His grandfather, the Emperor Francis—­who was reputed to be quite devoted to him—­said, “I wish that the Duke should revere the memory of his father.”  “Do not suppress the truth,” says he to Metternich (the disloyal friend of Napoleon).  “Teach him above all to honour his father’s memory.”  The Chancellor replies, “I will speak to the Duke about his father as I should wish myself to be spoken of to my own son.”  What irony!  Whatever attempts were made at any time to depreciate the Emperor, his son’s loyalty to him never flinched.  He regarded his father in the light of a hero whose glorious traditions were unequalled by any warrior or ruler of men.  He drank in every particle of information he could discover about his father’s life, and was by no means ignorant of what would be his own great destiny should he be permitted to live.

A strong party in France longed to have the son of their Emperor on the throne of France.  A section of the Poles clamoured to have him proclaimed King of Poland after the Polish revolution, and the Greeks claimed him as their future King.  All existing records dealing with the Prince’s view concerning his position indicate quite clearly that he never under-estimated his importance.  He was fully alive to and appreciated the growing devotion to himself, his cause, and to the great name he bore.  We learn from Marshal Marmont that the Prince received him with marked cordiality when the Emperor Francis gave him permission to relate to him his father’s history.  Marmont, like all traitors, never neglected to put forth his popularity with the Emperor Napoleon.  This is a habit with people who do great injury to their friends.  They always make it appear that the injured person is afflicted with growing love for them—­they never realise how much they are loathed and mistrusted.

The Prince at first received him with suspicion, then he tolerated him coldly, and it was not until Marmont fascinated him with stories of the genius and unparalleled greatness of his father’s history that the young man subdued his prejudices and encouraged the Marshal in his visits to his apartments, in order that he might learn all that Marmont could tell him of his father’s qualities and accomplishments.  The young Napoleon caused the General to marvel at the quick intelligence he displayed in the pointed comments made on his father’s career.  In recognition of his services Marmont was presented with a portrait of the Prince.[20]

His cousin, Prince Napoleon, son of King Jerome, in his book “Napoleon and His Detractors,” obviously desires to convey the impression that all questions, important or unimportant, relating to the Emperor, were studiously kept from his son, and until he arrived at a certain age there can be little doubt that undue and unnatural precautions were taken to prevent the Emperor’s name being spoken, but the means used for this purpose must have proved abortive, as everything points to him having been well informed.