Memoirs of Napoleon, his court and family, Volume 2

Laure Junot Abrantès (duchesse d')

R. Bentley, 1836 - France

Popular passages

Page 309 - He took my hand, placed it upon his heart, gazed upon me for a moment, then pronounced these fearful words, — ' Josephine! my excellent Josephine ! thou knowest if I have loved thee ! To thee — to thee alone do I owe the only moments of happiness which I have enjoyed in this world. Josephine ! my destiny overmasters my will. My dearest affections must be silent before the interests of France!' — ' Say no more,' I had still strength sufficient to reply.

Page 380 - If you make this calculation you are completely deceived. You have done me all the harm that you possibly could do since my departure from Wilna. But I will say no more of that. The title of king has turned your head. If you wish to preserve that title you must look to your conduct." This letter, which was addressed to Murat in 1813, gave the finishing stroke to his wounded vanity, which had been not a little mortified by the article in the Moniteur. He now became the enemy of Napoleon. I may here...

Page 440 - The allied powers having proclaimed that the Emperor Napoleon is the only obstacle to the re-establishment of peace in Europe, the Emperor Napoleon, faithful to his oath, declares that he renounces for himself and his heirs, the thrones of France and Italy, and that there is no personal sacrifice, even that of life, •which he is not ready to make for the interests of France.

Page 306 - The Empress again embraced her tenderly, and setting her down, said to me : " You can have little idea how much I have suffered when any one of you has brought a child to me ! Heaven knows that I am not envious, but in this one case I have felt as if a deadly poison were creeping through my veins when I have looked upon the fresh and rosy cheeks of a beautiful child, the joy of its mother, but, above all, the hope of its father...

Page 309 - ... listened to the reading of the act of separation. Behind her chair stood Hortense, whose sobs were audible, and a little farther on, towards Napoleon, Eugene, trembling, as if incapable of supporting himself. Josephine heard, in composure...

Page 54 - ... that style of grace and elegance which is to be seen only in Paris — altogether presented a picture which has perhaps rarely been equalled, and certainly never excelled.

Page 78 - Queen, the singular spectacle which presented itself to my eyes might well apologise for my neglect of etiquette. I beheld a man at the other end of the apartment, whose attitude and bearing appeared to me particularly ill suited to the audience chamber of royalty. This man appeared to be thirty-four or thirty-five years of age, his countenance was of that description which a fine well-grown hearty young man usually presents ; but there was no trace of dignity in his appearance. The individual whom...

Page 54 - But, as if by the especial favour of Providence, of which so many instances are observable in the career of Napoleon, the clouds suddenly dispersed, the sky brightened up, and the multitudes who lined the streets from the Tuileries to the cathedral enjoyed the sight of the procession without being, as they had anticipated, drenched by a December rain.

Page 54 - I see anything at all approximating in splendour to the coup d'ceil exhibited at Napoleon's Coronation. The vaulted roof re-echoed the sacred chanting of the priests, who invoked the blessing of the Almighty on the ceremony about to be celebrated, while they awaited the arrival of the Vicar of Christ, whose throne was prepared near the altar. Along the ancient walls...

Bibliographic information

• Title: Memoirs of Napoleon, his court and family, Volume 2; Memoirs of Napoleon, His Court and Family, Laure Junot Abrantès (duchesse d')
• Author: Laure Junot Abrantès (duchesse d')
• Publisher: R. Bentley, 1836
• Original from: the University of Michigan
• Digitized: May 8, 2008
• Subjects: France