"I hope I dont disturb Your Highness," said Fouche.

"Which?" said Julie sharply. "King Louis XVIII, of course. Hes the only Majesty in France now, isnt he?"

"First bring me some coffee, please, Marie," I said. "then she can come up here for a moment."

"Perhaps the army did," I said. "But the people of France have other memories. And the armies of the allies wont go down on their knees."

"Thats enough," I said to Rosen.

I felt suddenly ill. My hand shook, and I had to put my teacup down. "What are you talking about, monsieur?" I asked.

"I dont know," I lied. I knew very well that he wouldnt. He is with his mother, the Empress Marie Louis. Im not sure where they are. In Switzerland perhaps, or in Italy. But one thing is certain: they wont come back to Paris.

At eight oclock Marie woke me.九-九-藏-书-网 "Hortense is here," she said. "She has brought her sons with her. I told her that you were ill; but she refuses to go away."

The crowd broke through the line of soldiers. They picked him up and they carried him on their shoulders into the palace.

So I told him to take his uniform off and put on some ordinary clothes. I myself put on an old coat and hat. Together joined the crowd in the streets.

The Tuileries palace was brightly lit. soldiers formed a line on each side of the street, as they did at Napoleons coronation. A distant noise, like a storm wind over a forest, reached our ears. Slowly it grew nearer and louder. Then at last it was all around us. Thousands of voices were shouting: "Vive IEmpereur! Vive IEmpereur!"

"Draw the curtains, Marie, " I said. "I shall try to sleep. I dont want to see anyone again today." Twww.99lib.nethen I added: "You know what will happen now? My husband will have to fight Napoleon again!"

While I drank my coffee, I thought my last visit to Malmaison. It was in May last year, and the Empress Josephine had just died. Hortense had been living there with her mother. Her brother Eugene had arrived that day, with his daughter, little Josephine.

This morning Napoleons flag is flying on the palace roof. One of his officers arrived with a message for Julie.

His carriage drove wildly past, and hundreds of officers rode wildly after it. When it reached the Tuileries, the emperor got out.

We left the crowd outside the palace and walked home through empty streets.

"Of course the boys can stay," I interrupted her. "But now you must leave me. Im not feeling very well."

"Not at all," I replied. "I was writing a letter to His Majesty, and I dhttp://www.99lib.netont like writing letters."

"The Emperor will reach the Tuileries at nine oclock this evening," he said. "He wishes Their Majesties, Queen Julie of Spain and Queen Hortense of Holland, to welcome him there."

For the next two weeks we had no certain news. We only knew that Napoleons army was coming. But last night King Louis left the Tuileries through a back door and drove secretly away.

The girl is fair-haired, and shes going to be very beautiful. When I saw her, I had a sudden idea. If Im starting a new royal family in Sweden, I shall want some good-looking grandchildren!

"The army are marching with him, madame," said Fouche. "They havent been properly paid since he left France. He knew that when he decided to come."

"Last week he was. Today he isnt," Fouche answered with a mysterious smile.

Count Rosen said: "Id have like九_九_藏_书_网d to see Napoleon arrive."

At eight oclock an imperial coach arrived at our house. It took Julie and the children away. The house seemed strangely quiet after they had gone.

Marie and I gave Hortenses boys a bath. Then we combed their hair and dressed them in their best clothes. They had to go to the palace with Julie.

"Isnt it wonderful!" Julie cried. "People say the army went down on its knees in front of him."

"His Majesty, the Emperor Napoleon landed at Cannes on March the first. Hes already on the way to Paris."

"Please take care of my children, Desiree," she said as she pushed them into the room. "Their lives are in danger, but King Louis wont dare to arrest them inside your house. I beg you---"

A hammer seemed to be knocking inside my head. I lay down on my bed, but the pain didnt stop. It got worse.

"Which Majesty?" Fouch９９ｌｉｂ.neｔe asked.

I hate that man. But he always knows the latest news, so I told Rosen to bring him in.

Then another carriage appeared, but it was only Fouche. A few weeks ago he was begging King Louis to give him a job. Now hes going to beg Napoleon. Who can trust a man like him?

I got up. "Please excuse me," I said. "I have a headache."

"Will our cousin the King of Rome be there?" asked little Louis Napoleon.

"Monsieur Fouche is here, you Highness."

Three weeks ago, I was sitting in the drawing room with Julie. She has been allowed to stay here, as my guest, although Joseph has gone to Switzerland. Count Rosen came in and said:

"Napoleon is coming to Paris? Hes mad!" said Julie, "The army will drive him away. Theyll put him in prison."

But Eugene took his daughter back to Bavaria. So only Hortense and her two ugly sons were waiting to see me today.