Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
cut down; thus removing the outward emblems before he destroyed the
reality. But the moment the Senatorial decisions of the 2d and 4th of
August were published it was evident to the dullest perceptions that the
power of the First Consul wanted nothing but a name.
After these 'Consultes' Bonaparte readily accustomed himself to regard
the principal authorities of the State merely as necessary instruments
for the exercise of his power. Interested advisers then crowded round
him. It was seriously proposed that he should restore the ancient
titles, as being more in harmony with the new power which the people
had confided to him than the republican forms. He was still of opinion,
however, according to his phrase, that "the pear was not yet ripe," and
would not hear this project spoken of for a moment. "All this," he said
to me one day, "will come in good time; but you must see, Bourrienne,
that it is necessary I should, in the first place, assume a title, from
which the others that I will give to everybody will naturally take their
origin. The greatest difficulty is surmounted. There is no longer any
person to deceive. Everybody sees as clear as day that it is only one
step which separates the throne from the Consulate for life. However, we
must be cautious. There are some troublesome fellows in the Tribunate,
but I will take care of them."
Whilst these serious questions agitated men's minds the greater part
of the residents at Malmaison took a trip to Plombieres. Josephine,
Bonaparte's mother, Madame Beauharnais-Lavallette, Hortense, and General
Rapp, were of this party. It pleased the fancy of the jocund company to
address to me a bulletin of the pleasant and unpleasant occurrences
of the journey. I insert this letter merely as a proof of the intimacy
which existed between the writers and myself. It follows, precisely as I
have preserved it, with the exception of the blots, for which it will be
seen they apologised.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE JOURNEY TO PLOMBIERES.
To the Inhabitants of Malmaison.
The whole party left Malmaison in tears, which brought on such dreadful
headaches that all the amiable persons were quite overcome by the idea
of the journey. Madame Bonaparte, mere, supported the fatigues of
this memorable day with the greatest courage; but Madame Bonaparte,
Consulesse, did not show any. The two young ladies who sat in the
dormouse, Mademoiselle Hortense and Madame Lavallette, were rival
candidates for a bottle of Eau de Cologne; and every now and then the
amiable M. Rapp made the carriage stop for the comfort of his poor
little sick heart, which overflowed with bile: in fine, he was obliged
to take to bed on arriving at Epernay, while the rest of the amiable
party tried to drown their sorrows in champagne. The second day was
more fortunate on the score of health and spirits, but provisions were
wanting, and great were the sufferings of the stomach. The travellers
lived on the hope of a good supper at Toul; but despair was at its
height when, on arriving there, they found only a wretched inn, and
nothing in it. We saw some odd-looking folks there, which indemnified us
a little for spinach dressed in lamp-oil, and red asparagus fried
with curdled milk. Who would not have been amused to see the Malmaison
gourmands seated at a table so shockingly served!
In no record of history is there to be found a day passed in distress
so dreadful as that on which we arrived at Plombieres. On departing from
Toul we intended to breakfast at Nancy, for every stomach had been empty
for two days; but the civil and military authorities came out to meet
us, and prevented us from executing our plan. We continued our route,
wasting away, so that you might, see us growing thinner every moment.
To complete our misfortune, the dormouse, which seemed to have taken a
fancy to embark on the Moselle for Metz, barely escaped an overturn. But
at Plombieres we have been well compensated for this unlucky journey,
for on our arrival we were received with all kinds of rejoicings. The
town was illuminated, the cannon fired, and the faces of handsome women
at all the windows give us reason to hope that we shall bear our absence
from Malmaison with the less regret.
With the exception of some anecdotes, which we reserve for chit-chat on
our return, you have here a correct account of our journey, which we,
the undersigned, hereby certify.
JOSEPHINE BONAPARTE. BEAUHARNAIS-LAPALLETTE. HORTENSE BEAUHARNAIS. RAPP.
BONAPARTE, mere.
The company ask pardon for the blots. 21st Messidor.
It is requested that the person who receives this journal will show it
to all who take an interest in the fair travellers.
This journey to Plombieres was preceded by a scene which I should
abstain from describing if I had not undertaken to relate the truth
respecting the family of the First Consul. Two or three days before her
departure Madame Bonaparte sent for me. I obeyed the summons, and found
her in tears. "What a man-what a man is that Lucien!" she exclaimed in
accents of grief. "If you knew, my friend, the shameful proposals he has
dared to make to me! 'You are going to the waters,' said he; 'you must
get a child by some other person since you cannot have one by him.'
Imagine the indignation with which I received such advice. 'Well,' he
continued, 'if you do not wish it, or cannot help it, Bonaparte must get
a child by another woman, and you must adopt it, for it is necessary to
secure an hereditary successor. It is for your interest; you must know
that.'-- 'What, sir!' I replied, 'do you imagine the nation will suffer
a bastard to govern it? Lucien! Lucien! you would ruin your brother!
This is dreadful! Wretched should I be, were any one to suppose me
capable of listening, without horror, to your infamous proposal! Your
ideas are poisonous; your language horrible!'--'Well, Madame,' retorted
he, 'all I can say to that is, that I am really sorry for you!'"
The amiable Josephine was sobbing whilst she described this scene to me,
and I was not insensible to the indignation which she felt. The truth
is, that at that period Lucien, though constantly affecting to despise
power for himself, was incessantly labouring to concentrate it in the
hands of his brother; and he considered three things necessary to the
success of his views, namely, hereditary succession, divorce, and the
Imperial Government.
Lucien had a delightful house near Neuilly. Some days before the
deplorable scene which I have related he invited Bonaparte and all the
inmates at Malmaison to witness a theatrical representation. 'Alzire'
was the piece performed. Elise played Alzire, and Lucien, Zamore.
The warmth of their declarations, the energetic expression of their
gestures, the too faithful nudity of costume, disgusted most of the
spectators, and Bonaparte more than any other. When the play was over he
was quite indignant. "It is a scandal," he said to me in an angry
tone; "I ought not to suffer such indecencies--I will give Lucien to
understand that I will have no more of it." When his brother had resumed
his own dress, and came into the salon, he addressed him publicly, and
gave him to understand that he must for the future desist from such
representations. When we returned to Malmaison; he again spoke of
what had passed with dissatisfaction. "What!" said he, "when I am
endeavouring to restore purity of manners, my brother and sister must
needs exhibit themselves upon the boards almost in a state of nudity! It
is an insult!"
Lucien had a strong predilection for theatrical exhibitions, to which
he attached great importance. The fact is, he declaimed in a superior
style, and might have competed with the best professional actors. It
was said that the turban of Orosmane, the costume of America, the
Roman toga, or the robe of the high priest of Jerusalem, all became him
equally well; and I believe that this was the exact truth. Theatrical
representations were not confined to Neuilly. We had our theatre and our
company of actors at Malmaison; but there everything was conducted with
the greatest decorum; and now that I have got behind the scenes, I will
not quit them until I have let the reader into the secrets of our drama.
By the direction of the First Consul a very pretty little theatre was
built at Malmaison. Our usual actors were Eugène BEAUHARNAIS, Hortense,
Madame Murat, Lauriston, M. Didelot, one of the prefects of the Palace,
some other individuals belonging to the First Consul's household, and
myself. Freed from the cares of government, which we confined as much
as possible to the Tuileries, we were a very happy colony at Malmaison;
and, besides, we were young, and what is there to which youth does
not add charms? The pieces which the First Consul most liked to see us
perform were, 'Le Barbier de Seville' and 'Defiance et Malice'. In Le
Barbier Lauriston played the part of Count Almaviva; Hortense, Rosins;
Eugène, Basil; Didelot, Figaro; I, Bartholo; and Isabey, l'Aveille.
Our other stock pieces were, Projets de Mariage, La Gageltre, the Dapit
Anloureux, in which I played the part of the valet; and L'Impromptu de
Campagne, in which I enacted the Baron, having for my Baroness the young
and handsome Caroline Murat.
Hortense's acting was perfection, Caroline was middling, Eugène played
very well, Lauriston was rather heavy, Didelot passable, and I may
venture to assert, without vanity, that I was not quite the worst of
the company. If we were not good actors it was not for want of good
instruction and good advice. Talma and Michot came to direct us,
and made us rehearse before them, sometimes altogether and sometimes
separately. How many lessons have I received from Michot whilst walking
in the beautiful park of Malmaison! And may I be excused for saying,
that I now experience pleasure in looking back upon these trifles, which
are matters of importance when one is young, and which contrasted
so singularly with the great theatre on which we did not represent
fictitious characters? We had, to adopt theatrical language, a good
supply of property. Bonaparte presented each of us with a collection of
dramas very well bound; and, as the patron of the company, he provided
us with rich and elegant dresses.
--[While Bourrienne, belonging to the Malmaison company, considered
that the acting at Neuilly was indecent, Lucien, who refused to act at
Malmaison, naturally thought the Malmaison troupe was dull. "Hortense
and Caroline filled the principal parts. They were very commonplace. In
this they followed the unfortunate Marie Antoinette and her companions.
Louis XVI., not naturally polite, when seeing them act, had said that it
was royally badly acted" (see Madame Campan's Life of Marie Antoinette,
tome i. p. 299). "The First Consul said of his troupe that it was
sovereignly badly acted . . . Murat, Lannes, and even Caroline ranted.
Elisa, who, having been educated at Saint Cyr, spoke purely and without
accent, refused to act. Janot acted well the drunken parts, and even
the others he undertook. The rest were decidedly bad. Worse than
bad--ridiculous" (Iung's Lucien's, tome ii. p. 256). Rival actors are
not fair critics. Let us hear Madame Junot (tome ii. p. 103). "The
cleverest of our company was M. de Bourrienne. He played the more
dignified characters in real perfection, and his talent was the
more pleasing as it was not the result of study, but of a perfect
comprehension of his part." And she goes on to say that even the best
professional actors might have learnt from him in some parts. The
audience was not a pleasant one to face. It was the First Consul's
habit to invite forty persons to dinner, and a hundred and fifty for
the evening, and consequently to hear, criticise, and banter us without