'Look at the faces
of the Emperor's sisters.'
I was shocked when I followed his direction to see the malignant glances
with which these two beautiful women were following the Empress as she
walked about the room. They whispered together and tittered
maliciously. Then Madame Murat turned to her mother behind her, and the
stern old lady tossed her haughty head in derision and contempt.
'They feel that Napoleon is theirs and that they ought to have
everything. They cannot bear to think that she is Her Imperial Majesty
and they are only Her Highness. They all hate her, Joseph, Lucien--all
of them. When they had to carry her train at the coronation they tried
to trip her up, and the Emperor had to interfere. Oh yes, they have the
real Corsican blood, and they are not very comfortable people to get
along with.'
But in spite of the evident hatred of her husband's family, the Empress
appeared to be entirely unconcerned and at her ease as she strolled
about among the groups of her guests with a kindly glance and a pleasant
word for each of them.
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