The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-04-13

vate apartments FREQ from the restraints oil
. court, she would Ioiter in his private cab.
met, and he would steal in-an ever vel.
como intruder-upon the secrecy Of her
boudoir. Now reserve and restraint mark.
ed every word and movement. The pr.
vate access between their apartments was
closed. Napoleon no longer entered her
boodoir, but respectfully knocking at the
door, would wait her approach. Whenever
Josephine heard the sound Of bic approach.
ing tootsteps, tho fear TINT he was coming
with the terrible announcement If separa.
ton, Immediately caused such violent pal
pitstions Of her heart, that il was with the
utmost difficulty she could totter across the
floor, even when supporting hersclf by lean.
ing against the walls, and catching At the
articles Of furniture. They had many pri
vnte interviews. before Napoleon vcntured
to announce directly his determination, ia
which he limited at the necessity Of the
measure. From all these interviews Jose.
phine returned with her eyes 80 swollen
with weeping % to give her attendants the
erroneous impression that personal violence
was used to compel her to assent. "He &C
complished bis resolution" said Josephine
"with . cruelty Of which no idea csn be
formed" il was, however, the cruelty oil
the decoration ofh heart and the crushing
Of oil her hopes. 'ln what stupor, in what
uncertainty, more cruel than death, did
live during these discussions, until the "a
tal day in which he avowed the resolution
which bad % long rend in his counse
nance"
The fatal day for the announcement .,
length arrived. Josephine appears to have
had somo prescntlment TINT her doom val
scaled, for ell the day she had heen in hel
private apartment, weeping bitterly. Al
the dinner hour approached, to conceal heI
weeping aud swollen eyes she wore head
dress with deep front, which shaded the
whole ofthe upper part Of her face. They
dined alone. Napoleon entered the room
in the deepest embarrassment. He utter
ed not a word, but mechanically struck tho
edge Of his glass with his knife. as il to di.
vert bis thoughts. Josephine could no,
conceal the convulsive agitation Of hcI
frame. They sat during the whole men
in silence. The various courses were
brought in, and removed untouched BY ei
Their. Says Josephine, "Wc dined togclh
e. ~ usual. ] struggled with my tears
which, Notwithstanding every cifori, over
flowed from my eyes; uttered not ringlt
word during that solitary meal; and h,
broke silence but once, 10 nsk m attendant
about tho weather. Ny sunshine, saw
had passed away the storm burst quickly
Immediately after this sorrowful repast
Napoleon requested the attendants TO lenve
the room. The Emperor closing the dool
after them with his own hand, approaching
Josephine, who was trembling in every
nerve. The struggle in the soul Of Napo
leon was fearful. Ills whole frame trem
bled. HE countenancc assumed the ex
preston Of the firm resolve which nerves
him to this objectionable wrong. lie tool
tho hand Of the Empress, pressed il to hi
heart, gszed for . moment, spcechlcss, up
on those features which had won his youth
ful love; and then, with voice treinuloul
with The storm which shook both soul and
body, ssid-s'Josephine, my good Jose
phinc, you know ! havo loved you; il il 4
you, 70 you alone that owe the few mo
ments Of happiness have known in III.
world. Josephine, my destiny is more pow
erlul than my will. My dearest Affection
must yield to the interests Of France"
''Say no morc," exclaimed tho Empress
in mortal anguish; II expected this. un
derstaud and feel for you but the stroke il
not less morssl"-and with o piercing
Shrek she fell lifeless upon the floor.
Napoleon hastily opened tho door, ant
called for help. Ills physician, DR.. Curvi
ssrt, was at hand, and entering with o.hel
attendants, they raised the unconscious 10
scphine from the floor; who in dclirium o.
agony wss exclaiming, ''Oh! no, you can
not, you cannot do il! You would not kil
me-" Napoleon supported the limbs Of 10
sephine, while another bore her body, snt
thus they conveyed her to her bedroom
Placing the inscnsible Empress upon ID.
bed; Napoleon again dismissed the aiien
dsnts and rang for her women, who on en-
tesiog, found him bending over her lifeles,
form. with 40 expression IF the deepcs
anxiety and anguish. Napoleon slept no
that night; but paced bis room in silencs
and solitude, probably lashed by on aveng
ing conscience. He frequently during ths
night, returned to Josephins's room to 10.
quise concerning her situation; but each
time the sound Of bic footsteps and his voice
almost threw the agonized Empress int
convulsions. "No, no." says Josephine
~ cannot express the horror Of my situa
ton during that night. Even the interes
which he affected to take 10 my sufierings
seemed to me additional cruelty. Oh N,
God! How justly hsd reason to dread b
coming ~ Empresm