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tendants from the ante-room Immediately en-
tered. Napoleon took taper from the
mantel, and, uttering not word, but pale and
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 of anguish, "Oh, no you
cannot surely do it. You would not kill me"
The Emperor led the way through dark
passage to the private staircase which con-
Quoted to the apartment OF the Empress. The
agitation 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, he gave the light to an
attendant, and supporting her limbs himself,
they reached the door of her bedroom. Ma
poleon, then dismissing his male attendants,
and laying Josephine upon her bed, rang for
the waiting g.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 restless yet unrelenting Emperor, called
at her door to inquire concerning her situation.
"On recovering from my swoon," says
Josephine, 81 perceived that Corvisart was
in attendance, and my poor daughter, Hor-
tense, weeping over me. No! no! | cannot
describe the horror of my situation during
that night. Even the interest he affected to
make in my suferings, seemed to me addi-
tional cruelty. How much reason had to
dread becoming an Empress"
A fortnight now passed away, during which
Napoleon and Josephine saw but little of each
other. During this time there occurred the
anniversary of the coronation, and OF the vic
tory of Austerlitz. Paris was filled with re-
ioicing. The bells rang their merriest peals.
The metropolis was refulgent with illumina-
tions. In these festivities Josephine was
compelled to appear. She knew that the
sovereigns and princes then assembled in
Paris were informed of her approaching dis
grace. In all these sounds of triumph she
heard but the knell Of her own doom. And
though careful observer, in her moistened
eye and her palid cheek, would have observed
indications of the secret woe which was con-
suming her heart, her habitual affability and
grace never in public for one moment forsoOk
her. Hortense, languid and sorrow stricken,
was with her mother. Eugene was also su NJ
moned from Italy 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 if he had decided
the question of divorce from, his mother.
Napoleon, who was most strongly attached to
Eugene, made no reply, but pressed his hand
as On expression that it was so. Eugene
Withdrew,his hand, and saids ~ ~
"Sire in that case, permit me to withdraw
from your service
"How,n exclaimed Napoleon, sadly, will
you, Eugene, my adopted son, leave me ?"
"Yes, sire,n Eugene firmly replied. "The
son of her who is no longer Empress cannot
remain Vice.roy. l will follow my mother
into her retreat She must now find her con.
ISOLATION in her children"
Napoleon was not without feelings. Tears
filled his eyes. In a mournful voice, tremu-
lous with emotion he replied:
"Eugene, you know the stern necessity
which compels this measure. And will you
forsake me? Who theu-should have a
son, the object of my desires, and preserver
of my interests would watch over the
child when am absent? If die, who will
prove to him father? Who will bring him
up? Who is to make man of him?"
Eugene was deeply affected, and taking
Napoleon's arm, they retired and conversed a
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 Of Napoleon. The Empe-
ror," she said, sis your benefactor-your
more than father, to whom you are indebted
for everything, and to whom, therefore, you
owe boundless obedience"
The fatal day for the consummation of the
divorce at length arrived. 1t was the fit:
teeth Of December, eighteen hundred and
nine. Napoleon had assembled all the kings,
princes, and princesses who were members OF
the I'm perial family, and also the most illus.
trious officers of the Empire in the grand sa-
loon of the Tuilleries. Every individual pre-
sent vas oppressed with the melancholy gran.
deur Of the occasion. Napoleon then addressed
them:
The political interests Of my monarchy, the
wishes of my people, which have constantly
guided my actions, require that should trans.
NIT to an heir inheriting my love for the peo,,
pie the throne on which Providence has placed
me. For many years I have lost all hopes OF
having children by my beloved spouse, the
Empress Josephine. 1t is this consideration
which induces me to sacrifice the sweetest
affections Of my heart, to consult only the
good of my subjects, and desire the diSsolu.
tion of our marriage. Arrived at the age of
forty years, may indulge reasonable hope
of living long enough to rear, in the spirit OF
my own thoughts and disposition, the children
with which it may please Providence to bless
me. God know, what such determination
has cost my heart but there is no sacrifice
which is above my courage when it is proved
to be the interests Of France. Far from hay
ing any cause of complaint have nothing to
say, but in praise Of the attachment and ten.
derness of MY beloved wife. She has embel-
lished fifteen years Of my life, and the
remembrance of them will be forever en-
craven on my heart. She was crowned by
my hand. She shall retain always the rank
and title of Empress. Above all, let her
never doubt my feelings, or regard me but as
her best and dearest friend"
Josephine, her eyes filled with tears, with q
faltering voice, replied:
81 respond 10 all the sentiments of the
Emperor, in consenting to the dissolution ofa
marriage which hencetorth is an obstacle to
the happiness of France, by depriving it Of
the blessing Of being one day governed by
the descendants of that great man, evidently
raised up by Providence to efface the evils of
a terrible revolution, and to restore the altar,
the throne, and social order. But his mar
riage will, in no respect change hesentiments
of my heart. The Emperor will ever find in
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