Chapter THIRTY-FIVE

1763–1814

JOSEPHINE’S PERSONALITY

Her Connection with Martinique--Her Statue at
Fort-de-France--Her Legend--Her Claims to Beauty--Her
Intellect--Her Prodigality--Her Personal Magnetism--Her
Affections--Her Desire to Please--Her Falsehoods--Her Final
Deception--Her Succession--Fate of Her Homes--Napoleon’s Last
Visit to Malmaison--The _Souvenir de Malmaison_

As the life of Napoleon will always be associated with the names of three small islands: Corsica, Elba, and Saint Helena; so that of Joséphine will ever be connected with Martinique. There is little of interest in the capital city, Fort-de-France, apart from the Savane, the large green public square, and there the visitor will be attracted mainly by the beautiful marble statue of the Empress. “Sea-winds have bitten it; tropical rains have streaked it; some microscopic growth has darkened the exquisite hollow of the throat. And yet such is the human charm of the figure that you almost fancy you are gazing at a living presence. Perhaps the profile is less artistically real--statuesque to the point of betraying the chisel; but when you look straight up into the sweet Creole face, you can believe she lives: all the wonderful West Indian charm of the woman is there. She is standing just in front of the Savane, robed in the fashion of the First Empire, with gracious arms and shoulders bare: one hand leans upon a medallion bearing the eagle profile of Napoleon.... Over the violet space of summer sea, through the vast splendor of azure light, she is looking back to the place of her birth, back to the beautiful drowsy Trois-Îlets--and always with the same half-dreaming, half-plaintive smile--unutterably touching.”

The statue so lovingly described by Hearn may be said to bear about the same relation to the real woman that the Joséphine of romance bears to the Joséphine of history. Since her death a hundred and ten years ago, the legend of Joséphine has passed through three phases. Under the Restoration, it was Joséphine the protector of the Émigrés that all good Royalists were called on to lament. The key-note was struck by the Archbishop of Tours in his funeral oration: “How many unfortunates, condemned, by their fidelity to the august family of the Bourbons, to live in exile from their fatherland, are beholden to her persistent and touching intercession for their restoration to their families, and to the country which saw their birth?”

Under the Second Empire, the writers who wished to curry favor with the new Emperor devoted special attention to Joséphine, and one would almost be led to believe that he occupied the throne by right of descent from his grandmother the Empress Joséphine, rather than as heir to his uncle the Emperor Napoleon. “Joséphine was painted as the sorrowful martyr to necessities of State. She was the fondly loving wife repudiated after fourteen years of faithful wedlock.”

Under the Third Republic, the admirers of the Great Emperor, less fettered in their views, have gone as far in the other direction: they deny to Joséphine any attachment to Napoleon except that of self-interest, and blame him only for not repudiating her sooner.

As usual, the truth of History lies between these two extremes.

* * * * *

It will always be a moot point how a woman possessed of so little intellect, and endowed with no surpassing physical beauty, managed to gain, and retain for fourteen years, the love of a man six years her junior, and that man Napoleon!

First, with regard to her beauty: We have innumerable portraits of Joséphine, for she loved to be painted, and sat to all the celebrated artists of her day: David, Gérard, Gros, Isabey, Prud’hon and many others. None of these portraits gives the idea of a beautiful woman.

The written descriptions of her appearance are even more unflattering. It is impossible to forget the picture of the faded Creole, past her prime, endeavoring to hide the ravages of time by an extravagant use of powder and rouge; the closed lips which concealed her bad teeth; all the artifices to supply the deficiencies of nature. But on the other hand we have the admissions even of unfriendly observers that her eyes were beautiful, her smile always charming, her figure slender, supple, well-proportioned, needing no corset to support it; always clothed in the most perfect taste. To complete the picture we have the graceful movements of her elegant, indolent body, for in the words of Napoleon, “she was graceful even in going to bed”; and the harmony of her soft, caressing voice, which could soothe and put the Emperor to sleep even when most harassed by the cares of State.

All the memoirs of her time are agreed in stating that Joséphine had but little intellect, but they are almost equally in accord in admitting that she supplied the deficiency by her marvellous _savoir faire_. Her education had been only rudimentary, and she never increased her knowledge by reading. There was an excellent library at Malmaison, and there was always a reader on her staff, chosen more for her beauty than for any other qualification, but no one ever heard of Joséphine opening a book except to read Napoleon to sleep.

Joséphine was a great collector, and the château of Malmaison was a regular museum of valuable paintings, choice statuary, and rare objets d’art. But there is nothing to show that she prized her collection except for the value it represented in money. It was only another exhibition of her mania for spending. It must be admitted, however, that Joséphine loved her flowers and her plants, and her hothouses and gardens were the finest in Europe.

That Joséphine was prodigal in her expenditures of money cannot be denied, but altogether too much has been made of her debts by Monsieur Masson and other recent biographers. The matter has already been quite fully covered in these pages, and it is not necessary to go into it further here. Napoleon’s wrath at the discovery of her debts, and the terror of Joséphine during these “scenes,” were both largely assumed. It has even been said that “Napoleon liked her to be in debt because it made her utterly dependent on him”! It must be remembered, however, that, as Napoleon once stated: “It is fortunate that the French are to be ruled through their vanity.” All of the display and the etiquette of the Imperial Court were irksome to Napoleon, with his simple tastes, but he endured them because it was part of his policy. For the same reason he expected Joséphine to spend lavishly the handsome allowance he gave her, although with his love of order he did not wish her to exceed her income. It was all a part of his general policy of fostering the industries of the country, which has made France what it is to-day, the leader in the manufacture of articles of luxury and display in every line.

The secret of Joséphine’s attraction for Napoleon appears to have been that rare quality which, for lack of a better term, we may call personal magnetism. She was one of those exceptional characters who seem to possess the natural gift of attracting others while themselves giving little or nothing in return. But to win all hearts as she did, Joséphine at bottom must have possessed a large fund of human sympathy. All agree in speaking of her affability; she was “gentle and kind, affable and indulgent to all, without respect to persons.”

The Joséphine of legend is emphatically “_la bonne Joséphine_.” She could never refuse a request: she was always giving lavishly, indiscriminately. It was also impossible for her to treasure up grievances against any one--even the Bonapartes who did so much to injure her. With Napoleon’s mistresses, she displayed the same lack of resentment. She received Madame Walewska at Malmaison, and lavished affection upon her child. She made Madame Gazzani one of her chosen attendants after her divorce.

Joséphine has frequently been accused of loving no one but herself, but her letters to her children show that she was a very affectionate and demonstrative mother, and she was certainly a doting grandmother. It seems hardly possible that she was insincere, or that, as one writer puts it, “Joséphine’s affections were a vigorous expression of her self-love.”

No one can question the fact of Napoleon’s love for Joséphine, which lasted as long as he lived; and certainly after his return from Egypt she was to him a model wife. She anticipated his every wish; she never kept him waiting; she was always ready to accompany him on his journeys; she went cheerfully through the most arduous social duties; and exerted herself to conciliate all whom he wished to win to his interests. From Napoleon she extorted the admiring exclamation: “I win battles; Joséphine wins hearts!”

In fact Joséphine was an _enjôleuse_: to win, to seduce, by cajoleries, by caresses, by soft words--in short, _to please_, was the principal aim of her existence. Even where she had no end to gain, where no self-interest was involved, she strove to please simply because it gave her pleasure. It was to please that she embellished her home; that she spent a fortune on jewels and toilettes; that she wore herself out with visits, receptions, and journeys; that she triumphed over her headaches, neglected her colds, and went to her death. This explains all: this is the true key to her character.

This also is the explanation of her falsehoods, for by the testimony of all her contemporaries, friends and foes alike, Joséphine was one of the greatest liars who ever lived. If she has succeeded in imposing on history, it is largely due to the fact that she imposed on Napoleon, which in itself is no small feat! He was convinced that she loved only him; he represents her as the model wife--attentive, affectionate, and devoted; he thinks she is extravagant, but how elegant and how graceful she is! how beautifully she dresses! how she excels in everything she does! For him she is the perfect woman!

By a supreme falsehood, and this one posthumous, she leaves with her attendants the impression, and with Napoleon the conviction, that she dies of love for him, overwhelmed by the disasters of France and the Empire, in despair because she could not share his fate at Elba, and mollify by her loving tenderness the rigors of his exile.

On the day after his return from Elba, in March 1815, he said to Corvisart at the Tuileries: “You let my poor Joséphine die!”

Then he sent for Horau, her regular physician, and demanded the fullest details of her death:

“What was the cause of her illness?”

“Anxiety ... chagrin....”

“You say that she was anxious, what was the cause of her chagrin?”

“What had taken place, Sire; the position of Your Majesty.”

“Ah! then, she spoke of me?”

“Often, very often.”

“Good woman, good Joséphine! She loved me truly, did she not?”

This conviction remained with Napoleon until the end of his life, and in speaking of Joséphine at Saint Helena, he exclaimed: “She was the best woman in France!”

* * * * *

Aside from her two châteaux of Malmaison and Prégny, and her fine collection of jewels, Joséphine left little of value at the time of her death. In the settlement of her estate, Eugène took Malmaison, and assumed the payment of her debts, while Hortense received Prégny and her jewels, the share of each of her children amounting to about two million francs when the estate was finally settled.

Of all the places closely associated with the life of Joséphine, only Malmaison remains to-day. During the lifetime of Eugène, a large part of the estate was cut up and sold in parcels. In June 1829, five years after his death, in the final settlement of his estate it was found necessary to sell the château. After passing through several hands, it was bought in 1861 by Napoleon the Third and made a museum of Napoleonic souvenirs. During the Franco-Prussian war it was pillaged by the Germans and damaged by fire. Finally it was purchased, early in the present century, by a Jewish millionaire, who had the generous thought of restoring it as nearly as possible to its former condition and presenting it to the State as a museum of relics of Napoleon and Joséphine.

Prégny, which was taken by Hortense, as her portion of the real estate, was sold by her in 1817 for about one hundred thousand francs. Nearly all of the furniture was removed by Hortense, but the buildings remain in the same condition as in the time of Joséphine.

Under the terms of the grant to the Empress, at her death Navarre passed to Eugène, and from him to his eldest son, Auguste. In 1834 this prince married the Queen of Portugal, but died at Lisbon less than four months later. He was succeeded as Duc de Navarre by his brother Maximilian, who married the Grande-Duchesse Marie of Russia, daughter of Czar Nicholas. On his death in 1852 the title was claimed by his son Prince Nicholas, but the French Government refused its assent, on the ground that, as a member of the imperial family of Russia, he could not swear fidelity to the Emperor of the French. It was thus that the grandson of Prince Eugène was deprived by his cousin Napoleon the Third of the duchy erected by Napoleon the First, and by virtue of a clause in the original grant which four successive Governments of France had neglected to invoke! But long before this date the estate of Navarre had been sold by the heirs of Eugène, with the permission of the Government, and the proceeds, over a million francs, invested in French bonds.

* * * * *

On the Sunday following the battle of Waterloo, the 25 June 1815, Napoleon left Paris for the last time, and went to Malmaison. Here, before departing for his final exile, he spent four days in wandering through the château and the park, as if in search of the beloved shade which in disappearing from his life seemed to have taken with it his happiness and his fortune.

Such, charming and exquisite, she lives in his memory, to soften his agony and soothe his exile, and such, after the lapse of a hundred years, she still appears in the eyes of posterity.

“In vain,” says Monsieur Masson, “in vain have we been compelled to tell the truth about her, to throw upon her life the light of History: the legend still prevails. Her memory will never suffer from what has been written--even from what has been proven.

“In the dispersal and quick disappearance of the things she loved, there remains only the name of a flower: the _Souvenir de Malmaison_, and thus her image, and the emblem of her life, will be one of these lovely roses, tender and fragile, bright and nacreous, which she loved and named.... When for a brief moment the rose has given us a vision of its grace, a petal loosens and falls, then another, and another, until finally it is like a fall of fragrant snow, projecting into the warm atmosphere hardly the repressed vibration of a sigh; but the fragrance of the withering petals long floats on the air, and perfumes the room.”

With this beautiful thought we take our leave of Napoleon’s charming “little Creole.”

BIBLIOGRAPHY

There are very few books on Joséphine, either in French or in English. Little is known about her early years, and after her marriage to Napoleon, her career is so identified with that of her husband that most of the information regarding her is to be found in the numerous biographies, histories and memoirs devoted to the life of the Emperor.

AUBENAS, J. A., _Histoire de l’impératrice Joséphine_, Paris,
1858–1859. 2 vols. An excellent history, written by one who had
made a careful examination of all the material then available,
both in France and in Martinique, and whom we may call the
official biographer of Joséphine. He alone had access to the
archives of the Tascher family, and to him we owe most of our
knowledge of the first fifteen years of her existence.

HALL, H. F., _Napoleon’s Letters to Joséphine_, (1796–1812).
Trans. 1903.

LE NORMAND, M. A., _Mémoires historiques et secrets de
Joséphine_, Paris, 1820. 2 vols. These so-called “mémoires,”
falsely attributed to Joséphine herself, were published
four years after her death. Napoleon was then in exile; his
enemies were in power again; and this book was intended
as a propitiatory offering to royalty. The author was an
unprincipled, unscrupulous woman, Mlle. Le Normand, who
was a professional fortune-teller of Paris. The book is as
untrustworthy as the _Mémoires_ of Barras.

_Lettres de Napoléon à Joséphine_, Paris, 1833. 2 vols. These
volumes contain the letters of Napoleon to Joséphine from
1796 to 1813, also the letters from Joséphine to her daughter
from 1794 to 1814. The publication of this correspondence
was authorized by Queen Hortense, who had the letters in her
possession. These letters are of extreme interest, as they
reveal the innermost thoughts of the Emperor, and throw a strong
side-light on his character, as well as on that of Joséphine.

MASSON, F., _Joséphine_, Paris, 1899–1902. 3 vols. Also
_Napoléon et sa famille_. Paris, 1896–1919. 13 vols. Masson was
the greatest authority upon the history of the Emperor and his
family. His works are remarkable for the abundance of their
intimate details and the exactitude of their documentation.

OBER, FREDERICK A., _Joséphine, Empress of the French_, New
York, 1895. A popular English biography, based on the French
history of M. Aubenas. The author seems to be familiar with
Martinique, and gives many intimate details of Joséphine’s early
life.

SAINT-AMAND, IMBERT DE, _Joséphine_, Paris, 1887. 5 vols.
Published under different titles. The author presents Joséphine
in the most favorable light, and at the same time displays great
admiration for the Emperor.

SERGEANT, PHILIP W., _The Empress Joséphine_, London, 1908. 2
vols. The best English biography: well written, accurate, and
very fair in its treatment both of Joséphine and Napoleon.

TURQUAN, JOSEPH, _L’Impératrice Joséphine_, Paris, 1895–1896. 2
vols. The first volume, entitled _La générale Bonaparte_, covers
the period from Vendémiaire to the end of the Consulate; the
second, the Empire and the years subsequent to the divorce. The
author makes much of the early scandals in Joséphine’s life, and
is very unfair in his presentation of the facts.

MEMOIRS

AVRILLON, MLLE., _Mémoires sur la vie privée de Joséphine_,
Paris, no date (about 1835). 2 vols. The author, who describes
herself as “première femme de chambre de l’impératrice,” was
with Joséphine from 1804 to 1814. While possessing no great
historic value, these memoirs are interesting and readable.

BOURRIENNE, L. A. F. DE, _Mémoires_, Paris, 1829–1831. 10
vols. Trans. London, 1893. 4 vols. Also new French edition,
Paris, 1899–1900. 5 vols. A vivid, but untrustworthy picture of
Napoleon and Joséphine. The stories of the author’s very close
friendship are open to suspicion.

JUNOT, LAURE (Duchesse d’Abrantès), _Mémoires_, Paris,
1833–1834. 18 vols. Trans. Very vivacious, but full of slanders
and sarcasms in her portrayal of the Emperor and his wife. Not
trustworthy.

RÉMUSAT, MME. DE, _Mémoires_, Paris, 1879–1880. 3 vols. Also
trans. She was a _dame du palais_ of Joséphine, and her memoirs
give a very vivid description of the Consular and Imperial
Courts. The original manuscript was burnt during the Hundred
Days, as the author feared that her attacks on Napoleon might
get her into trouble. The memoirs which we have now were written
in 1818, and show a desire to gain favor with the Royalists.

INDEX

Abrantès, Duchesse d’, 59

Alexander, Czar, 235, 367, 369, 371, 372

Anne, Grand Duchess of Russia, 320

Arenberg, Mme. d’, _see_ Tascher, Stéphanie

Arnault, author, 60, 63, 64

Artois, Comte d’, 130, 138

Aubenas, author, 11

Augusta of Bavaria, (wife of Eugène), 188, 193, 221, 360

Avrillon, Mlle., author, 155, 171, 173, 288, 293, 354

Bacciochi, Prince Félix, 69

Bacciochi, Princesse, _see_ Bonaparte, Élisa

Barral, Archbishop, 376

Barras, director, 44–46, 48

Bausset, palace prefect, 287–291

Beauharnais, Alexandre, birth (28 May 1760), 8;
his early years, 12;
education, 13;
Mme. Renaudin’s interest in him, 13;
enters the army, 14;
plans for his marriage, 15;
letter of his father, 15;
marriage to Joséphine (19 Dec. 1779), 18;
sails for Martinique (1782), 19;
repudiates Joséphine, 20;
returns to France (1783), 21;
refuses reconciliation, 22;
separation arranged (1785), 22;
elected to States-General (1789), 27;
president of the Assembly (1791), 29;
flight of the Royal family, 29;
retires to the country, 30;
rejoins the army, 30;
commands Army of Rhine, 31;
his disgraceful failure, 32;
resigns command, 32;
retires to Blois, 34;
arrested and imprisoned (1794), 34;
his execution, 35;
his daughter’s pride in him, 107

Beauharnais, Eugène, birth (3 Sept. 1781), 19;
on staff of Hoche, 39;
in school at Saint-Germain, 44;
claims his father’s sword, 49;
intercedes for his mother, 83;
his treatment by the Emperor, 144;
at the Marengo review, 170;
made Viceroy of Italy, 172;
marriage to Augusta, 192–194;
his character and appearance, 192;
adopted by the Emperor, 193, 258;
summoned to Paris (Dec. 1809), 296;
his difficult position, 296;
arranges final conference, 297;
refuses Crown of Italy, 297;
his address to the Senate, 301;
visits his mother at Aix, 334;
also at Navarre, 344;
brings news of birth of King of Rome, 345;
at Paris before Russian campaign, 350;
given command of Grand Army, 356;
attitude towards Napoleon, 359;
the Emperor’s suspicions (1814), 360;
letter from Joséphine, 361;
leaves Italy, 368;
called to Paris, 369;
received by the King, 370;
part in Joséphine’s estate, 382

Beauharnais, François, 6–8, 10, 15

Beauharnais, Hortense, birth (10 April 1783), 20;
repudiated by her father, 20;
goes to Martinique with her mother, 24;
placed in Mme. Campan’s school, 44;
intercedes for her mother, 84;
plans for her marriage, 102;
her appearance and character, 106;
love of her mother, 107;
pride in her father, 107;
early dislike of Napoleon, 107;
fancy for Duroc, 108;
wounded by infernal machine, 109;
marriage to Louis, 112;
hostess at Tuileries, 199;
births of her children, 200;
Queen of Holland, 201;
residence at The Hague, 201;
visit to Mayence, 201;
death of Charles, 225;
her despair, 226;
letters from the Emperor, 228–231;
visit to Cauterêts, 239;
reconciliation with Louis, 239;
return to Fontainebleau, 239;
her illness, 239;
refuses to return to Holland, 247;
birth of Louis-Napoleon (Napoleon III), 267;
her interview with Napoleon at time of divorce, 292;
abdication of Louis, 335;
visits her mother at Aix, 336;
also at Navarre, 344, 365;
at Malmaison (1814), 367;
receives the Czar, 367;
created Duchesse de Saint-Leu, 370;
entertains the Czar, 371;
at her mother’s deathbed, 373;
part in Joséphine’s estate, 382;
at Malmaison with Napoleon (1815), 383

Beauharnais, Stéphanie, (Grand Duchess of Baden), 195, 197, 246,
247

Bonaparte, Caroline, (Mme. Murat), 92, 112, 142, 155

Bonaparte, Élisa, (Mme. Bacciochi), 69, 142, 155

Bonaparte, Jérôme, 124, 171, 238, 246

Bonaparte, Joseph, 78, 99, 127, 269

Bonaparte, Letitia, (Mme. Mère), 69, 149

Bonaparte, Louis, 103, 104, 105, 106, 111, 112, 198–201

Bonaparte, Louis-Napoleon, (Napoleon III), 267, 357

Bonaparte, Lucien, 78, 98, 102–103, 123, 257

Bonaparte, Napoleon-Charles, 200, 225

Bonaparte, Napoleon-Louis, 157, 200

Bonaparte, Pauline, (Mme. Leclerc, later Princesse de Borghèse),
69, 120, 155

Borghèse, Prince de, 121

Bouillé, Marquis de, 19, 29

Bourrienne, secretary, 199

Broc, Mme. de, 358

Cadoudal, Georges, 130–134

Calmelet, 53

Cambacérès, 140, 285, 303

Caprara, Cardinal, 112, 145

Carnot, director, 99

Catherine, of Würtemberg, (wife of Jérôme), 238, 246

Caulaincourt, 135, 320

Charles, Hippolyte, 65, 78

Charles, Grand Duke of Baden, 188, 195, 196

Charles, King, (of Spain), 263–269

Cochelet, Mlle., reader to Hortense, 366

Corvisart, Dr., 381

David, painter, 150

Dénuelle, Mlle., 225

Dupont, General, 270

Duroc, grand marshal, 108, 115, 256

Emmery, merchant, 39

Enghien, Duc d’, 134–137

Eugène, Prince, _see_ Beauharnais

Ferdinand, Prince, (of Spain), 263–269

Fesch, Cardinal, 148, 153, 321

Flahaut, Charles de, 336

Fouché, minister, 100, 102, 139, 252–254, 278, 286

Fourès, Mme., 80

Gazzani, Mme., reader to Joséphine, 246, 380

Georges, Mlle., actress, 119

Girardin, Stanislas, 279

Gohier, director, 86

Hatzfeld, Prince, 206

Hoche, General, 35, 38

Horau, Dr., 381

Hortense, _see_ Beauharnais

Isabey, painter, 152

Joséphine, birth (23 June 1763), 9;
confusion of dates, 9;
childhood, 12;
education, 12;
appearance and character, 12;
she takes her sister’s place, 16;
arrives in France, 17;
first marriage (19 Dec. 1779), 18;
life in Paris, 18;
birth of Eugène (3 Sept. 1781), 19;
departure of Alexandre, 19;
birth of Hortense (10 April 1783), 20;
repudiated by Alexandre, 20;
he returns to France, 21;
refuses reconciliation, 22;
separation arranged (1785), 22;
her sojourn at Panthémont, 23;
residence at Fontainebleau, 24;
voyage to Martinique (1788), 24–26;
returns to France (1790), 28;
residence in Paris, 29;
house at Croissy, 32;
imprisoned in the Carmes (1794), 34;
execution of Alexandre, 35;
she is released, 37;
her behavior in prison, 37;
returns to Croissy, 38;
relations with Hoche, 38;
financial straits, 39–40;
her banker Emmery, 39;
her love of luxury, 41;
intimacy with Mme. Tallien, 41;
their similar tastes, 42;
her new home Rue Chantereine (Oct. 1795), 42;
places children in school, 44;
liaison with Barras, 45–47;
during 13 Vendémiaire, 48;
meets Bonaparte (15 Oct.), 49;
her appearance at that time, 50;
letter to Bonaparte, 51;
her hesitation about marriage, 52;
final consent, 53;
marriage to Bonaparte (9 March 1796), 54;
his departure for Italy, 54;
his first letter, 56;
her indifference, 56;
his second letter, 57;
hesitation to rejoin him, 59;
at of battle flags, 60;
her life at Paris, 63;
starts for Italy (July), 64;
regret at leaving, 64;
arrival at Milan, 65;
her ennui there, 66;
letter to Mme. Renaudin, 66;
her delayed honeymoon, 67;
court at Montebello (1797), 69;
her aid to Napoleon’s policy, 70;
she returns to Paris (Jan. 1798), 72;
attends Talleyrand fête, 73;
suspicious letter to Barras, 74;
accompanies Bonaparte to Toulon (May), 75;
goes to Plombières, 76;
serious accident, 77;
buys Malmaison, 77;
intrigue with Charles, 78;
hears of Bonaparte’s return (Oct. 1799), 83;
fails to meet him, 83;
their reconciliation, 84;
her debts paid, 84;
rôle in coup d’état, 85;
moves to Luxembourg, 87;
life there, 88;
her important rôle, 90;
devotion to Napoleon, 90;
secret of her power, 90;
her royalism, 90;
assistance to émigrés, 91;
importance to Napoleon’s policy, 91;
interest in marriage of Murat, 92;
moves to Tuileries (Feb. 1800), 93;
the new society, 94;
visits to Malmaison, 95;
her fears of divorce, 101;
the disgrace of Lucien, 103;
chooses Louis for Hortense, 103;
the infernal machine (Dec.), 109;
narrow escape, 109;
dismay over public attitude, 110;
visit to Plombières, 112;
marriage of Hortense (Jan. 1802), 112;
trip to Normandie, 116;
her appearance at 40, 117;
her life at Saint-Cloud, 118;
scene of jealousy at Tuileries, 119;
visit to Belgium, 127;
pacific counsels to Bonaparte, 131;
reveals plans regarding Duc d’Enghien, 136;
hailed as Empress (18 May 1804), 141;
her fine attitude, 143;
at the fêtes of 14 July, 144;
visit to Banks of the Rhine, 145;
return to Saint-Cloud, 147;
triumph over the Bonapartes, 149;
religious marriage (Dec.), 153;
at the Coronation, 154–155;
her daily life, 158–168;
places of residence, 158;
frequent changes at Tuileries, 159, 160;
her rooms at Saint-Cloud, 161;
daily routine, 162;
personal attendants, 162;
her toilette, 163;
lingerie and robes, 164;
lavish expenditures, 165;
debts paid by the Emperor, 166;
life at Tuileries, 167;
journey to Italy (1805), 169;
at Milan coronation (26 May), 171;
grief over elevation of Eugène, 172;
her husband’s attachment, 173;
the Genoa fêtes, 174;
return to France, 174;
visit to Plombières, 175;
sojourn at Strasbourg, 177;
Napoleon’s letters, 178–182;
goes to Munich, 184;
her selfishness, 186;
at marriage of Eugène (Jan. 1806), 187–195;
return to Paris, 195;
goes to Mayence (1806), 202;
Napoleon’s letters, 203–212;
return to Paris, 220;
her cordial welcome, 220;
her loneliness, 221;
birth of Eugène’s daughter, 221;
grief at death of Charles (May 1807), 226;
meets Hortense at Laeken, 226;
Napoleon’s letters, 228–231;
return to Paris, 232;
letters to Hortense, 233;
at the Fontainebleau fêtes, 246–247;
the divorce first proposed, 249;
refuses to take initiative, 251;
action in reply to Fouché’s letter, 252–253;
death of her mother, 256;
letters during Napoleon’s trip to Italy, 259;
her fear of divorce, 261;
a remarkable episode, 262;
marriage of her cousin, Mlle. de Tascher, 262;
sojourn at Bayonne (1808), 264;
joins Napoleon at Marrac, 267;
joy over birth of Louis-Napoleon (April), 267;
return to Saint-Cloud, 270;
left at Paris during Erfurt meeting, 272;
also during Spanish campaign, 275;
letters of the Emperor, 276;
she reveals the succession plot, 279;
goes to Strasbourg, 280;
Napoleon’s letters, 281–284;
meets Emperor at Fontainebleau (1809), 286;
her cold reception, 286;
her appearance at 46, 288;
receives announcement of divorce (30 Nov.), 289;
a pretended swoon, 290;
the final fêtes, 294;
arrival of Eugène, 296;
final conference, 297;
address at the divorce (15 Dec.), 299;
departure for Malmaison, 303;
her legend, 304;
her dowry, 306;
her debts paid, 307;
first days at Malmaison, 307;
visits and letters from Emperor, 308–317;
Christmas dinner at Trianon, 311;
her interest in Austrian marriage, 313;
goes to Élysée palace, 318;
returns to Malmaison, 322;
presented with Navarre (1810), 322;
its dilapidated condition, 324;
worried over Paris gossip, 326;
letter to Napoleon and his reply, 327–328;
he agrees to her plans, 329;
she returns to Malmaison, 330;
her Court there, 331;
anxiety about Hortense, 332;
visit from the Emperor, 333;
goes to Aix-les-Bains, 334;
visit from Eugène, 334;
informed of Louis’ abdication, 335;
narrow escape, 336;
arrival of Hortense, 336;
tour of Switzerland, 337;
upset by reports regarding Marie-Louise, 337–339;
rejects advice of Mme. de Rémusat, 340;
returns to Malmaison, 341;
monotonous life at Navarre (1811), 342;
her health improved, 343;
visits from her children, 344;
her fête-day, 344;
news of birth of King of Rome (March), 345;
her debts paid again, 346;
plans new chateau at Malmaison, 349;
exchanges Élysée for Laeken, 349;
passes winter at Malmaison, 350;
visit to Milan (1812), 351;
sojourns at Aix and Prégny, 352;
return to Paris, 352;
hears of Malet plot, 353;
anxiety over Moscow disaster, 353;
meets King of Rome (Dec. 1812), 355;
visit from Hortense’s sons, 357;
news of death of Mme. de Broc, 358;
writes Eugène at request of Emperor (1814), 361;
leaves for Navarre, 363;
arrival of Hortense, 365;
news of abdication (April), 366;
returns to Malmaison, 367;
receives the Czar, 367;
fears for her children, 371;
final illness and death (29 May), 372;
her association with Martinique, 375;
her statue at Fort-de-France, 375;
her legend, 376;
her claims to beauty, 377;
her intellect, 378;
her prodigality, 378;
her magnetism, 379;
her desire to please, 380;
her affections, 380;
her falsehoods, 381;
her final deception, 381;
fate of her homes, 382;
her succession, 382;
her memory, 384

Jouberthou, Mme., (wife of Lucien), 123

Junot, General, 263

Junot, Mme., _see_ Abrantès

La Rochefoucauld, Duc de, 13, 14

Lavalette, General, 67, 275

Lavoisier, 27

Leclerc, General, 69

Leclerc, Mme., _see_ Bonaparte, Pauline

Léon, (son of Napoleon), 225

Louis-Napoleon, _see_ Bonaparte

Louis XVIII, 100

Louisa, Queen, 205, 235

Marie-Louise, Empress, 321, 337, 362

Maximilian, King of Bavaria, 188, 190

Méneval, secretary, 115, 302

Metternich, Mme., 312–313

Metternich, Prince, 314

Moreau, General, 131–133

Murat, General, 92, 112, 207, 264

Napoleon, during 13 Vendémiaire (Oct. 1795), 48;
returns sword to Eugène, 49;
meets Joséphine (15 Oct.), 49;
her letter to him, 51;
his first letter, 51;
decides on marriage, 52;
civil ceremony (9 March 1796), 54;
leaves for Italy, 54;
first letter during campaign, 56;
his victories, 58;
second proclamation, 58;
sends for Joséphine, 59;
victory of Lodi (10 May), 61;
enters Milan (15 May), 62;
his delayed honeymoon, 67;
end of campaign, 68;
his letters to Joséphine, 68;
court of Montebello (1797), 69;
the family reunion (June), 69;
peace of Campo-Formio (Oct.), 71;
leaves for Rastadt, 71;
returns to Paris (Dec.), 71;
at the Talleyrand fête (2 Jan. 1798), 73;
clash with Mme. de Staël, 73;
buys Hôtel Chantereine, 74;
his tour of inspection, 74;
his fortune, 75;
leaves for Toulon, 75;
sails for Egypt (19 May), 76;
hears reports of Joséphine’s infidelity, 79;
liaison with Mme. Fourès, 80;
leaves Egypt (Aug. 1799), 82;
lands at Fréjus (9 Oct.), 83;
reaches Paris (16 Oct.), 83;
pardons Joséphine, 84;
pays her debts, 84;
during the coup d’état (9–10 Nov.), 86–87;
made Consul, 87;
moves to Luxembourg (11 Nov.), 87;
life there, 88;
marries Caroline to Murat (Jan. 1800), 92;
moves to Tuileries (19 Feb.), 93;
life there, 94;
visits to Malmaison, 94;
the château, 95;
his affability, 95;
his problems as First Consul, 96;
success of his administration, 97;
reception after Marengo (July), 97;
the “Conspiracy,” 98;
answers the Pretender, 100;
decision to amend Constitution, 101;
disgraces Lucien, 103;
the infernal machine (24 Dec.), 109;
public demands for an heir, 110;
made Consul for Life (2 Aug. 1802), 114;
takes possession of Saint-Cloud, 114;
his apartments, 115;
establishes court etiquette, 115;
trip to Normandie, 116;
absent at marriage of Pauline, 120;
enraged over marriages of Lucien and Jérôme, 123–124;
celebrated scene with British ambassador, 126;
visit to Belgium, 127;
episode at Mortefontaine, 128;
first suggestions of the Empire, 128;
reception at Brussels, 129;
the Royalist conspiracies, 130;
jealousy of Moreau, 131–132;
his trial and exile, 133;
execution of Duc d’Enghien (21 March 1804), 135–138;
proclaimed Emperor (18 May), 139;
yields to his family, 143;
his treatment of Eugène, 144;
at the 14 July fêtes, 144;
visit to Channel ports and the Rhine, 145;
return to Saint-Cloud, 147;
plans for Coronation, 148;
reception of Pope, 151;
religious marriage (1 Dec. 1804), 153;
ceremony at Notre-Dame, (2 Dec.), 154–156;
baptism of Napoleon-Louis, 157;
payment of Joséphine’s debts, 166;
journey to Italy, 169;
review at Marengo, 170;
reconciliation with Jérôme, 171;
coronation at Milan (26 May 1805), 171;
his satisfaction, 172;
makes Eugène Viceroy of Italy, 172;
his reproof of Joséphine, 172;
his attachment to her, 173;
at the Genoa fêtes, 174;
return to France, 174;
letters during Austerlitz campaign, 178–182;
arrival at Munich (31 Dec.), 187;
plans for family alliances, 188;
overcomes opposition, 190;
summons Eugène, 191;
marries him to Augusta (Jan. 1806), 194;
reception at Paris, 195;
marries Stéphanie to Charles (April), 195;
makes Louis King of Holland (5 June), 198;
during campaign of Jena, 202–207;
letters to Joséphine, 203–207;
enters Berlin, 205;
the Hatzfeld episode, 206;
goes to Poland, 208;
first meeting with Marie Walewska (Jan. 1807), 213;
beginning of their liaison, 215;
he orders Joséphine to return to Paris, 215;
minimizes his losses at Eylau, 217;
quarters at Osterode, 218;
letter to Joseph, 218;
letters to Joséphine, 219;
moves to Finckenstein, 222;
joined by Mme. Walewska, 222;
dictates as to Joséphine’s friends, 223;
birth of his son Léon, 225;
death of his nephew Charles (May), 225;
his apparent indifference, 231;
letters to Joséphine, Hortense and others, 228–231;
letters from Friedland and Tilsit, 234;
declines rose of Queen Louisa, 235;
return to Paris, 236;
makes Talleyrand vice-grand-elector, 237;
his fête (15 August), 238;
marries Jérôme to Catherine, 238;
takes part of Hortense against Louis, 239;
the Court at Fontainebleau, 240–248;
his grandeur described by Mme. de Rémusat, 241;
Napoleon’s power in 1807, 242;
his program of entertainment, 242;
his ennui, 244;
affair with Mme. Gazzani, 246;
reproves Jérôme, 246;
raises question of divorce, 249;
rebukes Fouché for meddling, 254;
goes to Italy, 257;
meets Lucien, 257;
adopts Eugène, 258;
letters to Joséphine, 259;
irresolution as to divorce, 262;
a remarkable scene, 262;
interest in Spanish crisis (1808), 263;
goes to Bayonne (April), 264;
sojourn at Marrac, 265;
letters to Empress, 265;
makes Joseph King of Spain (June), 269;
hears of Baylen disaster, 270;
returns to Saint-Cloud (Aug.), 270;
at the Erfurt conference (Sept.-Oct.), 271–274;
opens his heart to Alexander, 272;
instructs Talleyrand to open negotiations, 273;
letters to Joséphine, 274;
leaves for Spain (Nov.), 275;
his letters during campaign, 276;
return to Paris (Jan. 1809), 278;
scene at Tuileries, 278;
leaves for Strasbourg, 280;
wounded at Ratisbon, 280;
letters to the Empress, 281–284;
returns to Fontainebleau (Oct.), 284;
informs Cambacérès of divorce, 285;
cold reception of Joséphine, 286;
his hesitation, 288;
final announcement of divorce (30 Nov.), 289;
a comic episode, 290;
verdict of History, 290;
his sincere regret, 291;
interview with Hortense, 292;
the final fêtes, 294;
_contretemps_ at Grosbois, 295;
arrival of Eugène, 296;
final conference, 297;
address at divorce (15 Dec.), 298;
leaves for Trianon, 302;
annulment of marriage, 303;
liberality to Joséphine, 306;
pays her debts, 307;
visits to Malmaison, 308–317;
Christmas dinner at Trianon, 311;
allows Joséphine to return to Paris (1810), 313;
his preference for Russian alliance, 319;
calls a conference (Jan.), 320;
marriage arranged with Marie-Louise, 320;
her arrival in Paris (March), 321;
advises Joséphine to leave, 322;
her formal letter, 327;
his cordial reply, 328;
he agrees to Joséphine’s plans, 329;
informs her of Louis’ abdication, 335;
writes about Marie-Louise, 337;
consents to her return, 340;
writes of birth of King of Rome (1811), 345;
again pays Joséphine’s debts, 346;
agrees to exchange Laeken for Élysée, 349;
comments on Malet conspiracy (1812), 354;
returns from Moscow (Dec.), 354;
last meeting with Joséphine (Dec.), 355;
gives Eugène command of Grand Army, 356;
his errors in campaign of 1813, 357;
suspicious of Eugène (1814), 360;
asks Joséphine to write him, 360;
his first abdication (6 April), 366;
his political testament, 366;
news of Joséphine’s death, 374;
his last visits to Malmaison (1815), 374, 383;
his belief in Joséphine, 383

Napoleon II, King of Rome, 345, 355

Napoleon-Charles, _see_ Bonaparte

Napoleon-Louis, _see_ Bonaparte

Nelson, Lord, 76

Patricol, tutor, 13

Patterson, Miss, (wife of Jérôme), 124, 171

Pichegru, 130–134

Pius VII, Pope, 148–157

Provence, Comte de, 100

Rapp, aide de camp, 110

Rémusat, Mme. de, 68, 116, 119, 126, 133, 194, 241, 310, 326, 340

Renaudin, Mme., (aunt of Joséphine), 7, 13, 15, 16, 17, 66

Salicetti, 61

Savary, minister, 137

Staël, Mme. de, 73

Talleyrand, minister, 73, 100, 129, 137, 189, 237, 244, 249, 253,
254, 255, 262, 273, 274, 278

Tallien, 41

Tallien, Mme., 41–42

Tascher de la Pagerie (family of Joséphine), 4–5, 10–11, 15–16, 25

Tascher, Stéphanie (Mme. d’ Arenberg), 262

Walewska, Marie, 213–224, 283, 380

Whitworth, Lord, 126

Transcriber’s Notes:

1. Obvious printers’, punctuation and spelling errors have been corrected silently.

2. Some hyphenated and non-hyphenated versions of the same words have been retained as in the original.

3. Italics are shown as _xxx_.