She seated herself at her son’s side, on a little sofa that stood on the balcony, and, opening her book, began to read.

CHAPTER XI.

FRAGMENT FROM THE MEMOIRS OF QUEEN HORTENSE.

“The emperor had returned from Italy.  The beautiful ceremony of the distribution of the crosses of the Legion of Honor had taken place before his departure, and I had been present on the occasion; the emperor now repaired to Boulogne, in order to make a second distribution of the order in the army on his birthday.  He had made my husband general of the army of the reserve, and sent him a courier, with the request that he should come with me and our son to the camp at Boulogne.  My husband did not wish to interrupt the baths he was taking at St. Amand, but he requested me to go to Boulogne, to spend a week with the emperor.

“The emperor resided at Boulogne in a little villa called Pont de Brigue.  His sister, Caroline, and Murat, lived in another little villa near by.  I lived with them, and every day we went to dine with the emperor.  During two years, our troops had been concentrating in full view of England, and every one expected an attack.  The camp at Boulogne was erected on the sea-side, and resembled a long and regularly-built city.  Each hut had a little garden, flowers, and birds.  In the middle of the camp, on an elevation, stood the emperor’s tent; near by, that of Marshal Berthier.  All the men-of-war on the water were drawn up in a line, only waiting the signal of departure.  In the distance we could see England, and its beautiful ships that were cruising along the coast seemed to form an impenetrable barrier.  This grand spectacle gave us for the first time an illustration of an unknown, hitherto not-dreamed-of power that stood opposed to us.  Here every thing was calculated to excite the imagination.  This boundless sea might soon transform itself into a battle-field, and swallow up the elite of the two greatest nations.  Our troops, proud in the feeling that there were no obstacles for them, made impatient by two years’ repose, glowing with energy and bravery, already imagined themselves to have attained the opposite coast.  When one considered their bravery and confidence, success seemed certain; but when the eye turned to the impenetrable forest of masts on the hostile ships, a feeling of anxiety and fear suddenly took possession of the heart.  And yet nothing seemed to be wanting to the expedition but a favorable wind.

“Of all the homage that a woman can receive, military homage has in the highest degree the chivalrous character, and it is impossible not to feel flattered by it.

“There could not be any thing more delightful or imposing than the homage of which I was here the object, and it was only here that it made any impression on me.

“The emperor gave me as an escort his equerry, General Defrance.  Whenever I approached a camp division, the guard was called out and presented arms.