Letter 076 — LXXVI
Original French
Varsovie, le 3 janvier 1807.
J’ai reçu ta lettre, mon amie. Ta douleur me touche; mais il faut bien se soumettre aux événements. Il y a trop de pays à traverser depuis Mayence jusqu’à Varsovie; il faut donc que les événements me permettent de me rendre à Berlin, pour que je t’écrive d’y venir. Cependant l’ennemi, battu, s’éloigne; mais j’ai bien des choses à régler ici. Je serais assez d’opinion que tu retournasses à Paris où tu es nécessaire. Renvoie ces dames qui ont leurs affaires; tu gagneras d’être débarrassée de gens qui ont dû bien te fatiguer. Je me porte bien; il fait mauvais. Je t’aime de cœur.
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.
Warsaw, January 3, 1807.
I have received your letter, my friend. Your sorrow touches me; but we must submit to events. There is too much country to cross between Mainz and Warsaw; events must therefore allow me to go to Berlin before I can write for you to come there. Meanwhile the enemy, defeated, is withdrawing; but I have many things to settle here. I am rather of the opinion that you should return to Paris, where you are needed. Send away those ladies who have their own affairs to attend to; you will have the advantage of being rid of people who must have tired you greatly. I am well; the weather is bad. I love you with all my heart.
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.
Warsaw, January 3, 1807.
Your letter has reached me, my friend. Your sorrow moves me, but we have to accept what happens. Too much country lies between Mainz and Warsaw, so circumstances must first permit me to go to Berlin before I can write asking you to join me there. The enemy has meanwhile been beaten and is retreating, but I have much to settle here. I am inclined to advise a return to Paris, where your presence is necessary. Dismiss those ladies who have business of their own; you will gain by being rid of people who must have greatly tired you. I am well; the weather is foul. My love for you comes from the heart.
About this section
Letter 076 — LXXVI 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 76 of 172 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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