“Truly, it was not out of mere curiosity that I wished to see the King of Rome; his face was not unknown to me, for I had seen striking portraits of him.  Sire, I wanted to examine the expression of his features, listen to the tone of his voice, which is so much like yours; I wanted to see you—­how you would caress the child, and then I longed also to return to him the caresses which my son Eugene received from you.  If I recall to your remembrance how deaf my son was once to you, it is that you should not be surprised at the partiality which I cherish for the son of another, for it is your son, and you will find neither insincerity nor exaggeration in feelings which you fully appreciate, since you yourself have nurtured similar ones.

“The moment I saw you enter with the little Napoleon in your hand was undoubtedly one of the happiest of my eventful life.  That moment surpassed all the preceding ones, for never have I received from you a stronger proof of your affection to me.  It was no passionate love which induced you to fulfil my wishes, but it was a sincere esteem and affection, and these feelings are unchangeable, and this thought completes my happiness.

“It was not without trembling that I thought of the dissolution of our marriage-ties, for it was reasonable for me to apprehend that a young, beautiful wife, endowed also with the most enviable gifts, would soon make you forget one who lacks all these advantages, and who then would be far away from you.  When I called to mind all the amiable qualities possessed by Maria Louisa, I could not but tremble at the thought that I should soon be indifferent to you, but surely I was then ignoring the loftiness and generosity of your soul, which still preserves the memory of its extraordinary devotedness, and of its tenderness toward me, a devotedness and tenderness whose superabundance was proportioned to those eminent qualities which have surprised Europe, and which cause you to be admired by all those who come near you, and which even constrain your enemies to render you justice!

“Yes, I acknowledge to you, sire, you have once more found the means of astonishing me, and to fill me with admiration, accustomed as I am to admire you; and your whole conduct, so well suited to my position, the solicitude with which you surround me, and finally the step you took yesterday in my behalf, prove to me that you have far surpassed all the favorable and charming impressions which I have ever cherished for you.

“With what fondness I pressed the young prince to my heart!  How his face, radiant with health, filled me with delight, and how happy I was to see him so amused and so contented as he watched us both!  In fact, I entirely forgot I was a stranger to this child; I forgot that I was not his mother while partaking his sweet caresses.  I then envied no man’s happiness; mine seemed far above all bliss granted to poor mortals here below.  And when the time came to part from him, when I had to tear myself from this little being whom I had barely learned to know, I felt in me a deep anguish, as deep as if all the sorrows of humanity had pierced me through.