Chapter 19 - Page 2

was not a citizen. Everybody addressed
him as he pleased. Louis Philippe called him "Highness,"
M. Boulay de la Meurthe "Sire" or "Your Majesty,"
Alexandre Dumas "Monseigneur," I addressed him as
"Prince," and my wife called him "Monsieur." On his
card he wrote "General Bonaparte." In his place I would
have understood his position. King or nothing.

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RELATED BY KING JEROME.

In the evening of the day following that on which
Jerome, recalled from exile, returned to Paris, he had
vainly waited for his secretary, and feeling bored and
lonely, went out. It was at the end of summer (1847).
He was staying at the house of his daughter, Princess
Demidoff, which was off the Champs-Elysées.

He crossed the Place de la Concorde, looking about him
at the statues, obelisk and fountains, which were new to the
exile who had not seen Paris for thirty-two years. He
continued along the Quai des Tuileries. I know not what
reverie took possession of his soul. Arrived at the Pavillon
de Flore, he entered the gate, turned to the left, and began
to walk up a flight of stairs under the arch. He had gone
up two or three steps when he felt himself seized by the
arm. It was the gatekeeper who had run after him.

"Hi! Monsieur, monsieur, where are you going?"

Jerome gazed at him in astonishment and replied:

"Why, to my apartments, of course!"

Hardly had he uttered the words, however, when he
awoke from his dream. The past had bewitched him for a
moment. In recounting the incident to me he said:

"I went away shamefacedly, and apologizing to the porter."