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264 coach (petites voitures), her daughter Hortense was apprenticed to a dressmaker, and her son to a carpenter; this was either very philosophical or very unmotherly of her, since she could find means for her toilette, which, at all periods, was ever that of a courtesan. Well,' said I to Bonaparte, 'since you are seriously asking my advice, I will answer you in your own words; why should you not? Your brother Joseph has shown you the way to marriage; the X―― dowry has put an end to his financial straits. You tell me that you are at your wits' end for money, and that you cannot afford to lose any more time over the matter; well, then, marry; a married man has a standing in society, and can better resist the attacks of his enemies; you think you have many of them amongst the Corsicans; if you have luck you will make friends of them, beginning with Saliceti, whom you dread. There is nothing like success to win over everybody to one's side.

next passage I shall quote has a certain comic force that almost relieves its black guardism:

"A few days later it was Madame Beauharnais' turn to come and confide in me. Actuated as she was by motives of interest, she did not display