he was held, and enhanced the luxury of feeling that she was
the centre of international sympathy.

It was not that she had any malicious intent to do deliberate wrong to
Napoleon, or any thought of degrading herself. Her mind did not work
in these grooves. She was merely carried off her feet by vain love of
self-approbation, which led her far beyond the bounds of honourable
prudence. She was interred at Rueil amidst quiet solemnity, and in
1825 Eugene and Hortense erected a monument in her memory.

The legend is that her last articulate utterance was the enchanted
name of "Napoleon"--"Elba." Corvisat, the Imperial physician, was
piteously asked by the Emperor on his return why he allowed her to
die, and the nature of the malady that took her spirit away. He
replied that she "Died of grief and sorrow." Her own doctor, Horeau,
told him pretty much the same thing, which brought forth the sad
reply, she was a "good woman" and "loved me well." The intimation that
she had spoken often and kindly of him brought back all the old
passion for her and filled him with emotion. He had heard of her death
while at Elba, and told Corvisat that it was a most acute grief to
him, and although she had her failings _she_ at least would "never
have abandoned him"; and possibly this latter expressed opinion, so
often repeated, might have been fulfilled had he at once thrown Marie
Louise over after her desertion of him.

The popular charges against Napoleon, by those who are either
prejudiced or have failed to inform themselves of his history, are
that he must have been a cruel and barbarous husband or he would not
have divorced his wife, and that, as a ruler, he thirsted for blood.
Each of these, as well as many other silly things that are said and
believed of him, is palpably false. As a husband, so far as kindness
and indulgence goes, he was exemplary. As a soldier, First Consul, and
Emperor, his desire at all times was for peace. History has revealed
the real man, and in recent years it has been convincingly proved that
he was the very antithesis of the monster he has been given out and
supposed to be. Now, in the light of more accurate knowledge and
calmer judgment, the world is showing a desire to do him the justice
he never ceased to believe that it would do him.

His unexampled personality and fame is spreading and inspiring
everywhere. His faults are being put in the limelight of public
opinion, and the growing desire to treat ev