This is part of a series where we’re translating the letters between the Montholons, a couple who followed Napoleon to St. Helena and may have played a central role in his death. These letters were written after Albine, the wife, left St. Helena for health reasons. She was probably the last mistress of Napoleon and the mother of his child - a child that died as soon as she was free from supervision with her.
Count Charles Tristan de Montholon
These letters are all read by the Governor and one feels that influence. In the notes highlighted in the text below, Montholon is again called out for his incongruence. As usual, neither Montholon shows much interest in the welfare of Napoleon - for whom they completely deranged their marriage and life.
XVII. - From COUNT TO COUNTESS OF MONTHOLON Longwood, January 13, 1820.
Plantation-House and all the space between Longwood, Francis Plain, Plantation-House and Sandy Bay are within our new limits 2, which is a voluntary concession of the governor, and appreciably improves our position ³.
XVIII. - FROM THE COUNT TO THE COUNTESS OF MONTHOLON
Longwood, February 8, 1820.
The care of Doctor Antommarchi did good to the Emperor, and he generally experienced an advantageous effect from the exercise he has taken in the garden since some time ; no doubt, at least for me, that if, yielding to the authority of his doctor and me, he conquered his repugnance and mounted his horse, this would not contribute to his recovery.
The fear of a misunderstanding in the instructions still holds him back. Enlarging the enclosure has lessened the chances, but there are still some issues left, and that's enough to stop this exercise.
Our priests are still as bad as ever: one drools and rambles on through his stories of his time in Mexico; the other told us a few days ago that Alexander was the greatest man
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1. Residence of the Governor.
2. Limits within which the French could walk without being accompanied by the orderly officer.
3. On this enlargement of the limits, see Forsyth, III, p. 197.
4 This improvement in Napoleon's health under the influence of gardening was noticed by all the witnesses.
5. Father Buonavita. Montholon nevertheless praises him in the Accounts of Captivity (September 21, 1819) for his "extensive knowledge".
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out of ancient Rome. It was difficult to make him hear that he was Macedonian. 1
To save him from such blunders in the future, he was condemned to read two hundred pages of Rollins every day, and to take extracts from them.
I have just finished the history of the politics of the Tuileries cabinet at one of the great epochs of our time.
What important revelations, what materials for history!
XIX. - FROM COUNT TO COUNTESS OF MONTHOLON Longwood, February 28, 1820.
My letter remained there, I was called and dictated to for three hours, and certainly only to pass the time, because it was difficult for him to be in a worse mood and in more pain.
The season has been changing for a few days, the rains have started, and if they continue, goodbye to gardening. They do not go well with calomel: the slightest humidity gives very strong colic, you know that as well as I do 2 but I'm tired, bored, and I don't know what I'm saying.
XX. - FROM THE COUNTESS TO THE COUNT OF MONTHOLON
March 25 (1820).
I hope you have not doubted my concern to have you replaced. I did what depended on me 3. and
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1. See Accounts of Captivity (ibid.). “He knew his religion well, but he only knew that. He barely spoke French.
2. Napoleon, Montholon and Mme. de Montholon had used it for their suffering in the liver.
3. In the copy: what depended on me.
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here's what i can tell you. Lord Bathurst 1 replied to Lord Holland 2 : "Here is what I will do: I will tell Sir Hudson to warn Bonaparte that if he wishes someone to come from Europe to replace one of these gentlemen (Count Montholon and Count Bertrand), we will invite Cardinal Fesch or Princess Borghese to settle this case.” 3
If you wait until the replacement 4 has arrived, you will wait a long time 5.
XXI. - From the COUNTESS TO THE COUNT OF MONTHOLON
Brussels, this April 10 (1820).
I wrote to you in my last letter that Lord Bathurst had replied to Lord Holland (to whom I had also written) that he would write 6 …
Lord Holland
1. The Minister of Colonies on which Saint Helena depended.
2. Liberal member of the House of Peers, who willingly made himself the protector of Napoleon's companions.
3. Lord Bathurst indeed wrote it on March 16, 1820, and Sir Hudson Lowe wrote it in turn to Napoleon; but the latter either did not read the governor's letter, or did not wish to take it into account (Forsyth, IlI, p. 243).
4. I do not believe there is a copyist error. The word abstract, often used, took on a concrete meaning in the long run, and meant replacing.
5. The skepticism of Mme. de Montholon is explained by the inaction of the cardinal and Madame Mère.
6. The English copyist added there in a note: as above.
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Cela fait partie d'une série où nous traduisons les lettres entre les Montholons, un couple qui a suivi Napoléon à Sainte-Hélène et qui a peut-être joué un rôle central dans sa mort.
Ces lettres ont été écrites après que Albine, l'épouse, a quitté Sainte-Hélène pour des raisons de santé.
Elle était probablement la dernière maîtresse de Napoléon et la mère de son enfant - un enfant qui est mort dès qu'elle a été libérée de tout contrôle avec elle.
Ces lettres sont toutes lues par le gouverneur et on ressent cette influence. Dans les notes on voit que Montholon est de nouveau démontrant son incongruence.
Comme d'habitude, ni Montholon ne montre beaucoup d'intérêt pour le bien-être de Napoléon - pour qui ils ont complètement dérangé leur mariage et leur vie.
