On another occasion the Emperor said he had nearly been drowned. When in garrison at Auxonne, in 1786, while he was one day amusing himself with swimming, a sudden numbness came over him; he lost his self-possession, and, being alone, he was carried along by the current in a senseless state. He felt life escape him, and even heard his comrades on the shore call out that he was drowned, and hasten in quest of boats to recover his body. In this case a sudden shock restored him to life. His breast struck against a sand-bank; and, by a miracle, his head, being above the water, he recovered himself sufficiently to swim ashore. The water was discharged from his stomach; he regained the spot where he had left his clothes, and, having dressed himself, he got home, while his friends were still in search of his body.
Another time, while hunting the wild boar at Marly, all his suite was put to flight; it was like the rout of an army. The Emperor, with Soult and Berthier, maintained their ground against three enormous boars. “We killed all three; but I received a hurt from my adversary, and nearly lost this finger,” said the Emperor, pointing to the third finger of his left hand, which indeed bore the mark of a severe wound. "But the most laughable circumstance of all was to see the multitude of men, surrounded by their dogs, screening themselves behind the three heroes, and calling out lustily:—‘_Save the Emperor! Save the Emperor!_’ while not one advanced to my assistance."
24th.—The Emperor went out only to take an airing in the calash. We drove for nearly an hour and a half, proceeding at a slow pace, and lengthened our airing by going twice over the limits of our usual ride. The Emperor conversed on politics. The newspapers, which we had received three days ago, furnished the subject of discussion.
In France, he observed, the patriots were emigrating rapidly; and there seemed to be a wish to encourage their emigration, from the circumstance of their property not having been confiscated, &c.
The Emperor thought he could perceive from the debates in the English Parliament, that there was a reserved idea respecting the partition of France; this was a severe shock to his feelings. “Every one possessing a true French heart,” said he, “must now be overwhelmed with despair. An immense majority of the population of France must be plunged in the deepest sorrow. Ah!” he exclaimed, “why am I not placed in some remote sphere, on a soil truly free and independent, where no external influence could be dreaded! how would I astonish the universe! I would address a proclamation to the French; I would say to them;—You are lost if you are not united. The odious, the insolent foreigner is about to parcel you out and to annihilate you. Frenchmen arise; make common cause, at all hazards,—rally, if it must be so, even around the Bourbons! Let the existence, the safety of France, take place of every other consideration!...”