226 Ten Years of my Life. 



which was to take place on the 19th, was first postponed for 

 five days, and then sine die. , As I knew for certain that my 

 husband would not be shot I did not feel much anxiety, and 

 remained in Mexico ; but he did not trust my assurances, and 

 even provided for the embalming of his body. 



Though I brought with me an especial permit from the 

 Secretary of War to see my husband whenever I liked, all 

 kinds of difficulties were placed in my way, and my visits made 

 as disagreeable as possible. By the intercession of a German 

 who served in the Liberal army, Colonel von Gagern, this was 

 altered for the better, and to the kindness of this worthy officer 

 my husband and the other prisoners owed very much. The 

 Prince "Ivas even permitted, on giving his word of honour, to 

 go now and then in the city, and I could remain with him in 

 prison until ten o'clock in the evening. 



The citizens of Queretaro behaved very kindly towards the 

 prisoners, and supported them by providing for their meals, 

 and other comforts. My husband has described his prison 

 life in his book, and as I could but ropy him I shall pass over 

 this period of my stay in Queretaro, and only mention my 

 rather curious transactions with the physician who had em- 

 balmed the Emperor. 



It is well known what difficulties the Liberal Government 

 placed in the way of those persons who were sent to fetch the 

 body of the poor Emperor. But not only the Government 

 speculated with the body, — Dr. Licca, who had embalmed him, 

 did the same. This doctor had made a plaster of Paris cast 

 from the face of the Emperor, and Dr. Basch wrote to my hus- 

 band to procure it for him. He commissioned me to speak to 

 the doctor, and I went accordingly to see him. 



. This doctor was a low, mercenary wretch, who already had 

 made his name infamous by betraying General Miramon, and 

 by the brutal manner in which he treated the body of the 

 Emperor. When he plunged his knife into the corpse, he said, 

 ' What a delight it is for me to be able to wash my hands in 

 the blood of an Emperor T 



This man had retained all the clothes which the Emperor 

 wore when he was shot, part of his hair, beard, &c., and was 

 waiting for a purchaser of these relics. He asked me twenty 

 thousand pesos for them, and I requested him to make a 

 written inventory of all the things he had, and also the price 



