n, while she was still Queen of
Holland, a lady of Holland took occasion to speak ill of another lady,
on account of her political opinions, the queen interrupted her, and
said: "Madame, here I am a stranger to all parties, and receive all
persons with the same consideration, for I love to hear every one well
spoken of; and I generally receive an unfavorable impression of those
only who speak ill of others[43]."

[Footnote 43: Cochelet, vol. i., p. 378.]

And, strange to say, she herself was ever the object of calumny and
accusation.

"During twenty-five years, I have never been separated from Princess
Hortense," says Louise de Cochelet, "and I have never observed in her
the slightest feeling of bitterness against any one; ever good and
gentle, she never failed to take an interest in those who were unhappy;
and she endeavored to help them whenever and wherever they presented
themselves. And this noble and gentle woman was always the object of
hatred and absurd calumnies, and against all this she was armed with the
integrity and purity of her actions and intentions only[44]."

[Footnote 44: Cochelet, vol. i., p. 378.]

Nor did Hortense now think of contradicting the calumnies that had been
circulated concerning her. Her mind was occupied with other and far more
important matters.

An ambassador of her husband, who resided in Florence, had come to Paris
in order to demand of Hortense, in the name of Louis Bonaparte, his
two sons.

After much discussion, he had finally declared that he would be
satisfied, if his wife would send him his eldest son, Napoleon
Louis, only.

But the loving mother could not and would not consent to a separation
from either of her children; and as, in spite of her entreaties, her
husband persisted in refusing to allow her to retain both of them, she
resolved, in the anguish of maternal love, to resort to the most extreme
means to retain the possession of her sons.

She informed her husband's ambassador that it was her fixed purpose to
retain possession of her children, and appealed to the law to recognize
and protect them, and not allow her sons to be deprived of their rights
as Frenchmen, by going into a compulsory exile.

While the Duchess of St. Leu was being accused of conspiring in favor of
Napoleon, her whole soul was occupied with the one question, which was
to decide whether one of her sons could be torn from her side or not;
and, if she conspired at all, it was only with her