When we last left off, Hortense and Louise went to a sad ball where the horrible wounds incurred during the Russian campaign were all too evident. Even though Hortense’s health was too fragile, Napoleon obligated Hortense to fulfill court duties.
Mlle. Cochelet writes about Hortense:
- she was so white, she had a complexion so beautiful, so pure, that all that pink suited her perfectly. Why, it will be said, this magnificent costume so early? It was to go with the Empress to the Legislative Body in an eight-window carriage, which was not closed on one side, and, then, to remain without shawl, in a gallery, opposite the throne of the Emperor.
There was nothing in that which could accommodate a health like that of the Queen; so she came back frozen, and with a little dry cough that frightened us. And yet she was not at the end of her duties.
When the carnival began, the Emperor sent her word to lead the dance at the big ball at the Tuileries (which was to take place on Fat Tuesday) to dance the same quadrille that had already been performed the previous year.
So here she is obliged to have the dance instructor Gardel, meet at her place in the morning with all the people who made up this quadrille and to have them rehearse before her.
Everything happened more peacefully than during the previous carnival. No one came to tell her: "Madame, may Your Majesty think about it, if we don't have ostrich feathers dangling while dancing on our heads, our costume will be ridiculous!"
We need solos, without them, we will be outshone by the other quadrille which has them, and which performs with them to delight. Since their flattering allegory in praise of the Emperor guarantees them an undeniable success, why not introduce a little compliment in your quadrille for the winner of the world?
One morning a baptism ceremony took place in the chapel. The Queen was the godmother of many children, among others, of a daughter of the Duchess of Bassano and a daughter of the Duchess of Friuli.
The first was named Claire and the second, Hortense. For the occasion, she made sumptuous presents to the mothers of her two godchildren.
The Duchess of Bassano received a carved belt, in solid gold, of very fine work; the belt was wide, held in place by a clasp of colored stones; the ends fell to the feet. The Queen designed it herself; it was a fashionable innovation, because then we wore small and narrow belts the lengths were short; this became a way to lengthen them a lot.
The Duchess of Friuli received a very large bracelet, all in diamonds, in the middle of which was a very small portrait of the Queen, an admirable work made with a magnifying glass by Jacques, a pupil of Isabey.
In the evening, the Duchess of Bassano gave Her Majesty a superb ball. I couldn't go; but I attended the Queen as she got dressed, and I like to remember this costume, one of the prettiest she has ever worn.
Her hair was styled with a row of kittens on her forehead, and a diamond crown wrapped her long hair behind her head. Her dress was very simple, in white tulle on white satin; but from a distance in the distance, staples of diamonds held the bodice in. Then, a diamond belt and a large bouquet of diamonds, from which came out two rows of kittens which went to the bottom of the dress supporting, above the foot, a flower also in diamonds, like the bouquet, not to mention the necklace and earrings. This whole ensemble, both so simple and so rich, made a charming effect, especially in a moment when -
To be continued.
Nous traduisons ici un livre sur Napoléon et sa belle-fille Hortense par l'amie d'Hortense, Louise Cochelet. La dernière fois que nous nous sommes arrêtés, Hortense et Louise sont allés à un triste bal où les horribles blessures subies pendant la campagne de Russie n'étaient que trop évidentes. Même si la santé d’Hortense était trop fragile, Napoléon a obligé Hortense à remplir ses fonctions de cour.
Mlle. Cochelet écrit sur Hortense:
