Lavalette escaped from prison the night before they were going to execute him for the crime of being loyal to a great man like Napoleon. Many courageous people assisted this enterprise and it was Eugene who helped Lavalette when he made it to Bavaria.
« Il m’est bien permis, mon cher Lavalette, d’être cette fois en colère contre toi. Comment tu annonces à tout le monde la perte que tu viens de faire et je suis le seul qui l’ignore. Rends donc plus de justice à mes sentiments pour toi. Vas mon ami, ma position n’a point changé mon cœur et ne le changera jamais. Il est encore tel que tu l’as connu, plein d’intérêt pour ceux qu’il aime et toujours prêt à partager leur peine et leur chagrin. Je suis donc celui de tes amis qui ait appris avec la plus vive affliction la perte de ton père parce que j’ai compris ta douleur et parce que tu voulais me priver de la partager. Adieu mon bon Lavalette. Aujourd’hui je ne te parlerai pas d’affaires. Quand le cœur est affecté tout le reste est indifférent. Je t’embrasse ainsi que mon aimable cousine. Ton sincère ami. »
English translation:
"It is quite permissible for me, my dear Lavalette, to be angry with you this time. How do you announce to everyone the loss you just made and I'm the only one who isnt told? Give more justice to my feelings for you. My friend, my position has not changed my heart and will never change it. He is still as you have known him, full of interest for those he loves and always ready to share their pain and sorrow. I am therefore one of your friends who learned with the most painful affliction about the loss of your father because I understood your pain and because you wanted to deprive me of sharing it. Farewell my good Lavalette. Today I will not talk to you about business. When the heart is affected all the rest is indifferent. I kiss you and my kind cousin. Your sincere friend.”
Lavalette’s memoirs are here.