Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-06-21
81, 1852.

vember 1909. The Emperor and Empress
dined at Fontaihbleau alone. She seems to
have had presentiment that her doom was
sealed, for all that day she had been in her re-
tn ed apartment. weeping bitterly. Asthe DIM
ner hour approached, she bathed her swollen
eyes. and tried to regain ccmposure. They
sat down in silence. Napoleon did not speak.
Josephine could not trust her voice to utter
word. Neither ofthem feigned TO eat. Course
after course was brought in. and removed un-
touched. A mortal paleness revealed the an
guish Of each heart. Napoleon in his embar-
rassment. mechanically. apparently uncon-
sciously. kept striking his glass with his knife.
while lost in thought. A more melancholy
meal was probably never witnessed. The at
tendsnts around the table caught the infection.
and gazed in motionless silence. At last the
ceremony Of dinner was over, the attendants
were dismissed. and Napoleon and Josephine
were alone. Another moment Of most painful
silence cnsued. when the Emperor. pale as
death. and trembling in every nerve, arose and
approached Josephine. He took her hand,
and placing it upon his heart, said:
Josephine! my own good Josephine! you
know how ] have loved you. 1t is to you a.
lone that owe the few moments ofhappiness
| have known in this world. Josephine! my
destiny is stronger than my love. NV dearest
affection must yield to the interest of France ["
Josephine's brain reeled; her blood ceased to
circulate; she tainted; and fell liieless upon
the floor Napoleon, alarmed. threw open the
door Of the saloon, and called for help. At
tendants from the ante rooms Immediately en-.
tered. Napoleon took taper from the man.
81.
trembling motioned to the Count de Beau
mont to take the Empress in his arms She
was still unconscious of everything; but began
to murmur, in tones ofangush.
''Oh, no! you cannot surely do iti You
would not surely kill met"
The Emperor led the way through a dark
passage to the private staircase which conduct.
ed TO the apartment of the Empress. The az.
itaiion of Napoleon seemed now to increase
He uttered some incoherent sentences about a
violent nervous attack - and. finding the
stairs too steep and narrow for the Count de
Beaumont to bear the body of the helpless
Josephine unassisted The gave the light to an
attendant. and supporting her limbs himself,
they reached the door Of her bed room. Ma.
poleon, then dismissed his male attendants, and
laying Josephine upon her bed. rang for her
whiting women. He hung over her with an
expression of the most intense affection and
anxiety, until she began to revive. But the
moment consciousness seemed returning he
left the room. Napoleon did not even throw
himself upon his bed that night. He paced
the floor until the dawn OF the morning. The
royal surgeon, Corvisart, passed the night At
the bedside of the Empress. Every hour the
al -
her door to inquire concerning her situation.
.'On recovering from my swoon," says JOS
ephine, IL perceived that Corvisart was in at
tendance. and my poor daughter. Hortense.
weeping ever me. No! no! l cannot describe
the horror of my situation during that night
Eventhe interest he affected TO take in my
sufferings, seemed to me sdditional cruelty!-
How much reason had l to dread becoming
an Empress!''
A fortnight now passed away, during which
Napoleon and Josephine saw hut little Of each
other. During this time. there occurred. the
anniversary of the coronation, and of the victo.
ry of Austerlitz. Paris was filled with rejoic.
ing. The bells rang their merriest peals.-
The metropolis was refulgent with illumina.
tons. In these festivities Josephine was com.
PEELED to appear. She knew that the sover.
eigns and princes then assembled in Paris
were informed Of her approaching disgrace
In all these sounds Of triumph she heard bul
the knel Of her own doom. And though 9
careful observer, in her moistened eye and
palid cheek, would have observed indication.
of the secret woe which was consuming her
heart. her habitual afFability and grace never
in public, for one moment forsook her. Hor.
Ia nd rk ,.:,l
her mother. Eugene was also summoned
from Itsly by the melancholy duty attending
the divorce. His first interview was with his
mother. From the saloon he went directly to
the cabinet of Napoleon. and inquired Of the
Emperor ifhe had decided the question of a
divorce from his mother. Napoleon. who was
most strongly attached to Eugene, made nc
reply, but pressed his hand. as an expression
that it was SO. Eugene withdrew his hand
and said
"Sire, in that case, permit me to Withdraw
from your service"
"How!" exclaimed Napoleon. sadly, twill
you Eugene. my adopted son, leave met"
"Yes. sire." Eugene firmly replied, "The
son Of her who is no longer Empress canno,
remain Viceroy. will follow my mother in
to her retreat. She must now find her conso
latiOn in her children"
Napoleon was not without feelings. Tear,
filed his eyes. In mournful voice. ,remu
lous with emotion. he replied:
Eugene you know tho stern necessity
which conpels this measure. And will yot
forsake met Who, then-should have sor
the object Of my desires and preserver Of my
interests-who would watch over the chile
when I am ABSENT If die, who will prove
to him father3 Who vii! bring him up
Who will make man of himi'
Eugene was deeply affected. aud taking
Napoleon's arm they retired and conversed
long time together. The noble Josephine
ever sacrificing her own feelings to promote
the happiness of others urged her son to re-
main the friend ofNspolcon.
The Emperor" she said ''is your benefac.
tor-your more than father-to whom you are
indebted for everything. and to whom. there
fore. you owe boundless obedience.
The fatal day for the contamination Of the
divorce at length arrived. 1t was the fifteenth
day Of December, eighteen hundred and nine
Napoleon had assembled all the kings, prin.
ces princesses. who were members Of the I'm.
perial family. and also the most illustrious Of
6cers Of the empire. in the grand saloon of the
Tuilleries, Every individual present was op
pressed with the melancholy grandeur Of the
occasion. Napoleon thus addressed them:
"Thc political interests Of my monarchy. the
wishes Of my people, which have constantly