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and the first Federation。 This year the 14th of July fell on a Saturday；
and the Emperor ordered its celebration to be delayed till the following
day； because it was Sunday； which was in conformity with the sentiments
he delivered respecting the Concordat。 〃What renders me；〃 he said； 〃most
hostile to the re…establishment of the Catholic worship is the number of
festivals formerly observed。 A saint's day is a day of indolence； and I
wish not for that； the people must labour in order to live。 I consent to
four holidays in the year； but no more； if the gentlemen from Rome are
not satisfied with this； they may take their departure。〃
The loss of time seemed to him so great a calamity that he seldom failed
to order an indispensable solemnity to be held on the succeeding holiday。
Thus he postponed the Corpus Christi to the following Sunday。
On Sunday； the 15th of July 1804； the Emperor appeared for the first time
before the Parisians surrounded by all the pomp of royalty。 The members
of the Legion of Honour； then in Paris； took the oath prescribed by the
new Constitution； and on this occasion the Emperor and Empress appeared
attended for the first time by a separate and numerous retinue。
The carriages in the train of the Empress crossed the garden of the
Tuileries； hitherto exclusively appropriated to the public； then followed
the cavalcade of the Emperor； who appeared on horseback； surrounded by
his principal generals； whom he had created Marshals of the Empire。
M。 de Segur； who held the office of Grand Master of Ceremonies； had the
direction of the ceremonial to be observed on this occasion； and with；
the Governor received the Emperor on the threshold of the Hotel des
Invalides。 They conducted the Empress to a tribune prepared for her
reception； opposite the Imperial throne which Napoleon alone occupied； to
the right of the altar。 I was present at this ceremony； notwithstanding
the repugnance I have to such brilliant exhibitions； but as Duroc had two
days before presented me with tickets； I deemed it prudent to attend on
the occasion； lest the keen eye of Bonaparte should have remarked my
absence if Duroc had acted by his order。
I spent about an hour contemplating the proud and sometimes almost
ludicrous demeanour of the new grandees of the Empire； I marked the
manoeuvring of the clergy； who； with Cardinal Belloy at their head；
proceeded to receive the Emperor on his entrance into the church。 What a
singular train of ideas was called up to my mind when I beheld my former
comrade at the school of Brienne seated upon an elevated throne；
surrounded by his brilliant staff； the great dignitaries of his Empire
his Ministers and Marshals！ I involuntarily recurred to the 19th
Brumaire； and all this splendid scene vanished； when I thought of
Bonaparte stammering to such a degree that I was obliged to pull the
skirt of his coat to induce him to withdraw。
It was neither a feeling of animosity nor of jealousy which called up
such reflections； at no period of our career would I have exchanged my
situation for his； but whoever can reflect； whoever has witnessed the
unexpected elevation of a former equal； may perhaps be able to conceive
the strange thoughts that assailed my mind； for the first time； on this
occasion。
When the religious part of the ceremony terminated； the church assumed；
in some measure； the appearance of a profane temple。 The congregation
displayed more devotion to the Emperor than towards the God of the
Christians；more enthusiasm than fervour。 The mass had been heard with
little attention； but when M。 de Lacepede； Grand Chancellor of the Legion
of Honour； after pronouncing a flattering discourse； finished the call of
the Grand Officers of the Legion； Bonaparte covered； as did the ancient
kings of France when they held a bed of justice。 A profound silence； a
sort of religious awe； then reigned throughout the assembly； and
Napoleon； who did not now stammer as in the Council of the Five Hundred；
said in a firm voice：
〃Commanders； officers； legionaries； citizens； soldiers； swear upon your
honour to devote yourselves to the service of the Empireto the
preservation of the integrity of the French territoryto the defence of
the Emperor； of the laws of the Republic； and of the property which they
have made sacredto combat by all the means which justice； reason； and
the laws authorise every attempt to reestablish the feudal system； in
short； swear to concur with all your might in maintaining liberty and
equality； which are the bases of all our institutions。 Do you swear？〃
Each member of the Legion of Honour exclaimed； 〃I swear；〃 adding； 〃Vive
l'Empereur！〃 with an enthusiam it is impossible to describe； and in which
all present joined。
What； after all； was this new oath？ It only differed from that taken by
the Legion of Honour； under the Consulate； in putting the defence of the
Emperor before that of the laws of the Republic； and this was not merely
a form。 It was； besides； sufficiently laughable and somewhat audacious；
to make them swear to support equality at the moment so many titles and
monarchical distinctions had been re…established。
On the 18th of July； three days after this ceremony； the Emperor left
Paris to visit the camp at Boulogne。 He was not accompanied by the
Empress on this journey； which was merely to examine the progress of the
military operations。 Availing myself of the invitation Josephine had
given me； I presented myself at St。 Cloud a few days after the departure
of Napoleon； as she did not expect my visit； I found her surrounded by
four or five of the ladies in waiting； occupied in examining some of the
elegant productions of the famous Leroi and Madame Despeaux； for amidst
the host of painful feelings experienced by Josephine she was too much of
a woman not to devote some attention to the toilet。
On my introduction they were discussing the serious question of the
costume to be worn by the Empress on her journey to Belgium to meet
Napoleon at the Palace of Lacken； near Brussels。 Notwithstanding those
discussions respecting the form of hats； the colour and shape of dresses；
etc。； Josephine received me in her usual gracious manner。 But not being
able to converse with me； she said； without giving it an appearance of
invitation but in a manner sufficiently evident to be understood； that
she intended to pass the following morning at Malmaison。
I shortened my visit； and at noon next day repaired to that delightful
abode； which always created in my mind deep emotion。 Not an alley； not a
grove but teemed with interesting recollections； all recalled to me the
period when I was the confidant of Bonaparte。 But the time was past when
he minutely calculated how much a residence at Malmaison would cost； and
concluded by saying that an income of 30；000 livrea would be necessary。
When I arrived Madame Bonaparte was in the garden with Madame de Remusat；
who was her favourite from the similarity of disposition which existed
between them。
Madame de Remusat was the daughter of the Minister Vergennes； and sister
to Madame de Nansouty； whom I had sometimes seen with Josephine； but not
so fr