My deepest respects to the Emperor
This must be a brief note, under the circumstances.
I have the greatest of admiration for you, the greatest individual France
has produced in recent times.
No matter what they say, no matter the rumours and the malicious lies spread
about you, both by foreign powers and even those amongst the French, I shall
always hold you in the highest esteem.
Over many years, I have asked for permission, first from my parents and after
marriage from my husband, to write to you or to see you but only now have
circumstances allowed me the opportunity to do so. It is now impossible for
me to visit you; so I write this letter.
I realize I am almost asking here for a miracle, but I do wish so desperately
that this letter will reach you in St Helena.
All I ask is that you instruct a poor woman, for both my sake and my children,
how one may achieve a life of distinction; how one may achieve the things
one wants in one’s life... In short, how one may be successful so that
at an appropriate time one can look back on one’s life and say, I achieved
what I wanted to, and I have had a successful life…I’ve had many
aspirations and dreams, and I’ve fulfilled them. I have led the good
life...So that one can say I made my life a success. I am - content. I am
happy….
I shall value your words and share them with my children.
A humble woman and mother
Laure
-extract from Laure Writes to Napoleon by Raj Arumugam