Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-04-16
Napoieon's Love Letters.

- 49, = A-Al - @t'AJf hAS Ns@1No 'CtAH W
fOrty-eight hours must take leave of hi'
beloved Josephine and the little hote
of the Rue ChanteTeine, where his hap
lpiness has been vivid and transient a:
the lightning's flash. The first letter
written five davs after his marriage
ends thus: MAY my good genius
which has always protected Inc in my
greatest danger, guard and shield you
nowl | care not for myself. Be not
gay. but little sad. Re.
member what our good OSsian said.
send thousand and one kisses from
your truest and most loving friend"
Mime. de RemuSat says III her me.
moirs:
II should speak of the heart of Bon.
aparte. But If it were possible to be-
lieve that any human being could be
deprived of that part of our organism
that makes no need to love and be
loved, should say that at the moment
of his creation his hi art must have
been forgotten, or perhaps he succeeded
in completely suppreSsing it."
Yet in another letter we find: "Oh,
my adorable wifel l Know not what
fate awaits I.e; but if must be away
from you | cannot bear it. am not
strong enough for that. There was a
time when 1 was proud of my courage,
and sometimes, anticipating what fate
might have i'll store for Inc, or what |
might suffer at the hands of men, i
contemplated the most unheard-of mis-
fortunes without dismay or astoniSh-
ment. But now the idea that my Jose
phinG may suffer; the idea that she
may be i'll, or worse than all, the cruel,
deadly thought that she may love me
less, blights my soul, curdles my blood
makes me detected and miserable, with
no heart for anger or despair. L used
10 say TO myself, Men have no power
over him who dies without regret.
Now, to die without the assurance of
your love is hell itself-is nothing less
than annlhilation. | feel as If | should
suffOcate. My only one, my companion
III life'S tOllseme journey, the day that
you love me no longer, Nature loses
every charm. | stop, sweet friend; my
soul is sad, my body weary; lien are
insufferab e. can but hate them; they
ceme between Inc and YOU"
| Later, lie writes: when l exact
from you love like mine | am wrong.
Why ask that lace should outweigh
gold? When | sacrifice TO you all my
wishes, all my thoughts, every instant
of my life, | yield to the ascendency
that your charms, your character and
your whole person have acquired over
my unfortunate heart. 1t is my fault
If nature has not given me the power
to captiyate you, but what | do deserve
from Josephine is esteem and regard.
for | love her passlOnately, deyotedly.
Adieu, adorable wIfel Adieu, my Jo-
sephinel May fate concentrate i'll my
heart all the grief there is to bear, and
grant to my Josephine all the prospe rity
and happiness. Who deserves it more
| than she does? When it is evident that
she can love Inc no more | will hide my
bitter grief and Will try and be satisfied
with being kind and useful TO her in
some WY. | open my letter again to
send you kiss. All! Josephine, jose
phinel'
At this time Napoleon seems more in
love than she does. Indeed, she reads
part of his letters aloud to others and
finds his jealous transports amusing.
The question arises whether he found
the responsive tenderness he claimed,
and whether Mme. de Remusat is right,
when, in another mood, she says, Per
haps lie would have been better if he
had been more truly loved" After all
it is not impossible that Josephine's
cOldHeSs may have been stimulated.
She had to de with cOnquerer, and
love is like war; more tender and more
responsive, she might have had less
power over Bonaparte.
Her share in the dangers and glories
of that wonderful Italian campaign was
then described-her social victories at
home and abroad. Then came the
Egyptian expedition, when she was left
behind with her children and her huS-
band S family.
On the I6tn of October, 1899. Napo-
leon, just landed from Egypt, allighted
at his hotel rue Chantereine, only TO
find 1t deserted. Josephine had gone
to meet him, but, taking different roads
they had missed each other. He had
teen tortured during his absence by
reports about his wife, conveyed 10y
Junot and others, and now his brothers,
jealous of Josephine's influence, awaited
themselves of this unlooked-fOr
occasion to make the most of his impa-
thence and suspicious. They succeeded
SO well that, two days after, when jose
phine at last arrived and eagerly ran up
stairs 10 her husbands room, she found
the door locked and could obtain no
admission. From behind the bolts no
answer to her entreatIeS but this: 1.-The
door will never be reOpened to YOU"
She pleaded in vain. Her sobs were
heard all over the house, and she passed
the whole night in agonizing and fruit
less application. At last, worn out by
fatigue and distress, she was going
away, when one of her ladies suggested
sending for the children. Eugene and
HoItense came. They joined their
voices to Josephine's-"Do notabandoD
our mother; it will kill her,"
AT last the door opened. Bonaparte's IS
face was stern, his reprcaches bitter.
Josephine trembled at his words. Then
he turned to Eugene.
"As for you, you shall not suffer for
your mothers fault. You shall always
be my son. l shall keep you near
me-"
s'No, General" answered Eugene,
| must share my mothers sad fate and
bid you farewell"
Bonaparte began to relent. He
pressed Eugene to his heart and granted
forgiveness to Josephine, who had
fallen on her knees with Hortense by
her side. His eyes radiant with joy.
he Ii, tened to his wife's justification of
herself, and the reconciliation was CON-
plete.
Among other anecdotes, the following
is related by Arnault: Josephine had
little lap-dog named Fortune" AT
the time of her imprisonment, during
the s'Terror," she was separated from
her husband, the Vlscount Beauharnais,
also a prisoner. The children were al
lowed to visit their parents, accompa-
med by their governess, who took the
lap-dog with her, and by means of notes
,,,Ear tho anlfar of tho Eft 10