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 HISTOPY OF THE EMIRDSS JOSETITINE. 23

gentle medicine, and the cmpress resumed her ordinary occu- pations, though evidently without the usual enjoyment. Some days after, Lord Beverley, with his two sons, break- fasted at Malmaison ; and to this nobleman Josephine ex- pressed herself warmly on the generosity of the English, who at that time, she said, alone spoke of Napoleon in a becoming manner. She complained bitterly of the ingratitude of those who, not satisfied with abandoning his falling fortunes, over- whelmed his memory with calumny. On the 10th, Alexander, with several distinguished foreigners, dined at Malmaison. Josephine, despite a headache and cold shiverings, which she laboured to conceal, did the honours of the table, and in the evening attempted even to take a part in a game of "prison- ers!' on the beautiful lawn in front of her residence. To anxious enquiries, however, she continued to reply, with a faint smile, which belied the assurance, 'that she was only fatigued, and would be well to-morrow,' To-morrow came, but Jo- sephine was evidently worse, and for fourteen days, her com- plaint, without assuming any definite form, or rendering abso- lute confinement necessary, was frequently attended at night with fainting, and sometimes a wandering of the mind, more from anxiety than delirium. On the 24th, the empress had a slight attack of sure throat, but otherwise ralied so much as to insist on receiving the emperor of Russia and the king of Prussia, who were engaged to dine with her on that day. She did, ac- cordingly, appear, but was forced to retire ; and Hortense, who never left Malmaison during her mother's illness, took her place at table. Thenceforward, the disease assumed a most alarming character, exhibiting symptoms of a gangrenous quinsy, and its progress became fearfully rapid. On the morn- ing of the 25th, Alexander returned, and, filled with anxiety at the alteration in Josephine's appearance, requested per- mission to send his own physician. This the empress declin- ed but she was attended by her own, and the two physicians protes to the households of her son and daughter. On the maglit of the 26-27th, a blister was applied between the shoul- ders, and synapisms to the feet; but though these gave some relief from pain, they effected no impression on the disease,