.

They could pursue the step-daughter of the emperor with boundless fury,
for this very fury proved their royalism, and to hate and calumniate
Bonaparte and his family was to love and flatter the Bourbons.

Day by day these royalists hurled new accusations against the duchess,
whose presence in Paris unpleasantly recalled the days of the empire,
and whom they desired to remove from their sight, as well as the column
on the _Place Vendome_.

While the poor queen was living in the retirement of her apartments, in
sadness and desolation, the report was circulated that she was again
conspiring, and that she was in the habit of leaving her house every
evening at twilight, in order to incite the populace to rise and demand
the emperor's return, or at least the instalment of the little King of
Rome on the throne instead of Louis de Bourbon.

When the queen's faithful companion, Louise de Cochelet, informed her of
these calumnies, Hortense remained cold and indifferent.

"Madame," exclaimed Louise, "you listen with as much composure as if I
were reciting a story of the last century!"

"And it interests me as little," said Hortense, earnestly; "we have lost
all, and I consider any blow that may still strike us, with the
composure of an indifferent spectator. I consider it natural that they
should endeavor to caluminate me, because I bear a name that has made
the whole world tremble, and that will still be great, though we all be
trodden in the dust. But I will shield myself and children from this
hatred. We will leave France and go to Switzerland, where I possess a
little estate on the Lake of Geneva."

But time was not allowed the duchess to prepare for her departure. The
dogs of calumny and hatred were let loose upon her to drive her from the
city. A defenceless woman with two young children seemed to be an object
of anxiety and terror to the government, and it made haste to get rid
of her.

On the morning of the 17th of July, an adjutant of the Prussian General
de Mueffling, the allied commandant of Paris, came to the dwelling of the
Duchess of St. Leu, and informed her intendant, M. Deveaux, that the
duchess must leave Paris within two hours, and it was only at the urgent
solicitation of the intendant, that a further sojourn of four hours was
allowed her.

Hortense was compelled to conform to this military command, and depart
without arranging her affairs or making any preparations for her
journey. Her only posse