Thiard business, the Emperor seems to have displaced some of his
hostility on to Josephine, for we hear of a scene at court where he publicly
humiliated his wife by offering La Coste a ring. When Josephine threw
another angry scene and demanded La Coste's banishment, Napoleon
agreed- provided Josephine received his mistress at a state reception- an
unheard of privilege for a woman whose official function was supposed to
be limited by protocol to the Empress's bedroom. But in order to get rid
of La Coste Josephine swallowed the bitter pill.
Napoleon still harboured feelings of resentment towards Thiard and,
in Italy shortly afterwards, he found a means to strike back at him. After a
month in Milan, Napoleon spent three weeks in Brescia, Verona, Mantua
and Bologna before resting for the week of 30 June-6 July 1805 in Genoa.
One day Talleyrand was singing the praises of the daughter of a dancer,
called Carlotta Gazzani and mentioned that Thiard was her current lover.
First Napoleon smashed a vase in rage at the mention of the name, then
he thought more coolly. After Genoa he intended to head back to
Fontainebleau by way of Turin, Lyons, Roanne, Moulins, Nevers and
Montargis. It would be an arduous journey, and what more ingenious
way to kill two birds with one stone than to take Carlotta Gazzani with
him as his new mistress. At once he appointed Gazzani to fill La Coste's
place as Josephine's reader. Talleyrand pointed out this would scarcely do
since Gazzani spoke no French, but a court wit came to the Emperor's
aid by remarking that since Italian was the language of love, Gazzani
knew all she needed to.
A gleeful Napoloen summoned Thiard and sent him on another long
mission, with orders to leave at once. When Thiard looked dismayed,
Napoleon taunted him: 'Anyone would think you are in disgrace; perhaps
there is some reason for it.' Thereafter he made sure Thiard never got
near Gazzani again: the luckless chamberlain served first in Austria, then
in Dalmatia and was finally required to accompany the Emperor on the
protracted military campaign of 180�7. Back at St-Cloud Josephine
tried to catch her husband in the act with Gazzani in his famous alcove
room, but this time the imperial valet Constant firmly barred the way.
It was on Napoleon's return from Italy, and even as he trysted with
Gazzani, that the Murats played their master card. They introduced to
the Emperor a tall, willowy black-eyed brunette called Eleonore Denuelle
de la Plagne, an eighteen-year-old beauty with the status of 'grass widow'
since her husband was in jail. A beautiful though not very bright woman,
Denuelle was to be one of the most important of all Napoleon's
mistresses. She was the daughter of shady adventurer parents and found
a niche as personal secretary to the Murats. Later an absurd story was
marcin
(Marcin)
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