ABSTRACT
Pretensions of Letizia and her daughters—Complaisance of Caroline and Murat towards the Emperor—Honours and riches showered upon them—Discontent of Élisa—She desires to leave France, and persuades Napoleon to bestow upon her the Principality of Piombino—Her departure for Italy—The Republic of Lucca, having petitioned the Emperor to give the State a new Constitution and a prince of his family to govern it, is joined to Piombino—Entry of Félix and Élisa into Lucca—Pauline in Paris—Borghese becomes a French citizen—His wife, tired of his society, persuades the Emperor to appoint him to a cavalry regiment and send him to the camp of Boulogne—Pauline becomes Princess and Duchess of Guastalla, but cedes her duchy to the Kingdom of Italy, in return for an annual indemnity—She quarrels with her husband—Her journey to Plombières—A costly shower-bath—Auguste de Forbin, painter and homme aux bonnes fortunes—He becomes the lover of the Princess, who appoints him her chamberlain.
