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24 Still, Josephine, with the same angelic sweetness which had marked her whole life, endeavoured, by concealing her suffering, to soothe the anxiety of her surrounding friends. From the morning of the 26th, she appears to have been perfectly sensible of her danger; for, looking then steadily upon the physieian, and pereeiving his alarm, she silently pressed his hand in token of conseiousness and aequiescence. She even took an interest in her former oecupations; and on the 27th, when informed that the celebrated flower-painter, Redoubté, had come to draw two favourite plants in flower, she sent for him, extended her hand, then pushed him gently away, saying, 'You must not cateh my sore throat, for next week' (this was on Wednesday) 'I hope to see you advanced with a fresh masterpiece.' The preeeding night had passed in a lethargie sleep; and at ten in the morning of the 28th, the physicians, after eonsulting, deemed it proper to preparo Eugene and Hortense the final change. From those two eherished beings, whom she had loved so truly, Josephine heard a communication which thus lost all its bitterness. With pious resignation she reeeived the last rites of the Romish faith from the ministration of her grandchildren's preceptor, for the parish clergyman of Ruel happened to be absent. Late on the same day, the emperor Alexander arrived, and was shewn into the chamber of the sufferer, now evidently approaching the goal of all her sorrows. By the bed of their mother knelt Eugene and Hortense, too deeply moved to address the emperor; but at sight of a monarch whom she regarded with gratitude, Josephine seemed to acquire renewed strength, made a sign for all to approach, and said, -'At least I shall die regretted ; I have always desired the happiness of France; I did all in my power to contribute to it; and I can say with truth to all of you now present at my last moments, that the first wife of Napoleon never caused a single tear to flow.' These were her last words, for she fell immediately after into a slumber, which eontinued, uninterrupted by a scarcely audible sigh, till half-past eleven on the morning of the 29th of May, when hor gentle spirit calmly passed to a world of love and peace."