"Duchy of Tuscany?" Empress Augusta pondered for a moment, then nodded to Jérôme. Bonaparte replied: "To be the minister of this country is indeed in line with the status of a cousin!" ”

"That's right! The Duchy of Tuscany is the second largest state in Central Italy after the Papal States, and it is not an insult to let him be a minister! "Jérôme. Bonaparte replied to Empress Augusta, "And let him leave Paris!" ”

Speaking of which, Jérôme. Bonaparte paused and said to Augusta with a hint of apology: "It's just that this appointment needs to be conveyed by you, the empress, for me!" I'm really sorry for you! ”

Augusta shook his head at Jérôme. Bonaparte replied: "Nothing! What else are the two of us going to share with each other!

By the way, what are you going to do on my father's side? ”

"It's easy!" Jérôme. The old god Bonaparte said to Empress Augusta on the ground: "The wicked have their own grinding!" All I need to do is tell my sister about this, and she'll naturally help us get rid of that female spy on my father's side! ”

Augusta listened to the white Jerome. Bonaparte glanced at it and said angrily: "You can't respect Sister Mathilde a little!" ”

"Impossible!" Jérôme. Bonaparte shook his head and flatly refused, "Between me and my sister, there is no room for turnaround!" ”

Augusta heard Jérôme. Bonaparte's reply showed a helpless expression.

"That's it! It's time to sleep! "Jérôme. Bonaparte took off his clothes and extinguished the gas lamp at the head of the bed.

After a few moments, there was a gasp in the room.

……

At noon the next day, Jérôme. Bonaparte closed the papers in his hand, got up and looked out the window at the cloudless sky, then turned and walked out of the study to the hall on the first floor of the Palazzo Douinlery.

Seeing this, Basilio in the hall hurried to Jérôme. Bonaparte asked, "Your Majesty, where are you going?" ”

"Prepare a carriage, I'm going to Princess Mathilde's mansion!" Jérôme. Bonaparte gave orders to Basilio.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Basilio hurriedly moved and began to act.

About 10 minutes later, Basilio reappeared in Jérôme. In front of Bonaparte, he reported: "Your Majesty, the carriage is ready!" ”

"Hmm!" Jérôme. Bonaparte nodded, then rode in a carriage and headed for Princess Mathilde's mansion under the escort of dragoons.

The carriage galloped all the way for about 15 minutes to reach the vicinity of Princess Mathilde's residence.

The carriage and dragoons stopped at the gate of the mansion. Bonaparte pushed open the door and walked slowly towards the Princess's Mansion.

When Jérôme. After Bonaparte knocked on the door of the Mathilde Mansion, a maid opened the door of the Mansion, "Your Majesty! ”

"My sister, Princess Mathilde, is she in the mansion now?" Jérôme. Bonaparte asked the maid.

"Your Majesty, the princess is not in the mansion now!" Maid to Jérôme. Bonaparte reported truthfully.

"And where is she now?" Jérôme. Bonaparte asked curiously.

"Her Royal Highness the Princess should be at the opera house now!" The maid addressed Jérôme in an uncertain tone. Bonaparte responded.

"The opera house? With whom? "Jérôme. Bonaparte asked again.

"Gustave. Monsieur Flaubert! "The maid to Jérôme. Bonaparte replied to the package.

"It's him!" Jérôme. Bonaparte muttered a word, and then gave the maid an order: "Can you go to the opera house and bring a message to my sister Mathilde, saying that I have something important to look for her!" ”

"Of course, Your Majesty!" The maid nodded to Jérôme. Bonaparte responded, then added: "Where's the place I'm going to find you, though?" ”

"Right here!" Jérôme. Bonaparte chopped the ground under his feet and replied to the maid, "Tell Mathilde that I am at her mansion!"

If she dares to fail to make an appointment, I will definitely demolish her mansion! ”

The maid listened to Jérôme. Bonaparte's words showed a frightened expression on his face.

"Let's go!" Jérôme. Bonaparte urged the maid to hurry up, and he swaggered into the Mathilde mansion and sat down on the sofa in the drawing-room.

Seeing this, the chief maid hurried to Jérôme. Bonaparte asked Jérôme in front of him. What Bonaparte needed.

"Give me all the valuable food you have here!" Jérôme. Bonaparte replied arrogantly to the head maid, "I must slaughter a wave of landlords today!" ”

"Yes!" The head maid obeyed Jérôme. Bonaparte's order for the preparation of a fruit plate with coffee.

On the other hand, the maid who had left the mansion quickly arrived at the door of the opera house in a horse-drawn carriage.

At this time, the opera house was crowded, and many gentlemen in bright clothes and ladies in gorgeous dresses left the opera house hand in hand.

The maid who got out of the carriage looked anxiously at the crowd, hoping to find Princess Mathilde's whereabouts.

After a while, the maid found Princess Mathilde, who was holding Gustave in her arms. Flaubert's hand walks out of the opera house.

Seeing this, the maid hurriedly ran to Princess Mathilde and said to Princess Mathilde: "Your Excellency! ”

Princess Mathilde looked at the maid, then said to the maid, "What happened?" ”

The maid looked at Gustave. Flaubert glanced at him and did not speak.

Gustave. Flaubert had no choice but to let go of Princess Mathilde's hand and walk away from Mathilde.

Then the maid approached Princess Mathilde and said to Princess Mathilde: "Your Royal Highness, Jérôme. His Majesty Bonaparte is now waiting for your return at the Mansion! ”

"Go back and tell him! I don't have time! Princess Mathilde commanded the maid.

"Your Majesty said that if you don't come back, he will demolish your mansion!" The maid replied to Princess Mathilde again.

"He dares!" Princess Mathilde yelled at the maid like a fried hedgehog.

Seeing this, the surrounding gentlemen all thought that Princess Mathilde cast puzzled and curious glances, and Princess Mathilde immediately lowered her voice and asked the maid: "In addition to what he said, he said that there was nothing to do with me without him!" ”

The maid shook her head and replied to Princess Mathilde, "Your Majesty did not say it! He just asked me to call you back! ”

"Jérôme, this guy!" Mathilde. Bonaparte muttered something in a whisper, then looked up again at Gustave in the distance. Flaubert, "Wait for me!" ”

Princess Mathilde came to Gustave. In the presence of Flaubert, he bid farewell to him.

Gustave. Flaubert had an empathetic expression on his face, "Your Highness Princess, you don't have to worry about me! I could go back on my own! ”

"I'm so sorry!" Princess Mathilde once again addressed Gustave. Flaubert apologized.

Eventually, Gustave . Flaubert and Princess Mathilde leave each other in reluctance.

Returning from the opera house to the Palazzo Mathilde at the sight of Jérôme. Bonaparte was leisurely eating a fruit bowl on the sofa and reading the newspaper when he suddenly became angry.

She quickly came to Jérôme. Bonaparte in front of him, gritting his teeth against Jérôme. Bonaparte "threatened": "What is the matter that you have called me!" If not, you're dead! ”

Anyway, Princess Mathilde waved her fist in a pretended manner.

"That's right!" Jérôme. Bonaparte told Mathilde that his father's mistress was a British spy, and Mathilde was shocked when she heard it.

"Sister, the task of breaking up my father will be entrusted to you!" Jérôme. Bonaparte patted Princess Mathilde on the shoulder and replied to Princess Mathilde.

"Why me!" Princess Mathilde looked at Jérôme with a look of resistance. Bonaparte said, "You should be able to do the same!" ”

No anti-theft

"Because you're experienced in this area!" Jérôme. Bonaparte said to Princess Mathilde: "If it were me, others would be surprised!" It is not good for my reputation that a dignified emperor can't tolerate a mistress!

And you're different, you've helped your father expel a lot of bewitching goods!

There's nothing wrong with going and expelling one more! ”

"You ......," Princess Mathilde pointed to Jérôme. Bonaparte was speechless for a long time, and then he defended: "I was also thinking about our family!" ”

"Now please think of me too! Expel that British spy! "Jérôme. Bonaparte folded his hands and pleaded with Princess Mathilde: "Please! ”

Princess Mathilde hesitated for a moment, then said to Jérôme. Bonaparte replied, "Yes, but I need you to promise me one condition!" ”

"What conditions!" Jérôme. Bonaparte asked Princess Mathilde.

"I have a friend Gustave. Flaubert...... Can you ......" Princess Mathilde hinted at Jérôme. Bonaparte said.

Jérôme. Bonaparte hurriedly nodded to Princess Mathilde and said, "Don't worry! The Imperial Audit will not be on Mr. Flaubert's head!

If his reputation could be improved on what he already had, he would be invited to the École Française!

So be it! ”

"Yes!" Princess Mathilde nodded to Jérôme. Bonaparte responded.

"Father's side will be handed over to you!" Jérôme. Bonaparte replied to Mathilde, then shoved the last orange in his mouth and walked away.

Princess Mathilde looked at the mess on the table, shook her head and said to herself, "Really! ”

……

Return to Jérôme at the Palazzo Tuinlery. Bonaparte met with Augusta, who told Jérôme. Bonaparte: Pierre. Madame Bonaparte had already persuaded her husband of the request to serve as ambassador to Florence.

"That's great!"