The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-07-18
How Napolean Arranged a Marriage.

One day, says Cont DaVelleIIe, "hShl
I had accompanied Bonaparte to the
treasury to expedite the sending on OF
the sums that were required at Toulon
for the feet, he ordered his coachman
to drive along the new Boulevards that
he might have at his leisure conversa-
tion with me. "I cannot make major
of Won" he said; "I must, therefore
give YOU wife you shall marry Emile
de Beauharnais. She is very handsome,
and very we'll educated. Do you know
her P" :" I have seen her twice. But,
general. have no fortune. We are 60
ing to Africa. may be killed. What
will become in that case, of my poor
widow? Besides have no great liking
for marriage" "Men must marry to
have children: that is the chief aim OF life
Killed you certainly may be; well IN
that case, she will be the widow OF one
of NV aides. de-camp, of defender of
his country. She will have a pension,
and NAV again marry advantageously.
Now she is the daughter of an emlgrant
that nobody will have my wife cannot
introduce her into society. She, poor
oirl. deserves a better fate. Come, this
business must be quickly settled.
Talk. this morning, with Madame Bo-
naparte about it ; her mother has al
ready given her consent. The wedding
shall take place in eight days. l will
| allow YOU a fortnight for your honey
moon YOU must then come and join us
at Toulon on the 29th." ct was on the
9TH I could not help laughing all
the while he spoke ; at last / said " l
will do whatever you please. But Will
the girl have me ? I do not wish to
| force her inclinations. "She is tired
of boarding-school, and she would be
unhappy if she were to go to her moth
er's. During your absence she Will 1--we
with her grandfather at Fountaiuebleau.
| You will not be killed, and you will find
her when YOU come back. Come, come,
the thing is all settled. Tell the coach
man to drive home" In the evening l
went to see Madame Bonaparte. She
knew what was going forward, and was
kind enough to show some satisfaction,
and call me her nephew. "To-mor.
row" she said, "we shall go to st. Ger
maine. I will introduce you to my
niece. You will be delighted with her
She is a charming girl - Accordingly
the next day, the general, Madame 30
naparte. Eugene and went in the opeI
carriage to st. Germaine, and stopped
at Madame Campan's. The visit wa
a great event at the boarding-school
ali the young girls were at the windows
in the parlors, or on the courtyard, TO
thew had obtained a holiday. We sool
! entered the gardens. Among the fort!
, young ladies, l sought anxlously he
who was to be my wife. Her cousn
Hortense led her to us, that she Nigh
salute the general and embrace he
/ aunt She was, in truth, the pretties
; of them all. Her stature was tall, an
: most gracefully elegant her feature
2 were charming, and the glow OF he
: beautiful complexion was llghtened D.
3 her confusion. Her bashfulness was 8
c great the general could not help laugh
ing at her, but he went no further.
D was decided that we should breakfas
D on the grass in the garden. In til
n meanwhile / felt extremely uneasy
: Would she like me? Would she ODE
f without reluctance ? This very abruI
o marriage, and this speedy departur'
u orieved me. When we afterward got NJ
q and the circle was broken, l begged ~
a genie to conduct his cousin into sol
a tary walk. 1 joined them, and he le
d ms. then entered on the delicate su
l. iect. made no secret of my birth m
b of nv want of fortune, and added: -
10 possess nothing in the world but n
a sword and good will of my. genera
If and must leave you in fort-nigh
d Open your heart to me. Ifeel dispos'
7. to love you with all my heart, but I'll
a, is not sufficient. If this marriage do
le not please you, repose full confden
le in me it will be difficult to find a pl
is tense to break it off. I shall depal
ut and you will not be tormented' for
of will keep your secret" While 1 "
o. speaking, she kept her eyes fixed on t
I'd ground her only answer was smi
ry and she gave me the nosegay she he
y, in her hand. embraced her. We
re turned slowly to the company, a
E. eight days afterward we went to
of municipality. The following day.
m poor priest, who had not taken
if oaths, married us, in the small convt
,r- of the Conception, in the Rue
ly Honore.