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Rh by admitting her even to the ministerial council-chamber. In 1856, at the age of sixteen, she met Maximilian, who, passionately fond of travelling, had from Egypt drifted through France in this direction. It was purely a love affair; yet not altogether displeasing to the king from a diplomatic standpoint, for he readily granted his consent, and in the following year they were united. As consort of the governor-general of Lombardy, she gave ample evidence of her training in state matters, and became the admired counsellor, while the practice of christian virtues endeared her to the people.

Meanwhile affairs in Mexico continued, with French coöperation, to unfold an ever more and more flattering aspect for the imperial cause. Juarist guerrilla forces hovering in and around the lake valley were defeated one after another, and the large command under Lejoa was routed on the road to Cuernavaca by General Vicario, with a loss of nearly three hundred men and a large quantity of stores. This was followed on July 29th by the fall of Cuernavaca, a natural stronghold captured by a well-calculated charge. The republicans with indomitable energy formed anew after every defeat, and during the following month, into September, we find Fragoso, Ugalde, and other chiefs descending now on one place, now on another, sacking and burning, or attacking some convoy and harassing larger forces. When a place