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Napoleon's Letters to Josephine, 1796-1812

Emperor of the French Napoleon I

No. 1. _Sortie from Mantua_ 211 No. 2. _Marmirolo_ 211 _Fortune_ 212 No. 3. _The village of Virgil_ 212 No. 4. _Achille_ 212 No. 5. _Will-o'-the-Wisp_ 213 No. 6. _The needs of the army_ 213-5 No. 7. _Brescia_ 215 No. 9. _I hope we shall get into Trent_ 216 No. 12. _One of these nights the doors will be burst open_ 216-8 No. 13. _Corsica is ours_ 218 No. 14. _Verona_ 219 No. 15. _Once more I breathe freely_ 220 No. 18. "_The 29th_" 220 No. 20. _General Brune_ 221 No. 21. _February 3rd_ 221 No. 24. _Perhaps I shall make peace with the Pope_ 222 No. 25. _The unlimited power you hold over me_ 222 No. 1. _July 5th._--Archduke Charles defeated by Moreau at Radstadt. _July 6th.--Sortie from Mantua: Austrians fairly successful._ TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Roverbella, July 6, 1796._ I have beaten the enemy. Kilmaine will send you the copy of the despatch. I am tired to death. Pray start at once for Verona. I need you, for I think that I am going to be very ill. I send you a thousand kisses. I am in bed. BONAPARTE. * * * * * _July 9th.--Bonaparte asks Kellermann for reinforcements._ _July 14th._--Frankfort on the Main captured by Kleber. _July 16th.--Sortie from Mantua: Austrians defeated._ No. 2. _July 17th.--Attempted coup de main at Mantua: French unsuccessful._ TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Marmirolo_, _July 17, 1796_, 9 P.M. I got your letter, my beloved; it has filled my heart with joy. I am grateful to you for the trouble you have taken to send me news; your health should be better to-day--I am sure you are cured. I urge you strongly to ride, which cannot fail to do you good. Ever since I left you, I have been sad. I am only happy when by your side. Ceaselessly I recall your kisses, your tears, your enchanting jealousy; and the charms of the incomparable Josephine keep constantly alight a bright and burning flame in my heart and senses. When, free from every worry, from all business, shall I spend all my moments by your side, to have nothing to do but to love you, and to prove it to you? I shall send your horse, but I am hoping that you will soon be able to rejoin me. I thought I loved you some days ago; but, since I saw you, I feel that I love you even a thousand times more. Ever since I have known you, I worship you more every day; which proves how false is the maxim of La Bruyere that "Love comes all at once." Everything in nature has a regular course, and different degrees of growth. Ah! pray let me see some of your faults; be less beautiful, less gracious, less tender, and, especially, less kind; above all never be jealous, never weep; your tears madden me, fire my blood. Be sure that it is no longer possible for me to have a thought except for you, or an idea of which you shall not be the judge. Have a good rest. Haste to get well. Come and join me, so that, at least, before dying, we could say--"We were happy for so many days!!" Millions of kisses, and even to Fortune, in spite of his naughtiness. BONAPARTE. No. 3. _July 18th.--Trenches opened before Mantua._ _July 18th._--Stuttgard occupied by Saint-Cyr, who, like Kleber, is under Moreau. _July 18th._--Wurtzburg captured by Klein and Ney (acting under Jourdan). TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Marmirolo, July 18, 1796_, 2 P.M. I passed the whole night under arms. I ought to have had Mantua by a plucky and fortunate coup; but the waters of the lake have suddenly fallen, so that the column I had shipped could not land. This evening I shall begin a new attempt, but one that will not give such satisfactory results. I got a letter from Eugene, which I send you. Please write for me to these charming children of yours, and send them some trinkets. Be sure to tell them that I love them as if they were my own. What is yours or mine is so mixed up in my heart, that there is no difference there. I am very anxious to know how you are, what you are doing? I have been in the village of Virgil, on the banks of the lake, by the silvery light of the moon, and not a moment without dreaming of Josephine. The enemy made a general sortie on June 16th; it has killed or wounded two hundred of our men, but lost five hundred of its own in a precipitous retreat. I am well. I am Josephine's entirely, and I have no pleasure or happiness except in her society. Three Neapolitan regiments have arrived at Brescia; they have sundered themselves from the Austrian army, in consequence of the convention I have concluded with M. Pignatelli. I've lost my snuff-box; please choose me another, rather flat-shaped, and write something pretty inside, with your own hair. A thousand kisses as burning as you are cold. Boundless love, and fidelity up to every proof. Before Joseph starts, I wish to speak to him. BONAPARTE. No. 4. TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Marmirolo, July 19, 1796._ I have been without letters from you for two days. That is at least the thirtieth time to-day that I have made this observation to myself; you are thinking this particularly wearisome; yet you cannot doubt the tender and unique anxiety with which you inspire me. We attacked Mantua yesterday. We warmed it up from two batteries with red-hot shot and from mortars. All night long that wretched town has been on fire. The sight was horrible and majestic. We have secured several of the outworks; we open the first parallel to-night. To-morrow I start for Castiglione with the Staff, and I reckon on sleeping there. I have received a courier from Paris. There were two letters for you; I have read them. But though this action appears to me quite natural, and though you gave me permission to do so the other day, I fear you may be vexed, and that is a great trouble to me. I should have liked to have sealed them up again: fie! that would have been atrocious. If I am to blame, I beg your forgiveness. I swear that it is not because I am jealous; assuredly not. I have too high an opinion of my beloved for that. I should like you to give me full permission to read your letters, then there would be no longer either remorse or apprehension. Achille has just ridden post from Milan; no letters from my beloved! Adieu, my unique joy. When will you be able to rejoin me? I shall have to fetch you myself from Milan. A thousand kisses as fiery as my soul, as chaste as yourself. I have summoned the courier; he tells me that he crossed over to your house, and that you told him you had no commands. Fie! naughty, undutiful, cruel, tyrannous, jolly little monster. You laugh at my threats, at my infatuation; ah, you well know that if I could shut you up in my breast, I would put you in prison there! Tell me you are cheerful, in good health, and very affectionate. BONAPARTE. No. 5. TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Castiglione, July 21, 1796_, 8 A.M. I am hoping that when I arrive to-night I shall get one of your letters. You know, my dear Josephine, the pleasure they give me; and I am sure you have pleasure in writing them. I shall start to-night for Peschiera, for the mountains of ----, for Verona, and thence I shall go to Mantua, and perhaps to Milan, to receive a kiss, since you assure me they are not made of ice. I hope you will be perfectly well by then, and will be able to accompany me to headquarters, so that we may not part again. Are you not the soul of my life, and the quintessence of my heart's affections? Your proteges are a little excitable; they are like the will-o'-the-wisp. How glad I am to do something for them which will please you. They will go to Milan. A little patience is requisite in everything. Adieu, _belle et bonne_, quite unequalled, quite divine. A thousand loving kisses. BONAPARTE. No. 6. TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Castiglione, July 22, 1796._ The needs of the army require my presence hereabouts; it is impossible that I can leave it to come to Milan. Five or six days would be necessary, and during that time movements may occur whereby my presence here would be imperative. You assure me your health is good; I beg you therefore to come to Brescia. Even now I am sending Murat to prepare apartments for you there in the town, as you desire. I think you will do well to spend the first night (July 24th) at Cassano, setting out very late from Milan; and to arrive at Brescia on July 25th, where the most affectionate of lovers awaits you. I am disconsolate that you can believe, dear, that my heart can reveal itself to others as to you; it belongs to you by right of conquest, and that conquest will be durable and for ever. I do not know why you speak of Madame T., with whom I do not concern myself in the slightest, nor with the women of Brescia. As to the letters which you are vexed at my opening, this shall be the last; your letter had not come. Adieu, _ma tendre amie_, send me news often, come forthwith and join me, and be happy and at ease; all goes well, and my heart is yours for life. Be sure to return to the Adjutant-General Miollis the box of medals that he writes me he has sent you. Men have such false tongues, and are so wicked, that it is necessary to have everything exactly on the square. Good health, love, and a prompt arrival at Brescia. I have at Milan a carriage suitable alike for town or country; you can make use of it for the journey. Bring your plate with you, and some of the things you absolutely require. Travel by easy stages, and during the coolth, so as not to tire yourself. Troops only take three days coming to Brescia. Travelling post it is only a fourteen hours' journey. I request you to sleep on the 24th at Cassano; I shall come to meet you on the 25th at latest. Adieu, my own Josephine. A thousand loving kisses. BONAPARTE. * * * * * _July 29th.--Advance of Wurmser, by the Adige valley, on Mantua, and of Quesdonowich on Brescia, who drives back Massena and Sauret._ _July 31st.--Siege of Mantua raised._ _August 3rd.--Bonaparte victorious at Lonato._ _August 5th.--Augereau victorious at Castiglione, completing the Campaign of Five Days, in which 10,000 prisoners are taken._ _August 8th.--Verona occupied by Serrurier._ _August 15th._--(Moreau arrives on the Danube) _Wurmser retreats upon Trent, the capital of Italian Tyrol_. _August 18th._--Alliance, offensive and defensive, between France and Spain. _September 3rd._--Jourdan routed by Archduke Charles at Wurtzburg. No. 7. TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Brescia, August 30, 1796._ Arriving, my beloved, my first thought is to write to you. Your health, your sweet face and form have not been absent a moment from my thoughts the whole day. I shall be comfortable only when I have got letters from you. I await them impatiently. You cannot possibly imagine my uneasiness. I left you vexed, annoyed, and not well. If the deepest and sincerest affection can make you happy, you ought to be.... I am worked to death.