This is part of a series about why Hortense broke the law.
When we last left off, Hortense’s sons were drawn into revolutions and she was watching working class people enjoy carnival in Rome who were dressed up like aristocrats.
- by imitating both forms and manners, and approaching with gallantry to show their spirit and their sweet cheerfulness. I always enjoyed following the Cours [a carnival parade], in the midst of this joyful crowd, during these eight days of carnival which are so brilliant in Rome.
On Fat Saturday, I was waiting for moment to get into my carriage when a young man asked to speak to me, having something important to say to me.
His name was not known to me; I brought him in, anyway. “Madam," he said to me, "I believe it is my duty to suggest that you do not go to the Cours today. We are ready and we’ve decided to attempt an uprising. All precautions have been taken: no misfortune can happen; but you could get caught up in a moment of disorder. I wanted you to avoid it.”
I let him see the terror that such an enterprise inspired in me, and represented to him all the danger he was facing. He replied with emotion and courage: "Even trying to get out of slavery is a duty; we are too happy to sacrifice ourselves. And he left. We have since learned the true or false plan of this conspiracy.
At a time when all the troops are in two lines in the main rue du Cours, and when all the carriages, filled with women and masks, follow one another in a row, the conspirators had their marked place and a rallying sign - the cannon which announces the fête. Then two men jumped on a soldier to disarm him, while a third cut the reins of the horses.
The little cavalry that the troops retained were not able to advance, since the carriages remained in place, they formed a barricade. Rome fell under the domain of the victors, only armed by this means, who immediately seized Fort Saint-Ange.
My apartments had a view of the Cours. All the open windows, decorated with flags, gave it an air of rejoicing: they were very appealing. I allowed many foreign people to come in. I was myself at -
Cela fait partie d'une série sur les raisons pour lesquelles Hortense a enfreint la loi. La dernière fois que nous nous sommes arrêtés, les fils de Hortense ont été entraînés dans des révolutions et elle regardait les gens de la classe ouvrière profiter du carnaval de Rome qui étaient déguisés en aristocrates.
