After Austria and Russia successively rejected France, Napoleon III felt a secret thrill of satisfaction. It was just that his marriage would have to settle for second best—an alliance with some minor kingdom's royal house. Louis Napoleon did not think that would be difficult.
Yet reality swiftly dealt him a crushing blow. The royal houses of those small states were not nearly as eager to flock to the House of Bonaparte as he had imagined.
In fact, after rejecting Napoleon III, Nicholas I had even deliberately issued a lengthy screed condemning the House of Bonaparte, calling them nouveaux riches and toads lusting after swan flesh.
And at this moment, Louis Napoleon could not afford to retaliate. Seeing the House of Bonaparte rejected in turn by the House of Habsburg and the House of Romanov, the royal families of those small states were likewise unwilling to marry into it, terrified of angering Austria and Russia.
Paris, Élysée Palace.
Louis Napoleon casually crumpled the House of Nassau's reply into a ball and said helplessly, "What a pack of short-sighted fools."
"Your Majesty, this is all my fault. I never imagined matters would develop to this point."
Alexander Colonna Walewski said self-reproachfully.
Yet Louis Napoleon was remarkably broad-minded at that moment, even turning to comfort Alexander Colonna Walewski instead.
"My brother, please do not blame yourself. This is not your fault. Those hidebound fools will sooner or later be swept by us into the dust of history.
Our family's nobility needs no proof from them!"
"But the people will not see it that way."
As an illegitimate son himself, Alexander Colonna Walewski was exceptionally sensitive about status and bloodline.
"I told you, my brother. We need not care about the eyes of others."
In truth, Napoleon III had never lacked women at his