Page:The Lady's Book Vol. I.pdf/55

YOUNG NAPOLEON. 49

The London Court Journal contains the annexed, from the MS. Journal of a Detenu.

YOUNG NAPOLEON.

THE following anecdotes relating to the infancy of Napoleon's son were communicated to me in Paris at the time, by Madame de——, whose duty it was to be frequently in attendance upon the young Monarch: --

THE PETITION. The natural taciturnity of the Emperor upon this joyful event gave way to an unusual cheerfulness; the officers who were continually about his person were astonished at the surprising alteration in his manners; he appeared to be the happiest of fathers. The nurse appointed to take charge of this precious infant was either bribed, or, at least, prevailed upon, to place a sheet of paper upon the lace covering of the cradle. It was a petition addressed to “His Majesty, the King of Rome,” and the pompous title was inscribed in letters of gold. It could not fail to be remarked when the Emperor approached to see his child. On observing the paper he hastily seized it; a frown passed over his brow, and casting a severe look at the attendant, and particularly at the nurse, he exclaimed, “Well! what have we here? Who dares “ -at this moment the infant began to cry, and the nurse taking it into her arms, it was immediately quiet. The anger of Napoleon passed away, and smiling, he unfolded the paper and read aloud the following words: “To his Majesty, the King of Rome: Sire, -In vain has an unfortunate man addressed himself to your father; his supplications cannot have reached the Emperor, or he would have listened to them. Of you I now venture to ask for liberty. I am confined in the Chateau de Vincennes as a state prisoner. I am sorry for the errors of my youth. Grant, I beseech you, my prayer. Your father will henceforth find me a loyal subject and a devoted servant. LA TOUR.” “Now, Sire,” continued Napoleon, in a jocose manner, addressing himself to his child, what does your Majesty say to this request? Is the petitioner to remain incarcerated on account of his foolish meddling in politics, or do you please that he be set at liberty? What! no reply!” Then turning to one of his officers, he said, “Qui ne dit mot, consent Let the prisoner be discharged forthwith, and he is permitted to resume his rank in the army.”

THE LULLABY. A few angry words passed between the Emperor and Maria Louise upon the following occasion:— -He frequently came into the apartment of the infant, accompanied by some of his officers; one of the latter wore large moustaches and prodigious whiskers. The child on seeing him appeared to be frightened, and showed its feelings by screaming loudly. At first the cause of its terror was not divined, but the mother, who was sitting near the cradle, discovered the reason of the child's fright, and in an abrupt and almost violent manner, she said to the officer, “It is you, Monsieur, who terrify the infant Retirez vous.” “Restez,” replied Napoleon, “this boy shall not be spoiled from his very infancy he must” —here he paused. “Mais” continued the Empress—” Point de mais dans cette affaire,” said Napoleon rather harshly; then thinking probably that he had evinced somewhat of military acerbity, he added with a smile, “Allons! Monsieur l'officer a moustaches, vous chantez have the goodness to sing a song to my son; the softness of your voice will, perhaps, make him forget the roughness of your chin.” The officer, who was remarkable for his musical talents, instantly complied, and almost addressing the Empress, he gave the following from a new opera, (Francoise de Foix, I believe), then quite the rage among the Parisian dillettanti:—— “Plaire sans art tel est votre partage; (bis) La touchante simplicite Qui chez vous pare la beaute, Vous assure, en tous lieux, le plus brillant hommage.” The Empress was flattered, the Emperor laughed, and the child actually ceased crying. To this circumstance the officer in question owed a more rapid rise in the army than he would otherwise have obtained; as it is a fact, that when the young Sire was particularly unruly, “L'officier a Moustaches” was sent for, and frequently succeeded in appeasing the child.

VACCINATION OF THE KING. It was not without difficulty that the Empress could be prevailed upon to allow her son to be vaccinated. Although this method had superseded inoculation among the higher classes, persons of rank were still to be found, particularly in Austria, extremely averse to the operation. It seems that one of the dames d'honneur, who had accompanied Marie Louise from Vienna, entertained a strong prejudice against vaccination, and had imprudently communicated her thoughts upon the subject to the Empress. Napoleon discovered that the translation of an English work respecting the deformities, maladies, & c. engendered by introducing the virus into the veins of infants, had fallen into her hands. A clear refutation of this work had been published by a German surgeon, and the circumstance was known to Boyer, (I think), her medical attendant, who stated this to the Emperor. Orders were instantly given to procure it, but it was not to be found in the shops of any of the foreign booksellers in Paris. Telegraphic communications were instantly made to Brussels and Strasburg, and being met with in this latter town, it was forwarded to Paris. The Empress read the book, and as precautions had been taken to remove her imprudent adviser, who was sent back to Vienna, under pretence of giving the Emperor of Austria every particular relating to