Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
with the bargain, yet feeling afraid of being deceived by the French,
and probably induced by ambitious motives, resolved on war. He displayed
a great deal of talent; but, being attacked before the climate had
thinned the French ranks, he was unable to oppose a fresh army, numerous
and inured to war. He capitulated, and retired to a plantation, which he
was not to leave without Leclerc's permission. A feigned conspiracy on
the part of the blacks formed a pretence for accusing Toussaint, and he
was seized and sent to France.
Toussaint was brought to Paris in the beginning of August. He was sent,
in the first instance, to the Temple, whence he was removed to the
Chateau de Joux. His imprisonment was rigorous; few comforts were
allowed him. This treatment, his recollection of the past, his
separation from the world, and the effects of a strange climate,
accelerated his death, which took place a few months after his arrival
in France. The reports which spread concerning his death, the assertion
that it was not a natural one, and that it had been caused by poison,
obtained no credit. I should add that Toussaint wrote a letter to
Bonaparte; but I never saw in it the expression attributed to him,
"The first man of the blacks to the first man of the whites" Bonaparte
acknowledged that the black leader possessed energy, courage, and
great skill. I am sure that he would have rejoiced if the result of his
relations with St. Domingo had been something else than the kidnaping
and transportation of Toussaint.
Leclerc, after fruitless efforts to conquer the colony, was himself
carried off by the yellow fever. Rochambeau succeeded him by right
of seniority, and was as unsuccessful as Menou had been in Egypt.
The submission of the blacks, which could only have been obtained by
conciliation, he endeavoured to compel by violence. At last, in December
1803, he surrendered to an English squadron, and abandoned the island to
Dessalines.
Bonaparte often experienced severe bodily pain, and I have now little
doubt, from the nature of his sufferings, that they were occasioned by
the commencement of that malady which terminated his life at St. Helena.
These pains, of which he frequently complained, affected him most
acutely on the night when he dictated to me the instructions for General
Leclerc. It was very late when I conducted him to his apartment. We
had just been taking a cup of chocolate, a beverage of which we always
partook when our business lasted longer than one o'clock in the morning.
He never took a light with him when he went up to his bedroom. I gave
him my arm, and we had scarcely got beyond the little staircase which
leads to the corridor, when he was rudely run against by a man who was
endeavouring to escape as quickly as possible by the staircase. The
First Consul did not fall because I supported him. We soon gained his
chamber, where we, found Josephine, who, having heard the noise, awoke
greatly alarmed. From the investigations which were immediately made it
appeared that the uproar was occasioned by a fellow who had been keeping
an assignation and had exceeded the usual hour for his departure.
On the 7th of January 1802 Mademoiselle Hortense was married to Louis
Bonaparte. As the custom was not yet resumed of adding the religious
ceremony to the civil contract, the nuptial benediction was on this
occasion privately given by a priest at the house Rue de la Victoire.
Bonaparte also caused the marriage of his sister Caroline,--[The wife of
Murat, and the cleverest of Bonaparte's sisters.]--which had taken place
two years earlier before a mayor, to be consecrated in the same manner;
but he and his wife did not follow the example. Had he already, then,
an idea of separating from Josephine, and therefore an unwillingness
to render a divorce more difficult by giving his marriage a religious
sanction? I am rather inclined to think, from what he said to me, that
his neglecting to take a part in the religious ceremony arose from
indifference.
Bonaparte said at St. Helena, speaking of Louis and Hortense, that
"they loved each other when they married: they desired to be united.
The marriage was also the result of Josephine's intrigues, who found her
account in it." I will state the real facts. Louis and Hortense did not
love one another at all. That is certain. The First Consul knew it, just
as he well knew that Hortense had a great inclination for Duroc, who
did not fully return it. The First Consul agreed to their union, but
Josephine was troubled by such a marriage, and did all she could to
prevent it. She often spoke to me about it, but rather late in the day.
She told me that her brothers-in law were her declared enemies, that I
well knew their intrigues, and that I well knew there was no end to
the annoyances they made her undergo. In fact, I did know all this
perfectly. She kept on repeating to me that with this projected marriage
she would not have any support; that Duroc was nothing except by the
favour of Bonaparte; that he had neither fortune, fame, nor reputation,
and that he could be no help to her against the well-known ill-will of
the brothers of Bonaparte. She wanted some assurance for the future. She
added that her husband was very fond of Louis, and that if she had the
good fortune to unite him to her daughter this would be a counterpoise
to the calumnies and persecutions of her other brothers-in-law. I
answered her that she had concealed her intentions too long from me,
and that I had promised my services to the young people, and the more
willingly as I knew the favourable opinion of the First Consul, who had
often said to me, "My wife has done well; they suit one another, they
shall marry one another. I like Duroc; he is of good family. I have
rightly given Caroline to Murat, and Pauline to Leclerc, and I can well
give Hortense to Duroc, who is a fine fellow. He is worth more than the
others. He is now general of a division there is nothing against this
marriage. Besides, I have other plans for Louis." In speaking to Madame
Bonaparte I added that her daughter burst into tears when spoken to
about her marriage with Louis.
The First Consul had sent a brevet of general of division to Duroc by
a special courier, who went to Holland, through which the newly-made
general had to pass on his return from St. Petersburg, where, as I have
already said, he had been sent to compliment the Emperor Alexander
on his accession to the throne. The First Consul probably paid this
compliment to Duroc in the belief that the marriage would take place.
During Duroc's absence the correspondence of the lovers passed, by their
consent, through my hands. Every night I used to make one in a party
at billiards, at which Hortense played very well. When I told her, in
a whisper, that I had got a letter for her, she would immediately
leave off playing and run to her chamber, where I followed and gave her
Duroc's epistle. When she opened it her eyes would fill with tears, and
it was some time before she could return to the salon. All was useless
for her. Josephine required a support in the family against the family.
Seeing her firm resolution, I promised to no longer oppose her wishes,
which I could not disapprove, but I told her I could only maintain
silence and neutrality in these little debates, and she seemed
satisfied.
When we were at Malmaison those intrigues continued. At the Tuileries
the same conduct was pursued, but then the probability of success was on
Duroc's side; I even congratulated him on his prospects, but he received
my compliments in a very cold manner. In a few days after Josephine
succeeded in changing the whole face of affairs. Her heart was entirely
set on the marriage of Louis with her daughter; and prayers, entreaties,
caresses, and all those little arts which she so well knew how to use,
were employed to win the First Consul to her purpose.
On the 4th of January the First Consul, after dinner, entered our
cabinet, where I was employed. "Where is Duroc?" he inquired.--"He has
gone to the opera, I believe."--"Tell him, as soon as he returns, that
I have promised Hortense to him, and he shall have her. But I wish
the marriage to take place in two days at the latest. I will give him
500,000 francs, and name him commandant of the eighth military division;
but he must set out the day after his marriage with his wife for Toulon.
We must live apart; I want no son-in-law at home. As I wish to come to
some conclusion, let me know to-night whether this plan will satisfy
him."--"I think it will not."--"Very well! then she shall marry
Louis."--"Will she like that?"--"She must like it." Bonaparte gave me
these directions in a very abrupt manner, which made me think that some
little domestic warfare had been raging, and that to put an end to it he
had come to propose his ultimatum. At half-past ten in the evening Duroc
returned; I reported to him, word for word, the proposition of the First
Consul. "Since it has come to that, my good friend," said he, "tell him
he may keep his daughter for me. I am going to see the -----," and, with
an indifference for which I cannot account, he took his hat and went
off.
--[Duroc eventually married a Mademoiselle Hervae d'Almenara, the
daughter of a Spanish banker, who was later Minister of Joseph, and
was created Marquis of Abruenara. The lady was neither handsome nor
amiable, but she possessed a vast fortune, and Bonaparte himself
solicited her hand for his aide de camp. After the death of Duroc
his widow married a M. Fabvier, and Napoleon gave his Duchy of
Frioul to his daughter.]--
The First Consul, before going to bed, was informed of Duroc's reply,
and Josephine received from him the promise that Louis and Hortense
should be married. The marriage took place a few days after, to the
great regret of Hortense, and probably to the satisfaction of Duroc.
Louis submitted to have forced on him as a wife a woman who had
hitherto avoided him as much as possible. She always manifested as
much indifference for him as he displayed repugnance for her, and those
sentiments have not been effaced.
--[The marriage of Louis Bonaparte took place on the 7th January.
The bride and bridegroom were exceedingly dull, and Mademoiselle
Hortense wept during the whole of the ceremony. Josephine, knowing
that this union, which commenced so inauspiciously, was her own
work, anxiously endeavoured to establish a more cordial feeling
between her daughter and son-in-law. But all her efforts were vain,
and the marriage proved a very unhappy one (Memoirs de Constant).
Napoleon III. was the son of the Queen of Holland (Hortense
Beauharnais).]--
Napoleon said at St. Helena that he wished to unite Louis with a niece
of Talleyrand. I can only say that I never heard a word of this niece,
either from himself, his wife, or his daughter; and I rather think that
at that time the First Consul was looking after a royal alliance for
Louis. He often expressed regret at the precipitate marriages of his
sisters. It should be recollected that we were now in the year which
saw the Consulship for life established, and which, consequently, gave
presage of the Empire. Napoleon said truly to the companions of his
exile that "Louis' marriage was the result of Josephine's intrigues,"
but I cannot understand how he never mentioned the intention he once had
of uniting Hortense to Duroc. It has been erroneously stated that the
First Consul believed that he reconciled the happiness of his daughter
with his policy. Hortense did not love Louis, and dreaded this marriage.
There was no hope of happiness for her, and the event has proved this.
As for the policy of the First Consul, it is not easy to see how it was