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.
Here we see a group playing out a script of betrayal against a populace they had all been pretending to care about shortly before. France was a nation destroyed from within by organized sell outs. Sound familiar?
Hortense’s memoirs continues:
The time of the departure was put off till the following morning. Even the State funds came near being over-looked, but it was decided to send them off with the Empress's party in order to avoid having to form two escorts. I approached King Joseph and inquired if anything had been said about what was to become of us.
He replied that in such delicate circumstances it behooved everyone to decide for himself what had best be done and that he had no advice to give me. I went home sick at heart at the spectacle of such a lack of courage and on catching sight of Monsieur de Lavallette I exclaimed:
“Only women know how to rise to the occasion, and when the fate of nations depends on men such as I have just seen one cannot be surprised if everything goes wrong, and if the most worthy causes are lost."
Then, adding to the actual seriousness of the situation a little spitefulness provoked by the ridiculous scene I had just witnessed, I described the High Chancellor's alarm, his absolute lack of energy at the moment when it was most necessary, and the unfortunate results of a policy which resulted in the Empress and her son driving away in broad daylight without troops, without anyone capable of giving an order and without any sort of guide, an action which resulted in their being captured two days later,
Since I was left free to do as I pleased, I was strongly tempted to take a chance and stay on in Paris. I went to bed putting off till the morrow the task of taking such an important decision. From the Tuileries I had dispatched a mounted messenger to Malmaison to inform the Empress of what had taken place and urge her to leave immediately for the Chateau of Navarre.
I had just fallen asleep when a message arrived from my husband, telling me the decision the Empress had taken. I replied that I already knew of it, and tried again to go to sleep.
A moment later he wrote another message suggesting that I accompany the Empress. I again replied that there was time enough left to make up my mind early the next morning. I thought at last I was going to get a little rest, when for the third time he sent me word ordering me to leave Paris.
Such a restless night in addition to my delicate health was not calculated to prepare me for the difficulties and dangers that lay ahead. Nevertheless, I got up and prepared to obey his wishes.
This was the more easily done as it had been for a long time a habit of mine to be ready for whatever might happen. I needed only a very few minutes to make my final preparations. The Empress had already left. I quickly felt the effect that this departure had produced.
The National Guard, who previously had been prepared to defend themselves, were now completely discouraged. The crowd of townspeople who in the morning had been demanding weapons to share in the defense appeared gravely perturbed.
They had hooted the carriage of Madame Mere when she drove off and, having witnessed all those departures in broad daylight, had become indignant at this family that seemed to be abandoning them in the hour of adversity.
One curious incident had occurred. The little King of Rome, who went out for a walk every morning, that particular day, acting from some whim which cannot really be called a premonition, had refused obstinately to leave his apartment. He caught hold of all the doors crying out as he did so, "I don't want to leave my house."
Force had to be used finally to drag him out and he sobbed violently. I have since heard that Monsieur de Talleyrand as he led the Duchesse de Montebello to the Empress's carriage and helped her step in, pressed her hand and said, "Ah, my poor Duchess, how they are fooling you!”
I was most uncertain what to do. There was no one near who could advise me or even organize my escape if I decided to make one.
The original French is available below:
