Désirée by Annemarie Selinko Read Free Book Online

Napoleone.
    When I wake up in the morning and think of him, with my eyes closed so Julie will think I'm still asleep, my heart feels heavy with the weight of my love. I never knew you really feel love, I mean all through you. But now love has tight hold of my heart.
    I had better tell it all just as it happened, beginning with the afternoon when the two Buonapartes came to see us. As I had arranged with Joseph Buonaparte, they came the day after my unfortunate call on Deputy Albitte. They came late in the afternoon. Etienne is not usually home by then, but he had closed the shop and was waiting in the parlour with Mama, so that the young men should see at once that our home is not without manly protection.
    Nobody had spoken more than a few words to me during the day, and I could see they were still vexed with my improper behaviour. After dinner Julie disappeared into the kitchen; she had decided to make a cake. Mama said there was no need; she was still full of Etienne's idea of "Corsican adventurers."
    I went out into the garden. Spring was in the air already, and I found the first buds on the lilac trees. Then I asked Marie for a duster and did some dusting in the summer house —it was better to be prepared, I thought. When I went in with the duster I saw Julie, taking a cake tin out of the oven; her face was burning, her forehead damp with perspiration, and her hair was a mess.
    "You're going about things the wrong way, Julie," I blurted.
    "Why? I kept exactly to Mama's recipe, and you see if our guests don't like it."
    "I didn't mean the cake," I said. "I meant your face and your hair. You'll smell of the cooking when the gentlemen come, and—" I paused—"do please give it up, Julie, and go and powder your nose. That's much more important than baking cakes."
    "Will you listen to the child, Marie!" cried Julie, irritated!
    "If you ask me, Mlle Julie, I think the child is quite right," said Marie as she took the cake tin from her.
    In our room Julie did her hair and carefully put on some rouge, while I looked out the window.
    "Aren't you changing?" Julie asked in surprise. I really didn't see any point in it. Of course I quite liked M. Joseph but in my mind I had already betrothed him to Julie. As for his brother, the General, I couldn't imagine him taking any notice of me. Nor had I any idea what you talk, about to a General. I was interested only in his uniform, though I hoped he would tell us about the fighting at Valmy and Wattignies. I do hope, I was thinking all the time, that Etienne will courteous and friendly to them, and that it has a happy ending. While I was looking out of the window I got more and more apprehensive. Then I saw them coming. They were having a lively discussion as they came along. And was I disappointed!
    If you can imagine it, he was a small man, smaller than M. Joseph, who is only middle-sized. And nothing glittered on him, not a single star, or ribbon of any Order. Only when they reached the gate did I see his narrow gold epaulettes. His uniform was dark green, and his top boots weren't polished and didn't even fit well. I couldn't see his face because it was
hidden by an enormous hat, with nothing on it but the cock ade of the Republic. I didn't dream that a general could look so shabby. I was horribly disappointed.
    "He looks very poor," I murmured.
    Julie had joined me at the window, but she kept behind the curtain. I suppose she didn't want the two citizens to see how curious she was.
    "Why do you say that?" she said. "He looks very handsome. You can't expect a secretary at the Town Hall to be immaculately turned out."
    "Oh, you mean M. Joseph! Yes, he looks quite elegant; anyway, someone seems to brush his boots regularly. But look at his little brother, the Genera!!" I shook my head and sighed. "Such a letdown! I had no idea that there were such undersized officers in the Army."
    "What did you think he would be like?" Julie asked.
    I shrugged my shoulders. "Why, like a general. Like a