The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-06
NApOLpN@n
>EIXNQIE LOUIS
bLN WILLIAMSON

wi
been called by some
historians the nemesis of
Napoleon. He was at his
height when she delivered
to him his son. But from
the birth of the king of
Rome in 1911 there was
nothing but defeat and de-
cline for Napoleon.
Napoleon never had lost
a campaign until after his
marriage to Marie Louise.
The four years after his son was
born were to find him losing a
million men in the two decisive
wars that led to his abdication,
one Of the wars presenting the
enigma of Marie Louise serving
as empress-regent of France
while her husbands armies
fought those of her father.
1t is during this period OF de-
cline. this rapid crumbling of his
empire, that Napoleon wrote most
of the 318 letters which now are
to be published for the first time.
He wrote from the far-off Rus
sian front, where he took such
appalling losses. He wrote from
the French-Austrian front when
the armies of the coalition that
included Marie LouiSe's fathers
troops were descending on Paris.
And one of these 31S letters to
Marie Louise was his undoing.
Intercepted by his foes, it re-
vealed to them his plans to save
Paris, to make a final thrust. In
%tercepted, it brought his downfall
and ~abdication. Marie Louise,
the nemesis of Napoleon? Surely
there is much to support it.
And surely Napoleon must have
felt it. But did he express his
thoughts to Marie Louise, who
had, at least, his respectful love.
These letters will tell. They will
add new pages to one of the great
periods of history-the crumbling
of Napoleon's vast empire, the
decline of this strongest per-
sonality the modern world has
known.
Napoleon was covering his anx-
iety at the approaches of this
decline with festivals over the
birth of his son. But even while
the Eaglet was being feted, the
empire was beginning to fall apart.
Wellington was harassing in
Spain. Bernadotte, the French
man Napoleon has placed on
Sweden'S throne, had gone over to
the Russian influence. Even Mu-
rat, the Emperor's brother-in-
law, was showing signs in Italy
of detection from the imperial
policy. England was getting goods
into the Continent through Swe-
den and Russia and the low coun-
tries.
A ND Napoleon was ~neglecting
IA business. One of the prices
of his warmap empire was cease
less vigilance. He had been a
glutton for work. Now he spent
much time with Marie Louise and
his infant. And Paris, anxious
over the certain approach of new
wars. found time to smile over
stories of Napoleon romping on
the floor with his king of Rome.
Never before had Napoleon's fol-
lowers known their great general
to be indecisive. Now he tarried,
heSitated at points where the old
Napoleon would have rushed in
and 0ve~Whelmed.
R-s a indispensable to his
all this alliance that had at
its root the blockade of England.
And Gar Alexander. perhaps still
Smarting under the snub Napoleon
gave his sister when he married
Marie Louise, broke the alliance.
Napoleon, against the counsel of
his ambassadors and generals,
marched on Russia, into a land of
wastes that could not feed the
half million army he led.
But first Napoleon and Marie
Louise went to Prague to meet
her father and Metternich, to win
their support in his wal against
the gar and nature. Enigma
again. The dear papa and the