the　case　in　England；　and　the　scarcity　of　it　was　beginning　to　be　felt
  there。　　It　was　never　known　how　it　happened；　but　the　larger　part　of　this
  grain　passed　the　Strait　of　Calais；　and　it　was　stated　positively　that　the
  sum　of　twenty　millions　was　received　for　it。　　On　learning　this；　the　First
  Consul　took　away　the　portfolio　of　the　interior　from　his　brother；　and
  appointed　him　ambassador　to　Spain。
  At　Madrid；　Monsieur　Lucien　was　well　received　by　the　king　and　the　royal
  family；　and　became　the　intimate　friend　of　Don　Manuel　Godoy；　Prince　de　la
  Paix。　　It　was　during　this　mission；　and　by　agreement　with　the　Prince　de　la
  Paix；　that　the　treaty　of　Badajos　was　concluded；　in　order　to　procure　which
  it　is　said　that　Portugal　gave　thirty　millions。　　It　has　been　also　declared
  that　more　than　this　sum；　paid　in　gold　and　diamonds；　was　divided　between
  the　two　plenipotentiaries；　who　did　not　think　it　necessary　to　render　an
  account　of　this　transaction　to　their　respective　courts。
  Charles　IV。　loved　Lucien　tenderly；　and　felt　for　the　First　Consul　the
  greatest　veneration。　　After　examining　carefully　several　Spanish　horses
  which　he　intended　for　the　First　Consul；　he　said　to　his　head　groom：　〃How
  fortunate　you　are；　and　how　I　envy　your　happiness！　　you　are　going　to　see
  the　great　man；　and　you　will　speak　to　him；　how　I　should　like　to　take　your
  place！〃
  During　his　embassage　Lucien　had　paid　his　court　to　a　person　of　most
  elevated　rank；　and　had　received　her　portrait　in　a　medallion　surrounded
  with　very　fine　brilliants。　　I　have　seen　a　hundred　times　this　portrait
  which　he　wore　suspended　from　his　neck　by　a　chain　of　most　beautiful　black
  hair；　and　far　from　making　a　mystery　of　it；　he　endeavored；　on　the
  contrary；　to　show　it；　and　bent　over　so　that　the　rich　medallion　could　be
  seen　hanging　on　his　breast。
  Before　his　departure　from　Madrid；　the　king　likewise　made　him　a　present　of
  his　own　portrait　in　miniature；　also　set　in　diamonds。
  These　stones；　remounted　and　set　in　the　form　of　a　hat　buckle；　passed　to
  the　second　wife　of　Lucien。　　I　will　now　give　an　account　of　his　marriage
  with　Madame　Jouberthon；　as　related　to　me　by　a　person　who　resided　in　the
  same　house。
  The　First　Consul　was　informed　each　day；　and　very　promptly；　of　all　that
  took　place　in　the　interior　of　the　homes　of　his　brothers；　a　circumstantial
  account　being　rendered；　even　as　to　the　smallest　particulars　and　the
  slightest　details。　　Lucien；　wishing　to　marry　Madame　Jouberthon；　whom　he
  had　met　at　the　house　of　the　Count　de　L；　an　intimate　friend　of　his；
  wrote　between　two　and　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　to　Duquesnoy；　mayor
  of　the　tenth　arrondissement；　requesting　him　to　come　to　his　residence；　Rue
  Saint　Dominique；　about　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　bring　the
  marriage　register。
  Between　five　and　six　o'clock　Monsieur　Duquesnoy；　mayor　of　the　tenth
  arrondissement；　received　from　the　chateau　of　the　Tuileries　an　order　not
  to　take　the　register　out　of　the　municipality；　and　above　all　not　to
  celebrate　any　marriage　whatever；　unless；　in　accordance　with　the　law；　the
  names　of　the　parties　thereto　had　been　published　for　eight　days。
  At　the　hour　indicated　Duquesnoy　arrived　at　the　residence；　and　asked　to
  speak　in　private　to　the　count；　to　whom　he　communicated　the　order
  emanating　from　the　chateau。
  Beside　himself　with　anger；　Lucien　immediately　hired　a　hundred　post…horses
  for　himself　and　friends；　and　without　delay　he　and　Madame　Jouberthon；　with
  these　friends　and　the　people　of　his　household；　took　carriages　for　the
  chateau　of　Plessis…Chamant；　a　pleasure…house　half　a　league　beyond　Senlis。
  The　cure　of　the　place；　who　was　also　associate　mayor；　was　summoned；　and　at
  midnight　pronounced　the　civil　marriage；　then；　putting　on　his　sacerdotal
  robes　over　the　scarf　he　wore　as　an　officer　of　the　civil　state；　he
  bestowed　on　the　fugitives　the　nuptial　benediction。　　A　good　supper　was
  then　served；　at　which　the　assistant　and　cure　were　present；　but；　as　he
  returned　to　his　vicarage　about　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　he　saw　at　his
  gate　a　post…chaise；　guarded　by　two　soldiers；　and　on　entering　his　house；
  found　there　an　officer　of　the　armed　police；　who　invited　him　politely　to
  be　kind　enough　to　accompany　him　to　Paris。　　The　poor　curate　thought
  himself　lost；　but　he　was　compelled　to　obey；　under　penalty　of　being
  carried　to　Paris　from　one　guard…house　to　another　by　the　police。
  Nothing　was　left　for　him　but　to　enter　the　fatal　chaise；　which　was　drawn
  at　a　gallop　by　two　good　horses；　and　soon　arrived　at　the　Tuileries；　where
  he　was　brought　into　the　cabinet　of　the　First　Consul；　who　said　to　him　in　a
  voice　of　thunder；　〃It　is　you；　then；　Monsieur；　who　marry　members　of　my
  family　without　my　consent；　and　without　having　published　the　bans；　as　is
  your　duty　in　your　double　character　of　cure　and　assistant　mayor。　　You　well
  know　that　you　deserve　to　be　deprived　of　your　office；　excommunicated；　and
  tried　before　the　courts。〃　　The　unfortunate　priest　believed　himself
  already　in　prison；　but　after　a　severe　lecture　he　was　sent　back　to　his
  curacy；　and　the　two　brothers　were　never　reconciled。
  In　spite　of　all　these　differences；　Lucien　always　counted　on　the　affection
  of　his　brother　to　obtain　him　a　kingdom。　　I　guarantee　the　authenticity　of
  the　following　incident；　which　was　related　to　me　by　a　reliable　person：
  Lucien　had　in　charge　of　his　establishment　a　friend　of　his　early　youth；
  the　same　age　as　himself；　and　like　him　born　in　Corsica；　who　was　named
  Campi；　and　enjoyed　the　most　confidential　relations　in　the　count's
  household。　　On　the　day　that　the　'Moniteur'　gave　a　list　of　the　new　French
  princes；　Campi　was　promenading　in　the　handsome　gallery　of　pictures
  collected　by　Lucien；　with　the　latter's　young　secretary；　when　the
  following　conversation　occurred　between　them。　　〃You　have　no　doubt　read
  the　'Moniteur'　of　to…day？〃〃Yes。〃〃You　have　seen　that　all　the　members
  of　the　family　have　had　the　title　of　French　princes　bestowed　on　them；　and
  the　name　of　monsieur　le　count　alone　is　wanting　to　the　list。〃〃What
  matters　that？　　There　are　kingdoms。〃〃Considering　the　care　that
  sovereigns　take　to　keep　them；　there　will　hardly　be　any　vacancy。〃
  〃Ah；　well；　they　will　be　made。　　All　the　royal　families　of　Europe　are　worn
  out；　and　we　must　have　new　ones。〃　　Thereupon　Campi　was　silent；　and　advised
  the　young　man　to　hold　his　tongue；　if　he　wished　to　preserve　the　favor　of
  the　count。　　However；　it　was　not　long　after　this　before　the　young
  secretary　repeated　this　confidential　conversation；　which；　without　being
  singularly　striking；　gives；　however；　an　idea　of　the　amount　of　confidence
  which　should　be　placed　in　the　pretended　moderation　of　Count　Lucien；　and
  in　the　epigrams　against　his　brother　and　his　family　which　have　been
  attributed　to　him。
  No　one　in　the　chateau　was　ignorant　of　the　hostility　which　existed　between
  Lucien　Bonaparte　and　the　Empress　Josephine；　and　to　make　their　court　to
  the　latter　the　former　habitues　of　Malmaison；　now　become　the　courtiers　of
  the　Tuileries；　were　in　the　habit　of　relating　to　her　the　most　piquant
  anecdotes　they　could　collect　relative　to　the　younger　brother　of　the
  Emperor。　　Thus　it　happened　that　by　chance　one　day　I　heard　a　dignified
  person　and　a　senator　of　the　Empire　give　the　Empress；　in　the　gayest　manner
  imaginable；　very　minute　details　as　to　one　of　the　temporary　liaisons　of
  Count　Lucien。　　I　do　not　guarantee　the　authenticity　of　the　anecdote；　and　I
  experience　in　writing　it　more　embarrassment　than　the　senator　displayed　in
  relating　it；　and　omit；　indeed；　a　mass　of　details　which　the　narrator　gave
  without　blushing；　and　without　driving　off　his　audience；　for　my　object　is
  to　throw　light　upon　the　family　secrets　of　the　imperial　household；　and　on
  the　habits　of　the　persons　who　were　nearest　the　Emperor；　and　not　to
  publish　scandal；　though　I　could　justify　myself　by　the　example　of　a
  dignitary　of　the　Empire。
  Count　Lucien　（I　do　not　know　in　what　year）　established　himself　in　the　good
  graces　of　Mademoiselle　Meserai；　an　actress　of　the　Theatre　Francais；　who
  was　both　pretty　and　sprightly。　　The　conquest　was　not　difficult；　in　the
  first　place；　because　this　had　never　been　her　character　towards　any　one；
  and；　secondly；　because　the　artiste　knew　the　great　wealth　of　the　count；
  and　believed　him　to　be　prodigal。　　The　first　attentions　of　her　lover
  confirmed　her　in　this　opinion；　and　she　demanded　a　house。　　He　at　once
  presented　her　with　one　richly　and　elegantly　furnished；　the　deed　being　put
  in　her　hands　on　the　day　she　took　possession；　and　each　visit　of　the　count
  added　to　the　actress's　wardrobe　or　jewel…case　some　new　gifts。　　This
  lasted　some　months；　at　the　end　of　which　Lucien　became　disgusted　with　his
  bargain；　and　began　to　consider　by　what　means　to　break　it　without　losing
  too　much。　　Among　other　things；　he　had　made　mademoiselle　a　present　of　a
  pair　of　girandoles；　containing　diamonds　of　great　value。　　In　one　of　the
  last　interviews；　before　the　count　had　allowed　any　signs　of　coldness　to　be
  seen；　he　perceived　the　girandoles　on　the　toilet…table　of　his　mistress；
  and；　taking　them　in　his　hands；　said；　〃Really；　my　dear；　you　do　me
  injustice；　why　do　you　not　show　more　confidence　in　me？　　I　do　not　wish　you
  to　wear　jewelry　so　much　out　of　date　as　these。〃〃Why；　it　has　been　only
  six　months　since　you　gave　them　to　me。〃〃I　know　it；　but　a　woman　of　good
  taste；　a　woman　who　respects　herself；　should　never