interior of the palace, the attention was eager, impassioned, clamorous;
and each vied with the other as to who should first have the news of the
birth of the child. At five o'clock in the morning, as the situation of
the Empress continued the same, the Emperor ordered every one to retire,
and himself withdrew in order to take his bath; for the anxiety he had
undergone made a moment of repose very necessary to him in his great
agitation. After fifteen minutes spent in the bath he was hastily
summoned, as the condition of the Empress had become both critical and
dangerous. Hastily throwing on his dressing-gown, he returned to the
apartment of the Empress, and tenderly encouraged her, holding her hand.
The physician, M. Dubois, informed him that it was improbable both mother
and child could be saved; whereupon he cried, "Come, M. Dubois, keep your
wits about you! Save the mother, think only of the mother, I order you."

As the intense suffering continued, it became necessary to use
instruments; and Marie Louise, perceiving this, exclaimed with
bitterness, "Is it necessary to sacrifice me because I am an Empress?"
The Emperor overcome by his emotions had retired to the dressing-room,
pale as death, and almost beside himself. At last the child came into
the world; and the Emperor immediately rushed into the apartment,
embracing the Empress with extreme tenderness, without glancing at the
child, which was thought to be dead; and in fact, it was seven minutes
before he gave any signs of life, though a few drops of brandy were blown
into his mouth and many efforts made to revive him. At last he uttered a
cry.

The Emperor rushed from the Empress's arms to embrace this child, whose
birth was for him the last and highest favor of fortune, and seemed
almost beside himself with joy, rushing from the son to the mother, from
the mother to the son, as if he could not sufficiently feast his eyes on
either. When he entered his room to make his toilet, his face beamed
with joy; and, seeing me, he exclaimed, "Well, Constant, we have a big
boy! He is well made to pinch ears for example;" announcing it thus to
every one he met. It was in these effusions of domestic bliss that I
could appreciate how deeply this great soul, which was thought
impressible only to glory, felt the joys of family life.

From the moment the great bell of Notre Dame and the bells of the
different churches of Paris sounded in the middle of the night, until the
h