Letter 017 — XVII
Original French
Brescia, le 31 août 1796.
Je pars à l’instant pour Vérone. J’avais espéré recevoir une lettre de toi; cela me met dans une inquiétude affreuse. Tu étais un peu malade lors de mon départ, je t’en prie, ne me laisse pas dans une pareille inquiétude. Tu m’avais promis plus d’exactitude; ta langue était cependant bien d’accord alors avec ton cœur… Toi, à qui la nature a donné douceur, aménité et tout ce qui plaît, comment peux-tu oublier celui qui t’aime avec tant de chaleur? Trois jours sans lettre de toi; je t’ai cependant écrit plusieurs fois. L’absence est horrible, les nuits sont longues, ennuyeuses et fades; la journée est monotone. Aujourd’hui, seul avec les pensées, les travaux, les écritures, les hommes et les fastueux projets, je n’ai pas même un billet de toi que je puisse presser contre mon cœur. Le quartier général est parti; je pars dans une heure. J’ai reçu cette nuit un exprès de Paris; il n’y avait pour toi que la lettre ci-jointe, qui te fera plaisir. Pense à moi, vis pour moi, sois souvent avec ton bien-aimé, et crois qu’il n’est pour lui qu’un seul malheur qui l’effraie, ce serait de n’être plus aimé de Joséphine. Mille baisers bien doux, bien tendres et bien exclusifs.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted Musean English translated from the French of the 172 Napoleon letters selected from Tancrède Martel, ed., Œuvres littéraires de Napoléon Bonaparte, tome 1 (Albert Savine, Paris, 1888). French Wikisource contributors supplied the scan-backed transcription: https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Livre:Bonaparte_-_Œuvres_littéraires,_tome_1,_1888.djvu (page histories credit contributors). The transcription is CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; this adapted text and translations are shared under the same license. Extraction removes markup and editorial notes; selected transcription repairs were checked against print images.
Brescia, August 31, 1796.
I leave this instant for Verona. I had hoped to receive a letter from you; not having one fills me with terrible anxiety. You were a little ill when I left; I beg you, do not leave me in such suspense. You had promised me greater regularity; your tongue was in such close accord with your heart then… You, to whom nature has given gentleness, kindness, and everything that pleases, how can you forget the man who loves you so passionately? Three days without a letter from you, though I have written to you several times. Absence is horrible; the nights are long, tedious, and dull; the day is monotonous. Today, alone with thoughts, work, papers, men, and grand projects, I do not even have a note from you to press against my heart. Headquarters has left; I leave in an hour. Last night I received an express from Paris; there was nothing for you but the enclosed letter, which will give you pleasure. Think of me, live for me, be often with your beloved, and believe that there is only one misfortune he fears: that Joséphine should no longer love him. A thousand very sweet, very tender, and very exclusive kisses.
Plain English translation
Independent machine-assisted Plain English translation from the 1888 Martel French edition, not a historical English translation. French Wikisource contributors supplied the scan-backed transcription: https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Livre:Bonaparte_-_Œuvres_littéraires,_tome_1,_1888.djvu (page histories credit contributors). The adapted transcription and translation are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. Extraction removes markup and editorial notes and makes documented transcription repairs. French-source model review is not human specialist certification or a complete scan collation.
Brescia, August 31, 1796.
I am leaving for Verona at once. I had hoped for a letter from you, and the lack of one makes me terribly anxious. You were a little ill when I left; please do not leave me so worried. You had promised to be more punctual; your tongue and your heart were certainly in agreement then... Nature has given you sweetness, kindness and every charm; how can you forget the man whose love for you is so ardent? Three days without a letter from you, although I have written several times. Absence is terrible: nights drag on, tiresome and dreary, and the day is monotonous. Today I am alone with my thoughts, my work, my writing, men and grand schemes, without even a line from you to hold against my heart. Headquarters has already set off; I follow in an hour. An express arrived from Paris last night; the enclosed letter was the only one for you, and it will please you. Think of me, live for me, be with your beloved often, and know that he fears only one misfortune: that Joséphine should cease to love him. A thousand sweet, tender and utterly exclusive kisses.
About this section
Letter 017 — XVII is part of Letters to Josephine by Napoléon Bonaparte. This page sets the French original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is part 17 of 172 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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