Hortense is really very consistent thorough this book and her memoirs. She thinks being royalty is just a way to be rendered miserable. A lot of her tension with Napoleon arose from the fact that she just didn’t want to play along with all that nonsense. She was always more of a republican than he was.
Below, Hortense explains that she really would’ve preferred to not go up against the new French government but she felt dragged into it.
Previous text relating to why Hortense broke the law is here.
memories and affections? It is a sad condescension to the enemies of his country. However, if I complained to some friends of this injustice, I still resigned myself to tolerate it. I even suggested that those who wished to interest the public in our favor should renounce this pursuit for the sake of the joy of France. I did not want to encourage complaining about this matter. It is singular that I have never sought anything but obscurity and repose. Yet destiny has continually put me out in front.
Calumny always seems to be the creator of the agitations which have so disturbed my life. The two following letters will make my ideas known in this regard.
Arenenberg, September 2, 1830,
To Mr. ——,
You want to hear from my news? I rejoice as you do at the happiness of France. You must have seen that the enthusiasm of my children could not be contained, despite my desire that they should keep a low profile.
But they are raised to appreciate what is noble and great. They are proud of their homeland, which they would have been happy to serve, and they are twenty to twenty-five! You also know how many times they have heard from me that those of the highest rank are not happy. But that the air of the country, of friends, and a very personal distinction, must be the object of their ambition. I therefore think, as you do, that they could serve this free France without offending anyone’s recollections.
It was not up to us not to recognize the rights of a people to choose a sovereign. But I have just read a law that astonishes me as much as it afflicts me. How? In this moment of enthusiasm and freedom, should not France open her arms to all her children? To those who, for fifteen years, shared with her so much abasement and suffering? Instead, banishment is renewed for one family. What are the crimes of my boys? Isn’t -
To be continued.
The memoirs so far (including those of Hortense) are available here.
Hortense’s explanation why she broke the law (so far) is here.