rrounded by dangers. Adieu. I entreat you
once more to undertake nothing in my behalf. I fear your impetuosity and
friendship, and yet I love to be able to count on you. My children are
well. My mother opposes all my plans; she asserts that she has need of
me; but I shall, nevertheless, go to her who must now be more unhappy
than all of us.

HORTENSE."

She of whom Hortense thought that she must be more unhappy than all of
them, was the wife of Napoleon, Marie Louise, who had now left Blois, to
which place she had gone as empress-regent, and repaired to Rambouillet,
to await the decision of the allies with regard to the future of herself
and son. It was certainly one of the most peculiar features of this
period, so rich in extraordinary occurrences, to see the sovereigns of
Europe, the overthrown rulers of France, and those who were about to
grasp the sceptre once more, thrown confusedly together in Paris, and
within a circuit of some fifty miles around that city: a Bourbon in the
Tuileries, Bonaparte at Fontainebleau, his wife and his son at
Rambouillet, the divorced empress at Novara, the Emperors of Russia and
Austria, and the King of Prussia, at Paris; moreover, a whole train of
little German potentates and princes, and the Napoleonic kings and
princes, who were all sojourning in Paris or its vicinity.

The Queen of Holland considered it her duty, in these days of misfortune
and danger, to stand at the side of her whom Napoleon had commanded them
to consider the head of the family, and to serve faithfully in life and
death. Hortense therefore determined to go to the Empress Marie Louise
at Rambouillet, in accordance with the emperor's commands.

This determination filled the hearts of the queen's friends with sorrow;
and Louise had no sooner received the letter in which the queen
announced her impending departure, than she hastened to reply, imploring
her to abandon this intention. M. de Marmold, the queen's equerry,
departed with all speed to bring this letter to the queen at Louis,
where she was to pass the night, and to add his entreaties to those
of Louise.

"M. de Marmold, the bearer of this letter, will deliver it to you at
Louis, if he arrives there in good time," wrote Louise de Cochelet. "If
you go to Rambouillet, you will destroy your own position, and also that
of your children; this is the conviction of all your friends. I was so
happy, for Prince Leopold had written you, in the name of the Emperor