The young girls who have been brought up at Ecouen, or in my boarding-school at St.Germain, are thoroughly acquainted with everything relating to household business, and they are grateful to me for having made that a part of their education.

In my conversations with them I have always taught them that on domestic management depends the preservation or dissipation of their fortunes.' "The post-master of Ecouen was in the courtyard at the moment when the Emperor, as he stepped into his carriage, told me he would send some sweetmeats for the pupils.

I immediately communicated to them the intelligence, which was joyfully received; but the sweetmeats were looked for in vain.

When Alexander set out for England he changed horses at Ecouen, and the post-master said to him: 'Sire, the pupils of Ecouen are still expecting the sweetmeats which your Majesty promised them.' To which the Emperor replied that he had directed Saken to send them.

The Cossacks had most likely devoured the sweetmeats, and the poor little girls, who had been so highly flattered by the promise, never tasted them." "A second house was formed at St.Denis, on the model of that of Ecouen.
Perhaps Madame Campan might have hoped for a title to which her long labours gave her a right; perhaps the superintendence of the two houses would have been but the fair recompense of her services; but her fortunate years had passed her fate was now to depend on the most important events.
Napoleon had accumulated such a mass of power as no one but himself in Europe could overturn.