CHAPTER—­XIV.

1808.

Departure of the Prince of Ponte-Corvo—­Prediction and superstition —­Stoppage of letters addressed to the Spanish troops—­La Romana and Romanillos—­Illegible notifications—­Eagerness of the German Princes to join the Confederation of the Rhine—­Attack upon me on account of M. Hue—­Bernadotte’s successor in Hamburg—­Exactions and tyrannical conduct of General Dupas—­Disturbance in Hamburg—­Plates broken in a fit of rage—­My letter to Bernadotte—­His reply—­Bernadotte’s return to Hamburg, and departure of Dupas for Lubeck—­Noble conduct of the ‘aide de camp’ Barrel.

In the spring of 1808 a circumstance occurred which gave, me much uneasiness; it was the departure of Bernadotte, Prince of Ponte-Corvo, who received orders to repair to Copenhagen.  He left Hamburg on the 8th of March, as he was to reach his destination on the 14th of the same month.  The Danish charge d’affaires also received orders to join the Prince, and discharge the functions of King’s commissary.  It was during his government at Hamburg and his stay in Jutland that hernadotte unconsciously paved his way to the throne of Sweden.  I recollect that he had also his presages and his predestinations.  In short, he believed in astrology, and I shall never forget the serious tone in which he one day said to me, “Would you believe, my dear friend, that it was predicted at Paris that I should be a King, but that I must cross the sea to reach my throne?” I could not help smiling with him at this weakness of mind, from which Bonaparte was not far removed.  It certainly was not any supernatural influence which elevated Bernadotte to sovereign rank.  That elevation was solely due to his excellent character.  He had no other talisman than the wisdom of his government, and the promptitude which he always, showed to oppose unjust measures.  This it was that united all opinions in his favour.

The bad state of the roads in the north prolonged Bernadotte’s journey one day.  He set out on the 8th of March; he was expected to arrive at Copenhagen on the 14th, but did not reach there till the 15th.  He arrived precisely two hours before the death of Christian, King of Denmark, an event with which he made me acquainted by letter written two days after his arrival.

On the 6th of April following I received a second letter from Bernadotte, in which he desired me to order the Grand Ducal postmaster to keep back all letters addressed to the Spanish troops, who had been placed under his command, and of which the corps of Romana formed part.  The postmaster was ordered to keep the letters until he received orders to forward them to their destinations.  Bernadotte considered this step indispensable, to prevent the intrigues which he feared might be set on foot in order to shake the fidelity of the Spaniards he commanded.  I saw from his despatch that he feared the plotting of Romanillos, who, however, was not a person to cause much apprehension.  Romanillos was as commonplace a man as could well be conceived; and his speeches, as well as his writings, were too innocent to create any influence on public opinion.