atness.

So far as concerned his love for her, it was, indeed, almost idolatry.
He honored her in every way and spent all the time at his disposal in
her company. But his promise to restore Poland he never kept, and
gradually she found that he had never meant to keep it.

"I love your country," he would say, "and I am willing to aid in the
attempt to uphold its rights, but my first duty is to France. I cannot
shed French blood in a foreign cause."

By this time, however, Marie Walewska had learned to love Napoleon for
his own sake. She could not resist his ardor, which matched the ardor
of the Poles themselves. Moreover, it flattered her to see the greatest
soldier in the world a suppliant for her smiles.

For some years she was Napoleon's close companion, spending long hours
with him and finally accompanying him to Paris. She was the mother of
Napoleon's only son who lived to manhood. This son, who bore the name
of Alexandre Florian de Walewski, was born in Poland in 1810, and later
was created a count and duke of the second French Empire. It may be
said parenthetically that he was a man of great ability. Living down to
1868, he was made much of by Napoleon III., who placed him in high
offices of state, which he filled with distinction. In contrast with
the Duc de Morny, who was Napoleon's illegitimate half-brother,
Alexandre de Walewski stood out in brilliant contrast. He would have
nothing to do with stock-jobbing and unseemly speculation.

"I may be poor," he said--though he was not poor--"but at least I
remember the glory of my father and what is due to his great name."

As for Mme. Walewska, she was loyal to the emperor, and lacked the
greed of many women whom he had made his favorites. Even at Elba, when
he was in exile and disgrace, she visited him that she might endeavor
to console him. She was his counselor and friend as well as his
earnestly loved mate. When she died in Paris in 1817, while the
dethroned emperor was a prisoner at St. Helena, the word "Napoleon" was
the last upon her lips.

THE STORY OF PAULINE BONAPARTE

It was said of Napoleon long ago that he could govern emperors and
kings, but that not even he could rule his relatives. He himself once
declared:

"My family have done me far more harm than I have been able to do them
good."

It would be an interesting historical study to determine just how far
the great soldier's family aided in his downfall by their selfishness,
their