This is a series where we translate letters from the suspicious Montholons. This letter mentions M. de Sémonville, Charles de Montholon’s stepfather, the supposed revolutionary who was an “ardent clubist” who just so happened to become an ardent royalist at just the moment when that was most expedient. Big ideological flips are always worth noting in this story. Another theme worth noting is aristocrats in debt who would do anything for money.
Marquis Charles Huguet de Sémonville.
XXV. - FROM THE COUNTESS TO THE COUNT OF MONTHOLON
Paris, June 12, 1820.
I don't deserve it (1) After having been driven back from England (2) with incredible rigor, I did not waste a minute; it has been ten months where I know that I am looking for (3) your replacement and no one has yet appeared; I wrote to Princess Borghese to act on her side.
I see with great sorrow that your health forces you to leave Longwood, because I know that you are settled there, and that here it might not be the same.
But, in spite of this way of seeing things, I act no less according to your intentions to send you a successor. If the death of M. Bertrand’s father forces M. and Mme. Bertrand to leave the Emperor, as I think that in this case you would not leave him before he was accustomed to a new face, I would go to join you, if you wanted and if my health allowed me, which I hope it will; my doctor assures me that after the waters of Plombières I will be restored completely.
I will only leave in a fortnight for Plombières.
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XXVI. - FROM THE COUNT TO THE COUNTESS OF MONTHOLON
Longwood, June 22, 1820.
I received here a letter from Haller, with a bill of exchange asking for 25,000 francs, capital and interest, which he
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1. notes in the copy : The countess, replying to his accusation of not using every means to have him replaced, says: “I don't deserve it", etc.
2. Mme. de Montholon, like Las Cases, was not allowed to stay in England.
3. Mme. de Montholon had arrived in Brussels in September 1819.
4. I could not identify this person.
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wants me to pay him as a result of the balance settled between him and me in 1814 from all our accounts prior to this time, and which was then fixed at 19,000 francs, the result of a balance stopped at the same time between him and M. of Sémonville, and that he recognized his duty.
I do not know if you remember that then also, by the account that occurred between Mr. de Sémonville and me, he recognized my debtor at the balance of 35,000 francs, of which he gave me 15,000 francs, and the rest was assigned to the payment of 19,000 of Haller's francs.
I can therefore in no way consider myself as the debtor of the 25,000 francs that Haller claims from me today, as much as M. de Sémonville would be unable to pay, and certainly, in no case am I liable for interest since the time when the contract was agreed upon?
Your notary must have in my study my decree with Haller, and the one that he made me sign to Botron with M. de Sémonville.
It must be easy for him, with these documents in hand, to finish this case. However, I would rather pay Haller than make legal action against M. de Sémonville. It is permissible for him to forget that he is my stepfather, but he’s not allowed to forget that for twenty years he served me as a father?
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Il s'agit d'une série où nous traduisons des lettres des Montholons suspects.
Cette lettre mentionne M. de Sémonville, le beau-père de Charles de Montholon, le soi-disant révolutionnaire qui était un «ardent clubiste» qui se trouvait justement devenir un ardent royaliste au moment même où cela était le plus opportun.
De grands flips idéologiques valent toujours la peine d'être notés dans cette histoire. Un autre thème à noter est celui des aristocrates endettés qui feraient n'importe quoi pour de l'argent.
Below is an excerpt where Napoleon mentions in the Las Cases memoirs that M. de Sémonville was an ardent clubist and revolutionary who radicalized his brother Lucien.
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Ci-dessous, un extrait où Napoléon mentionne dans les mémoires de Las Cases que M. de Sémonville était un ardent clubiste et révolutionnaire qui a radicalisé son frère Lucien.
