The Shasta courier., 1868-03-14
COURIER
The Courtship of Napoleon and Josephine.

Josephine was not alone when General
Bonaparte was announced and when the
servant named him, she could not suppress
an inward fear, without knowing why she
was afraid. Her friends, who noticed her
tremor and blush, laughed jestingly at the
timidity which made her tremble at the name
of the conqueror of Paris. AID this was,
perhaps, the reason why Josephine received
General Bonaparte with less complaceney
than she generally showed to her visitors.
Amid the general silence of all those pres
ent the young General (twenty-six years
old) entered the drawing room of the Wis.
countess of Bauharnais and this silence,
hattering it might be to his pride caused him
a slight embarrassment. He therefore ap,
preached the widow with certain abrupt
and perplexed manner, and spoke to her in
that hasty, imperous tone which might be-
come General, but which did not seem
appropriate in lady's saloon. General
Pichegru. who stood near Josephine, smiled,
and even her amiable countenance was over
spread with a slight expression of scorn, as
she fixed her beautiful eyes on this pale, thin
little man, whose long, smooth hair fell in
tangled disorder on either side of his sallow,
hollow cheeks, whose sickly and gloomy
appearance bore so little resemblance of the
majestic figure of the lion to which he had 60
often been compared after his success of the
thirteenth Vendemaire.
81 perceive, General suddenly exclaim.
ed Josephine, g that you are sorry it was
your duty to fill Paris once more with blood
and horror. You would undoubtedly have
preferred not 10 be obliged to carry out the
bloody orders of the affrishted Convention.
Bonaparte shrugged his shoulders some
what.
. That is very possible said he, perfectly
quiet. . But what can you expect, madam
We military men are but the automatons
which the Government sets in motion accord
ing 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 cannons were
loaded only with powder. l wanted to give
a little lesson to the Parisians. The whole
affair was nothing but the impress of my
seal on France Such skirmishes are only
the yespers of my fame'' ~ =
6 Josephine felt irritated, excited by the
coldness with which Napoleon spoke Of the
slaughter of that day; and her eyes, other
wise so full of gentleness, were now animated
with flashes of anger.
Oh" said she, if you must purchase
fame at such price, | would sooner you
were one of the victims" 10
Bonaparte looked at her with astonish-
ment, but as he perceived her flushed cheeks
and flashing eyes, the sight of her grace and
beauty ravished him, and soft, pleasant
smile illumined his countenance. He an
swered her violent attack by light pleas
nntry, and with gladstone unaffectedness he
gave to the conversation another turn. The
small, pale, gloomy General was at once
changed into young, impassoned, amiable
cavalier, whose countenance grew beautiful
lnder the sparkling intelligence which ami
mated it, and whose enchanting eloquence
made his conversation attractive and lively,
CARRYING with it the conviction of a superior
mind
After the visitors who had met that morn.
ng in Josephine's drawing room had depart
ID, the General still remained, notwithstand-
ng the astonished and questioning looks Of
he Viscountess, paying no attention to her
'emarks about the fine weather, or her
Intention to enjoy promenade.
With rigid steps, and hands folded behind
lis back, he paced few times to and fro the
-oom then, standing before Josephine, he
ixed on her face searching look
Madame, = said he, suddenly, with a kind
If rough tone, l have proposition to make:
5ive me your hand; be my wife.
Josephine looked at him, half astonished,
half irritated. g Is it a joke you are indulg-
ng in ?" said she.
Il speak in all earnestness." said Bona
Darte, warmly "Will you do me the honor
'f giving me your hand?"
The gravity with which Bonaparte spoke,
The deep earnestness imprinted on his features
Josephine that the General would
not condescend to indulge in joke of so
nnseemly a character. and lovely blush
,verspread the face of the Viscountess.
!" Sir" said she, who knows if / might
not be inclined te accept your distinguished
Dtfer, if, unfortunately. fate stood not in the
way of your wishes ?"
t.Fate?p said Napoleon, with animation.
" Yes, fate! my General repeated 10.
sephne, smiling. g But let US speak no more
Of this II is enough that fate. e..forbids me to
be the wife of General Bonaparte. can say
no more. for you would laugh at rne'
g But you would laugh at me, if you would
turn me away with so vague an answerl''
said Bonaparte, with vivacity. 81 pray YOU
explain the meaning of your wordsu
wen. tucD, OeueTal, 1 cannot De your
wife, for | am destined to be the Queen of
perhaps more than Queen -
1t was now Bonapaste's turn to be aston
ished and irritated, and using her own words
he said, struggling his shoulders, " Madame,
is it joke you are indulging in ?''
I" speak in all earnestness,' - said Joseph
inc, shaking her head. Listen, then: a
negro woman in Martinique foretold nv
fortune, and as her oracular words hare thus
far all been fulfilled, must conclude that
the rest of her prophesies concerning me will
be realized"
"And what has she prophesied to you ?'
asked Bonaparte. eagerly.
"She has told ne. you will one day be
Queen of France-you will be still more than
Queen !'' ~--
The General was silent. He had remained
but now slowly paced the room
few times, his hands folded on his back, and
bis head inclined on his breast. Then again
be stood before the Viscountess, and his eyes
aested upon her with wondrously bright