long stay we made at Boulogne, indemnified himself at night for the
labors of the day with a beautiful Italian, and I will now relate what I
know of this adventure. His Majesty complained one morning, while I was
dressing him, in the presence of Prince Murat, that he saw none but
moustached faces, which he said was very tiresome; and the prince, ever
ready on occasions of this kind to offer his services to his brother-in-
law, spoke to him of a handsome and attractive Genoese lady, who had the
greatest desire to see his Majesty. The Emperor laughingly granted a
tete-a-tete, the prince himself offering to send the message; and two
days later, by his kind assistance, the lady arrived, and was installed
in the upper town. The Emperor, who lodged at Pont des Briques, ordered
me one evening to take a carriage, and find this protegee of Prince
Murat. I obeyed, and brought the beautiful Genoese, who, to avoid
scandal, although it was a dark night, was introduced through a little
garden behind his Majesty's apartments. The poor woman was much excited,
and shed tears, but controlled herself quickly on finding that she was
kindly received, and the interview was prolonged until three o'clock in
the morning, when I was called to carry her back. She returned
afterwards four or five times, and was with the Emperor afterwards at
Rambouillet. She was gentle, simple, credulous, and not at all
intriguing, and did not try to draw any benefit from a liaison which at
best was only temporary.

Another of these favorites of the moment, who threw themselves so to
speak into the arms of the Emperor without giving him time to make his
court to them, was Mademoiselle L. B----, a very pretty girl. She was
intelligent, and possessed a kind heart, and, had she received a less
frivolous education, would doubtless have been an estimable woman; but I
have reason to believe that her mother had from the first the design of
acquiring a protector for her second husband, by utilizing the youth and