ST. HELENA 227 



An old St. Helena paper gives the following account of 

 his later days : — 



" The Emperor for some months considered himself attacked 

 by an internal disease which would speedily prove fatal to him. 

 He mentioned it, but he was supposed only to be imaginative. A 

 few weeks before his death he laboured with a spade in his garden, so 

 long and so severely as to be faint with fatigue. Some one suggested 

 the probable injury to his health. " No/' said he, " it cannot alter 

 my health — that is lost beyond all hope. It will but shorten my 

 days." 



He gave but little time then to the memoirs of his life, and 

 Bertrand urged him to labour with more assiduity. 



" It is beneath me," he said, " to be the historian of my own life. 

 Alexander had his Quintus Curtius, and I shall have mine. At all 

 events my life is recorded in my achievements." 



A short time before his malady became serious, he aban- 

 doned his reserve, and became familiar with all. He set a 

 high value on Bertrand but did not like him. One day 

 at table he said : — 



" Bertrand, it was not your attachment to me, but your love of 

 glory that brought you to St. Helena ; you would immortalize 

 your name as my Fidus Achates ! " 



It is scarcely known that a little girl of nine years of age, 

 the daughter of a sergeant of the garrison, often kept him 

 company ; he took great pleasure in her presence, and 

 constantly provided himself with fruits and sweetmeats 

 for her. Shortly before he died he hung a gold watch and 

 chain round her neck, saying, " Julia, wear this for my 

 sake." He had with a penknife rudely graved on the 

 cover (clumsily enough, it is true), " The Emperor, to his 

 little friend Julia." Often he amused himself by giving 

 her drawing lessons from the scenery round. 



On April 2 he was seen to be very seriously indisposed. 

 He rose early and walked in the garden, but after a few 

 minutes sat on the bank apparently faint. Montholon, 

 who was near, asked if he were ill. " Yes ! " he said, " I 

 feel nausea and sick stomach, the avant-couriers of death." 

 Montholon smiled, but Napoleon, taking his arm, said, " My 

 friend, we must not smile at death when he is so near us." 



Just then Julia appeared and attracted his attention. 



