1322] 
quality of consort and mother, she was 
bound to have done. This conviction, 
which was his death-warrant—the worm 
that gnawed upon his vitals—followed 
him to the tomb without his having 
directly confided the secret, even to his 
most intimate friends. Some few short 
sentences, wrested from him by the force 
of circumstances, alone fixed their opi- 
nion on this subject. This peculiarity 
of his life would still be unknown. had 
not death terminated his career. 
Such was the character of Bonaparte, 
that lre would have thought himself 
degraded in the eyes of his consort had 
he confessed to her that he had occasion 
for her services. 
In 1814, the Countess of Saint Leu, 
who was acquainted with part of his 
most hidden secrets, advised Napoleon 
to request Marie Louise to interpose in 
the amelioration of his affairs. ‘ No, 
madam,”’ replied he to her, “ the Arch- 
Duchess has seen me at the summit of 
human power; it does not become me 
to tell her now that I am descended 
from it, and still less to beg of her to 
countenance me with her credit.” 
_ This proud spirit, whatever his ene- 
mies may say of it, was by no means a 
misplaced pride. An ignoble soul 
would not have possessed it; but with 
Napoleon it was quite natural. It 
wonld be wrong to infer from thence, 
that he disdained the services which 
his consort might have been able to 
render him at the court of her father, 
Fraucis II. It was quite otherwise. He 
wished that the Arch-Duchess should 
anticipate his wishes ; that without re- 
quiring from him a confession of his 
situation, she should secretly put her 
hand te work in skilfully managing 
her resources with her father. 
The desire of seeing his consort me- 
diate between him and the court of 
Austria, may be dated from the month 
of June, 1813, the epoch at which the 
Emperor of Germany declared himself 
for the coalition against his own son- 
in-law. The young Empress was with 
him when he received the intelligence. 
“ Well, madam,” said he to his consort, 
regarding her obliquely, “ your father 
is then about to march anew against 
me! Thank Heaven! now I am alone 
against all; yes, alone — absolutely 
alone !’’ The Emperor pronounced these 
last words with an emphasis. and at the 
same time an affection difficult to he 
defined. The Empress probably felt all 
its energy ; her eyes were filled with 
MonvTuLy Mag. No, 364. 
Last Six Months of Napoleon. 
49 
tears ; she arose and went to her apart- 
ment. Caulincourt remarked to the 
emperor, that Marie Louise was ready 
to burst into tears, ‘Crying relieves 
the ladies,” replied Napoleon, and im- 
mediately changed the subject. 
Had Bonaparte, after his return from 
Elba, remained tranquil possessor of 
the throne, the great personages who 
were at Paris at the time of its first 
surrender to the allies, would no doubt 
have been sharply reprimanded for the 
conduct which they had held. * They 
behaved themselves, for the greater 
part, like men with whom riches are 
every thing, and honour nothing.” 
Such was the remark he made to Car- 
not, on the 20th of March. ‘ How 
was it” said he, again, “that in the 
council of the Empress Regent, there 
should not have been found a man of 
genius, with ardent head, susceptible 
of not being induced to await my orders, 
in order to elevate the courage of the 
Empress to the grandeur of the circum- 
stances? The moment was supreme. 
It was necessary to inspire my consort 
with the glory of becoming a second 
Marie Theresé. Who can calculate 
the effect which would have been pro- 
duced’by my young consort running 
through all the ranks of the army of 
the lines and those of the National 
guard, holding her young son in her 
arms, presenting him to all, and plac- 
ing herself and him under the protec- 
tion of their courage, and of their 
bayonets. I know the French nation ; 
it would not have been less generous 
than the Hungarians: I should then 
have had the time to arrive. But in these 
decisive moments, the army alone, 
which had no treasures to place in se-. 
curity, showed itself worthy of its an- 
cient reputation. Why cannot J efface 
from my remembrance the circum- 
stances of this event! Every time that 
they present themselves to iy mind, I 
abridge my life an hour.” 
On learning that some French sol- 
diers had been ma+:sacred:at Marseilles 
and other provinces of the south, he 
cried out, as one beside himself, ** they 
were, without doubt, unarmed!”? Be- 
ing told that in fact they had laid down 
their arms in token of peace, he added : 
“ [ helieve it, indeed; otherwise their 
assassins would not have dared to look 
them in the face.” Returning after- 
wards towards the persons who were 
present, he said, “ and you would 
wish that my soul was not in agony! 
i It 
