Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-02-07
NAPOLEON'S COURTsHsEP,

Miss Muhlbach's " Empress Josephine
contains the following fanciful but inter-
esting account of the courtship Of Napo-
leon and Josephine:
Josephine was not alone when Bona
parte was announced and when the SER
want named him she could not repress an
inward fear, without knowing why she was
afraid. Her friends who noticed her
tremor and blush, laughed jesJingly at the
timidity which made her tremble at the
name OF the conqueror Of Paris, and this
was perhaps the reason why Josephine re-
ceiyed Gen. Bonaparte with less compla-
cency than she generally showed to her
suitors. ,---s .g---g-~ .,.~-.. ~---v. se-~sa
Arnid the general silence of all those
present, the young General (26 years old)
entered the drawing room OF the Viscount-
ess Beauharnais; and this silence, however
flattering it might be to his pride, caused
him slight embarrassment He therefore
approached the beautiful widow with
certain abrupt and perplexed manner, and
spoke to her in that hasty and imperious
tone which might become q general, but
which did not seem appropriate ina lady's
saloon. Gen. Pichegru, who stood near
Josephine, smiled, and even her amiable
countenance was overspread with slight
expression of scorn as she fixed her beau
tiful eyes on this pale, thin little man,
whose long, smooth hair fell in tangled
disorder on either side of his temple over
his sallow, hollow cheeks; whose whole
sickly and gloomy appearance bore so Lit.
tie resemblance 10 the majestic figure OF
the lion to which he had been so often
compared after his success of the thir-
tenth Vendemaire. 49, A
81 perceive, General" suddenly ex-
claimed Josephine, " that you are sorry it
was your duty to fill Paris once more with
blood and horror. You would undoubtedly
have preferred not to be obliged to carry
out the bloody orders of the affrighted
Convention ?" M
"That is very possible" said he "But
what can you expect, Madame? We mill
tary men are but the automatons which
the government sets in motion according
to its good pleasure; we know only how
to obey; the sections, however, cannot but
congratulate themselves that / have spared
them so much. Nearly all my cannon
were loaded only with powder. l wanted
to give a little lesson to the Parisians.
The whole affair was nothing but the i'm
press of my seal on France. Such Skin
mishes are only the vespers of my fame"
Josephine felt irritated, excited by the
GOODNESS with which Napoleon spoke of
the slaughter of that day; and her eyes,
otherwise so full Of gentleness, were now
inf1amed with flashes of anger.
ooh" cried she, " if you must purchase
fame at such price, I would sooner you
were one of the victims"
Bonaparte looked at her with astOnish-
ment, but as he perceived her flushed cheek
and flashing eyes, the sight of her beauty
ravished him.. and soft, pleasant smile
suddenly illuminated his cOuptenance.
He answered her violent attack by light
pleasantly, and with gladstone unaffected
ness he gave to the conversation another
turn. The small, pale, gloomy General was
at once changed into young, impassioned,
amiable cGD0tSeT, whose countenance grew
beautiful under the sparkling intelligence
which animated il, and whose enchanting
eloquence made his conversation attractive
and lively, carrying with it the conviction
of superior mind.
After the visitors who had met that
morning in Josephine's drawing room had
departed, the General still remained, not
withstanding the astonished and question
ing looks of the Viscountess, paying no
attention to her remarks about the fine
weather, or her intention to enjoy aprom-
enade. p rs a e E
With rapid steps and arms folded behind
his back, he paced few times to and fro
the room then standing before Josephine,
he fixed on her searching look.
Madame" said he, suddenly, with a
kind of rough tone, 4" l have proposition
to make; give me your hand. Be my
wife?"
Josephine lookedat him, halfastonished,
half irritated "Is it a joke you are in
dulging in ?" said she.
"Ispeak in all earnestness," said Bona
parte, warmly. ",Will you do me the hon
or of giving me your hand?" 81 'ei f-'-
"Sir," said she, "who knows If l might
not be inclined to accept your distin-
guished offer, If, unfortunately, fate stood
not in the way of your wishes?''
'Fate2" said Bonaparte, with anima.I
tlon. y " ~
- eyes, fate! my General" repeated Jo-
sephine, smiling. "But let us speak no
more of this. y 1t is enough that fate for
bids me to be the wife of General Bona
parte. l can say no more. for you would
laugh at me-"
but you would laugh at me if you
could turn me away with so vague an an
: swer," cried Bonaparte, with vivacity.
II pray you explain the meaning OF your
words"
DWELL, then, General, cannot be your
wife, for l am destined to be Queen of
France-yes, perhaps more than Queen!"
1t was now Bonapartes turn to appear
astonished and irritated, and using her
own words, he said, Struggling his shout
ders, MADAME, is it a joke you are indulg-
: ing in?'s ~ AZ -
II speak in all earnestness." said jose
phine, shaking her head. Listen, then :
a negro woman in Martinique foretold my
fortune, and as her eracular words have
thus far been fulfilled, must conclude
that the rest Of her prophecies concerning
me will be realized" w ~
"And what has she prophesied to your"
asked Benaparte, eagerly. E
"She has told me: You will one day be
Queen of France! you will be still more
rs The General was silent He had re-
manned standing; but now slowly paced
the room few times, bis hands folded on
his back and his head inclined ON his
breast. Then again he stood before the
Viscountess, and his eyes rested upon her
with 9 wondrous bright and genial ex-
preston.
al bid defiance to fate" he said, some
what solemnly. This prophecy does not
frighten me away, and, in defiance to your
prophetic negro woman, |, the Republican
General, address my prayer to the future
Queen Of France; be, my wife give me
your hand. } If VOL
Josephine felt almost affrighted at the
pertinacity of the General, and sentiment
of apprehensions 7oyercame8 her as she