I bought this French language book of Beauharnais letters on the Banks of the Seine in 1999 when I was just starting to learn French. Only years later, can I start to see what’s going on in these letters. Hortense bosses her brother around in a very kind way. Her brother was a great General and Viceroy of Italy. Hortense is also pretty sure she can get Napoleon to do what she wants. Can she get Napoleon to bend to her will by allowing Eugene to fight in the next war?
Dear Eugene.
Paris, 1st Vendémiaire, year XIII, September 20th, 1805.
I go to Saint-Cloud to see Mom. It is said that the Emperor is leaving soon. It is not yet decided whether Mom will go. The Court is the same as when you were here, just as sad. We do not do much. The day before yesterday, I was dining there alone while the Emperor was off working.
We started to dance, we did the Monferine [dance] and we all miss you, which is our refrain. As I enjoy the evenings of Saint-Cloud, I find that I do not go there often enough and they say that when I'm not there, it is really quite sad. That would give me vanity if I had any.
Mom spoke with the Emperor about you and she has a lot of hope, in the little that he told her, that you will be used more actively because everyone feels that you can not stay in Milan quietly while we will fight.
You probably already wrote something to the Emperor. If you did not do it, I urge you to tell him how sad you would be to not fight and it is good for him to think of you.
Farewell, my good Eugene, I kiss you.
HORTENSE.
Hortense and Josephine Bonaparte’s Letters are available here.
The memoirs so far are available here.