Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-10-18
rhc empress and the Actress.

a European reputation, Mde Contot was one
of the most remarkable, no less for her histrionic
talent than for the brlliancy OF her wit and the
suitability of her personal character. The fol.
lowing pretty mot is related Of her in connection
with the early portion of her career. The
Queen Marie Autoinette had particular desire
10 see her in a certain eharacter--that of In
Gourcrnunte-which she had never played,
aud which was in no respect suited either TO
her age at that time. Gn 1882 or to her style
ofacting. Moreover, the piece had been COM
nianded to be played on the day following that
on which the Queen had expressed her desire
10 see the character enacted by Mdle Conat.
She was, however, Gevotedly attached 10 the
Queen, and by almost incredible eXertions, she
was enabed to study and perform it within the
required time. On speaking afterwards of the
difficulty she had overcome in accomplishing
this seli-imposed task, she said" did not
know till now in what part of the human frame
The memory is situated; have now learned that
il is in the hf0rt'
During the revolutionary struggle which fol-
bowed the death os Louis XVI, Mdlle Coniat
had been intimately connected with Madame
Ne Beauharnois, who much courted the society
q celebrated artist and actors and after she be-
came the wife of the first Consul, and subse-
qucnly the Empress ofthe French, the amiable
Josephine still continued 10 receive them with a
favor almost amounting to her old friendship; so
oh tbaf bo inn E,un her in
embarrassing positions with the Emperor, from
which she found it difficult to extrcate herself.
The little history we are about to relate is one
OF The most amusing of them
One day in August.lsO5 Mdlle Contat who
was favor,e of the Empress, called to pay her
respects TO her Majesty at the Palace Of st.
Cloud; and Josephine, on taking leave Of her,
asked her to come and breakfast with her next
morning. The request, ofcourse, amounted to
command. On reflection, however, the next
morning, Josephine, felt that she had acted in.
considerably, knowing as she did the impor-
tance the Emperor attached to the due observ.
Ince of the etiquette of his court. She there.
FIRE consulted Madame de la Rochefaucault,
one of her ladies' in waiting, whom she regard.
cd az oracular in these matters, AZ to how shc
should get out of the scrape ofreceivlng an ac-
,scss to breakfast with her, yet avoid that Of
front which her kindly nature forbade her to in.
fjct on any one Madame de Ia Rochetaucault
sGrced that it was impossible her Majesty could
illil her engagement; and declared that she
saw no alternative but ,ha, of her Majesty be-
ing taken i'll Accordingly her Majesty ,1ds
taken i'll Immediately /; she had her breakfast
sent up to her in bed and Madame de la Roch.
eiaucult undertook to receive Mdle Contat on
her arrival, and explain TO her the contretemps
which must prevent her from seeing the En-.
press.
The shrcwd artistic saw at once how matters
stood, and Immediately took her leave, and was
returning to Paris in her carriage, when she
was met by the Emperor, who was coming TO
st. Cloud, and who, on recognizing her, stop
PEG his carriage and spoke to her.
An explanation OF her errand took place, and
the cause of It's being an abortive one. The
Emperor, as Contat had done, saw thro' the at.
fair Immediately, and smiling significantly, he
said to her-"lt appears then that I have come
in the very nick Of time to ill the place of my
wife. You came to breakfast with the empress
YOU will, hope, stay to breakfast with the
Emperor"
The intimation was moi to be gain.aid, and
Mdlle Con,a, returned tot the palace, where the
breakfast was most agreeable one, the Empe.
Tor playing the amiaLe in the most fascinating
manner.
In the mean time, the Empress and her Lady
os Honor had heard OF the rencontre, and were
not a little anxious as to the result for they
judged rightly that the Emperor was aware of
III that had passed.
As soon as Mde Contat had taken her
leave, the Emperor went to the apartment of
Josephine, and with his usual brnsquerie, ad.
dressed her as follows MADAM, when one
Commits an error it is always better to hear the
consequences of It boldly, than to throw them
upon others shoulders. The case of Mdlle
Contat is one which should have reminded you
that Louis Quatorze, once felt himself called
upon to sit down to table with Moliere. hap
pcned in the present instance 10 arrive in time
10 repair the error but must really beg you
10 observe that my time is too much occupied
10 admit of its being employed in repaying
debts incurred by other people"
Josephine saw that Napoleon was really an
CRY, and che wept-sn appeal which never fail
ed TO touch NaPoiesn, who, instead of return,
ing to Paris immediately, as he had intended