Page:History of the Empress Josephine (1).pdf/7

Rh up a stone, she put it in her apron, and again held up her gown to us, raising the stone in the other hand; pierre (stone), I called out to her in return. Her joy was extreme on perceiving, to a certainty, that we at length understood her. Putting the stone into her gown, she, several times, and with great eagerness, made the sign of cutting a throat, and fell a-dancing and shouting. At the very moment, we heard a great noise in the corridor, and the formidable voice of the turnkey, who was speaking to his dog, and, in the act of kicking him away, cried out, 'Go, you brute of a Robespierre!' This energetic phraseology proved we had nothing to fear, and that France was saved. In fact, a few minutes after, The beheld our companions in misfortune burst into our apartment, to give us the details of that grand event! It was the 9th Thermidor! My flock bed was restored to me, and, upon this couch, I passed the most delightful night of my life. I fell asleep, after saying to my companions,- 'You see I am not guillotined- and I shall yet be queen of France.'"

We now come to the period of the marriage of Josephine with Napoleon, who was then but a young soldier of fortune. The following letter will best shew the state of her affections towards Napoleon, and the views which induced her to accept his hand.

"My dear friend,- I am urged to marry again: my friends counsel the measure, my aunt almost lays her injunctions upon me to the same effect, and my children entreat my compliance. Why are you not here to give me your advice on this important conjuncture ? to persuade me that I ought to consent to an union, which must put an end to the irksomeness of my present position? Your friendship, in which I have already experienced so much to praise, would render you clear-sighted for my interests; and I should decide without hesitation as soon as you had spoken. You have met General Bonaparte in my house. Well!- he it is who would supply a father's place to the orphans of Alexander de Beauharnois, and a husband's to this widow.

"'Do you love him?' you will ask. Not exactly. 'You then dislike him?' Not quite so bad; but I find myself in