Albine remarque que les marins britanniques ont été choqués qu'ils avaient été trompés sur Napoléon.
This is part of a series where we’re translating the memoirs of the supposed last mistress of Napoleon. Countess Albine de Montholon. When we last left off, Albine was on a British ship and impressed with their high standards of order.
Albine writes:
[The Emperor seemed pleased with the Admiral’s happy demeanor]. In general, I found nothing in the officers of the English navy which justified the name given to them by King George IV: he called them sea wolves. I found them frank, simple, good and full of attentions delicate, from the drug that they make you take against seasickness, to the discretion and kindness that our position demanded.
Captain Maitland displayed loyalty in his conduct towards the Emperor. It is not his fault that this terrible cabinet of Lord Bathurst did not believe it necessary to follow their example and to honor itself forever by a noble and generous conduct, at the height of the position where England was then situated amongst its allies.
The Emperor in England, living in a castle, would have given them a pre-eminence in the affairs of the continent which could only shorten the distance from St. Helena to the Thames.
There was hatred, not in the English people, or even in the whole of the upper aristocracy, but only in a part and in some members of the cabinet, as our appearance in Plymouth will prove. At half past two, we were back from the Superbe on the Bellérophon and we immediately set sail for Torbay.
I suffered a lot from seasickness; however, after a few days I was able to appear at dinner.
The Emperor did not suffer, he only had a little headache; but he could read and keep busy. He had lunch alone and spent part of the morning chatting successively with the general officers and M. de Las Cases.
Around one o'clock he got dressed and came on deck. He walked there chatting with the captain who spoke French, Doctor O'Meara and the officers on board.
His outfit was the same as in the Tuileries, his hunter uniform, silk stockings and buckled shoes.
I do not know about what idea the libels given of his low character to the English were, but all of them were struck by the regularity of his features and his character of simplicity, nobility and kindness which reigned in all his ways. They appreciated the charm of his look and his smile.
The Emperor had a lot of fun with our children's games and laughed at them. It is impossible to have a truer laugh, which is a characteristic sign of kindness. To pass the time of lunch -
To be continued.
…
Cela fait partie d'une série où nous traduisons les mémoires de la supposée dernière maîtresse de Napoléon. Comtesse Albine de Montholon.
La dernière fois que nous nous sommes arrêtés, Albine était à bord d'un navire britannique et a été impressionnée par leurs normes de commande élevées.
Albine écrit:
