Chapter 15 March 1804: The Noble Families Have Ret

A few days ago, Julie brought me my diary.

"I was emptying some boxes," she said. "My children needed them for their toys. I found your diary in one of them. It has been there for four years. You have a lot to write in it now."

A lot. Yes. But where shall I start? And what do I want to remember? Many things have happened. Some seemed important at the time but are almost forgotten now. for example, there were Oscars first words, and his first little walk across the room; but now Oscar is four years old.

I must write one thing first. Mama died last summer, Julie and I were sitting in the garden when Joseph brought us Etiennes letter. Mama had died suddenly, in her sleep.

"Now we are quite alone," said Julie.

"But you have me." Said Joseph.

He didnt understand. Men often dont. she and I belong to our husbands. But Papa and Mama loves us first; and in the bottom of our hearts we are still the Clary girls.

Mama never met my Jean. I dont see him enough myself. He is often away in the wars. And when he isnt fighting, hes governing conquered lands. Our armies seem to control half Europe now.

I miss him, but I enjoy my life in Paris. It has become the gayest city in the world. Its ancient noble families are here again. Many of them escaped to England when the revolution came. Napoleon invited them to return. He gave everything that the revolution had taken from them.

These noblemen--- these dukes and counts--- show great respect for our first Consul. The gentlemen bow and the ladies curtsey when they meet Napoleon and Josephine. And they receive respect in return. These dukes and counts are welcomed at the Tuileris Palace.

Indeed, we all have to bow and curtsey when we go there. Napoleons own brothers and sisters have to do it too. And they arent even allowed to choose their own husbands and wives.

Napoleon ordered Paulette to marry Prince Camillo Borghese, the head of the noblest family in Italy. So she is the Princess Paulette.

He ordered Lucien to marry a noblemans daughter. But Lucien refused. He married a fat little woman with bright red hair; her father worked in a bank. Napoleon was terribly angry when he heard this. "Leave France at once," he said, "and never come back!" And Lucien had to go.

Then he ordered his favourite brother, fat Louis, to marry Josephines daughter Hortense. Louis didnt like her, and she hated him. Poor Hortense! She went to her bedroom, and she screamed all the afternoon.

Julie went in and asked her: "Do you love someone else?"

Hortense nodded. She stopped her tears. She took a deep breath. And she said, very quietly: "I love him!"

"Him? Napoleon?" this was a surprise for Julie; and I knew it already. Julie thought for a moment. Then she asked: "does he know?"

Hortense nodded again. "He knows. He knows most things. Fouche tells him everyones secrets."

Yes. Fouche knows too much. The noblemen hate him, of course. Many members of their families lost their lives because they were on Fouches list. But they trust Napoleon; so they have come back.

Napoleon, in fact, loves all noblemen except the Bourbons. They are the old royal family of France. The most important member of their family was living quietly in a German village. Napoleon sent three hundred soldiers there. They arrested the royal duke, and took him to France by force.

The French noblemen begged Napoleon to free him. So did the foreign ambassadors. He read their messages; but he refused to see anyone. And then, one night, Madame Lutitia came to my house.

"Desiree," she said. "if he kills this duke, all France will be ashamed. You must stop him. He wont listen to anyone else; but you still have a special place in his heart. Please go at once. Theyre going to shoot the duke tomorrow."

I went straight to the Tuileries. It was eleven oclock, but Napoleon was still in his office. Someone took my name and asked me to wait. A few minutes later I was standing in front of his desk.

"This is a happy surprise, madame," he said. He kissed both my hands and invited me to sit down. "You get younger every day. Please take your hat off."

I did, and his fingers ran lightly over my hair. "Desiree," he said. "My little Desiree."

For a moment, the Tuillieries Palace was forgotten. Napoleons soft voice took me back to a dark wet night in a Marseilles garden. Then he asked: "why are you visiting me at this hour?"

I told him the reason. His voice changed immediately. He was the Consul again, the proudest man in France. But he listened to me. And at last he said:

"You ask for too much, madame. Ill tell you a secret." He stood up and held his hands behind his back. Thats his custom now. And, while he was speaking, his eyes seemed to look straight through me. "Very soon the people of France will ask me to be their Emperor. I cant allow these Bourbons to cause trouble. Tomorrow I shall show the world that they cannot be kings of France again."

When I got home, I said to Jean: "Do you know that Napoleon wants to be Emperor of France?"

"His enemies say so. Who told you?" he asked.

"Napoleon himself."

Jean stared at me in silence. When I went to bed, he didnt follow. He was walking up and down for the rest of the night.

And this morning the duke was shot.