National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-06-13
Layellcttc's Wife.

cone day." observes the Count
Layellette, "when had accompanied
Bonapnrte to the treasury, to expedite
the sending of Of the sums that were
required at Toulon for the fleet, he Or
dered his coachman 70 drive along the
new Boulevards, that he might have at
his leisure u conversation with me.
cannot make m,jor OF you,' he said:
Il must, therefore, give you wife
you shall marry En'ilie de Beauharnaiss;;
She is very handsome, and very well
educated. Do you know her? have
seen her twice. But. general, l have no
fortune. We are going to Africa; may
be killed--what will become, in that
case, of my poor widow? Besides, i
have no great liking for marriage.
Men must marry to have children
that il the chief aim of life. Killed
You may be; well, in that case she will
be the widow of one Of my aides-de-
camp-of defender of his country.
She will have pension, and may marry
again advantageously. Now she IL the
daughter of an emigrant that nobody
will have; my wife cannot introduce
her into society. She, poor girl de-
serves n better fate. Come, this bnsl-
ness must be quickly settled. Talk
this morning with Madame Bonaparte
about it; her mother has already given
her consent. The wedding shall take
place in eight days. / allow you a
fortnight for yoVr honeymoon; you
must then come and join rs at Toulon
on the 29th.' ct was then the 9th.) l
could not help laughing all the while
he spoke; at last / said, Il will do
whatever you please. But will the girl
have me2 / do not wish to force her
incinations. She is tired OF her
boarding school, and she would be un-
happy if she were to go to her mother s.
During your absence she shall live with
her grandfather at Fontainbleau. You
will not be killed; and you will find her
when you come back. Come, come;
the thing is settled. Tell the coachman
to drive home.
In the evening I went to see Madame
Bonaparte. She knew what was going
forward, and was kind enough to show
some satisfaction, and called me her
nephew Tomorrow she said, we
shall go to st. German. l will intro
duce you to my neice. You will be de-
lighted with her; she is a charming
girl!
Accordingly, next day, the general,
Madame Bonaparte, Eugene and l wen,
in an open carriage to st. German; and
stopped at Madame Campan's. The
visit was great event at the boarding
school: all the young girls were at the
windows, in the parlors, or in the court
yard, for they had obtained holiday
We soon entered the gardens. Among
the forty young ladies, l sought anxi
ously her who was to be my wife. Hel
cousin Hortense led her to us, that she
might salute the general, and embrace
her aunt. She was, in truth, the pretti'
est of them all. Her stature was tall
and most gracefully elegant; her fea
lures were charming; and the glow OF
her beautiful complexion was heighten
ed by her confusion. Her bashfulness
was so great the general could not hell
laughing at her, but he went no farther
1t was decided that we should break
fast on the grass in the garden. In the
meanwhile l felt extremely uneasy
Would she like me? Would she ODE,
without reluctance This very abrup
marriage, and this speedy departure
grieved me.
"When we afterward got up, and thu
circle was broken, begged Eugene t.
conduct his cousin into solitary walk
l Joined them, and he left us. | thei
entered on the delicate subject. made
no secret of my birth, nor of my wan
of fortune and added, Ipossess moth
ing in the world but my sword, and the
good will of the general; and l mus
leave you in fortnight. Open YOU
heart to me. feel myself disposed tt
love you with all my soul; /; but this ii
not sufficient. If this marriage does
not please you, repose full confidenc'
in me it will not be difficult to find {
pretext to break it off l shall depart
YOU will not be tormented, for l viii
keep your secret.
"While was speaking, she kept he
eyes fixed on the ground her only an
swer was a smile, and she gave me tn
nosegay she held in her hand: l em
braced her. We returned slowly to tn
company, and eight days afterward w
went to the municipality. The follow
ing day, poor priest who had not takel
the oaths, married us in the small con
vent of the Conception, in the Rue st