EUGÉNIE (IMPERATRICE). - Lot 78

Lot n° 78
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300 - 400 EUR
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Result : 1 803EUR
EUGÉNIE (IMPERATRICE). - Lot 78
EUGÉNIE (IMPERATRICE). Autograph letter signed to Firmin Rainbeaux. Prince's Gate [in London], November 18, 1881. 2 pp. in-4 oblong and 5 pp. in-8 on 3 bifeuillets in-8, mourning border. "I have received the letter addressed to you by Princess Mathilde and the one in which you give an account of the interview she had with you about my visit to Paris. I cannot understand how the Princess could have misunderstood my reply to her letter of condolence on the death of my brother-in-law. It was only a polite response to a step too direct to be avoided. It did nothing to change the situation. I WAS DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THE PRINCE'S [NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, PRINCESS MATHILDE'S BROTHER] AND THE PRINCESS'S REFUSAL TO ATTEND THE MASS I WAS GIVING AT ST-AUGUSTIN ON JUNE 1, FOR THE REST OF MY SOUL'S SOUL, and by the princess's letter alluding to my son's will! As for the Prince, the acknowledged inspiration of Mr Langlé and others, he should not be surprised to bear the responsibility that falls to him as party leader, when those who serve him outrage the past without his disavowing them. For my part, I believe that in my isolation I have remained unaffected by any attack. My conduct towards the Emperor's family has always been correct and proper. On July 12 [1879, date of the Imperial Prince's funeral], at the moment of the greatest heartbreak a mother can experience, in a spirit of sacrifice and self-sacrifice, I sent for Prince Napoleon and his children. THE PRINCE REFUSED TO COME CLOSE TO ME, and later made it known in his newspapers that he had declined the interview so as not to expose himself to a political discussion, and this ON THE VERY DAY OF MY CHILD'S ENTERRY!... I knew this, and yet I yielded to the prayer of his sister, who came to beg me, when I was in PARIS, IN NOVEMBER 1879, to receive her brother and his children. I consented; and HE CAME, ALONE, with her... NOT KNOWING THE YOUNG PRINCES, I CANNOT HAVE ANY AFFECTION FOR THEM. I HAVE ONLY A NATURAL INTEREST IN THEIR NAME. So I don't have to make any new sacrifices for them. The opportunity to make them known to me has been lost twice, voluntarily, by their father. I will therefore wait, not for their time, but for mine, convinced that FALSE RECONCILIATIONS ONLY AVILIATE CHARACTERS. I regret that the Princess, who could have acted as a link between what I would call two opposing poles, in memory of our good relations of the past, has, by associating herself completely with the Prince's actions, become one with him. She unlearned to count on his friendship. These are the reasons that prevented me from telling the Prince and Princess when I was in Paris. There has been too much distance between us for a simple visit to bridge it. I give you all these explanations, convinced that frankness is the best language to use on this occasion... You may communicate my letter to the p[rinc]esse and even to the p[rin]ce if he so desires. My regards to Hortense [Hortense Mocquard, wife of Firmin Rainbeaux]." FORMER ECUYER TO NAPOLEON III, industrialist Firmin Rainbeaux was also the son-in-law of Jean-François Constant Mocquard, the emperor's former chief of staff and a former senator. ATTACHED, 3 documents from the period relating to the same issue as the above letter: a copy of the letter dated November 13, 1881 that Firmin RAINBEAUX wrote to Empress Eugénie, describing his meeting with Princess Mathilde and Prince Napoléon (who said they were ready to meet the Empress with Prince Napoléon's children); a copy of the letter dated November 14, 1881 sent by Princess MATHILDE to Firmin Rainbeaux, informing him that SHE CONSIDERS ALL RELATIONS TO HAVE BEEN TERMINATED BETWEEN HER AND THE IMPERATRESS by the latter; a copy of the letter dated November 19, 1881 sent by Firmin RAINBEAUX to Empress Eugénie, informing her that he has not yet been able to find Princess Mathilde to communicate the present letter of November 18.
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