This letter throws great light on the conduct of the Emperor with respect
to Bernadotte; for Napoleon was not the man whom any one whatever would
have ventured to remind of facts, the accuracy of which was in the least
degree questionable. Such then were the relations between Napoleon and
the Prince Royal of Sweden. When I shall bring to light some curious
secrets, which have hitherto been veiled beneath the mysteries of the
Restoration, it will be seen by what means Napoleon, before his fall,
again sought to wreak his vengeance upon Bernadotte.

Oh the 4th of December I had the honour to see the Princess Royal of
Sweden,--[Madame Bernadotte, afterwards Queen of Sweden, was a
Mademoiselle Clary, and younger sister to the wife of Joseph Bonaparte]--
who arrived that day at Hamburg. She merely passed through the city on
her way to Stockholm to join her husband, but she remained but a short
time in Sweden,--two months, I believe, at most, not being able to
reconcile herself to the ancient Scandinavia. As to the Prince Royal, he
soon became inured to the climate, having been for many years employed in
the north.

After this my stay at Hamburg was not of long duration. Bonaparte's
passion for territorial aggrandisement knew no bounds; and the turn of
the Hanse Towns now arrived. By taking possession of these towns and
territories he merely accomplished a design formed long previously.
I, however, was recalled with many compliments, and under the specious
pretext that the Emperor wished to hear my opinions respecting the
country in which. I had been residing. At the beginning of December I
received a letter from M. de Champagny stating that the Emperor wished to
see me in order to consult with me upon different things relating to
Hamburg. In this note I was told "that the information I had obtained
respecting Hamburg and the north of Germany might be useful to the public