Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookthe King of Westphalia whenever you wish. The King and Queen of Bavaria will probably come to see you on Friday. I long to come to Malmaison, but you must really show fortitude and self-restraint; the page on duty this morning told me that he saw you weeping. I am going to dine quite alone. Adieu, dear. Never doubt the depth of my feelings for you; you would be unjust and unfair if you did. NAPOLEON. No. 13. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _Saturday_, 1 P.M., 1810. _My Dear_,--Yesterday I saw Eugène, who told me that you gave a reception to the kings. I was at the concert till eight o'clock, and only dined, quite alone, at that hour. I long to see you. If I do not come to-day, I will come after mass. Adieu, dear. I hope to find you sensible and in good health. This weather should indeed make you put on flesh. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _January 9.--The clergy of Paris annul the religious marriage of Napoleon with Josephine_ (so _Biographie Universelle_, Michaud; Montgaillard gives January 18). _Confirmed by the Metropolitan Officialité, January 12_ (Pasquier). No. 14. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _Trianon, January 17, 1810._ _My Dear_,--D'Audenarde, whom I sent to you this morning, tells me that since you have been at Malmaison you have no longer any courage. Yet that place is full of our happy memories, which can and ought never to change, at least on my side. I want badly to see you, but I must have some assurance that you are strong and not weak; I too am rather like you, and it makes me frightfully wretched. Adieu, Josephine; good-night. If you doubted me, you would be very ungrateful. NAPOLEON. No. 15. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _January 20, 1810._ _My Dear_,--I send you the box that I promised you the day before yesterday--representing the Island of Lobau. I was rather tired yesterday. I work much, and do not go out. Adieu, dear. NAPOLEON. No. 16. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _Noon, Tuesday, 1810._ I hear that you are making yourself miserable; this is too bad. You have no confidence in me, and all the rumours that are being spread strike you; this is not knowing me, Josephine. I am much annoyed, and if I do not find you cheerful and contented, I shall scold you right well. Adieu, dear. NAPOLEON. No. 17. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _Sunday_, 9 P.M., 1810. _My Dear_,--I was very glad to see you the day before yesterday. I hope to go to Malmaison during the week. I have had all your affairs looked after here, and ordered that everything be brought to the Elysée-Napoléon. Please take care of yourself. Adieu, dear. NAPOLEON. No. 18. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _January 30, 1810._ _My Dear_,--Your letter to hand. I hope the walk you had yesterday, in order to show people your conservatories, has done you good. I will gladly see you at the Elysée, and shall be very glad to see you oftener, for you know how I love you. NAPOLEON. No. 19. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _Saturday_, 6 P.M., 1810. I told Eugène that you would rather give ear to the vulgar gossip of a great city than to what I told you; yet people should not be allowed to invent fictions to make you miserable. I have had all your effects moved to the Elysée. You shall come to Paris at once; but be at ease and contented, and have full confidence in me. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _February 2._--Soult occupies Seville. The Junta takes refuge at Cadiz. _February 6._--Guadeloupe surrenders to the English. _February 7.--Convention of marriage between the Emperor Napoleon and the Archduchess Marie Louise._ No. 20. TO THE EMPRESS, AT THE ELYSÉE-NAPOLEON. _February 19, 1810._ _My Dear_,--I have received your letter. I long to see you, but the reflections that you make may be true. It is, perhaps, not desirable that we should be under the same roof for the first year. Yet Bessières' country-house is too far off to go and return in one day; moreover I have rather a cold, and am not sure of being able to go there. Adieu, dear. NAPOLEON. No. 21. TO THE EMPRESS, AT THE ELYSÉE-NAPOLEON. _Friday_, 6 P.M., 1810. Savary, as soon as he arrived, brought me your letter; I am sorry to see you are unhappy. I am very glad that you saw nothing of the fire. I had fine weather at Rambouillet. Hortense told me that you had some idea of coming to a dinner at Bessières, and of returning to Paris to sleep. I am sorry that you have not been able to manage it. Adieu, dear. Be cheerful, and consider how much you please me thereby. NAPOLEON. No. 22. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _March 12, 1810._ _My Dear_,--I trust that you will be pleased with what I have done for Navarre. You must see from that how anxious I am to make myself agreeable to you. Get ready to take possession of Navarre; you will go there on March 25, to pass the month of April. Adieu, dear. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _April 1.--Civil marriage of Napoleon and Marie Louise._ (_Religious marriage, April 2._) FOOTNOTES [36] The Empress, with Hortense, had been to dine at Trianon. [37] General Treasurer of the Crown. SERIES N 1810 APRIL 2ND--DECEMBER 31ST (_after the Marriage with Marie Louise_). "Bella gerant alii, tu, felix Austria! nube." SERIES N (For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 304-310.) LETTER PAGE No. 1. _Navarre_ 304 _To Malmaison_ 305 No. 1_a_. _It is written in a bad style_ 305 No. 2. Josephine's wishes 305 No. 2_a_. _Two letters_ 306 No. 3. The northern tour of 1810 306 _I will come to see you_ 307 No. 4. _July 8th_ 308 _You will have seen Eugène_ 308 _That unfortunate daughter_ 308 No. 5. _The conduct of the King of Holland_ 308 No. 6. _To die in a lake_ 309 No. 8. _Paris, this Friday_ 309 No. 9. _The only suitable places_ 310 No. 10. Malmaison 310 _The Empress progresses satisfactorily_ 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 l |