"The Emperor sharply reproached Lucien for his marriage, and the argument became so heated that the Emperor reproached him for having married a widow, to which Lucien replied, 'And you too have married a widow [Josephine], but mine is neither old nor smelly.'"
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[NAPOLEON I] – Jean CHAPTAL (1756-1832)
Autograph manuscript – My memories.
One and a half pages in folio. No place or date.
A curious manuscript by Chaptal testifying to a memorable outburst of anger from Napoleon against his brother Lucien.
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“ I have never seen the First Consul so agitated by anger as he was when he learned that his brother Lucien had married in Senlis the widow of Jouberthon, a stockbroker in Paris. He ordered me to fetch the notary and instruct him to bring his register, which was done. The notary arrived, and I escorted him to Saint-Cloud at 9:00 a.m. Here is the exact dialogue that took place between the Emperor and the notary :”
The emp . Is it you, sir, who received my brother's marriage certificate?
The note . Yes, citizen, First Consul .
The emperor . Did you not know that he was my brother?
The notary . Non-citizen 1st Consul .
The employer . So you didn't know that my consent was required to validate
The not . I don't think so. Your brother has been of age for a long time, he has held important positions, he has been a minister and an ambassador, he has no father, he is free to contract.
The emperor . But he has a mother whose consent was required.
The notary . No, he is of legal age and a widower.
The emperor . But I am sovereign and as such I had to give my consent.
The notary . You are only sovereign for 10 years; no act binds your family to you.
Emp . Show me this marriage certificate.
The note . Here it is.
The first consul read the document and, in closing the register, he almost tore the page that contained it.
The emperor . I will have this act overturned.
The not . It will be difficult because it is well cemented and everything is planned for it.
The emp . Go away.
The notary withdrew with his register without having been disturbed for a moment.
The Emperor strongly reproached Lucien for his marriage and the argument became so heated that the Emperor reproached him for having married a widow, to which Lucien replied and you too have married a widow [Josephine], but mine is not old nor smelly.
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Chemist and politician, Jean-Antoine CHAPTAL was admitted as a doctor in Montpellier in 1777 and professor of chemistry at the Montpellier School of Medicine.
Summoned to Paris to work for the Ministry of National Defense, he managed the Grenelle gunpowder factory, contributed to the organization of the École Polytechnique, and resumed his professorship in Montpellier. Elected a member of the Institut de France in 1798, he returned to Paris to work in the manufacture of chemical products. A State Councillor under the Consulate, he was appointed Minister of the Interior by the Emperor in 1801, and later became a senator and Count of the Empire.