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Adieu, dear.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
No. 66.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS.
_Finckenstein_, _May 2, 1807_, 4 P.M.
_My Dear_,--I have just received your letter of the 23rd; I see with
pleasure that you are well, and that you are as fond as ever of
Malmaison. I hear the Arch-Chancellor is in love. Is this a joke, or a
fact? It has amused me; you might have given me a hint about it!
I am very well, and the fine season commences. Spring shows itself at
length, and the leaves begin to shoot.
Adieu, dear; very best wishes.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
No. 67.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS.
_Finckenstein, May 10, 1807._
I have just received your letter. I know not what you tell me about
ladies in correspondence with me. I love only my little Josephine,
sweet, pouting, and capricious, who can quarrel with grace, as she
does everything else, for she is always lovable, except when she is
jealous; then she becomes a regular shrew.[24] But let us come back to
these ladies. If I had leisure for any among them, I assure you that I
should like them to be pretty rosebuds.
Are those of whom you speak of this kind?
I wish you to have only those persons to dinner who have dined with
me; that your list be the same for your assemblies; that you never
make intimates at Malmaison of ambassadors and foreigners. If you
should do the contrary, you would displease me. Finally, do not allow
yourself to be duped too much by persons whom I do not know, and who
would not come to the house, if I were there.
Adieu, dear.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
No. 68.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS.
_Finckenstein, May 12, 1807._
I have just received your letter of May 2nd, in which I see that you
are getting ready to go to St. Cloud. I was sorry to see the bad
conduct of Madame ----. Might you not speak to her about mending her
ways, which at present might easily cause unpleasantness on the part
of her husband?
From what I hear, Napoleon is cured; I can well imagine how unhappy
his mother has been; but measles is an ailment to which every one is
liable. I hope that he has been vaccinated, and that he will at least
be safe from the smallpox.
Adieu, dear. The weather is very warm, and vegetation has begun; but
it will be some days before there is any grass.
NAPOLEON.
No. 69.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD.
_Finckenstein, May 14, 1807._
I realise the grief which the death of this poor Napoleon[25] must
cause you; you can imagine what I am enduring. I should like to be by
your side, in order that your sorrow might be kept within reasonable
bounds. You have had the good fortune never to lose children; but it
is one of the pains and conditions attached to our miseries here
below. I trust I may hear you have been rational in your sorrow, and
that your health remains good! Would you willingly augment my grief?
Adieu, dear.
NAPOLEON.
No. 70.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD.
_Finckenstein, May 16, 1807._
I have just received your letter of May 6th. I see from it how ill you
are already; and I fear that you are not rational, and that you are
making yourself too wretched about the misfortune which has come upon
us.
Adieu, dear.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
No. 71.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT LACKEN.
_Finckenstein, May 20, 1807._
I have just received your letter of May 10th. I see that you have gone
to Lacken. I think you might stay there a fortnight; it would please
the Belgians and serve to distract you.
I am sorry to see that you have not been rational. Grief has bounds
which should not be passed. Take care of yourself for the sake of your
friend, and believe in my entire affection.
NAPOLEON.
No. 72.
_May 24th.--Dantzic surrenders to Lefebvre after two months'
siege, with 800 guns and immense stores._
TO THE EMPRESS, AT LACKEN.
_Finckenstein, May 24, 1807._
Your letter from Lacken just received. I am sorry to see your grief
undiminished, and that Hortense has not yet come; she is unreasonable,
and does not deserve our love, since she only loves her children.
Try to calm her, and do not make me wretched. For every ill without a
remedy consolations must be found.
Adieu, dear.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
No. 73.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT LACKEN.
_Finckenstein, May 26, 1807._
I have just received your letter of the 16th. I have seen with
pleasure that Hortense has arrived at Lacken. I am annoyed at what you
tell me of the state of stupor in which she still is. She must have
more courage, and force herself to have it. I cannot imagine why they
want her to go to take the waters; she will forget her trouble much
better at Paris, and find more sources of consolation.
Show force of character, be cheerful, and keep well. My health is
excellent.
Adieu, dear. I suffer much from all your griefs; it is a great trouble
to me not to be by your side.
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_May 28th.--Lefebvre made Duke of Dantzic by Napoleon._
_May 29th._--Selim III. deposed in Turkey by Mustapha IV., his
nephew.
_June 1st.--22,000 Spanish troops, sent by Charles IV., join the
French army in Germany._
No. 74.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON.
_Dantzig, June 2, 1807._
_My Dear_,--I note your arrival at Malmaison. I have no letters from
you; I am vexed with Hortense, she has never written me a line. All
that you tell me about her grieves me. Why have you not found her some
distractions? Weeping won't do it! I trust you will take care of
yourself in order that I may not find you utterly woebegone.
I have been the two past days at Dantzic; the weather is very fine, my
health excellent. I think more of you than you are thinking of a
husband far away.
Adieu, dear; very kindest regards. Pass on this letter to Hortense.
NAPOLEON.
No. 75.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD.
_Marienburg, June 3, 1807._
This morning I slept at Marienburg. Yesterday I left Dantzic; my
health is very good. Every letter that comes from St. Cloud tells me
you are always weeping. That is not well; it is necessary for you to
keep well and be cheerful.
Hortense is still unwell; what you tell me of her makes me very sorry
for her.
Adieu, dear; think of all the affection I bear for you.
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_June 5th.--Russians defeated at Spanden; Bernadotte wounded._
No. 76.
_June 6th.--Russians defeated at Deppen by Soult._
TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD.
_Finckenstein, June 6, 1807._
_My Dear_,--I am in flourishing health. Your yesterday's letter pained
me; it seems to me that you are always grieving, and that you are not
reasonable. The weather is very fine.
Adieu, dear; I love you and wish to see you cheerful and contented.
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_June 9th.--Russians defeated at Guttstadt by Napoleon, and_
_June 10th.--At Heilsberg._
_June 14th.--Battle of Friedland, completing the "Campaign of Ten
Days."_
No. 77.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD.
_Friedland, June 15, 1807._
_My Dear_,--I write you only a line, for I am very tired, by reason of
several days' bivouacking. My children have worthily celebrated the
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