NAPOLEON'S LOVE AFFAIRS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18311, 12 November 1927, Page 19 (Supplement)

NAPOLEON'S LOVE AFFAIRS

INTRIGUE AND TRICKS A SERIES of lively pictures of the great Napoleon’s love affairs is portrayed in a book by Gertrude Aretz, “Napoleon and his Women Friends,’ translated from the German by Eden and Cedar Paul. His intrigues are both despicable and, in many cases, amusing. There was the affair with Pauline Poures, nicknamed “Bellilote,” the first of his favourites to take Josephine’s place. Bellilote accompanied her husband, a lieutenant in Napoleon’s army, to Alexandria, and there the eye of the Corsican ogre fell on her. She was "golden-haired and bluoeyed,” only nineteen years of age, the prettiest and merriest of all the Frenchwomen there. A scheme and a trick, unworthy of the lowest roue, were devised. She, and not her husband, was invited to a dinner given by the military commandant. The young husband, much surprised at his omission, sent his wife. Napoleon suddenly appeared at des-

sert, had a cup of coffee and an orange, threw glances at the impressionable young woman, and retired. Then, as if by accident, Junot, ever at the Commander-in-chief’s right hand, in offering Bellilote a cup of coffee, “accidentally” spilled some on her white dress. She was distressed. Surrounding officers offered her help, and Junot advised her to retire to a room on the first storey where she would find a pitcher of water and could wash out the stains. The book continues:— “As he spoke, several of the officers were smiling ironically, but Bellilote did not notice this. “Light of foot and no longer embarrassed she tripped upstairs to the room. What a surprise awaited her! She did not find a pitcher of water,, but—General Bonaparte. That hour was her undoing.” Napoleon had still the husband to take into consideration. His plan was a modern version of David and Uriah the Hittite. He sent him on a trick mission to France. Then there was the youthful actress Georgina (Mme. George), a child of fifteen when they met,

The description of Josephine, Napoleon’s first wife, with one of her women holding a lighted candle, stealing upstairs in the attempt to catch Napoleon and Georgina together, makes amusing reading. The eavesdroppers heard a noise when half way up. Josephine’s woman bolted with the candle, leaving Josephine in the dark. She had no option but to run away also. One night, however, Napoleon fainted. _ Georgina screamed for help. Josephine appeared. Tableau I Napoleon had a constantly roving eye for feminine beaut}’’. It fell once on Mme. Duchatel, a lady-in-waiting to Josephine. Napoleon did his utmost to keep the liaison secret, a first reason being that “he did not wish to embarrass Mme. Duchatel’s relationships were her husband, the pair being on excellent terms. In the second place, he wished to avoid inflaming Josephine’s boundless jealousy.” We have, therefore, a picture of the little Corsican, in his stockinged feet, going tip-toe to her room at St Cloud, when every one in the palace was fast asleep. Once one of Josephine’s maidservants was detected watching him from a window. A message was sent to her to hold her tongue if she wanted to keep her place in the palace. She held it.