New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-26

were chasing an army OF shades Inc result "a
that battle must have dspeed from Napoleons
mind the delusive hope Of conquering peace
by single victory. The French held the heid
with a loss OF 10000 men killed and wounded
The Russian loss $4,000. The Russian COM
mander seriously thought of renewing the s'rus-
gle on the second day, but when Napoleon was
urged at the close OF the day to compete 'he
rout OF the enemy by ordering out the lmpefiai
Guard, which had taken no part in the action lie
replied: ~; there is a second battle to-horio"'
with what shall fght t?" II great pattie hao
been fought at Moscow. Napoleon wouid again
have found 1t impossible to make any use OF MS
victory. Menevars defence OF the Emperor IN
speaking OF this battle. Is really criticism on
the whole plan Of campaign. He says: III the
respective states OF the two armies be CONSIDERED
one will be seen with Its back TO Its capital from
which II Is able to draw endorsements ana re-
sources, an army fighting for Its home ana AMI
mated with religious and patriotic fanaticism;
the other more that eight hundred leagues distant
from France withou, any means Of receiving I'M
mediate reinforcement and obliged finally to re-
turn home sooner or later" Surely this might
have been foreseen in Paris without the useless
sla ughter Of Borodino.
Napoeon's alusion to the two Cabinets his
HANKS winch were not ulluci HIS 'Ohtioi i'A''"
to Prussia and Austria. His remark was certain
" an afterthought When he could say that In
1912 Austria. Prussia, Germany. Switzerland and
Italy marched under the eagles OF France. he
must have felt that he had some hold on the
statesmen Of those countries. In particular the
bond which united Austria to him was one which
1t required much il-fortune to break. His mar
rage with Marie Louise and the birth of the
81 al I'D nj I the I'm
peral House Of Austria not TO be lightly cast
aside. II they were rejected at last. 1t was only
because they could not be realized. A large part
OF Baron de Menevals last volume is devoted to
the story Of Marie Louise. He shows that there
was more affection between Napoleon and his
second wife than was to be expected. So far as
her cold and rather timid nature would allow
the Empress tried to be loyal Frenchwoman
She even went far to forget her German.
so that she had to use French phrases In her let
tiers to her father AS Regent in Napoleons alb
sence. she won from so cautious critic "a Talley-
ra nd the praise tina, she showed dignity combined
with much tact and !ropriety. Blu, her prefer
ences were wholly domestic A little anecdote
which Meneval tells not only illustrates this point
but also shows Napoleon's weakness Tor doing
everything:
mist taken minds have been pleased 10 represent
az being inaccessible to any tender sentiment
was both good husband and an excellent father;
never did the Empress find In him the censor ~
her innocent whims. The following anecdote.
which Marie Louise used to be fond OF calling II
mind shows the good nature Of Napoleon in this
respect. The remembrance OF taste which she
had acquired In the -'ery homely sort OF life she
had led when quite girl Inspired one day the
Empress with a desire TO make an omeletie her
self. and she had all the necessary ingredients
che tntA hnr aHar
taken up with her very important culinary opera
ton. the Emperor entered without having been
announced either by chance or because he had
heard from some of1cious person what was golnG
on. and wanted 10 have the pleasure Of Surprising
Marie Louise The latter. somewhat upset by
this unexpected visit. endeavored 10 prevent Ma
What is going on here?" asked the Emperor.
There is n singular smell. as II something were
being fried Then. stepping behind the I'm
press. he discovered the spirit lamp. the SILVER
frying pan. In which the butter was beginning 10
melt the salad bowl and the eggs. What
cries Napoleon. 80 you are making an omc!ette:
BAH you don't know how to do II at all VIII
show you how u IL 10 be done He then fet n
work the Empress acting as his assistant. but
he was trying 20 teach an assistant who knew
more about II than he did. and whose education
had been obtained in very lofty school Inc
Empress's parents were passionately fond Of rus
tic occupations. loving 20 withdraw Into some
rustic home built in the centre Of great imperial
parks and there. disguised as farmers. r. attend
lette then. having been finished. somehow or
other, there remained the important part 81 tosr-
ing Il. Napoleon wanted 10 do this himself; but
he had thought himself cleverer than NJ was. AnV
tust as he was trying to toss the omeletie there
happened 70 him what happened TO me great
Condo. who. according TO Gourvne. wished TO
make an omelette at an Inn where he had stopper
and pitched II into the fire when trying 70 tufn
It, Napoleon did not succeed any better. and let
the ornele,te fall on the floor. He was then
obliged to confess his want OF experience. ana
he "a "a pp cooking alone.
This incident shows that the Empress was not
likely to learn from Napoleon the lesson which
was carefully withheld from her In Vienna-the
lesson OF self-reliance. She refused 10 take the
initiative in any matter OF importance, and THIS
appears to have been the reason. rather than any
lack Of affection for her failure to follow her nus
band to the island OF Elba. She obeyed his com
mands against the advice Of Cambaceres and
Joseph Bonaparte who felt that her departure
from Paris with her son on the approach Of the
Allied Armies rendered the succession OF the lat
ter to the throne utterly impossible: but they
were themselves too much afraid OF the Emperor
to put their advice In writing and sign II. As
soon as the Emperor Of Austria. her father APP
peared. she transferred her obedience to him.
After the retreat from Moscow Meneval had fall
en- seriously III. and when he became convnescent
Napoleon appointed him secretary 10 the En-
press Regent. In this capacity he accompanied
her not only In her departure from Paris. but In
her subsequent Journey to Vienna. In the Aus
TRAN Capital ne found himself almost a prisoner
The Empress's liking was gradually Withdrawn
from the French members Of her household. cor
respondence between her and her husband was
brought to an end and she came under
the influence OF Count Neipperg who figured as
her husband after she took possession OF the
Duchy OF Parma. Upon the return OF Napoleon
from Elba, there were rumors Of plan on his
part TO secure his son. Meneval does not pretend
TO any knowledge OF this so-called conspiracy be-
yond what he heard His reticence suggests that
there may here be chapter OF Napoleonic his
tory still, to be worked up. After the return OF
the Emperor to France. when he found that the
had No desire go hack To her husband.