Chapter 23 Chapter 23 December 1809: The Empress Josephine Ha

Yesterday morning the Emperor divorced the Empress Josephine. He had ordered all his family to be present at the ceremony. His ministers and his marshals had to be there too, with their wives. But when Jean came into my room at ten oclock, I was still in bed. "What are you doing there?" he asked. "We must be at the Tuillerise at eleven oclock." "Im not going," I said. "Im sorry for Josephine. I refuse to watch her shame. Tell the Emperor that Im not feeling well." "He may send his doctor to you again," Jean replied with a smile. "But I understand. Stay in bed, my girl. Ill ask Marie to bring you some hot milk."

When he came back for lunch, he brought Julie with him. She came up to my room and sat on the bed. "That was a terrible ceremony," she said. "We all had to stand in front of the emperors throne. Josephine sat beside him. She looked white and ill. She had clearly been crying. But I wasn't sorry for her." "Don't be cruel, Julie," I said. "Why weren't you sorry for her?" "Ive never liked her," Julie replied. "She took Napoleon from you, and Ive never forgiven her for that." "That wasn't her fault," I said. "but go on. What happened next?"

"Napoleon began to read a document to us. I cant remember it all; it was too long. But it was like this: Only God knows how difficult this is for me. The empress Josephine has been the light of my life. I crowned her with my own hand, and she will always be an Empress of France. I love her---but duty is more important than love. France demands a son for her Emperor. So I must marry a wife who can give me one." "Did you watch his face while he was reading this?" I asked. "What did it look like?" "It looked like a stone," Julie said. "It always looks like that now. Caesars face is Talleyrands name for it. Theres stone head of Caesar in Napoleons office, and he looks like it."

I know that look. Its the face of a man who has no heart. Napoleons love was never true love. It was only desire, and thats not the same thing. He played with my love, and he used Josephines. But he only loves one thing---and that is power. "They gave Josephine a document," Julie continued. "She tried to read it. Then started to cry, so a minister read it for her. It said that she thanked the Emperor for everything. She loved him. But she couldn't give him a child. So her marriage had to end." "Was Hortense there?" I asked. "Yes. She and Eugene took their mother away. Napoleon offered lunch to everyone else. They all seemed hungry. But Jean said that you were ill. So he and I came straight here."

I asked who the next Emperor would be. "An Austrian princess," said Julie. "Those Austrian girls always have plenty of children." She got up and looked at herself in the mirror. "I must go now, Desiree. Joseph has invited all the Bonapartes to a party, and I must get ready for them. Napoleon wont come, of course, but the others will. They always hated Josephine. Goodbye, and get better soon." I had to sty in bed all day. Then Jean went to a friends house for dinner, and I was left alone with my thoughts. I was half asleep when Marie came into my room. "The Queen of Holland is downstairs," she said. "She wants to speak to you."

"Now? What's the time?" I asked. "Its twelve oclock. I told her that you were unwell. But she wont go away. And shes crying." "I'll see her in a few minutes," I said. Marie has always brought some warm clothes. "She wants you to go the Tuileries," she told me. To the Tuileies? In the middle of the night? I didnt understand; but I dressed and went downstairs. Hortense was still crying. "My mother sent me," she said. "She wants to see you. She refuses to see anyone else." I questioned her, but I got no proper answer. Then Marie whispered: "Youd better go. Ill explain everything to your husband." So I put on a hat and coat and I followed Hortense into her carriage.

When we reached the palace, the Empress was lying on her bed. She was alone. Quite alone. I couldn't see her face, she was crying like a child. "Mama, here is the Princess of Ponte Corvo," said Hortense. Josephine didnt move. She continued to cry. Hortnese spoke to her again, but she still didnt answer. So I put my hands on her shoulders and I turned her towards me. Her face looked terrible. "Its an old womans face," I thought. "She has suddenly become an old woman, in one day." "Desiree, you've come," she said through her tears. "Ive been packing my things. Napoleon says that I must go to Malmaison tomorrow."

I looked around the room. Her boxes were only half full. The rest of her things were lying on the floor. Hortense could pack those. "Your Majesty must sleep now," I told her. Then I turned to Hortense. "Have you any medicine that will help your mother to sleep?" "Yes," Hortense replied. "The doctor brought some this evening. But Mama refused to drink it. She thinks that they want to poison her." I undressed Josephine and pulled the bedclothes over her. Hortense had brought a cup of tea, so I put the medicine into it. Josephine drank it without a word. Ten minutes later she was asleep.

I blew out the candles and said to Hortense: "You can go to bed now. Ill rest on the sofa in the next room. In the morning Ill go with the Empress to Malmaison." It was dark in the next room; but a fire was still burning, so it wasn't too clod. I took my shoes off and lay down on the sofa. Then I shut my eyes and I was soon asleep. Suddenly something woke me. A door had opened. A candle was moving across the room behind me. Who dared to come into the empresss rooms at night? Who? He, of course. I looked over the back of the sofa. He was standing by the window. He heard me move, but he couldn't see me. "Is anybody there?" he said.

"Its only me, Your Majesty," I whispered. "Who is me?" he asked angrily. "the Princess of Ponte Corvo," I said. T tried to get up, but I couldn't. "Im sorry, Your Majesty. My legs are asleep, and I cant find my shoes." At last I found them. My legs still felt weak, but I curtseyed politely in the light of his candle. "Her majesty asked me to spend the night with her," I explained. "Shes sleeping now, so I lay down here for a rest. Please excuse me. Ill go back to her." "Dont go, princess. Sit down and talk to me. I came here because I couldn't sleep; I wanted to say goodbye to this room. The workmen will come tomorrow. When they have finished, I shant recognize it again."

He sat down beside me on the sofa. "Why did the empress want you?" he asked. "shes very unhappy. Your majesty. But when she sees me---" I paused. It was a difficult thing to say. "When she sees me, she remembers a day in Madame Talliens house. It was a very happy day in the Empress life." He nodded. "thats true. And was it a happy day in your life too?" "No. It was a terrible day. But it was a long time ago, and I dont feel the pain now," I said in a low voice. I was so tired that my head fell on to his shoulder. Then I suddenly remembered that he was the Emperor. "excuse me," I said, and I tried to raise my head again. But he said: "Leave it there, on my shoulder. Then I shant feel alone." So I left it there. For a moment we sat in silence. Then he suddenly said: "the Hapsburgs are one of the oldest royal families in the world. Im going to marry a Hapsburg princess---Princess Marie Louise of Austria. Shes good enough for an emperor of France." I almost laughed. An Austrian princess is "good enough" for this son of an unknown Corsican family! "Im told that shes beautiful," he went on. "but I was very happy with Josephine." "why did you divorce her, Your Majesty?" I dared to ask. "Do you still need a son? Couldn't one of Hortenses boys become Emperor after you?" He bit his lip. "I cant fight three wars together," he said. "The English may attack at any time; they already have an army in Spain. My friend the Tsar of Russia is also ready to attack me. But I can still win, if Austria doesn't join my enemies. And the Emperor of Austria won't fight me when his daughter is my wife." He stood up. I got up too, and I curtseyed deeply. For a moment his hand rested on my head, and his fingers played with my hair. "Can I do anything for you, my dear princess? He asked. "Yes," I said. "Would Your Majesty send me some breakfast? Strong coffee, if possible." He laughed loudly--- a young and happy laugh. Then he went out of the room. But he didnt forget my coffee. At nine oclock the Empress left the Tuileries through a back door. A carriage was waiting. She and I got in. "Arent you coming with us, Hortense?" I asked. "No," said Hortense. "I'm staying here, with Napoleon." After that, we drove in silence to Malmaison.