal, and naturally gave rise to scandal.
It was at this time that rumors were first circulated regarding the
relations of Napoleon and Hortense. That there was no foundation for
these reports may be stated most positively. Even Bourrienne, who
cannot be accused of any great good-will towards Napoleon, declares:
“I am happy to be able to give the most formal and positive denial
to the infamous supposition that Bonaparte ever had for Hortense any
other feelings than those of a step-father for a step-daughter. Authors
without belief have attested without proofs not only the criminal
liaison which they have imagined, but they have even gone so far as to
say that Bonaparte was the father of the eldest son of Hortense. It is
a lie, an infamous lie!”
These reports, first put in circulation by the Royalists, were repeated
by members of the Emperor’s own family, and soon reached his ears.
Under the circumstances Napoleon thought it advisable for Hortense to
have a permanent home of her own. The last of July, accordingly, he
purchased in the name of Louis and Hortense, and presented to them, a
fine mansion near their temporary residence. Here on the 10 October
1802 was born their first child, Napoleon-Charles. In response to a
formal order from his brother, Louis returned to Paris just in time to
be present on the interesting occasion.
The birth of this child brought about a temporary reconciliation
between Hortense and her husband, but Louis soon became uneasy again
and left Paris for another absence which lasted until September 1803.
Then for a short time they lived together at Compiègne where his
brigade was stationed.
In the spring of 1804 Louis bought a large hôtel in Rue Cerutti, now
Rue Laffitte, a most pretentious, but very gloomy house, without a ray
of sunlight. At the same time he acquired at Saint-Leu, about twelve
miles from Paris, a very beautiful country estate. For these two
properties he paid approximately a million francs. Hortense spent the
summer at Saint-Leu, which is very near Malmaison. On the 10 October
1804 she returned to her Paris house, where on the following day
was born her second son, Napoleon-Louis. This was the child who was
baptized with so much pomp by the Pope himself at Saint-Cloud just a
week before his return to Rome.
During the campaign of Austerlitz, Louis was governor of Paris, and
displayed so much zeal and activity in his new post that he won the
enthusiastic approval of the Emperor, who always showed for him a
strong partiality. After his great victory of the 2 December 1805,
Napoleon began to carry out his projects for family alliances, and for
the formation of a ring of buffer states surrounding the French Empire.
Pursuant to this policy he arranged the two marriages spoken of above,
and now he appointed Louis King of Holland.
Under the orders of the Emperor, Louis should have set out for Holland
at once, but upon one pretext or another he deferred his departure for
a week. On the 18 June the new King and Queen of Holland arrived at
The Hague, where they passed the night in the old royal villa known as
the House in the Wood (_Huis ten Bosch_), about a mile and a half
from the city. Five days later they made their solemn entry into the
capital, escorted only by native troops.
On the first day of July, Louis wrote the Emperor that as soon as his
affairs were in good order he should leave The Hague for a month or six
weeks to visit the baths. Exactly a month after his arrival, therefore,
he set out for Wiesbaden accompanied by Hortense. Not satisfied with
this course of baths, a month later he proceeded to Aix-la-Chapelle.
While Prussia was arming, and Russia preparing for war, the new King of
Holland continued conscientiously to take his _cure_.
At first Hortense seemed quite contented at The Hague. Her vanity was
flattered and her imagination carried away by the glamour of royalty.
In departing for Wiesbaden she took with her the little crown-prince
who was her favorite child, but left the younger boy in Holland. She
was on better terms with her husband than at any period since their
marriage. She was also looking forward to going to Paris for the fête
of the Emperor, when she expected to meet Eugène--“only to think of it
was happiness.”
* * * * *
At daybreak on Thursday the 25 September 1806, accompanied by
Joséphine, the Emperor left Saint-Cloud to put himself at the head
of his army. They dined at Châlons, and continued their route during
the night. At two o’clock the next afternoon they reached Metz, where
the Emperor passed six hours in inspecting the fortifications. At ten
o’clock they resumed their journey, and arrived at Mayence on the
morning of the 28 September.
It is not easy to explain why Joséphine wanted to accompany Napoleon
to Mayence and take up her residence there during the campaign. The
Emperor certainly wished her to remain at the capital and fulfill her
obligations there. Her thought seems to have been to keep as near as
possible to Napoleon, in the hope that he would send for her, as at
Strasbourg, as soon as his affairs would permit.
Napoleon remained only four days at Mayence, leaving on the evening
of the first of October. When the hour for departure came he embraced
Joséphine, who was in tears, and did not seem able to tear himself away
from her. With one arm around his wife, he drew Talleyrand to him with
the other, and cried: “It is very hard to leave the two persons that
you love the most!” Then, after once more embracing Joséphine very
tenderly, he departed.
Hortense and Stéphanie both came to Mayence to keep Joséphine company.
The two cousins were not sorry to be separated for a time from their
uncongenial husbands. As at Strasbourg the previous year, Joséphine
held a miniature court, and received the homage of the princes of the
Confederation of the Rhine.
The sadness of Napoleon was not of long duration: once more in his
element, at the head of his troops, he regained his habitual composure.
As usual his correspondence kept Joséphine fully informed of his
movements:
_To the Empress, at Mayence_
BAMBERG, 7 October 1806
I leave to-night for Cronach. My whole army is on the march.
All goes well; my health is perfect. I have not yet received
any letter from you, but have heard from Eugène and Hortense.
Stéphanie must be with you. Her husband, who wishes to take part
in the campaign, is with me. Adieu, a thousand kisses and good
health.
NAPOLEON
GERA, 2 A.M., 13 October 1806
My affairs are going well, and everything as I would wish.
With God’s help, in a few days, I think that matters will
take a very bad turn for the poor King of Prussia, whom I
pity personally, because he is good. The Queen is at Erfurt
with him. If she desires to see a battle she will have that
cruel pleasure. I am in splendid health; I have put on flesh
since my departure; nevertheless I personally cover twenty to
twenty-five leagues a day, on horseback, in carriage, in every
way. I retire at eight and get up midnight. I often think that
you are not yet in bed. Ever thine.
NAPOLEON
JENA, 3 A.M., 15 October 1806
I have conducted some fine manœuvres against the Prussians. I
gained a great victory yesterday. They had 150,000 men; I have
taken 20,000 prisoners, 100 cannon, and some flags. I was near
to the King of Prussia, and just failed to capture him and the
Queen. I have been at my bivouac for two hours. I am very well.
Adieu, mon amie; take care of yourself, and love me. If Hortense
is at Mayence, kiss her for me, also Napoleon and the little one.
NAPOLEON
MAR, 5 P.M., 16 October 1806
Monsieur Talleyrand will have shown you the bulletin: in it you
will have perceived my success. Everything has turned out as I
planned: never was an army defeated worse, nor more completely
destroyed. It only remains for me to say that I am well and that
the fatigue, the bivouac, the night-watches have fattened me.
Adieu, ma bonne amie. A thousand best wishes to Hortense and to
the big M. Napoleon.
Tout à toi
NAPOLEON
POTSDAM, 24 October 1806
I am here since yesterday, and remain here to-day. I continue
to be satisfied with my affairs. My health is good; the weather
very fine. I find Sans-Souci very agreeable. Adieu, mon amie.
NAPOLEON
At Sans-Souci the Emperor found the chamber of the great Frederick in
the same condition that he left it at the time of his death, and still
cared for by one of his old servants. On Sunday he visited the Garrison
Church, where in a vault under the severely plain Lutheran pulpit is
the marble sarcophagus which contains the ashes of the King. He ordered
sent to the Hôtel des Invalides at Paris the sword and hat and sash of
the great warrior which lay upon his tomb. Departing now for the first
time from his usual practice, on Monday the 27 October Napoleon entered
Berlin in triumph and took up his residence in the Royal Palace.
Meanwhile, at Mayence, Joséphine was sad and uneasy because the Emperor
still failed to send for her. Napoleon writes:
_To the Empress, at Mayence_
BERLIN, 1 November 1806
Talleyrand has arrived, mon amie, and tells me that you do
nothing but cry. What then do you wish? You have your daughter,
your grandchildren, and good news; these certainly should be
reasons enough to feel contented and happy. The weather here is
superb; during the whole campaign not a single drop of rain has
fallen. I am in excellent health and all goes well....
NAPOLEON
Napoleon, who rightly held Queen Louisa largely responsible for the
war, and for the disasters which had overwhelmed her people, in his
bulletins had referred to the unfortunate woman in terms which were
hardly chivalrous. Joséphine was struck by his lack of delicacy, and
ventured to reproach him for his references to the Queen. This called
forth the following reply:
_To the Empress, at Mayence_
BERLIN, 6 November 1806
I have received your letter in which you seem to be displeased
because I have spoken disparagingly of women. It is true that
I detest meddlesome women above everything. I am accustomed
to women who are kind, sweet and winning: those are the ones
I like. If they have spoiled me, it is not my fault but your
own. Besides, you will see that I have been very good for one
who proved herself sweet and reasonable. When I showed Madame
Hatzfeld her husband’s letter, she said to me with sobs, and
great simplicity, “It is indeed his handwriting!” When she was
reading it her accent went to my heart: she troubled me. I said
to her: “Very well, Madame, throw the letter into the fire; I
shall no longer have it in my power to punish your husband.” She
burned the letter and seemed very happy. Since then her husband
is entirely tranquil: two hours later he would have been lost.
You see then that I like women who are good, sweet, and naïve,
for they are the only ones who resemble you. Adieu, mon amie. I
am well.
NAPOLEON
To explain this episode, it should be stated that Prince de Hatzfeld,
the Prussian governor of Berlin, had been allowed to retain his
position upon his promise, under oath, that he would attend solely
to the safety and welfare of the capital. A letter from him had been
seized, in which he gave information of the positions of the French
army around Berlin. This, by the laws of war, was military treason, and
the penalty was death, if found guilty by a military commission.
* * * * *
This short campaign is without parallel even in Napoleon’s marvellous
career. The pursuit of the defeated army by Murat was the most
remarkable on record. With his cavalry, in three weeks he literally
galloped from the Saale to the Baltic, sweeping up the remnants of the
Prussian army and capturing the fortresses as he passed.
_To the Empress, at Mayence_
BERLIN, 9 November 1806
Ma bonne amie, I have good news to tell thee. Magdebourg has
surrendered, and the 7 November I captured at Lubeck 20,000 men
who escaped a week ago. Thus the whole army is taken: Prussia
has left only 20,000 men, beyond the Vistula. Several of my army
corps are in Poland. I still remain at Berlin. I am quite well.
Tout à toi
NAPOLEON
BERLIN, 16 November 1806
I have thy letter of the 11 November. I see with satisfaction
that my sentiments give thee pleasure. Thou art wrong to think
that they are flattering: I have spoken of thee as I see thee. I
am sorry to learn that thou art bored at Mayence. If the journey
were not so long it would be possible for thee to come here,
for there is no longer any enemy: he is beyond the Vistula, 120
leagues from here. I will wait to hear what you think of it. I
should also be very glad to see M. Napoleon. Adieu, ma bonne
amie. Tout à toi. My affairs will not yet permit me to return to
Paris.
NAPOLEON
In his final letter from Berlin, on the 22 November, Napoleon wrote
Joséphine that he would make up his mind in a few days either to send
for her or to have her return to Paris. Four days later, from Kustrin,
he told her to be ready to start, and that he would let her know in two
days if she could come.
_To the Empress, at Mayence_
MESERITZ, 27 November 1806
I am going to make a tour in Poland: this is the first city.
This evening I shall be at Posen, after which I will call you to
Berlin, in order that you may arrive the same day as myself. My
health is good; the weather rather bad: it has rained for three
days. My affairs go well: the Russians are in flight.
NAPOLEON
POSEN, 29 November 1806
I am at Posen, the capital of Great Poland. Cold weather has
set in. My health is good. I am going to make a little trip in
Poland. My troops are at the gates of Warsaw....
NAPOLEON
POSEN, 2 December 1806
To-day is the anniversary of Austerlitz. I attended a ball in
the city. It is raining. I am well. I love and long for thee.
My troops are at Warsaw. It is not yet cold. All these Polish
women are like French women, but there is only one woman for me.
Dost thou know her? I could easily paint her portrait, but I
should make it so flattering that you would hardly recognize it;
nevertheless, to tell the truth, my heart would only have kind
things to say. The nights are long, all alone.
Tout à toi
NAPOLEON
The following day, from the same place, Napoleon wrote two long
letters, one at noon, and the other at six o’clock:
_To the Empress, at Mayence_
POSEN, 3 December 1806
I am in receipt of your letter of the 26 November, in which I
note two things: You say that I do not read your letters--you
are entirely wrong. I am vexed with you for having such a wrong
idea. You tell me that it may have come from some dream, and you
add that you are not jealous. I have observed for a long time
that persons who lose their temper always claim that they are
not mad, that those who are afraid often say that they have no
fear--you are therefore convicted of jealousy: I am delighted!
Nevertheless you are wrong. Nothing could be further from my
thoughts: in the wastes of Poland one thinks little of the fair
sex. Yesterday I gave a ball for the provincial nobility: the
women are quite pretty, quite luxurious, quite well-dressed,
even in Parisian style.
Tout à toi
NAPOLEON
POSEN, 3 December 1806
I have your letter of the 27 November, from which I see that
your little head is turned. I thought of the verse: _Désir
de femme est un feu qui dévore_. You must calm yourself. I
have written you that I was in Poland, that as soon as winter
quarters are settled, you can come: you must therefore wait
several days. The greater one is, the less volition he has:
he is the slave of events and circumstances. You can go to
Frankfort and Darmstadt. In a few days I expect to send for you,
but it is necessary for events to be favorable. The warmth of
your letter shows me that you pretty women have no limitations:
what you wish, must be; but I am forced to admit that I am the
greatest of slaves: my master has no bowels of pity, and this
master is the course of events. Adieu, mon amie; keep well.
Tout à toi
NAPOLEON
The Emperor remained at Posen two weeks longer, and during that period
he wrote Joséphine again four times. Her jealousy was far from being
calmed by his letters, but to show her affection, and her thought of
him “alone” during the “long nights,” she sent him a rug as a present.
_To the Empress, at Mayence_
POSEN, 9 December 1806
I have your letter of the first, and am glad to see that you are
happier; also that the Queen of Holland wants to come with you.
I am late in giving the order, but you must still wait several
days. Everything goes well. Adieu, mon amie. I love thee and
wish to see thee happy.
NAPOLEON
POSEN, 10 December 1806
An officer has brought me a rug from thee. It is a little short
and narrow, but I thank thee none the less. I am quite well. The
weather is very changeable. My affairs are going quite well. I
love thee, and much desire thee. Adieu, mon amie. I shall be as
happy to send for thee, as thou to come. Tout à toi. A kiss for
Hortense, Stéphanie, and Napoleon.
NAPOLEON
POSEN, 12 December 1806
I have received no letters from you, but I know that you are
well. My health is good; the weather very mild. The winter
season has not yet begun, but the roads are bad in a country
where there are no paved highways. Hortense will then come with
Napoleon: I am delighted! I am only waiting for matters to be in
shape for me to have you come. I have made peace with Saxony.
The Elector becomes King, and joins the Confederation. Adieu, my
beloved Joséphine.
Tout à toi
NAPOLEON
POSEN, 15 December 1806
I am leaving for Warsaw, but shall be back in a fortnight: I
hope then to be able to send for you. However, if my stay is
prolonged I should be glad to have you return to Paris, where
your presence is much desired. You know well that I am governed
by circumstances. My health is very good--never better.
Tout à toi
NAPOLEON