This etext was produced by David Widger
1895
It was the 2d of January, 1805, exactly a month after the coronation,that I formed with the eldest daughter of M. Charvet a union which hasbeen, and will I trust ever be, the greatest happiness of my life. Ipromised the reader to say very little of myself; and, in fact, how couldhe be interested in any details of my own private life which did notthrow additional light upon the character of the great man about whom Ihave undertaken to write? Nevertheless, I will ask permission to returnfor a little while to this, the most interesting of all periods to me,and which exerted such an influence upon my whole life. Surely he whorecalls and relates his souvenirs is not forbidden to attach someimportance to those which most nearly concern himself. Moreover, even inthe most personal events of my life, there were instances in which theirMajesties took a part, and which, from that fact, are of importance inenabling the reader to form a correct estimate of the characters of boththe Emperor and the Empress.
My wife's mother had been presented to Madame Bonaparte during the firstcampaign in Italy, and she had been pleased with her; for MadameBonaparte, who was so perfectly good, had, in her own experience, alsoendured trials, and knew how to sympathize with the sorrows of others.
She promised to interest the General in the fate of my father-in-law, whohad just lost his place in the treasury. During this time Madame Charvetwas in correspondence with a friend of her husband, who was, I think, thecourier of General Bonaparte; and the latter having opened and read theseletters addressed to his courier, inquired who was this young woman thatwrote such interesting and intelligent letters, and Madame Charvet welldeserved this double praise. My father-in-law's friend, while replyingto the question of the General-in-chief, took occasion to relate themisfortunes of the family, and the General remarked that, on his returnto Paris, he wished to meet M. and Madame Charvet; in consequence ofwhich they were presented to him, and Madame Bonaparte rejoiced to learnthat her protegees had also become those of her husband. It had beendecided that M. Charvet should follow the General to Egypt; but when myfather-in-law arrived at Toulon, Madame Bonaparte requested that heshould accompany her to the waters of Plombieres. I have previouslyrelated the accident which occurred at Plombieres, and that M. Charvetwas sent to Saint-Germain to bring Mademoiselle Hortense from theboarding-school to her mother. On his return to Paris, M. Charvetsearched through all the suburbs to find a country-seat, as the Generalhad charged his wife to purchase one during his absence.
When Madame Bonaparte decided on Malmaison, M. Charvet, his wife, andtheir three children were installed in this charming residence.
My father-in-law was very faithful to the interests of these benefactorsof his family, and Madame Charvet often acted as private secretary toMadame Bonaparte.
Mademoiselle Louise, who became my wife, and Mademoiselle Zoe, heryounger sister, were favorites of Madame Bonaparte, especially thelatter, who passed more time than Louise at Malmaison. The condescensionof their noble protectress had rendered this child so familiar, that shesaid thou habitually to Madame Bonaparte. One day she said to her, "Thouart happy. Thou hast no mamma to scold thee when thou tearest thy