Letter 081 — LXXXI
Original French
Varsovie, le 18 janvier 1807.
Je crains que tu n’aies bien du chagrin de notre séparation qui doit encore se prolonger de quelques semaines, et de ton retour à Paris. J’exige que tu aies plus de force. L’on me dit que tu pleures toujours: fi! que cela est laid! Ta lettre du 7 janvier me fait de la peine. Sois digne de moi, et prends plus de caractère. Fais à Paris la représentation convenable, et surtout sois contente. Je me porte très bien, et je t’aime beaucoup; mais si tu pleures toujours je te croirai sans courage et sans caractère. Je n’aime pas les lâches; une impératrice doit avoir du 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 18, 1807.
I fear you are deeply grieved by our separation, which must still last a few weeks, and by your return to Paris. I require you to show more strength. I am told that you are always crying: shame! how ugly that is! Your letter of January 7 pains me. Be worthy of me, and show more character. In Paris maintain the state that befits you, and above all be content. I am very well, and I love you dearly; but if you are always crying I shall think you lack courage and character. I do not love cowards; an empress must have courage.
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 18, 1807.
I fear that our separation, which must last a few more weeks, and your return to Paris are causing you great sorrow. I expect you to be stronger. I am told you are always crying: shame! How unattractive that is! Your letter of January 7 distressed me. Be worthy of me and show more character. Make the proper public appearances in Paris and, above all, be content. I am in very good health and love you very much, but if you keep crying I shall think you have neither courage nor character. I do not like cowards; an empress must have courage.
About this section
Letter 081 — LXXXI 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 81 of 172 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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