The Best of the Bureau/The_Best_of_the_Bureau_Bureau_Development_Inc._1992.iso/dp/0006/00062.txt

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$Unique_ID{bob00062}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Life Of Napoleon Bonaparte And Life Of Josephine
Chapter VI}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Tarbell, Ida M.}
$Affiliation{}
$Subject{josephine
always
napoleon
herself
empress
never
court
every
josephine's
emperor}
$Date{1906}
$Log{}
Title:       Life Of Napoleon Bonaparte And Life Of Josephine
Book:        Life Of Josephine
Author:      Tarbell, Ida M.
Date:        1906

Chapter VI

Etiquette Regulating Josephine's Life - Royal Journeys - Tact Of The Empress -
Extravagance In Dress.

     Consecrated by the Pope, crowned by Napoleon, Josephine's position seemed
impregnable in the eyes of all the world.  It was one of dazzling splendor.
The little creole whose youth had been spent in a sugarhouse, who had passed
months in a prison cell, who many a time had borrowed money to pay her rent,
now had become the mistress, not of a palace, but of palaces - of
Fontainebleau, the Tuileries, Versailles, Rambouillet.  She who for so many
years had begged favors at the doors of others, was now the center of a great
machine, called a "Household," devoted to serving her.  There were a First
Almoner, a Maid of Honor, a Lady of the Bedchamber, numbers of Ladies of the
Palace, a First Chamberlain, a First Equery, a Private Secretary, a Chief
Steward - all of them having their respective attendants; and there were,
besides these, valets, footmen, pages, and servants of all grades.  Her life,
so long one of unthinking freedom, was now regulated to the last detail.  The
apartments in the palace devoted to her own uses were two - the apartment of
honor and the private apartment.  Before the door of the ante-chamber of the
apartment of honor stood, day and night, a door-keeper; within were four
valets, two huissiers, two pages (to do errands), from twelve to twenty-six
footmen, ready to do honor to the incoming and outgoing guests.  In the
salons, where visitors waited, were other decorative footmen and pages - a
retinue ten times larger than actual service required, but none too large to
the eye accustomed to court etiquette.  It was through this hedge of
attendants that the supplicant, flatterer or friend who would see Josephine
now must work his way - a slow way, often only to be made by fair address,
strong relations, and judicious gifts.  Josephine by nature the most
accessible of mortals, was now obliged to turn away old friends because they
did not please His Majesty, the Emperor.  That he was oftentimes quite right,
the following frank little letter of hers shows: -

     "I am sorry, my dear friend, that my wishes cannot be fulfilled, as you
and my other old friends imagine they can.  You seem to think that if I do not
see you it is because I have forgotten you.  Alas!  no, on the contrary, my
memory is more tenacious than I wish.  The more I think of what I am, the more
I am mortified at not being able to obey the dictates of my heart.  The
Empress of France is the veriest slave in the Empire, and she cannot acquit
the debt which Madame de Beauharnais owes.  This makes me miserable, and it
will explain why you are not near me; why I do not see Madame Tallien; why, in
short, many of my former friends would be forgotten by me, but that my memory
is faithful.

     "The Emperor, displeased at the prevailing laxity of morals, and anxious
to check its progress, wishes that his palace should present an example of
virtuous and religious conduct.  Anxious to consolidate the religion which he
has restored, and having no power to alter laws to which he has given his
assent, he has determined to exclude from Court all persons who have taken
advantage of the law of divorce.  He has given this promise to the Pope, and
he cannot break it.  This reason alone has obliged him to refuse the favor I
solicited of having you about me.  His refusal afflicts me, but it is too
positive to admit of any hope of its being retracted."

     The apartment of honor was devoted to receiving, and Josephine's
movements there were prescribed in detail.  The costume she should wear, the
chair in which she should sit, the rank of the person who should be allowed in
the room when she received, who should announce, who carry a note, who bring a
glass of water, all of this was ordered and performed precisely.  In her
private apartment there was greater appearance of freedom, though it was
arranged by the code at what hour she should take her morning cup of tea and
by whose hand it should be presented, who should admit her pet dog, what
should be her costume for the morning, and who should arrange it.

     When the Empress left the palace, the forms were multiplied. Attended by
her ladies of waiting, she passed over a carpet spread for her passage,
through the file of liveried servants which decorated all the apartments.
Before her marched the younger of the two pretty pages always waiting in the
outer salon, while the elder bore the train of her robe. At the door, the
magnificent portier d'appartement struck the floor with his halberd as she
passed.  One of the dozen carriages in her stables drawn usually by eight
horses awaited her.  Before, beside, and behind as she drove were servants in
gorgeous livery, mounted or afoot; a brilliant spectacle for the passer-by,
but a wearisome one for poor Josephine.

     It was no better when she travelled, as she did a great deal, especially
in the first two years after the coronation.  Thus in the spring of 1805, she
accompanied Napoleon to Milan, where he was to be crowned King of Italy.  The
journey was a long series of brilliant functions - at Lyons, a triumphal arch,
a reception by the Empress, an entertainment at the theater; at Turin,
flattering ceremonies; on the field of Marengo, mimic manoeuvres of the
battle, led by Murat, Lannes, and Bessieres, and watched by Napoleon and
Josephine from a throne, and after the manoeuvres, the laying of a
corner-stone to those who lost their lives on the field; at Milan, on May 26,
the coronation of Napoleon, which Josephine watched from the gallery of the
cathedral, followed by splendid public fetes lasting for days; a mimic
representation on the battlefield of Castiglione; visits to Bologna, Modena,
Parma, Geneva, Turin, all attended by the most extravagant festivities.  This
journey lasted from April 4th to July 18th, the date of their return to St.
Cloud, and through it all Josephine was scarcely free for an hour from the
fatiguing duties of a great sovereign.

     Napoleon returned to Paris from Italy to prepare for war with Austria,
and in September he set out on the campaign.  Josephine went with him as far
as Strasburg, where she transferred her household to the Imperial Palace which
had been established there for Napoleon's use.  For two months she remained at
Strasburg, while Napoleon dazzled Europe by the campaign which, on Dec. 2nd,
culminated at Austerlitz.  Alone she conducted her court as she would have
done in Paris, as magnificently and as brilliantly.  In November, she left
Strasburg to go to Munich - a triumphal march, really, for everywhere she
received royal honors.  Her approach to every city through which she was to
pass en route was announced by the ringing of bells and salvos of artillery;
great processions of dignitaries went out to meet her; arches of triumph were
erected for her; beautiful gifts were presented; there were illuminations,
balls, and state performances of all sorts.  She reached Munich on December
5th, and here remained until after January 14th, on which day another great
ceremony, her son's marriage with Princess Augusta of Baden, was celebrated.

     From the manner of its arrangement one might have expected nothing but
misery from this alliance.  The young princess was violently opposed to it,
and only consented at her father's entreaty - "a sacrifice to father, family
and country," she said.  Eugene knew nothing of the proposed marriage until he
arrived, at Napoleon's order, in Munich.  The two young people never saw each
other until four days before the wedding. Fortunately they fell in love