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swarm of those presidents of cantons who occupied a conspicuous place in
the annals of ridicule at the close of the year 1804。 They became the
objects of all sorts of witticisms and jests。 The obligation of wearing
swords made their appearance very grotesque。 As many droll； stories were
told of them as were ten years afterwards related of those who were
styled the voltigeurs of Louis XIV。 One of these anecdotes was so
exceedingly ludicrous that； though it was probably a mere invention； yet
I cannot refrain from relating it。 A certain number of these presidents
were one day selected to be presented to the Pope； and as most of them
were very poor they found it necessary to combine economy with the
etiquette necessary to be observed under the new order of things。 To
save the expense of hiring carriages they therefore proceeded to the
Pavilion de Flore on foot； taking the precaution of putting on gaiters to
preserve their white silk stockings from the mud which covered the
streets； for it was then the month of December。 On arriving at the
Tuileries one of the party put his gaiters into his pocket。 It happened
that the Pope delivered such an affecting address that all present were
moved to tears； and the unfortunate president who had disposed of his
gaiters in the way just mentioned drew them out instead of his
handkerchief and smeared his face over with mud。 The Pope is said to
have been much amused at this mistake。 If this anecdote should be
thought too puerile to be repeated here； I may observe that it afforded
no small merriment to Bonaparte； who made Michot the actor relate it to
the Empress at Paris one evening after a Court performance。
Napoleon had now attained the avowed object of his ambition； but his
ambition receded before him like a boundless horizon。 On the 1st of
December； the day on which the Senate presented to the Emperor the result
of the votes for hereditary succession； Francois de Neufchateau delivered
an address to him； in which there was no want of adulatory expressions。
As President of the Senate he had had some practice in that style of
speechmaking； and he only substituted the eulogy of the Monarchical
Government for that of the Republican Government 'a sempre bene'； as the
Italians say。
If I wished to make comparisons I could here indulge in some curious
ones。 Is it not extraordinary that Fontainebleau should have witnessed；
at the interval of nearly ten years； Napoleon's first interview with the
Pope； and his last farewell to his army； and that the Senate； who had
previously given such ready support to Bonaparte； should in 1814 have
pronounced his abdication at Fontainebleau。
The preparations for the Coronation proved very advantageous to the
trading classes of Paris。 Great numbers of foreigners and people from
the provinces visited the capital； and the return of luxury and the
revival of old customs gave occupation to a variety of tradespeople who
could get no employment under the Directory or Consulate； such as
saddlers； carriage…makers； lacemen； embroiderers； and others。 By these
positive interests were created more partisans of the Empire than by
opinion and reflection； and it is but just to say that trade had not been
so active for a dozen years before。 The Imperial crown jewels were
exhibited to the public at Biennais the jeweller's。 The crown was of a
light form； and； with its leaves of gold； it less resembled the crown of
France than the antique crown of the Caesars。 These things were
afterwards placed in the public treasury； together with the imperial
insignia of Charlemagne； which Bonaparte had ordered to be brought from
Aix…la…Chapelle。 But while Bonaparte was thus priding himself in his
crown and his imagined resemblance to Charlemagne； Mr。 Pitt； lately
recalled to the Ministry； was concluding at Stockholm a treaty with
Sweden； and agreeing to pay a subsidy to that power to enable it to
maintain hostilities against France。 This treaty was concluded on the 3d
of December； the day after the Coronation。
＇The details of the preparation for the Coronation caused many
stormy scenes between Napoleon and his family。 The Princesses； his
sisters and sisters…in…law； were especially shocked at having to
carry the train of the Imperial mantle of Josephine； and even when
Josephine was actually moving from the altar to the throne the
Princesses evinced their reluctance so plainly that Josephine could
not advance and an altercation took place which had to be stopped by
Napoleon himself。 Joseph was quite willing himself give up
appearing in a mantle with a train； but he wished to prevent his
wife bearing the mantle of the Empress； and he opposed his brother
on so many points that Napoleon ended by calling on him to either
give up his position and retire from all politics； or else to fully
accept the imperial regime。 How the economical Camberceres used up
the ermine he could not wear will be seen in Junot tome iii。 p。
196。 Josephine herself was in the greatest anxiety as to whether
the wish of the Bonaparte family that she should be divorced would
carry the day with her husband。 When she had gained her cause for
the time and after the Pope had engaged to crown her； she seems to
have most cleverly managed to get the Pope informed that she was
only united to Napoleon by a civil marriage。 The Pope insisted on
a religious marriage。 Napoleon was angry； but could not recede； and
the religions rite was performed by Cardinal Fesch the day； or two
days； before the Coronation。 The certificate of the marriage was
carefully guarded from Napoleon by Josephine； and even placed beyond
his reach at the time of the divorce。 Such at least seems to be the
most probable account of this mysterious and doubtful matter。
The fact that Cardinal Fesch maintained that the religious rite had
been duly performed； thirteen of the Cardinals （not； however
including Fesch） were so convinced of the legality of the marriage
that they refused to appear at the ceremony of marriage with Marie
Louise； thus drawing down the wrath of the Emperor； and becoming the
〃Cardinals Noirs；〃 from being forbidden； to wear their own robes；
seems to leave no doubt that the religious rite had been performed。
The marriage was only pronounced to be invalid in 1809 by the local
canonical bodies； not by the authority of the pope。＇
It cannot be expected that I should enter into a detail of the ceremony
which took place on the 2d of December。 The glitter of gold； the waving
plumes； and richly…caparisoned horses of the Imperial procession； the
mule which preceded the Pope's cortege； and occasioned so much merriment。
to the Parisians； have already been described over and over again。
I may； however； relate an anecdote connected with the Coronation； told me
by Josephine； and which is exceedingly characteristic of Napoleon。
When Bonaparte was paying his addresses to Madame de BEAUHARNAIS； neither
the one nor the other kept a carriage； and therefore Bonaparte frequently
accompanied her when she walked out。 One day they went together to the
notary Raguideau； one of the shortest men I think I ever saw in my life；
Madame de Beauharnais placed great confidence； in him； and went there on
purpose to acquaint him of her intention to marry the young general of
artillery；the protege of Barras。 Josephine went alone into； the
notary's cabinet； while Bonaparte waited for her in an adjoining room。
The door of Raguideau's cabinet did not shut close； and Bonaparte plainly
heard him dissuading Madame de Beauharnais from her projected marriage。
〃You are going to take a very wrong step；〃 said he； 〃and you will be
sorry for it； Can you be so mad as to marry a young man who has nothing
but his cloak and his sword？〃 Bonaparte； Josephine told me； had never
mentioned this to her； and she never supposed that he had heard what fell
from Raguideau。 〃Only think； Bourrienne；〃 continued she； 〃what was my
astonishment when； dressed in the Imperial robes on the Coronation day；
he desired that Raguideau might be sent for； saying that he wished to see
him immediately； and when Raguidesu appeared； he said to him； 〃Well； sir！
have I nothing but my cloak and my sword now？'〃
Though Bonaparte had related to me almost all the circumstances of his
life； as they occurred to his memory； he never once mentioned this affair
of Raguideau； which he only seemed to have suddenly recollected on his
Coronation day。
The day after the Coronation all the troops in Paris were assembled in
the Champ de Mars the Imperial eagles might be distributed to each
regiment； in lieu of the national flags。 I has stayed away from the
Coronation in the church of Notre Dame； but I wished to see the military
fete in the Champ de Mars because I took real pleasure in seeing
Bonaparte amongst his soldiers。 A throne was erected in front of the
Military School； which； though now transformed into a barrack； must have
recalled； to Bonaparte's mind some singular recollections of his boyhood。
At a given signal