As we never knew at what hour or by what route His Majesty would set out, the grand marshal, the grand equerry, and the grand chamberlain each sent a complete service on the different roads which it was supposed the Emperor might take. The service of the chamber comprised a valet de chambre and a wardrobe boy. For my part, I never quitted the person of His Majesty, and my carriage always followed his very closely. The carriage pertaining to this service was provided with an iron bedstead and its accessories, a dressing-case containing linen, garments, etc. I know very little about the stable service, but this is how that of the kitchen was organized. There was a vehicle nearly in the form of the passenger-vans of the Place Louis XV. in Paris, with two enormous boots, one of which contained the Emperor's Chambertin and the fine wines for the table of the chief officers. Ordinary wine was bought at the places where we stopped along the road. In the other boot were kitchen utensils and portable stoves, in the wagon itself, a steward, two cooks, and a kitchen boy. There was in addition a large van loaded with provisions and with wine to replenish the cellar as fast as it was emptied. All of these vehicles started several hours before the Emperor. The grand marshal would designate the place where breakfast was to be prepared. We alighted either at the archbishop's palace, the hôtel-de-villa, the sub-prefecture, or finally at the mayoralty in case there were no administrative authorities. On arriving at the appointed house, the steward looked after the things to be made ready; the stoves were lighted, the spits began to turn. If the Emperor alighted to take the repast prepared, the provisions consumed were instantly replaced, as far as that was possible. The wagons were replenished with fowls, pasties, etc. Before departing, everything was paid for by the controller, presents were made to the masters of the house, and all that was not required for the needs of the service was left behind for the use of their domestics. But it sometimes happened that the Emperor, thinking it too early for breakfast, or wishing to make a longer journey, would order us to go on. In that case, everything was packed up again, and the service continued its route. Sometimes also the Emperor would call a halt in the open country, alight, sit down under a tree, and ask for his breakfast. Roustan and the footmen would take the provisions from His Majesty's carriage, which was supplied with little silver saucepans with covers, containing chickens, partridges, etc. The other vehicles furnished their contingent. M. Pfister served the Emperor, and every one took a snack. A fire was lighted to heat the coffee, and in less than half an hour everything had vanished. The carriages rolled on in the same order as before the halt.

Nearly all of His Majesty's stewards and cooks were persons brought up in the households of the King or the princes. They were MM. Dunau, Léonard, Rouff, and Gérard. M. Colin was chief of the kitchen and became steward controller after the affliction which befell M. Pfister, who went mad in the campaign of 1809. All of them were zealous and skilful servants. As in all the residences of the sovereign, each department of the kitchen had its chief. It was MM. Soupé and Pierrugues who furnished the wines; the sons of these gentlemen followed the Emperor by turns.

We travelled with extreme rapidity as far as Mont Cenis, but on reaching this passage we were obliged to slacken our speed very much: the weather had been frightful for several days, and the road ruined by the rain which was still falling in torrents when we arrived. The Emperor reached Milan at noon on the 22d and, in spite of our delay at Mont Cenis, the rest of the journey had been so prompt His Majesty was not yet expected. The Viceroy was not apprised of the arrival of his stepfather until the latter was within half a league of the city. We saw him coming up at full speed, followed by a very small number of persons. The Emperor stopped his carriage, and as soon as the door was opened, he held out his hand to Prince Eugène, saying in the most affectionate tone: "Come, get in with us, beau prince, we will enter together."

In spite of the surprise caused by the arrival of the Emperor before he was expected, we were hardly inside the city when all the houses were illuminated; the beautiful palaces Litta, Casani, Melzi, and many others glittered with a thousand lights. The magnificent lantern of the cathedral dome was covered with fire-pots and colored lamps. In the middle of the Forum-Bonaparte, the alleys of which were also illuminated, the colossal equestrian statue of the Emperor was seen; on either side of it star-shaped transparencies had been placed bearing the initials of S. M. I. and R. At eight o'clock, all the people were in movement around the château, where superb fireworks were set off, an excellent band meanwhile executing warlike symphonies. All the authorities of the city were admitted to His Majesty's presence.

There was a ministerial council at the château the next morning, at which His Majesty presided. At noon the Emperor went on horseback to the Mass celebrated by the grand almoner of the kingdom. The Piazza del Duomo was covered by an immense crowd through which the Emperor walked his horse, his Imperial Highness the Viceroy and his staff being close beside him. Prince Eugène's noble countenance expressed all the joy he felt at seeing his stepfather, for whom he had always had so much respect and filial affection, and at hearing the acclamations of the people, which never failed him, but which at this moment were redoubled.

After the Te Deum, the Emperor reviewed the troops on the Piazza, and then set off at once with the Viceroy for Monza, the palace inhabited by the Vicereine. There was no woman whom the Emperor addressed in a more affable and yet respectful tone, than the Princess Amélie; but at the same time, there was neither princess nor woman more beautiful or more virtuous. In the Emperor's presence it was impossible to speak of beauty or of virtue without his citing the Vicereine as an example. Prince Eugène was very worthy of so accomplished a wife. He appreciated her at her worth, and I was glad to see on the features of this excellent prince the expression of the happiness he enjoyed. Amidst all the pains he was taking to forestall every wish of his stepfather, I was so happy as to have him speak to me several times, and testify all the interest he had taken, as he said, in my advancement in the service and the good graces of the Emperor. Nothing could have given me more pleasure than these marks of remembrance on the part of a prince for whom I have always retained the most sincere, and, if I may dare to say so, the most tender attachment.

The Emperor remained a long time with the Vicereine, whose intelligence was equal to her kindliness and beauty. He came back to Milan to dinner; immediately after it, the ladies who were received at court were presented to him. In the evening, I attended His Majesty to the La Scala theatre. His Majesty did not remain through all the performance. He retired at an early hour to his apartments, and worked a good part of the night; which did not prevent him from being on the road to Verona before eight o'clock the next morning.

His Majesty merely passed through Brescia and Verona. I should have liked to see the curiosities of Italy on the way, but that was not an easy thing when in the Emperor's train; for he never stopped except to review the troops, and would rather visit fortifications than ruins.

At Verona His Majesty dined or supped (for he was rather late) with Their Majesties the King and Queen of Bavaria, who had arrived there almost at the same time as we did, and very early the next morning we set off for Vicenza.

Although the season was already advanced, I took delight in the beautiful spectacle that awaits the traveller on the road from Verona to Vicenza. Imagine an immense plain, cut up into innumerable fields bordered with different kinds of lofty trees, especially with elms and poplars, which form alleys in every direction as far as the eye can see. Vines twine around their trunks, rise with them, and enlace each of their branches. And yet certain offshoots of the vine abandon the tree that supports it and hang down to the ground, while others stretch like a garland from one tree to another. Underneath these natural cradles one sees far and near magnificent fields of wheat—at least I had seen them on my previous visits; for in this one the harvest had been reaped several months before.

At the close of a day, which to me had passed very agreeably in admiring these fertile plains, we entered Vicenza. The authorities, with almost the entire population, were awaiting the Emperor under a superb triumphal arch at the entrance of the city. We were dying with hunger, and His Majesty himself said that evening at his couches, that on entering Vicenza he was very much inclined to sit down at table. I trembled therefore at the thought of those long Italian harangues, which I found still longer than those of France, doubtless because I did not understand a word of them. But luckily, the magistrates of Vicenza were sensible enough not to take advantage of our position; their discourse did not occupy more than a few minutes.

In the evening His Majesty went to the theatre. I was tired, and I should have liked to take advantage of the Emperor's absence by resting a little; but some one came to invite me to go up to the Servite convent to enjoy the effect of the city illuminations. I went, and I had a magnificent spectacle before my eyes. One might have thought the city was on fire. On returning to the palace occupied by His Majesty, I found that he had given orders to have everything in readiness for his departure at two hours after midnight. I had an hour for sleep, and I profited by it.

At the hour fixed by him, the Emperor got into his carriage, and there we were, rolling with lightning-like rapidity over the road to Stra, where we passed the night. Very early the next morning we started again, following a long causeway raised above marshes. The landscape is nearly the same, but not so agreeable as before arriving at Vicenza. It was a constant succession of plantations of mulberries and olive trees that yield a perfect oil, and of fields of maize and hemp, interspersed by grass lands. Beyond Stra the culture of rice began. Although the rice plantations should render the country unhealthy, it is not considered more so than any other. On both sides of the road we saw elegant houses and cabins covered with thatch, yet clean and giving a charming effect. The vine is not much cultivated in this part, the ground being too low and damp for it to succeed well. Nevertheless we saw some vineyards on the heights. Throughout the country the vegetation is of incredible richness and vigor; but the last wars had left traces which nothing but a long peace could efface.