not curious to see the Emperor？〃〃Yes； indeed； my good sir； I am very
curious to see him； so much so； that here is a little basket of fresh
eggs that I am going to carry to Madame； and I shall then remain at the
chateau； and endeavor to see the Emperor。 But the trouble is； I shall
not be able to see him so well to…day as formerly； when he came with his
comrades to drink milk at Mother Marguerite's。 He was not Emperor then；
but that was nothing； he made the others step around！ Indeed； you should
have seen him！ The milk； the eggs； the brown bread； the broken dishes
though he took care to have me paid for everything； and began by paying
his own bill。〃〃What！ Mother Marguerite；〃 replied his Majesty； smiling；
〃you have not forgotten Bonaparte！〃〃Forgotten！ my good sir； you think
that any one would forget such a young man as he； who was wise； serious；
and sometimes even sad； but always good to poor people？ I am only a poor
peasant woman； but I could have predicted that this young man would make
his way。 He has not done it very badly； has he？ Ah； no； indeed！〃
During this short dialogue； the Emperor had at first turned his back to
the door； and consequently to the light； which entered the cottage only
by that means。 But； by degrees； the Emperor approached the good woman；
and when he was quite near her； with the light shining full on his face
from the door； he began to rub his hands and say； trying to recall the
tone and manner of the days of his early youth； when he came to the
peasant's house； 〃Come； Mother Marguerite； some milk and fresh eggs； we
are famishing。〃 The good old woman seemed trying to revive her memories；
and began to observe the Emperor with the closest attention。 〃Oh； yes；
Mother； you were so sure a while ago of knowing Bonaparte again。 Are we
not old acquaintances； we two？〃 The peasant； while the Emperor was
addressing these last words to her； had fallen at his feet； but he raised
her with the most touching kindness； and said to her； 〃The truth is；
Mother Marguerite； I have still a schoolboy's appetite。 Have you nothing
to give me？〃 The good woman； almost beside herself with happiness；
served his Majesty with eggs and milk； and when this simple repast was
ended； his Majesty gave his aged hostess a purse full of gold； saying to
her； 〃You know； Mother Marguerite； that I believe in paying my bills。
Adieu； I shall not forget you。〃 And while the Emperor remounted his
horse； the good old woman； standing on the threshold of her door；
promised him； with tears of joy； to pray to the good God for him。
One morning； when he awoke； his Majesty was speaking of the possibility
of finding some of his old acquaintances； and an anecdote concerning
General Junot was related to him； which amused him greatly。 The General
finding himself； on his return from Egypt； at Montbard； where he had
passed several years of his childhood； had sought with the greatest care
for his companions in school and mischief； and had found several； with
whom he had talked gayly and freely of his early frolics and his
schoolboy excursions。 As they went together to revisit the different
localities； each of which awakened in them some memory of their youth；
the general saw an old man majestically promenading on the public square
with a large cane in his hand。 He immediately ran up to him； threw his
arms around him； and embraced him many times； almost suffocating him。
The promenader disengaged himself with great difficulty from his warm
embraces； regarded General Junot with an amazed air； and remarked that he
was ignorant to what he could attribute such excessive tenderness from a
soldier wearing the uniform of a superior officer； and all the
indications of high rank。 〃What；〃 cried he； 〃do you not recognize me？〃
〃Citizen General； I pray you to excuse me； but I have no idea〃
〃Ah； morbleu； my dear master； have you forgotten the most idle； the most
lawless； the most incorrigible of your scholars？〃〃A thousand pardons；
you are Monsieur Junot。〃〃Himself！〃 replied Junot； renewing his
embraces； and laughing with his friends at the singular characteristics
by which he had caused himself to be recognized。 As for his Majesty the
Emperor； if any of his old masters had failed to recognize him； it could
not be by reminiscences of this kind that he could have recalled himself
to them； for every one knows that he was distinguished at the military
school for his application to work； and the regularity and sobriety of
his life。
A meeting of the same nature； saving the difference in recollections；
awaited the Emperor at Brienne。 While he was visiting the old military
school； now falling to ruin； and pointing out to the persons who
surrounded him the situation of the study halls； dormitories；
refectories； etc。； an ecclesiastic who had been tutor of one of the
classes in the school was presented to him。 The Emperor recognized him
immediately； and； uttering an exclamation of surprise； his Majesty
conversed more than twenty minutes with this gentleman； leaving him full
of gratitude。
The Emperor； before leaving Brienne to return to Fontainebleau； required
the mayor to give him a written account of the most pressing needs of the
commune； and left on his departure a considerable sum for the poor and
the hospitals。
Passing through Troyes； the Emperor left there； as everywhere else；
souvenirs of his generosity。 The widow of a general officer； living in
retirement at Joinville （I regret that I have forgotten the name of this
venerable lady； who was more than an octogenarian）； came to Troyes；
notwithstanding her great age； to ask aid from his Majesty。 Her husband
having served only before the Revolution； the pension which she had
enjoyed had been taken from her under the Republic； and she was in the
greatest destitution。 The brother of General Vouittemont； mayor of a
commune in the suburbs of Troyes； was kind enough to consult me as to
what should be done in order to present this lady to the Emperor； and I
advised him to have her name placed on the list of his Majesty's private
audiences。 I myself took the liberty of speaking of Madame de to the
Emperor； and the audience was granted； though I do not pretend to
attribute the merit of it to myself； for in traveling the Emperor was
always very accessible。
When the good lady came to attend the audience with M。 de Vouittemont； to
whom his municipal scarf gave the right of entrance； I happened to meet
them； and she stopped to thank me for the little service which she
insisted I had rendered her； and mentioned that she had been obliged to
pawn the six silver plates which alone remained to her； in order to pay
the expenses of her journey； that； having arrived at Troyes in a poor
farm wagon； covered with a cloth thrown over a hoop； and which had shaken
her terribly； she could find no place in the inns； all of which were
filled on account of the arrival of their Majesties； and she would have
been obliged to sleep in her wagon had it not been for the kind
consideration of M。 de Vouittemont； who had given up his room to her； and
offered his services。 In spite of her more than eighty years； and her
distress； this respectable lady related her story with an air of gentle
gayety； and at the close threw a grateful glance at her guide； on whose
arm she was leaning。
At that moment the usher came to announce that her turn had come； and she
entered the saloon of audience。 M。 de Vouittemont awaited her return
while conversing with me； and on her return she related to us； scarcely
able to control her emotion； that the Emperor had in the kindest manner
received the memorial she presented to him； had read it attentively； and
passed it to a minister who was near him； with the order to do her
justice this very day。
The next day she received the warrant for a pension of three thousand
francs； the first year's pay being handed her at once。
At Lyons； of which Cardinal Fesch was archbishop； the Emperor lodged in
the archiepiscopal palace。＇Joseph Fesch； born in Corsica； 1763； was
half…brother to Napoleon's mother。 Archbishop of Lyons 1801； cardinal
1803； died 1839＇
During the stay of their Majesties the cardinal exerted himself to the
utmost to gratify every wish of his nephew； and in his eagerness to
please； monseigneur applied to me many times each day to be assured that
nothing was lacking； so everything passed off admirably。 The zeal of the
cardinal was remarked by all the household； but for my part I thought I
perceived that the zeal displayed by monseigneur in the reception of
their Majesties took on an added strength whenever there was a question
of all the expenses incurred by this visit； which were considerable；
being paid by them。 His eminence； I thought； drew very fine interest on
his investment； and his generous hospitality was handsomely compensated
by the liberality of his guests。
The passage of Mont Cenis was by no means so difficult as had been that
of Mont St。 Bernard； although the road； which has since been made by the
Emperor's orders； was not then commenced。 At the foot of the mountain
they were obliged to take the carriage to pieces； and transport
it on the backs of mules； and their Majesties crossed the mountain partly
on foot； partly in very handsome sedan chairs which had been made at
Turin； that of the Emperor lined with crimson satin； and ornamented with
gold lace and fringes； and that of the Empress in blue satin； with silver
lace and fringes。 The snow had been carefully swept off and removed。 On
their arrival at the convent they were most warmly received by the good
monks； and the Emperor； who had a singular affection for them； held a
long conversation with them； and did not depart without leaving rich and
numerous tokens of his liberality。 As soon as he arrived at Turin he
gave orders for the improvement of their hospice； which he continued to
support till his fall。
Their Majesties remained several days at Turin； where they occupied the
former palace of the kings of Sardinia； constituted the imperial
residence by a decree of the Emperor during our stay； as was also the
castle of Stupinigi； situated a short distance from the town。
The Pope rejoined their Maje