breaches of the Continental system. In one letter to Davoust
Napoleon speaks of an "immense fortune," and in another, that
Bourrienne is reported to have gained seven or eight millions at
Hamburg in giving licences or making arbitrary seizures.]--

Though I was not admitted to the honour of sharing the splendour of the
Imperial Court; yet I had the satisfaction of finding that; in spite of
my disgrace, those of my old friends who were worth anything evinced the
same regard for me as heretofore. I often saw Duroc; who snatched some
moments from his more serious occupations to come and chat with me
respecting all that had occurred since my secession from Bonaparte's
cabinet. I shall not attempt to give a verbatim account of my
conversations with Duroc, as I have only my memory to guide me; but I
believe I shall not depart from the truth in describing them as follows:

On his return from the last Austrian campaign Napoleon; as I have already
stated, proceeded to Fontainebleau, where he was joined by Josephine.
Then, for the first time, the communication which had always existed
between the apartments of the husband and wife was closed. Josephine was
fully alive to the fatal prognostics which were to be deduced from this
conjugal separation. Duroc informed me that she sent for him, and on
entering her chamber, he found her bathed in tears. "I am lost!" she
exclaimed in a tone of voice the remembrance of which seemed sensibly to
affect Duroc even while relating the circumstance to me: "I am utterly
lost! all is over now! You, Duroc, I know, have always been my friend,
and so has Rapp. It is not you who have persuaded him to part from me.
This is the work of my enemies Savary and Junot! But they are more his
enemies than mine. And my poor Eugene I how will he be distressed when
he learns I am repudiated by an ungrateful man! Yes Duroc, I may truly
call him ungrateful, My God! my God! what will become of us?" . . .