Evening star., 1912-10-06
TlLL BATTLE I'm NAPOLEON'S TUB

is 500 leagues from any land; and Lord
Castelreagh thinks that the Portuguese
will agree
Louis XVIII answered. ..The idea of
the Azores is excellent"
On December 4 Talleyrand reported:
The conclusion is that We must get rid
of the man of Elba. Count de Munster
has written to his court. Lord Castel-
reagh has stirred up N. de Metternich
And, finally, on February 10, 1915, Tai
leyrand announced to the French king the
decision of the congress-Napoleon to he
removed to a far island in the ocean
without subsidy
The same evening NM. Maret and
Daru sent warning TO Napoleon. The
messenger arrived at Elba on February
24-and on February 70 Napoleon sailed
away on the brig.
He had been told that the French were
already tired of the Bourbons. Before
giving up. he wanted to try, without vio-
lence or plot. by a simple appearance to
learn the truth, did the French want
him?
Evidently they did.
A hundred days later, at Waterloo.
the combined kings of Europe proved
that their desire was otherwise.
We stared at the commemorative
tablet
In this lost Alpine village eliminated
the adventure.
Up to Laffrey, by obscure mountain
roads, it was a fugitive escaping from
Elba-with handful of followers
Down from Laffrey. it was the emperor
rolling up his grand army like an
avalanche.
The cafe proprietor asked a question.
What does the Elba villa look like.
monsieur? Are there still relics of the
EMPEROR
The relative of Don Camille told its
simple story.
The villa of an-Martino was Ma
poleons property. After his death it
passed to his son. and on the death OF
the Aiglon, Marie Louise inherited it. In
1916 she sold her life interest. Return
ing to the emperor's heirs. it was
bought, in 1851. by Count Anatole
Demidoff, who had married Princesse
Mathilde, daughter of Jerome Bona
parte. The fabulously rich Russian
spent a million in adding a palace-mu-
scum in yellow granite, and another
million on gardening, walls. forged
iron gates, ETC., but preserving the
villa itself exactly as Napoleon left it.
Villa and museum were full of SOU
venirs and relics. But after Demidoffs
death vandalS fell on the property, and
the buildings on which millions had
been spent became farm produce store
houses, wind and rain running the roofs
and walls. Balustrades and columns
were torn down. and all was going to
ruin, when a hero worshiper, the
Italiar Col. Braccialini. attempted to
save the property-and succeeded.
Later 1t came into the hands of NJ
Pilade del Buono. who seems to have
been speculator. 1t proved a poor
speculat alton. Don Camille advanced him
at various times nearly half a million
and as Pilade's affairs made 1t impos-
sible to carry him any longer, Don
Camille foreclosed. to save the villa
again going into neglectful hands. Don
Camille had to bid it in for 100000. The
domain comprises AS acres.
If any higher bidder will make IL
into a museum, he can have it Other.
wise Don Camille, being a heavy creditor.
can outbid any speculator and have the
sale to himself confirmed after the neces.
sary delays.
"And bathe in the tub where NapoIeon,
dreamed out his return" said his tourinp
relative. 1.-THE walls Of the bathroom arc
frescoed with an allesorical truth rising
from the waves. Napoleon would lie an
hour daily in his bath. He ordered the
fresco, l think, as a personal allegory-
his cause would rise again from the
waves of the Mediterranean"
ut did rise-for hundred davsm
unused the cafe proprietor.
STERT.IN(s