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from　them。　And　secrets　they　had；　general；　for　you　know　Botot　is　the
most　intimate　and　influential　friend　of　Barras；　and　Madame　Tallien
adores　Charles；　the　handsome　aide…de…camp。　She　has　no　secrets　that
he　is　not　fully　aware　of；　and　she　does　whatever　he　wants　her　to　do；
and　again；　whatever　she　wants　to　be　done；　her　husband　will　doher
husband；　that　excellent　Tallien；　who　with　Barras　is　one　of　the　five
directors　of　our　republic。〃　〃Oh；　women；　women！〃　muttered　Bonaparte。

Josephine　continued：　〃In　this　manner；　general；　I　learned　every
scheme　and　almost　every　idea　of　the　Directory；　in　this　manner；
through　my　devoted　friends；　Botot　and　Charles；　I　have　succeeded　in
averting　many　a　foul　blow　from　your　own　head。　For　you　were　menaced；
general；　and　you　are　menaced　still。　And　what　is　menacing　you？　That
is　your　glory　and　your　greatnessit　is　the　jealousy　of　the　five
kings　of　France；　who；　under　the　name　of　directors；　are　now　reigning
at　the　Luxemburg。　The　Quintumvirate　beheld　your　growing　power　and
glory　with　terror　and　wrath；　and　all　endeavors　of　theirs　only　aimed
at　lessening　your　influence。　A　favorite　way　of　theirs　for　carrying
out　their　designs　against　you　was　the　circulation　of　false　news
concerning　you。　Botot　told　me　that　Barras　had　even　hired　editors　to
write　against　you；　and　to　question　your　integrity。　These　editors　now
published　letters　purporting　to　come　from　Verona；　and　announcing
that　Bonaparte　was　about　to　proclaim　himself　dictator。　Then；　again；
they　stated　in　some　letter　from　the　frontier；　or　from　a　foreign
country；　that　the　whole　of　Lombardy　was　again　on　the　eve　of　an
insurrection；　that　the　Italians　detested　the　tyranny　imposed　upon
them　by　the　conqueror；　and　that　they　were　anxious　to　recall　their
former　sovereigns。〃

〃Ah；　the　miserable　villains！〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；　gnashing　his
teeth；　〃I〃

〃Hush；　general！　listen　to　my　whole　reply　to　your　reproaches；〃　said
Josephine；　with　imperious　calmness。　〃At　some　other　time　these
hirelings　of　the　press　announced　in　a　letter　from　Turin　that　an
extensive　conspiracy　was　about　to　break　out　at　Paris；　that　the
Directory　was　to　be　overthrown　by　this　conspiracy；　and　that　a
dictatorship；　at　the　head　of　which　Bonaparte　would　be；　was　to　take
place。　They　further　circulated　the　news　all　over　the　departments；
that　the　ringleaders　of　the　plot　had　been　arrested　and　sent　to　the
military　commissions　for　trial；　but　that　the　conqueror　of　Italy　had
deemed　it　prudent　to　avoid　arrest　by　running　away。〃　＇Footnote：　Le
Normand；　Memoires；　vol。　i。；　p。　267。＇

〃That　is　a　truly　infernal　web　of　lies　and　infamies！〃　ejaculated
Bonaparte；　furiously。　〃But　I　shall　justify　myself；　I　will　go　to
Paris　and　hurl　the　calumnies　of　these　miserable　Directors　back　into
their　teeth！〃

〃General；　there　is　no　necessity　for　you　to　descend　into　the　arena　in
order　to　defend　yourself；〃　said　Josephine；　smiling。　〃Your　actions
speak　for　you；　and　your　friends　are　watching　over　you。　Whenever　such
an　article　appeared　in　the　newspapers。　Botot　forwarded　it　to　me；
whenever　the　Directory　sprang　a　new　mine；　Botot　sent　me　word　of　it。
And　then　I　enlisted　the　assistance　of　my　friend　Charles；　and　he　had
to　refute　those　articles　through　a　journalist　who　was　in　my　pay；　and
to　foil　the　mine　by　means　of　a　counter…mine。〃

〃Oh；　Josephine；　how　can　I　thank　you　for　what　you　have　done　for　me！〃
exclaimed　Bonaparte；　enthusiastically。　〃How〃

〃I　am　not　through　yet；　general；〃　she　interrupted　him；　coldly。　〃Those
refutations　and　the　true　accounts　of　your　glorious　deeds　found　an
enthusiastic　echo　throughout　the　whole　of　France；　and　every　one　was
anxious　to　see　you　in　the　full　splendor　of　your　glory；　and　to　do
homage　to　you　at　Paris。　But　the　jealous　Directory　calculated　in
advance　how　dangerous　the　splendor　of　your　glory　would　be　to　the
statesmen　of　the　Republic；　and　how　greatly　your　return　would　eclipse
the　five　kings。　For　that　reason　they　resolved　to　keep　you　away　from
Paris；　for　that　reason　exclusively　they　appointed　you　first
plenipotentiary　at　the　congress　about　to　be　opened　at　Rastadt；　and
intrusted　the　task　to　you　to　exert　yourself　here　for　the　conclusion
of　peace。　They　wanted　to　chain　the　lion　and　make　him　feel　that　he
has　got　a　master　whom　he　must　obey。〃

〃But　the　lion　will　break　the　chain；　and　he　will　not　obey；〃　exclaimed
Bonaparte；　angrily。　〃I　shall　leave　Rastadt　on　this　very　day　and
hasten　to　Paris。〃

〃Wait　a　few　days；　general；〃　said　Josephine；　smiling。　〃It　will　be
unnecessary　for　you　to　take　violent　steps；　my　friends　Botot　and
Charles　having　worked　with　me　for　you。　Botot　alone　not　being
sufficiently　powerful；　inasmuch　as　he　could　influence　none　but
Barras；　I　sent　Charles　to　his　assistance　in　order　to　act　upon　Madame
Tallien。　And　the　stratagem　was　successful。　Take　this　letter　which　I
received　only　yesterday　through　a　special　messenger　from　Bototyou
know　Botot's　handwriting；　I　suppose？〃

〃Yes；　I　know　it。〃

〃Well；　then；　satisfy　yourself　that　he　has　really　written　it；〃　said
Josephine；　drawing　a　sheet　of　paper　from　her　memorandum…book　and
handing　it　to　Bonaparte。

He　glanced　at　it　without　touching　the　paper。　〃Yes；　it　is　Botot's
handwriting；〃　he　murmured。

〃Read　it；　general；〃　said　Josephine。

〃I　do　not　want　to　read　it；　I　believe　all　you　tell　me！〃　he　exclaimed；
impetuously。

〃I　shall　read　it　to　you；〃　she　said；　〃for　the　contents　will　interest
you。　Listen　therefore：　'Adored　Citoyenne　Josephine。We　have　reached
the　goalwe　have　conquered！　The　Directory　have　at　length　listened
to　wise　remonstrances。　They　have　perceived　that　they　stand　in　need
of　a　strong　and　powerful　arm　to　support　them；　and　of　a　pillar　to
lean　against。　They　will　recall　Bonaparte　in　order　that　he　may　become
their　pillar　and　arm。　In　a　few　days　a　courier　will　reach　Bonaparte
at　Rastadt　and　recall　him　to　Paris。BOTOT。'　That　is　all　there　is　in
the　letter；　General；　it　contains　nothing　about　love；　but　only　speaks
of　you。〃

〃I　see　that　I　am　the　happiest　of　mortals；〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；
joyfully；　〃for　I　shall　return　to　Paris；　and　my　beautiful；　noble；　and
adored　Josephine　will　accompany　me。〃

〃No；　general；〃　she　said；　solemnly；　〃I　shall　return　to　Italy；　I　shall
bury　myself　in　some　convent　in　order　to　weep　there　over　the　short
dream　of　my　happiness；　and　to　pray　for　you。　Now　I　have　told　you
every　thing　I　had　to　say　to　you。　I　have　replied　to　your　reproaches。
You　see　that　I　have　meanly　profited　by　the　love　of　these　poor　men；
that　I　have　made　a　disgraceful　use　of　the　most　sacred　feeling　in
order　to　promote　your　interests。　I　did　so　secretly；　for　I　told　you
already；　general；　your　valorous　hand　knows　better　how　to　wield　the
sword　than　to　carry　on　intrigues。　A　strong　grasp　of　this　hand　might
have　easily　destroyed　the　whole　artificial　web　of　my　plans；　and　for
this　reason　I　was　silent。　But　I　counted　on　your　confidence；　on　your
esteem。　I　perceive　now；　however；　that　I　do　not　possess　them；　and
this　separates　us　forever。　Unreserved　confidence　is　not　only　the
nourishment　that　imparts　life　to　friendship；　but　without　it　love
also　pines　away　and　dies。　＇Footnote：　Josephine's　own　words。Vide
LeNormand；　vol。　i。；　p。　248。＇　Farewell；　then；　general；　I　forgive　your
distrust；　but　I　cannot　expose　myself　any　longer　to　your　anger。
Farewell！〃

She　bowed　and　turned　to　the　door。　But　Bonaparte　followed　her；　and
keeping　her　back　with　both　hands；　he　said；　in　a　voice　trembling　with
emotion：　〃Where　are　you　going；　Josephine？〃

〃I　told　you　already；〃　she　sighed；　painfully；　〃I　am　going　to　a
convent　to　weep　and　pray　for　you。〃

〃That　means　that　you　want　to　kill　me！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　flaming
eyes。　〃For　you　know　I　cannot　live　without　you。　If　I　had　to　lose　you；
your　love；　your　charming　person；　I　would　lose　every　thing　rendering
life　pleasant　and　desirable　for　me。　Josephine；　you　are　to　me　a　world
that　is　incomprehensible　to　me；　and　every　day　I　love　you　more
passionately。　Even　when　I　do　not　see　you；　my　love　for　you　is
constantly　growing；　for　absence　only　destroys　small　passions；　it
increases　great　passions。　＇Footnote：　Bonaparte's　words。Vide
〃Memoires　d'une　Contemporaine；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　363。＇　My　heart　never
felt　any　of　the　former。　It　proudly　refused　to　fall　in　love；　but　you
have　filled　it　with　a　boundless　passion；　with　an　intoxication　that
seems　to　be　almost　degrading。　You　were　always　the　predominant　idea
of　my　soul；　your　whims　even　were　sacred　laws　for　me。　To　see　you　is
my　highest　bliss；　you　are　beautiful　and　enchanting；　your　gentle；
angelic　soul　is　depicted　in　your　features。　Oh；　I　adore　you　just　as
you　are；　if　you　had　been　younger；　I　should　have　loved　you　less
intensely。　Every　thing　you　do　seems　virtuous　to　me；　every　thing　you
like　seems　honorable　to　me。　Glory　is　only　valuable　to　me　inasmuch　as
it　is　agreeable　to　you　and　flatters　your　vanity。　Your　portrait
always　rests　on　my　heart；　and　whenever　I　am　far　from　you；　not　an
hour　passes　without　my　looking　at　it　and　covering　it　with　kisses。
＇Footnote：　Vide　〃Correspondance　inedite　avec　Josephine；〃　Lettre　v。＇
The　glass　broke　the　other　day　when　I　pressed　it　too　violently
against　my　breast。　My　despair　knew　no　bounds；　for　love　is
superstitious；　and　every　thing　seems　ominous　to　it。　I　took　it　for　an
announcement　of　your　death；　and　my　eyes　knew　no　sleep；　my　heart　knew
no　rest；　t