“I tell you what I will do, Narbonne—­I tell you how I will vent my spite on this old fool of a Pope, and the dotards who may succeed him said Napoleon one day at the Tuileries.  “I will make a schism as great as that of Luther—­I will make France a Protestant country!”

“O Sire,” replied the Count, “I see difficulties in the way of this project.  In the south, in the Vendee, in nearly all the west, the French are bigoted Catholics and even what little religion remains among us in our cities and great towns is of the Roman Church.”

“Never mind, Narbonne—­never mind!—­I shall at least carry a large portion of the French people with me—­I will make a division!” Sire, replied Narbonne, “I am afraid that there is not enough religion in all France to stand division!"-Editor of 1836 edition.]—­

and in the affairs of Portugal, which were far from proceeding according to his wishes.  Bernadotte had scarcely quitted Hamburg for Sweden when the Duke of Holstein-Augustenburg arrived.  The Duke was the brother of the last Prince Royal of Sweden, whom Bernadotte was called to succeed, and he came to escort his sister from Altona to Denmark.  His journey had been retarded for some days on account of the presence of the Prince of Ponte-Gorvo in Hamburg:  the preference granted to Bernadotte had mortified his ambition, and he was unwilling to come in contact with his fortunate rival.  The Duke was favoured, by the Emperor of Russia.

As soon as he arrived in Sweden Bernadotte directed his aide de camp, General Lentil de St. Alphonse, to inform me of his safe passage.  Shortly after I received a letter from Bernadotte himself, recommending one of his aides de camp, M. Villatte, who was the bearer of it.  This letter contained the same sentiments of friendship as those I used to receive from General Bernadotte, and formed a contrast with the correspondence of King Jerome, who when he wrote to me assumed the regal character, and prayed that God would have me in his holy keeping.  However, the following is the Prince Royal’s letter: 

My dear Bourrienne—­I have directed M. Villatte to see you on his way through Hamburg, and to bear my friendly remembrances to you.  Lentil has addressed his letter to you, which I suppose you have already received.  Adieu, care for me always, and believe in the inalterable attachment of yours,

(Signed)Charles John.

     P.S.—­I beg yon will present my compliments to madame and all your
     family.  Embrace my little cousin for me.

The little cousin, so called by Bernadotte, was one of my daughters, then a child, whom Bernadotte used to be very fond of while he was at Hamburg.