This is part of a series about why Hortense’s broke the law. When we last left off, Hortense was being assured that her sons, who only wanted to serve humanity, were perfectly healthy.
[From a letter send to Hortense] “P. S. For the moment, I think that prudence advises the princes [Hortense’s sons] to stay in our provinces; Your Highness will know when they can come in a safe and proper manner.”
On the one hand, the government of Bologna opposed the capture of Rome; on the other, General Sercognani arrived with troops, and had orders to seize my children.
My sons went to Ancona, and from there to Bologna, at least wanting to serve as volunteers. My husband, who thought he had succeeded in bringing them back, was still upset; and despite a letter from his children, who told him that even if they were tortured, they would still go and serve in Poland, he still retained the idea that I should go and get them.
But as soon as it was known that they had left the army, the governments became more severe; undoubtedly so.
Despite all the esteem that surrounds my husband, he was told that his sons would not be reseen in Tuscany.
The Austrian Minister also declared for his part that they would no longer be allowed to live in Switzerland. King Jerome and Cardinal Fesch wrote from Rome that if they were taken by the Austrians, they were lost. Lost! this word alone is enough to make guess all the anguishes which filled my soul.
IV
I told my husband that I wanted to take my children to Turkey, but that I might be forced to embark on a port in the Mediterranean, and to go through Corsica.
The idea of Corsica had frightened him, because he knew that there were many friends of the Emperor's family there, and that he feared even a sign of affection which could become dangerous.
I therefore promised to go from Ancona to Corfu; but he wanted me to leave without delay, and I didn't want to leave Florence except when the Austrians entered Romagna, because I knew that route would give me the possibility of having my children with me, and that they would defend the cause with perseverance that they wanted to serve, so long as it existed.
So I made my arrangements to go into exile in Turkey. I was saying goodbye to my friends from France, my country, even from Europe that I thought I would never see again, when I learned that an Austrian flotilla was appearing in the Adriatic.
This news annihilated me, it destroyed all my plans. I rightly thought that it was impossible not to be caught when at the last moment we set sail for Ancona.
Then all my anxiety started again. To get to a port by the Roman States or by the kingdom of Naples, was impossible; Tuscany no longer wanted to receive my children; Where should we go to protect them, after a rout, from all the dangers that would surround them? I had the idea to ask for a Swedish passport -
To be continued.
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Cela fait partie d'une série sur les raisons pour lesquelles Hortense a enfreint la loi. La dernière fois que nous nous sommes arrêtés, Hortense était assurée que ses fils, qui ne voulaient servir que l'humanité, étaient en parfaite santé.
