Let’s have another look at Hortense’s Memoirs. If you want to read the book it is available for free at the side bar in English and French. Use the widget on the sidebar to translate the text below into pretty much any language.
Hortense describes how she didn’t know how she could go on without Adele.
Hortense’s memoirs continues:
Monsieur de Flahaut, the Emperor's aide-de-camp, was sent to the Viceroy bearing special messages. He came to see me before he left to inquire if I had any letters to send my brother and told me the Emperor wished to have me mention when I wrote Eugene how pleased he was at the way in which my brother had behaved.
Eugene concentrated his troops, those of the Emperor advanced and joined them at Lutzen, where the famous combat took place which so nobly retrieved our former defeats.
At the spot where Gustavus Adolphus had been killed and near where a monument has been erected to him Eugene met the Emperor. It was here the latter dismounted and embraced him. My brother felt that he had achieved all his desires in thus having taken part in a battle toward whose success his troops had largely contributed and in having received the expression of everyone's admiration.
Before leaving for the front the Emperor had appointed the Empress to the post of Regent with a council of advisors. We were all present when she took the oath of office.
I went to take the waters at Aix-les-Bains. As a result of the constant anxiety we were in regarding the safety of those whom we loved my health grew steadily worse and demanded care. After all I had gone through I was only able to keep alive, thanks to those healing waters, which every summer helped me to recover a little of my strength, and thus be ready to face new trials.
I heard of the death of General Duroc and the news affected me deeply. I had admired his firm, loyal character and his frank outspokenness even though it at times made him seem positively rude. He was a slave to his duties and scrupulously honest.
Completely loyal to the interests of his master, he never hesitated to express his personal opinions and he knew so well the intentions of the Emperor that he was frequently able to decide just how far certain orders were to be carried out.
He even ventured at times to delay their execution when he felt that they were due to a sudden fit of temper. A king would be more loved if he only had servants like Duroc.
Such courtiers deserve to be called friends. The Emperor knew this and did everything he could to render the General's last moments less painful and he sincerely regretted his death.
The General's wife besides possessing the sterling qualities of her husband was also very charming. Her common sense and healthy point of view made her a notable member of the group of young court ladies who enjoyed a well-deserved and favorable reputation.
Her friendship and confidence toward me allowed me to judge her merits as they deserved. But the one who by her graces and her gifts was the most exquisite of them all was soon to disappear, and her loss was to be one of the cruelest blows unkind Fate ever dealt me.
Since her husband's death and my return from Holland Adele had remained constantly with me. She devoted herself to her duties as friend and comforter. All her time was given up to the delicate attentions she lavished on me, her efforts to encourage my drooping spirits, and the numberless charitable acts she performed on behalf of all sorts of unfortunate people.
Often I have seen her take off a brilliant court dress and abandon pleasures that would have seemed to many to be altogether absorbing in order to take alms to beggars living in the most miserable hovels. She had accompanied me to Aix. Together we went to look at a waterfall. I crossed the stream first on an unsteady plank. As I turned what a tragic spectacle met my eyes! Great God, could it be true! My friend, swept away by the current, vanished beneath my very eyes.
I succeeded only later in recovering her inanimate body. The officers of my household, my servants attempted to drag me away from the scene where the tragedy had taken place. I would not leave. In spite of everything, I would not give up all hope. Yet I knew it was fruitless. She had departed.
What anguish filled my bosom! I found myself suddenly more utterly alone than ever, now that I had been robbed of that friend who helped me to endure my sufferings. The thought of the future terrified me. No longer would I have her mind to support my fainting spirit, no more would I have her gentle nature to calm the tempestuous emotions of my own character.
I accused Providence of treating me unjustly and I accused myself of having insisted too constantly on my own troubles to this incomparable friend, and having never made it clear enough to her how dear she was to me.
I felt that in the past I had indeed been selfish since then, at least, she had been by my side. My mother when she heard what had happened wished to hurry to me.
She guessed the extent of my sorrow and sent her chamberlain, Comte de Turpin, to inquire as to my health. The Empress Marie Louise also wrote me a letter, sympathizing with me in my misfortune.
Everyone shared my sorrow because everyone loved the person whose loss made me so unhappy. But for me what consolation was there? I founded a hospital at Aix with Sisters of Charity to attend to the sick people.
I had the body of my unhappy friend laid at rest in a chapel at Saint-Leu. Thus, I kept her near me. I could not heal the pain this dreadful loss had caused me, but I sought to assuage it by acts of charity. I felt that I was helping her by imitating her example. On my return to Saint-Leu my mother brought me my children.
Her affectionate care touched me but could not console me. I went to Paris to see Adele's father and her sisters, Madame Gamot and the Marechale Ney. Our interview was a heartrending one.
Madame Campan also was inconsolable. She felt that in losing this pupil whom she had brought up and of whom she was so proud she had lost a daughter. Yet after all it was I who had suffered the most grievous loss. Sea-baths were prescribed me for my health. I went to Dieppe with my children from whom I could no longer bear to be separated.
The original French is available below:
