No. 38 To the Empress, at Paris
My Dear,—Your letter of January 20th has given me pain; it is too sad. That’s the fault of not being a little more devout! You tell me that your glory consists in your happiness. That is narrow-minded; one should say, my glory consists in the happiness of others. It is not conjugal; one should say, my glory consists in the happiness of my husband. It is not maternal; one should say, my glory consists in the happiness of my children. Now, since nations—your husband, your children—can only be happy with a certain amount of glory, you must not make little of it. Fie, Josephine! your heart is excellent and your arguments weak. You feel acutely, but you don’t argue as well.
That’s sufficient quarrelling. I want you to be cheerful, happy in your lot, and that you should obey, not with grumbling and tears, but with gaiety of heart and a little more good temper.
Adieu, dear; I start to-night to examine my outposts.
Napoleon.
February 5th.—Combats of Bergfriede, Waltersdorf, and Deppen; Russians forced back.
February 6th.—Combat of Hof. Murat victorious.
February 8th.—Battle of Eylau; retreat of Russians.