This is part of a series of letters at the end of Napoleon’s interaction with his 2nd wife, Marie Louise. When we last left off, Marie Louise was trying to get Napoleon to go along with her father, the Emperor of Austria’s, wish that Napoleon give in to the allies without really saying it outright.
She was also guilting her father into not destroying her position as Empress through attacking France.
The allies were demanding “peace” but Napoleon was persuaded this was a ruse to buy time so they could finish him off. This game had been played against him several times by then. Since hindsight is clear, we know what Napoleon did was not successful. The ones running the Austrian government sacrifice Marie Louise repeatedly throughout this saga.
It is truly comical that Napoleon and Marie Louise had been concerned about whether she would walk an underground passage when it is really the end of this marriage and the amazing France that Napoleon created.
Marie Louise writes.
My dear friend. I just now have received your letter from Soissons from 11 am to 2 pm in the afternoon, I am very happy to have it as quickly and that fresh. I need to know very often that you are doing well. Your letter made me very happy because you approve of my way of being and living, there is nothing sweeter for me than to think that I deserve your approval, so you can feel at ease,
I will never let myself be influenced by the king (Napoleon’s brother Joseph), and I am very glad that I did not stop using that underground passage as he absolutely wanted me to do.
To show you how rebellious I sometimes am, I will tell you a story that happened to me yesterday. While I was in the living room with him, we received your letters from the 10th, he asked me if I had news, I told him that you are well and that you sent me a letter from my father who was behaving well enough.
He started talking to me about the importance of making peace, and the need to send you someone who can tell you a lot of things in person that you can’t be told in writing. He wanted to force M. Molé to go, I represented to him that I believe that we did not have the right to make the Ministers leave for the headquarters thus, that besides, you could be very dissatisfied, and that I would not take that on myself.
Then he wanted me to send M. Menneval; I told him that I would not do it without asking you, that besides, a courier would also arrive surely and it would go much faster.
I admit to you, my dear friend, I prefer to be scolded for not being involved in too many things, rather than because I have done too much of importance.
Last night I received the bulletin of the battle of Craon[ne], I had it put this morning in the Moniteur. Your son is kissing you and is doing wonderfully, I haven't seen him this morning yet, because he would have prevented me from writing to you and I just woke up. My health is very good, I am sorry for the bad weather that is occurring, I fear that it will affect you and that it will hamper your military operations.
I kiss you and love you tenderly.
Your faithful Amie Louise
[Paris], March 12, 1814 at 10 am.
An editor’s note:
Napoleon passed over in silence Marie-Louise's letter of March 4, in which she summarized the debates in the council, the members of which wanted peace at any cost. The Empress's letters of March 11 and 12 show her suspicions. They are not without foundation.
Senators and dignitaries had come to talk to Joseph about the project of forcing the Emperor to abdicate and instituting a regency of which he, Joseph, would be in charge. Joseph did not report anything about it. On the contrary, Joseph wanted to send an address, signed by all the ministers, dignitaries and senators, even the National Guards, to invite Napoleon to peace at any cost or to give up power.
Napoleon’s response:
My good Louise, I received your last letter. I sent your letter to your father through the outposts. I'm sorry you showed your father's letter and your response to the king.
You have too much confidence in this prince. These communications should only be shown to me. Everyone is betraying me. Am I destined to be betrayed by the king also?
This would not surprise me. What alone could really burn me would be if you had a liaison with the king of which I’d be ignorant. That you were no longer for me what you were.
Beware of the king; he has a bad reputation with women and an ambition which he has nurtured from his time in Spain.
If you want to please me and not make me unhappy, do not show any of my letters, or those of your father, or your answers. Keep him away from you.
I have been told that the king has conceived the foolish and guilty plan of making me submit to peace. If that were the case, I would be very angry. We would not succeed at anything and we would spoil all the affairs of France.
Why didn’t you tell me about this? Again, keep the king away from your trust and you, if you take an interest in my contentment and my happiness. All this saddens me a little.
I needed consolation. I am accustomed to having nothing but annoyances; but to endure them from from you, that would be unexpected and insufferable to me.
Farewell, my friend, All yours.
Your Nap
March 12, 1814, at 3 pm.
Cela fait partie d'une série de lettres à la fin de l'interaction de Napoléon avec sa 2e épouse, Marie Louise. La dernière fois que nous nous sommes arrêtés, Marie Louise essayait de convaincre Napoléon d’accompagner son père, l’empereur d’Autriche, souhaitant que Napoléon cède aux alliés sans vraiment le dire franchement.
Elle reprochait également à son père de ne pas détruire sa position d'impératrice en attaquant la France. Les alliés exigeaient la «paix» mais Napoléon était persuadé que c'était une ruse pour gagner du temps afin de pouvoir l'achever. Ce match avait déjà été joué contre lui à plusieurs reprises.
Le recul étant clair, nous savons que Napoléon n'a pas réussi.
Ceux qui dirigent le gouvernement autrichien sacrifient Marie Louise à plusieurs reprises tout au long de cette saga.
C'est vraiment comique que Napoléon et Marie Louise se soient demandés si elle marcherait dans un souterrain alors que c'est vraiment la fin de ce mariage et de la France incroyable que Napoléon a créée.
Marie Louise écrit:
Let’s look at the planetary transits on this sad day. Saturn (constriction) is transiting Napoleon’s natal Moon (emotion) in Capricorn (Saturn). Napoleon says he feels betrayed and he clearly expects even more betrayal. Ironically it’s Marie Louise who ultimately abandons Napoleon, not Joseph.
Regardons les transits planétaires en ce triste jour. Saturne (constriction) transite par la Lune natale de Napoléon (émotion) en Capricorne (Saturne). Napoléon dit qu'il se sent trahi et qu'il s'attend clairement à encore plus de trahison. Ironiquement, c'est Marie Louise qui abandonne finalement Napoléon, pas Joseph.
Potentially sad and passive Neptune is transiting Marie Louise’s midheaven with surprising Uranus following. Saturn (limitation) has been transiting the constellation it rules, Capricorn, connected to the 11th house of community. This may signal the end of her time as Empress of the French.
Potentiellement triste et passif, Neptune traverse le midheaven de Marie Louise avec un surprenant Uranus qui le suit. Saturne (limitation) a transité par la constellation qu'il gouverne, le Capricorne connecté à la 11e maison de la communauté. Cela pourrait marquer la fin de son temps en tant qu'impératrice des Français.
