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Cambaceres； that when the Emperor asked for him； and was told that
monseigneur was at the theater； he replied； 〃Very well； very well； he is
taking his siesta； let us not disturb him！〃
The King of Wurtemburg was large； and so fat that it was said of him God
had put him in the world to prove how far the skin of a man could be
stretched。 His stomach was of such dimensions that it was found
necessary to make a broad； round incision in front of his seat at the
table； and yet； notwithstanding this precaution； he was obliged to hold
his plate on a level with his chin to drink his soup。 He was very fond
of hunting； either on horseback； or in a little Russian carriage drawn by
four horses； which he often drove himself。 He was fond of horseback
riding； but it was no easy task to find a mount of size and strength
sufficient to carry so heavy a burden。 It was necessary that the poor
animal should be progressively trained； and in order to accomplish this
the king's equerry fastened round the horse a girth loaded with pieces of
lead； increasing the weight daily till it equalled that of his Majesty。
The king was despotic； hard； and even cruel； ever ready to sign the
sentence of the condemned； and in almost all cases； if what is said at
Stuttgart be true； increased the penalty inflicted by the judges。 Hard
to please； and brutal； he often struck the people of his household； and
it is even said that he did not spare her Majesty the queen； his wife；
who was a sister of the present King of England。 Notwithstanding all
this； he was a prince whose knowledge and brilliant mind the Emperor
esteemed； for they had a mutual affection for each other； and he found
him faithful to his alliance to the very end。 King Frederic of
Wurtemburg had a brilliant and numerous court； at which he displayed
great magnificence。
The hereditary prince was much beloved； he was less haughty and more
humane than his father； and was said to be just and liberal。
Besides those crowned by his hand； the Emperor； while in Bavaria；
received a great number of the princes of the Confederation； and they
usually dined with his Majesty。 In this crowd of royal courtiers the
prince primate was noticeable； who differed in nothing as to manners；
bearing； and dress from the most fashionable gentlemen of Paris。 The
Emperor paid him special attention。 I cannot pay the same eulogy to the
toilet of the princesses； duchesses； and other noble ladies； for most of
them dressed in exceedingly bad taste； and； displaying neither art nor
grace； covered their heads with plumes； bits of gold； and silver gauze；
fastened with a great quantity of diamond…headed pins。
The equipages the German nobility used were all very large coaches； which
were a necessity from the enormous hoops still worn by those ladies； and
this adherence to antiquated fashions was all the more surprising；
because at that time Germany enjoyed the great advantage of possessing
two fashion journals。 One was the translation of the magazine published
by Mesangere； and the other； also edited at Paris； was translated and
printed at Mannheim。 These ridiculous carriages； which much resembled
our ancient diligences； were drawn by very inferior horses； harnessed
with ropes； and placed so far apart that an immense space was needed to
turn the carriage。
The Prince of Saxe…Gotha was long and thin。 In spite of his great age；
he was enough of a dandy to order at Paris； from our hairdresser
Michalon； some pretty little wigs of youthful blonde； curled like the
hair of Cupid； but； apart from this； he was an excellent man。 I
recollect； a propos of the noble German ladies； to have seen at the court
theater at Fontainebleau a princess of the Confederation who was being
presented to their Majesties。 The toilet of her Highness announced an
immense progress in the elegance of civilization beyond the Rhine； for；
renouncing the Gothic hoops； the princess had adopted the very latest
fashions； and； though nearly seventy years of age； wore a dress of black
lace over red satin； and her coiffure consisted of a white muslin veil；
fastened by a wreath of roses； in the style of the vestals of the opera。
She had with her a granddaughter； brilliant with the charm of youth； and
admired by the whole court； although her costume was less stylish than
that of her grandmother。
I heard her Majesty； the Empress Josephine； relate one day that she had
much difficulty in repressing a smile when； among a number of German
princesses presented to her； one was announced under the name of
Cunegonde ＇Cunegonde was the mistress of Candide in Voltaire's novel of
Candide。＇ Her Majesty added that； when she saw the princess take her
seat； she imagined she saw her lean to one side。 Assuredly the Empress
had read the adventures of Candide and the daughter of the very noble
baron of Thunder…Ten…Trunck。
At Paris； in the spring of 1806； I saw almost as many members of the
Confederation as I had seen in the capitals of Bavaria and Wurtemburg。
A French name had the precedence among these names of foreign princes。
It was that of Prince Murat； who in the month of March was made Grand…
duke of Berg and Cleves。 After Prince Louis of Bavaria； arrived the
hereditary prince of Baden； who came to Paris to marry a niece of the
Empress。
At the beginning this union was not happy。 The Princess Stephanie （de
Beauharnais） was a very pretty woman； graceful and witty； and the Emperor
had wished to make a great lady of her； and had married her without
consulting her wishes。 Prince Charles…Louis…Frederic was then twenty
years of age； and though exceedingly good； brave； and generous； and
possessing many admirable traits； was heavy and phlegmatic； ever
maintaining an icy gravity； and entirely destitute of the qualities which
would attract a young princess accustomed to the brilliant elegance of
the imperial court。
The marriage took place in April； to the great satisfaction of the
prince； who that day appeared to do violence to his usual gravity； and
even allowed a smile to approach his lips。 The day passed off very well；
but； when the time came for retiring； the princess refused to let him
share her room； and for eight days was inexorable。
He was told that the princess did not like the arrangement of his hair；
and that nothing inspired her with more aversion than a queue； upon which
the good prince hastened to have his hair cut close； but when she saw him
thus shorn； she laughed immoderately； and exclaimed that he was more ugly
a la Titus than he was before。 It was impossible that the intelligence
and the kind heart of the princess could fail to appreciate the good and
solid qualities of her husband； she learned to love him as tenderly as
she was loved； and I am assured that the august couple lived on excellent
terms。
Three months after this marriage； the prince left his wife to follow the
Emperor； first on the campaign in Prussia； and afterwards in Poland。 The
death of his grandfather； which happened some time after the Austrian
campaign of 1809； put him in possession of the grand duchy； whereupon he
resigned the command of his troops to his uncle the Count of Hochberg；
and returned to his government； never more to leave it。
I saw him again with the princess at Erfurt； where they told me he had
become jealous of the Emperor Alexander； who paid assiduous court to his
wife； at which the prince took alarm and abruptly left Erfurt； carrying
with him the princess； of whom it must in justice be said that there had
been on her part not the slightest imprudence to arouse this jealousy；
which seems very pardonable； however； in the husband of so charming a
woman。
The prince's health was always delicate； and from his earliest youth
alarming symptoms had been noticed in him； and this physical condition
was no doubt； in a great measure； the main source of the melancholy which
marked his character。 He died in 1818； after a very long and painful
illness； during which his wife nursed him with the most affectionate
care； leaving four children； two sons and two daughters。 The two sons
died young； and would have left the grand duchy of Baden without heirs；
if the Counts Hochberg had not been recognized as members of the
ducal family。 The grand…duchess is to…day devoting her life to the
education of her daughters； who promise to equal her in graces and
virtues。 The nuptials of the Prince and Princess of Baden were
celebrated by brilliant fetes； at Rambouillet took place a great hunting…
party； in which their Majesties； with many members of their family； and
all the princes of Baden； Cleves； etc。； traversed on foot the forests of
Rambouillet。
I recollect another hunting…party； which took place about the same time
in the forest of Saint…Germain； to which the Emperor invited the
ambassador of the Sublime Porte； then just arrived at Paris。 His Turkish
Excellency followed the chase with ardor； but without moving a muscle of
his austere countenance。 The animal having been brought to bay； his
Majesty had a gun handed to the Turkish ambassador； that he might have；
the honor of firing the first shot； but he refused； not conceiving；
doubtless； that any pleasure could be f