Page:History of the Empress Josephine (1).pdf/14

14 the barriers of etiquette, has been respected like a sanctuary."

Josephine, on all oeeasions, evineed a strong desire to be permitted to aeeompany her husband on his military expeditions. On his part, Napoleon loved to indulge this wish; and they differed only as to its being always possible. On one occasion, however, after promising to take the empress, something having occurred to alter his intention, and to require speed, he resolved on departing privately without his companion. Fixing, aecordingly, one o'clock in the morning, the hour when she was most likely to be asleep, for the time of setting out, he was just about to step into the carriage, when Josephine, in a most piteous plight, threw herself into his arms. By some means, she had obtained information of what was going forward, and called her women; but impatient of any delay, had got up without waiting for them, and throwing about her the first drapery she could lay hands up- on, had rushed down stairs. A moment later, and Napoleon would have been off like lightning; but he could rarely withstand the tears of his wife, so, placing her along the bottom of the carriage, he eovered her with his travelling pelisse, giving orders himself about the clothes and proper attendants of the empress.

But we must now revert to the domestie privacy of the empress. From about midday till half-past two or three o'eloek was passed by the empress in her apartments, working, eonversing, and reading with her ladies. We have already mentioned how beautifully Josephine embroidered, and this accomplishment eontinued to be her ehief amusement, much of the most splendid farniture in the various palaces being eovered with pieees exeeuted by her own hand, with the assistance of her ladies. While the rest were at work, one of the ladies, permanently appointed to the office of reader, read aloud at such tnnes as conversation was not preferred. When any literary produetion gave more than usual pleasure, it was immediately begun from the commencement, and perused a second time. The volumes selected were interesting but useful books, from the standard writers, and