Napoleon was at length determined to extend the limits of his Empire, or rather to avenge the injuries which Russia had committed against his Continental system.  Yet, before he departed for Germany, the resolute refusal of the Pope to submit to any arrangement urgently claimed his consideration.  Savona did not appear to him a sufficiently secure residence for such a prisoner.  He feared that when all his strength should be removed towards the Niemen the English might carry off the Pope, or that the Italians, excited by the clergy, whose dissatisfaction was general in Italy, would stir up those religious dissensions which are always fatal and difficult to quell.  With the view, therefore, of keeping the Pope under his control he removed him to Fontainebleau, and even at one time thought of bringing him to Paris.

The Emperor appointed M. Denon to reside with the Pope at Fontainebleau; and to afford his illustrious prisoner the society of such a man was certainly a delicate mark of attention on the part of Napoleon.  When speaking of his residence with Pius VII.  M. Denon related to me the following anecdote.  “The Pope,” said he, “was much attached to me.  He always addressed me by the appellation ‘my son,’ and he loved to converse with me, especially on the subject of the Egyptian expedition.  One day he asked me for my work on Egypt, which he said he wished to read; and as you know it is not quite orthodox, and does not perfectly agree with the creation of the world according to Genesis, I at first hesitated; but the Pope insisted, and at length I complied with his wish.  The Holy Father assured me that he had been much interested by the perusal of the book.  I made some allusion to the delicate points; upon which he said, “No matter, no matter, my son; all that is exceedingly curious, and I must confess entirely new to me.”  I then,” continued M. Denon, told His Holiness why I hesitated to lend him the work, which, I observed, he had excommunicated, together with its author.  “Excommunicated you, my son?” resumed the Pope in a tone of affectionate concern.  “I am very sorry for it, and assure you I was far from being aware of any such thing.”

When M. Denon related to me this anecdote he told me how greatly he had admired the virtues and resignation of the Holy Father; but he added that it would nevertheless have been easier to make him a martyr than to induce him to yield on any point until he should be restored to the temporal sovereignty of Rome, of which he considered himself the depositary, and which he would not endure the reproach of having willingly sacrificed.  After settling the place of the Pope’s residence Napoleon set off for Dresden, accompanied by Maria Louisa, who had expressed a wish to see her father.