Prince Hatzfeld was governor of Berlin for the king of Prussia when Napoleon's troops entered the city in 1806. The French having discovered that the prince continued to give the Prussian government information, Napoleon ordered a court-martial to try him as a spy.
The wife of the prince, being informed of her husband's danger, hastened to the palace and appeared all in tears before Napoleon. Touched by her distress, Napoleon told her to approach, and handed her some papers. "Well, do you recognise the handwriting of your husband?" he asked. "Now read and judge whether he is guilty or not."
On beholding these documents, the unfortunate lady knew not what to reply. Presently, however, taking care to cheer her, Napoleon added, "Throw the documents into the flames, and the military commission will have no evidence to convict him."
一八零六年，拿破崙率軍入柏林，當時的柏林總督是哈茨費德公爵，本由普魯士國王委任。法軍發覺，哈茨費德繼續向普魯士政府傳送情報；拿破崙於是下令召開軍事法庭，準備以間諜罪名審訊哈茨費德。
哈茨費德夫人聽到丈夫有難，連忙前往王宮，見到拿破崙，涕泗交流。拿破崙見她那樣苦惱，中心不忍，叫她走近，把一些文件交給她，問道：「你認得丈夫的筆迹嗎？你自己讀讀，看他是不是罪有應得。」
可憐的哈茨費德夫人看到那些文件，不知道該怎樣回答。不過，拿破崙為求她寬心，隨即說：「把文件扔進火爐裏吧。這樣，軍事委員會就不會有證據把他定罪。」