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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f1f3d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #62965 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62965) diff --git a/old/62965-0.txt b/old/62965-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 45c4644..0000000 --- a/old/62965-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3457 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Eugénie, Empress of the French, by Erich Holm - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Eugénie, Empress of the French - Life Stories for Young People - -Author: Erich Holm - -Translator: George P. Upton - -Release Date: August 18, 2020 [eBook #62965] -[Most recently updated: August 22, 2021] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: D A Alexander, Stephen Hutcheson, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EUGÉNIE, EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH *** - - - - - [Illustration: _EUGÉNIE_] - - _Life Stories for Young People_ - - - - - EUGÉNIE - EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH - - - _Translated from the German of - Erich Holm_ - - BY - GEORGE P. UPTON - _Author of “Musical Memories,” “Standard Operas,” etc._ - _Translator of “Memories,” “Immensee,” etc._ - - WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS - - [Illustration: A. C. McCLURG & CO.] - - CHICAGO - A. C. McCLURG & CO. - 1910 - - Copyright - A. C. McCLURG & Co. - 1910 - Published September 24, 1910 - - THE · PLIMPTON · PRESS - [W · D · O] - NORWOOD · MASS · U · S · A - - - - - Preface - - -In a recent interview at her villa in the Riviera, the ex-Empress -Eugénie is reported to have said: “I have lived; I have been; I do not -ask more. I ask not to be remembered. Between my past and my present -there exists not half a century, but ten centuries. Men have changed, -times have changed. It is a dream that is dissipated.” It is a -fascinating story, as told in these pages, the career of this -granddaughter of a Scotch wine-merchant, who by the power of her -personal charm, the incentive of her ambition, and the boldness of her -resolution, achieved her purpose, though stigmatized an upstart and -adventuress, and eventually driven from the throne and doomed to spend -her remaining days brooding over the loss of her power and her beauty; -over France’s crushing defeat in what the short-sighted Empress lightly -termed “my war”; over her folly in urging Napoleon into the war; -sorrowing over his death, and chiefly, lamenting the death of her son at -the hands of Zulu savages in that far-away land whither she had urged -him to go. Hers is an adventurous, a romantic, in every way an -extraordinary, life-story. It shows what one of determined will and -fixed purpose may do. But was it worth the doing? In these days, looking -back over her career, all she can say is: “I am the past. I am the -distant horizon where exists a mirage, a shadow, a phantom, a living -sorrow. I am an old woman, poor in everything that makes a woman rich. -My husband, my son—that brave boy—they are gone. My eyes no longer turn -to the future. I live only in my youth. There is nothing for me but to -wait. My dreary winter is nearly over.” Poor Eugénie! That she still -clings to the hope of seeing a descendant of Napoleon on the throne of -France is evidenced by a letter to an old soldier who recently appealed -to her for help, in which she says: “As her majesty admits that every -old soldier of the empire has remained faithful to the sacred cause, to -the imperial eagles, it is necessary so that her majesty may be assured -of a devotion of which she—or rather the legitimate heir to the -throne—will perhaps have need sooner than one thinks, that she receives -from you a letter in which she will find the expression of your -unshakable devotion to the memory of Napoleon III and to the Imperial -cause, as well as the expression of your mistrust of the present -regime.” - - G. P. U. - -Chicago, _July_, 1910. - - - - - Contents - - - Chapter Page - I The Youth of Eugénie 11 - II Eugénie’s Marriage to Louis Napoleon 23 - III Eugénie’s Personality 36 - IV State Visit to England 42 - V Birth of the Prince Imperial 49 - VI The Empress in Politics 54 - VII Private Life of the Empress 62 - VIII Paris under the Second Empire 68 - IX Eugénie as a Leader of Fashion 79 - X Decline of the Empire 88 - XI The War of 1870 97 - XII Eugénie’s Flight to England 109 - XIII The Empress in Exile 119 - XIV Death of the Prince Imperial 126 - Appendix 136 - - - - - Illustrations - - - Eugénie _Frontispiece_ - Empress Eugénie 30 - Napoleon the Third 92 - The Empress-Widow 134 - - - - - Eugénie - Empress of the French - - - - - Chapter I - The Youth of Eugénie - - -At the beginning of the last century there dwelt in the city of Malaga -in Spain a merchant named Kirkpatrick. Although descended from a Scotch -family of distinction that had been forced by the fall of the Stuarts to -flee their native land, this later scion of the race earned his -livelihood by the sale of wines which he dispensed with his own hand in -a room at the rear of his shop. The business prospered and he became a -rich man, exporting large quantities of Spanish wines to foreign -countries; but he still kept his wine-room in Malaga, assisted by his -four daughters, who did much to attract custom. - -The lofty family traditions of the Kirkpatricks of Closeburn could -scarcely have been expected to be remembered amid the practical duties -of the merchant’s busy life, but his beautiful daughters were by no -means unaware of their high descent nor without hope of elevating -themselves once more to the rank of their ancestors. Of the four -sisters, Manuela, the third, was the most aspiring as well as the most -beautiful. Even when busy serving wine and chatting gayly with the -gentlemen who frequented her father’s wine-room, her mind was constantly -dwelling on the traditions of her house, and in the glories of the past -she forgot the sordid surroundings of the present. Although a true -daughter of the soil from which she sprang, Manuela was very different -from the ordinary Spanish girl, who is often indolent and ignorant; for -with her Scotch blood she inherited the energy without which her dreams -and ambitions could never have been realized. Determined to rise in the -world, and with nothing but herself and her beauty to depend upon, she -decided that only a brilliant marriage could accomplish her ends; and to -achieve this she was ready to use any means or make any sacrifice. - -Among the officers stationed at that time in Malaga, most of whom were -frequent patrons of Kirkpatrick’s wine-room, was a colonel of artillery -in the Spanish army, Count Manuel Fernandez de Teba. No longer young, -and far from attractive in person, having lost an eye, and being very -short-sighted besides, he was little fitted to awaken tender sentiments -in the fair sex; but Manuela was not to be daunted by this. His heart -seemed a citadel not too difficult of conquest, and without regard to -his appearance she devoted herself to the study of his antecedents. The -result of these genealogical researches exceeded her fondest hopes, for -they proved that the bluest blood of Spain flowed in Count Teba’s veins. -He was descended from the noble Genoese family of Porto-Carrero, which, -emigrating to Estremadura in the fourteenth century, had secured by -marriage the right to bear some of the most illustrious names of Spain -as well as the heirship to the joint estates of Teba, Banos, and Mora. -He was the second son, it is true, but his elder brother was unmarried; -and if she united her future with his, the ambitious maiden could reckon -with some security on attaining in time the rank and position to which -she aspired. - -Her father’s increasing prosperity, no less than her own remarkable -beauty, caused many younger and handsomer suitors to lay their homage at -Manuela’s feet, but however favored any one of these may have believed -himself, he was now cast remorselessly aside. Her course once decided -on, she lost not a moment in setting her hand to the work. She showed -Count Teba the most delicate attentions, the most flattering deference; -for him were reserved her sweetest smiles, her tenderest glances, until -at last the credulous nobleman’s admiration kindled into passion, and -without even consulting his family, Manuel Fernandez, afterwards Count -de Montijo and Duke de Peneranda, married Maria Manuela, daughter of the -wine-merchant Kirkpatrick. The young Countess at once set up an -establishment on the grandest scale. Her salons became the resort of the -richest and most distinguished officers, and she charmed every one with -her hospitality, her beauty, and her wit. - -While she was enjoying her triumph to the full, however, evil tongues -were soon busy over the free and easy tone said to prevail in the home -of the worthy pair—a rumor that quickly found its way to the Count de -Montijo. From the first he had strongly disapproved of his brother’s -unsuitable marriage, and, indignant at the gossip caused by his -sister-in-law’s behavior, he determined to prevent their becoming his -heirs, by making a marriage himself in his old age. Manuela was seized -with fury at this news; but prudence soon gained the upper hand, and -instead of sulkily avoiding her new relatives she made every effort to -win their approval, a course that was the less difficult for her to -pursue, as, to her secret joy, the marriage remained childless. Tired of -living in her native place where she was constantly reminded of her -humble origin, she finally persuaded her husband to leave Malaga; and -with their little daughter Francisca Theresa they moved to Granada, -where the Count’s brother had his residence. There, on the fifth of May, -1826, the future Empress of the French, Maria Eugénie, was born—the same -day of the same month on which Napoleon the Great had died. - -Eugénie’s mother was a perfect woman of the world. Brilliant and clever -and mistress of the art of conversation, she far surpassed the ordinary -Spanish woman in intellect as well as wit. It was not strange, -therefore, that with all these charms at her command she had succeeded -in winning over her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, and establishing -herself in their favor; so that Count Teba’s family soon became welcome -guests at all the Montijo entertainments, where they were received with -the utmost courtesy and respect. But even this did not satisfy Manuela. -She longed for a life of more freedom and unrestraint, and to climb yet -higher in the ranks of society. Her ambition was destined to be -fulfilled, for before many years had passed Count Teba stood beside the -bier of his childless brother; and his wife now persuaded him to take up -his residence in Madrid. - -The domestic life of Eugénie’s parents had never been a harmonious one. -Her mother’s extravagance and coquetry, together with the jealous and -violent temper of her father, soon banished the genius of peace from the -household; and their quarrels were the more frequent and bitter from the -Countess’s lack of any real affection for her husband. Matters grew even -worse after their arrival in the capital, for Manuela gave herself up -entirely to intrigues and made her husband’s life miserable. Here, too, -she was prompted less by passion than by ambition, since it was through -her connection with influential persons that she hoped to obtain a -position at court. Among the many she attracted to her house was General -Narvaez, at that time the most powerful man in Spain. At his -intercession, the wine-merchant’s daughter was made first -lady-in-waiting to the youthful Queen Isabella. This coveted post she -could no doubt have easily retained had she not allowed her passions for -once to gain the upper hand. A young Italian for whom she had a fondness -disappeared one fine day with all her jewels; and on this occasion she -so far overstepped the bounds permissible even at the Spanish court that -it was intimated to her she would do well to leave Madrid. - -While their mother was thus coquetting and intriguing at court, Eugénie -and her sister, two years older than herself, had been left at the -Sacred Heart Convent in Paris. The Countess now took the two girls away -with her, and, leaving her husband in Madrid, began a pleasant life of -travel, dividing her time between London, Paris, and the fashionable -watering-places, everywhere gathering about her a circle of friends and -adorers, many of them men distinguished in the world of art and -learning,—although the greater part of her admirers belonged to that -class which lives in enjoyment of the present, preferring the pleasures -of the senses to those of the mind. Over her young daughters’ -acquaintances and associates, however, she kept a close watch; whatever -her own indiscretions may have been during this period, she carefully -guarded their innocence from all evil influences. She neglected no -opportunities for improving their minds, and it was then that the -foundations were laid of that excellent education which no one ever -ventured to deny the Empress Eugénie. - -It was impossible for the careful mother not to perceive the attention -excited wherever they went by her younger daughter’s beauty, her regular -features, exquisite coloring, large clear eyes, and wonderful golden -hair; and while she little dreamed that Eugénie was destined to become -the sovereign of a great European nation, with justifiable maternal -pride she began to hope that her child might rise to even greater rank -than she herself had attained. To pave the way to this good fortune, the -Countess Montijo made another attempt to regain her position at court, -but met with a prompt refusal. Narvaez, however, who was still in power, -took her under his protection without more ado; and on the death of her -husband, in 1839, she determined to return to Madrid, where, at the -expiration of her period of mourning, the handsome widow accordingly -appeared, accompanied by her still more lovely daughters, Francisca, at -that time seventeen years old, and Eugénie, fifteen. The sisters were a -complete contrast to each other though equally beautiful. The elder was -darker and more slender, and her features were softer than Eugénie’s, -though her face had less character. - -Through the zeal and influence of Narvaez and their mother’s prudence -and perseverance, the Queen was finally induced to take the young girls -into her court, but their position there was by no means an enviable -one. As daughters of a woman who in spite of her personal attractions -was well known to have led an irregular life, they were looked upon with -general suspicion; and as they constantly appeared with this mother in -society, it was only natural that members of their own sex should hold -aloof from them, while the men redoubled their attentions in -consequence. The Countess Montijo was shrewd enough to see that she must -proceed with caution if she wished her plans realized; therefore, to -protect her daughters from the reefs on which her own reputation had -been wrecked, she kept all undesirable cavaliers at a respectful -distance. Among all those who sought the young Countesses’ favor there -was only one she considered worthy to occupy the position of her -son-in-law, the Duke of Berwick and Alva; him she encouraged in every -way, permitting him to ride and drive with her daughters and accompany -them to the theatre, giving him an intimate footing in the family. His -companionship was a source of delight to both sisters, and he soon -became the centre of their thoughts, possessing as he did the art of -making himself so agreeable to both that each one fancied herself the -object of his preference. - -Eugénie adored Alva with all the intensity of a first love, endowing him -with all the loftiest and most noble qualities; and, worshipping this -image created by her fancy, believed herself loved in return. The -mother, however, more experienced in the faithlessness of man, began to -suspect that he had no intention of choosing either daughter as a -companion for life; accordingly she set before him, when he came one day -to call, the serious alternative of declaring himself or severing all -intercourse with the family; to which ultimatum the Duke replied by -requesting the hand of the elder. When Francisca, radiant with joy, -hastened to her sister’s room to announce the great news she found her -in bed. At first she thought her asleep, but on coming closer discovered -to her horror that Eugénie’s eyes were fixed and staring, her forehead -covered with beads of moisture, her features drawn and convulsed—she had -taken poison! Francisca’s screams of distress quickly brought her mother -and the maid to the scene. A physician was summoned, and Eugénie was -restored to consciousness. A long and serious illness followed. In her -delirious ravings she betrayed the fact that, hidden behind a door, she -had overheard the Duke’s avowal and in despair had tried to end her -life. Her recovery was slow and tedious. Even after she had been -pronounced out of danger, her nervous system showed traces of the shock -in a slight trembling, a nervous quiver of the eyelids, that never -entirely left her. The sudden attacks of depression, the fits of weeping -that sometimes seized her in after years, even in the midst of some -festivity, may also be ascribed to the effects of the poison taken in -her youth. - -Still deeper were the traces left on the young girl’s character by this -unhappy experience. Though taught by pride to conquer her love for the -husband of her sister, she was forced to be a daily witness of that -sister’s happiness and to endure the pity with which she was universally -regarded, added to which was the galling conviction that the Duke -himself suspected her secret. The once shy and modest maiden became a -bold, forward coquette, striving to forget her sufferings in a whirl of -pleasure and amusement, craving admiration, ambitious and frivolous. As -a child she had always preferred boys’ sports to the usual occupations -of girls, and excelled in riding, swimming, and fencing. Now she might -be seen any afternoon galloping bareback through the streets of Madrid, -smoking a cigar or a cigarette. She devised all sorts of fanciful -costumes that only she could wear, often appearing in the Andalusian -national dress. She was a frequent visitor at the theatre and all public -places of amusement, and had a passion for bull-fights. One of the -toreadors, for whom she embroidered a splendid cloak, was her declared -lover. She rarely missed one of these gory festivals; and, seated on the -lowest tier among the most enthusiastic spectators, in her Andalusian -costume, she was always the centre of attraction. The womanly modesty -that had made Eugénie so charming in her early girlhood had vanished, -but she was even more beautiful and fascinating. She was surrounded by -admirers, and encouraged the addresses of dukes and princes till her -coquetries aroused the jealousy of the Queen. But no one paid court to -her seriously. Suitors were naturally shy of choosing a wife who often -appeared in masculine attire, who wore the most startling and -conspicuous bathing costumes to excite admiration while in the water, -and whose hand was as familiar with riding-whip and stiletto as with fan -or bouquet. - -In spite of her many extravagances, however, Eugénie’s youth was marked -by a gay thoughtlessness and daring that were most attractive. Her -self-reliant nature could brook no restraint. She scorned prudence and -yielded rashly to every impulse. The attention she attracted could not -fail to furnish food for gossip, and malicious tongues were soon busy -with her reputation—a fact which did not deter her in the least from -pursuing her fondness for adventure. This indifference to public opinion -also led her, unfortunately, to defy custom and snap her fingers at the -strict etiquette prescribed at court. At last she went out alone one -evening with one of the young pages for a long walk. Whispers of this -romantic promenade soon reached the ears of Queen Isabella, who, though -setting the worst possible example herself in regard to morals, insisted -on the strictest propriety in the behavior of her ladies; and both -culprits were summarily dismissed from her service. - -Like all Spanish girls, Eugénie had been brought up from her earliest -years a devout Catholic, with the deepest reverence for the Pope and the -Roman religion, a devotion that in time became almost fanaticism and -furnished her enemies with a weapon of attack against which she was -powerless to defend herself. After her dismissal from court she began to -reflect on the difference between a religious life and one of idle -pleasure. While at the convent, the contrast between the unselfish -devotion of the nuns and the atmosphere of her parents’ disordered -household made a deep impression on the young girl’s mind, and the -Church seemed a blissful refuge from the storms of life. Now—feeling -more and more conscious of the void within her—a passion for religion -seized her, a longing to escape from the world of lies and slander in -which she lived, into a purer atmosphere, a new field of activity. The -Church held out its arms to her, and in them she determined to seek -relief and to find strength to devote her life to the poor and -suffering. It is said that when Eugénie went to the convent prepared to -take the vows, an old half-witted nun approached, gazed at her with -dull, vacant eyes, and suddenly exclaimed, “My daughter, do not seek -shelter behind our walls. You are destined to adorn a throne!” - -In her state of religious ecstasy these words could not fail to impress -Eugénie deeply. It seemed a voice from heaven, speaking to her through -the nun and consecrating her to the world. The Countess Montijo, too, -did all she could to strengthen her daughter in this conviction, and -persuaded her at length, instead of burying herself in a cloister, to -travel abroad with her again. - - - - - Chapter II - Eugénie’s Marriage to Louis Napoleon - - -As a child, Eugénie was seldom seen without a knot of violets in her -hair or in her belt; and when the scorching summer sun of Spain made -these blossoms scarce, a shepherd boy was commissioned to bring them to -her from the heights of the Sierra Nevada. Even when older, she still -wore her favorite flowers on all occasions, for a gipsy had foretold -that her fortune “would flourish with the violet.” So on that memorable -evening toward the end of the thirties, when at a Spanish watering-place -Napoleon and Eugénie (she, then, almost a child) saw each other for the -first time, she wore a wreath of violets in her hair. - -“I shall never forget,” said an eye-witness of the scene, “the way in -which the Prince gazed at the young Countess when she was presented to -him.” - -The acquaintance was renewed some years later during a winter residence -in London (1847-48), and it was only natural that these two, brought -together by chance, should be attracted to one another. Both were of -noble rank; both had a longing for fame and splendor; both were -unfaltering in the pursuit of their ambitions; both were rich in hopes, -yet poor in worldly possessions; and though full of courage and faith in -the future, both were in reality adventurers. They were soon on terms of -intimacy, and Louis Napoleon could no doubt have won the hand of Eugénie -at that time. But his future was still uncertain. He was poor and -heavily in debt, with the reputation of leading a dissipated life; and -although she returned his love, she was prudent enough to renounce for -the time being the opportunity of becoming a princess. Convinced that -her lover’s aspiring dreams would be realized, however, and wishing to -have a claim on his gratitude as well as his affections, she wrote him -as follows, on their parting:— - -“You want to go to Paris to begin the struggle for power; to become -consul, president, dictator. But suppose these goals are attained, will -you stop there? Will that satisfy your ambition? Without a doubt you -will aim yet higher, and then how troublesome you would find a wife! An -Emperor must keep the place beside him for an Empress. Should your plans -fail, on the other hand, should France not offer what you expect, then -and only then, come back to me and I will give you an answer to your -proposal. Do not forget there is one heart ready to recompense you for -any troubles—for all disappointed hopes.” - -On the news of the Revolution of February and Louis Philippe’s flight, -Napoleon hastened to Paris. At the first election for a constitutional -National Assembly (April, 1848) his cause met with little support. Not -until the supplementary election did the Prince’s adherents appear as a -party, but once in the field they spared no pains to win the victory. -Bonapartist proclamations were distributed throughout Paris; and in the -course of eight days no less than six of the principal organs of the -press came out for him openly. Results showed the progress made by the -party even in this short time, for the Prince was chosen representative -of the capital of France; and similar faith was shown in him by three -other Departments. His election aroused long and heated debates in the -National Assembly, and his friends began to fear for his safety if he -remained in Paris. Returning to London, therefore, he sent a letter to -the legislature, stating that in consideration of the hostile attitude -toward him taken by the executive power, he felt it his duty to renounce -an honor it believed him to have won by fraud. - -This politic withdrawal, together with the unceasing efforts of his -friends, served to influence public opinion still more in his favor. At -the new election following the June uprising the people of Paris chose -Napoleon for the second time as their representative, and after an exile -of thirty years, he hastened back to the capital to take his place in -the Assembly, from which a few months later (December 20) he was -elevated to the Presidency of the Republic. - -About the time of Napoleon’s departure Eugénie and her mother also left -London, spending that summer at Spa and the following winter in -Brussels, surrounded as usual by a swarm of admirers. But all this time, -while the Prince was swiftly and surely approaching the throne of -France, Eugénie’s eyes were firmly fixed on Paris. With eager gaze she -watched the rising of Napoleon’s star, and shortly before the Empire was -proclaimed, the Spanish Countesses appeared in the capital. At last -Louis Napoleon was made Emperor. More than eight million Frenchmen had -voted for the restoration of the dynasty, and on the first of December, -1852, the Senate, the legislative body, and the Council of State paid -him homage at St. Cloud. Although formally assuming the title for the -first time on this occasion, he had in reality ruled as absolute -sovereign since the _Coup d’État_ (December 2-5, 1851). His entry into -Paris as Emperor, amid the thunder of cannon, the pealing of trumpets, -and the shouts of the multitude, was merely the crowning of a work -shrewdly planned and cleverly executed, denounced by his enemies as a -crime and glorified by his friends as a heroic achievement. - -The magnificent entertainments given by the Prince-President in the -Élysée Palace, and the yet more splendid ones that followed at the -Tuileries after he became Emperor, had been presided over with tact and -grace by his cousin Mathilde, daughter of the ex-King of Westphalia. -Fifteen or sixteen years before, during a visit which Mathilde de -Montfort had paid to Arenenberg, the residence of Queen Hortense, there -had been some talk of a marriage between her and Louis Napoleon. -Hortense, who loved her niece with all a mother’s tenderness, had looked -forward with joy to a union so suitable in every respect, and it had -been agreed upon in a family council of Bonapartes. But the Prince’s -first premature attempt to secure his uncle’s throne put an end to the -plan, and Mathilde was married, in 1841, to the millionaire Prince of -San Donato, Anatole Demidoff. After a few years of childless and unhappy -marriage they separated, the Princess retiring to a villa near Paris, -whence she was summoned to the capital by her cousin when he became -President. The youthful lovers had each led a stormy life since their -last meeting, and the romantic attachment that had drawn them together -at Arenenberg had long since evaporated. In its place a firm and quiet -friendship had arisen, and for the second time Napoleon thought -seriously of marrying his cousin. It was the dearest wish of all the -Bonapartes; but again fate intervened, this time by the Church’s refusal -to annul the Princess’s marriage with Demidoff. The Prince-President -found himself forced therefore to seek elsewhere for a bride. - -He sued in vain for the hand of a Russian Princess, and was refused in -turn by a sister of the King of Spain, and the Portuguese Duchess of -Braganza. However alluring may have been the chance of becoming -sovereign of France, these princesses had little desire to trust their -fate in the hands of an adventurer. Well-meaning friends next drew his -attention to the poor but beautiful Carola de Wasa, a cousin of King -Gustavus the Fourth of Sweden, afterwards Queen of Saxony. An envoy was -sent to negotiate preliminaries, and her family requested time for -consideration; but the Princess, who was most unfavorably impressed with -Napoleon’s portrait, protested with tears against the proposed marriage. -Beside himself at these repeated rebuffs, the Prince swore to win the -daughter of some royal house if forced to do it sword-in-hand, and -continued in his quest. Through his friend Lord Malmesbury, he urged -Queen Victoria to arrange an alliance between himself and her cousin, -Princess Adelaide; and though some objections were raised by the Queen -and Prince Consort, the matter was still under consideration when, on -January 19, 1853, the world was amazed by the following paragraph which -appeared in _La Patrie_, the semi-official organ of Paris, and was -copied without comment in all the other journals: - - “According to reliable report, a happy event, calculated to strengthen - His Majesty’s Government and ensure the future of his dynasty, is soon - to take place. It is said that the Emperor is about to be married to - Mlle. de Montijo de Teba. Official announcement of the approaching - marriage will be made to the Legislature on Thursday, the - twenty-second of January. The Countess belongs to one of the noblest - families of Spain. She is a sister of the Duchess of Alva and is noted - for her wit and cleverness, as well as her remarkable beauty.” - -Needless to say, Eugénie had gone to Paris solely for the purpose of -meeting Napoleon, and after her arrival she had waited patiently for an -opportunity of obtaining access to him. Introduced by Rothschild and his -daughter, and accompanied by the Spanish Prince Camerata, she finally -made her appearance in the court circle for the first time at Compiègne -in 1852. It was at one of the hunts given by the Prince-President; and -the grace and skill with which she managed her fiery Andalusian excited -the admiration of all present. Napoleon himself was completely -fascinated. Their former meetings at once recurred to him with a rush of -youthful memories, and for the rest of the day he scarcely left her -side. Nor did it end here; after the court had returned to Paris the -Countess and her mother were never permitted to miss an entertainment at -the Tuileries or the Élysée. - -The flattering attentions paid to Mlle. Montijo by the sovereign could -not remain long unnoticed or unremarked. It was now merely a question of -improving the moment. No opportunity for bringing herself to his notice -or of displaying her charms to the best advantage was neglected, and far -outshining, as she did, all the women of Napoleon’s circle at that time, -Eugénie soon succeeded in arousing his old passion for her. His warm and -ardent devotion was such a contrast to his usual calm self-possession -that the whole court was astonished, although no one dreamed that the -affair would end in marriage. It is doubtful whether the Emperor himself -had any such idea in the beginning, having resolved in his days of -poverty and exile to wed none but a royal princess. He only went so far -as to intimate to Eugénie that he would esteem himself happy in being -her lover. - -But she was no longer the innocent girl of sixteen, cherishing a -romantic passion for an Alva and deeming no sacrifice too great for her -love. Genuine as her affection doubtless was for Louis Napoleon, she -would make no sacrifices without gaining something in return. At the -height of his power and fame the man who had brought about a revolution -and made himself sole ruler of France by his shrewdness and resolution -seemed in her eyes the ideal of manly courage and heroism; yet none the -less, the hot-blooded Andalusian showed herself in this case as cold as -ice. Her experience of life had taught her that denial was the surest -means of stimulating a passion. The Emperor was not easily caught, -however. He despatched a confidential friend to the Countess de Montijo, -not to ask for her daughter’s hand, but to make it clear to the shrewd -woman of the world that Eugénie could not count on being Empress. -Reasons of state prevented his placing the crown on the head of his -beloved, although such an event might not be an impossibility should he -be free to follow his desires in the future. But the Countess, like her -daughter, being well aware of the surest means of attaining her end, -made short work of the Emperor’s envoy. Repeated attempts at persuasion -proved equally fruitless, and Eugénie finally sent Napoleon, with her -respectful greetings, the message: “Cæsar’s wife should be above -suspicion.” - - [Illustration: _EMPRESS EUGÉNIE_] - -Goaded on by this reserve, the Emperor could no longer restrain himself, -and the Countess’s persistent refusals furnished him a welcome excuse -for broaching the plan of a marriage with her. It met with violent -opposition from all his relatives and friends, who did all in their -power to dissuade him from it, imploring him to choose, in default of a -royal princess, at least some French lady of rank or lineage known to -the people. To divert him from his purpose a marriage was proposed with -the Polish Princess Czartoryska. But completely absorbed by his passion -for Eugénie their opposition only served to fan the flame, and at last, -to end the painful subject, he asked one of his court ladies, the -Princess Lieven, whether he should choose the Princess Czartoryska or -Mlle. de Montijo. To which she cleverly replied, “If you leave it to me, -Sire, I prefer the Cachucha to the Mazurka”—an answer which Napoleon -accepted as the voice of fate. At the earliest opportunity he sent a -formal request to the Countess Montijo for the hand of her daughter, and -was of course welcomed by both with open arms. - -The news of the betrothal excited endless wonder but little -satisfaction. There was almost a panic in the Bourse, that political -barometer, and the Emperor’s intimate friends and family went about with -gloomy faces. The proposed marriage was openly opposed in the -ministerial council and regarded with great disfavor by the general -public; in short, only three persons were really pleased—Eugénie, her -mother, and Napoleon. As for the first, her wildest hopes were at last -to be realized. From doubtful obscurity she was to rise to loftiest -heights. Providence had chosen her for this position and she bowed to -its decree. The week that intervened between the betrothal and the -wedding ceremonies slipped by in an intoxication of happiness. She was -greeted on all sides with respect and adulation, and overwhelmed with -protestations of devotion from the courtiers. The proudest nobles of -France paid homage to her. Her enemies were silent, while Napoleon’s -friends who had been most bitterly opposed to the match now fawned upon -her, greedy for favors from their future Empress. - -The civil marriage was celebrated quietly on the twenty-ninth of -January; but the magnificence of the religious ceremony exceeded -anything that had been seen in France since the days of the great -Napoleon. From early morning a double row of troops lined the way from -the Tuileries to Notre Dame. All Paris was on the alert to catch at -least a glimpse of the spectacle. The railroads brought more than two -hundred thousand people into the capital from the provinces, and a -motley throng filled the streets, richly decorated with flags and -banners bearing the names of Napoleon and Eugénie, and gay with the -light _toilettes_ of the ladies, and the gold embroidered uniforms of -the soldiers glittering in the sun. Although midwinter, the sky was -clear and the air mild as spring. About half-past eleven, Eugénie -started from the Élysée for the Tuileries. Her mother was seated beside -her, and opposite them the master of ceremonies, Count Tascher de la -Pagerie. The natural beauty of the bride was enhanced still more by the -magnificent gown she wore, a gift from the city of Liége. It was of -white velvet with an overdress of costly lace woven in a pattern of -violets. A jewelled girdle encircled the waist, and on her head was the -diamond coronet worn by Marie Louise on her wedding day, attached to -which were the lace veil and a wreath of orange blossoms. As the -prospective Empress entered the gates of the Tuileries, Prince Napoleon -and the Princess Mathilde appeared at the foot of the staircase to -receive her, while trumpets sounded and the troops presented arms. - -Precisely at noon a salute of a hundred and one guns from the Hôtel des -Invalides proclaimed that Their Majesties were entering their coach. A -huge vestibule had been erected in front of the Cathedral, adorned with -paintings representing the saints and olden kings and queens of France. -The church was brilliantly illuminated with thousands of wax tapers; and -as the imperial pair emerged from the vestibule, the trumpets again -sounded, all the bells of Paris rang out, the organ pealed, and the -whole assembly arose while the Archbishop of Paris advanced and stood -before Their Majesties. At the lower end of the church was a platform -occupied by five hundred musicians, and everywhere a mass of gilding and -floral decoration met the eye. Curtains embroidered with golden bees -covered the great windows. From the galleries fell velvet hangings -bearing the name of the Empress in raised embroidery. In the nave of the -church stood the throne; above it, supported by a huge golden eagle, a -canopy of red velvet bordered with ermine. The transepts, in which the -highest dignitaries of the Empire were seated, were lined with superb -paintings, and from the ceiling hung banners bearing the names of the -principal cities of France. The court officials stationed themselves on -one side, the ministers and deputies on the other, as the imperial pair -took their places under the canopy surrounded by princes, princesses, -ladies, and cavaliers. - -About one o’clock the ceremony began. It was performed by the Archbishop -of Paris. The Archbishop of Versailles spread a silver bridal veil over -Their Majesties, who sank on their knees; and at the conclusion of the -ceremony, during the singing of the _Te Deum_, Abbé Legran handed to -them the imperial marriage contract. Shrouded in costly lace and -sparkling with jewels, a glittering coronet upon her head, Eugénie -passed out of the Cathedral, leaning on the arm of the Emperor and -preceded by the archbishops and all the clergy. She had reached the -summit of all her hopes. The world lay at her feet. Yet at this supreme -moment it was less a feeling of gratified ambition that filled her bosom -than one of humility and anxiety at the burden of responsibility laid -upon her shoulders. At the zenith of her fortunes, surrounded by pomp -and splendor, and greeted by the cheers of the populace, she was -suddenly seized with a foreboding of her coming fate. It may have been -owing to her overtaxed nerves or the excitement of these new -experiences, but as she came out of the Cathedral she seemed to see the -features of Marie Antoinette among the crowd. Wherever she looked this -face rose up before her, and with a sinking of the heart she began to -realize that all this coveted splendor might be indeed a heavy burden. - - - - - Chapter III - Eugénie’s Personality - - -After the wedding a glowing account of the ceremony was published in the -_Moniteur_, which concluded as follows: - - “The interest displayed by the people in their new sovereign was - prompted by more than idle curiosity. The universal admiration she - excited was genuine. Those noble features, enhanced by their - expression of sweetness and modesty, irresistibly attracted the - working classes, who felt that the Empress regarded them with kindness - and good-will.” - -This assertion was not groundless, for although public opinion, as we -have seen, had been against the Emperor’s choice, and although among the -cheering throngs that greeted the sovereigns there was much secret -dissatisfaction, the spell of Eugénie’s beauty and charm of manner was -so potent that even her enemies were silenced by it. The lovely face -with its regular delicate features suggests in contour the portraits of -Mary Stuart. Her complexion was dazzling and her brown hair full of -golden gleams. Under the heavy lashes and delicately pencilled eyebrows, -her blue eyes, so dark as almost to seem black, were full of fire and -softness, reflecting the tender heart and dauntless soul within. The -Andalusians are famous for the beauty of their hands and feet, and -Eugénie’s did not belie her origin. The lines of her figure and the -curves of her neck were as perfect as those of an antique statue; in -short, hers was a flawless exterior in which no discord marred the -complete harmony of the picture. - -Thus elevated to a throne, Eugénie burned with desire to make herself -beloved by the people, to excite the admiration of those about her, and -silence all hints as to her birth and checkered past. Controlling her -naturally impulsive and passionate nature when necessary, concealing her -pride and ambition under a modest, almost humble air, she left nothing -undone to add to her popularity and strengthen her position. Two -qualities invaluable to a sovereign she naturally possessed—magnanimity -and an open hand. Before the wedding the official journals had brought -many proofs of her kindness of heart to the knowledge of the public—such -as, that the Empress, having beheld an accident to a poor workman who -fell from a scaffold, sprang from her coach to hasten to the aid of the -unfortunate man and had him carried to a hospital; and on another -occasion, seeing a poor abandoned child wandering in the street, the -Emperor’s bride had taken it into her own carriage and promised to -provide for its future. Still another and striking instance of this was -her refusal to accept a diamond necklace valued at six hundred thousand -francs which the Municipal Council of Paris had intended to present to -her. She wrote a most gracious letter conveying her thanks to the -Council for their loyal intention, but declaring she could not consent -that Paris should make so great a sacrifice in her behalf, or that the -Emperor’s wedding should lay any more burdens on the country; adding -that her sole desire was to share with the Emperor the affections of the -people, and expressing a wish that the six hundred thousand francs might -be devoted to charity. This could not fail to create a good impression; -and after the wedding many other examples of the same kind occurred. She -gave freely to all who approached her with petitions, conscious only -that help was needed; and many kind and consoling words accompanied the -large sums she privately bestowed. Indeed, in 1863 she went so far as to -insure her life in favor of the poor that they might not suffer by her -death; and she laid the foundations of many noble works of charity that -will cause her name to be honored long after she herself is forgotten. - -Besides her generosity Eugénie possessed a thousand ways of attracting -and winning people to her. The Emperor’s love had raised her to the -throne; it depended solely on herself and her tact to maintain her -position on it. With her inborn dignity, her beauty, and her queenly -grace, she was as well equipped by nature for the part as any royal -princess; indeed many a sovereign born might well have envied her, as, -sparkling with jewels, she stood beneath the canopy of the throne to -receive the foreign diplomats and nobles of the Empire. When she -appeared on horseback beside the Emperor at grand reviews, or rode -through the city in the imperial coach, bowing in response to the shouts -of the dazzled crowds, nothing could have been more beautiful. It was -plain to all that the Empress well knew how to play her part. - -Seldom have two persons better suited to one another than Napoleon and -Eugénie, or more completely in accord, been united. In all the pomp and -power of her sovereignty she never forgot that it was to him she owed it -all; and in proportion as the sense of her own importance rose, her love -and admiration for him increased also. In the eyes of the world he had -taken a step downward in his choice of a bride; it was now her task to -prove that “the adventuress” could be as useful to the dynasty as a -consort born in the purple. - -“I would rather be spoken ill of than not be spoken of at all!” Louis -Napoleon had exclaimed when his first attempts to bring about a -political revolution had only excited pity and derision. Even at that -time he had studied the French people well, and knew their weak spot was -vanity. To flatter the national vanity therefore became one of his -principal agencies for maintaining his power; and while in private life -he loved an almost plebeian simplicity, in public no effect was too -striking or too spectacular to keep up his imperial state. - -No one knew better than Eugénie how to arrange these brilliant effects. -Ever since the days when she was the companion of toreadors and the -heroine of the Corso, love of display and notoriety had been her ruling -passion. She may not have been conscious of this in the beginning, but -what was at first a habit became by degrees a necessity; and just as the -actress thirsts for applause, so Eugénie craved the admiration and -approval of the populace. As the actress eagerly searches the newspaper -columns after each appearance for the notices of her performance, so -Eugénie, after every public entertainment or review or excursion, -devoured the descriptions published of her costumes and appearance, -revelling in the praises lavished on her person, and spurred on thereby -to fresh efforts to win public favor. She studied the question of her -_toilettes_ as if it were a religion and she its high priestess. Most of -the fashions of that brilliant period were set by her, and the lists of -guests invited to court entertainments were subjected to her personal -supervision. Even ladies of high rank were sometimes refused admission -to the Tuileries should their costumes not suit Her Majesty. - -Brought up among the Spanish aristocracy, famous for elegance and -stateliness of manner, and yet perfectly familiar with the lighter -customs of French society, Eugénie succeeded in imparting to her court a -tone of delicacy as well as luxury and magnificence that made it famous, -not only throughout France, but over half the world. Before she had been -a month on the throne, a thousand tales were circulated of her beauty, -wit, and generosity. The most enthusiastic accounts were printed of all -she said and did; and the attention of the public was so occupied with -her that it almost forgot to criticise the politics of the Emperor. -Wherever the imperial pair appeared they were surrounded by eager -throngs; and although here and there some expressions of disapproval -might be heard, the Parisians were dazzled by a magnificence of display -such as no other city of Europe could equal, and which conjured up -memories of a glorious past that filled their hearts with pride. - - - - - Chapter IV - State Visit to England - - -However the young Empress may have been regarded in other countries, it -was generally agreed that she understood better than any of her -predecessors how to hold the favor of the fickle Parisians. It was not -public homage, however, that Eugénie craved so much as recognition from -those princes and princesses who had scorned Mlle. Montijo, the -_parvenue_. It rankled deeply in her mind that she was not of royal -birth; and the most insignificant princess who could lay claim to the -sovereignty which she adored became an object of envy to her. Since she -could never hope to attain this or escape a past that must always serve -as a weapon against her, she centred all her desires on being accepted -as an equal by other reigning sovereigns and received as a guest in -their palaces. Thus for a short time, at least, her origin might be -forgotten. - -To achieve this was by no means an easy task. All the crowned heads -carefully avoided Paris, nor with all her efforts could she even win -over the old aristocracy of France. Unable to comprehend that the -devotion of the Legitimists to _le Roy_ and his heir was a sacred -principle, linked with precious memories of the old kingly race, she -nevertheless admired their loyalty and resorted to every possible device -to lure the _grandes dames_ of the Faubourg St. Germain to her newly -established court. But willingly as they had borne the yoke of the -Bourbons, they were too proud to bend the knee before the Spaniard, and -made it plain that any overtures from the usurper of their rightful -sovereign’s throne would be rejected with contempt. - -Compared with the sorrows of her after life, these humiliations were a -small matter; but galling as they were to her vanity, they were one of -the sharpest thorns in her new crown. In spite of her failure to win -over the old French nobility, she was not long in earning the respect of -the sovereigns of Europe. Her first opportunity was unexpectedly offered -by the Crimean War (1854-56) in which France’s victories restored the -country to its old place as foremost military power of Europe, and -greatly increased the importance of Napoleon. England had reaped -material advantage from the war and was loud in praise of the new -Empire, and Victoria was finally forced to invite the usurper and his -wife to visit her at Windsor. A personal acquaintance with the Queen of -England had long been Eugénie’s most ardent wish, and this invitation -afforded her the greatest satisfaction. Victoria had hitherto ignored -her in a very marked manner, while at the time of her marriage the -English journals had not only cast slurs upon her origin, but boldly -criticised her life and conduct. Thus it was doubly desirable for her to -be received at the court of England and to make a good impression there, -for could she but accomplish this, her position among other sovereigns -would be greatly strengthened. By no means certain as to the reception -that awaited her, she persuaded Napoleon to send over one of his -ministers in advance, ostensibly to arrange articles of peace with the -other powers, but charged at the same time to settle all questions of -etiquette concerning the impending visit. - -The event itself, however, was of a kind to gratify the most susceptible -vanity and the most aspiring ambition. Toward evening of the sixteenth -of April, 1855, Napoleon and Eugénie with their suite landed on the -shores of England, and on the following day set out on their journey to -London, accompanied by the Prince Consort. Every town and village on -their route was gaily decorated. They were greeted everywhere with the -greatest enthusiasm. As they passed through Hyde Park, a long line of -aristocratic equipages and equestrians was drawn up on either side. At -Windsor triumphal arches had been erected. Shops were closed, houses -decorated, and the whole town was on foot to greet Their Majesties. Amid -the shouts and cheers of the populace they entered the old castle, where -Victoria welcomed them most cordially, having personally seen to all the -arrangements for her guests’ comfort. - -The day after their arrival the Queen bestowed the Order of the Garter -on Napoleon. Following this impressive ceremony was a state banquet at -which the famous Windsor gold service made its appearance; and at the -gala performance in the court theatre that evening a verse in honor of -Napoleon was interpolated in the English National hymn. The next day -London held a grand celebration. The Emperor and Empress were lauded in -the most flattering songs and speeches; and the people who had been the -deadly enemies of Napoleon the First, the country in which Prince Louis -Napoleon had lived as a refugee, ill, friendless, often in dire need, -now hailed Napoleon the Third as its friend and ally. - -The results of this visit to Great Britain were most gratifying to the -imperial pair. The enthusiasm of the British made an excellent -impression in France and strengthened public confidence in Napoleon’s -wisdom and prudence, while the friendship of the English royal family -added importance to the young dynasty in Germany, and left no excuse for -other sovereign houses to hold aloof from the Tuileries. Lastly, not -only were Eugénie’s fondest hopes realized, but she had also made a -life-long friend. At their very first meeting Eugénie’s charm completely -won the Queen’s heart. This beautiful woman with her ease and dignity of -manner bore little resemblance to the notorious belle of gay resorts as -she had been described; and forgetting all these unpleasant rumors, she -succumbed at once to the Empress’s attractions. The friendship thus -begun grew closer with subsequent meetings and continued unbroken for -many years. - -A few months later, the Queen of England with her husband and two eldest -children came to Paris to return her new friend’s visit. For more than -four hundred years no English sovereign had visited the French capital, -so it was an event of great importance. The Queen, who writes with -enthusiasm in her diary of the journey to France, describes their -reception as follows: - -“On the eighteenth of August we left Osborne about five o’clock in the -morning on our yacht, the Victoria and Albert, reaching Boulogne about -two, where we were greeted with shouts of welcome from the people and -troops drawn up along the shore. The Emperor, with his staff, stood -waiting in the sun till the gangplank was thrown out, when he stepped -aboard. I went forward to meet him, and he kissed my hand. We four, that -is, the Prince, the Prince of Wales, Princess Victoria, and myself, then -entered a coach and drove through the streets, everywhere crowded with -people and beautifully decorated with flags, to the railway station, the -Emperor accompanying us on horseback.” - -In the capital great preparations had been made for their reception, -Napoleon having ridden about everywhere in person to see that all was -complete. At the railway station, which was covered with floral -decorations, eighty beautiful young girls were waiting to present the -Queen with bouquets. Through a sea of light from lamps and torches, amid -the strains of music, the rolling of drums, and incessant cheering, the -royal party made its way through the Bois to St. Cloud, where the -Empress, Princess Mathilde, and all the ladies of the court were waiting -to receive it. - -The World’s Exposition had just been opened in Paris at that time, and -the week spent by the English guests at the French court was devoted to -seeing that, as well as the sights of the city itself. Besides this, a -number of state entertainments were given in their honor, concluding -with a ball at Versailles that exceeded in magnificence any given since -the time of Louis the Fourteenth. Three thousand invitations were issued -for this, and all the _élite_ of France were present, with many -distinguished foreigners. The gay uniforms and court dresses of the men -and the gorgeous costumes of the ladies, who vied with one another in -their display of jewels, laces, and brocades, made a scene of surpassing -brilliancy. - -The Empress, who appeared at this ball in all her radiant loveliness, -was taken ill during the supper and obliged to retire to her own -apartments. On several other occasions also she was indisposed and -forced to excuse herself. Yet though unable to take an active part in -public festivities, Eugénie and Victoria became all the more intimate in -their own private circle. Napoleon and the Prince Consort sang duets -together. Victoria made several sketches of the country about St. Cloud -and often visited Eugénie in her own apartments where the two princesses -sat for hours together in confidential talk. A friendship so close and -lasting between such widely different natures must have been founded on -more than physical attraction. A mutual appreciation of each other’s -best qualities drew them together. Eugénie was bolder and more -independent than her friend, and freer from prejudice; but Victoria had -the strength and repose that come from an inherited consciousness of -power, while they were united by a common devotion to their own -families, and pride in the nations over which they ruled. - - - - - Chapter V - Birth of the Prince Imperial - - -Early on the morning of the sixteenth of March, 1856, a son was born to -the imperial pair, and a salute of a hundred and one guns proclaimed the -great news to the public, who received it with the wildest enthusiasm. -The whole city was decorated with flags, garlands, and portraits of the -Emperor and Empress, and ablaze with illuminations at night; while the -City Council granted a sum of two hundred thousand francs for a feast -for the poor. Greater still was the joy of the royal parents. The -Emperor took the little Prince in his arms and carried him out to show -to the assembled court, with tears of pride and happiness. He at once -ordered a million francs to be distributed in charity to celebrate the -event; had it publicly proclaimed that he and the Empress would act as -sponsors to all legitimate children born on that day within the borders -of his Empire, and issued a decree permitting all political exiles to -return to France on condition that they would swear to uphold the -Government and obey the laws of the country. - -Soon after the birth of the Prince Imperial a congress met to determine -the articles of peace which concluded the Crimean War and restored the -peace of Europe, and Napoleon was appointed arbiter. At the zenith of -his power and with the future of his dynasty seemingly secured, it did -not appear altogether presumptuous when in replying to the -congratulations of the Assembly he expressed a hope in the brightness of -his son’s future as heir to the throne of France. - -Eugénie’s position was greatly strengthened by this happy event, for -now, should she survive her husband (as seemed probable from the -difference in their ages), as mother of Napoleon the Fourth she would -have still greater influence in public affairs. Her marriage to Napoleon -the Third had revived memories of Josephine. Like the wife of the great -Emperor she had been born under a southern sky; like her she had seemed -destined from the cradle to wear a crown; and as long as she remained -childless there were not lacking hints that a similar fate might be in -store for her. But Providence had ordained otherwise. As a mother -Eugénie was seated more firmly than ever on the throne of France, and -universally regarded with respect, almost with reverence. Gifts flowed -in from all sides. No less than twenty-eight orders were bestowed on the -baby Prince. Messages of congratulation came from all parts of the -Empire. Even the fishwives of the Halle came to offer their good wishes, -and engravings of the Empress and her child were scattered by hundreds -of thousands throughout the country. - -In the early Summer of 1856, terrific floods caused much suffering and -distress in many parts of France, in consequence of which there was some -talk of having the Prince Imperial’s christening celebrated quietly. -Unwilling, however, to lose an opportunity of showing the world that his -dynasty, though young in years was inferior to none of the older -monarchies in wealth and splendor, Napoleon determined to send the flood -victims one half of the sum which would originally have been devoted to -the christening festivities, and with the other half he still managed to -make an impressive display. - -Not for many years had there been such excitement in Paris as on that -summer day, which was to witness the baptism of the heir of Napoleon the -Third. At six o’clock in the morning the pealing of bells and the -thunder of cannon proclaimed that the great day had come, and at the -first sound, swarms of eager spectators poured into the streets. All the -boulevards and squares were filled in a few hours, and by the time -incoming trains had deposited their freight of strangers and -provincials, the crowds were so dense it was impossible to cross the -Seine. A deafening shout greeted the appearance of the gilded state -coach bearing the little Prince with his governess and nurse; nor was -the enthusiasm lessened when close behind followed the happy parents -with their suite. No less a person than the Holy Father at Rome was -godfather to the Spaniard’s child, while Queen Josephine of Norway and -Sweden acted as godmother. The ceremony at Notre Dame was most striking -and impressive. All the clergy of France were present; on entering the -great shadowy Cathedral, dimly lighted by the myriad wax tapers on the -altar, one might easily have imagined himself suddenly transported to a -scene in the Middle Ages. - -That evening the city of Paris gave a magnificent banquet in honor of -the imperial family, at which the whole court and many foreign guests -were present. It was held in the great hall of the Hôtel de Ville, lit -up by eighteen thousand wax candles. The silver service used was made -expressly for the occasion at a cost of two hundred and fifty thousand -francs and the flowers alone came to twenty thousand francs. Two -orchestras alternated in furnishing music; and at the close all present -rose and sang “_Vive l’Empereur!_” The popularity of the Empress was -proven by a surprise that had been prepared for her in the form of a -diorama representing the various places with which she had some special -association:—Granada her birthplace; Madrid, with the Prado; the forest -of Compiègne; Fontainebleau, where the Emperor had confessed his love -for her; the chamber which she had occupied in the Élysée before her -marriage; the wedding of the imperial pair at Notre Dame; the Prince -Imperial’s apartment at the Tuileries; the palace of St. Cloud; and the -cascade in the Bois de Boulogne. At the conclusion of the banquet -Napoleon and Eugénie appeared on one of the balconies of the Hôtel de -Ville and were greeted with the wildest enthusiasm by the crowds that -had gathered to admire the fireworks and the illuminations. All were -charmed with the Emperor’s graciousness and the beauty of the Empress, -but most of all with the little Prince Imperial whom the people -affectionately nicknamed “Lulu.”[1] - - - - - Chapter VI - The Empress in Politics - - -Napoleon’s position at this time seemed impregnable. France had played -an honorable part in the Crimean War and covered herself with glory at -the fall of Sebastopol. Yet the nephew of the great Napoleon had -remained far from the field of battle himself, and felt the need of -winning some personal laurels to add to his prestige. The shrewd policy -of Count Cavour, the Italian statesman, had greatly increased the power -of the kingdom of Sardinia; and thither the Emperor now turned his -glances. At a secret meeting with Cavour he guaranteed the support of -France to Sardinia in case of war with Austria; but before this pledge -could be redeemed an event occurred which might have made the agreement -of little avail. It deserves mention here as furnishing a proof of -Eugénie’s courage. - -On the eleventh of January, 1858, a special performance of grand opera -was to be given, and a crowd of loyal subjects had gathered about the -theatre to witness the arrival of the sovereigns. As the state coach -drew up before the entrance, two bombs were hurled at it, and a -frightful explosion followed. Windows in all the neighboring streets -were shattered, and a hundred and sixty persons, among them a number of -soldiers and outriders, were killed or badly wounded. A fragment of -shell pierced the Emperor’s hat; and Eugénie, who tried to protect her -husband’s body with her own, received a slight graze on the temple, -bespattering her white silk dress with blood. Yet, perfectly calm and -undismayed, she stood up at once and called out words of reassurance to -the panic-stricken people. As if nothing had happened, Their Majesties -entered the theatre, and with her usual winning smile the Empress bowed -her thanks to the burst of applause that greeted them. Felix Orsini, the -Italian who had thrown the bombs, was immediately seized and thrown into -prison with his accomplices. - -In a proclamation issued on January first, 1859, the Emperor revealed -his intention of severing friendly relations with Austria; and on the -outbreak of war between that country and Sardinia, he hastened to the -support of his new ally, May 10, 1859, publicly declaring that “Italy -must be free from the Alps to the Adriatic.” The victories of Magenta -and Solferino, which followed, added fresh glories to the arms of -France; and although the peace of Villafranca failed to redeem all his -lofty promises, Napoleon was hailed as the deliverer of Italy. - -Meanwhile there had been a change in the Government at home which -greatly added to Eugénie’s importance. Shortly after Orsini’s -unsuccessful attempt, the Assembly passed a law appointing her Regent of -France in the Emperor’s absence, or during her son’s minority in case of -his death; and on Napoleon’s departure for Italy the reins of government -were placed for the first time in her hands. It was a critical period at -which to confide the direction of affairs to a woman; had the war been -less fortunate in its issue, the situation might have proved as -dangerous as it afterwards became, in 1870. - -If any decisive influence on French politics was attributed to Eugénie -on this or subsequent occasions, it was a mistaken idea. As a matter of -fact her regency was little more than an empty farce in which Napoleon -allowed his wife to play the chief part. It deluded the people and -flattered the Empress to see her name at the head of all state -documents; but absent or present, although he permitted Eugénie to share -in the ministerial councils, he was careful not to trust the reins of -government for any length of time to other hands than his own. On the -other hand, it cannot be denied that the Empress, when she chose to -exert herself, well knew how to achieve her ends. Once an idea became -fixed in her mind she would assail the Emperor with arguments and -entreaties until he finally yielded, if only for the sake of peace; nor -did she scruple to intrigue against the ministers when they refused to -carry out her wishes in the bestowal of honors and positions on -favorites of her own, often quite unworthy of such favors. - -Her real political influence was greatly overestimated. Her talents did -not lie in that direction, nor had she any conception of the intricate -machinery of government. Absorbed in a thousand trifles, court -festivals, fashions, and intrigues, she had neither time nor inclination -to pursue such aims with any system or resolution. Yet there was one -case in which she did make trouble by her interference. This was shortly -before the Franco-Prussian War, when she brought all her influence to -bear in behalf of the Church. - -The Papal party had spared no pains to secure Eugénie’s friendship and -strengthen her in the conviction that she had been chosen by Providence -as one of the chief supports of God’s vicegerent on earth. Full of -gratitude to the Deity for this special mark of favor, and firmly -believing in her destiny, she yielded blindly to all the wishes of the -clergy, thus openly proclaiming herself the head of the clerical party. -She devoted her energies to the support of the Papal power and to a -revival of the spirit of Catholicism throughout the country. No mercy was -shown to those who dissented from the old faith. Even her attendants, -with few exceptions, were chosen according to their religious views. -Naturally this overzealousness could not fail to excite much opposition, -and Eugénie soon had not only the envy and prejudice of society to -contend against, but the enmity of the free-thinkers, including many of -Napoleon’s best friends. - -Of these, Prince Napoleon was the most bitter. Quite as firmly as -Napoleon the Third believed it his mission to be sovereign of France, -did this Prince feel himself destined to the throne; but while the -former supported his ideas with Napoleonic tactics, the latter based his -claims chiefly on a remarkable likeness to the first Emperor. Louis -Napoleon had worked hard to attain his goal. His cousin contented -himself with spending hours before his mirror, arranging the Napoleonic -lock of hair upon his forehead—a sign that he should one day wear the -crown of France. As long as the Emperor was without issue he regarded -himself as certainly the heir. The birth of the Prince Imperial -therefore was a bitter blow to him; and when the law was passed giving -Eugénie the power of Regent, his rage and chagrin knew no bounds. He had -never been able to endure the Spaniard, but had hidden his dislike at -first under a mask of cold politeness. Now that he no longer had any -reason for concealing his true feelings, he gave full vent to his -malice, annoying the Empress constantly by petty personal attacks, and -circulating the most shameful reports concerning her private life. - -Eugénie returned the Prince’s hatred with all her heart. His dissolute -life, evil tongue, and above all, the cowardice he had shown on more -than one glaring occasion, made him detestable to her. She retaliated by -exposing this side of his character on every possible occasion, thus -provoking him constantly to fresh attacks. The relation between them was -not improved by the Prince’s marriage in January, 1859, to Clothilde of -Savoy, the lovely young Princess to whom the people of Paris gave the -name of St. Clothilde. He knew that his marriage to a royal princess -would enrage the Empress. While Clothilde had yielded to her father’s -wishes in the matter, personally she felt nothing but aversion for the -cynical, dissolute free-thinker, for many years the avowed lover of the -actress Rachel; nor was he a person likely to capture the fancy of -Victor Emanuel’s innocent young daughter. - -At court, as in her own household, Clothilde stood well-nigh alone, -therefore. She excited the jealousy rather than the sympathy of -Eugénie—while in her own heart the Princess of royal birth felt little -but contempt for the adventurous Empress. She absented herself from -court as much as possible and gathered about her a little circle of her -own, those aristocrats who had scorned to pay homage to the Countess -Montijo. Yet whenever obliged to appear at the Imperial Court, she -fulfilled all the requirements of her position with charming dignity. -Once when Eugénie, who found court etiquette most tiresome and -fatiguing, asked if it did not weary her, she replied innocently, -unconscious of the sting that lay within the words, “Certainly not! I -have been accustomed to it all my life.” - -Although Prince Napoleon was the most hated of all Eugénie’s enemies, he -was by no means the only member of the Emperor’s family who disliked -her. Even the kindly, gentle Princess Mathilde looked askance at her -cousin’s wife, though she was tactful enough not to betray her feeling. -Napoleon’s friendly attachment for her had continued even after his -marriage, and he used often to ask her advice in important matters; but -the Empress never visited her, and the Princess, who had once presided -at the Tuileries, no longer appeared there except on state occasions -when it was unavoidable. - -The general feeling against Eugénie that prevailed did not find open -expression till 1861, when the Emperor returned as victor to his capital -from Italy. The Italian people had chosen Victor Emanuel as their -sovereign, and the unity of that country met with such approval in -France, that when Napoleon failed formally to recognize the new order of -things, many attributed his delay to Eugénie’s influence. As a devout -Catholic she would gladly have seen the hated Victor Emanuel’s kingdom -overthrown and the Pope’s supremacy restored; and while Napoleon can -scarcely have shared these feelings, he realized that it was to his -interest to keep on good terms with the clerical party, and that to -renounce the friendship of the Pope would deprive him of a powerful -support. He therefore permitted the Pope to retain Rome and the -“Patrimonium St. Petri,” and, on the Empress’s insistence, he agreed to -leave a body of French troops in Italy to defend the Papal interests, at -the same time publicly recognizing Victor Emanuel as King of Italy, and -the provinces revolting from the Church as parts of the new kingdom. -This vacillating course pleased neither party, and blame was laid -chiefly on the Empress, whose zeal for the Papacy was but too well -known. Her exclamation, “If the Pope leaves the Quirinal, I shall leave -the Tuileries! I would rather have the Emperor murdered than see him -delivered over to everlasting damnation!” passed from mouth to mouth and -added still further to the prejudice against her among the intelligent -population of France. - - - - - Chapter VII - Private Life of the Empress - - -Besides the annoyances caused by the ill-will of the anti-clerical -party, Eugénie at this time had also sorrows and anxieties of her own to -endure. Painful as her youthful passion for the Duke of Alva had been, -it had failed to affect the close affection of the two sisters—an -attachment that only deepened as time went on. The Duchess and her -husband frequently spent their winters in Paris, and were always sure of -a cordial welcome from the imperial pair. - -Eugénie’s life before her marriage was one of such freedom that although -she fulfilled all her duties as sovereign with dignity and apparent -content, there were many lonely hours when her thoughts turned longingly -to those youthful days in Spain and to the dear ones there, especially -her mother, with whom the Duchess of Alva was now her only link. The -Duchess had been afflicted for some time with an incurable malady, -though Eugénie was ignorant of its serious nature. While travelling with -the Emperor in August, 1860, she was shocked to receive word that her -sister’s condition had changed greatly for the worse. The august -travellers were then in Algiers, and Eugénie begged Napoleon to turn -back at once. But elaborate preparations had been made for their -entertainment and to abandon the festivities would have been too great a -disappointment to the people. Torn with anxiety, the Empress attended a -grand ball given in their honor, and not till it was over did she learn -the sad truth that her sister was dying. She sailed at once for France, -but it was too late. Before she reached land the Duchess had expired. It -was a terrible blow to Eugénie; overcome with grief she shut herself up -in her own apartments, refusing to see any one. It was months before she -recovered herself sufficiently to appear again in court circles. - -Nor was this all. Although Napoleon’s marriage with the beautiful -Spaniard had been one of love alone, yet the passion with which she -inspired him gradually cooled, and although he continued to treat his -wife invariably with the same respect and admiration he had shown in -their early married life, there were many occasions when he gave her -cause for jealousy. - -In these conjugal trials the Duchess of Alva had been her confidante and -had helped her through many bitter hours. Now that this gentle comforter -was gone she felt doubly the neglect so hard for her warm and generous -nature to endure; and these sorrows, added to anxiety for the health of -her son, cast a permanent shadow over her bright spirits. She fell more -and more under the influence of the priesthood, devoted herself to -religious works, had new convents built, and even thought of making a -pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This plan was afterwards abandoned, but her -irritability, capriciousness, and bigotry reduced her household to -desperation. The constant alternations of religious frenzy and feverish -pursuit of pleasure, of extreme gayety and deepest melancholy, -characteristic of the Empress’s later life, were no doubt due to an -overwrought nervous system, like the hysterical fits of laughing or -weeping that often seized her without any apparent cause. But with so -gay and sanguine a temperament as hers, these moods never lasted long; -and her warm-heartedness never failed to win the affection of those -about her. - -Among the friendships formed by Eugénie, that with the Princess -Metternich is of especial interest, since no lady of the Imperial Court -was so much talked of and criticised as the young wife of the Austrian -ambassador. From Vienna, where they had been favorites at the Austrian -court, the Metternichs had come to Paris in 1860, shortly after the -conclusion of peace between Italy, France, and Austria, and soon after -their own marriage. Born of one of the oldest and most distinguished -families in the country, Pauline Metternich was at once a type of the -proud aristocrat and the gay, witty, thoughtless Viennese, full of -original and daring ideas, which she took no pains to conceal. In the -days of the Empire the Austrian Embassy was the rendezvous of all the -rank, wealth, and intellect of Paris. Disciples of art and literature, -diplomats and government officials and Legitimists from St. Germain met -in these salons. Even the Emperor and Empress often made their -appearance there. - -At their very first meeting the Princess had conceived the greatest -admiration for Eugénie; and with the exception of her young niece Anna -Murat (afterward Duchess of Monchy), for whom the Empress had an almost -motherly affection, no one was so close to her as the Princess -Metternich. Perfect sympathy of tastes, and a certain magnetic -attraction for which there is no explanation, proved the foundation of -an intimate friendship that lasted for years. Pauline’s sparkling wit -and vivacity were of just the sort to strike a responsive chord in so -lively a nature as Eugénie’s. She was the soul of all the _fêtes_ at -Compiègne and Fontainebleau, and added to the long evenings at court a -life and gayety they often sadly lacked. - -At home the Princess Metternich was an excellent wife and mother, and -attended personally to every detail of her household. In society, -however, she disregarded all conventions, spoke her mind freely on all -occasions, and had the courage to stand up for her convictions. The -brilliant witticisms and clever sayings attributed to her are -numberless; they were repeated not only among the court and diplomatic -circles, but even by the public. Her influence in the world of fashion -was almost equal to that of the Empress, but she was always causing -painful embarrassments to her imitators. One day she would appear -dressed with a simplicity and plainness that would not have been -permitted in any one else; the next, her costume would be of a -costliness no one could possibly hope to rival. She was a clever mimic, -and would delight the whole court with her imitations of Madame Thérèse, -a well known music-hall singer, the Empress usually leading in the -applause; yet on formal occasions no one at court could appear with -greater dignity and stateliness. In fact Eugénie’s fondness for her was -partly founded on that weakness for birth and rank of which we have -already spoken. She was peculiarly sensitive as to her own origin, and -no greater insult could be inflicted upon her than any allusion to it. -The French authoress Olympe Andouard relates an instance of this that -almost severed the friendship between Eugénie and the Princess -Metternich. - -It was during one of the court evenings at Fontainebleau which happened -to be most dull and tedious. Among those present, as usual, was the wife -of the Austrian ambassador to whom private apartments had been assigned -in a wing of the palace. Weary at last of the monotony, Pauline -whispered to a friend that she would feign a bad headache and retire to -her own rooms, whither the friend was to follow quietly with a dozen -chosen ladies and cavaliers. No sooner said than done. The headache -served as an excuse. The Princess withdrew and hastily prepared to -receive her guests, who soon succeeded in stealing away unobserved. All -was going well. The music and dancing were at their height, when -suddenly the door opened and Eugénie appeared—to inquire for her poor -Pauline whose “frightful headache” had filled her with sympathy. In -spite of her nervous temperament Eugénie on certain occasions (usually -unimportant) was not lacking in the necessary calm and self-possession. -Instead of laughing at the lively scene before her, she was indignant -and reproved the Princess sharply for her lack of proper respect. - -“Madame!” replied the diplomat’s wife no less hotly, “you forget that I -was born a great lady and submit to no reprimands!” - -In consequence of this scene the Princess was forced to absent herself -from court for a time, and only by degrees was the old familiarity -restored. - -Next to Pauline Metternich the most important member of the Empress’s -small private circle was Prosper Merimée, the clever author—“the -Empress’s court jester,” as he laughingly called himself. He had first -met the Countess Montijo while Eugénie was still a child, and the -acquaintance had ripened with years into a close friendship which was -shared by the imperial pair. Although not strictly speaking a member of -the court, both Napoleon and Eugénie treated him as a member of their -family, and the bigoted Empress not only honored him as a gifted author, -but felt an almost sisterly affection for the avowed free-thinker. - - - - - Chapter VIII - Paris under the Second Empire - - -The Danish writer, Hermann Bang, says: - - “It was a strangely mixed society that formed the court of the Second - Empire, and during this splendid period Paris became more than ever a - brilliant social arena. New names and new celebrities sprang up like - mushrooms and withered away as quickly. Since life was short, it must - needs be rapid. Looking back upon it now, one is reminded of a - juggler’s performance at the circus. The glittering balls fly about in - bewildering numbers and seem to fill the whole air. Different - performers come and go, but the dazzling display continues. This - society was neither composed of the representative families of France - nor yet of the mass of the population, who supported the Government, - and to whom the Second Empire seemed a complete restoration of the - glories of the First. Truly the richest legacy of greatness is the - magic that lies in a name.” - -Napoleon was well aware of the value of the name he bore. He had not -forgotten that to it alone he owed his possession of the throne; and he -determined that the name at which Europe had trembled and which all -France adored should serve as the foundation of his power. As far as -possible he tried to revive all the Napoleonic traditions and preserve -the fond illusion of the Parisians. Everything about the court was -conducted on a scale of the greatest magnificence. Uniforms of -officials, ministers, and deputies were a mass of gold embroidery. The -gorgeousness of the palace guards suggested the operatic stage; customs -of the time of Louis the Fourteenth were even revived. Visits from -foreign sovereigns were attended with an almost fabulous display, and -with Napoleon’s rising importance these visits became more and more -frequent. Indeed there were times during the Second Empire when whole -solar systems of potentates revolved about one another. - -On Thursday evenings during the winter, dinners were given at the -Tuileries for diplomats and state officials, followed by receptions and -dancing. Four court balls were given in the course of the season, to -which as many as five thousand invitations were issued, and which were -marked by the utmost splendor. Both sides of the grand staircase were -lined with palace guards. Guests waited in the galleries until the -arrival of the sovereigns, when the doors of the great salon were thrown -open and the Emperor and Empress took their places on the dais, the -princes and princesses grouped about them. The Empress danced only the -opening quadrille on these occasions, and at eleven retired with the -Emperor to a smaller salon where there was also dancing. - -Eugénie possessed the truly royal gift of never forgetting a face or a -name, and always had a kindly word or glance for every one as she passed -through the crowded room; but when it was over and she reached her own -apartments, she would be completely exhausted with the weight of the -crown jewels, which she wore in the greatest profusion on these -occasions. Sometimes she would not even wait for her women, but would -snatch off the crown and heavy ornaments and toss them into the lap of -the lady-in-waiting, who bore them carefully away, for each was worth a -fortune. Besides these grand balls to which any one with the slightest -claim to rank or position could easily obtain admission, the most -splendid and original masquerades were given in Carnival time, to which -invitations were more limited. During Lent there were no entertainments -with the exception of four state concerts given under the direction of -Auber, then court _kapellmeister_, and Count Bacciocchi, director of the -theatre, in which all the most famous artists took part. - -Far more interesting than these semi-official affairs were the weekly -Monday receptions held by the Empress in her own apartments. Only a -select few were invited to these, and the Empress’s “Mondays” soon -became famous all over Europe. Napoleon and Eugénie received their -guests with the greatest cordiality, and conversed familiarly with all. -Here Princess Metternich shone her brightest; here too were seen the -beautiful Princess Murat, Duchess of Monchy; the gallant Count Walewski, -who so closely resembled his father, the great Napoleon; the Emperor’s -half-brother, the Duke de Morny; and his youthful friend and ally Duke -Fialni de Persigny. Here Merimée’s inexhaustible fund of wit and humor -found full play. Here the Emperor’s favorite, General Fleury, and the -elegant Marquis de Caux (afterward the husband of Adelina Patti) led the -cotillon and invented figures that made the rounds of Europe. - -Scarcely less famous in their way were the hunting parties held by the -court at Compiègne every autumn. To these only a few were invited at a -time, and the weekly list of guests was prepared with as much care as if -it had been some important affair of state. Fifteen new gowns of the -costliest kind were regarded as indispensable by the feminine world for -a visit to Compiègne. Many feigned illness to escape the expense of so -many new _toilettes_, while others were almost ruined by accepting the -invitations. Art, literature, and science were well represented at these -gatherings; and once arrived at Compiègne, all received the most cordial -welcome, no matter what their political opinions. - -Next to court entertainments the most popular rendezvous for the world -of fashion in the days of the Empire was the opera; and although it then -had its home in the narrow _Rue Lepelletier_, instead of its present -magnificent palace, this did not deter royalty and all the highest -society from attending regularly. Full dress was required, and the -costly gowns and the jewels of the ladies, with the brilliant uniforms -of the men, lent an air of festivity to each performance that is usually -seen only on some gala occasion. But if grand opera were the temple of -art in which Eugénie showed herself most often, it was by no means her -favorite place of amusement. She not only lacked all knowledge of the -higher music, but it was distasteful to her; and even well written drama -at the Théâtre Français had no interest for her. On the other hand, she -adored anything amusing and had the greatest fondness for Offenbach’s -lively airs. Her musical taste may be judged by the fact that during the -Czar Alexander of Russia’s stay in Paris in 1867, she could think of no -greater mark of attention than to send him tickets for a performance of -the “Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein.” - -Her fancied resemblance to Marie Antoinette has already been mentioned; -indeed, there were many points of similarity between the Spanish -Countess and Maria Theresa’s unfortunate daughter. Both possessed -remarkable beauty, charm, energy, and strength of character. Both were -boundlessly extravagant and open-handed, as both in their younger days -allowed the pursuit of pleasure to banish all serious occupations. -Eugénie avoided the imprudences of which Marie Antoinette was guilty, -and instead of risking her popularity, did all in her power to preserve -and strengthen it; yet she too was powerless to escape calumny. There -were but too many evil tongues ready to suggest that a woman who owed -her sovereignty to beauty alone was scarce likely to remain a pattern of -virtue, and we have seen how even in her own family she had enemies who -tried to undermine her reputation. - -The court of the Second Empire was full of corruption and was abandoned -to a life of pleasure and luxury. But it is ever the way of aristocratic -society to seek amusement; and if at the courts of Berlin and London a -more serious tone prevailed, those of Vienna, St. Petersburg, and Madrid -were scarcely less frivolous than that of France under the Second -Empire. - -The Empress’s daily life was very different from this; intermixed with -the feverish pursuit of pleasure were many days of weariness and ennui. -At eight o’clock she rose and devoted an hour regularly, sometimes two -or three, to her favorite occupation, the study of her _toilettes_. At -half-past eleven she breakfasted alone with the Emperor and the Prince -Imperial, after which Napoleon would smoke a cigarette in his wife’s -apartment, chatting and playing with his little son. Kindness of heart -was one of the Emperor’s most marked characteristics. Indeed he was -often over-indulgent with the child—a weakness Eugénie continually -struggled against, with the natural result that the little Prince -preferred his father to his mother. At one, every day he went for his -drive in the Bois de Boulogne, and the Empress retired to her study, -back of the audience chamber, where no one was allowed to enter. Here -her tastes and habits were best displayed, for in this room she had -surrounded herself with all her most precious possessions, portraits of -her family and intimate friends, busts, vases, statuettes, and all sorts -of personal souvenirs, and a small set of bookshelves containing the -works of French, Spanish, English, and Italian writers. Every day -Eugénie wrote to her mother, a sacred duty with which neither _fête_ nor -illness, travel nor court entertainment, was ever allowed to interfere. -Among others with whom she also kept up a lively correspondence were -Queen Victoria and the Queen of Holland. After the Empress’s personal -letters were finished she summoned her secretary, Damas Hinard, with -whom she went through the vast number of begging letters and appeals of -all kinds she received daily, to each of which she gave her personal -attention. - -Adjoining Eugénie’s bedchamber was an anteroom without windows in which -a lamp was always burning, and from which a narrow stairway led to the -Emperor’s apartments. Concealed in the wainscoting of this room by -sliding panels were a number of caskets, all numbered and marked in -cipher. To look over and arrange their contents was one of Eugénie’s -favorite amusements. Here she kept not only her own private papers, but -many interesting contributions to the history of Napoleon the First and -his times, in the form of letters from statesmen, soldiers, and scholars. -All the Emperor’s discarded documents and correspondence were carefully -preserved by Eugénie, and stored away where only she could get at them. -Napoleon was much amused at this mania of hers for collecting, and she -herself used to laugh over it. - -“I am like a little mouse, running around after the Emperor and picking -up all the crumbs he lets fall,” she once said. - -The ladies-in-waiting did not live in the Tuileries; it was only during -the summer that they were constantly with her, whether travelling about -or at one of the summer palaces. Of these, some were naturally more -congenial than others, but Eugénie had no choice in the matter of a -companion; this was regulated strictly by the law of precedence. Day -after day she entered her carriage, accompanied by whichever lady was -entitled by etiquette to a seat in the imperial equipage, and drove -through the Bois, bowing incessantly to left and right, and day after -day she returned at exactly the same hour in time to dress for dinner. - -Besides these monotonous outings, she sometimes drove out in the morning -in a carriage drawn by only two horses. Each man and footman wore the -plainest livery, and she and her companion were quite simply dressed. On -these occasions she attended to all her charitable errands. She liked to -investigate in person all the cases that especially appealed to her -sympathies, and always carried with her a well filled purse, the money -thus dispensed often amounting to a considerable sum in the course of a -year. - -“I could just as well send what I give to the poor,” she declared, “but -one should do a little good oneself. The sight of so much misery and -suffering makes it easier to bear one’s own troubles.” - -Of all the Empress’s attendants the one to whom she was most attached -was Madame Pollet, or Pépa as she called her. This woman, the only -Spaniard in her service, had entered it in early youth, and remained -with her ever after. She had accompanied her on all her travels and -shared all the vicissitudes of her mistress, whom she adored and for -whom she would have gladly died. She had charge of the Empress’s -wardrobe and personal belongings, and was untiring in her efforts to -fulfil the slightest wish of Eugénie, who on her part, while she never -allowed the distance between them to be forgotten, returned the -affection and reposed the most boundless confidence in Pépa. Madame -Pollet was supposed to have great influence with the Empress, and wives -of high officials were not ashamed to court her favor and load her with -gifts when they wanted something of her mistress. But Pépa, a modest -little creature, had no desire to meddle with matters that did not -concern her; besides she was far too busy and too much in demand by -Eugénie to have time for other things. - -The dinner hour at the Tuileries was half-past seven. At this meal the -Prince Imperial, after his eighth year, was present as well as all the -ladies and gentlemen of the court. Shortly before the hour, the Emperor -went to his wife’s apartments and escorted her to the Hall of Apollo, -where the court awaited Their Majesties. As soon as dinner was served -the palace prefect was notified, who in turn informed the Emperor; -Napoleon gave his arm to Eugénie and the rest followed in order of rank. -The ceremony was simple but strictly in accordance with etiquette. At -table a young blackamoor, whom she had brought with her from Algiers, -always stood behind Eugénie’s chair, and waited on her with as lofty an -air as if he were fulfilling some sacred office. He was said to be of -noble birth, and proudly refused to serve any one but the Empress. - -After dinner, which was served with such smoothness and precision that -it seldom lasted more than three-quarters of an hour, the court returned -to the Hall of Apollo, where the evening was spent, usually in a most -tedious manner. The presence of the sovereigns prevented any spontaneous -general conversation. The Emperor himself rarely spoke at all, while -Eugénie, finding this atmosphere of repression unbearable, talked -incessantly with the nervous vivacity peculiar to her. To vary the -monotony of these evenings, reading aloud was sometimes suggested but it -was difficult to find anything suitable for such an assemblage. A French -or English romance would entertain the Empress but bored the Emperor -horribly; while if a scientific work that interested Napoleon were -chosen, Eugénie would yawn, therefore this too had to be abandoned. - -The Emperor was fond of solitaire, which he often played; but it did not -amuse Eugénie except when she did not feel like talking, which was -seldom the case. There was never music or card-playing at the palace. -Once in a great while the Empress would have a sudden fancy to do -something, as when, for example, late one evening a courtier was hastily -despatched to procure all the necessary materials for making artificial -flowers, that she might learn the art at once. On another occasion it -was the desire to model in clay that must be gratified on the spot. - -Punctually at ten, a table was brought in with tea and cakes, which the -ladies served themselves, and conversation now became general. Between -eleven and twelve the Empress withdrew to her own apartments and -generally retired at once though she sometimes kept her reader, Mlle. -Bouvet, to read aloud to her after she was in bed. As a general rule, -however, she preferred to read to herself which she did often and very -rapidly. - - - - - Chapter IX - Eugénie as a Leader of Fashion - - -The stairways and corridors in the Tuileries were so dark that they had -to be lighted summer and winter; and this, with the bad ventilation, -made the palace so unbearable in warm weather that the court spent the -summer months away from Paris, at Fontainebleau, St. Cloud, or Biarritz. -Of these resorts Napoleon’s favorite was St. Cloud, where he usually -went to recuperate from the severe attacks of illness to which he was -subject. Here he was quite happy, playing with his dog Nero, a faithful -companion for many years, or tending his roses in the palace garden. - -Eugénie, on her part, preferred Biarritz, in the Pyrenees, and it was -owing largely to her that this resort became by far the most popular in -France, casting Dieppe, Trouville, and Boulogne completely in the shade. -Nowhere in the world could there have been found such a medley of wealth -and poverty, aristocrats and adventurers, high-born dames and -demi-mondaines of all classes, as at Biarritz in the days of the Second -Empire. It had attractions of all sorts, hotels and restaurants, shops -and bazars of every description, as well as a casino containing a -theatre, concert hall, ball and gaming rooms, from the broad terrace of -which there was a most charming view. - -Opposite the town, on a rocky plateau across a narrow arm of the sea, -stood the Château Eugénie. It looked more like a barracks than a palace, -and owing to the salt spray flung all around it in time of storm, no -sort of vegetation would thrive there; but when the Empress stepped out -on her terrace in the morning, the sea lay spread out at her feet. The -ever changing lights and shades of sky and water lent variety to the -solitary landscape; while looking the other way she could watch the gay -equipages rolling by toward the baths. This to her was the ideal -combination of nature and civilization. In this beautiful spot Eugénie -spent some of her happiest hours, forgetful of the tedium of court life, -her husband’s infidelities, and the persecutions of Prince Napoleon and -his followers. Here her natural high spirits found vent, and she romped -like a child with her little son, or revelled in the sea-bathing, -feeling for the first time since her early youth the charms of a life -free from excitement or ambitious aims. - -Like all the children of Spain, she had the deepest affection and -reverence for her native land, that land with which were connected so -many happy as well as painful memories, and where her mother still -lived. Now that her griefs had lost their sting, she often longed for -Spanish ways and customs and to hear once more her childhood’s tongue. -From Biarritz she could make frequent excursions into Spain, where she -hailed even the poorest peasants with delight, chatting with them in -their native language, overwhelming them with gifts, and receiving in -return so warm a welcome that it more than repaid her for all the -humiliations of her youth. She also visited Madrid, the scene of her -early adventures, and was received with the greatest distinction by -Queen Isabella, from whose court she had once been dismissed on so -slight a suspicion. - -But it was not only in Spain that Eugénie won all hearts. Whether -receiving royal guests or visiting some charitable institution, -presiding at court or opening an exhibition, it could not be denied that -she had been wonderfully equipped by nature for the great role she had -been called upon to play on the world’s stage. Part of her popularity -was also due to the kindness of heart which was such a conspicuous trait -in her character through all her changes of fortune. Many admirable -institutions in Paris owe their origin to the Empress Eugénie’s -benevolence. In the Summer of 1865, while acting as Regent during the -Emperor’s stay in Algiers, she devoted herself to improving conditions -in the reform schools for children. Accompanied by a prefect of police -she made a visit in person to “La Petite Roquette,” a house of -correction. A terrible state of affairs existed in this institution, -where, since it was intended more for abandoned children than those in -need of punishment, a cell system had been introduced to prevent -communication between the two classes. The dark court was also divided -by high walls; and here the five hundred wretched inmates could be seen -creeping about their cages like wild beasts, with bowed heads and dull, -vacant faces. - -The Empress’s motherly heart overflowed with pity at sight of these -children’s sufferings. She appointed a commission at once to make a -change in this dreadful system and attended all the meetings, which were -held at the Tuileries, with the greatest interest and enthusiasm. A -member of the commission took advantage of one of these meetings to -oppose the Empress’s project. “The idea is all very well, Madame,” he -declared, “but there are so many obstacles in the way of its execution -that it is difficult to see how any remedy can be provided. To discuss -the question is merely an excursion into the realm of sentiment.” - -“Pardon me,” replied the Empress gently, “but this is a question of -humanity, not of politics.” And she finally carried her point. The -youthful prisoners of La Roquette were sent into the country, and the -cell system was abolished. It was not without anxiety that the warders -received the new inmates, fearing it would be a hard task to manage them -and that the well-behaved children would be corrupted by the others. -Results proved, however, that the Empress was right, for even the most -depraved and hardened culprits improved with kind treatment and work in -the open air. - -Equally worthy of note was the day spent by the Regent at St. Lazare—a -place of confinement for abandoned women. News of the Empress’s visit to -this place spread like wildfire over the city, and on leaving these -poor, despised creatures she received touching proofs of the people’s -devotion to her. The crowds assembled in the streets murmured blessings -on her, while the women knelt to kiss the hem of her gown. - -Toward the end of September, 1865, cholera broke out in Paris, and the -court, which was then at Biarritz, decided to return to the capital at -once. The memory of the terrible epidemic of 1849 was still fresh in the -minds of the people; and when, after apparently subsiding, the disease -broke out again with renewed violence a terrible panic ensued. The -courage and self-sacrifice displayed by Eugénie during this time won -universal applause; the newspapers, even those hostile to her, were loud -in praise of the royal “sister of charity.” On the twenty-first of -October the Emperor made a long visit to one of the cholera hospitals, -and on leaving ordered the sum of fifty thousand francs to be -distributed for the relief of the sufferers. Eugénie, to whom he had -said nothing of his intention, was much disappointed at not having -accompanied him. The next morning she drove from St. Cloud to Paris, -where she made the rounds of all the cholera hospitals herself, going -from bed to bed with words of cheer and comfort. Once, pausing beside a -man who was dying, she took his hand in hers gently and spoke some words -of sympathy to him. Thinking it one of the nuns, the poor fellow -summoned up his last remnants of strength to kiss her hand. “Thanks, -sister,” he murmured. The sister of charity who accompanied the Empress -leaned over and said: - -“You mistake, my friend; it was not I, but our gracious Empress who -spoke to you.” - -“Never mind, sister,” interposed Eugénie, “he could have given me no -more beautiful name—” a saying which was repeated and long remembered -among the people. - - * * * * * * * * - -Yet much as Eugénie had endeared herself to the masses by her -fearlessness and kind-heartedness during the cholera epidemic, it was -not long before the feeling against her on account of her bigotry, -extravagance, and frivolity again came to the surface, not alone in -court circles but throughout the whole Empire. To lay to the Empress’s -account all the follies and indiscretions, all the worldliness and -self-seeking, of Parisian life at that time, would be most unfair; yet -it cannot be denied that her influence had much to do with the luxury -and the eccentricities of fashion that prevailed. Doomed by her rank to -a life of idleness and inactivity, the lack of proper food for heart and -mind forced her energies to find outlet in trifles. The gratification of -her vanity became the chief object of life. With the sceptre of France, -her slender hand also grasped that of the world of fashion—a domain in -which she was no beneficent sovereign, but a tyrant whose yoke was borne -without a murmur. Even when she was a young girl her costumes excited -envy and admiration for their originality, and at every watering-place -she visited, bungling imitations of the beautiful Spaniard’s _toilettes_ -were to be seen in hotels and gaming halls. In Paris her influence soon -began to be felt, and almost before her name had become familiar to the -people her waistcoats were being copied and sold by all the fashionable -tailors, and the high-heeled riding boots she had worn at Compiègne were -adopted by every French court lady. Every morning, as we have seen, -before going to mass, Eugénie devoted one or two hours at least to the -study of dress. - -Her bedchamber, with its adjoining oratory, was at some distance from -her other apartments and lacked all stamp of individuality. The bed, -heavily draped with rich hangings, was raised on a dais, and resembled a -throne. In this room she kept the Golden Rose that was presented to her -by the Pope, and beside the bed stood one of the palm branches sent her -each year by the Holy Father with his blessing. Yet here she spent far -less time during the day than in the dressing-room next it, where there -were several large movable mirrors enabling her to see herself from all -points. On the floor above, connected by elevator and speaking tube with -her private apartments, were the rooms occupied by her waiting-women. -Here was a vast store of silks, velvets, and satins, with gowns and -every conceivable article of wearing apparel. Ranged along the wall were -rows of dresses and wraps of all sorts and colors, with receptacles for -hats, shoes, fans, parasols, etc. In one of the rooms were several -life-sized forms which the Empress had had made, exactly reproducing her -own figure in size and height, and dressed like living women to the -smallest detail; for in spite of the pains taken by the modistes and -tailors to win her approval, it was seldom that a costume entirely -suited her. - -She was tireless in her quest for novelty. With each change of season, -quantities of models and materials were brought to her to choose from, -and numberless conferences were held with Madame Virot, the court -milliner, as well as Worth, the famous ladies’ tailor, whose reputation -she founded. He would often send her costumes costing one or two hundred -thousand francs, and once he made her pay as much as fifty thousand -francs for a simple cloak. Even these works of art met with no mercy in -their original form, but were always remodelled and altered according to -her orders, until her own carefully cultivated taste produced the -desired effect of perfect harmony. All the artistic talent she possessed -was devoted to the study of dress, and under her sway fashion rose into -the realm of art. Inseparable from the image of the beautiful Spaniard -is the energy with which for eighteen long years she wielded its -sceptre. Her greatest interest in life, it constituted at once her -strength and her weakness—weakness because from it sprang the charge of -folly and extravagance justly made by France against its former -sovereign; strength, because of the art with which it enabled her to -hold her place on the pedestal to which she had been elevated, and gave -her the power to dazzle and fascinate not only the masses but also her -equals and contemporaries. - - - - - Chapter X - Decline of the Empire - - -As yet there had been no sign of change in Eugénie’s fortunes. The sun -of empire was still apparently at its zenith. France deemed herself -invincible. The throne seemed secured to the present dynasty for all -time. The Emperor’s policy had received some severe blows, however, and -disquieting rumors floated over from the ill-fated Empire he had founded -in Mexico. - -Maximilian and Carlotta had often visited the Tuileries in their younger -days, and it was only by Napoleon’s urgent persuasion and promise of -support until his throne should be firmly established that the Austrian -Archduke consented to accept the fatal crown. Mindful of this promise, -in his hour of need Maximilian sent his wife to Europe to seek -Napoleon’s aid. She arrived in Paris at night, and without pausing a -moment to rest after the long wearisome sea voyage she hastened to St. -Cloud, her disordered dress and distracted appearance betraying her -terrible agitation. She had brought over the letters Napoleon had -written to her husband, promising his support. Handing these to the -Emperor, she flung herself at his feet imploring him to keep his word. -But all in vain. Even had he wished, he could have done nothing; and -sobbing aloud, half senseless with despair, Carlotta is said to have -left St. Cloud with a curse on her lips, crying: “Louis Philippe’s -granddaughter should never have trusted her fate to a Bonaparte!” - -But although Napoleon’s political errors began to darken the halo lent -him by the Crimean War, and although two important events in the world’s -history had occurred without his having any share in them (the wars -between Denmark and Germany in 1864, and between Prussia and Austria in -1866), to all appearances the period immediately succeeding was marked -by greater splendor and prosperity than ever. On the first of April, -1867, a second World’s Exposition was opened in Paris. Once more a -stream of people from all parts of the world poured into the capital. -Never in the history of France had such lavish hospitality been -displayed—not even during the magnificence of Louis the Fourteenth’s -time nor in the reign of Napoleon the First. A perfect galaxy of crowned -heads was assembled at the French court, and the proudest princesses, -the most conservative monarchs, vied with one another in marks of -friendship toward “the upstart” and “the adventuress.” And with what -matchless grace, with what admirable tact, Eugénie played the part of -hostess to her illustrious guests! - -In consequence of an attempt to assassinate the Czar of Russia, history -has preserved an account of the grand military review that was held on -the seventh of June, 1867, in his honor and that of the King of Prussia. -Living walls of spectators surrounded the plain of Longchamps where it -took place. The glitter of uniforms, the flash of arms, and the flutter -of banners made a brilliant scene in the summer sunshine. The guests -arrived in state and took their places. The Crown Princess of Prussia -and her sister Princess Alice of Hesse were already in their seats on -the tribune, but no one heeded them. A general air of expectancy -prevailed. Suddenly on all sides arose the shout, “Here comes the -Empress!” and beaming with happiness, smiling and bowing graciously to -all, Eugénie drove round the great plain through ranks of cheering -thousands and alighted at the imperial pavilion. Directly behind her -came the three monarchs on horseback, followed by the German Crown -Prince and the Russian heir to the throne, while the massed troops -presented arms and a blare of trumpets greeted Their Majesties. Eugénie -took the seat of honor on the tribune, her glance travelling proudly -over the glittering ranks of soldiers, the flower of the French army, -and the shouting throngs beyond. As the sovereigns approached, Alexander -of Russia and William the Great of Prussia rode up and bent to kiss her -hand. The granddaughter of the wine-merchant Kirkpatrick, daughter of -Manuela Montijo of doubtful reputation, receiving public homage from -Europe’s mightiest princes—well might Eugénie be proud and happy! - -The review at Longchamps was one of the last of those brilliant -spectacles that amazed the world during the Second Empire, although not -the last of Eugénie’s triumphs that memorable summer. Three weeks later -the exposition prizes were awarded by the Prince Imperial, officiating -as President, on which occasion were present the Prince of Wales, the -Crown Princess of Prussia, the Crown Prince of Italy, the Duke of Aosta, -the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, and lastly the Sultan, with his son -and two nephews. Side by side on the magnificently decorated platform -sat Christian and Mohammedan, the bigoted Empress and the Turkish -Sultan. He had no command of French, but the glances with which he -followed her every motion plainly spoke the language of admiration. -Intoxicated with gratified vanity and ambition, Eugénie believed herself -at the summit of her greatness; but already the ground was trembling -beneath her feet. On that very day Napoleon received news of -Maximilian’s tragic fate, and the shouts of the populace were powerless -to drown the echoes of the rattle of musketry that came to him from -Querétaro like a prophecy of evil. - -One of Napoleon’s most marked and singular characteristics was his firm -belief in predestination. It was this fatalism that had led him to -centre all his energies on winning the throne, and to it he also owed -his cool personal bravery. With this indifference to danger were linked -the irresolution and vacillation so conspicuous in all the political -dealings of his later years. He tried in every possible way to lift the -veil that hid the future. There was scarcely a fortune-teller of any -repute in Paris whom he did not secretly visit, and, incredible as it -may seem, their prophecies always made a deep impression on him. - -It had often been foretold him, even before he ascended the throne, that -Germany would be the cause of his undoing, and that was the reason why -he could neither bring himself to support national unity in that country -nor yet decide forcibly to oppose it. He had hoped the war between -Prussia and Austria would weaken both powers so that he might be able to -snatch the roast chestnuts safely from the fire; but Prussia’s decisive -victory left him helpless and irresolute, unable to nerve himself to any -decisive action. The increasing power of that country caused a growing -uneasiness throughout France, and the Emperor’s credit began to sink. He -tried to form new political alliances, but it seemed as if the hand of -fate, which at first had led him on from victory to victory, was now -against him, for he encountered only difficulties and disappointments. -To play the role of protector to the Latin peoples had always been a -part of Napoleon the Third’s policy. It was no slight blow to him, -therefore, when Isabella of Spain, with whom he was about to form an -alliance, was dethroned just as a meeting between them had been -arranged. She sought refuge in Paris, where she was received with royal -honors, and her son, afterwards King Alfonso the Twelfth, became the -constant playmate of the Prince Imperial. - - [Illustration: _NAPOLEON THE THIRD_] - -The revolution beyond the Pyrenees sounded the alarm for France, and -clouds of insurrection began to appear on the horizon. Napoleon found -himself forced to loosen the reins of government; and although the -disturbances apparently blew over, opposition increased daily. With -modification of the press laws in 1867 the situation grew worse instead -of better; and when in the following year Henri Rochefort began the -publication of “La Lanterne,” the waves of revolution began to rise. -This democratic Comte exercised a magical influence over public opinion -in Paris, and his scurrilous journal, filled with venomous attacks on -the whole imperial family, reached an enormous circulation. Napoleon’s -political blunders were not calculated to appease popular sentiment or -his own anxious forebodings. To add to his troubles, he suffered greatly -from a chronic physical ailment; and in the autumn of 1869 his health -was so seriously affected that there was some talk of declaring the -Prince Imperial of age, before the proper time. Eugénie’s popularity too -began to wane even among the middle classes, which had always formed her -strongest support. - -As every one knows, it was her cousin Ferdinand de Lesseps who was the -originator of the Suez Canal. With it his name will remain forever -linked, while the Empress’s share in this undertaking will doubtless -soon be forgotten. He conceived the idea during a long residence in -Egypt, and devoted a year of tireless labor to its execution; but it was -her enthusiastic support that encouraged and urged him on and paved the -way for his success. It was not all smooth sailing, however. Before the -canal was finished rumors arose that it would not be navigable for large -vessels. The stock fell heavily; and with their usual fickleness, the -French people, threatened with heavy losses, blamed the Empress, who had -done her best to encourage subscription to the stock. Instead of the -shouts that usually greeted her appearance she encountered only an -ominous silence; and so great was her unpopularity at this time, that -she found it advisable when at the theatre to retire to the back of her -box. Her desire to be present at the opening of the Suez Canal added -fuel to the flame. One day it was announced by telegraph from London -that Napoleon had negotiated a loan of ten million francs from English -banks to defray the expenses of his wife’s journey to Egypt. Of course -it was totally without foundation, but the radical press hastened to -spread the report with so many malicious additions that Eugénie was -universally denounced for the vast sums she was supposed to have -squandered. - -Arrangements for her journey were continued, nevertheless. Preparations -were made everywhere to receive the fair guest on so grand a scale that -it is well worth a glance backward to recall the homage paid her so -short a time before her fall. Venice, where the imperial yacht, the -_Eagle_, first touched, was beautifully illuminated. The Italian royal -family welcomed her in person; and a hundred singers serenaded her on -the Grand Canal. In Athens she met with a still more flattering -reception; but it was at Constantinople that the most elaborate -preparations had been made in her honor. All the streets through which -she was to pass were newly paved and a number of houses torn down that -they might be widened. Accommodations for twenty thousand troops were -erected, and near by, a splendid kiosk. A gorgeous sedan chair valued at -over two hundred thousand francs was made expressly for her use, while -for weeks the ladies of the harem were busy practising their curtsies -and wearing high-heeled shoes. On the arrival of the _Eagle_, October -13, 1869, she was met by a fleet of twenty vessels, which escorted her -through a double line of Turkish men-of-war, twenty-five on either side, -each of which saluted with a hundred and one guns, the imperial yacht -responding with an equal number. The shores of the Bosphorus were lined -on both sides with troops. All the ships in the harbor were decorated -with flags, and at the appointed landing-place the Sultan was waiting to -receive his royal guest. The event was made a national holiday. All the -provinces and dependencies of the Turkish Empire sent deputations to the -capital to greet the French Empress; public celebrations of all kinds -were held; and at night the illuminations on the Bosphorus were a -magnificent sight. - -A week later Eugénie reached Alexandria on her triumphal progress, where -she was welcomed by Ismail, the Viceroy of Egypt, and from whence the -journey was continued by rail to Cairo. Everywhere her appearance was -the signal for an unbroken succession of _fêtes_ and illuminations. At -the celebration of the opening of the Canal her yacht was the first to -pass through it. Seated on the flower-wreathed deck, amid the thunder of -cannon and strains of music from all the ships’ bands, she sailed -proudly through the new waterway, not only France’s sovereign and the -patroness of the great undertaking, but Queen of Beauty and Fashion as -well. Almost all the great sea powers were represented at the ceremony. -The Emperor of Austria and the Crown Prince of Prussia with many other -royalties were with her on the _Eagle_, but it was upon Eugénie that all -eyes were fixed; for her the frantic shouts that rent the air. - - - - - Chapter XI - The War of 1870 - - -The spirit of revolution may be quenched at times in the populace of -Paris, but it is never entirely extinguished. Napoleon the Third had -held their turbulence in check for nearly twenty years, but now all -signs seemed to indicate that an outbreak was imminent. The Emperor’s -best friends advised him to identify himself with the liberal party, -which in case of any change of sovereignty would prove a valuable -safeguard to his young and inexperienced son. Others were of the opinion -that a war with Prussia was necessary to preserve the Empire and revive -popular loyalty to the name of Napoleon. That such a war would at one -blow shatter the proud imperial edifice, no one dreamed, least of all -the Empress, who was at the head of this party. - -Napoleon chose the former course. At the general election of 1870, the -change from an autocratic to a constitutional government was approved by -about eight million votes. For the other alternative he had a decided -distaste. His watchword, “empire is peace,” was no empty phrase on his -lips, in spite of the wars into which he had been forced by policy. When -at the victorious battle of Solferino he saw whole ranks of Austrians -mowed down by his artillery, he ordered the firing to cease, in spite of -the protests of his officers; and long afterwards he could never think -or speak of this bloody engagement without a shudder. One of his most -cherished plans was to bring about a general disarmament of all the -great powers, and a presentiment that his ruin was near at hand made him -the more averse to any conflict with Prussia. The pressure in favor of -it grew steadily greater, however, and, weary of the burden of -government, ill in body and mind, he finally yielded. War was declared -on the most trivial pretext, July 14, 1870. - -Heretofore the French people had shown no special interest in the -subject, and the news came as a surprise; yet once the die was cast, the -prospect of war excited the wildest enthusiasm. The Emperor and Empress -were greeted with acclamation: the horses were taken from their coach -and drawn by the youth of France; the imperial pair rode in triumph -through the streets of Paris. The whole nation was aroused. Volunteers -flocked to the banner of France. Shouts of, “To Berlin! To Berlin!” and -the strains of the Marseillaise, filled the air. The ferment that had -long been brewing having now found an outlet, the riotous element -hastened to the frontier. Every day fresh bodies of troops departed. -Paris was in high spirits, and news from the seat of war was awaited -with confident assurance. From day to day it was expected that the -Emperor would join the army; but it was not till the twenty-eighth of -July that he finally took his departure, leaving his wife as Regent -during his absence, and accompanied by the Prince Imperial, who was to -have his first experience of warfare. - -When Napoleon questioned Lebœuf, the Minister of War, concerning the -preparations for war, he was assured that all was complete. The army was -ready; everything in order, to the smallest detail. Yet how far from -truth, alas, were these empty phrases! Reforms that had been begun under -the preceding ministry were far from being carried out. Army -organization was wofully defective. Even so important a post as Metz was -insufficiently protected. Contractors defrauded the Government. All was -confusion and lack of proper equipment. Under these conditions it is not -strange that the overthrow of the Germans did not speedily follow. After -some delay—far too long to suit the eager Parisians—came the first -despatch, a message of victory. The indecisive action at Saarbrücken was -construed into a glorious beginning of the war. The Emperor’s telegram -to his wife was printed all over Europe and stamped the Prince Imperial -with an impression of ridicule that only his life-blood, afterwards shed -at Itelezi, was able entirely to obliterate. - - “Louis has received his baptism of fire. He showed admirable calmness - and did not once lose his composure. One of General Frossard’s - divisions has taken the heights overlooking Saarbrücken on the left. - Prussia will offer little resistance. We were at the front, with - musket and cannon balls falling all about us. Louis has kept a bullet - that struck close beside him. One of the soldiers wept to see him so - brave. Our total loss amounts to one officer and ten men. - - “Napoleon.” - -This news was received with satisfaction but neither surprise nor -enthusiasm. It was no more than was expected, and even in France there -was much laughter over Lulu’s “baptism of fire.” But soon came a change. -The German victories of Weissenburg, Wörth, and Forbach followed in -rapid succession. At the French headquarters an attempt was made to -suppress the news of these defeats and no word from the seat of war was -received in Paris. The ministers who went to St. Cloud to consult with -the Empress found her in tears, and full of anxiety at the long silence. -At length, however, rumors of the disasters reached the capital, and the -people were beside themselves with rage and despair. - -Early on the morning of Sunday, the seventh of August, the Empress came -to Paris and immediately sent for the ministers and the presidents of -the Legislative Assembly and the Senate. The next day Paris was declared -in a state of siege and a proclamation issued by the Empress, urging the -citizens to maintain order and rally to the support of France that her -losses might be retrieved. She already imagined herself at the head of -affairs, taking active measures for the defence of the capital, cheering -on the troops, and firing them with courage, a role that particularly -appealed to her fancy; but the appeal made little impression. The -people, only too familiar with her fondness for theatrical effect and -admiration, clamored for action. Declamation was little to the purpose. -They wanted victories, not comedies! - -Public irritation vented itself first of all against the ministry, which -was forced to resign. Émile Ollivier was succeeded by the aged General -Montauban, Count of Palikao, who had distinguished himself in the war -against China; while Trochu was appointed Governor of Paris. Further to -satisfy popular sentiment, Napoleon was forced to resign his position as -Generalissimo in favor of Marshal Bazaine, who accordingly assumed the -chief command of the army. - -Under normal conditions the Emperor’s place would now have been in -Paris; but the new ministry, as well as the Empress herself, protested -against his return. Disheartened by the long delays, sore with -disappointed hopes, and furious at the supposed mistakes of the -generals, the people of Paris were ripe for revolution, and only a spark -was needed to set them aflame. The imperial pair were overwhelmed with -scorn and abuse. Already their throne was tottering, and with the -victorious advance of the Germans, conviction of its speedy downfall -grew daily stronger. - -Never before had the Empress found herself in so critical a situation. -The new ministry lacked the confidence of the public and could be of no -help to her. She had no tried general to depend upon, and every trace of -the troops’ devotion to the house of Napoleon had long since vanished. -She stood alone and defenceless against an enraged populace only -awaiting a pretext to hurl itself upon her. With this daily-increasing -excitement, the brawls and dissensions caused by the army’s defeats on -the frontier, and universal anxiety for the fate of the country, Eugénie -began to understand how grievously she had erred in urging on this -“little war,” as she had referred to it in the beginning of the -campaign. Fears as to the fate of her own husband and child made her -realize for the first time the suffering of thousands of other wives and -mothers. She felt the necessity of uniting with them in some active -work, and was tireless in her efforts to atone in some measure for the -wrong she had thoughtlessly committed. - -In the days of prosperity her worst qualities had been uppermost; she -had not shown the better side of her nature. It remained for misfortune -to reveal her real strength and nobility of character. In spite of the -feeling against her, she went about everywhere, personally -superintending the care of the wounded. The brilliant salons of the -Tuileries were turned into hospital wards. A new spirit seemed to -animate her and to lend her fresh strength in this time of danger. At -night she rarely slept, and even when taking a brief rest during the -day, her attendants had orders to awaken her the moment any message or -despatch arrived. No matter how worn out or exhausted she might be, she -would force herself to rise and hasten back to the bedside of the -wounded where there was so much suffering to relieve, though she had no -time to think of her own misery. Yet often in her own chamber, haunted -by the agonized cries of the dying, she would pace up and down wringing -her hands as if in bodily pain, tortured by anguish of soul. In these -hours she prayed long and fervently for her dear ones and for her -people, the women who suffered like herself, the brave men who were -fighting for their country. A feverish activity possessed her. She tried -to persuade Austria to assist France. She wrote to the Queen of England -imploring her to intervene for the sake of peace. She pardoned over two -thousand criminals. She superintended the preparations for the defence -of Paris and held innumerable consultations with Trochu, in whom she -placed the blindest and most implicit confidence. At the same time, -however, she took the precaution of having all her important private and -family papers conveyed on board the French squadron, as well as some of -the principal works of art from the Louvre. She also had a list of the -crown jewels made, to secure her against suspicion in case of extremity. -Her own personal ornaments were sent to her mother in Spain. The strain -and over-exertion of these weeks seriously affected her health and -wrought a startling change in her appearance. Tortured with suspense, -she waited from day to day for news from the seat of war; yet all that -came brought so little comfort that her advisers thought best to conceal -it from the people as far as possible. - -At length came the final blow. On the afternoon of the third of -September, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs was on his way to the -Tuileries, he was met by the Superintendent of Telegraphs. - -“I have just received a most important telegram for the Empress from the -Emperor,” he said. “I usually attend myself to the messages that pass -between Their Majesties, but this one I have not the courage to -deliver.” It was the well-known despatch: - - “The army is defeated and has surrendered. I myself am a prisoner. - - “Napoleon.” - -The Minister went at once to Eugénie with this terrible news, the -reality of which exceeded all that her darkest fears had painted, and -her feelings at this moment may be better imagined than described. Yet -even then she did not consider her own fate. Her only thought was for -France; and she firmly refused to employ the troops in her own defence -against the people, for that would have added the terrors of civil -strife to those of war. Late that evening the bad news reached the city, -but instead of uniting to make a brave stand against the enemy, the -populace rose in arms, and it was plain that the Empire’s days were -numbered. The streets were filled with surging throngs, shouting “Down -with the Emperor! Down with the Empress! Long live the Republic!” On all -sides was heard the expression, “An Emperor dies, but does not -surrender.” - -About one o’clock that night the Legislature held a special session. Not -a member was absent, and the galleries were crowded. Amid a deathly -silence the president arose. He said: - -“A calamity has brought us together here at this unwonted hour. I have -called the session to discuss our present situation.” - -Not a sound broke the stillness. All eyes were fixed on the Ministers’ -bench. Count Palikao rose. The aged hero was no orator, but his voice -was firm as he announced the disaster of Sedan. He added, slowly: - -“With such news it is impossible for the ministry to enter into any -discussion before to-morrow. I was called from my bed only a short time -since, to come here.” - -The president of the Exchequer then put the question as to whether the -meeting should be adjourned. “Aye-aye,” shouted several voices. Suddenly -a bushy head arose, and a loud, discordant voice made three -motions:—“Deposition of the Emperor; Appointment of a provisional -Government; Retention of Trochu as Governor of Paris.” It was Jules -Favre. - -Only members of the Extreme Left subscribed to these motions, which were -received with surprising indifference. One member of the Right protested -against the Emperor’s deposition, but an ominous silence greeted his -words. For the rest of the night a similar silence reigned throughout -the city. It was the hush before the storm. - -That Eugénie was far from suspecting an uprising is shown by the fact -that she made absolutely no preparations for flight. The next morning -she arose early, heard mass in her private chapel, and made her rounds -of the hospitals as usual. At nine o’clock she received General Trochu, -who, although only a few hours since placed at the head of the new -Government, still solemnly protested his loyalty to her. Later in the -forenoon a deputation waited on the Regent to inform her of the -appointment of a commission to assume control of the Government in her -place, in other words, to request her resignation. She listened quietly -to their explanation and dismissed them with the following words: - -“What you mean to offer me, gentlemen, is the pledge of a peaceful -future, on condition that I renounce the present and abandon in time of -danger the post entrusted to me. That I cannot do. To such terms I -certainly will not subscribe. Go back to the Assembly and say to General -Palikao and his colleagues that I rely upon them implicitly; that I -grant them full power to take any steps proper for the interest of the -country, and approve the same in advance.” - -Meanwhile the public tumult increased in violence. The red flag was -hoisted everywhere. A boy of nine years even climbed up and fastened one -to the top of the bronze railing that surrounded the Tuileries. -Thousands filled the Place de la Concorde, roaring the Marseillaise at -the top of their voices. The Assembly had again met, but so many forced -their way into the chamber, and the uproar was so great, that it was -impossible to transact any business. - -“Not here shall the Republic be proclaimed,” shouted Gambetta, “but at -the Hôtel de Ville!” - -This suggestion met with great applause, and the deputies adjourned to -that edifice, where a Government of National Defence was formed. The -news that the Empire no longer existed quickly spread and was hailed -with wildest enthusiasm. Not a voice was raised in behalf of the fallen -dynasty. Vast throngs invaded the Hôtel de Ville and valuable portraits -of the Emperor and Empress were hacked with knives, trampled under foot, -and tossed out of the windows. The imperial emblems were torn to pieces, -and the eagle, which could not be easily removed, was covered with -paper. - -“At the windows of the huge barracks filled with troops supposed to be -loyal unto death to the Emperor,” says an eye-witness, “I saw soldiers -laughing, waving their handkerchiefs, and shouting ‘Long live the -Republic!’ Strangers hugged and kissed one another for joy. In the -neighborhood of the Pont Neuf, people mounted on high ladders were busy -pulling down busts of the Emperor, which were carried in mock state and -flung into the Seine, shouts of laughter and applause greeting the -splash with which the mutilated images of their former sovereign struck -the water.” - - - - - Chapter XII - Eugénie’s Flight to England - - -The Empress mean while was still at the Tuileries. One of the palace -prefects had returned from the Assembly with news of what had passed, -but she refused to desert her post even though the mob was already at -the gates of the palace and a dull roar penetrated the deserted halls. -Eugénie’s question as to whether it would be possible to defend the -Tuileries without bloodshed was answered in the negative by the governor -of the palace, General Mellinet, and she still refused to have a drop of -blood shed in her behalf. Nearer and nearer sounded the uproar, and the -trampling of feet was now distinctly audible. Shouts were heard: “She -will escape!” “Long live the Republic!” “Down with the Spaniard!” -“Forward! Into the palace—forward!” - -Prince Metternich and the Italian ambassador, Count Nigra, who had -hastened to the side of the Empress, urged her to flee, as every moment -that passed made escape more difficult. But to run away from danger was -foreign to Eugénie’s nature, and she could not bring herself to believe -it necessary, in spite of the raging mob without trampling on one -another, swaying now forward, now back, striving with shrieks and blows -to make room and force open the gates of the palace, all animated by a -single impulse—hatred for the imperial house. At length sounds of tumult -were heard on the great staircase, and the Empress’s attendants implored -her to leave the palace and not expose their lives to danger. - -“Is there no other way?” she asked in despair. “Is there nothing we can -do to defend ourselves? At least, you can say I have done my duty to the -last.” - -Deeply moved, they kissed her hand without replying; but the Prince -urged them to hurry, as there was no time to lose. A dark cloak was -thrown around the Empress, and, accompanied by her reader, Madame -Lebreton, with the two ambassadors, Minister Chevreau, and a few members -of her court, she consented at last to go. Escape was impossible through -the palace courtyard; for the Place du Carrousel, from which it was -separated only by a slender railing, was packed with people. Some other -way must be found; but before leaving her rooms Eugénie went to the -window and stood looking down for a moment on the seething mass below. - -“Alas!” she cried, “what folly to spend their strength in this way, when -the enemy is at the gates!” Then, as she turned to go, she added with -emotion: - -“Unhappy palace! fate seems to have ordained that all crowned heads -shall leave you in this way.” - -By this time her escort was reduced to the two ambassadors and Madame -Lebreton. The others had already fled to seek their own safety. She took -Count Nigra’s arm, and Madame Lebreton followed with Prince Metternich. -Through the Flora Pavilion of the Tuileries they hurried to the Louvre, -the galleries of which they must traverse at full length to reach an -exit on the side toward St. Germain. But here, too, the street was -crowded with people shouting, “Long live the Republic!” “Down with the -Emperor!” - -The little party halted before the door, but behind them also sounded -the roar of the mob. To turn back would be inevitably to fall into their -hands. The risk must be taken; there was nothing to do but go on. Even -at this critical point the Empress’s courage did not forsake her; -indeed, she had never given clearer proof of it than now. - -“You are holding my arm,” she said to Nigra; “do you feel it tremble?” - -“Not in the least, Madame,” replied the Count. - -The gentlemen opened the doors. The ladies passed out, and Eugénie found -herself face to face with the populace who were inflamed with hatred -against her. She was within a hair’s-breadth of sharing the fate of -Marie Antoinette, or perhaps being torn to pieces by the rabble. The -excitement was so great, there is no knowing what terrible scene might -have been enacted had she been recognized. - -Luckily a closed carriage happened to be standing near by, and with -great presence of mind she rushed toward it. A street urchin spied her -and shouted, “Look, look! the Empress!” but no one heeded the words. -Nigra stopped and spoke to the boy to divert his attention while Eugénie -threw herself into the carriage, followed by Madame Lebreton. Prince -Metternich shouted an imaginary address to the driver, and off they -went, safe at least for the time being. But their troubles were not yet -ended. In her haste, Eugénie had forgotten her purse; and when her -companion drew hers from her pocket she found to her horror that it -contained only three francs in all, scarcely enough to pay for the -carriage. To avoid a discussion with the driver, they determined to -continue on foot, but whither, they had not yet considered. At the -Boulevard Haussmann, therefore, they alighted, and while Madame Lebreton -paid the coachman, Eugénie stepped into the shadow of a doorway. - -It is said that the Empress knocked in vain at many doors before she -succeeded in finding a temporary asylum in her own capital; but at -length the happy thought occurred to her of applying to Dr. Evans, a -well-known American dentist whom she had known for years and often -received at the Tuileries. Arrived at his office, she had to wait with -other patients in the anteroom till her turn came; but at last Madame -Lebreton was able to gain admittance to the dentist and told him that -the Empress was without, hoping to find a refuge under his roof until -she could make her escape from Paris. - -Evans’s astonishment was beyond words. Unaware as yet of the sudden -change in affairs, he could not believe it possible that the Empress -should have cause to fear for her safety. Nevertheless he begged the -ladies to wait while he went out into the street to convince himself of -the true condition of things. In a short time he returned, convinced -that they had not left the Tuileries a moment too soon; and without a -thought of his own danger or the possible detriment to his business, he -promised to aid them to the full extent of his power. His wife was away -at the time, and as luck would have it, he was expecting the arrival -that day of two patients who were unknown to his servants. He now -introduced the Empress and Madame Lebreton as these persons. His own -bedchamber was prepared for Eugénie and an improvised couch placed in it -for her companion. - -While the Empress was thus being harbored in the house of the chivalrous -American, and full of anxiety as to what the morrow would bring forth, -all Paris was mad with joy. Men, women, and children marched up and down -the streets all night, singing and shouting, oblivious of the disaster -of Sedan and the country’s danger, and rejoicing that the Empire was no -more. - -Evans, meanwhile, had instantly set to work. Under pretext of a -professional visit, but in reality to prepare for the Empress’s escape, -he drove out that very day to the Neuilly Bridge where he was stopped -and asked to give his name, also his destination and his errand. One of -the guards who happened to know him, however, called to his comrade to -let the American pass. - -“I may be frequently obliged to pass the barriers,” remarked the Doctor -coolly; “look well at me, my man, so that you will know me again and -that I may not be detained unnecessarily.” - -His plan was already made. On his return he informed the ladies that -they would be able to pass the Neuilly Bridge the next day under his -protection if Her Majesty would consent to play the part of a mad woman. -He would pretend to have a patient with him on her way to an asylum -beyond Neuilly, while Madame Lebreton could pass as her attendant. -Accompanied by a friend and countryman of Dr. Evans, who was taken into -their confidence, they started off the next morning. All went well. The -sentry at once recognized the doctor, while the Empress, leaning back in -the carriage, her face hidden by a thick veil, passed unnoticed. This -danger past, they reached St. Germain in safety, and then Nantes, where -they put up at an inn. - -“I have a lady with me whom I am taking to a private asylum,” Evans -explained to the innkeeper, “and I would like a quiet room with shutters -on the windows.” - -His request was complied with without question, and here Eugénie and her -companion were able to enjoy a few hours’ rest. Evans’s colleague -returned to Paris with the doctor’s carriage which they had used thus -far, and a coach was hired for them by the landlord to convey the -invalid to the institution where she was to be left in charge. Further -to carry out the plan, it was privately arranged that the Empress should -appear to protest against being taken there, and make such forcible -resistance on the way that they would apparently be forced to take -another road. They had driven for scarcely half an hour, therefore, when -a loud dispute arose between Eugénie and the doctor, which became so -violent that Evans called to the coachman to stop that he might try and -induce the patient to go a short distance on foot. - -“I will not—I will not!” stormed the Empress, and her screams frightened -the horses so that the driver declared he would go no further unless the -disturbance was stopped. - -“I will never go to that place, I will not!” shrieked Eugénie afresh, -and at last there seemed nothing for it but to turn back and drive to -the nearest post station, whence the coach was sent back. As a further -measure of precaution they changed conveyances at every station, now, -however, taking the road to their real destination—the watering-place of -Deauville, where Mrs. Evans was then staying. - -For many weeks, as we have seen, Eugénie had lived in constant agitation -and anxiety—the days full of exhausting labor, the nights without -sleep—and had suffered both mentally and physically in consequence. She -was no longer able to eat, and had lived for the last four or five days -literally on nothing but black coffee and chloral, which she had been in -the habit of taking in large quantities to drown her troubles. She wept -almost incessantly; and even when sleep lent her a few moments’ respite, -she would start up suddenly, begin to talk and laugh excitedly, then as -quickly burst into tears and relapse again into deepest melancholy. - -After two seemingly endless days, the fugitives reached Deauville on the -evening of September 6, and Evans took the Empress and her companion at -once to his wife. Mrs. Evans was about the same size as Eugénie, and -gladly packed up a part of her wardrobe with some necessary articles of -toilet for the Empress’s use, while the doctor hastened to discover what -boats were leaving for England. Two vessels were in the harbor, the -larger an American ship, the other a pleasure yacht, the _Gazelle_, -belonging to Lord Burgoyne. Finding the former not sufficiently -seaworthy, Evans applied to Lord Burgoyne, who at first flatly refused -to take the Empress across, partly for political reasons, partly because -a storm was brewing. But Eugénie’s protector insisted so urgently that -he finally yielded on condition that the ladies should not come aboard -till just before the boat sailed, lest the fact that he had passengers -should attract attention. Shortly before midnight Eugénie, accompanied -by Evans and her faithful Lebreton, hurried on board the yacht, which -did not weigh anchor, however, till the next morning. - -The dangers by land now lay behind the fugitives, but others still -awaited them by sea. Soon a fearful storm arose, and the little craft -was tossed about at the mercy of the elements. The crew, little -suspecting that an Empress looked to them for rescue, labored on bravely -and calmly, as is the way of sailors, who know at any moment they may be -called into eternity. Still the storm increased in violence, and the -danger grew greater every moment. The ladies were flung about the tiny -cabin like bales of merchandise. By nightfall all hope seemed vanished. -Pale as death, terror stamped on every line of his countenance, Lord -Burgoyne appeared at the door of the cabin, crying that they were lost. - -“It is all your fault!” he shouted, glaring wildly at the doctor, then -rushed away as suddenly as he had come. The three passengers looked at -one another in amazement, and seasick, exhausted, and disheartened as -she was, Eugénie could not help laughing at the Englishman’s frenzy of -terror. Still the brave little _Gazelle_ struggled on against wind and -wave until at last the storm began to subside, and about three o’clock -the next morning, after what seemed a miraculous escape, they reached -the harbor of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. - -With what feelings must the ex-Empress have once more beheld this coast! -Must she not involuntarily have recalled that first visit with her -mother to England so long ago, in her joyous care-free youth? And again, -when she took that first important step toward recognition by the -European sovereigns, and as the favorite of fortune, gay, courted, and -admired, landed amid the enthusiastic shouts of the people, as the -honored guest of Queen Victoria? To-day she turned to England for -refuge—no longer the beautiful sovereign of a great European power, but -a wretched fugitive, an unhappy woman exhausted with fatigue and faint -for lack of food. Those shores on which she had once been hailed with -triumph now in the gray dawn were sole witnesses of her mute despair. - - - - - Chapter XIII - The Empress in Exile - - -Early on the morning of the eighth of September, the landlord of the -Hotel York in Ryde was awakened by a loud knocking, and found a man and -two women standing outside the door. They had gone first to another inn, -but had been refused admittance, their appearance was so bedraggled and -forlorn. Yet worn and travel-stained as they were, the doors of the York -were opened to them without hesitation, and here the Empress and her -companions were able to rest for a few hours after their exhausting -journey. That same afternoon, however, they went on to Brighton, where -the Empress heard that the Prince Imperial had escaped through Belgium -and landed at Dover the preceding day. Through all her own danger and -distress she had been tortured by constant suspense as to the fate of -her son. Now, therefore, she hurried at once to Hastings where she hoped -to meet him; and that day witnessed the reunion of mother and child. But -how different, alas, was this meeting from that of which Eugénie had -dreamed, when the Prince—hailed with cheers from the troops and the -people, and followed by a mother’s proud hopes—had departed “à Berlin” -under his father’s care! - -There could have been no greater contrast than that of the life that now -began for Eugénie in Hastings, with her brilliant career as Empress, or -even with that troubled war-time and the dangers and excitements through -which she had passed. Torn by alternations of hope, fear, and -disappointment, she had scarcely had time during the past month to think -of herself, much less give way to her feelings. Here, at the Marine -Hotel, for the first time she found leisure to look back on what had -happened and to review her past life—that inevitable time of reckoning -from which no life is wholly free. Hitherto she had known nothing but -gratified desires, glittering triumphs, and realized ambitions. She had -had no cause to distrust friends or doubt their loyalty, no experience -of ingratitude. Rarely forgetful of a service done her, and incapable of -falsehood herself, she had preserved an almost childlike faith in human -nature. Now, for the first time, fate was to make her thoroughly -familiar with this bitterest chapter in the book of experience. Scarcely -had she turned her back on the Tuileries before her own servants rifled -her apartments. Later, when news came that the rabble had broken into -the palace and wrought havoc there, Eugénie’s first thought was “Poor -Trochu!” - -“Why do you pity him?” asked her companion, in surprise. - -“Because he has sworn so often to me that only over his dead body should -any assailant enter my palace, that I feel sure he must be dead,” was -the reply. - -That this General, who so basely deserted his sovereign in the hour of -danger, was on the contrary quite well and enjoying life in his -self-appointed position as head of the Government is only a single -instance of how those who in time of prosperity bowed lowest before the -Empress were the first to desert her in misfortune. Every newspaper that -she saw showed her the meaning of adversity. Those who had received the -most signal marks of favor were the loudest now to denounce the -defenceless woman. With petty spite, the Government of National Defence -had destroyed all the emblems of imperialism and done everything in its -power to represent the dynasty, which for nearly twenty years had upheld -the welfare and prosperity of France, as a curse to the country. Anxious -to discover, if possible, something derogatory to the character of the -Empress, it had caused the palace to be searched for any private papers -she might have left behind, but without success. Even the few letters -that were published for the purpose of exposing her disclosed nothing in -the least compromising. - -Her jewels and dresses, with some ready money that was found in the -Tuileries after her flight, were sent to her in England. Yet although -she was forced to dispose of her diamonds to defray necessary expenses; -and although Napoleon, to provide himself with funds, sold his private -estate in Rome, the “Palazzo dei Cesari,” for a few hundred thousand -francs, it was persistently asserted in Paris that the imperial family -were in possession of millions of francs with which they had enriched -themselves at the people’s expense; also that Napoleon had made enormous -sums in foreign speculation and owned capital in Dutch, English, and -American bonds. - -Filled with anger and despair at these lies and petty persecutions, -Eugénie found life at Hastings unendurable. The prying curiosity of the -townspeople and of the crowds of strangers that flocked thither was a -torment to her. Even the sea air she so loved did her no good; the -magnificent view only served to rouse bitter memories of the happy days -at Biarritz. The King of Prussia had offered her and her son a residence -in Wilhelmshöhe, but she would accept no hospitality from France’s -enemy. At length, through Dr. Evans, she rented Camden House at -Chiselhurst, whither she moved toward the end of September. - -But even though dethroned and an exile, Eugénie did not altogether cease -to concern herself with politics. While she was at Hastings, and the -situation following her flight was so new as still to warrant -recognition of her authority as Regent, Bismarck sent an envoy to her to -discuss terms of peace. She replied that so long as there remained a -single enemy on French soil, or there was question of even the smallest -cession of territory, she would enter into no negotiations with him. - -Bismarck was not the only one who tried to induce her to intervene in -this matter. There was still one post in France that held out against -the Germans, still one general at least who was loyal to the Empire. -Marshal Bazaine was in Metz with a force of 170,000 men, all picked -troops, including the Imperial guard which had so often filled the -Parisian populace with pride at state reviews. Believing himself strong -enough to exert some influence over the question of peace or a -continuation of hostilities, he sent General Bourbaki to Chiselhurst, -with the consent of the King of Prussia, to inform the Empress that he -was in favor of concluding peace if she would so authorize him. Tempting -as this opportunity of again wielding power was to Eugénie’s active -nature, she prudently forbore, realizing that her best plan was to -withdraw entirely from the field of politics at present and await a more -favorable opportunity, when she might work with redoubled energy for the -restoration of her family. This course was also in accordance with the -wishes of Napoleon, to whom she made a secret visit in October in order -to consult with him, while General Bourbaki was at Chiselhurst awaiting -an answer. - -In spite of Eugénie’s continued refusal to mix in any public affairs, -the “salon at Chiselhurst” was persistently reported to be the centre of -political intrigue; and Prince Jerome Napoleon, who in the absence of -the Emperor wished to appear as head of the imperial family, presented -himself at Camden House one day to demand of the Empress an explanation. -A stormy scene followed between these two bitter enemies, and the “red -Prince” was careful that a properly distorted account of the interview -should be made public. - -After an imprisonment of about seven months, Napoleon was at last free -to return to his wife and son at the little home in Chiselhurst, where -the imperial family continued to live in the simplest manner; for -although Camden House did not lack comfort and even elegance, it was so -limited as to space that it was impossible to accommodate more than one -or two guests at a time. Yet the joys of family life compensated in a -measure for all the luxury and state of which they had been deprived by -fortune, and in this smaller sphere Eugénie lost none of the dignity and -charm of manner for which she had been so conspicuous. It was the more -easy for her to adapt herself to these new conditions as gradually a -circle of their old friends began to gather about the exiles, and -expressions of loyalty and devotion arrived nearly every day from -France, with many proofs of friendship from Queen Victoria and other -royalties. - -A great task still lay before her—to provide for the future of her son. -She had always been a wise as well as devoted mother, and had not failed -to impress on the young Prince that more would be required of him than -of others, in order properly to fit himself for the high position he -would one day be called upon to occupy. Now that the throne must be won -back again, it was doubly important that he should receive a thorough -military education. This son was now her only thought. She centred in -him all her hopes and expectations, for the Emperor’s health—which had -been poor for years—was now rapidly failing. She could never count on -Napoleon the Third’s return to the throne; but as the mother of Napoleon -the Fourth she saw herself in fancy once again in France, more highly -honored, even prouder and happier if possible, than before. - -The chronic ailment from which the Emperor had always suffered -threatened, toward the close of 1872, to take a fatal turn and his -physicians advised an operation. Personally, Napoleon was strongly -opposed to it; but the Empress, not realizing the danger, and perhaps -with the secret hope that it might enable her husband to become once -more a power in French politics, urged him to yield to the physician’s -advice. He submitted accordingly to the operation, but had not strength -enough to recover from the shock; and on the ninth of January, 1873, the -“dreamer” passed quietly away without a word or a sign. - - - - - Chapter XIV - Death of Prince Imperial - - -Eugénie’s grief at her husband’s death was deep and sincere. Over his -bier she wept far bitterer tears than those she had shed during those -dreadful days following her flight from the capital. Indeed she was so -prostrated as to be unable to appear at the funeral. Human nature is -elastic, however, and it was never the Empress’s way to fold her hands -and brood over her troubles. She found one source of consolation, -moreover, in the constant proofs of attachment that reached her, not -only from the friends that had remained faithful to her through all the -changes of fortune, but also from many others who had long seemed to -have forgotten their vows of allegiance. - -As death had removed all possibility of the restoration of Napoleon the -Third to the throne, his old adherents rallied to the support of his -son; and as there was still a large Bonapartist party in France, it -seemed not improbable that with the exercise of courage and patience the -Empire might one day be revived. In 1873, by uniting with the -Legitimists and Orleanists, they succeeded in deposing Thiers, who had -been President of the Republic since 1871, and electing Marshal MacMahon -in his place, a change greatly to the advantage of the Bonapartists, who -now entered the political arena once more as a regular party. - -In the Autumn of 1872 the Prince Imperial entered the military academy -at Woolwich, where he studied hard and made gratifying progress; and on -the death of his father he was generally recognized as heir to the -imperial throne, in spite of all the efforts made by his cousin Napoleon -to prevent it. Eugénie now lived only in this son and his future; no -stone was left unturned to smooth his pathway to the throne. As yet he -had a hard struggle before him; but her faith in his ultimate victory -was supreme; and supported by ex-Minister Rouher, the leader of the -Bonapartists, then as ever one of Eugénie’s stanchest friends, she -carefully but firmly gathered up the threads by which she hoped to guide -the course of events. - -On the seventh of February, 1875, the Prince passed the required -examinations and left Woolwich with an officer’s commission. He had -developed greatly in every respect, to his mother’s joy and the pride of -his party, whose hopes were now fixed on him. His amiability and charm -of manner won him friends wherever he went. Unlike his father, he -objected strongly to any radical measures or political agitation of any -sort, and hoped to recover what he considered his rightful crown by the -natural allegiance of France. Besides her political ambitions for her -son, Eugénie was anxious also to arrange a suitable marriage for him; -but in this she was disappointed. The wooing of Napoleon the Fourth met -with the same fate as that of his father. There were repeated rumors of -a betrothal between him and Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter, -Beatrice, who is said to have cherished a warmer feeling than friendship -for the exiled Prince; but, deep as was the sympathy felt for him by the -English royal house, and true a friend as Victoria had proved herself, -to entrust her daughter’s fate to young Napoleon seemed to her a trifle -too uncertain. When this plan failed, Eugénie fixed her hopes on the -Princess Thyra of Denmark; and in 1878 the Prince made a visit to that -country to try his fortune with the Danish court; but here, too, he was -rejected as a suitor. - -The Bonapartists now felt that to have any serious hope of gaining the -French crown the Prince must first win his laurels as a soldier; they -urged him, therefore, to join the English army, which was about to go to -war with the Kaffirs of Zulu. Much as she desired to see her son seated -on the throne, Eugénie shrank from this method of achieving it; but the -Prince fell in at once with the suggestion, and unmoved by his mother’s -attempts to dissuade him, sailed for Africa with the English troops, -leaving a message of farewell to his followers. - -On the ninth of April, 1879, he arrived at the headquarters of the -commander-in-chief, Lord Chelmsford, and took part in several actions -with great spirit and courage. In May, while he was on a reconnoitring -expedition in the neighborhood of Itelezi with a fellow officer and -several men, the party was suddenly surprised by a band of Zulus who -sprang out from behind an ambuscade. Abandoned by his companions, who -fled to save themselves, the Prince held out bravely as long as he -could, but at length one of the savages dealt him a fatal blow, and he -fell, his body pierced with seventeen spears. The _Military Gazette_, in -which the young Prince received honorable mention, says: - - “Thus did an inscrutable fate grant to him what it cruelly denied both - his father and the great founder of their race—to fall in battle, - bravely fighting against the foe.” - -The death of the Prince Imperial created the profoundest sensation. As -soon as the news reached England, Colonel Sidney, an old friend of the -family, was sent to break it to the Empress, but before he could get to -Chiselhurst she had already heard of it. That morning all newspapers and -telegrams had been carefully withheld from her, but her letters were -overlooked. One of these was doubly addressed, to her and to Secretary -Pietri, and contained an allusion to “the dreadful news” without -mentioning what it was. She sent at once for the Duke of Bassano to ask -for an explanation; and when he arrived speechless with emotion, she -suspected that it concerned the Prince. Chilled with fear at what she -read in his countenance, she stood as if turned to stone. That son, for -whom she longed day and night, her only joy in life! The thought was so -terrible, Eugénie could not pursue it to the end. - -“Something has happened to my son,” she groaned; “I must start at once -for the Cape.” - -Unable to reply, the Duke went out into the hall, where he met Colonel -Sidney, who brought confirmation of the sad tidings. The Empress sent -again for the Duke and insisted upon hearing all, repeating that she -should go to Africa at once. - -“Alas! madame,” said the Duke, “it is too late.” - -“Oh, my son—my poor son!” shrieked the mother, and fell senseless to the -floor. - -After the first paroxysm of grief was over, she neither wept nor spoke, -but listened with feverish despair while the Duke related all the -circumstances of her son’s death, not withholding a single painful -detail. Madame Lebreton then led her gently into her bedchamber where -the Abbé Goddard tried to comfort her. But the religion that had been -such a source of support to her through all her troubles now proved of -little consolation. Her whole life had been bound up in her child, and -now that this last earthly support had crumbled, all hope and joy lay -buried in the dust. For several days and nights she neither ate nor -slept, but remained sunk in a sort of torpor from which she roused only -to ask in tones of agonized pleading if it might not be that her son was -only ill or wounded, and she could go out to nurse him back to health. -Fortunately for her life or reason, she at last found relief in tears, -and now she wept unceasingly. - -The whole world shared the stricken mother’s sorrow, and thousands of -messages of sympathy were received at Chiselhurst. Telegrams of -condolence came from all the courts of Europe, as well as from President -Grévy of the French Republic, Marshal MacMahon, and many others. Requiem -masses were held in every Roman Catholic church in London. Especial -sympathy was felt for her in Spain, but the consolation of weeping out -her grief on a mother’s bosom was denied her, as the Countess Montijo -was then so old and feeble it was thought best not to inform her of her -grandson’s death. - -Republican, not to say radical, as the French capital was at that time, -the death of the Prince Imperial caused general consternation. The -Empire was still fresh in the minds of all. At the birth of the -Emperor’s son innumerable prayers had been offered for both mother and -child. Step by step the affections of the gay Parisians followed the -little Prince, and when at the age of three he rode with his mother to -Notre Dame to the thanksgiving services for the victory of Solferino, -the state coach was scarcely able to make its way through the admiring -and enthusiastic throngs. Since that day the Napoleonic dynasty had -suffered many reverses. The Empress, once the pride and glory of her -subjects, was an exile, surrounded by only a few friends, and living in -comparative poverty. Now she had suffered the last and heaviest blow of -fate in the loss of her only child. Yet many more hearts went out to -Eugénie in this hour of trial than in the days of her prosperity. Great -and small, rich and poor, friend and foe, united in heart felt sympathy -for the grief-stricken mother. But it was a grief that was beyond -consolation. She had done with life. “All is finished,” were the words -she constantly repeated, and sobbing aloud would bury her face in her -hands to shut out the awful vision that was always before her—the body -of her son pierced with cruel spear-wounds. - - * * * * * * * * - -When the remains of the Prince Imperial, which had been sent back to -England under a military escort, were borne into the hall at Camden -House by some of his former comrades at Woolwich, a single cry of -anguish escaped the Empress, but she did not shed a tear. All night she -remained on her knees in prayer beside the coffin; at dawn, when the -flame of the wax tapers began to pale in the growing light, she heard -mass, after which she shut herself closely in her own room and did not -leave it again till after the funeral services were over. - -The burial of Napoleon the Third had been only the usual drama enacted -in every family when a beloved one is laid to his last rest, but that of -the Prince Imperial was a scene that touched even the coldest and most -indifferent, and excited world-wide interest. At the Emperor’s death, -despite their grief, the mourners had looked with hope and confidence -toward his son; now this last hope had vanished, and tears were seen -even on the cheeks of grizzled veterans. Where hundreds had accompanied -the father’s remains to their resting-place, the son’s bier was followed -by thousands of every rank and station. - -Early in the morning of the day of the funeral, July 12, Queen Victoria -arrived at Camden House with her daughters Alice and Beatrice, and with -her own hands laid a laurel wreath of gold upon the coffin. Many other -royal and distinguished personages followed, and the expression of -genuine sorrow visible on every face lent an air of remarkable solemnity -to the occasion. The Archbishop of Southwark performed the burial rites -for which some of the most famous opera singers had proffered their -services. Those of Madame Caters and Christine Nilsson were accepted; -but the latter, some of whose happiest memories were associated with the -palmy days of the Empire, and who had then considered it her highest -honor to sing before the now broken-hearted Empress, was for the first -time unequal to her task. Her voice failed, and she burst into tears. - - * * * * * * * * - -Broken by mental and physical suffering, the ex-Empress Eugénie still -lives on, awaiting the moment of release that shall reunite her with -those dearest to her on earth. She made a pilgrimage to Zululand to see -the spot where her son met his death. She has frequented various -watering-places seeking relief from the physical infirmities from which -she suffers. She visits many hospitals and charitable institutions to -minister to the sick and wounded; yet these acts of mercy serve only to -revive her sorrows, and emphasize the void in her lonely life. - -From Chiselhurst, which held so many painful memories, she moved to -Farnborough, whither she also had the bodies of the Emperor and the -Prince Imperial conveyed. With the Queen of England Eugénie enjoyed the -same close friendship as in earlier years, and until the time of -Victoria’s death she was a frequent visitor at Windsor, although she -never appeared at any Court festivities. She still receives frequent -proofs of loyalty from France, and every year on her birthday she is -overwhelmed with flowers and good wishes. Yet nothing can rouse her from -her melancholy. Whole days and nights she sits brooding over the past, -haunted by faces and presentiments of death. At one time her attendants -even found it necessary to remove all the portraits of her husband and -son in order to preserve her reason. - -A sad change has also taken place in her appearance. Portraits of her in -the early days of her widowhood show a still attractive figure whose -unhappy fate is suggested only by her mourning and the lines about the -eyes. But years such as she has since experienced count heavily. Her -hair is now snowy white. The slender figure is bowed with age and grief. -Scarce a trace is left of her wonderful charm and fascination, and in -the pale mourner with sunken eyes and faltering step there is no longer -the faintest resemblance to the once beautiful and splendor-loving -Empress. - - [Illustration: _THE EMPRESS-WIDOW_] - -What a contrast, alas! between her youth and her age! In the one, a -triumphant goddess, soaring from victory to victory, a sovereign tried -by many disappointments and disillusionments indeed, yet never -disheartened, never harboring bitterness or resentment in her heart: in -the other, a broken and grief-stricken woman, weighed down with sorrows -for which time brings no consolation, and whose thoughts are ever with -her beloved dead. - -The historian of the future, undazzled by the glittering splendor of the -Second Empire, and unbiassed by sympathy for the unfortunate widow and -mother, will scarcely judge the Empress Eugénie as leniently as the -critic of to-day, yet more fairly than those of her own realm who have -tried to blacken her reputation by calumny. He will find palliation for -her faults, not so much because they were the result of her origin and -training as because they were more than counterbalanced by her better -qualities, especially her warm-heartedness and dauntless courage. He -will also recognize that, as the wife of a usurper, she was beset with -complications to which a born princess would not have been exposed, and -that, taking all things into consideration, she filled that difficult -position with credit to herself and France. - - - - - Footnotes - - -[1]At his christening the Prince received the names Napoleon Eugéne - Louis Jean Joseph, but was called, like his father, Louis Napoleon. - - - - - Appendix - - -The following is a chronological statement of the principal events -during the career of Empress Eugénie and Louis Napoleon: - - 1808 Birth of Louis Napoleon. - 1826 Birth of Eugénie. - 1815-30 Napoleon in exile. - 1831 Revolt against the Pope. - 1840 Descent upon France and Capture. - 1848 Member of the National Assembly. - 1851 _Coup d’État._ - 1852 Elected Emperor. - 1853 Marriage of Eugénie and Napoleon. - 1854-56 Crimean War. - 1856 Birth of the Prince Imperial. - 1859 War with Austria. - 1862 Interference with Mexico. - 1870 War with Germany. - 1870-71 Capture and Imprisonment. - 1873 Death of Napoleon. - 1879 Prince Imperial killed in Africa. - - - - - LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - - _Translated from the German by_ - GEORGE P. UPTON - - 28 Volumes Now Ready - - - _Historical and Biographical_ - - Barbarossa - William of Orange - Maria Theresa - The Maid of Orleans - Frederick the Great - The Little Dauphin - Herman and Thusnelda - The Swiss Heroes - Marie Antoinette’s Youth - The Duke of Brittany - Louise, Queen of Prussia - The Youth of the Great Elector - Emperor William First - Elizabeth, Empress of Austria - Charlemagne - Prince Eugene - Eugénie, Empress of the French - Queen Maria Sophia of Naples - - _Musical Biography_ - - Beethoven - Mozart - Johann Sebastian Bach - Joseph Haydn - - _Legendary_ - - Frithjof Saga - Gudrun - The Nibelungs - William Tell - Arnold of Winkelried - Undine - - Illustrated. Each 50 cents _net_ - A. C. McCLURG & CO., Chicago - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - ---Copyright notice provided as in the original—this e-text is public - domain in the country of publication. - ---In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the - HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.) - ---Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and - dialect unchanged. - - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EUGÉNIE, EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Eugénie, Empress of the French, by Erich Holm</div> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Eugénie, Empress of the French<br /> -Life Stories for Young People</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Erich Holm</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Translator: George P. Upton</div> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: August 18, 2020 [eBook #62965]<br /> -[Most recently updated: August 22, 2021]</div> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: D A Alexander, Stephen Hutcheson, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team</div> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EUGÉNIE, EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH ***</div> - -<div class="img"> -<img class="cover" id="coverpage" src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Eugénie, Empress of the French" width="800" height="1111" /> -</div> -<div class="img" id="pic1"> -<img src="images/p0.jpg" alt="" width="840" height="1200" /> -<p class="caption"><i>EUGÉNIE</i></p> -</div> -<div class="box"> -<p class="center"><span class="sc"><i>Life Stories for Young People</i></span></p> -<h1>EUGÉNIE -<br /><span class="smallest">EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH</span></h1> -<p class="tbcenter"><span class="large"><i>Translated from the German of -<br />Erich Holm</i></span></p> -<p class="center">BY -<br /><span class="large">GEORGE P. UPTON</span> -<br /><i>Author of “Musical Memories,” “Standard Operas,” etc.</i> -<br /><i>Translator of “Memories,” “Immensee,” etc.</i></p> -<p class="center"><span class="smaller">WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS</span></p> -<div class="img"> -<img src="images/p1.jpg" alt="A. C. McCLURG & CO." width="200" height="199" /> -</div> -<p class="center">CHICAGO -<br />A. C. McCLURG & CO. -<br />1910</p> -</div> -<p class="center small"><span class="sc">Copyright -<br />A. C. McCLURG & Co.</span> -<br />1910 -<br />Published September 24, 1910</p> -<p class="center smaller">THE · PLIMPTON · PRESS -<br />[W · D · O] -<br />NORWOOD · MASS · U · S · A</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_v">v</div> -<h2>Preface</h2> -<p>In a recent interview at her villa in the Riviera, -the ex-Empress Eugénie is reported to have -said: “I have lived; I have been; I do not ask -more. I ask not to be remembered. Between my -past and my present there exists not half a century, -but ten centuries. Men have changed, times have -changed. It is a dream that is dissipated.” It is -a fascinating story, as told in these pages, the career -of this granddaughter of a Scotch wine-merchant, -who by the power of her personal charm, the incentive -of her ambition, and the boldness of her resolution, -achieved her purpose, though stigmatized an -upstart and adventuress, and eventually driven -from the throne and doomed to spend her remaining -days brooding over the loss of her power and -her beauty; over France’s crushing defeat in what -the short-sighted Empress lightly termed “my war”; -over her folly in urging Napoleon into the war; -sorrowing over his death, and chiefly, lamenting the -death of her son at the hands of Zulu savages in -that far-away land whither she had urged him to -go. Hers is an adventurous, a romantic, in every -way an extraordinary, life-story. It shows what one -of determined will and fixed purpose may do. But -was it worth the doing? In these days, looking -back over her career, all she can say is: “I am the -past. I am the distant horizon where exists a mirage, -a shadow, a phantom, a living sorrow. I am an old -woman, poor in everything that makes a woman -rich. My husband, my son—that brave boy—they -are gone. My eyes no longer turn to the future. -I live only in my youth. There is nothing for me -but to wait. My dreary winter is nearly over.” -Poor Eugénie! That she still clings to the hope of -seeing a descendant of Napoleon on the throne of -France is evidenced by a letter to an old soldier who -recently appealed to her for help, in which she says: -“As her majesty admits that every old soldier of -the empire has remained faithful to the sacred cause, -to the imperial eagles, it is necessary so that her -majesty may be assured of a devotion of which she—or -rather the legitimate heir to the throne—will -perhaps have need sooner than one thinks, that she -receives from you a letter in which she will find the -expression of your unshakable devotion to the -memory of Napoleon III and to the Imperial cause, -as well as the expression of your mistrust of the -present regime.”</p> -<p><span class="jr">G. P. U.</span></p> -<p><span class="small"><span class="sc">Chicago</span>, <i>July</i>, 1910.</span></p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_vii">vii</div> -<h2>Contents</h2> -<dl class="toc"> -<dt class="jr"><span class="jl"><span class="sc">Chapter</span></span> <span class="small"><span class="sc">Page</span></span></dt> -<dt><span class="cn">I </span><a href="#c1"><span class="sc">The Youth of Eugénie</span></a> 11</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">II </span><a href="#c2"><span class="sc">Eugénie’s Marriage to Louis Napoleon</span></a> 23</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">III </span><a href="#c3"><span class="sc">Eugénie’s Personality</span></a> 36</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">IV </span><a href="#c4"><span class="sc">State Visit to England</span></a> 42</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">V </span><a href="#c5"><span class="sc">Birth of the Prince Imperial</span></a> 49</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">VI </span><a href="#c6"><span class="sc">The Empress in Politics</span></a> 54</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">VII </span><a href="#c7"><span class="sc">Private Life of the Empress</span></a> 62</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">VIII </span><a href="#c8"><span class="sc">Paris under the Second Empire</span></a> 68</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">IX </span><a href="#c9"><span class="sc">Eugénie as a Leader of Fashion</span></a> 79</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">X </span><a href="#c10"><span class="sc">Decline of the Empire</span></a> 88</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">XI </span><a href="#c11"><span class="sc">The War of 1870</span></a> 97</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">XII </span><a href="#c12"><span class="sc">Eugénie’s Flight to England</span></a> 109</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">XIII </span><a href="#c13"><span class="sc">The Empress in Exile</span></a> 119</dt> -<dt><span class="cn">XIV </span><a href="#c14"><span class="sc">Death of the Prince Imperial</span></a> 126</dt> -<dt><span class="cn"> </span><a href="#c15"><span class="sc">Appendix</span></a> 136</dt> -</dl> -<div class="pb" id="Page_ix">ix</div> -<h2>Illustrations</h2> -<dl class="toc"> -<dt><a href="#pic1">Eugénie</a><i>Frontispiece</i></dt> -<dt><a href="#pic2">Empress Eugénie</a>30</dt> -<dt><a href="#pic3">Napoleon the Third</a>92</dt> -<dt><a href="#pic4">The Empress-Widow</a>134</dt> -</dl> -<div class="pb" id="Page_11">11</div> -<h2>Eugénie<br /><span class="smaller">Empress of the French</span></h2> -<h2 id="c1"><span class="h2line1">Chapter I</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">The Youth of Eugénie</span></h2> -<p>At the beginning of the last century there -dwelt in the city of Malaga in Spain a -merchant named Kirkpatrick. Although -descended from a Scotch family of distinction that -had been forced by the fall of the Stuarts to flee -their native land, this later scion of the race earned -his livelihood by the sale of wines which he dispensed -with his own hand in a room at the rear of his shop. -The business prospered and he became a rich man, -exporting large quantities of Spanish wines to foreign -countries; but he still kept his wine-room in -Malaga, assisted by his four daughters, who did -much to attract custom.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_12">12</div> -<p>The lofty family traditions of the Kirkpatricks of -Closeburn could scarcely have been expected to be -remembered amid the practical duties of the merchant’s -busy life, but his beautiful daughters were -by no means unaware of their high descent nor -without hope of elevating themselves once more to -the rank of their ancestors. Of the four sisters, -Manuela, the third, was the most aspiring as well -as the most beautiful. Even when busy serving -wine and chatting gayly with the gentlemen who -frequented her father’s wine-room, her mind was -constantly dwelling on the traditions of her house, -and in the glories of the past she forgot the sordid -surroundings of the present. Although a true -daughter of the soil from which she sprang, Manuela -was very different from the ordinary Spanish girl, -who is often indolent and ignorant; for with her -Scotch blood she inherited the energy without which -her dreams and ambitions could never have been -realized. Determined to rise in the world, and with -nothing but herself and her beauty to depend upon, -she decided that only a brilliant marriage could -accomplish her ends; and to achieve this she was -ready to use any means or make any sacrifice.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_13">13</div> -<p>Among the officers stationed at that time in Malaga, -most of whom were frequent patrons of Kirkpatrick’s -wine-room, was a colonel of artillery in -the Spanish army, Count Manuel Fernandez de -Teba. No longer young, and far from attractive -in person, having lost an eye, and being very short-sighted -besides, he was little fitted to awaken tender -sentiments in the fair sex; but Manuela was not to -be daunted by this. His heart seemed a citadel -not too difficult of conquest, and without regard to -his appearance she devoted herself to the study of -his antecedents. The result of these genealogical -researches exceeded her fondest hopes, for they -proved that the bluest blood of Spain flowed in -Count Teba’s veins. He was descended from the -noble Genoese family of Porto-Carrero, which, emigrating -to Estremadura in the fourteenth century, -had secured by marriage the right to bear some of -the most illustrious names of Spain as well as the -heirship to the joint estates of Teba, Banos, and -Mora. He was the second son, it is true, but his -elder brother was unmarried; and if she united her -future with his, the ambitious maiden could reckon -with some security on attaining in time the rank -and position to which she aspired.</p> -<p>Her father’s increasing prosperity, no less than -her own remarkable beauty, caused many younger -and handsomer suitors to lay their homage at Manuela’s -feet, but however favored any one of these -may have believed himself, he was now cast remorselessly -aside. Her course once decided on, she lost -not a moment in setting her hand to the work. She -showed Count Teba the most delicate attentions, -the most flattering deference; for him were reserved -her sweetest smiles, her tenderest glances, until at -last the credulous nobleman’s admiration kindled -into passion, and without even consulting his family, -Manuel Fernandez, afterwards Count de Montijo -and Duke de Peneranda, married Maria Manuela, -daughter of the wine-merchant Kirkpatrick. The -young Countess at once set up an establishment on -the grandest scale. Her salons became the resort -of the richest and most distinguished officers, and -she charmed every one with her hospitality, her -beauty, and her wit.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_14">14</div> -<p>While she was enjoying her triumph to the full, -however, evil tongues were soon busy over the free -and easy tone said to prevail in the home of the -worthy pair—a rumor that quickly found its way -to the Count de Montijo. From the first he had -strongly disapproved of his brother’s unsuitable -marriage, and, indignant at the gossip caused by -his sister-in-law’s behavior, he determined to prevent -their becoming his heirs, by making a marriage -himself in his old age. Manuela was seized with -fury at this news; but prudence soon gained the -upper hand, and instead of sulkily avoiding her new -relatives she made every effort to win their approval, -a course that was the less difficult for her to pursue, -as, to her secret joy, the marriage remained childless. -Tired of living in her native place where she was -constantly reminded of her humble origin, she finally -persuaded her husband to leave Malaga; and with -their little daughter Francisca Theresa they moved -to Granada, where the Count’s brother had his residence. -There, on the fifth of May, 1826, the future -Empress of the French, Maria Eugénie, was born—the -same day of the same month on which Napoleon -the Great had died.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_15">15</div> -<p>Eugénie’s mother was a perfect woman of the -world. Brilliant and clever and mistress of the art -of conversation, she far surpassed the ordinary -Spanish woman in intellect as well as wit. It was -not strange, therefore, that with all these charms at -her command she had succeeded in winning over -her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, and establishing -herself in their favor; so that Count Teba’s -family soon became welcome guests at all the Montijo -entertainments, where they were received with -the utmost courtesy and respect. But even this -did not satisfy Manuela. She longed for a life of -more freedom and unrestraint, and to climb yet -higher in the ranks of society. Her ambition was -destined to be fulfilled, for before many years had -passed Count Teba stood beside the bier of his childless -brother; and his wife now persuaded him to -take up his residence in Madrid.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_16">16</div> -<p>The domestic life of Eugénie’s parents had never -been a harmonious one. Her mother’s extravagance -and coquetry, together with the jealous and violent -temper of her father, soon banished the genius -of peace from the household; and their quarrels -were the more frequent and bitter from the Countess’s -lack of any real affection for her husband. Matters -grew even worse after their arrival in the capital, -for Manuela gave herself up entirely to intrigues and -made her husband’s life miserable. Here, too, she -was prompted less by passion than by ambition, -since it was through her connection with influential -persons that she hoped to obtain a position at court. -Among the many she attracted to her house was General -Narvaez, at that time the most powerful man -in Spain. At his intercession, the wine-merchant’s -daughter was made first lady-in-waiting to the -youthful Queen Isabella. This coveted post she -could no doubt have easily retained had she not -allowed her passions for once to gain the upper hand. -A young Italian for whom she had a fondness disappeared -one fine day with all her jewels; and on -this occasion she so far overstepped the bounds permissible -even at the Spanish court that it was intimated -to her she would do well to leave Madrid.</p> -<p>While their mother was thus coquetting and intriguing -at court, Eugénie and her sister, two years -older than herself, had been left at the Sacred Heart -Convent in Paris. The Countess now took the two -girls away with her, and, leaving her husband in -Madrid, began a pleasant life of travel, dividing her -time between London, Paris, and the fashionable -watering-places, everywhere gathering about her a -circle of friends and adorers, many of them men -distinguished in the world of art and learning,—although -the greater part of her admirers belonged -to that class which lives in enjoyment of the present, -preferring the pleasures of the senses to those of the -mind. Over her young daughters’ acquaintances -and associates, however, she kept a close watch; -whatever her own indiscretions may have been -during this period, she carefully guarded their innocence -from all evil influences. She neglected no -opportunities for improving their minds, and it was -then that the foundations were laid of that excellent -education which no one ever ventured to deny the -Empress Eugénie.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_17">17</div> -<p>It was impossible for the careful mother not to -perceive the attention excited wherever they went -by her younger daughter’s beauty, her regular -features, exquisite coloring, large clear eyes, and -wonderful golden hair; and while she little dreamed -that Eugénie was destined to become the sovereign -of a great European nation, with justifiable maternal -pride she began to hope that her child might rise -to even greater rank than she herself had attained. -To pave the way to this good fortune, the Countess -Montijo made another attempt to regain her position -at court, but met with a prompt refusal. Narvaez, -however, who was still in power, took her under -his protection without more ado; and on the death -of her husband, in 1839, she determined to return -to Madrid, where, at the expiration of her period -of mourning, the handsome widow accordingly appeared, -accompanied by her still more lovely daughters, -Francisca, at that time seventeen years old, and -Eugénie, fifteen. The sisters were a complete contrast -to each other though equally beautiful. The elder was -darker and more slender, and her features were softer -than Eugénie’s, though her face had less character.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_18">18</div> -<p>Through the zeal and influence of Narvaez and -their mother’s prudence and perseverance, the Queen -was finally induced to take the young girls into her -court, but their position there was by no means an -enviable one. As daughters of a woman who in -spite of her personal attractions was well known to -have led an irregular life, they were looked upon -with general suspicion; and as they constantly -appeared with this mother in society, it was only -natural that members of their own sex should hold -aloof from them, while the men redoubled their -attentions in consequence. The Countess Montijo -was shrewd enough to see that she must proceed -with caution if she wished her plans realized; therefore, -to protect her daughters from the reefs on -which her own reputation had been wrecked, she -kept all undesirable cavaliers at a respectful distance. -Among all those who sought the young Countesses’ -favor there was only one she considered worthy to -occupy the position of her son-in-law, the Duke of -Berwick and Alva; him she encouraged in every way, -permitting him to ride and drive with her daughters -and accompany them to the theatre, giving him an -intimate footing in the family. His companionship -was a source of delight to both sisters, and he soon -became the centre of their thoughts, possessing as he -did the art of making himself so agreeable to both that -each one fancied herself the object of his preference.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_19">19</div> -<p>Eugénie adored Alva with all the intensity of a -first love, endowing him with all the loftiest and -most noble qualities; and, worshipping this image -created by her fancy, believed herself loved in return. -The mother, however, more experienced in the faithlessness -of man, began to suspect that he had no -intention of choosing either daughter as a companion -for life; accordingly she set before him, when he -came one day to call, the serious alternative of -declaring himself or severing all intercourse with -the family; to which ultimatum the Duke replied -by requesting the hand of the elder. When Francisca, -radiant with joy, hastened to her sister’s room -to announce the great news she found her in bed. -At first she thought her asleep, but on coming closer -discovered to her horror that Eugénie’s eyes were -fixed and staring, her forehead covered with beads -of moisture, her features drawn and convulsed—she -had taken poison! Francisca’s screams of distress -quickly brought her mother and the maid to -the scene. A physician was summoned, and Eugénie -was restored to consciousness. A long and serious illness -followed. In her delirious ravings she betrayed -the fact that, hidden behind a door, she had overheard -the Duke’s avowal and in despair had tried -to end her life. Her recovery was slow and tedious. -Even after she had been pronounced out of danger, -her nervous system showed traces of the shock in a -slight trembling, a nervous quiver of the eyelids, -that never entirely left her. The sudden attacks of -depression, the fits of weeping that sometimes seized -her in after years, even in the midst of some festivity, -may also be ascribed to the effects of the poison taken -in her youth.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_20">20</div> -<p>Still deeper were the traces left on the young girl’s -character by this unhappy experience. Though -taught by pride to conquer her love for the husband -of her sister, she was forced to be a daily witness of -that sister’s happiness and to endure the pity with -which she was universally regarded, added to which -was the galling conviction that the Duke himself -suspected her secret. The once shy and modest -maiden became a bold, forward coquette, striving -to forget her sufferings in a whirl of pleasure and -amusement, craving admiration, ambitious and frivolous. -As a child she had always preferred boys’ -sports to the usual occupations of girls, and excelled -in riding, swimming, and fencing. Now she might -be seen any afternoon galloping bareback through -the streets of Madrid, smoking a cigar or a cigarette. -She devised all sorts of fanciful costumes that only -she could wear, often appearing in the Andalusian -national dress. She was a frequent visitor at the -theatre and all public places of amusement, and had -a passion for bull-fights. One of the toreadors, for -whom she embroidered a splendid cloak, was her -declared lover. She rarely missed one of these gory -festivals; and, seated on the lowest tier among the -most enthusiastic spectators, in her Andalusian costume, -she was always the centre of attraction. The -womanly modesty that had made Eugénie so charming -in her early girlhood had vanished, but she was -even more beautiful and fascinating. She was surrounded -by admirers, and encouraged the addresses -of dukes and princes till her coquetries aroused the -jealousy of the Queen. But no one paid court to -her seriously. Suitors were naturally shy of choosing -a wife who often appeared in masculine attire, -who wore the most startling and conspicuous bathing -costumes to excite admiration while in the water, -and whose hand was as familiar with riding-whip -and stiletto as with fan or bouquet.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_21">21</div> -<p>In spite of her many extravagances, however, -Eugénie’s youth was marked by a gay thoughtlessness -and daring that were most attractive. Her -self-reliant nature could brook no restraint. She -scorned prudence and yielded rashly to every impulse. -The attention she attracted could not fail -to furnish food for gossip, and malicious tongues -were soon busy with her reputation—a fact which -did not deter her in the least from pursuing her -fondness for adventure. This indifference to public -opinion also led her, unfortunately, to defy custom -and snap her fingers at the strict etiquette prescribed -at court. At last she went out alone one -evening with one of the young pages for a long walk. -Whispers of this romantic promenade soon reached -the ears of Queen Isabella, who, though setting the -worst possible example herself in regard to morals, -insisted on the strictest propriety in the behavior -of her ladies; and both culprits were summarily dismissed -from her service.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_22">22</div> -<p>Like all Spanish girls, Eugénie had been brought -up from her earliest years a devout Catholic, with -the deepest reverence for the Pope and the Roman -religion, a devotion that in time became almost -fanaticism and furnished her enemies with a weapon -of attack against which she was powerless to defend -herself. After her dismissal from court she began -to reflect on the difference between a religious life -and one of idle pleasure. While at the convent, the -contrast between the unselfish devotion of the nuns -and the atmosphere of her parents’ disordered household -made a deep impression on the young girl’s -mind, and the Church seemed a blissful refuge from -the storms of life. Now—feeling more and more -conscious of the void within her—a passion for -religion seized her, a longing to escape from the -world of lies and slander in which she lived, into a -purer atmosphere, a new field of activity. The -Church held out its arms to her, and in them she -determined to seek relief and to find strength to -devote her life to the poor and suffering. It is said -that when Eugénie went to the convent prepared -to take the vows, an old half-witted nun approached, -gazed at her with dull, vacant eyes, and suddenly -exclaimed, “My daughter, do not seek shelter behind -our walls. You are destined to adorn a throne!”</p> -<p>In her state of religious ecstasy these words could -not fail to impress Eugénie deeply. It seemed a -voice from heaven, speaking to her through the nun -and consecrating her to the world. The Countess -Montijo, too, did all she could to strengthen her -daughter in this conviction, and persuaded her at -length, instead of burying herself in a cloister, to -travel abroad with her again.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_23">23</div> -<h2 id="c2"><span class="h2line1">Chapter II</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Eugénie’s Marriage to Louis Napoleon</span></h2> -<p>As a child, Eugénie was seldom seen without a -knot of violets in her hair or in her belt; -and when the scorching summer sun of -Spain made these blossoms scarce, a shepherd boy -was commissioned to bring them to her from the -heights of the Sierra Nevada. Even when older, she -still wore her favorite flowers on all occasions, for a -gipsy had foretold that her fortune “would flourish -with the violet.” So on that memorable evening -toward the end of the thirties, when at a Spanish -watering-place Napoleon and Eugénie (she, then, -almost a child) saw each other for the first time, she -wore a wreath of violets in her hair.</p> -<p>“I shall never forget,” said an eye-witness of the -scene, “the way in which the Prince gazed at the -young Countess when she was presented to him.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_24">24</div> -<p>The acquaintance was renewed some years later -during a winter residence in London (1847-48), and -it was only natural that these two, brought together -by chance, should be attracted to one another. Both -were of noble rank; both had a longing for fame and -splendor; both were unfaltering in the pursuit of -their ambitions; both were rich in hopes, yet poor in -worldly possessions; and though full of courage and -faith in the future, both were in reality adventurers. -They were soon on terms of intimacy, and Louis -Napoleon could no doubt have won the hand of -Eugénie at that time. But his future was still uncertain. -He was poor and heavily in debt, with -the reputation of leading a dissipated life; and although -she returned his love, she was prudent -enough to renounce for the time being the opportunity -of becoming a princess. Convinced that her -lover’s aspiring dreams would be realized, however, -and wishing to have a claim on his gratitude as -well as his affections, she wrote him as follows, on -their parting:—</p> -<p>“You want to go to Paris to begin the struggle for -power; to become consul, president, dictator. But -suppose these goals are attained, will you stop there? -Will that satisfy your ambition? Without a doubt -you will aim yet higher, and then how troublesome -you would find a wife! An Emperor must keep the -place beside him for an Empress. Should your -plans fail, on the other hand, should France not -offer what you expect, then and only then, come -back to me and I will give you an answer to your -proposal. Do not forget there is one heart ready -to recompense you for any troubles—for all disappointed -hopes.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_25">25</div> -<p>On the news of the Revolution of February and -Louis Philippe’s flight, Napoleon hastened to Paris. -At the first election for a constitutional National -Assembly (April, 1848) his cause met with little -support. Not until the supplementary election did -the Prince’s adherents appear as a party, but once -in the field they spared no pains to win the victory. -Bonapartist proclamations were distributed throughout -Paris; and in the course of eight days no less than -six of the principal organs of the press came out for -him openly. Results showed the progress made by -the party even in this short time, for the Prince was -chosen representative of the capital of France; and -similar faith was shown in him by three other Departments. -His election aroused long and heated debates -in the National Assembly, and his friends -began to fear for his safety if he remained in Paris. -Returning to London, therefore, he sent a letter to -the legislature, stating that in consideration of the -hostile attitude toward him taken by the executive -power, he felt it his duty to renounce an honor it -believed him to have won by fraud.</p> -<p>This politic withdrawal, together with the unceasing -efforts of his friends, served to influence public -opinion still more in his favor. At the new election -following the June uprising the people of Paris chose -Napoleon for the second time as their representative, -and after an exile of thirty years, he hastened back -to the capital to take his place in the Assembly, -from which a few months later (December 20) he -was elevated to the Presidency of the Republic.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_26">26</div> -<p>About the time of Napoleon’s departure Eugénie -and her mother also left London, spending that -summer at Spa and the following winter in Brussels, -surrounded as usual by a swarm of admirers. But -all this time, while the Prince was swiftly and surely -approaching the throne of France, Eugénie’s eyes -were firmly fixed on Paris. With eager gaze she -watched the rising of Napoleon’s star, and shortly -before the Empire was proclaimed, the Spanish -Countesses appeared in the capital. At last Louis -Napoleon was made Emperor. More than eight -million Frenchmen had voted for the restoration of -the dynasty, and on the first of December, 1852, -the Senate, the legislative body, and the Council of -State paid him homage at St. Cloud. Although -formally assuming the title for the first time on this -occasion, he had in reality ruled as absolute sovereign -since the <i>Coup d’État</i> (December 2-5, 1851). -His entry into Paris as Emperor, amid the thunder -of cannon, the pealing of trumpets, and the shouts -of the multitude, was merely the crowning of a -work shrewdly planned and cleverly executed, denounced -by his enemies as a crime and glorified by -his friends as a heroic achievement.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_27">27</div> -<p>The magnificent entertainments given by the -Prince-President in the Élysée Palace, and the yet -more splendid ones that followed at the Tuileries after -he became Emperor, had been presided over with -tact and grace by his cousin Mathilde, daughter of -the ex-King of Westphalia. Fifteen or sixteen years -before, during a visit which Mathilde de Montfort -had paid to Arenenberg, the residence of Queen Hortense, -there had been some talk of a marriage between -her and Louis Napoleon. Hortense, who -loved her niece with all a mother’s tenderness, had -looked forward with joy to a union so suitable in -every respect, and it had been agreed upon in a -family council of Bonapartes. But the Prince’s -first premature attempt to secure his uncle’s throne -put an end to the plan, and Mathilde was married, -in 1841, to the millionaire Prince of San Donato, -Anatole Demidoff. After a few years of childless -and unhappy marriage they separated, the Princess -retiring to a villa near Paris, whence she was summoned -to the capital by her cousin when he became -President. The youthful lovers had each led a -stormy life since their last meeting, and the romantic -attachment that had drawn them together at -Arenenberg had long since evaporated. In its -place a firm and quiet friendship had arisen, and -for the second time Napoleon thought seriously of -marrying his cousin. It was the dearest wish of all -the Bonapartes; but again fate intervened, this time -by the Church’s refusal to annul the Princess’s marriage -with Demidoff. The Prince-President found -himself forced therefore to seek elsewhere for a bride.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_28">28</div> -<p>He sued in vain for the hand of a Russian Princess, -and was refused in turn by a sister of the King of -Spain, and the Portuguese Duchess of Braganza. -However alluring may have been the chance of -becoming sovereign of France, these princesses had -little desire to trust their fate in the hands of an -adventurer. Well-meaning friends next drew his -attention to the poor but beautiful Carola de Wasa, a -cousin of King Gustavus the Fourth of Sweden, -afterwards Queen of Saxony. An envoy was sent -to negotiate preliminaries, and her family requested -time for consideration; but the Princess, who was -most unfavorably impressed with Napoleon’s portrait, -protested with tears against the proposed -marriage. Beside himself at these repeated rebuffs, -the Prince swore to win the daughter of some royal -house if forced to do it sword-in-hand, and continued -in his quest. Through his friend Lord Malmesbury, -he urged Queen Victoria to arrange an alliance between -himself and her cousin, Princess Adelaide; -and though some objections were raised by the -Queen and Prince Consort, the matter was still -under consideration when, on January 19, 1853, the -world was amazed by the following paragraph which -appeared in <i>La Patrie</i>, the semi-official organ of -Paris, and was copied without comment in all the -other journals:</p> -<blockquote> -<p>“According to reliable report, a happy event, calculated -to strengthen His Majesty’s Government and ensure the -future of his dynasty, is soon to take place. It is said -that the Emperor is about to be married to Mlle. de -Montijo de Teba. Official announcement of the approaching -marriage will be made to the Legislature on Thursday, -the twenty-second of January. The Countess belongs to -one of the noblest families of Spain. She is a sister of -the Duchess of Alva and is noted for her wit and cleverness, -as well as her remarkable beauty.”</p> -</blockquote> -<div class="pb" id="Page_29">29</div> -<p>Needless to say, Eugénie had gone to Paris solely -for the purpose of meeting Napoleon, and after her -arrival she had waited patiently for an opportunity -of obtaining access to him. Introduced by Rothschild -and his daughter, and accompanied by the -Spanish Prince Camerata, she finally made her appearance -in the court circle for the first time at -Compiègne in 1852. It was at one of the hunts -given by the Prince-President; and the grace and -skill with which she managed her fiery Andalusian -excited the admiration of all present. Napoleon -himself was completely fascinated. Their former -meetings at once recurred to him with a rush of -youthful memories, and for the rest of the day he -scarcely left her side. Nor did it end here; after -the court had returned to Paris the Countess and -her mother were never permitted to miss an entertainment -at the Tuileries or the Élysée.</p> -<p>The flattering attentions paid to Mlle. Montijo -by the sovereign could not remain long unnoticed -or unremarked. It was now merely a question of -improving the moment. No opportunity for bringing -herself to his notice or of displaying her -charms to the best advantage was neglected, and -far outshining, as she did, all the women of Napoleon’s -circle at that time, Eugénie soon succeeded -in arousing his old passion for her. His warm -and ardent devotion was such a contrast to his usual -calm self-possession that the whole court was astonished, -although no one dreamed that the affair would -end in marriage. It is doubtful whether the Emperor -himself had any such idea in the beginning, having -resolved in his days of poverty and exile to wed none -but a royal princess. He only went so far as to intimate -to Eugénie that he would esteem himself happy -in being her lover.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_30">30</div> -<p>But she was no longer the innocent girl of sixteen, -cherishing a romantic passion for an Alva and deeming -no sacrifice too great for her love. Genuine as -her affection doubtless was for Louis Napoleon, she -would make no sacrifices without gaining something -in return. At the height of his power and fame the -man who had brought about a revolution and made -himself sole ruler of France by his shrewdness and -resolution seemed in her eyes the ideal of manly -courage and heroism; yet none the less, the hot-blooded -Andalusian showed herself in this case as -cold as ice. Her experience of life had taught her -that denial was the surest means of stimulating a -passion. The Emperor was not easily caught, however. -He despatched a confidential friend to the -Countess de Montijo, not to ask for her daughter’s -hand, but to make it clear to the shrewd woman of -the world that Eugénie could not count on being -Empress. Reasons of state prevented his placing -the crown on the head of his beloved, although such -an event might not be an impossibility should he -be free to follow his desires in the future. But the -Countess, like her daughter, being well aware of -the surest means of attaining her end, made short -work of the Emperor’s envoy. Repeated attempts -at persuasion proved equally fruitless, and Eugénie -finally sent Napoleon, with her respectful greetings, -the message: “Cæsar’s wife should be above suspicion.”</p> -<div class="img" id="pic2"> -<img src="images/p2.jpg" alt="" width="833" height="1200" /> -<p class="caption"><i>EMPRESS EUGÉNIE</i></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_31">31</div> -<p>Goaded on by this reserve, the Emperor could no -longer restrain himself, and the Countess’s persistent -refusals furnished him a welcome excuse for -broaching the plan of a marriage with her. It met -with violent opposition from all his relatives and -friends, who did all in their power to dissuade him -from it, imploring him to choose, in default of a -royal princess, at least some French lady of rank or -lineage known to the people. To divert him from -his purpose a marriage was proposed with the Polish -Princess Czartoryska. But completely absorbed by -his passion for Eugénie their opposition only served -to fan the flame, and at last, to end the painful subject, -he asked one of his court ladies, the Princess -Lieven, whether he should choose the Princess Czartoryska -or Mlle. de Montijo. To which she cleverly -replied, “If you leave it to me, Sire, I prefer the -Cachucha to the Mazurka”—an answer which -Napoleon accepted as the voice of fate. At the -earliest opportunity he sent a formal request to the -Countess Montijo for the hand of her daughter, and -was of course welcomed by both with open arms.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_32">32</div> -<p>The news of the betrothal excited endless wonder -but little satisfaction. There was almost a panic in -the Bourse, that political barometer, and the Emperor’s -intimate friends and family went about with -gloomy faces. The proposed marriage was openly -opposed in the ministerial council and regarded with -great disfavor by the general public; in short, only -three persons were really pleased—Eugénie, her -mother, and Napoleon. As for the first, her wildest -hopes were at last to be realized. From doubtful -obscurity she was to rise to loftiest heights. Providence -had chosen her for this position and she bowed -to its decree. The week that intervened between -the betrothal and the wedding ceremonies slipped -by in an intoxication of happiness. She was greeted -on all sides with respect and adulation, and overwhelmed -with protestations of devotion from the -courtiers. The proudest nobles of France paid homage -to her. Her enemies were silent, while Napoleon’s -friends who had been most bitterly opposed -to the match now fawned upon her, greedy for favors -from their future Empress.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_33">33</div> -<p>The civil marriage was celebrated quietly on the -twenty-ninth of January; but the magnificence of -the religious ceremony exceeded anything that had -been seen in France since the days of the great -Napoleon. From early morning a double row of -troops lined the way from the Tuileries to Notre -Dame. All Paris was on the alert to catch at least -a glimpse of the spectacle. The railroads brought -more than two hundred thousand people into the -capital from the provinces, and a motley throng -filled the streets, richly decorated with flags and -banners bearing the names of Napoleon and Eugénie, -and gay with the light <i>toilettes</i> of the ladies, and the -gold embroidered uniforms of the soldiers glittering -in the sun. Although midwinter, the sky was clear -and the air mild as spring. About half-past eleven, -Eugénie started from the Élysée for the Tuileries. -Her mother was seated beside her, and opposite -them the master of ceremonies, Count Tascher de -la Pagerie. The natural beauty of the bride was -enhanced still more by the magnificent gown she -wore, a gift from the city of Liége. It was of white -velvet with an overdress of costly lace woven in a -pattern of violets. A jewelled girdle encircled the -waist, and on her head was the diamond coronet -worn by Marie Louise on her wedding day, attached -to which were the lace veil and a wreath of orange -blossoms. As the prospective Empress entered the -gates of the Tuileries, Prince Napoleon and the -Princess Mathilde appeared at the foot of the staircase -to receive her, while trumpets sounded and the -troops presented arms.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_34">34</div> -<p>Precisely at noon a salute of a hundred and one -guns from the Hôtel des Invalides proclaimed that -Their Majesties were entering their coach. A huge -vestibule had been erected in front of the Cathedral, -adorned with paintings representing the saints and -olden kings and queens of France. The church -was brilliantly illuminated with thousands of wax -tapers; and as the imperial pair emerged from the -vestibule, the trumpets again sounded, all the bells -of Paris rang out, the organ pealed, and the whole -assembly arose while the Archbishop of Paris advanced -and stood before Their Majesties. At the -lower end of the church was a platform occupied -by five hundred musicians, and everywhere a mass -of gilding and floral decoration met the eye. Curtains -embroidered with golden bees covered the great -windows. From the galleries fell velvet hangings -bearing the name of the Empress in raised embroidery. -In the nave of the church stood the -throne; above it, supported by a huge golden eagle, -a canopy of red velvet bordered with ermine. The -transepts, in which the highest dignitaries of the -Empire were seated, were lined with superb paintings, -and from the ceiling hung banners bearing the -names of the principal cities of France. The court -officials stationed themselves on one side, the ministers -and deputies on the other, as the imperial pair -took their places under the canopy surrounded by -princes, princesses, ladies, and cavaliers.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_35">35</div> -<p>About one o’clock the ceremony began. It was -performed by the Archbishop of Paris. The Archbishop -of Versailles spread a silver bridal veil over -Their Majesties, who sank on their knees; and at -the conclusion of the ceremony, during the singing of -the <i>Te Deum</i>, Abbé Legran handed to them the -imperial marriage contract. Shrouded in costly lace -and sparkling with jewels, a glittering coronet upon -her head, Eugénie passed out of the Cathedral, leaning -on the arm of the Emperor and preceded by the -archbishops and all the clergy. She had reached the -summit of all her hopes. The world lay at her feet. -Yet at this supreme moment it was less a feeling of -gratified ambition that filled her bosom than one of -humility and anxiety at the burden of responsibility -laid upon her shoulders. At the zenith of her fortunes, -surrounded by pomp and splendor, and greeted -by the cheers of the populace, she was suddenly seized -with a foreboding of her coming fate. It may have -been owing to her overtaxed nerves or the excitement -of these new experiences, but as she came out -of the Cathedral she seemed to see the features of -Marie Antoinette among the crowd. Wherever she -looked this face rose up before her, and with a sinking -of the heart she began to realize that all this coveted -splendor might be indeed a heavy burden.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_36">36</div> -<h2 id="c3"><span class="h2line1">Chapter III</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Eugénie’s Personality</span></h2> -<p>After the wedding a glowing account of the -ceremony was published in the <i>Moniteur</i>, -which concluded as follows:</p> -<blockquote> -<p>“The interest displayed by the people in their new sovereign -was prompted by more than idle curiosity. The -universal admiration she excited was genuine. Those -noble features, enhanced by their expression of sweetness -and modesty, irresistibly attracted the working classes, -who felt that the Empress regarded them with kindness -and good-will.”</p> -</blockquote> -<p>This assertion was not groundless, for although -public opinion, as we have seen, had been against -the Emperor’s choice, and although among the cheering -throngs that greeted the sovereigns there was -much secret dissatisfaction, the spell of Eugénie’s -beauty and charm of manner was so potent that -even her enemies were silenced by it. The lovely -face with its regular delicate features suggests in -contour the portraits of Mary Stuart. Her complexion -was dazzling and her brown hair full of -golden gleams. Under the heavy lashes and delicately -pencilled eyebrows, her blue eyes, so dark as -almost to seem black, were full of fire and softness, -reflecting the tender heart and dauntless soul within. -The Andalusians are famous for the beauty of their -hands and feet, and Eugénie’s did not belie her -origin. The lines of her figure and the curves of her -neck were as perfect as those of an antique statue; -in short, hers was a flawless exterior in which no discord -marred the complete harmony of the picture.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_37">37</div> -<p>Thus elevated to a throne, Eugénie burned with -desire to make herself beloved by the people, to -excite the admiration of those about her, and silence -all hints as to her birth and checkered past. Controlling -her naturally impulsive and passionate nature -when necessary, concealing her pride and ambition -under a modest, almost humble air, she left nothing -undone to add to her popularity and strengthen her -position. Two qualities invaluable to a sovereign -she naturally possessed—magnanimity and an open -hand. Before the wedding the official journals had -brought many proofs of her kindness of heart to the -knowledge of the public—such as, that the Empress, -having beheld an accident to a poor workman who -fell from a scaffold, sprang from her coach to hasten -to the aid of the unfortunate man and had him -carried to a hospital; and on another occasion, seeing -a poor abandoned child wandering in the street, the -Emperor’s bride had taken it into her own carriage -and promised to provide for its future. Still another -and striking instance of this was her refusal to accept -a diamond necklace valued at six hundred thousand -francs which the Municipal Council of Paris had -intended to present to her. She wrote a most gracious -letter conveying her thanks to the Council for -their loyal intention, but declaring she could not -consent that Paris should make so great a sacrifice -in her behalf, or that the Emperor’s wedding should -lay any more burdens on the country; adding that -her sole desire was to share with the Emperor the -affections of the people, and expressing a wish that -the six hundred thousand francs might be devoted -to charity. This could not fail to create a good impression; -and after the wedding many other examples -of the same kind occurred. She gave freely to all -who approached her with petitions, conscious only -that help was needed; and many kind and consoling -words accompanied the large sums she privately -bestowed. Indeed, in 1863 she went so far as to -insure her life in favor of the poor that they might -not suffer by her death; and she laid the foundations -of many noble works of charity that will cause her -name to be honored long after she herself is forgotten.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_38">38</div> -<p>Besides her generosity Eugénie possessed a thousand -ways of attracting and winning people to her. -The Emperor’s love had raised her to the throne; it -depended solely on herself and her tact to maintain -her position on it. With her inborn dignity, her -beauty, and her queenly grace, she was as well -equipped by nature for the part as any royal princess; -indeed many a sovereign born might well have -envied her, as, sparkling with jewels, she stood beneath -the canopy of the throne to receive the foreign -diplomats and nobles of the Empire. When she -appeared on horseback beside the Emperor at grand -reviews, or rode through the city in the imperial -coach, bowing in response to the shouts of the -dazzled crowds, nothing could have been more beautiful. -It was plain to all that the Empress well -knew how to play her part.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_39">39</div> -<p>Seldom have two persons better suited to one -another than Napoleon and Eugénie, or more completely -in accord, been united. In all the pomp and -power of her sovereignty she never forgot that it -was to him she owed it all; and in proportion as the -sense of her own importance rose, her love and admiration -for him increased also. In the eyes of the -world he had taken a step downward in his choice -of a bride; it was now her task to prove that “the -adventuress” could be as useful to the dynasty as -a consort born in the purple.</p> -<p>“I would rather be spoken ill of than not be spoken -of at all!” Louis Napoleon had exclaimed when -his first attempts to bring about a political revolution -had only excited pity and derision. Even -at that time he had studied the French people well, -and knew their weak spot was vanity. To flatter -the national vanity therefore became one of his principal -agencies for maintaining his power; and while -in private life he loved an almost plebeian simplicity, -in public no effect was too striking or too spectacular -to keep up his imperial state.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_40">40</div> -<p>No one knew better than Eugénie how to arrange -these brilliant effects. Ever since the days when -she was the companion of toreadors and the heroine -of the Corso, love of display and notoriety had been -her ruling passion. She may not have been conscious -of this in the beginning, but what was at first a -habit became by degrees a necessity; and just as the -actress thirsts for applause, so Eugénie craved -the admiration and approval of the populace. As -the actress eagerly searches the newspaper columns -after each appearance for the notices of her performance, -so Eugénie, after every public entertainment -or review or excursion, devoured the descriptions -published of her costumes and appearance, revelling -in the praises lavished on her person, and -spurred on thereby to fresh efforts to win public -favor. She studied the question of her <i>toilettes</i> as -if it were a religion and she its high priestess. Most -of the fashions of that brilliant period were set by -her, and the lists of guests invited to court -entertainments were subjected to her personal supervision. -Even ladies of high rank were sometimes -refused admission to the Tuileries should their costumes -not suit Her Majesty.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_41">41</div> -<p>Brought up among the Spanish aristocracy, -famous for elegance and stateliness of manner, and -yet perfectly familiar with the lighter customs of -French society, Eugénie succeeded in imparting to -her court a tone of delicacy as well as luxury and -magnificence that made it famous, not only throughout -France, but over half the world. Before she -had been a month on the throne, a thousand tales -were circulated of her beauty, wit, and generosity. -The most enthusiastic accounts were printed of all -she said and did; and the attention of the public -was so occupied with her that it almost forgot to -criticise the politics of the Emperor. Wherever the -imperial pair appeared they were surrounded by -eager throngs; and although here and there some -expressions of disapproval might be heard, the Parisians -were dazzled by a magnificence of display such -as no other city of Europe could equal, and which -conjured up memories of a glorious past that filled -their hearts with pride.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_42">42</div> -<h2 id="c4"><span class="h2line1">Chapter IV</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">State Visit to England</span></h2> -<p>However the young Empress may have been -regarded in other countries, it was generally -agreed that she understood better than any -of her predecessors how to hold the favor of the -fickle Parisians. It was not public homage, however, -that Eugénie craved so much as recognition -from those princes and princesses who had scorned -Mlle. Montijo, the <i>parvenue</i>. It rankled deeply in -her mind that she was not of royal birth; and the -most insignificant princess who could lay claim to -the sovereignty which she adored became an object -of envy to her. Since she could never hope to attain -this or escape a past that must always serve as a -weapon against her, she centred all her desires on -being accepted as an equal by other reigning sovereigns -and received as a guest in their palaces. -Thus for a short time, at least, her origin might be -forgotten.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_43">43</div> -<p>To achieve this was by no means an easy task. -All the crowned heads carefully avoided Paris, nor -with all her efforts could she even win over the old -aristocracy of France. Unable to comprehend that -the devotion of the Legitimists to <i>le Roy</i> and his heir -was a sacred principle, linked with precious memories -of the old kingly race, she nevertheless admired their -loyalty and resorted to every possible device to lure -the <i>grandes dames</i> of the Faubourg St. Germain to -her newly established court. But willingly as they -had borne the yoke of the Bourbons, they were too -proud to bend the knee before the Spaniard, and -made it plain that any overtures from the usurper -of their rightful sovereign’s throne would be rejected -with contempt.</p> -<p>Compared with the sorrows of her after life, these -humiliations were a small matter; but galling as they -were to her vanity, they were one of the sharpest -thorns in her new crown. In spite of her failure to -win over the old French nobility, she was not long -in earning the respect of the sovereigns of Europe. -Her first opportunity was unexpectedly offered by -the Crimean War (1854-56) in which France’s victories -restored the country to its old place as foremost -military power of Europe, and greatly increased -the importance of Napoleon. England had reaped -material advantage from the war and was loud in -praise of the new Empire, and Victoria was finally -forced to invite the usurper and his wife to visit her -at Windsor. A personal acquaintance with the -Queen of England had long been Eugénie’s most -ardent wish, and this invitation afforded her the -greatest satisfaction. Victoria had hitherto ignored -her in a very marked manner, while at the time of -her marriage the English journals had not only cast -slurs upon her origin, but boldly criticised her life and -conduct. Thus it was doubly desirable for her to -be received at the court of England and to make a -good impression there, for could she but accomplish -this, her position among other sovereigns would be -greatly strengthened. By no means certain as to -the reception that awaited her, she persuaded Napoleon -to send over one of his ministers in advance, -ostensibly to arrange articles of peace with the other -powers, but charged at the same time to settle all -questions of etiquette concerning the impending -visit.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_44">44</div> -<p>The event itself, however, was of a kind to gratify -the most susceptible vanity and the most aspiring -ambition. Toward evening of the sixteenth of April, -1855, Napoleon and Eugénie with their suite landed -on the shores of England, and on the following day -set out on their journey to London, accompanied -by the Prince Consort. Every town and village on -their route was gaily decorated. They were greeted -everywhere with the greatest enthusiasm. As they -passed through Hyde Park, a long line of aristocratic -equipages and equestrians was drawn up on either -side. At Windsor triumphal arches had been -erected. Shops were closed, houses decorated, and -the whole town was on foot to greet Their Majesties. -Amid the shouts and cheers of the populace they -entered the old castle, where Victoria welcomed -them most cordially, having personally seen to all -the arrangements for her guests’ comfort.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_45">45</div> -<p>The day after their arrival the Queen bestowed -the Order of the Garter on Napoleon. Following -this impressive ceremony was a state banquet at -which the famous Windsor gold service made its -appearance; and at the gala performance in the -court theatre that evening a verse in honor of Napoleon -was interpolated in the English National hymn. -The next day London held a grand celebration. -The Emperor and Empress were lauded in the most -flattering songs and speeches; and the people who -had been the deadly enemies of Napoleon the First, -the country in which Prince Louis Napoleon had -lived as a refugee, ill, friendless, often in dire need, -now hailed Napoleon the Third as its friend and -ally.</p> -<p>The results of this visit to Great Britain were -most gratifying to the imperial pair. The enthusiasm -of the British made an excellent impression -in France and strengthened public confidence in -Napoleon’s wisdom and prudence, while the friendship -of the English royal family added importance -to the young dynasty in Germany, and left no excuse -for other sovereign houses to hold aloof from the -Tuileries. Lastly, not only were Eugénie’s fondest -hopes realized, but she had also made a life-long -friend. At their very first meeting Eugénie’s charm -completely won the Queen’s heart. This beautiful -woman with her ease and dignity of manner bore -little resemblance to the notorious belle of gay -resorts as she had been described; and forgetting all -these unpleasant rumors, she succumbed at once -to the Empress’s attractions. The friendship thus -begun grew closer with subsequent meetings and -continued unbroken for many years.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_46">46</div> -<p>A few months later, the Queen of England with -her husband and two eldest children came to Paris -to return her new friend’s visit. For more than -four hundred years no English sovereign had visited -the French capital, so it was an event of great importance. -The Queen, who writes with enthusiasm -in her diary of the journey to France, describes their -reception as follows:</p> -<p>“On the eighteenth of August we left Osborne -about five o’clock in the morning on our yacht, the -Victoria and Albert, reaching Boulogne about two, where -we were greeted with shouts of welcome from -the people and troops drawn up along the shore. -The Emperor, with his staff, stood waiting in the -sun till the gangplank was thrown out, when he -stepped aboard. I went forward to meet him, and -he kissed my hand. We four, that is, the Prince, the -Prince of Wales, Princess Victoria, and myself, then -entered a coach and drove through the streets, -everywhere crowded with people and beautifully -decorated with flags, to the railway station, the -Emperor accompanying us on horseback.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_47">47</div> -<p>In the capital great preparations had been made -for their reception, Napoleon having ridden about -everywhere in person to see that all was complete. -At the railway station, which was covered with floral -decorations, eighty beautiful young girls were waiting -to present the Queen with bouquets. Through -a sea of light from lamps and torches, amid the -strains of music, the rolling of drums, and incessant -cheering, the royal party made its way through the -Bois to St. Cloud, where the Empress, Princess -Mathilde, and all the ladies of the court were waiting -to receive it.</p> -<p>The World’s Exposition had just been opened -in Paris at that time, and the week spent by the -English guests at the French court was devoted to -seeing that, as well as the sights of the city itself. -Besides this, a number of state entertainments were -given in their honor, concluding with a ball at Versailles -that exceeded in magnificence any given since -the time of Louis the Fourteenth. Three thousand -invitations were issued for this, and all the <i>élite</i> of -France were present, with many distinguished foreigners. -The gay uniforms and court dresses of -the men and the gorgeous costumes of the ladies, who -vied with one another in their display of -jewels, laces, and brocades, made a scene of surpassing -brilliancy.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_48">48</div> -<p>The Empress, who appeared at this ball in all her -radiant loveliness, was taken ill during the supper -and obliged to retire to her own apartments. On -several other occasions also she was indisposed and -forced to excuse herself. Yet though unable to take -an active part in public festivities, Eugénie and Victoria -became all the more intimate in their own -private circle. Napoleon and the Prince Consort -sang duets together. Victoria made several sketches -of the country about St. Cloud and often visited -Eugénie in her own apartments where the two princesses -sat for hours together in confidential talk. -A friendship so close and lasting between such widely -different natures must have been founded on more -than physical attraction. A mutual appreciation -of each other’s best qualities drew them together. -Eugénie was bolder and more independent than her -friend, and freer from prejudice; but Victoria had -the strength and repose that come from an inherited -consciousness of power, while they were united by -a common devotion to their own families, and pride -in the nations over which they ruled.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_49">49</div> -<h2 id="c5"><span class="h2line1">Chapter V</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Birth of the Prince Imperial</span></h2> -<p>Early on the morning of the sixteenth of -March, 1856, a son was born to the imperial -pair, and a salute of a hundred and one guns -proclaimed the great news to the public, who received -it with the wildest enthusiasm. The whole city was -decorated with flags, garlands, and portraits of the -Emperor and Empress, and ablaze with illuminations -at night; while the City Council granted a -sum of two hundred thousand francs for a feast for -the poor. Greater still was the joy of the royal -parents. The Emperor took the little Prince in -his arms and carried him out to show to the assembled -court, with tears of pride and happiness. He at -once ordered a million francs to be distributed in -charity to celebrate the event; had it publicly proclaimed -that he and the Empress would act as -sponsors to all legitimate children born on that day -within the borders of his Empire, and issued a decree -permitting all political exiles to return to France on -condition that they would swear to uphold the -Government and obey the laws of the country.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_50">50</div> -<p>Soon after the birth of the Prince Imperial a congress -met to determine the articles of peace which -concluded the Crimean War and restored the peace -of Europe, and Napoleon was appointed arbiter. -At the zenith of his power and with the future of -his dynasty seemingly secured, it did not appear -altogether presumptuous when in replying to the -congratulations of the Assembly he expressed a hope -in the brightness of his son’s future as heir to the -throne of France.</p> -<p>Eugénie’s position was greatly strengthened by -this happy event, for now, should she survive her -husband (as seemed probable from the difference -in their ages), as mother of Napoleon the Fourth -she would have still greater influence in public -affairs. Her marriage to Napoleon the Third had -revived memories of Josephine. Like the wife of -the great Emperor she had been born under a southern -sky; like her she had seemed destined from the -cradle to wear a crown; and as long as she remained -childless there were not lacking hints that a similar -fate might be in store for her. But Providence had -ordained otherwise. As a mother Eugénie was -seated more firmly than ever on the throne of France, -and universally regarded with respect, almost with -reverence. Gifts flowed in from all sides. No less -than twenty-eight orders were bestowed on the -baby Prince. Messages of congratulation came from -all parts of the Empire. Even the fishwives of the -Halle came to offer their good wishes, and engravings -of the Empress and her child were scattered by -hundreds of thousands throughout the country.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_51">51</div> -<p>In the early Summer of 1856, terrific floods caused -much suffering and distress in many parts of France, -in consequence of which there was some talk of -having the Prince Imperial’s christening celebrated -quietly. Unwilling, however, to lose an opportunity -of showing the world that his dynasty, though -young in years was inferior to none of the older -monarchies in wealth and splendor, Napoleon determined -to send the flood victims one half of the -sum which would originally have been devoted to -the christening festivities, and with the other half -he still managed to make an impressive display.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_52">52</div> -<p>Not for many years had there been such excitement -in Paris as on that summer day, which was to -witness the baptism of the heir of Napoleon the -Third. At six o’clock in the morning the pealing -of bells and the thunder of cannon proclaimed that -the great day had come, and at the first sound, -swarms of eager spectators poured into the streets. -All the boulevards and squares were filled in a few -hours, and by the time incoming trains had deposited -their freight of strangers and provincials, the crowds -were so dense it was impossible to cross the Seine. -A deafening shout greeted the appearance of the -gilded state coach bearing the little Prince with his -governess and nurse; nor was the enthusiasm lessened -when close behind followed the happy parents -with their suite. No less a person than the Holy -Father at Rome was godfather to the Spaniard’s -child, while Queen Josephine of Norway and Sweden -acted as godmother. The ceremony at Notre Dame -was most striking and impressive. All the clergy of -France were present; on entering the great shadowy -Cathedral, dimly lighted by the myriad wax tapers -on the altar, one might easily have imagined himself -suddenly transported to a scene in the Middle -Ages.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_53">53</div> -<p>That evening the city of Paris gave a magnificent -banquet in honor of the imperial family, at which -the whole court and many foreign guests were present. -It was held in the great hall of the Hôtel de -Ville, lit up by eighteen thousand wax candles. The -silver service used was made expressly for the occasion -at a cost of two hundred and fifty thousand -francs and the flowers alone came to twenty thousand -francs. Two orchestras alternated in furnishing -music; and at the close all present rose and sang -“<i>Vive l’Empereur!</i>” The popularity of the Empress -was proven by a surprise that had been prepared -for her in the form of a diorama representing the -various places with which she had some special association:—Granada -her birthplace; Madrid, with -the Prado; the forest of Compiègne; Fontainebleau, -where the Emperor had confessed his love for her; -the chamber which she had occupied in the Élysée -before her marriage; the wedding of the imperial -pair at Notre Dame; the Prince Imperial’s apartment -at the Tuileries; the palace of St. Cloud; and -the cascade in the Bois de Boulogne. At the conclusion -of the banquet Napoleon and Eugénie appeared -on one of the balconies of the Hôtel de Ville -and were greeted with the wildest enthusiasm by -the crowds that had gathered to admire the fireworks -and the illuminations. All were charmed with the -Emperor’s graciousness and the beauty of the Empress, -but most of all with the little Prince Imperial -whom the people affectionately nicknamed “Lulu.”<a class="fn" id="fr_1" href="#fn_1">[1]</a></p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_54">54</div> -<h2 id="c6"><span class="h2line1">Chapter VI</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">The Empress in Politics</span></h2> -<p>Napoleon’s position at this time seemed -impregnable. France had played an honorable -part in the Crimean War and covered -herself with glory at the fall of Sebastopol. Yet -the nephew of the great Napoleon had remained far -from the field of battle himself, and felt the need -of winning some personal laurels to add to his prestige. -The shrewd policy of Count Cavour, the -Italian statesman, had greatly increased the power -of the kingdom of Sardinia; and thither the Emperor -now turned his glances. At a secret meeting with -Cavour he guaranteed the support of France to -Sardinia in case of war with Austria; but before -this pledge could be redeemed an event occurred -which might have made the agreement of little -avail. It deserves mention here as furnishing a -proof of Eugénie’s courage.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_55">55</div> -<p>On the eleventh of January, 1858, a special performance -of grand opera was to be given, and a -crowd of loyal subjects had gathered about the -theatre to witness the arrival of the sovereigns. As -the state coach drew up before the entrance, two -bombs were hurled at it, and a frightful explosion -followed. Windows in all the neighboring streets -were shattered, and a hundred and sixty persons, -among them a number of soldiers and outriders, -were killed or badly wounded. A fragment of shell -pierced the Emperor’s hat; and Eugénie, who tried -to protect her husband’s body with her own, received -a slight graze on the temple, bespattering her white -silk dress with blood. Yet, perfectly calm and -undismayed, she stood up at once and called out -words of reassurance to the panic-stricken people. -As if nothing had happened, Their Majesties entered -the theatre, and with her usual winning smile the -Empress bowed her thanks to the burst of applause -that greeted them. Felix Orsini, the Italian who -had thrown the bombs, was immediately seized and -thrown into prison with his accomplices.</p> -<p>In a proclamation issued on January first, 1859, -the Emperor revealed his intention of severing -friendly relations with Austria; and on the outbreak -of war between that country and Sardinia, he hastened -to the support of his new ally, May 10, 1859, -publicly declaring that “Italy must be free from the -Alps to the Adriatic.” The victories of Magenta -and Solferino, which followed, added fresh glories -to the arms of France; and although the peace of -Villafranca failed to redeem all his lofty promises, -Napoleon was hailed as the deliverer of Italy.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_56">56</div> -<p>Meanwhile there had been a change in the Government -at home which greatly added to Eugénie’s -importance. Shortly after Orsini’s unsuccessful -attempt, the Assembly passed a law appointing her -Regent of France in the Emperor’s absence, or during -her son’s minority in case of his death; and on -Napoleon’s departure for Italy the reins of government -were placed for the first time in her hands. It -was a critical period at which to confide the direction -of affairs to a woman; had the war been less fortunate -in its issue, the situation might have proved as -dangerous as it afterwards became, in 1870.</p> -<p>If any decisive influence on French politics was -attributed to Eugénie on this or subsequent occasions, -it was a mistaken idea. As a matter of fact her -regency was little more than an empty farce in which -Napoleon allowed his wife to play the chief part. -It deluded the people and flattered the Empress to -see her name at the head of all state documents; -but absent or present, although he permitted Eugénie -to share in the ministerial councils, he was careful -not to trust the reins of government for any length -of time to other hands than his own. On the other -hand, it cannot be denied that the Empress, when -she chose to exert herself, well knew how to achieve -her ends. Once an idea became fixed in her mind -she would assail the Emperor with arguments and -entreaties until he finally yielded, if only for the -sake of peace; nor did she scruple to intrigue against -the ministers when they refused to carry out her -wishes in the bestowal of honors and positions on -favorites of her own, often quite unworthy of such -favors.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_57">57</div> -<p>Her real political influence was greatly overestimated. -Her talents did not lie in that direction, -nor had she any conception of the intricate machinery -of government. Absorbed in a thousand trifles, court -festivals, fashions, and intrigues, she had neither -time nor inclination to pursue such aims with any -system or resolution. Yet there was one case in -which she did make trouble by her interference. -This was shortly before the Franco-Prussian War, -when she brought all her influence to bear in behalf -of the Church.</p> -<p>The Papal party had spared no pains to secure -Eugénie’s friendship and strengthen her in the conviction -that she had been chosen by Providence as -one of the chief supports of God’s vicegerent on -earth. Full of gratitude to the Deity for this special -mark of favor, and firmly believing in her destiny, -she yielded blindly to all the wishes of the clergy, -thus openly proclaiming herself the head of the clerical -party. She devoted her energies to the support -of the Papal power and to a revival of the spirit of -Catholicism throughout the country. No mercy was -shown to those who dissented from the old faith. -Even her attendants, with few exceptions, were -chosen according to their religious views. Naturally -this overzealousness could not fail to excite -much opposition, and Eugénie soon had not only -the envy and prejudice of society to contend against, -but the enmity of the free-thinkers, including many -of Napoleon’s best friends.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_58">58</div> -<p>Of these, Prince Napoleon was the most bitter. -Quite as firmly as Napoleon the Third believed it -his mission to be sovereign of France, did this Prince -feel himself destined to the throne; but while the -former supported his ideas with Napoleonic tactics, -the latter based his claims chiefly on a remarkable -likeness to the first Emperor. Louis Napoleon had -worked hard to attain his goal. His cousin contented -himself with spending hours before his mirror, arranging -the Napoleonic lock of hair upon his forehead—a -sign that he should one day wear the -crown of France. As long as the Emperor was without -issue he regarded himself as certainly the heir. -The birth of the Prince Imperial therefore was a -bitter blow to him; and when the law was passed -giving Eugénie the power of Regent, his rage and -chagrin knew no bounds. He had never been able -to endure the Spaniard, but had hidden his dislike -at first under a mask of cold politeness. Now that -he no longer had any reason for concealing his true -feelings, he gave full vent to his malice, annoying -the Empress constantly by petty personal attacks, -and circulating the most shameful reports concerning -her private life.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_59">59</div> -<p>Eugénie returned the Prince’s hatred with all her -heart. His dissolute life, evil tongue, and above -all, the cowardice he had shown on more than one -glaring occasion, made him detestable to her. She -retaliated by exposing this side of his character on -every possible occasion, thus provoking him constantly -to fresh attacks. The relation between -them was not improved by the Prince’s marriage in -January, 1859, to Clothilde of Savoy, the lovely -young Princess to whom the people of Paris gave -the name of St. Clothilde. He knew that his marriage -to a royal princess would enrage the Empress. -While Clothilde had yielded to her father’s wishes -in the matter, personally she felt nothing but -aversion for the cynical, dissolute free-thinker, for -many years the avowed lover of the actress Rachel; -nor was he a person likely to capture the fancy of -Victor Emanuel’s innocent young daughter.</p> -<p>At court, as in her own household, Clothilde stood -well-nigh alone, therefore. She excited the jealousy -rather than the sympathy of Eugénie—while in her -own heart the Princess of royal birth felt little but -contempt for the adventurous Empress. She absented -herself from court as much as possible and -gathered about her a little circle of her own, those -aristocrats who had scorned to pay homage to the -Countess Montijo. Yet whenever obliged to appear -at the Imperial Court, she fulfilled all the requirements -of her position with charming dignity. Once -when Eugénie, who found court etiquette most tiresome -and fatiguing, asked if it did not weary her, -she replied innocently, unconscious of the sting that -lay within the words, “Certainly not! I have -been accustomed to it all my life.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_60">60</div> -<p>Although Prince Napoleon was the most hated of -all Eugénie’s enemies, he was by no means the only -member of the Emperor’s family who disliked her. -Even the kindly, gentle Princess Mathilde looked -askance at her cousin’s wife, though she was tactful -enough not to betray her feeling. Napoleon’s -friendly attachment for her had continued even -after his marriage, and he used often to ask her advice -in important matters; but the Empress never -visited her, and the Princess, who had once presided -at the Tuileries, no longer appeared there except on -state occasions when it was unavoidable.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_61">61</div> -<p>The general feeling against Eugénie that prevailed -did not find open expression till 1861, when -the Emperor returned as victor to his capital from -Italy. The Italian people had chosen Victor Emanuel -as their sovereign, and the unity of that country -met with such approval in France, that when -Napoleon failed formally to recognize the new order -of things, many attributed his delay to Eugénie’s -influence. As a devout Catholic she would gladly -have seen the hated Victor Emanuel’s kingdom overthrown -and the Pope’s supremacy restored; and -while Napoleon can scarcely have shared these feelings, -he realized that it was to his interest to keep -on good terms with the clerical party, and that to -renounce the friendship of the Pope would deprive -him of a powerful support. He therefore permitted -the Pope to retain Rome and the “Patrimonium St. -Petri,” and, on the Empress’s insistence, he agreed -to leave a body of French troops in Italy to defend -the Papal interests, at the same time publicly recognizing -Victor Emanuel as King of Italy, and the -provinces revolting from the Church as parts of the -new kingdom. This vacillating course pleased -neither party, and blame was laid chiefly on the -Empress, whose zeal for the Papacy was but too -well known. Her exclamation, “If the Pope leaves -the Quirinal, I shall leave the Tuileries! I would -rather have the Emperor murdered than see him -delivered over to everlasting damnation!” passed -from mouth to mouth and added still further to -the prejudice against her among the intelligent -population of France.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_62">62</div> -<h2 id="c7"><span class="h2line1">Chapter VII</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Private Life of the Empress</span></h2> -<p>Besides the annoyances caused by the ill-will -of the anti-clerical party, Eugénie at this -time had also sorrows and anxieties of her -own to endure. Painful as her youthful passion for -the Duke of Alva had been, it had failed to affect -the close affection of the two sisters—an attachment -that only deepened as time went on. The -Duchess and her husband frequently spent their -winters in Paris, and were always sure of a cordial -welcome from the imperial pair.</p> -<p>Eugénie’s life before her marriage was one of such -freedom that although she fulfilled all her duties as -sovereign with dignity and apparent content, there -were many lonely hours when her thoughts turned -longingly to those youthful days in Spain and to the -dear ones there, especially her mother, with whom -the Duchess of Alva was now her only link. The -Duchess had been afflicted for some time with an -incurable malady, though Eugénie was ignorant of -its serious nature. While travelling with the Emperor -in August, 1860, she was shocked to receive -word that her sister’s condition had changed greatly -for the worse. The august travellers were then in -Algiers, and Eugénie begged Napoleon to turn back -at once. But elaborate preparations had been made -for their entertainment and to abandon the festivities -would have been too great a disappointment to -the people. Torn with anxiety, the Empress attended -a grand ball given in their honor, and not -till it was over did she learn the sad truth that her -sister was dying. She sailed at once for France, but -it was too late. Before she reached land the Duchess -had expired. It was a terrible blow to Eugénie; -overcome with grief she shut herself up in her own -apartments, refusing to see any one. It was months -before she recovered herself sufficiently to appear -again in court circles.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_63">63</div> -<p>Nor was this all. Although Napoleon’s marriage -with the beautiful Spaniard had been one of love -alone, yet the passion with which she inspired him -gradually cooled, and although he continued to treat -his wife invariably with the same respect and admiration -he had shown in their early married life, there -were many occasions when he gave her cause for -jealousy.</p> -<p>In these conjugal trials the Duchess of Alva had -been her confidante and had helped her through -many bitter hours. Now that this gentle comforter -was gone she felt doubly the neglect so hard for her -warm and generous nature to endure; and these -sorrows, added to anxiety for the health of her -son, cast a permanent shadow over her bright spirits. -She fell more and more under the influence of the -priesthood, devoted herself to religious works, had -new convents built, and even thought of making a -pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This plan was afterwards -abandoned, but her irritability, capriciousness, and -bigotry reduced her household to desperation. The -constant alternations of religious frenzy and feverish -pursuit of pleasure, of extreme gayety and deepest -melancholy, characteristic of the Empress’s later -life, were no doubt due to an overwrought nervous -system, like the hysterical fits of laughing or weeping -that often seized her without any apparent cause. -But with so gay and sanguine a temperament as -hers, these moods never lasted long; and her warm-heartedness -never failed to win the affection of those -about her.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_64">64</div> -<p>Among the friendships formed by Eugénie, that -with the Princess Metternich is of especial interest, -since no lady of the Imperial Court was so much -talked of and criticised as the young wife of the -Austrian ambassador. From Vienna, where they -had been favorites at the Austrian court, the -Metternichs had come to Paris in 1860, shortly -after the conclusion of peace between Italy, France, -and Austria, and soon after their own marriage. -Born of one of the oldest and most distinguished -families in the country, Pauline Metternich was at -once a type of the proud aristocrat and the gay, -witty, thoughtless Viennese, full of original and daring -ideas, which she took no pains to conceal. In -the days of the Empire the Austrian Embassy was -the rendezvous of all the rank, wealth, and intellect -of Paris. Disciples of art and literature, diplomats -and government officials and Legitimists from St. -Germain met in these salons. Even the Emperor -and Empress often made their appearance there.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_65">65</div> -<p>At their very first meeting the Princess had conceived -the greatest admiration for Eugénie; and with -the exception of her young niece Anna Murat (afterward -Duchess of Monchy), for whom the Empress -had an almost motherly affection, no one was so -close to her as the Princess Metternich. Perfect -sympathy of tastes, and a certain magnetic attraction -for which there is no explanation, proved the -foundation of an intimate friendship that lasted for -years. Pauline’s sparkling wit and vivacity were -of just the sort to strike a responsive chord in so -lively a nature as Eugénie’s. She was the soul of -all the <i>fêtes</i> at Compiègne and Fontainebleau, and -added to the long evenings at court a life and gayety -they often sadly lacked.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_66">66</div> -<p>At home the Princess Metternich was an excellent -wife and mother, and attended personally to every -detail of her household. In society, however, she -disregarded all conventions, spoke her mind freely -on all occasions, and had the courage to stand up -for her convictions. The brilliant witticisms and -clever sayings attributed to her are numberless; -they were repeated not only among the court and -diplomatic circles, but even by the public. Her -influence in the world of fashion was almost equal -to that of the Empress, but she was always causing -painful embarrassments to her imitators. One day -she would appear dressed with a simplicity and -plainness that would not have been permitted in -any one else; the next, her costume would be of a -costliness no one could possibly hope to rival. She -was a clever mimic, and would delight the whole -court with her imitations of Madame Thérèse, a -well known music-hall singer, the Empress usually -leading in the applause; yet on formal occasions no -one at court could appear with greater dignity and -stateliness. In fact Eugénie’s fondness for her was -partly founded on that weakness for birth and rank -of which we have already spoken. She was peculiarly -sensitive as to her own origin, and no greater -insult could be inflicted upon her than any allusion -to it. The French authoress Olympe Andouard relates -an instance of this that almost severed the friendship -between Eugénie and the Princess Metternich.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_67">67</div> -<p>It was during one of the court evenings at Fontainebleau -which happened to be most dull and -tedious. Among those present, as usual, was the -wife of the Austrian ambassador to whom private -apartments had been assigned in a wing of the palace. -Weary at last of the monotony, Pauline whispered -to a friend that she would feign a bad headache and -retire to her own rooms, whither the friend was to -follow quietly with a dozen chosen ladies and cavaliers. -No sooner said than done. The headache -served as an excuse. The Princess withdrew and -hastily prepared to receive her guests, who soon -succeeded in stealing away unobserved. All was -going well. The music and dancing were at their -height, when suddenly the door opened and Eugénie -appeared—to inquire for her poor Pauline whose -“frightful headache” had filled her with sympathy. -In spite of her nervous temperament Eugénie on -certain occasions (usually unimportant) was not -lacking in the necessary calm and self-possession. -Instead of laughing at the lively scene before her, -she was indignant and reproved the Princess sharply -for her lack of proper respect.</p> -<p>“Madame!” replied the diplomat’s wife no less -hotly, “you forget that I was born a great lady and -submit to no reprimands!”</p> -<p>In consequence of this scene the Princess was -forced to absent herself from court for a time, and -only by degrees was the old familiarity restored.</p> -<p>Next to Pauline Metternich the most important -member of the Empress’s small private circle was -Prosper Merimée, the clever author—“the Empress’s -court jester,” as he laughingly called himself. -He had first met the Countess Montijo while Eugénie -was still a child, and the acquaintance had ripened -with years into a close friendship which was shared -by the imperial pair. Although not strictly speaking -a member of the court, both Napoleon and -Eugénie treated him as a member of their family, -and the bigoted Empress not only honored him as -a gifted author, but felt an almost sisterly affection -for the avowed free-thinker.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_68">68</div> -<h2 id="c8"><span class="h2line1">Chapter VIII</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Paris under the Second Empire</span></h2> -<p>The Danish writer, Hermann Bang, says:</p> -<blockquote> -<p>“It was a strangely mixed society that formed -the court of the Second Empire, and during this splendid -period Paris became more than ever a brilliant social -arena. New names and new celebrities sprang up like -mushrooms and withered away as quickly. Since life -was short, it must needs be rapid. Looking back upon -it now, one is reminded of a juggler’s performance at the -circus. The glittering balls fly about in bewildering numbers -and seem to fill the whole air. Different performers -come and go, but the dazzling display continues. This -society was neither composed of the representative families -of France nor yet of the mass of the population, who -supported the Government, and to whom the Second -Empire seemed a complete restoration of the glories of -the First. Truly the richest legacy of greatness is the -magic that lies in a name.”</p> -</blockquote> -<div class="pb" id="Page_69">69</div> -<p>Napoleon was well aware of the value of the name -he bore. He had not forgotten that to it alone he -owed his possession of the throne; and he determined -that the name at which Europe had trembled and -which all France adored should serve as the foundation -of his power. As far as possible he tried to revive all -the Napoleonic traditions and preserve the fond illusion -of the Parisians. Everything about the court -was conducted on a scale of the greatest magnificence. -Uniforms of officials, ministers, and deputies were a -mass of gold embroidery. The gorgeousness of the -palace guards suggested the operatic stage; customs -of the time of Louis the Fourteenth were even revived. -Visits from foreign sovereigns were attended -with an almost fabulous display, and with Napoleon’s -rising importance these visits became more -and more frequent. Indeed there were times during -the Second Empire when whole solar systems of -potentates revolved about one another.</p> -<p>On Thursday evenings during the winter, dinners -were given at the Tuileries for diplomats and state -officials, followed by receptions and dancing. Four -court balls were given in the course of the season, -to which as many as five thousand invitations were -issued, and which were marked by the utmost -splendor. Both sides of the grand staircase were -lined with palace guards. Guests waited in the -galleries until the arrival of the sovereigns, when -the doors of the great salon were thrown open -and the Emperor and Empress took their places on -the dais, the princes and princesses grouped about -them. The Empress danced only the opening quadrille -on these occasions, and at eleven retired with -the Emperor to a smaller salon where there was also -dancing.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_70">70</div> -<p>Eugénie possessed the truly royal gift of never -forgetting a face or a name, and always had a kindly -word or glance for every one as she passed through -the crowded room; but when it was over and she -reached her own apartments, she would be completely -exhausted with the weight of the crown jewels, which -she wore in the greatest profusion on these occasions. -Sometimes she would not even wait for her women, -but would snatch off the crown and heavy ornaments -and toss them into the lap of the lady-in-waiting, -who bore them carefully away, for each -was worth a fortune. Besides these grand balls to -which any one with the slightest claim to rank or -position could easily obtain admission, the most -splendid and original masquerades were given in -Carnival time, to which invitations were more -limited. During Lent there were no entertainments -with the exception of four state concerts given under -the direction of Auber, then court <i>kapellmeister</i>, and -Count Bacciocchi, director of the theatre, in which -all the most famous artists took part.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_71">71</div> -<p>Far more interesting than these semi-official affairs -were the weekly Monday receptions held by the -Empress in her own apartments. Only a select few -were invited to these, and the Empress’s “Mondays” -soon became famous all over Europe. Napoleon and -Eugénie received their guests with the greatest cordiality, -and conversed familiarly with all. Here -Princess Metternich shone her brightest; here too -were seen the beautiful Princess Murat, Duchess of -Monchy; the gallant Count Walewski, who so -closely resembled his father, the great Napoleon; -the Emperor’s half-brother, the Duke de Morny; -and his youthful friend and ally Duke Fialni de -Persigny. Here Merimée’s inexhaustible fund of -wit and humor found full play. Here the Emperor’s -favorite, General Fleury, and the elegant Marquis -de Caux (afterward the husband of Adelina Patti) -led the cotillon and invented figures that made the -rounds of Europe.</p> -<p>Scarcely less famous in their way were the hunting -parties held by the court at Compiègne every -autumn. To these only a few were invited at a -time, and the weekly list of guests was prepared with -as much care as if it had been some important affair -of state. Fifteen new gowns of the costliest kind -were regarded as indispensable by the feminine -world for a visit to Compiègne. Many feigned illness -to escape the expense of so many new <i>toilettes</i>, -while others were almost ruined by accepting the -invitations. Art, literature, and science were well -represented at these gatherings; and once arrived -at Compiègne, all received the most cordial welcome, -no matter what their political opinions.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_72">72</div> -<p>Next to court entertainments the most popular -rendezvous for the world of fashion in the days of -the Empire was the opera; and although it then had -its home in the narrow <i>Rue Lepelletier</i>, instead of -its present magnificent palace, this did not deter -royalty and all the highest society from attending -regularly. Full dress was required, and the costly -gowns and the jewels of the ladies, with the brilliant -uniforms of the men, lent an air of festivity to each -performance that is usually seen only on some gala -occasion. But if grand opera were the temple of -art in which Eugénie showed herself most often, it -was by no means her favorite place of amusement. -She not only lacked all knowledge of the higher -music, but it was distasteful to her; and even well -written drama at the Théâtre Français had no interest -for her. On the other hand, she adored anything -amusing and had the greatest fondness for -Offenbach’s lively airs. Her musical taste may be -judged by the fact that during the Czar Alexander -of Russia’s stay in Paris in 1867, she could think of -no greater mark of attention than to send him -tickets for a performance of the “Grande Duchesse -de Gerolstein.”</p> -<p>Her fancied resemblance to Marie Antoinette has -already been mentioned; indeed, there were many -points of similarity between the Spanish Countess -and Maria Theresa’s unfortunate daughter. Both -possessed remarkable beauty, charm, energy, and -strength of character. Both were boundlessly extravagant -and open-handed, as both in their younger -days allowed the pursuit of pleasure to banish all -serious occupations. Eugénie avoided the imprudences -of which Marie Antoinette was guilty, and -instead of risking her popularity, did all in her power -to preserve and strengthen it; yet she too was powerless -to escape calumny. There were but too many -evil tongues ready to suggest that a woman who -owed her sovereignty to beauty alone was scarce -likely to remain a pattern of virtue, and we have -seen how even in her own family she had enemies -who tried to undermine her reputation.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_73">73</div> -<p>The court of the Second Empire was full of corruption -and was abandoned to a life of pleasure and -luxury. But it is ever the way of aristocratic society -to seek amusement; and if at the courts of Berlin -and London a more serious tone prevailed, those of -Vienna, St. Petersburg, and Madrid were scarcely -less frivolous than that of France under the Second -Empire.</p> -<p>The Empress’s daily life was very different from -this; intermixed with the feverish pursuit of pleasure -were many days of weariness and ennui. At eight -o’clock she rose and devoted an hour regularly, -sometimes two or three, to her favorite occupation, -the study of her <i>toilettes</i>. At half-past eleven she -breakfasted alone with the Emperor and the Prince -Imperial, after which Napoleon would smoke a cigarette -in his wife’s apartment, chatting and playing -with his little son. Kindness of heart was one of the -Emperor’s most marked characteristics. Indeed he -was often over-indulgent with the child—a weakness -Eugénie continually struggled against, with the -natural result that the little Prince preferred his -father to his mother. At one, every day he went -for his drive in the Bois de Boulogne, and the Empress -retired to her study, back of the audience -chamber, where no one was allowed to enter. Here -her tastes and habits were best displayed, for in this -room she had surrounded herself with all her most -precious possessions, portraits of her family and -intimate friends, busts, vases, statuettes, and all -sorts of personal souvenirs, and a small set of bookshelves -containing the works of French, Spanish, -English, and Italian writers. Every day Eugénie -wrote to her mother, a sacred duty with which -neither <i>fête</i> nor illness, travel nor court entertainment, -was ever allowed to interfere. Among others -with whom she also kept up a lively correspondence -were Queen Victoria and the Queen of Holland. -After the Empress’s personal letters were finished -she summoned her secretary, Damas Hinard, with -whom she went through the vast number of begging -letters and appeals of all kinds she received daily, -to each of which she gave her personal attention.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_74">74</div> -<p>Adjoining Eugénie’s bedchamber was an anteroom -without windows in which a lamp was always -burning, and from which a narrow stairway led to -the Emperor’s apartments. Concealed in the wainscoting -of this room by sliding panels were a number -of caskets, all numbered and marked in cipher. To -look over and arrange their contents was one of -Eugénie’s favorite amusements. Here she kept not -only her own private papers, but many interesting -contributions to the history of Napoleon the First -and his times, in the form of letters from statesmen, -soldiers, and scholars. All the Emperor’s discarded -documents and correspondence were carefully preserved -by Eugénie, and stored away where only she -could get at them. Napoleon was much amused at -this mania of hers for collecting, and she herself -used to laugh over it.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_75">75</div> -<p>“I am like a little mouse, running around after -the Emperor and picking up all the crumbs he lets -fall,” she once said.</p> -<p>The ladies-in-waiting did not live in the Tuileries; -it was only during the summer that they were constantly -with her, whether travelling about or at one -of the summer palaces. Of these, some were naturally -more congenial than others, but Eugénie had -no choice in the matter of a companion; this was -regulated strictly by the law of precedence. Day -after day she entered her carriage, accompanied by -whichever lady was entitled by etiquette to a seat -in the imperial equipage, and drove through the -Bois, bowing incessantly to left and right, and day -after day she returned at exactly the same hour in -time to dress for dinner.</p> -<p>Besides these monotonous outings, she sometimes -drove out in the morning in a carriage drawn by only -two horses. Each man and footman wore the plainest -livery, and she and her companion were quite -simply dressed. On these occasions she attended to -all her charitable errands. She liked to investigate -in person all the cases that especially appealed to her -sympathies, and always carried with her a well filled -purse, the money thus dispensed often amounting to -a considerable sum in the course of a year.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_76">76</div> -<p>“I could just as well send what I give to the poor,” -she declared, “but one should do a little good oneself. -The sight of so much misery and suffering makes it -easier to bear one’s own troubles.”</p> -<p>Of all the Empress’s attendants the one to whom -she was most attached was Madame Pollet, or Pépa -as she called her. This woman, the only Spaniard -in her service, had entered it in early youth, and -remained with her ever after. She had accompanied -her on all her travels and shared all the vicissitudes -of her mistress, whom she adored and for whom she -would have gladly died. She had charge of the -Empress’s wardrobe and personal belongings, and -was untiring in her efforts to fulfil the slightest wish -of Eugénie, who on her part, while she never allowed -the distance between them to be forgotten, returned -the affection and reposed the most boundless confidence -in Pépa. Madame Pollet was supposed to -have great influence with the Empress, and wives -of high officials were not ashamed to court her -favor and load her with gifts when they wanted -something of her mistress. But Pépa, a modest -little creature, had no desire to meddle with matters -that did not concern her; besides she was far too -busy and too much in demand by Eugénie to have -time for other things.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_77">77</div> -<p>The dinner hour at the Tuileries was half-past -seven. At this meal the Prince Imperial, after his -eighth year, was present as well as all the ladies and -gentlemen of the court. Shortly before the hour, -the Emperor went to his wife’s apartments and escorted -her to the Hall of Apollo, where the court -awaited Their Majesties. As soon as dinner was -served the palace prefect was notified, who in turn -informed the Emperor; Napoleon gave his arm to -Eugénie and the rest followed in order of rank. -The ceremony was simple but strictly in accordance -with etiquette. At table a young blackamoor, whom -she had brought with her from Algiers, always stood -behind Eugénie’s chair, and waited on her with as -lofty an air as if he were fulfilling some sacred office. -He was said to be of noble birth, and proudly refused -to serve any one but the Empress.</p> -<p>After dinner, which was served with such smoothness -and precision that it seldom lasted more than -three-quarters of an hour, the court returned to the -Hall of Apollo, where the evening was spent, usually -in a most tedious manner. The presence of the sovereigns -prevented any spontaneous general conversation. -The Emperor himself rarely spoke at all, -while Eugénie, finding this atmosphere of repression -unbearable, talked incessantly with the nervous -vivacity peculiar to her. To vary the monotony of -these evenings, reading aloud was sometimes suggested -but it was difficult to find anything suitable -for such an assemblage. A French or English romance -would entertain the Empress but bored the -Emperor horribly; while if a scientific work that -interested Napoleon were chosen, Eugénie would -yawn, therefore this too had to be abandoned.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_78">78</div> -<p>The Emperor was fond of solitaire, which he often -played; but it did not amuse Eugénie except when -she did not feel like talking, which was seldom the -case. There was never music or card-playing at -the palace. Once in a great while the Empress -would have a sudden fancy to do something, as -when, for example, late one evening a courtier was -hastily despatched to procure all the necessary -materials for making artificial flowers, that she -might learn the art at once. On another occasion -it was the desire to model in clay that must be -gratified on the spot.</p> -<p>Punctually at ten, a table was brought in with tea -and cakes, which the ladies served themselves, and -conversation now became general. Between eleven -and twelve the Empress withdrew to her own apartments -and generally retired at once though she -sometimes kept her reader, Mlle. Bouvet, to read -aloud to her after she was in bed. As a general -rule, however, she preferred to read to herself which -she did often and very rapidly.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_79">79</div> -<h2 id="c9"><span class="h2line1">Chapter IX</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Eugénie as a Leader of Fashion</span></h2> -<p>The stairways and corridors in the Tuileries -were so dark that they had to be lighted -summer and winter; and this, with the bad -ventilation, made the palace so unbearable in warm -weather that the court spent the summer months -away from Paris, at Fontainebleau, St. Cloud, or -Biarritz. Of these resorts Napoleon’s favorite was -St. Cloud, where he usually went to recuperate -from the severe attacks of illness to which he was -subject. Here he was quite happy, playing with -his dog Nero, a faithful companion for many years, -or tending his roses in the palace garden.</p> -<p>Eugénie, on her part, preferred Biarritz, in the -Pyrenees, and it was owing largely to her that this -resort became by far the most popular in France, -casting Dieppe, Trouville, and Boulogne completely -in the shade. Nowhere in the world could there -have been found such a medley of wealth and -poverty, aristocrats and adventurers, high-born dames -and demi-mondaines of all classes, as at Biarritz in -the days of the Second Empire. It had attractions -of all sorts, hotels and restaurants, shops and bazars -of every description, as well as a casino containing -a theatre, concert hall, ball and gaming rooms, from -the broad terrace of which there was a most charming -view.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_80">80</div> -<p>Opposite the town, on a rocky plateau across a -narrow arm of the sea, stood the Château Eugénie. -It looked more like a barracks than a palace, and -owing to the salt spray flung all around it in time of -storm, no sort of vegetation would thrive there; but -when the Empress stepped out on her terrace in the -morning, the sea lay spread out at her feet. The -ever changing lights and shades of sky and water -lent variety to the solitary landscape; while looking -the other way she could watch the gay equipages -rolling by toward the baths. This to her was the -ideal combination of nature and civilization. In -this beautiful spot Eugénie spent some of her happiest -hours, forgetful of the tedium of court life, her -husband’s infidelities, and the persecutions of Prince -Napoleon and his followers. Here her natural high -spirits found vent, and she romped like a child with -her little son, or revelled in the sea-bathing, feeling -for the first time since her early youth the charms of -a life free from excitement or ambitious aims.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_81">81</div> -<p>Like all the children of Spain, she had the deepest -affection and reverence for her native land, that -land with which were connected so many happy as -well as painful memories, and where her mother still -lived. Now that her griefs had lost their sting, she -often longed for Spanish ways and customs and to -hear once more her childhood’s tongue. From -Biarritz she could make frequent excursions into -Spain, where she hailed even the poorest peasants -with delight, chatting with them in their native language, -overwhelming them with gifts, and receiving -in return so warm a welcome that it more than repaid -her for all the humiliations of her youth. She also -visited Madrid, the scene of her early adventures, -and was received with the greatest distinction by -Queen Isabella, from whose court she had once been -dismissed on so slight a suspicion.</p> -<p>But it was not only in Spain that Eugénie won all -hearts. Whether receiving royal guests or visiting -some charitable institution, presiding at court or -opening an exhibition, it could not be denied that -she had been wonderfully equipped by nature for -the great role she had been called upon to play on -the world’s stage. Part of her popularity was also -due to the kindness of heart which was such a -conspicuous trait in her character through all her -changes of fortune. Many admirable institutions in -Paris owe their origin to the Empress Eugénie’s -benevolence. In the Summer of 1865, while acting -as Regent during the Emperor’s stay in Algiers, she -devoted herself to improving conditions in the -reform schools for children. Accompanied by a -prefect of police she made a visit in person to “La -Petite Roquette,” a house of correction. A terrible -state of affairs existed in this institution, where, -since it was intended more for abandoned children -than those in need of punishment, a cell system had -been introduced to prevent communication between -the two classes. The dark court was also divided -by high walls; and here the five hundred wretched -inmates could be seen creeping about their cages like -wild beasts, with bowed heads and dull, vacant faces.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_82">82</div> -<p>The Empress’s motherly heart overflowed with -pity at sight of these children’s sufferings. She -appointed a commission at once to make a change -in this dreadful system and attended all the meetings, -which were held at the Tuileries, with the -greatest interest and enthusiasm. A member of -the commission took advantage of one of these -meetings to oppose the Empress’s project. “The -idea is all very well, Madame,” he declared, “but -there are so many obstacles in the way of its execution -that it is difficult to see how any remedy can -be provided. To discuss the question is merely an -excursion into the realm of sentiment.”</p> -<p>“Pardon me,” replied the Empress gently, “but -this is a question of humanity, not of politics.” And -she finally carried her point. The youthful prisoners -of La Roquette were sent into the country, -and the cell system was abolished. It was not -without anxiety that the warders received the new -inmates, fearing it would be a hard task to manage -them and that the well-behaved children would be -corrupted by the others. Results proved, however, -that the Empress was right, for even the most depraved -and hardened culprits improved with kind -treatment and work in the open air.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_83">83</div> -<p>Equally worthy of note was the day spent by the -Regent at St. Lazare—a place of confinement -for abandoned women. News of the Empress’s -visit to this place spread like wildfire over the city, -and on leaving these poor, despised creatures she -received touching proofs of the people’s devotion -to her. The crowds assembled in the streets murmured -blessings on her, while the women knelt to -kiss the hem of her gown.</p> -<p>Toward the end of September, 1865, cholera broke -out in Paris, and the court, which was then at -Biarritz, decided to return to the capital at once. -The memory of the terrible epidemic of 1849 was -still fresh in the minds of the people; and when, -after apparently subsiding, the disease broke out -again with renewed violence a terrible panic ensued. -The courage and self-sacrifice displayed by Eugénie -during this time won universal applause; the newspapers, -even those hostile to her, were loud in praise -of the royal “sister of charity.” On the twenty-first -of October the Emperor made a long visit to -one of the cholera hospitals, and on leaving ordered -the sum of fifty thousand francs to be distributed -for the relief of the sufferers. Eugénie, to whom -he had said nothing of his intention, was much disappointed -at not having accompanied him. The -next morning she drove from St. Cloud to Paris, -where she made the rounds of all the cholera hospitals -herself, going from bed to bed with words of -cheer and comfort. Once, pausing beside a man -who was dying, she took his hand in hers gently -and spoke some words of sympathy to him. Thinking -it one of the nuns, the poor fellow summoned up -his last remnants of strength to kiss her hand. -“Thanks, sister,” he murmured. The sister of charity -who accompanied the Empress leaned over and said:</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_84">84</div> -<p>“You mistake, my friend; it was not I, but our -gracious Empress who spoke to you.”</p> -<p>“Never mind, sister,” interposed Eugénie, “he -could have given me no more beautiful name—” a -saying which was repeated and long remembered -among the people.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_85">85</div> -<p class="center"><span class="gs">* * * * * * * *</span></p> -<p>Yet much as Eugénie had endeared herself to the -masses by her fearlessness and kind-heartedness -during the cholera epidemic, it was not long before -the feeling against her on account of her bigotry, -extravagance, and frivolity again came to the surface, -not alone in court circles but throughout the -whole Empire. To lay to the Empress’s account -all the follies and indiscretions, all the worldliness -and self-seeking, of Parisian life at that time, would -be most unfair; yet it cannot be denied that her -influence had much to do with the luxury and the -eccentricities of fashion that prevailed. Doomed -by her rank to a life of idleness and inactivity, the -lack of proper food for heart and mind forced her -energies to find outlet in trifles. The gratification -of her vanity became the chief object of life. With -the sceptre of France, her slender hand also grasped -that of the world of fashion—a domain in which -she was no beneficent sovereign, but a tyrant whose -yoke was borne without a murmur. Even when she -was a young girl her costumes excited envy and -admiration for their originality, and at every watering-place -she visited, bungling imitations of the -beautiful Spaniard’s <i>toilettes</i> were to be seen in -hotels and gaming halls. In Paris her influence soon -began to be felt, and almost before her name had -become familiar to the people her waistcoats were -being copied and sold by all the fashionable tailors, -and the high-heeled riding boots she had worn at -Compiègne were adopted by every French court -lady. Every morning, as we have seen, before -going to mass, Eugénie devoted one or two hours -at least to the study of dress.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_86">86</div> -<p>Her bedchamber, with its adjoining oratory, was -at some distance from her other apartments and -lacked all stamp of individuality. The bed, heavily -draped with rich hangings, was raised on a dais, and -resembled a throne. In this room she kept the -Golden Rose that was presented to her by the -Pope, and beside the bed stood one of the palm -branches sent her each year by the Holy Father -with his blessing. Yet here she spent far less time -during the day than in the dressing-room next it, -where there were several large movable mirrors -enabling her to see herself from all points. On the -floor above, connected by elevator and speaking -tube with her private apartments, were the rooms -occupied by her waiting-women. Here was a vast -store of silks, velvets, and satins, with gowns and -every conceivable article of wearing apparel. Ranged -along the wall were rows of dresses and wraps of -all sorts and colors, with receptacles for hats, shoes, -fans, parasols, etc. In one of the rooms were several -life-sized forms which the Empress had had made, -exactly reproducing her own figure in size and -height, and dressed like living women to the smallest -detail; for in spite of the pains taken by the modistes -and tailors to win her approval, it was seldom that -a costume entirely suited her.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_87">87</div> -<p>She was tireless in her quest for novelty. With -each change of season, quantities of models and -materials were brought to her to choose from, and -numberless conferences were held with Madame -Virot, the court milliner, as well as Worth, the -famous ladies’ tailor, whose reputation she founded. -He would often send her costumes costing one or -two hundred thousand francs, and once he made her -pay as much as fifty thousand francs for a simple -cloak. Even these works of art met with no mercy -in their original form, but were always remodelled -and altered according to her orders, until her own -carefully cultivated taste produced the desired -effect of perfect harmony. All the artistic talent -she possessed was devoted to the study of dress, and -under her sway fashion rose into the realm of art. -Inseparable from the image of the beautiful Spaniard -is the energy with which for eighteen long years -she wielded its sceptre. Her greatest interest in -life, it constituted at once her strength and her -weakness—weakness because from it sprang the -charge of folly and extravagance justly made by -France against its former sovereign; strength, because -of the art with which it enabled her to hold -her place on the pedestal to which she had been -elevated, and gave her the power to dazzle and fascinate -not only the masses but also her equals and -contemporaries.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_88">88</div> -<h2 id="c10"><span class="h2line1">Chapter X</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Decline of the Empire</span></h2> -<p>As yet there had been no sign of change in -Eugénie’s fortunes. The sun of empire -was still apparently at its zenith. France -deemed herself invincible. The throne seemed -secured to the present dynasty for all time. The -Emperor’s policy had received some severe blows, -however, and disquieting rumors floated over from -the ill-fated Empire he had founded in Mexico.</p> -<p>Maximilian and Carlotta had often visited the -Tuileries in their younger days, and it was only by -Napoleon’s urgent persuasion and promise of support -until his throne should be firmly established that the -Austrian Archduke consented to accept the fatal -crown. Mindful of this promise, in his hour of -need Maximilian sent his wife to Europe to seek -Napoleon’s aid. She arrived in Paris at night, and -without pausing a moment to rest after the long -wearisome sea voyage she hastened to St. Cloud, -her disordered dress and distracted appearance betraying -her terrible agitation. She had brought over -the letters Napoleon had written to her husband, -promising his support. Handing these to the Emperor, -she flung herself at his feet imploring him to -keep his word. But all in vain. Even had he -wished, he could have done nothing; and sobbing -aloud, half senseless with despair, Carlotta is said -to have left St. Cloud with a curse on her lips, -crying: “Louis Philippe’s granddaughter should -never have trusted her fate to a Bonaparte!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_89">89</div> -<p>But although Napoleon’s political errors began to -darken the halo lent him by the Crimean War, and -although two important events in the world’s history -had occurred without his having any share in them -(the wars between Denmark and Germany in 1864, -and between Prussia and Austria in 1866), to all -appearances the period immediately succeeding was -marked by greater splendor and prosperity than -ever. On the first of April, 1867, a second World’s -Exposition was opened in Paris. Once more a -stream of people from all parts of the world poured -into the capital. Never in the history of France -had such lavish hospitality been displayed—not -even during the magnificence of Louis the Fourteenth’s -time nor in the reign of Napoleon the First. -A perfect galaxy of crowned heads was assembled -at the French court, and the proudest princesses, -the most conservative monarchs, vied with one another -in marks of friendship toward “the upstart” -and “the adventuress.” And with what matchless -grace, with what admirable tact, Eugénie played the -part of hostess to her illustrious guests!</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_90">90</div> -<p>In consequence of an attempt to assassinate the -Czar of Russia, history has preserved an account of -the grand military review that was held on the -seventh of June, 1867, in his honor and that of the -King of Prussia. Living walls of spectators surrounded -the plain of Longchamps where it took place. -The glitter of uniforms, the flash of arms, and the -flutter of banners made a brilliant scene in the summer -sunshine. The guests arrived in state and took -their places. The Crown Princess of Prussia and her -sister Princess Alice of Hesse were already in their -seats on the tribune, but no one heeded them. A -general air of expectancy prevailed. Suddenly on -all sides arose the shout, “Here comes the Empress!” -and beaming with happiness, smiling and bowing -graciously to all, Eugénie drove round the great -plain through ranks of cheering thousands and -alighted at the imperial pavilion. Directly behind -her came the three monarchs on horseback, followed -by the German Crown Prince and the Russian -heir to the throne, while the massed troops -presented arms and a blare of trumpets greeted -Their Majesties. Eugénie took the seat of honor -on the tribune, her glance travelling proudly over -the glittering ranks of soldiers, the flower of the -French army, and the shouting throngs beyond. As -the sovereigns approached, Alexander of Russia and -William the Great of Prussia rode up and bent to -kiss her hand. The granddaughter of the wine-merchant -Kirkpatrick, daughter of Manuela Montijo of -doubtful reputation, receiving public homage from -Europe’s mightiest princes—well might Eugénie be -proud and happy!</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_91">91</div> -<p>The review at Longchamps was one of the last of -those brilliant spectacles that amazed the world -during the Second Empire, although not the last of -Eugénie’s triumphs that memorable summer. Three -weeks later the exposition prizes were awarded by -the Prince Imperial, officiating as President, on which -occasion were present the Prince of Wales, the Crown -Princess of Prussia, the Crown Prince of Italy, the -Duke of Aosta, the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, -and lastly the Sultan, with his son and two nephews. -Side by side on the magnificently decorated platform -sat Christian and Mohammedan, the bigoted -Empress and the Turkish Sultan. He had no command -of French, but the glances with which he followed -her every motion plainly spoke the language -of admiration. Intoxicated with gratified vanity -and ambition, Eugénie believed herself at the summit -of her greatness; but already the ground was -trembling beneath her feet. On that very day -Napoleon received news of Maximilian’s tragic fate, -and the shouts of the populace were powerless to -drown the echoes of the rattle of musketry that -came to him from Querétaro like a prophecy of evil.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_92">92</div> -<p>One of Napoleon’s most marked and singular characteristics -was his firm belief in predestination. It -was this fatalism that had led him to centre all his -energies on winning the throne, and to it he also -owed his cool personal bravery. With this indifference -to danger were linked the irresolution and -vacillation so conspicuous in all the political dealings -of his later years. He tried in every possible way -to lift the veil that hid the future. There was -scarcely a fortune-teller of any repute in Paris whom -he did not secretly visit, and, incredible as it may -seem, their prophecies always made a deep impression -on him.</p> -<p>It had often been foretold him, even before he -ascended the throne, that Germany would be the -cause of his undoing, and that was the reason why -he could neither bring himself to support national -unity in that country nor yet decide forcibly to -oppose it. He had hoped the war between Prussia -and Austria would weaken both powers so that he -might be able to snatch the roast chestnuts safely -from the fire; but Prussia’s decisive victory left him -helpless and irresolute, unable to nerve himself to -any decisive action. The increasing power of that -country caused a growing uneasiness throughout -France, and the Emperor’s credit began to sink. He -tried to form new political alliances, but it seemed -as if the hand of fate, which at first had led him on -from victory to victory, was now against him, for -he encountered only difficulties and disappointments. -To play the role of protector to the Latin -peoples had always been a part of Napoleon the -Third’s policy. It was no slight blow to him, therefore, -when Isabella of Spain, with whom he was -about to form an alliance, was dethroned just as a -meeting between them had been arranged. She -sought refuge in Paris, where she was received with -royal honors, and her son, afterwards King Alfonso -the Twelfth, became the constant playmate of the -Prince Imperial.</p> -<div class="img" id="pic3"> -<img src="images/p3.jpg" alt="" width="837" height="1200" /> -<p class="caption"><i>NAPOLEON THE THIRD</i></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_93">93</div> -<p>The revolution beyond the Pyrenees sounded the -alarm for France, and clouds of insurrection began -to appear on the horizon. Napoleon found himself -forced to loosen the reins of government; and -although the disturbances apparently blew over, -opposition increased daily. With modification of -the press laws in 1867 the situation grew worse -instead of better; and when in the following year -Henri Rochefort began the publication of “La -Lanterne,” the waves of revolution began to rise. -This democratic Comte exercised a magical influence -over public opinion in Paris, and his scurrilous -journal, filled with venomous attacks on the whole -imperial family, reached an enormous circulation. -Napoleon’s political blunders were not calculated -to appease popular sentiment or his own anxious -forebodings. To add to his troubles, he suffered -greatly from a chronic physical ailment; and in the -autumn of 1869 his health was so seriously affected -that there was some talk of declaring the Prince -Imperial of age, before the proper time. Eugénie’s -popularity too began to wane even among the middle -classes, which had always formed her strongest -support.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_94">94</div> -<p>As every one knows, it was her cousin Ferdinand -de Lesseps who was the originator of the Suez Canal. -With it his name will remain forever linked, while -the Empress’s share in this undertaking will doubtless -soon be forgotten. He conceived the idea during -a long residence in Egypt, and devoted a year -of tireless labor to its execution; but it was her enthusiastic -support that encouraged and urged him -on and paved the way for his success. It was not -all smooth sailing, however. Before the canal was -finished rumors arose that it would not be navigable -for large vessels. The stock fell heavily; and with -their usual fickleness, the French people, threatened -with heavy losses, blamed the Empress, who had -done her best to encourage subscription to the stock. -Instead of the shouts that usually greeted her appearance -she encountered only an ominous silence; -and so great was her unpopularity at this time, that -she found it advisable when at the theatre to retire -to the back of her box. Her desire to be present -at the opening of the Suez Canal added fuel to the -flame. One day it was announced by telegraph -from London that Napoleon had negotiated a loan -of ten million francs from English banks to defray -the expenses of his wife’s journey to Egypt. Of -course it was totally without foundation, but the -radical press hastened to spread the report with so -many malicious additions that Eugénie was universally -denounced for the vast sums she was supposed -to have squandered.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_95">95</div> -<p>Arrangements for her journey were continued, -nevertheless. Preparations were made everywhere -to receive the fair guest on so grand a scale that it -is well worth a glance backward to recall the homage -paid her so short a time before her fall. Venice, -where the imperial yacht, the <i>Eagle</i>, first touched, -was beautifully illuminated. The Italian royal -family welcomed her in person; and a hundred -singers serenaded her on the Grand Canal. In -Athens she met with a still more flattering reception; -but it was at Constantinople that the most -elaborate preparations had been made in her honor. -All the streets through which she was to pass were -newly paved and a number of houses torn down that -they might be widened. Accommodations for twenty -thousand troops were erected, and near by, a splendid -kiosk. A gorgeous sedan chair valued at over -two hundred thousand francs was made expressly -for her use, while for weeks the ladies of the harem -were busy practising their curtsies and wearing -high-heeled shoes. On the arrival of the <i>Eagle</i>, -October 13, 1869, she was met by a fleet of twenty -vessels, which escorted her through a double line of -Turkish men-of-war, twenty-five on either side, each -of which saluted with a hundred and one guns, the -imperial yacht responding with an equal number. -The shores of the Bosphorus were lined on both sides -with troops. All the ships in the harbor were decorated -with flags, and at the appointed landing-place -the Sultan was waiting to receive his royal guest. -The event was made a national holiday. All the -provinces and dependencies of the Turkish Empire -sent deputations to the capital to greet the French -Empress; public celebrations of all kinds were held; -and at night the illuminations on the Bosphorus -were a magnificent sight.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_96">96</div> -<p>A week later Eugénie reached Alexandria on her -triumphal progress, where she was welcomed by -Ismail, the Viceroy of Egypt, and from whence the -journey was continued by rail to Cairo. Everywhere -her appearance was the signal for an unbroken succession -of <i>fêtes</i> and illuminations. At the celebration -of the opening of the Canal her yacht was the -first to pass through it. Seated on the flower-wreathed -deck, amid the thunder of cannon and -strains of music from all the ships’ bands, she sailed -proudly through the new waterway, not only France’s -sovereign and the patroness of the great undertaking, -but Queen of Beauty and Fashion as well. Almost -all the great sea powers were represented at the -ceremony. The Emperor of Austria and the Crown -Prince of Prussia with many other royalties were -with her on the <i>Eagle</i>, but it was upon Eugénie that -all eyes were fixed; for her the frantic shouts that -rent the air.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_97">97</div> -<h2 id="c11"><span class="h2line1">Chapter XI</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">The War of 1870</span></h2> -<p>The spirit of revolution may be quenched at -times in the populace of Paris, but it is -never entirely extinguished. Napoleon the -Third had held their turbulence in check for nearly -twenty years, but now all signs seemed to indicate -that an outbreak was imminent. The Emperor’s -best friends advised him to identify himself with -the liberal party, which in case of any change of -sovereignty would prove a valuable safeguard to -his young and inexperienced son. Others were of -the opinion that a war with Prussia was necessary -to preserve the Empire and revive popular loyalty -to the name of Napoleon. That such a war would -at one blow shatter the proud imperial edifice, no -one dreamed, least of all the Empress, who was at -the head of this party.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_98">98</div> -<p>Napoleon chose the former course. At the general -election of 1870, the change from an autocratic to -a constitutional government was approved by about -eight million votes. For the other alternative he -had a decided distaste. His watchword, “empire -is peace,” was no empty phrase on his lips, in spite -of the wars into which he had been forced by policy. -When at the victorious battle of Solferino he saw -whole ranks of Austrians mowed down by his artillery, -he ordered the firing to cease, in spite of the -protests of his officers; and long afterwards he could -never think or speak of this bloody engagement -without a shudder. One of his most cherished plans -was to bring about a general disarmament of all the -great powers, and a presentiment that his ruin was -near at hand made him the more averse to any conflict -with Prussia. The pressure in favor of it grew -steadily greater, however, and, weary of the burden -of government, ill in body and mind, he finally -yielded. War was declared on the most trivial -pretext, July 14, 1870.</p> -<p>Heretofore the French people had shown no special -interest in the subject, and the news came as a surprise; -yet once the die was cast, the prospect of war -excited the wildest enthusiasm. The Emperor and -Empress were greeted with acclamation: the horses -were taken from their coach and drawn by the youth -of France; the imperial pair rode in triumph through -the streets of Paris. The whole nation was aroused. -Volunteers flocked to the banner of France. Shouts -of, “To Berlin! To Berlin!” and the strains of the -Marseillaise, filled the air. The ferment that had -long been brewing having now found an outlet, the -riotous element hastened to the frontier. Every -day fresh bodies of troops departed. Paris was in -high spirits, and news from the seat of war was -awaited with confident assurance. From day to -day it was expected that the Emperor would join the -army; but it was not till the twenty-eighth of July -that he finally took his departure, leaving his wife -as Regent during his absence, and accompanied by -the Prince Imperial, who was to have his first experience -of warfare.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_99">99</div> -<p>When Napoleon questioned Lebœuf, the Minister -of War, concerning the preparations for war, he was -assured that all was complete. The army was ready; -everything in order, to the smallest detail. Yet how -far from truth, alas, were these empty phrases! -Reforms that had been begun under the preceding -ministry were far from being carried out. Army -organization was wofully defective. Even so important -a post as Metz was insufficiently protected. -Contractors defrauded the Government. All was -confusion and lack of proper equipment. Under -these conditions it is not strange that the overthrow -of the Germans did not speedily follow. After some -delay—far too long to suit the eager Parisians—came -the first despatch, a message of victory. The -indecisive action at Saarbrücken was construed into -a glorious beginning of the war. The Emperor’s -telegram to his wife was printed all over Europe -and stamped the Prince Imperial with an impression -of ridicule that only his life-blood, afterwards shed -at Itelezi, was able entirely to obliterate.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_100">100</div> -<blockquote> -<p>“Louis has received his baptism of fire. He showed -admirable calmness and did not once lose his composure. -One of General Frossard’s divisions has taken the heights -overlooking Saarbrücken on the left. Prussia will offer -little resistance. We were at the front, with musket and -cannon balls falling all about us. Louis has kept a bullet -that struck close beside him. One of the soldiers wept -to see him so brave. Our total loss amounts to one -officer and ten men.</p> -<p><span class="jr">“<span class="sc">Napoleon.</span>”</span></p> -</blockquote> -<p>This news was received with satisfaction but -neither surprise nor enthusiasm. It was no more -than was expected, and even in France there was -much laughter over Lulu’s “baptism of fire.” But -soon came a change. The German victories of -Weissenburg, Wörth, and Forbach followed in -rapid succession. At the French headquarters an -attempt was made to suppress the news of these -defeats and no word from the seat of war was -received in Paris. The ministers who went to St. -Cloud to consult with the Empress found her in -tears, and full of anxiety at the long silence. At -length, however, rumors of the disasters reached -the capital, and the people were beside themselves -with rage and despair.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_101">101</div> -<p>Early on the morning of Sunday, the seventh of -August, the Empress came to Paris and immediately -sent for the ministers and the presidents of the -Legislative Assembly and the Senate. The next -day Paris was declared in a state of siege and a proclamation -issued by the Empress, urging the citizens -to maintain order and rally to the support of France -that her losses might be retrieved. She already -imagined herself at the head of affairs, taking active -measures for the defence of the capital, cheering on -the troops, and firing them with courage, a role that -particularly appealed to her fancy; but the appeal -made little impression. The people, only too -familiar with her fondness for theatrical effect and -admiration, clamored for action. Declamation was -little to the purpose. They wanted victories, not -comedies!</p> -<p>Public irritation vented itself first of all against the -ministry, which was forced to resign. Émile Ollivier -was succeeded by the aged General Montauban, -Count of Palikao, who had distinguished himself in the -war against China; while Trochu was appointed Governor -of Paris. Further to satisfy popular sentiment, -Napoleon was forced to resign his position as Generalissimo -in favor of Marshal Bazaine, who accordingly -assumed the chief command of the army.</p> -<p>Under normal conditions the Emperor’s place -would now have been in Paris; but the new ministry, -as well as the Empress herself, protested -against his return. Disheartened by the long delays, -sore with disappointed hopes, and furious at -the supposed mistakes of the generals, the people -of Paris were ripe for revolution, and only a spark -was needed to set them aflame. The imperial -pair were overwhelmed with scorn and abuse. Already -their throne was tottering, and with the victorious -advance of the Germans, conviction of its -speedy downfall grew daily stronger.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_102">102</div> -<p>Never before had the Empress found herself in -so critical a situation. The new ministry lacked -the confidence of the public and could be of no help -to her. She had no tried general to depend upon, -and every trace of the troops’ devotion to the house -of Napoleon had long since vanished. She stood -alone and defenceless against an enraged populace -only awaiting a pretext to hurl itself upon her. -With this daily-increasing excitement, the brawls -and dissensions caused by the army’s defeats on the -frontier, and universal anxiety for the fate of the -country, Eugénie began to understand how grievously -she had erred in urging on this “little war,” -as she had referred to it in the beginning of the campaign. -Fears as to the fate of her own husband and -child made her realize for the first time the suffering -of thousands of other wives and mothers. She felt -the necessity of uniting with them in some active -work, and was tireless in her efforts to atone in some -measure for the wrong she had thoughtlessly committed.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_103">103</div> -<p>In the days of prosperity her worst qualities had -been uppermost; she had not shown the better -side of her nature. It remained for misfortune to -reveal her real strength and nobility of character. -In spite of the feeling against her, she went about -everywhere, personally superintending the care of -the wounded. The brilliant salons of the Tuileries -were turned into hospital wards. A new spirit -seemed to animate her and to lend her fresh strength -in this time of danger. At night she rarely slept, -and even when taking a brief rest during the day, -her attendants had orders to awaken her the moment -any message or despatch arrived. No matter how -worn out or exhausted she might be, she would force -herself to rise and hasten back to the bedside of the -wounded where there was so much suffering to relieve, -though she had no time to think of her own misery. -Yet often in her own chamber, haunted by the agonized -cries of the dying, she would pace up and down -wringing her hands as if in bodily pain, tortured by -anguish of soul. In these hours she prayed long and -fervently for her dear ones and for her people, the -women who suffered like herself, the brave men who -were fighting for their country. A feverish activity -possessed her. She tried to persuade Austria to -assist France. She wrote to the Queen of England -imploring her to intervene for the sake of peace. -She pardoned over two thousand criminals. She -superintended the preparations for the defence of -Paris and held innumerable consultations with -Trochu, in whom she placed the blindest and most -implicit confidence. At the same time, however, -she took the precaution of having all her important -private and family papers conveyed on board the -French squadron, as well as some of the principal -works of art from the Louvre. She also had a -list of the crown jewels made, to secure her against -suspicion in case of extremity. Her own personal -ornaments were sent to her mother in Spain. The -strain and over-exertion of these weeks seriously -affected her health and wrought a startling change -in her appearance. Tortured with suspense, she -waited from day to day for news from the seat of -war; yet all that came brought so little comfort -that her advisers thought best to conceal it from the -people as far as possible.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_104">104</div> -<p>At length came the final blow. On the afternoon -of the third of September, as the Minister of Foreign -Affairs was on his way to the Tuileries, he was met -by the Superintendent of Telegraphs.</p> -<p>“I have just received a most important telegram -for the Empress from the Emperor,” he said. “I -usually attend myself to the messages that pass -between Their Majesties, but this one I have not -the courage to deliver.” It was the well-known -despatch:</p> -<blockquote> -<p>“The army is defeated and has surrendered. I myself -am a prisoner.</p> -<p><span class="jr">“<span class="sc">Napoleon.</span>”</span></p> -</blockquote> -<div class="pb" id="Page_105">105</div> -<p>The Minister went at once to Eugénie with this -terrible news, the reality of which exceeded all that -her darkest fears had painted, and her feelings at -this moment may be better imagined than described. -Yet even then she did not consider her own fate. -Her only thought was for France; and she firmly -refused to employ the troops in her own defence -against the people, for that would have added the -terrors of civil strife to those of war. Late that -evening the bad news reached the city, but instead -of uniting to make a brave stand against the enemy, -the populace rose in arms, and it was plain that the -Empire’s days were numbered. The streets were -filled with surging throngs, shouting “Down with -the Emperor! Down with the Empress! Long -live the Republic!” On all sides was heard the -expression, “An Emperor dies, but does not surrender.”</p> -<p>About one o’clock that night the Legislature held -a special session. Not a member was absent, and -the galleries were crowded. Amid a deathly silence -the president arose. He said:</p> -<p>“A calamity has brought us together here at this -unwonted hour. I have called the session to discuss -our present situation.”</p> -<p>Not a sound broke the stillness. All eyes were -fixed on the Ministers’ bench. Count Palikao rose. -The aged hero was no orator, but his voice was firm -as he announced the disaster of Sedan. He added, -slowly:</p> -<p>“With such news it is impossible for the ministry -to enter into any discussion before to-morrow. I -was called from my bed only a short time since, to -come here.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_106">106</div> -<p>The president of the Exchequer then put the -question as to whether the meeting should be adjourned. -“Aye-aye,” shouted several voices. Suddenly -a bushy head arose, and a loud, discordant -voice made three motions:—“Deposition of the -Emperor; Appointment of a provisional Government; -Retention of Trochu as Governor of Paris.” -It was Jules Favre.</p> -<p>Only members of the Extreme Left subscribed to -these motions, which were received with surprising -indifference. One member of the Right protested -against the Emperor’s deposition, but an ominous -silence greeted his words. For the rest of the night -a similar silence reigned throughout the city. It -was the hush before the storm.</p> -<p>That Eugénie was far from suspecting an uprising -is shown by the fact that she made absolutely no -preparations for flight. The next morning she arose -early, heard mass in her private chapel, and made -her rounds of the hospitals as usual. At nine o’clock -she received General Trochu, who, although only a -few hours since placed at the head of the new Government, -still solemnly protested his loyalty to her. -Later in the forenoon a deputation waited on the -Regent to inform her of the appointment of a commission -to assume control of the Government in -her place, in other words, to request her resignation. -She listened quietly to their explanation and dismissed -them with the following words:</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_107">107</div> -<p>“What you mean to offer me, gentlemen, is the -pledge of a peaceful future, on condition that I -renounce the present and abandon in time of danger -the post entrusted to me. That I cannot do. To -such terms I certainly will not subscribe. Go back -to the Assembly and say to General Palikao and -his colleagues that I rely upon them implicitly; -that I grant them full power to take any steps proper -for the interest of the country, and approve the same -in advance.”</p> -<p>Meanwhile the public tumult increased in violence. -The red flag was hoisted everywhere. A boy of -nine years even climbed up and fastened one to the -top of the bronze railing that surrounded the Tuileries. -Thousands filled the Place de la Concorde, -roaring the Marseillaise at the top of their voices. -The Assembly had again met, but so many forced -their way into the chamber, and the uproar was so -great, that it was impossible to transact any business.</p> -<p>“Not here shall the Republic be proclaimed,” -shouted Gambetta, “but at the Hôtel de Ville!”</p> -<p>This suggestion met with great applause, and the -deputies adjourned to that edifice, where a Government -of National Defence was formed. The -news that the Empire no longer existed quickly -spread and was hailed with wildest enthusiasm. -Not a voice was raised in behalf of the fallen dynasty. -Vast throngs invaded the Hôtel de Ville and valuable -portraits of the Emperor and Empress were hacked -with knives, trampled under foot, and tossed out -of the windows. The imperial emblems were torn -to pieces, and the eagle, which could not be easily -removed, was covered with paper.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_108">108</div> -<p>“At the windows of the huge barracks filled with -troops supposed to be loyal unto death to the Emperor,” -says an eye-witness, “I saw soldiers laughing, -waving their handkerchiefs, and shouting ‘Long -live the Republic!’ Strangers hugged and kissed -one another for joy. In the neighborhood of the -Pont Neuf, people mounted on high ladders were -busy pulling down busts of the Emperor, which -were carried in mock state and flung into the Seine, -shouts of laughter and applause greeting the splash -with which the mutilated images of their former -sovereign struck the water.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_109">109</div> -<h2 id="c12"><span class="h2line1">Chapter XII</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Eugénie’s Flight to England</span></h2> -<p>The Empress mean while was still at the Tuileries. -One of the palace prefects had returned -from the Assembly with news of what -had passed, but she refused to desert her post even -though the mob was already at the gates of the -palace and a dull roar penetrated the deserted halls. -Eugénie’s question as to whether it would be possible -to defend the Tuileries without bloodshed was -answered in the negative by the governor of the -palace, General Mellinet, and she still refused to -have a drop of blood shed in her behalf. Nearer -and nearer sounded the uproar, and the trampling -of feet was now distinctly audible. Shouts were -heard: “She will escape!” “Long live the Republic!” -“Down with the Spaniard!” “Forward! Into -the palace—forward!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_110">110</div> -<p>Prince Metternich and the Italian ambassador, -Count Nigra, who had hastened to the side of the -Empress, urged her to flee, as every moment that -passed made escape more difficult. But to run -away from danger was foreign to Eugénie’s nature, -and she could not bring herself to believe it necessary, -in spite of the raging mob without trampling on one -another, swaying now forward, now back, striving -with shrieks and blows to make room and force open -the gates of the palace, all animated by a single -impulse—hatred for the imperial house. At length -sounds of tumult were heard on the great staircase, -and the Empress’s attendants implored her to leave -the palace and not expose their lives to danger.</p> -<p>“Is there no other way?” she asked in despair. -“Is there nothing we can do to defend ourselves? -At least, you can say I have done my duty to the -last.”</p> -<p>Deeply moved, they kissed her hand without -replying; but the Prince urged them to hurry, as -there was no time to lose. A dark cloak was thrown -around the Empress, and, accompanied by her -reader, Madame Lebreton, with the two ambassadors, -Minister Chevreau, and a few members of her -court, she consented at last to go. Escape was impossible -through the palace courtyard; for the Place -du Carrousel, from which it was separated only by -a slender railing, was packed with people. Some -other way must be found; but before leaving her -rooms Eugénie went to the window and stood looking -down for a moment on the seething mass below.</p> -<p>“Alas!” she cried, “what folly to spend their -strength in this way, when the enemy is at the gates!” -Then, as she turned to go, she added with emotion:</p> -<p>“Unhappy palace! fate seems to have ordained -that all crowned heads shall leave you in this way.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_111">111</div> -<p>By this time her escort was reduced to the two -ambassadors and Madame Lebreton. The others -had already fled to seek their own safety. She took -Count Nigra’s arm, and Madame Lebreton followed -with Prince Metternich. Through the Flora Pavilion -of the Tuileries they hurried to the Louvre, -the galleries of which they must traverse at full -length to reach an exit on the side toward St. -Germain. But here, too, the street was crowded -with people shouting, “Long live the Republic!” -“Down with the Emperor!”</p> -<p>The little party halted before the door, but behind -them also sounded the roar of the mob. To turn -back would be inevitably to fall into their hands. -The risk must be taken; there was nothing to do -but go on. Even at this critical point the Empress’s -courage did not forsake her; indeed, she had never -given clearer proof of it than now.</p> -<p>“You are holding my arm,” she said to Nigra; -“do you feel it tremble?”</p> -<p>“Not in the least, Madame,” replied the Count.</p> -<p>The gentlemen opened the doors. The ladies -passed out, and Eugénie found herself face to face -with the populace who were inflamed with hatred -against her. She was within a hair’s-breadth of -sharing the fate of Marie Antoinette, or perhaps -being torn to pieces by the rabble. The excitement -was so great, there is no knowing what terrible scene -might have been enacted had she been recognized.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_112">112</div> -<p>Luckily a closed carriage happened to be standing -near by, and with great presence of mind she rushed -toward it. A street urchin spied her and shouted, -“Look, look! the Empress!” but no one heeded the -words. Nigra stopped and spoke to the boy to divert -his attention while Eugénie threw herself into the -carriage, followed by Madame Lebreton. Prince -Metternich shouted an imaginary address to the -driver, and off they went, safe at least for the time -being. But their troubles were not yet ended. In -her haste, Eugénie had forgotten her purse; and when -her companion drew hers from her pocket she found -to her horror that it contained only three francs in -all, scarcely enough to pay for the carriage. To -avoid a discussion with the driver, they determined -to continue on foot, but whither, they had not yet -considered. At the Boulevard Haussmann, therefore, -they alighted, and while Madame Lebreton -paid the coachman, Eugénie stepped into the shadow -of a doorway.</p> -<p>It is said that the Empress knocked in vain at -many doors before she succeeded in finding a temporary -asylum in her own capital; but at length the -happy thought occurred to her of applying to Dr. -Evans, a well-known American dentist whom she -had known for years and often received at the Tuileries. -Arrived at his office, she had to wait with -other patients in the anteroom till her turn came; -but at last Madame Lebreton was able to gain admittance -to the dentist and told him that the Empress -was without, hoping to find a refuge under his -roof until she could make her escape from Paris.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_113">113</div> -<p>Evans’s astonishment was beyond words. Unaware -as yet of the sudden change in affairs, he could -not believe it possible that the Empress should have -cause to fear for her safety. Nevertheless he begged -the ladies to wait while he went out into the street -to convince himself of the true condition of things. -In a short time he returned, convinced that they had -not left the Tuileries a moment too soon; and without -a thought of his own danger or the possible -detriment to his business, he promised to aid them -to the full extent of his power. His wife was away -at the time, and as luck would have it, he was expecting -the arrival that day of two patients who -were unknown to his servants. He now introduced -the Empress and Madame Lebreton as these persons. -His own bedchamber was prepared for Eugénie and -an improvised couch placed in it for her companion.</p> -<p>While the Empress was thus being harbored in the -house of the chivalrous American, and full of anxiety -as to what the morrow would bring forth, all Paris -was mad with joy. Men, women, and children -marched up and down the streets all night, singing -and shouting, oblivious of the disaster of Sedan -and the country’s danger, and rejoicing that the -Empire was no more.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_114">114</div> -<p>Evans, meanwhile, had instantly set to work. -Under pretext of a professional visit, but in reality -to prepare for the Empress’s escape, he drove out -that very day to the Neuilly Bridge where he was -stopped and asked to give his name, also his destination -and his errand. One of the guards who happened -to know him, however, called to his comrade -to let the American pass.</p> -<p>“I may be frequently obliged to pass the barriers,” -remarked the Doctor coolly; “look well at me, my -man, so that you will know me again and that I -may not be detained unnecessarily.”</p> -<p>His plan was already made. On his return he -informed the ladies that they would be able to pass -the Neuilly Bridge the next day under his protection -if Her Majesty would consent to play the part -of a mad woman. He would pretend to have a -patient with him on her way to an asylum beyond -Neuilly, while Madame Lebreton could pass as her -attendant. Accompanied by a friend and countryman -of Dr. Evans, who was taken into their confidence, -they started off the next morning. All went -well. The sentry at once recognized the doctor, -while the Empress, leaning back in the carriage, her -face hidden by a thick veil, passed unnoticed. This -danger past, they reached St. Germain in safety, -and then Nantes, where they put up at an inn.</p> -<p>“I have a lady with me whom I am taking to a -private asylum,” Evans explained to the innkeeper, -“and I would like a quiet room with shutters on the -windows.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_115">115</div> -<p>His request was complied with without question, -and here Eugénie and her companion were able to -enjoy a few hours’ rest. Evans’s colleague returned -to Paris with the doctor’s carriage which they had -used thus far, and a coach was hired for them by -the landlord to convey the invalid to the institution -where she was to be left in charge. Further to carry -out the plan, it was privately arranged that the -Empress should appear to protest against being -taken there, and make such forcible resistance on -the way that they would apparently be forced to -take another road. They had driven for scarcely -half an hour, therefore, when a loud dispute arose -between Eugénie and the doctor, which became so -violent that Evans called to the coachman to stop -that he might try and induce the patient to go a -short distance on foot.</p> -<p>“I will not—I will not!” stormed the Empress, -and her screams frightened the horses so that the -driver declared he would go no further unless the -disturbance was stopped.</p> -<p>“I will never go to that place, I will not!” shrieked -Eugénie afresh, and at last there seemed nothing -for it but to turn back and drive to the nearest post -station, whence the coach was sent back. As a -further measure of precaution they changed conveyances -at every station, now, however, taking the -road to their real destination—the watering-place -of Deauville, where Mrs. Evans was then staying.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_116">116</div> -<p>For many weeks, as we have seen, Eugénie had -lived in constant agitation and anxiety—the days -full of exhausting labor, the nights without sleep—and -had suffered both mentally and physically in -consequence. She was no longer able to eat, and -had lived for the last four or five days literally on -nothing but black coffee and chloral, which she had -been in the habit of taking in large quantities to -drown her troubles. She wept almost incessantly; -and even when sleep lent her a few moments’ respite, -she would start up suddenly, begin to talk and laugh -excitedly, then as quickly burst into tears and relapse -again into deepest melancholy.</p> -<p>After two seemingly endless days, the fugitives -reached Deauville on the evening of September 6, -and Evans took the Empress and her companion -at once to his wife. Mrs. Evans was about the -same size as Eugénie, and gladly packed up a part of -her wardrobe with some necessary articles of toilet -for the Empress’s use, while the doctor hastened -to discover what boats were leaving for England. -Two vessels were in the harbor, the larger an American -ship, the other a pleasure yacht, the <i>Gazelle</i>, -belonging to Lord Burgoyne. Finding the former -not sufficiently seaworthy, Evans applied to Lord -Burgoyne, who at first flatly refused to take the -Empress across, partly for political reasons, partly -because a storm was brewing. But Eugénie’s protector -insisted so urgently that he finally yielded on -condition that the ladies should not come aboard till -just before the boat sailed, lest the fact that he had -passengers should attract attention. Shortly before -midnight Eugénie, accompanied by Evans and her -faithful Lebreton, hurried on board the yacht, which -did not weigh anchor, however, till the next morning.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_117">117</div> -<p>The dangers by land now lay behind the fugitives, -but others still awaited them by sea. Soon a fearful -storm arose, and the little craft was tossed about -at the mercy of the elements. The crew, little suspecting -that an Empress looked to them for rescue, -labored on bravely and calmly, as is the way of -sailors, who know at any moment they may be -called into eternity. Still the storm increased in -violence, and the danger grew greater every moment. -The ladies were flung about the tiny cabin like bales -of merchandise. By nightfall all hope seemed -vanished. Pale as death, terror stamped on every -line of his countenance, Lord Burgoyne appeared -at the door of the cabin, crying that they were lost.</p> -<p>“It is all your fault!” he shouted, glaring wildly -at the doctor, then rushed away as suddenly as he -had come. The three passengers looked at one another -in amazement, and seasick, exhausted, and -disheartened as she was, Eugénie could not help -laughing at the Englishman’s frenzy of terror. Still -the brave little <i>Gazelle</i> struggled on against wind -and wave until at last the storm began to subside, -and about three o’clock the next morning, after what -seemed a miraculous escape, they reached the harbor -of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_118">118</div> -<p>With what feelings must the ex-Empress have -once more beheld this coast! Must she not involuntarily -have recalled that first visit with her mother -to England so long ago, in her joyous care-free youth? -And again, when she took that first important step -toward recognition by the European sovereigns, and -as the favorite of fortune, gay, courted, and admired, -landed amid the enthusiastic shouts of the people, -as the honored guest of Queen Victoria? To-day -she turned to England for refuge—no longer the -beautiful sovereign of a great European power, but -a wretched fugitive, an unhappy woman exhausted -with fatigue and faint for lack of food. Those -shores on which she had once been hailed with -triumph now in the gray dawn were sole witnesses -of her mute despair.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_119">119</div> -<h2 id="c13"><span class="h2line1">Chapter XIII</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">The Empress in Exile</span></h2> -<p>Early on the morning of the eighth of September, -the landlord of the Hotel York in -Ryde was awakened by a loud knocking, -and found a man and two women standing outside -the door. They had gone first to another inn, but -had been refused admittance, their appearance was -so bedraggled and forlorn. Yet worn and travel-stained -as they were, the doors of the York were -opened to them without hesitation, and here the -Empress and her companions were able to rest for -a few hours after their exhausting journey. That -same afternoon, however, they went on to Brighton, -where the Empress heard that the Prince Imperial -had escaped through Belgium and landed at Dover -the preceding day. Through all her own danger -and distress she had been tortured by constant suspense -as to the fate of her son. Now, therefore, she -hurried at once to Hastings where she hoped to meet -him; and that day witnessed the reunion of mother -and child. But how different, alas, was this meeting -from that of which Eugénie had dreamed, when the -Prince—hailed with cheers from the troops and -the people, and followed by a mother’s proud hopes—had -departed “à Berlin” under his father’s care!</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_120">120</div> -<p>There could have been no greater contrast than that -of the life that now began for Eugénie in Hastings, -with her brilliant career as Empress, or even with -that troubled war-time and the dangers and excitements -through which she had passed. Torn by -alternations of hope, fear, and disappointment, she -had scarcely had time during the past month to -think of herself, much less give way to her feelings. -Here, at the Marine Hotel, for the first time she found -leisure to look back on what had happened and to -review her past life—that inevitable time of reckoning -from which no life is wholly free. Hitherto -she had known nothing but gratified desires, glittering -triumphs, and realized ambitions. She had had -no cause to distrust friends or doubt their loyalty, -no experience of ingratitude. Rarely forgetful of -a service done her, and incapable of falsehood herself, -she had preserved an almost childlike faith in -human nature. Now, for the first time, fate was to -make her thoroughly familiar with this bitterest -chapter in the book of experience. Scarcely had she -turned her back on the Tuileries before her own servants -rifled her apartments. Later, when news came -that the rabble had broken into the palace and -wrought havoc there, Eugénie’s first thought was -“Poor Trochu!”</p> -<p>“Why do you pity him?” asked her companion, -in surprise.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_121">121</div> -<p>“Because he has sworn so often to me that only -over his dead body should any assailant enter my -palace, that I feel sure he must be dead,” was the -reply.</p> -<p>That this General, who so basely deserted his -sovereign in the hour of danger, was on the contrary -quite well and enjoying life in his self-appointed -position as head of the Government is only a single -instance of how those who in time of prosperity -bowed lowest before the Empress were the first to -desert her in misfortune. Every newspaper that -she saw showed her the meaning of adversity. Those -who had received the most signal marks of favor -were the loudest now to denounce the defenceless -woman. With petty spite, the Government of -National Defence had destroyed all the emblems of -imperialism and done everything in its power to -represent the dynasty, which for nearly twenty years -had upheld the welfare and prosperity of France, -as a curse to the country. Anxious to discover, if -possible, something derogatory to the character of -the Empress, it had caused the palace to be searched -for any private papers she might have left behind, -but without success. Even the few letters that -were published for the purpose of exposing her disclosed -nothing in the least compromising.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_122">122</div> -<p>Her jewels and dresses, with some ready money -that was found in the Tuileries after her flight, were -sent to her in England. Yet although she was -forced to dispose of her diamonds to defray necessary -expenses; and although Napoleon, to provide -himself with funds, sold his private estate in Rome, -the “Palazzo dei Cesari,” for a few hundred thousand -francs, it was persistently asserted in Paris that the -imperial family were in possession of millions of -francs with which they had enriched themselves at -the people’s expense; also that Napoleon had made -enormous sums in foreign speculation and owned -capital in Dutch, English, and American bonds.</p> -<p>Filled with anger and despair at these lies and -petty persecutions, Eugénie found life at Hastings -unendurable. The prying curiosity of the townspeople -and of the crowds of strangers that flocked -thither was a torment to her. Even the sea air -she so loved did her no good; the magnificent view -only served to rouse bitter memories of the happy -days at Biarritz. The King of Prussia had offered -her and her son a residence in Wilhelmshöhe, but she -would accept no hospitality from France’s enemy. -At length, through Dr. Evans, she rented Camden -House at Chiselhurst, whither she moved toward -the end of September.</p> -<p>But even though dethroned and an exile, Eugénie -did not altogether cease to concern herself with politics. -While she was at Hastings, and the situation -following her flight was so new as still to warrant -recognition of her authority as Regent, Bismarck -sent an envoy to her to discuss terms of peace. She -replied that so long as there remained a single enemy -on French soil, or there was question of even the -smallest cession of territory, she would enter into -no negotiations with him.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_123">123</div> -<p>Bismarck was not the only one who tried to induce -her to intervene in this matter. There was still one -post in France that held out against the Germans, -still one general at least who was loyal to the Empire. -Marshal Bazaine was in Metz with a force of 170,000 -men, all picked troops, including the Imperial guard -which had so often filled the Parisian populace with -pride at state reviews. Believing himself strong -enough to exert some influence over the question of -peace or a continuation of hostilities, he sent General -Bourbaki to Chiselhurst, with the consent of the -King of Prussia, to inform the Empress that he was -in favor of concluding peace if she would so authorize -him. Tempting as this opportunity of again wielding -power was to Eugénie’s active nature, she prudently -forbore, realizing that her best plan was to -withdraw entirely from the field of politics at present -and await a more favorable opportunity, when she -might work with redoubled energy for the restoration -of her family. This course was also in accordance -with the wishes of Napoleon, to whom she made a -secret visit in October in order to consult with him, -while General Bourbaki was at Chiselhurst awaiting -an answer.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_124">124</div> -<p>In spite of Eugénie’s continued refusal to mix in -any public affairs, the “salon at Chiselhurst” was -persistently reported to be the centre of political -intrigue; and Prince Jerome Napoleon, who in the -absence of the Emperor wished to appear as head of -the imperial family, presented himself at Camden -House one day to demand of the Empress an explanation. -A stormy scene followed between these -two bitter enemies, and the “red Prince” was careful -that a properly distorted account of the interview -should be made public.</p> -<p>After an imprisonment of about seven months, -Napoleon was at last free to return to his wife and -son at the little home in Chiselhurst, where the -imperial family continued to live in the simplest -manner; for although Camden House did not lack -comfort and even elegance, it was so limited as to -space that it was impossible to accommodate more -than one or two guests at a time. Yet the joys of -family life compensated in a measure for all the -luxury and state of which they had been deprived by -fortune, and in this smaller sphere Eugénie lost none -of the dignity and charm of manner for which she -had been so conspicuous. It was the more easy for -her to adapt herself to these new conditions as -gradually a circle of their old friends began to gather -about the exiles, and expressions of loyalty and -devotion arrived nearly every day from France, -with many proofs of friendship from Queen Victoria -and other royalties.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_125">125</div> -<p>A great task still lay before her—to provide for -the future of her son. She had always been a wise -as well as devoted mother, and had not failed to -impress on the young Prince that more would be -required of him than of others, in order properly to -fit himself for the high position he would one day be -called upon to occupy. Now that the throne must -be won back again, it was doubly important that he -should receive a thorough military education. This -son was now her only thought. She centred in -him all her hopes and expectations, for the Emperor’s -health—which had been poor for years—was now -rapidly failing. She could never count on Napoleon -the Third’s return to the throne; but as the mother -of Napoleon the Fourth she saw herself in fancy -once again in France, more highly honored, even -prouder and happier if possible, than before.</p> -<p>The chronic ailment from which the Emperor had -always suffered threatened, toward the close of 1872, -to take a fatal turn and his physicians advised an -operation. Personally, Napoleon was strongly opposed -to it; but the Empress, not realizing the danger, -and perhaps with the secret hope that it might -enable her husband to become once more a power -in French politics, urged him to yield to the physician’s -advice. He submitted accordingly to the -operation, but had not strength enough to recover -from the shock; and on the ninth of January, 1873, -the “dreamer” passed quietly away without a word -or a sign.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_126">126</div> -<h2 id="c14"><span class="h2line1">Chapter XIV</span> -<br /><span class="h2line2">Death of Prince Imperial</span></h2> -<p>Eugénie’s grief at her husband’s death was -deep and sincere. Over his bier she wept -far bitterer tears than those she had shed -during those dreadful days following her flight from -the capital. Indeed she was so prostrated as to be -unable to appear at the funeral. Human nature is -elastic, however, and it was never the Empress’s -way to fold her hands and brood over her troubles. -She found one source of consolation, moreover, in -the constant proofs of attachment that reached her, -not only from the friends that had remained faithful -to her through all the changes of fortune, but -also from many others who had long seemed to -have forgotten their vows of allegiance.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_127">127</div> -<p>As death had removed all possibility of the -restoration of Napoleon the Third to the throne, his -old adherents rallied to the support of his son; and -as there was still a large Bonapartist party in France, -it seemed not improbable that with the exercise of -courage and patience the Empire might one day -be revived. In 1873, by uniting with the Legitimists -and Orleanists, they succeeded in deposing Thiers, -who had been President of the Republic since 1871, -and electing Marshal MacMahon in his place, a -change greatly to the advantage of the Bonapartists, -who now entered the political arena once more -as a regular party.</p> -<p>In the Autumn of 1872 the Prince Imperial entered -the military academy at Woolwich, where he studied -hard and made gratifying progress; and on the death -of his father he was generally recognized as heir to -the imperial throne, in spite of all the efforts made -by his cousin Napoleon to prevent it. Eugénie now -lived only in this son and his future; no stone was -left unturned to smooth his pathway to the throne. -As yet he had a hard struggle before him; but her -faith in his ultimate victory was supreme; and supported -by ex-Minister Rouher, the leader of the -Bonapartists, then as ever one of Eugénie’s stanchest -friends, she carefully but firmly gathered up the -threads by which she hoped to guide the course of -events.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_128">128</div> -<p>On the seventh of February, 1875, the Prince -passed the required examinations and left Woolwich -with an officer’s commission. He had developed -greatly in every respect, to his mother’s joy and the -pride of his party, whose hopes were now fixed on -him. His amiability and charm of manner won -him friends wherever he went. Unlike his father, -he objected strongly to any radical measures or -political agitation of any sort, and hoped to recover -what he considered his rightful crown by the natural -allegiance of France. Besides her political ambitions -for her son, Eugénie was anxious also to arrange -a suitable marriage for him; but in this she was disappointed. -The wooing of Napoleon the Fourth -met with the same fate as that of his father. There -were repeated rumors of a betrothal between him -and Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter, Beatrice, -who is said to have cherished a warmer feeling than -friendship for the exiled Prince; but, deep as was the -sympathy felt for him by the English royal house, -and true a friend as Victoria had proved herself, to -entrust her daughter’s fate to young Napoleon -seemed to her a trifle too uncertain. When this -plan failed, Eugénie fixed her hopes on the Princess -Thyra of Denmark; and in 1878 the Prince made a -visit to that country to try his fortune with the -Danish court; but here, too, he was rejected as a -suitor.</p> -<p>The Bonapartists now felt that to have any serious -hope of gaining the French crown the Prince must -first win his laurels as a soldier; they urged him, -therefore, to join the English army, which was about -to go to war with the Kaffirs of Zulu. Much as she -desired to see her son seated on the throne, Eugénie -shrank from this method of achieving it; but the Prince -fell in at once with the suggestion, and unmoved by -his mother’s attempts to dissuade him, sailed for -Africa with the English troops, leaving a message -of farewell to his followers.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_129">129</div> -<p>On the ninth of April, 1879, he arrived at the -headquarters of the commander-in-chief, Lord -Chelmsford, and took part in several actions with -great spirit and courage. In May, while he was on -a reconnoitring expedition in the neighborhood of -Itelezi with a fellow officer and several men, the -party was suddenly surprised by a band of Zulus -who sprang out from behind an ambuscade. Abandoned -by his companions, who fled to save themselves, -the Prince held out bravely as long as he -could, but at length one of the savages dealt him a -fatal blow, and he fell, his body pierced with seventeen -spears. The <i>Military Gazette</i>, in which the -young Prince received honorable mention, says:</p> -<blockquote> -<p>“Thus did an inscrutable fate grant to him what it -cruelly denied both his father and the great founder of their -race—to fall in battle, bravely fighting against the foe.”</p> -</blockquote> -<p>The death of the Prince Imperial created the profoundest -sensation. As soon as the news reached -England, Colonel Sidney, an old friend of the family, -was sent to break it to the Empress, but before he -could get to Chiselhurst she had already heard of -it. That morning all newspapers and telegrams -had been carefully withheld from her, but her letters -were overlooked. One of these was doubly addressed, -to her and to Secretary Pietri, and contained an -allusion to “the dreadful news” without mentioning -what it was. She sent at once for the Duke of -Bassano to ask for an explanation; and when he arrived -speechless with emotion, she suspected that it -concerned the Prince. Chilled with fear at what -she read in his countenance, she stood as if turned to -stone. That son, for whom she longed day and night, -her only joy in life! The thought was so terrible, -Eugénie could not pursue it to the end.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_130">130</div> -<p>“Something has happened to my son,” she -groaned; “I must start at once for the Cape.”</p> -<p>Unable to reply, the Duke went out into the hall, -where he met Colonel Sidney, who brought confirmation -of the sad tidings. The Empress sent again for -the Duke and insisted upon hearing all, repeating -that she should go to Africa at once.</p> -<p>“Alas! madame,” said the Duke, “it is too late.”</p> -<p>“Oh, my son—my poor son!” shrieked the -mother, and fell senseless to the floor.</p> -<p>After the first paroxysm of grief was over, she -neither wept nor spoke, but listened with feverish -despair while the Duke related all the circumstances -of her son’s death, not withholding a single painful -detail. Madame Lebreton then led her gently into -her bedchamber where the Abbé Goddard tried to -comfort her. But the religion that had been such -a source of support to her through all her troubles -now proved of little consolation. Her whole life -had been bound up in her child, and now that this -last earthly support had crumbled, all hope and joy -lay buried in the dust. For several days and nights -she neither ate nor slept, but remained sunk in a -sort of torpor from which she roused only to ask in -tones of agonized pleading if it might not be that her -son was only ill or wounded, and she could go out -to nurse him back to health. Fortunately for her -life or reason, she at last found relief in tears, and -now she wept unceasingly.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_131">131</div> -<p>The whole world shared the stricken mother’s -sorrow, and thousands of messages of sympathy -were received at Chiselhurst. Telegrams of condolence -came from all the courts of Europe, as well -as from President Grévy of the French Republic, -Marshal MacMahon, and many others. Requiem -masses were held in every Roman Catholic church -in London. Especial sympathy was felt for her in -Spain, but the consolation of weeping out her grief -on a mother’s bosom was denied her, as the Countess -Montijo was then so old and feeble it was thought -best not to inform her of her grandson’s death.</p> -<p>Republican, not to say radical, as the French -capital was at that time, the death of the Prince -Imperial caused general consternation. The Empire -was still fresh in the minds of all. At the birth of -the Emperor’s son innumerable prayers had been -offered for both mother and child. Step by step -the affections of the gay Parisians followed the little -Prince, and when at the age of three he rode with -his mother to Notre Dame to the thanksgiving -services for the victory of Solferino, the state coach -was scarcely able to make its way through the -admiring and enthusiastic throngs. Since that day -the Napoleonic dynasty had suffered many reverses. -The Empress, once the pride and glory of her subjects, -was an exile, surrounded by only a few friends, -and living in comparative poverty. Now she had -suffered the last and heaviest blow of fate in the loss -of her only child. Yet many more hearts went out -to Eugénie in this hour of trial than in the days of -her prosperity. Great and small, rich and poor, -friend and foe, united in heart felt sympathy for the -grief-stricken mother. But it was a grief that was -beyond consolation. She had done with life. “All -is finished,” were the words she constantly repeated, -and sobbing aloud would bury her face in her hands -to shut out the awful vision that was always before -her—the body of her son pierced with cruel spear-wounds.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_132">132</div> -<p class="center"><span class="gs">* * * * * * * *</span></p> -<p>When the remains of the Prince Imperial, which -had been sent back to England under a military -escort, were borne into the hall at Camden House -by some of his former comrades at Woolwich, a -single cry of anguish escaped the Empress, but she -did not shed a tear. All night she remained on her -knees in prayer beside the coffin; at dawn, when the -flame of the wax tapers began to pale in the growing -light, she heard mass, after which she shut herself -closely in her own room and did not leave it again -till after the funeral services were over.</p> -<p>The burial of Napoleon the Third had been only -the usual drama enacted in every family when a -beloved one is laid to his last rest, but that of the -Prince Imperial was a scene that touched even the -coldest and most indifferent, and excited world-wide -interest. At the Emperor’s death, despite their grief, -the mourners had looked with hope and confidence -toward his son; now this last hope had vanished, and -tears were seen even on the cheeks of grizzled veterans. -Where hundreds had accompanied the father’s -remains to their resting-place, the son’s bier was followed -by thousands of every rank and station.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_133">133</div> -<p>Early in the morning of the day of the funeral, -July 12, Queen Victoria arrived at Camden House -with her daughters Alice and Beatrice, and with her -own hands laid a laurel wreath of gold upon the -coffin. Many other royal and distinguished personages -followed, and the expression of genuine sorrow -visible on every face lent an air of remarkable -solemnity to the occasion. The Archbishop of -Southwark performed the burial rites for which some -of the most famous opera singers had proffered their -services. Those of Madame Caters and Christine -Nilsson were accepted; but the latter, some of whose -happiest memories were associated with the palmy -days of the Empire, and who had then considered -it her highest honor to sing before the now broken-hearted -Empress, was for the first time unequal to -her task. Her voice failed, and she burst into tears.</p> -<p class="center"><span class="gs">* * * * * * * *</span></p> -<p>Broken by mental and physical suffering, the ex-Empress -Eugénie still lives on, awaiting the moment -of release that shall reunite her with those dearest -to her on earth. She made a pilgrimage to Zululand -to see the spot where her son met his death. -She has frequented various watering-places seeking -relief from the physical infirmities from which she -suffers. She visits many hospitals and charitable -institutions to minister to the sick and wounded; -yet these acts of mercy serve only to revive her -sorrows, and emphasize the void in her lonely life.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_134">134</div> -<p>From Chiselhurst, which held so many painful -memories, she moved to Farnborough, whither she -also had the bodies of the Emperor and the Prince -Imperial conveyed. With the Queen of England -Eugénie enjoyed the same close friendship as in -earlier years, and until the time of Victoria’s death -she was a frequent visitor at Windsor, although she -never appeared at any Court festivities. She still -receives frequent proofs of loyalty from France, and -every year on her birthday she is overwhelmed with -flowers and good wishes. Yet nothing can rouse -her from her melancholy. Whole days and nights -she sits brooding over the past, haunted by faces -and presentiments of death. At one time her -attendants even found it necessary to remove all -the portraits of her husband and son in order to -preserve her reason.</p> -<p>A sad change has also taken place in her appearance. -Portraits of her in the early days of her widowhood -show a still attractive figure whose unhappy -fate is suggested only by her mourning and the lines -about the eyes. But years such as she has since -experienced count heavily. Her hair is now snowy -white. The slender figure is bowed with age and -grief. Scarce a trace is left of her wonderful charm -and fascination, and in the pale mourner with sunken -eyes and faltering step there is no longer the faintest -resemblance to the once beautiful and splendor-loving -Empress.</p> -<div class="img" id="pic4"> -<img src="images/p4.jpg" alt="" width="840" height="1200" /> -<p class="caption"><i>THE EMPRESS-WIDOW</i></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_135">135</div> -<p>What a contrast, alas! between her youth and her -age! In the one, a triumphant goddess, soaring from -victory to victory, a sovereign tried by many disappointments -and disillusionments indeed, yet never -disheartened, never harboring bitterness or resentment -in her heart: in the other, a broken and grief-stricken -woman, weighed down with sorrows for -which time brings no consolation, and whose thoughts -are ever with her beloved dead.</p> -<p>The historian of the future, undazzled by the -glittering splendor of the Second Empire, and unbiassed -by sympathy for the unfortunate widow and -mother, will scarcely judge the Empress Eugénie as -leniently as the critic of to-day, yet more fairly than -those of her own realm who have tried to blacken her -reputation by calumny. He will find palliation for -her faults, not so much because they were the result -of her origin and training as because they were more -than counterbalanced by her better qualities, especially -her warm-heartedness and dauntless courage. -He will also recognize that, as the wife of a usurper, -she was beset with complications to which a born -princess would not have been exposed, and that, -taking all things into consideration, she filled that -difficult position with credit to herself and France.</p> -<h2>Footnotes</h2> -<div class="fnblock"><div class="fndef"><a class="fn" id="fn_1" href="#fr_1">[1]</a>At -his christening the Prince received the names Napoleon Eugéne -Louis Jean Joseph, but was called, like his father, Louis Napoleon. -</div> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_136">136</div> -<h2 id="c15">Appendix</h2> -<p>The following is a chronological statement of the -principal events during the career of Empress -Eugénie and Louis Napoleon:</p> -<table class="center"> -<tr><td>1808 </td><td>Birth of Louis Napoleon.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1826 </td><td>Birth of Eugénie.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1815-30 </td><td>Napoleon in exile.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1831 </td><td>Revolt against the Pope.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1840 </td><td>Descent upon France and Capture.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1848 </td><td>Member of the National Assembly.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1851 </td><td><i>Coup d’État.</i></td></tr> -<tr><td>1852 </td><td>Elected Emperor.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1853 </td><td>Marriage of Eugénie and Napoleon.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1854-56 </td><td>Crimean War.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1856 </td><td>Birth of the Prince Imperial.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1859 </td><td>War with Austria.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1862 </td><td>Interference with Mexico.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1870 </td><td>War with Germany.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1870-71 </td><td>Capture and Imprisonment.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1873 </td><td>Death of Napoleon.</td></tr> -<tr><td>1879 </td><td>Prince Imperial killed in Africa.</td></tr> -</table> -<div class="box"> -<p class="center">LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE</p> -<p class="center"><i>Translated from the German by</i> -<br /><span class="small">GEORGE P. UPTON</span></p> -<p class="center"><span class="sc">28 Volumes Now Ready</span></p> -<p class="tbcenter"><i>Historical and Biographical</i></p> -<dl class="undent"><dt><span class="sc">Barbarossa</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">William of Orange</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Maria Theresa</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">The Maid of Orleans</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Frederick the Great</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">The Little Dauphin</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Herman and Thusnelda</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">The Swiss Heroes</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Marie Antoinette’s Youth</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">The Duke of Brittany</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Louise, Queen of Prussia</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">The Youth of the Great Elector</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Emperor William First</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Elizabeth, Empress of Austria</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Charlemagne</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Prince Eugene</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Eugénie, Empress of the French</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Queen Maria Sophia of Naples</span></dt></dl> -<p class="center"><i>Musical Biography</i></p> -<dl class="undent"><dt><span class="sc">Beethoven</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Mozart</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Johann Sebastian Bach</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Joseph Haydn</span></dt></dl> -<p class="center"><i>Legendary</i></p> -<dl class="undent"><dt><span class="sc">Frithjof Saga</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Gudrun</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">The Nibelungs</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">William Tell</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Arnold of Winkelried</span></dt> -<dt><span class="sc">Undine</span></dt></dl> -<p class="center">Illustrated. 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