There is an interesting story about Marechale Lefebvre, whom the Marshal had married when he was an NCO and she a regimental laundress.
Apparently they were attending a formal function under the Empire and one of the other guests looked at her in a disdainful manner while waiting to be introduced officially at the reception.
When she was introduced by the official responsible, the other guest looked shocked that she was a marshal's wife. She turned to him and said words to the effect of 'How's that, boy'?
Lefebvre was equally blunt when necessary and when at a reception at his own home, he heard someone complaining about the marshal's wealth and home. Lefebvre approached the offender and told him. 'Stand over there and I will take sixty shots at you with a pistol. If you survive, you can have all I own. That's what it took, more or less, for me to achieve what I have.' The complainer left in a huff and rather in a hurry.
I have no idea if these two stories are exactly true, but I have read them and have no doubt that both the marshal and marechale would indeed speak that way to those that deserved it.
There is an interesting story about Marechale Lefebvre, whom the Marshal had married when he was an NCO and she a regimental laundress.
Apparently they were attending a formal function under the Empire and one of the other guests looked at her in a disdainful manner while waiting to be introduced officially at the reception.
When she was introduced by the official responsible, the other guest looked shocked that she was a marshal's wife. She turned to him and said words to the effect of 'How's that, boy'?
Lefebvre was equally blunt when necessary and when at a reception at his own home, he heard someone complaining about the marshal's wealth and home. Lefebvre approached the offender and told him. 'Stand over there and I will take sixty shots at you with a pistol. If you survive, you can have all I own. That's what it took, more or less, for me to achieve what I have.' The complainer left in a huff and rather in a hurry.
I have no idea if these two stories are exactly true, but I have read them and have no doubt that both the marshal and marechale would indeed speak that way to those that deserved it.