The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-08-10
BoNAPARTE's COURT.
Memoirs of the Duchess d'Apr antes.
From the London Times u! XXI x

FTOul bu0 AOuuUA AAbAoS l{
The memoirs of the Duchess d'Abran-
ties are likely to retain lasting pop
ularity, because the authoress really
knew no more of Napoleon I. than any
one Of the great number ofpersons who
have written about him. Although she
had shrewd perception of the EN-.
poror's character and was by no means.
blind to his faults, her womanly enthu-
s;asm for his genius inclined her often
to praise the hero overmuch and to as
sail his enemies with unreasonable
aninlus But this only makes her book
to go to it for the best pictures of Partisan
society under the consulate and empire.
The famous M. Prudnomme attribu-
ted the 81 eat mans fall to excess of am
billion. "If," said he Napoleon had
been content to remain simple lieu
tenant of artillery he might now be sit
ting on the throne of France" Readers
of Nine. Junot's go sip will quickly
form an opinion that Napoleon's failures
were due in great measure to the bad
ness Of his temper, "What pity that
such great man should be 80 ill bred !"
remarked Talleyrand, after the Emper-
or had spitefully tweaked his ear in pub
lie; and it seems that the emperor had
passion for pulling noses as we'll as ears.
He sometimes pinched Nine. Junot's
nose till she shrieked, and even his ca
resses were so rough that on one occa-
sion lie reopened an old wound in Gen.
Junot's head by carelessly passing his
hand through the wretched mans hair.
His paroxysms of rage are said to have
been awful, but they did not awe
everybody, for when the little tyrant
once lifted cane to strike vice-Admiral
Bruat the latter placed a hand on the
hilt of his sword and said: s"Take care,
SIR"
fius VII. again, when prisoner at
Fontaineb leau, disconnected the emperor
by placid sarcasm. Napoleon talking on
the Concar,Iat, had worked himself into
a great excitement and stamped about
the room unfolding hisscheme for a Gal
lican church ! 1 The pope waited until he
p ns S Word sFesh asa tas mq ItsS
maddened at this the emperor shook
his fist. yelled and swore; but the pom
titt's only answer WAS the smile with
pltying sweetness as. he whispered
Nine. de Stael gave Napoleon neat
retort when, being asked. "Since when
have women taken to meddling with
politics?" she answered, "Since the re-
public took to guillotining them;" but
Napoleon paid this off another time by
telling the sprightly lady that the women
he liked best were ''those who had most
children"--the sting Of this lying in the
fact that Nine. de Steal had only one
child. Such rudcness as this-which
was habitual with the emperor, for not
a day passed without his saying an un-
kind thing to somebody at court-pro-
voked agreat deal of sullen resentment;
and il goes far. to explain how when
Gen. Malet tried to overthrow the gov.
eminent in 1872 during Napoleon's alb
sence in Russia, he nearly succeeded.
Napoleon inspired terror, but very
little love. Nine. Junot, who had known
him intimately when he was boy, says
that from childhood his temper was un-
governable, and his character at once
envious, jealous, and unforgiving.
When one reads that his fellow-pupils
at the military school Stunned him and.
actually set influence to work so that he.
might get a, commission before the usual
time and so,rid them of his company, it
ceases to be a matter for surprise that
no signs of budding genius were dis
cerned in him. Saveria, the old Corsi-,
can nurse in. his family, thought him the.
poorest of five brothers. Even his
mother had no presentiment OF his.
splendid destinies; and what is more.
when Napoleon seemed master of the
world and was distributing thrones,
among his kinsmen she never Thought
that this heyday would last. She used
to save up money in view of misfortune.
"a r., |, l.
ing, though in after years, when pris.
oner at st Helera, he was glad enough.
to be relieved out of her hoardings.
Their isa finely engraved portrait Of
Nine, Le.itia in this book, and it merits,
attention because of the striking resem-.
blance which its features bear to those,
Of Napoleon III: On the other hand,
there is a most pleasing lifelike head; OF:
the Empress Josephine, engraved from,
miniature by Isabey. The soft, sensu--
GUS look on the pretty creatures face,
the artful expression of the eyes and. the
studied artlessness in the attitude of her
arms-all show what an enchantress Jo-