Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-07
"NAPOLE0N THE LITTLE,
Not at All the Man Pictured Inv
Victor Hugo.


From the Century
The Empress Eugene would have liked
TO spend the evening sometimes with the
de Tascher family, whose cheerfulness az
she said once in my presence would cure
the Jaundice;" but the question of nettv
curt Jeafousies again stood in the way. She
visited them at long intervals. hut only
when some apparent reason justified the
exception. Usually, after taking tea the
emperor retired ito transact business with
ms private secretary as was stated; what
mat BUSINESS was, On too frequent occa-
siohs' mad better not be too closely eyam
ihed Inc empress usually remained ti,
ABOUT half-past IL, when she disapnaared
and as the last fold of her train left the
doorway all the lnen present, who had been
standing the whole evening, uttered a sigh
u rehe1, as they threw themselves on the
sonds with undiSguised satisfaction
The Due de Tascher who suffered from,
ineunlatlc govt, found his obligation of etf-
Guette particularly trying, and, being priv
sisseu IN many respects, he frequently
sHPPeu INTO the next ROOM where he could
slt down, and even indulge in a momentarv
aoZe with impunity. Often, on Returning
rom some theater with one of the ladies
OIL the family, / would meet him COMING
YEARLY from the imperial quarters. and as
ne SAID Good night" he would add. with a
sFoah, There is no way of inducing the
empress to go to bed!' Her personal at
tehdantS could say much more on the Snh
Ject, Tor even after retiring to her private
apartments she often fingered till the small
hours of the night
one evening, as the duke afterward told
me, he had escaped to the neighhorine
room, where he habitually took refuge
ana was seated writing a letter, when the
emperor suddenly came in. OF course. the
uuke sprang to his feet, but the emperor
good-humoredly desired him not to disturb
himself, hut to go on with his letter. ON
such occasions the rule is to obey withoIf
any oplectlon, the sovereign's will being
CONSIDERED paramount. The duke conse-
quently sat down, and quietly contained
DIS letter, though much discounted by the
presence OF the emperor. who paced the
room loom 70 ana fro, smoking his cigarette and
hufnming tune. The duke, howe,e r. Ieis-
urely finished and folded his letter. sealing
it deliberately with the large official seal in
RED wax and carefully adding the stamu
near: ~
Have you finished, Tascher?" Eyes.
SIRE vs.
quite finished?'
Yes, SIRE
Them may take the fnkstand?"
Inc sood-natured simplicity of the act
was extremely characteristic. There never
was more amiable man in private life
than the Emperor Napoleon III or one mora
absolutely unpretending. His constant
gentleness, his unvarying, patient kindness,
We're only too much proved upon by MANY
VI muse ABOUT MIN; but he was certainly
deeply loved by all who were in habitual
personal contact with him-more loved
than was the Empress Eugenia notwith-
standing her personal charms She was
extremely good-natured, thoroughly nat
6rai and devoid of haughtiness "a great
merit in such position) but impulsive and
hot-tempered too sincere and straishtfor-
ward to conceal her varying impressions
and .withal fanciful and tenacious in her
fancies, which often irritated those who
Fad to yield TO her wishes, despite difficult
ties and inconvenience. lone of the en-
press whims!" was often the comment of
her attendants down to the domestic SER
wants of the palace
The emperor always quiet and even apa-
thetc, disturbed no one; but If an appeal
was made to his feelings he could not re-
sisc Ihere was sort of tender-hearted
sentimental softness in his nature which
recalled the 'sensibility' of bygone DAYS.
probably inherited from his mother, Queen
Hortense. This often led him astray, and
is the real explanation of many errors. He
was far from being deliberately false as
has so often been asserted; but, unfortu-
nately, he was more man of feeling than
a man of principle. This led to weakness
and vacillation, though, like many others
whose natures are too yielding when he
had finally taken a decision he was firm
even to ohstinacy. Any one more unlike
the blooGthirsty tyrant depicted by Victor
Hugo and other political adversaries could
scarcely be imagined. The sight of the
battlefield of Solferino had left on his
mind such an impression of horror as to
destroy all dreams of military glory, and
1t was with the greatest unwilliugness hat
he was drawn into the wars that followed,
principally, alasi through the pertinacious
influence of the Empress Eugenie who had
the conventional pictures of glory and he
roism, without their fearful cost