Humblecountrypleasureswillenliventhemonotonyofmyfuture。Itshallbemyambitiontoenlargetheoasisroundmyhouse，andtogiveitthelordlyshadeoffinetrees。Myturf，thoughProvencal，shallbealwaysgreen。Ishallcarrymyparkupthehillsideandplantonthehighestpointsomeprettykiosque，whence，perhaps，myeyesmaycatchtheshimmeroftheMediterranean。Orangeandlemontrees，andallchoicestthingsthatgrow，shallembellishmyretreat；andtherewillIbeamotheramongmychildren。ThepoetryofNature，whichnothingcandestroy，shallhedgeusround；andstandingloyallyatthepostofduty，weneedfearnodanger。Myreligiousfeelingsaresharedbymyfather-in-lawandbytheChevalier。
Ah!darling，mylifeunrollsitselfbeforemyeyeslikeoneofthegreathighwaysofFrance，levelandeasy，shadedwithevergreentrees。
ThiscenturywillnotseeanotherBonaparte；andmychildren，ifI
haveany，willnotberentfromme。Theywillbeminetotrainandmakemenof——thejoyofmylife。Ifyoualsoaretruetoyourdestiny，youwhooughttofindyourmateamongstthegreatonesoftheearth，thechildrenofyourReneewillnotlackazealousprotectress。
Farewell，then，formeatleast，totheromancesandthrillingadventuresinwhichweusedourselvestoplaythepartofheroine。Thewholestoryofmylifeliesbeforemenow；itsgreatcriseswillbetheteethingandnutritionoftheyoungMastersdel’Estorade，andthemischieftheydotomyshrubsandme。Toembroidertheircaps，tobelovedandadmiredbyasicklymanatthemouthoftheGemenosvalley——