The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1841-06-08

She uttered piercing scream, and reeled back
ward, for she had risen from her seat IN excite
ment. Napoleon caught her in his arms, and
laid hor gently upon the carpet Her agony was
TOO deep for words, and she could only weep and
groan in bitter Of spirt. He stepped TO tho
door and called Baussee. -They raised her in their
arms, and bore her to her chamber Her women
were Immediately summoned. and she was resign
ed to their care, Napoleon RETIRED greatly agita-
ted, De Bausse. followed; tears also in his eyes;
for Josephine, by her goodness, all hearts. Ma
poIeon stopped moment outside to listen to her
groans of anguish He related what had occurred.
"The interests Of France, he continued, address
sing De Dausset; "and my dynasty does violence
to my heart, the divorce becomes n rigorous duty.
I am more afflicted by what has happened to Jose
phine, because three days ago she must have heard
il from Hortensia. The unhappy obligation which
condemns to separate myself from her, de-
pore with all my heart but thought she possess
ed more strength Of character, and was not pre-
pared for these bursts Of grief"
They hurr, ed away. Conscience, ever faith.
full conscience was already performing its duty;
he felt its just upbraidings. He essayed 10 stiAe it,.
II was this that led him To utter such language TO
De Bausset--io assert that she possessed strength
of character sufficient to receive the announcement
without those bursts OF grief-What virtuous and
affectiouate woman could receive with calmness n
sentence of reputation: and that too from the
tongue of a beloved husband? her heart must have
become as stone.
On the sixteenth day OF December, 1902, the
law authorizing the divorce enacted by the
conservative Senate. In the following March the
nuptiaIs between Napoleon and Marie Louisa were
performed ut Vienna; and the frs day Of pril
a little more than four months after the scene a.
hove described, they were joined in wedlock In
the city of Paris, 10y his uncle, Cardinal Fesch.
Thus was consummaied that net which cast n
shade upon tho character of "the erea, Napoleon, "
which time can efface blot, deep and in
delibIe that will remain whilst his lives :
mong men. 1t was act CO n trary TO The laws oil
! God and humanity
One wrong &c ton will often tarnish whole lie
We may admire his bravery, nd courage, his vast
conception of Mind, his gigantic intellect his M.
poralleed energy, his perseverance, and his deter
! minulion of chnIacter,-hut when we turn Ia
this dark page in his history, admiration vanishes
and Contempt and disgust usnrp its place 1t was
indeed act unworthy Of the man, and thai
admits OF no palliation. 1t France the
sacrifice, rs he termed il, made; it was To am
! bition, And may not surmise that the lower
| ing fortunes which ever after were his, and ihe
| dark fitc which closed his days in a lonely island
! far oil on tho bosom OF the ocean, in some
measure, acts of divine retribution, which this
Of his called forth.
| Long years after the nee of the foregoing
events, and when Napoleon more
Europe, --whon Louis the XVIII seated or
The throne of France, lie grand Monarqne
prisoner, confined for lie the island of ST. Hels
na--the lovely and accomplished Josephine, the in
| jured wife-endcd u virtuous life ut the villa OF
Malmaison, near ST. German, WHITTIER she had re
,iredafier the divnrce. Her disease attribute
TO disease of tho body; but it is likely that it was
not altogether that al least secret sorrow had
so weakened and enfeebed her mortal frame that
the least rude touch of disease overthrow the
ture. Differently died The iepudiator and the repu
| dated.