The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-11-13
10. Can 7, therefore, hope tha. this pas.

Is 4
sion which In Gen. Bonaparte. resemoirss
an attack Of madness, Will last long' "a
after our union he should cease to loNe
me, would he not reproach me for wnat
he had d0ncP Would he not regret thnt
he had not made another and more DrIo
liant union? What could / then answer!
What could I do? ! could weep. "A
splendid remedyw ! hear you say. l
know well that weeping Is useless, but 10
weep has been the only resource when
could find when my poor heart, so eas"y
wounded, has been hurt. Write to me u u
long letter. and do not fear to scold me !, !,
You think am wrong. You know wen
that every thing which comes from yov
Is agreeable to me-"
After their marriage and the successmi
campaign In Italy, the happy couple en-
joyed each others society for a brief time,
at MonteQello, and then occurred the ioi-
lowing characteristic scene:
NAPOLEON SITTING FOR MS PORTRAIT.
All Italy didhomsgeto the conqneror,
and II was, therefore, very natural that
sculptors and painters should erdeavor 10
draw some advantage from this enthlis.,
iasm for Its dellverer, and that they should
endeavor to represent to the admirers OF
Bonaparte his peculiar form and counte-
nance.
But Bonaparte did not like to have his
portrait painted. The staring watchful
gaze Of an artist was an annoyance to
him; II made him restless and anxious, rs
II he feared that the scrutlnlzlng look OF
his face might read the secrets Of his soul.
Yet at J0sephlne's tender and pressing
request he had consented to It's being tar
en- by n young painter, Le GrOs. whose
distinguished talent had been brought to
his notice.
Le Gros came therefore, to MOntebcllo,
happy In the thought that he could IN.
mOrtallze himself through successful
portrait of the hero whom ho hOnored
with all the enthusiasm of a young heart.
But he waited In vain three days for
Bonaparte to give him n sitting. The
General had not one instant to spare for
the unfortunate young artist.
At last, ut JOsephine's pressing request,
BOnaparte consented on the fourth day to
sit for him one-quartcr of an hour amer
breakfast. lie Gr0s came, therefore, tie
lighted. ut the time appointed, Into the
cabinet of Josephine, and had his easel
would sit In the armchair opposite. But.
alas! the painters hopes were not to be
realized. The General could not bring
himself TO sit In that armchair, doing
nothing but keeping his head quiet so that
the painter might copy his features. lie
had no sooner been seated than he sprang
up suddenly, anil declared 1t was quite
impossible to endure such martyrdOhi. =,
lie GrOs dared not repeat his request, but
with tears In his eyes gathered up his
painting materials. Josephine smiled.
II see very WE'LL" said she, "tllat l must
have recourse to extraordinary means to
save for me and for posterity portrait OF
the hero Of Arc0la." :,
She sat down I'm tho arm chair, and beck
oned to lie Gros to have his easel In rea.
dlness. Then with q tender voice she
called Napoleon to her, and opening both
arms. she drew him down on her lap. and
In this way she induced hlm to sit down
quietly a few moments and allow the
painter the sight of his face; thus ena-
bling him to sketch the portrait.
At the end of this peculiar sitting, 10.
naparte smillngly promised that he would
next day grant the painter second one,
provided Josephine would again have the
'cAtTuOIuluhJ e'sN
sentcd, an.bf6n four DIS III suGeeS Ss.oi;
Gros was enabled to st before him quak
ter of an hour and throw upon his can.
vass the features OF the General, while hc
quietly sat OIL Josephine's lap.
This picture, which Le Gros thus paint
ed, thanks to the sweet ruse of Josephine,
and which was scattered throughout Eu.
rope In coppcr-plate prints, represented
BOnaparte, with uncovered head, holding
a standard In his hand, and with Ills face
turned toward his soldiers. calling on
them to follow him rs he dashed on the
bridge of Arcola amid u shower Of Aus
trian balls. :,
1t Is a beautiful, imposing picture, and
contemporaries praised 1t for Its likeness
to the hero {; but no one could believe
that this pale, grave countenance, those
gloomy eyes, and earnest lips, which
seemed incapable OF smile. were those
of Bonaparte rs he sat on the lap OF his
beloved Josephine when Le Gros painting
IL