Translation:
QUEEN HORTENSE IN ITALY, IN FRANCE AND ENGLAND DURING THE YEAR 1831
Arenenberg, 22 september 1833
My friends have thought that after the publicity given my visit to Paris in 1831, and the errors spread on this occasion about me that it was a duty for me to explain to the public, the only judge of what is good and what is bad, the motives which obliged me to momentarily break a law of my country, an unjust law, no doubt, but one which I should have respected. Their advice prevailed over my reserve, and I have decided to publish the story of my last misfortunes. I do it with a kind of fear; this causes me to act in a manner contrary to the life I have always wanted.
I have written this journal to relieve my heart of painful impressions, without thinking that they should be eventually made public. Now that I allow myself to be convinced of the need to allow everyone to judge what I have done, as well as what I have felt, I will not repent of this step if those who will read can identify themselves with my pain, if they can give me a feeling of genuine interest and affection which I have always aspired to attain from my compatriots.
HORTENSE.
The book and the translation are available at the hyperlinks below.
1. Hortense describes her devastation at the loss of Napoleon and Eugene.
2. Hortense says the only thing keeping her going was her desire to be a good mother.
3. Hortense explains how the young were taught to revile the Emperor.
4. Hortense explains why she viewed the July Revolution as a just cause.
5. The Duke of Orleans acted like he was cool with the Bonapartes (but was he really?)
6. Hortense was shocked when the Duke of Orleans, despite his promises, turned out to be the same as what he was replacing.
7. Hortense says she doesn’t look for trouble, trouble looks for and finds her.
8. Hortense says maybe the King wanted to keep his promise but perhaps he had to obey his advisors?
9. Hortense is hurt about how quickly people forsook the cause of the Bonapartes.
10. Hortense understood France had had a fake revolution but she couldn’t get other people to see it.
11. Hortense was afraid her sons were being lured into danger.
12. Hortense recounts her son’s heroism.
13. Hortense took care of Napoleon’s mother who was grief stricken at the ingratitude shown her son.
14. Hortense says after the fall of Napoleon, the aristocrats were ruthless about never “losing” their power again.
15. Hortense describes how public opinion is subdued with pleasing illusions.
16. Hortense was sure aristocrats in charge wanted her sons dead because they were Bonapartes.
17. As Hortense prays to God to protect her sons, a woman asks Hortense to save her son.
18. The military moves in to get Hortense’s son and cousin out of the way.
19. Hortense got her son out of town.
20. Hortense tries to bargain with God.
21. Hortense foresees her sons getting drawn into revolutions that might get them killed.
21. Hortense’s sons get drawn into revolution.
22. Who is this Menotti?
23. A revolutionary warns Hortense not to attend carnival.
24. Hortense is in the midst of revolution again. Hortense est à nouveau en pleine de révolution
25. Hortense’s place is a refuge during an uprising. Un refuge lors d’un soulévement est chez Hortense.
26. Another parent begs Hortense to save their son. Un autre parent supplie Hortense de sauver son fils.
27. Hortense is asked to advise the Pope. Hortense est priée de conseiller le pape.
28. Hortense wastes her time. Hortense perd son temps.
29. Hortense flees Rome. Hortense fuit Rome.
30. Hortense’s panicky escape from Rome. La fuite paniquée de Hortense de Rome.
31. Hortense’s sons were convinced to fight in a poorly aspected revolution. Les fils de Hortense étaient convaincus de se battre dans une révolution maudite.
32. Hortense is asked to save her sons through a trap. Hortense est invitée à sauver ses fils grâce à un piège.
33. Hortense’s sons are deep in the revolution trap set by their enemies. Les fils de Hortense sont plongés dans le piège de la révolution tendu par leurs ennemis.
34. Napoleon Louis represents disaffected youth to the Pope. Napoléon Louis représente la jeunesse mécontente du pape.
35. Hortense’s sons were trying to maintain order and they were healthy. Les fils Hortense essayaient de maintenir l’ordre et ils étaient en bonne santé.
36. Again, Hortense is assured her sons are very healthy, right before one of them will be dead of “natural causes”. Encore une fois, Hortense est assuré que ses fils sont en bonne santé, just avant que l’un d’eux soit “mort de causes naturelles”.
37. The trap set against Hortense’s son is sprung. Le piège tendu contre les fils de Hortense est engagé.
38. Hortense starts hatching a plan in the hopes of saving her sons. Hortense commence à élaborer un plan dans l’espoir de sauver ses fils.
39. Hortense placates Louis while she plans an escape to England. Hortense apaise Louis alors qu’elle prévoit une évasion en Angleterre.
40. Hortense is about to set off to save her sons under a fake name. Hortense est sur le point de partir pour sauver ses fils sous un faux nom.
41. Hortense sneaks around under a false identity to try and save her sons. Hortense se faufile sous une fausse identité pour tenter de sauver ses fils.
42. Charlotte Bonaparte is sure her husband Napoleon will die. Charlotte Bonaparte est sûre que son mari Napoléon va mourir.
43. Hortense resigns herself to her fate. Hortense se résigne à son sort.
44. Hortense is again treated like a revolutionary. Hortense est à nouveau traitée comme la révolutionnaire.
45. Hortense says, “Woe to those who provide revolutions.” Hortense dit, “Malheur à ceux qui provoquent des révolutions.”
46. Hortense’s son, Napoleon Louis was a bastion of heroism. Le fils de Hortense, Napoléon Louis, était un bastion d’héroïsme.
47. Hortense hopes her sons will be saved from plots designed to destroy them. Hortense espère que ses fils seront sauvés des parcelles destinées à les détruire.
48. Hortense comes closer to facing her worst fear. Hortense se rapproche de sa pire peur. Hortense kommt ihrer schlimmsten Angst näher.
49. Hortense has a premonition her son will die. Hortense a une prémonition que son fils va mourir. Hortense hat eine Ahnung, dass ihr Sohn sterben wird.
50. Louis Napoleon tells Hortense the only thing keeping him alive was her. Louis Napoléon dit à Hortense que la seule chose qui le maintenait en vie était elle. Louis Napoleon erzählt Hortense, dass das einzige, was ihn am Leben hielt, sie war.
51. Hortense has to face the demise of her son. Hortense doit faire face à la mort de son fils. Hortense muss sich dem Tod ihres Sohnes stellen.
52. Hortense Bonaparte tried to stay alive only to save Louis Napoleon. Hortense n’a essayé de rester en vie que pour sauver Louis Napoleon. Hortense versuchte am Leben zu bleiben, nur um Louis Napoleon zu retten.
53. Hortense discovers that Louis Napoléon also has measles. Hortense découvre que Louis Napoléon a également la rougeole. Hortense entdeckt, dass Louis Napoleon auch Masern hat.
54. The same game again and again. Le même jeu encore et encore. Immersions lieder Das gleiche Spiel.
55. The idealistic youth face many traps from the oligarchy. La jeunesse idéaliste est confrontée à de nombreux pièges de l’oligarchie. Die idealistische Jugend sieht sich vielen Fallen der Oligarchie gegenüber.
56. Hortense tried to help young people out of the trap set for them. Hortense a essayé d’aider les jeunes á sortir du piège qui leur était tendu. Hortense versuchte, jungen Menschen aus der Falle zu helfen.
57. Hortense Bonaparte was a very empathetic person. Hortense Bonaparte était une personne très empathique. Hortense Bonaparte war eine sehr einfülsame Person.
58. Austrians move in. Les Autriciens entre. Österrreicher ziehen dorthin.
…
Hortense and Josephine’s letters can be found here. Les lettres de Hortense et Joséphine se trouvent ici.
The Memoirs of Queen Hortense are available here.
The Napoleon memoirs so far are available here.
