Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
us." He continued to grow worse, and at last consented to see Dr.
Arnott, whose first visit was on the 1st of April. He was introduced
into the chamber of the patient, which was darkened, and into which
Napoleon did not suffer any light to be brought, examined his pulse and
the other symptoms, and was requested to repeat his visit the next
day. Napoleon was now within a month of his death, and although he
occasionally spoke with the eloquence and vehemence he had so often
exhibited, his mind was evidently giving way. The reported appearance of
a comet was taken as a token of his death. He was excited, and exclaimed
with emotion, "A comet! that was the precursor of the death of Caesar."
On the 3d of April the symptoms of the disorder had become so alarming
that Antommarchi informed Bertrand and Montholon he thought Napoleon's
danger imminent, and that Napoleon ought to take steps to put his
affairs in order. He was now attacked by fever and by violent thirst,
which often interrupted his sleep in the night. On the 14th Napoleon
found himself in better spirits, and talked with Dr. Arnott on the
merits of Marlborough, whose Campaigns he desired him to present to
the 20th Regiment, learning that they did not, possess a copy in their
library.
On the 15th of April Napoleon's doors were closed to all but Montholon
and Marchand, and it appeared that he had been making his Will. On the
19th he was better, was free from pain, sat up, and ate a little. He was
in good spirits, and wished them to read to him. As General Montholon
with the others expressed his satisfaction at this improvement he smiled
gently, and said, "You deceive yourselves, my friends: I am, it is true,
somewhat better, but I feel no less that my end draws near. When I am
dead you will have the agreeable consolation of returning to Europe.
One will meet his relations, another his friends; and as for me, I shall
behold my brave companions-in-arms in the Elysian Fields. Yes," he went
on, raising his voice, "Kléber, Desaix, Bessières, Duroc, Ney, Murat,
Massena, Berthier, all will come to greet me: they will talk to me of
what we have done together. I will recount to them the latest events
of my life. On seeing me they will become once more intoxicated with
enthusiasm and glory. We will discourse of our wars with the Scipios,
Hannibal, Caesar, and Frederick--there will be a satisfaction in that:
unless," he added, laughing bitterly, "they should be alarmed below to
see so many warriors assembled together!"
He addressed Dr. Arnott, who came in while he was speaking, on the
treatment he had received from England said that she had violated every
sacred right in making him prisoner, that he should have been much
better treated in Russia, Austria, or even Prussia; that he was sent
to the horrible rock of St. Helena on purpose to die; that he had been
purposely placed on the most uninhabitable spot of that inhospitable
island, and kept six years a close prisoner, and that Sir Hudson Lowe
was his executioner. He concluded with these words: "You will end like
the proud republic of Venice; and I, dying upon this dreary rock,
away from those I hold dear, and deprived of everything, bequeath the
opprobrium and horror of my death to the reigning family of England."
On the 21st Napoleon gave directions to the priest who was in attendance
as to the manner in which he would be placed to lie in state after his
death; and finding his religious attendant had never officiated in
such a solemnity he gave the most minute instructions for the mode of
conducting it. He afterwards declared that he would die, as he was born
a Catholic, and desired that mass should be said by his body, and the
customary ceremonies should be performed every day until his burial. The
expression of his face was earnest and convulsive; he saw Antommarchi
watching the contractions which he underwent, when his eye caught some
indication that displeased him. "You are above these weaknesses; but
what would you have? I am neither philosopher nor physician. I believe
in God; I am of the religion of my fathers; every one cannot be an
atheist who pleases." Then turning to the priest--"I was born in the
Catholic religion. I wish to fulfil the duties which it imposes, and to
receive the succour which it administers. You will say mass every day in
the adjoining chapel, and you will expose the Holy Sacrament for forty
hours. After I am dead you will place your altar at my head in the
funeral chamber; you will continue to celebrate mass, and perform all
the customary ceremonies; you will not cease till I am laid in
the ground." The Abbe (Vignale) withdrew; Napoleon reproved his
fellow-countryman for his supposed incredulity. "Can you carry it
to this point? Can you disbelieve in God? Everything proclaims His
existence; and, besides, the greatest minds have thought so."--"But,
Sire, I have never called it in question. I was attending to the
progress of the fever: your Majesty fancied you saw in my features an
expression which they had not."-- "You are a physician, Doctor," he
replied laughingly; "these folks," he added, half to himself, "are
conversant only with matter; they will believe in nothing beyond."
In the afternoon of the 25th he was better; but being left alone, a
sudden fancy possessed him to eat. He called for fruits, wine, tried a
biscuit, then swallowed some champagne, seized a bunch of grapes, and
burst into a fit of laughter as soon as he saw Antommarchi return. The
physician ordered away the dessert, and found fault with the maitre
d'hotel; but the mischief was done, the fever returned and became
violent. The Emperor was now on his death-bed, but he testified concern
for every one. He asked Antommarchi if 500 guineas would satisfy the
English physician, and if he himself would like to serve Maria Louisa in
quality of a physician? "She is my wife, the first Princess in Europe,
and after me you should serve no one else." Antommarchi expressed his
acknowledgments. The fever continued unabated, with violent thirst and
cold in the feet. On the 27th he determined to remove from the small
chamber into the salon. They were preparing to carry him. "No," he
said, "not until I am dead; for the present it will be sufficient if you
support me."
Between the 27th and 28th the Emperor passed a very bad night; the fever
increased, coldness spread over his limbs, his strength was quite gone.
He spoke a few words of encouragement to Antommarchi; then in a tone
of perfect calmness and composure he delivered to him the following
instructions: "After my death, which cannot be far off, I wish you to
open my body: I wish also, nay, I require, that you will not suffer any
English physician to touch me. If, however, you find it indispensable to
have some one to assist you, Dr. Arnott is the only one I am willing
you should employ. I am desirous, further, that you should take out
my heart, that you put it in spirits of wine, and that you carry it to
Parma to my dear Maria Louisa: you will tell her how tenderly I have
loved her, that I have never ceased to love her; and you will report to
her all that you have witnessed, all that relates to my situation and my
death. I recommend you, above all, carefully to examine my stomach, to
make an exact detailed report of it, which you will convey to my son.
The vomitings which succeed each other without intermission lead me
to suppose that the stomach is the one of my organs which is the most
deranged, and I am inclined to believe that it is affected with the
disease which conducted my father to the grave,--I mean a cancer in
the lower stomach. What think you?" His physician hesitating, he
continued--"I have not doubted this since I found the sickness become
frequent and obstinate. It is nevertheless well worthy of remark that
I have always had a stomach of iron, that I have felt no inconvenience
from this organ till latterly, and that whereas my father was fond of
high-seasoned dishes and spirituous liquors, I have never been able to
make use of them. Be it as it may, I entreat, I charge you to neglect
nothing in such an examination, in order that when you see my son you
may communicate the result of your observations to him, and point out
the most suitable remedies. When I am no more you will repair to Rome;
you will find out my mother and my family. You will give them an account
of all you have observed relative to my situation, my disorder, and my
death on this remote and miserable rock; you will tell them that the
great Napoleon expired in the most deplorable state, wanting everything,
abandoned to himself and his glory." It was ten in the forenoon; after
this the fever abated, and he fell into a sort of doze.
The Emperor passed a very bad night, and could not sleep. He grew
light-headed and talked incoherently; still the fever had abated in its
violence. Towards morning the hiccough began to torment him, the fever
increased, and he became quite delirious. He spoke of his complaint, and
called upon Baxter (the Governor's physician) to appear, to come and see
the truth of his reports. Then all at once fancying O'Meara present,
he imagined a dialogue between them, throwing a weight of odium on the
English policy. The fever having subsided, his hearing became distinct;
he grew calm, and entered into some further conversation on what was to
be done after his death. He felt thirsty, and drank a large quantity
of cold water. "If fate should determine that I shall recover, I would
raise a monument on the spot where this water gushes out: I would crown
the fountain in memory of the comfort which it has afforded me. If I
die, and they should not proscribe my remains as they have proscribed my
person, I should desire to be buried with my ancestors in the cathedral
of Ajaccio, in Corsica. But if I am not allowed to repose where I
was born, why, then, let them bury me at the spot where this fine and
refreshing water flows." This request was afterwards complied with.
He remained nearly in the same state for some days. On the 1st of May he
was delirious nearly all day, and suffered dreadful vomitings. He took
two small biscuits and a few drops of red wine. On the 2d he was rather
quieter, and the alarming symptoms diminished a little. At 2 P.M.,
however, he had a paroxysm of fever, and became again delirious.
He talked to himself of France, of his dear son, of some of his old
companions-in-arms. At times he was evidently in imagination on the
field of battle. "Stengel!" he cried; "Desaix! Massena! Ah! victory is
declaring itself! run--rush forward--press the charge!--they are ours!"
"I was listening," says Dr. Antommarchi, "and following the progress
of that painful agony in the deepest distress, when Napoleon, suddenly
collecting his strength, jumped on the floor, and would absolutely go
down into the garden to take a walk. I ran to receive him in my arms,
but his legs bent under the weight of his body; he fell backwards, and I
had the mortification of being unable to prevent his falling. We raised
him up and entreated him to get into bed again; but he did not recognise
anybody, and began to storm and fall into a violent passion. He was
unconscious, and anxiously desired to walk in the garden. In the course
of the day, however, he became more collected, and again spoke of his
disease, and the precise anatomical examination he wished to be made of
his body after death. He had a fancy that this might be useful to his
son." "The physicians of Montpelier," he said to Antommarchi, "announced
that the scirrhosis in the pylorus would be hereditary in my family;
their report is, I believe, in the hands of my brother Louis; ask for it
and compare it with your own observations on my case, in order that my
son may be saved from this cruel disease. You will see him, Doctor, and