The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-18

40 friChefll that the only method ~ maintain
Ing his dignity Ia 20 appear rehcned. and to
do nothing TO obtain any change IN the re-
striettons He must endlr~ everything with
resignation. II his Majesty had all the island
10 himself. II would bs nothing compared 10
what he has lost . Would. says lord ho.e-
barry, that Napoleon had followed this COUNSEL
Evidently the household at IonRwood was not.
and Gould not b~. a happy family; bu. II might
have beer much happier than II was. II could
not ~ happy. In the first place. Of eourse. be-
oau.e Of the prodieions vtHssltrdes Secondly.
q collection Of Parisisns could not be cheerful.
perchsd ike crippled sea birds on a tropical
rock At Helena had been chosen because
II was one OF the remotest Of islands. FOR that
very reason II WIS antpathetio 70 the whole
livss and nature and 70 every taste OF iA In
voluntary brilliant tenants There was no
space, no society. no amusement. Thsre was
a mesHre shop. bu, aver thsre credit WAS re-
fused to them nv order Of thu Governor An
things considered. they bore their fate, 40
irksome 70 any one. N terrible TO thsm. with
fprtitud- and philosophy
Goursu6s devotion to nj. mother, whom
he had left behind in France. irritnted the
Emperor. In the frst place, Napoleon ms-
ra,t.d. and. a. Lord Roaebery thinks. NOT
nm Justly, that tia frequent mention OF the
mother and 81 her need circumstances was
meant as an appeal for hi. assistance. which
he was willing TO give. but not under rrearure;
40 no gave II o, last. but unsraclously. Ser
ondly. This good son caused some innonven-
fence by painting in rose color everything
at st. Helena in order to cheer his maternal
psrent, His ~l-t'nrI 90 thi. deceptive char
meter were read by Lowe or b. Bathurst. or
10th, and gave them the most lively pleasure.
rs aHordiug an authoritative contradiction
TO Napolcon'- complaints. These dutifully
mendacious lett"rs could not be agreeable
TO Nauoieon. Thirdly the Emperor could
not bear that nnv one who was devoted TO hin
should be devoted To any one else. lie re-
CURED an absorbing allegiance Bertrands
wife and Gourgauds mother offended him,
You are mad to love your mother So" said
Napoleon to Gourraud How old is she'"
"Siyt,-seven. ere" We'll, you will never
see her again she will lie dead before you re-
turn TO France" ThereIpon Gourgaud wesps.
Napoleon's brutality. however. was only a
paa.ing expression ~ ANNOYANCE at a devo-
ton which 70 considered he .h"Yld nonoro-
lie. Napoleon made no secret Of this: he
avowsd II TO Nontholon. Every one" he
says, has a dominant object Of affection.
and 10 those whom ] like and honor with my
confidence | must be that object. | will share
with nobody" on other occasions he was
even more cynical Princes" he said. only
like those who are useful to them. and so long
n. they are %useful" Again. he says
TO Gourcaud. After all. ] only care for the
people who are useful TO me and no long as
they are useful His followers, We're well
aware ~ MA p-inclrle IN Napoleon bertrand.
In n moment of irritation. confid-s 10 Corr
gaud tho astonishing discovery that for some
time nast 10 has been aware that the Emperor
I. an egotist "Hs ONLY" saws Bertrand.
care, for those from whom he expects some
service Another day Bertrand goes furth--:
The Fmreror ia wh,t he IL. my dear Gour-
caud We &c mot change his character. 1t
is because Of that character that he has no
friends. that he has so mary enemies. ard
indeed. that we are at 81 Helena. T. is FOR the
nm, reason that nett her I,ruoi nor the others
who arr at Elm. except ourSelras Mime. Ber'-
rand and himanlfl would follow him here :
Lord Rosebary holds that Bertrand was right
in Swing that NAPOLEON had no friends for the
friends ~ his youth were dead: and IN the days
~ hts power 10 had t.niad himself that source
af Solace and strength u have MAD" cor,rtiers:
have never pretended Ia make friends no
would say. His imperisl ideas NJ State and
aloofra.s, indeed. made any rotation ~ friend
hin Impossible Now the hour o. rci-thutlon
had come. whrn he wanted friends he found
only o~our,i-r. Painfully and hhoriously he
endeavo-ci 10 resume the forgotten AT ~
making friends II was only fair and In the
na'ura Of things that he should bs but gar
tally successful. II 4. not. OF course. a pleasant
trait IN Napoleon that he should expect the
blind ranuuclation Of eve-v human lie and
human interest that Messiah alone may exact;
tina, le should desire his followers tn leave all
and follow him. In our authors Judgment.
however, much excuse must be made for an
egotisn which was tho inevitable result o: the
prolonged ad Ilation 90 n. world
Werep"nt ha'ifLord Rosebery dwell. IN Gour-
rpud, il l. not for his sahe but 'or Napoleon's
What makes Gourgaui's diary profoundly
interesting is the new and original view that IN
affords ~ Napolcon's own character and the
!aithiIl notes Of Napoleon's conversation In
.ts native strength We all are apt 10 fancy
that We Thoroughly understand Napoleon's
disposition. We have been taught to think
of MIN as selfish. donin-ering. violent. and
so forth In Ills diary, however. we see a
new Napoleon. strange ~ Ms. contrary TO our
urecOncrived idea. a Napoleon such az few
except Kapp. have hitherto presented to us.
Rlpp. indeed, who wac the most independent
aud UNI tttering of all Napoleon's Generals.
and, "a his aidc-de-camp. WAS constantly by
his side, says O; his master: Many people
describe Napoleon ~ n harsh. violent, passion
at, man 1t IL bccau.' they never knew him.
Absorbed as he was in affairs. opposed in his
plans, hammered ~ his projects, his humor
was sometimes impatient and fuCtuaIng.
But he was 80 good and 20 re'crous that no
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