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the　whole　world；　and　that　the　victories　of　France　signify　the　defeat
of　the　remainder　of　Europe。　But　you　have　brought　about　an　even
greater　miracle；　for　those　whom　you　have　vanquished　do　not　hate　you
for　it；　but　they　admire　you；　and　while　cursing　their　own　misfortune；
they　are　astonished　at　your　heroism　and　surpassing　greatness　as　a
military　chieftain。　There　is　no　one　who　does　not　share　this　feeling
of　admiration；　and　there　is　no　one　who　entertains　it　in　a　livelier
manner　than　the　two　men　who　have　reason　to　complain　most　of　France；
and　who　do　so　least！〃

〃Ah；　you　skilfully　return　to　the　charge；〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；
smiling。　〃You　would　make　a　good　general：　you　make　a　short　cut　on　the
field　of　flattery　and　so　reach　the　more　rapidly　the　straight　road　on
which　you　want　to　meet　the　Counts　de　Provence　and　Artois　in　order　to
praise　them　before　me。〃

〃No；　Bonaparte；〃　said　Josephine；　hastily；　〃the　princess；　on　the
contrary；　wishes　to　tell　you　how　those　gentlemen　praise　you；　and
with　how　much　admiration　they　speak　of　you。Oh；　pray；　madame；
repeat　to　Bonaparte　what　the　Count　d'Artois　told　you　the　other　day；
and　mention　the　honors　and　distinctions　he　would　like　to　confer　on
my　husband。〃

〃Well；　I　should　really　like　to　know　the　honors　and　distinctions
which　that　little　emigre；　M。　de　Bourbon；　is　able　to　confer　on　the
First　Consul　of　France；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　sarcastic　smile。
〃Tell　me；　madame；　what　did　the　Count　d'Artois　say；　and　what　that
statement　of　yours　is　that　has　filled　the　ambitious　heart　of　Madame
Bonaparte　with　so　much　delight？〃

〃Oh；　you　want　to　mock　me；　my　friend；〃　said　Josephine；　reproachfully。

〃By　no　means；　I　am　in　dead　earnest；　and　should　like　to　know　what　the
pretenders　did　say　about　me。　State　to　us；　then；　madame；　with　your
seductive　voice；　the　tempting　promises　of　the　Bourbons。〃

〃General；　there　was　no　talk　of　promises；　but　of　the　admiration　the
Count　d'Artois　felt　for　you；〃　said　Marianne；　almost　timidly；　and
with　downcast　eyes。　〃We　conversed　about　politics　in　general；　and
Madame　de　Guiche；　in　her　charming　innocence；　took　the　liberty　to　ask
the　Count　d'Artois　how　the　First　Consul　of　France　might　be　rewarded
in　case　he　should　restore　the　Bourbons。〃

〃Ah；　you　conversed　about　this　favorite　theme　of　the　emigres；　about
the　restoration　question！〃　said　Bonaparte；　shrugging　his　shoulders。
〃And　what　did　the　prince　reply？〃

〃The　Count　d'Artois　replied：　'In　the　first　place；　we　should　appoint
the　first　consul　Connetable　of　France；　if　that　would　be　agreeable　to
him。　But　we　should　not　believe　that　that　would　be　a　sufficient
reward；　we　should　erect　on　the　Place　du　Carrousel　a　lofty　and
magnificent　column　to　be　surmounted　by　a　statue　of　Bonaparte
crowning　the　Bourbons！'〃　＇Footnote：　Las　Cases；　〃Memorial　de　Sainte…
Helene；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　337。＇

〃Is　not　that　a　beautiful　and　sublime　idea？〃　exclaimed　Josephine；
joyfully；　while　the　princess　searchingly　fixed　her　eyes　on
Bonaparte's　face。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　calmly；　〃it　is　a　very　sublime　idea；　but　what　did　you
reply；　Josephine；　when　this　was　communicated　to　you？〃

〃What　did　I　reply？〃　asked　Josephine。　〃Good　Heaven！　what　should　I
have　replied？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Bonaparte；　whose　face　now　assumed　a　grave；　stern
expression；　〃you　might　have　replied；　for　instance；　that　the　pedestal
of　this　beautiful　column　would　have　to　be　the　corpse　of　the　First
Consul。〃　＇Footnote：　Bonaparte's　own　words。Ibid。；　vol。　ii。；　p。
337。＇

〃Oh；　Bonaparte；　what　a　dreadful　idea　that　is！〃　exclaimed　Josephine；
in　dismay〃dreadful　and　withal　untrue；　for　did　not　the　Count
d'Artois　say　the　Bourbons　would　appoint　you　Connetable　of　France？〃

〃Yes；　just　as　Charles　II。　of　England　conferred　the　title　of　duke　on
Monk。　I　am　no　Monk；　nor　am　I　a　Cromwell。　I　have　not　injured　a　single
hair　on　the　head　of　the　Bourbons；　and　my　hand　has　not　been　stained
by　a　drop　of　the　blood　of　the　unfortunate　king　who　had　to　atone　for
the　sins　of　his　predecessors。　He　had　ruined　France；　I　saved　her；　and
the　example　of　Monk　teaches　me　to　be　cautious；　for　the　English
people　had　confided　in　him；　and　he　gave　them　a　king　who　made　them
unhappy　and　oppressed　them　for　twenty　years；　and　finally　caused　a
new　revolution；　I　want　to　preserve　France　from　the　horrors　of　a　new
revolution；　hence　I　do　not　want　to　become　another　Monk。〃

〃And　who　should　dare　to　compare　you　with　Monk　or　Cromwell；　general？〃
exclaimed　Marianne。　〃If　there　is　a　man　worthy　to　be　compared　with
the　first　consul　of　France；　it　is　only　the　great　Washington；　the
liberator　of　America。〃

〃Ah；　you　think　so　because　we　are　both　presiding　over　a　republic；〃
replied　Bonaparte；　with　a　sarcastic　smile。　〃As　I　do　not　want　to　be　a
Monk；　it　is　hoped　that　I　shall　be　a　Washington。　Words　cost　nothing；
and　those　who　utter　them　so　easily　do　not　consider　whether　the
circumstances　of　the　two　nations；　the　time　and　occasion　may　be　as
well　compared　with　each　other　as　those　two　names。　If　I　were　in
America；　it　would　be　my　highest　glory　to　be　another　Washington；　and
I　should　deserve　but　little　credit　for　it；　after　all；　for　I　do　not
see　how　one　could　reasonably　pursue　there　any　other　course。　But　if
Washington　had　been　in　France；　with　its　convulsions　within　and　an
invasion　from　abroad；　I　should　not　have　deemed　it　advisable　for　him
to　be　himself；　if　he　had　insisted　upon　remaining　himself；　he　would
have　been　an　idol；　and　only　prolonged　the　misfortunes　of　France
instead　of　saving　the　country。〃

〃You　confess；　then；　that　France　ought　not　to　remain　a　republic？〃
asked　Josephine；　joyfully。　〃You　want　to　restore　the　monarchy？〃

〃Wait　for　the　things　to　come；〃　said　Bonaparte；　gravely。　〃To　ask　me
prematurely　to　do　things　incompatible　with　the　present　state　of
affairs　would　be　foolish；　if　I　should　announce　or　promise　them　it
would　look　like　charlatanry　and　boasting；　and　I　am　not　addicted　to
either。〃

〃But　you　give　us　hopes；　at　least；　that　you　will　do　so　one　day；　when
the　time　has　come；　I　suppose；　my　friend？〃　said　Josephine；　tenderly。
〃You　will　not　let　this　beautiful　lady　depart　from　Paris　without　a
kind　and　comforting　reply？　She　will　not　have　entered　the　Tuileries；
the　house　of　the　kings；　in　order　to　be　obliged　to　inform　on　her
return　those　to　whom　it　justly　belongs　that　there　is　no　longer　any
room　for　them　under　the　roof　which　their　fathers　have　built。　I　am
sure；　Bonaparte；　you　will　not　send　such　a　reply　to　the　legitimate
King　of　France　from　HIS　OWN　rooms。〃

Josephine；　glowing　with　excitement；　had　risen　from　her　seat；
stepping　close　up　to　Bonaparte；　she　encircled　his　neck　with　her
beautiful　arms；　and　laid　her　charming　head　on　his　shoulder。

〃Oh；　Josephine；　what　are　you　doing？〃　ejaculated　Bonaparte；　angrily。
〃Will　not　the　princess　tell　the　Count　de　Provence　that　the　Tuileries
are　now　inhabited　by　a　downright　bourgeois　and　hen…pecked　husband；
who　treats　his　wife　sentimentally　even　in　the　presence　of　other
persons；　and　in　return　for　her　caresses　has　always　to　comply　with
her　wishes？　And　shall　we　not　be　laughed　at；　my　child？〃

〃I　should　like　to　see　the　Titan　who　would　dare　to　laugh　at　the　First
Consul！〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　eagerly。　〃You　would　do　like　Jove；　you
would　hurl　down　the　audacious　scoffer　into　the　abyss　with　a　flash
from　your　eyes。〃

Bonaparte　fixed　so　long　and　glowing　a　look　on　the　princess　that
Marianne　blushed；　while　the　jealous　heart　of　Josephine　began　to
ache。

〃Bonaparte；　state　the　reply　you　are　going　to　make　to　the　Count　de
Provence；〃　she　said；　anxious　to　withdraw　his　attention　from　the
contemplation　of　this　fascinating　beauty。

〃A　reply？〃　asked　Bonaparte。　〃What　shall　I　reply　to？〃

〃General；　to　this　letter；　which　the　Count　de　Provence　has　intrusted
to　me；　and　which　I　have　solemnly　pledged　myself　to　deliver　to　you
personally；〃　said　Marianne；　handing　Bonaparte　a　sealed　paper；　with
an　imploring　glance。

Bonaparte　did　not　take　it　at　once；　but　looked　sternly　at　the　two
ladies　who　stood　before　him；　turning　their　beautiful　and　deeply
moved　faces　toward　him　with　an　air　of　supplication。

〃It　is　a　perfect　conspiracy；　then；　ladies？　A　complete　surprise　of
the　fortress？〃　he　asked。　〃You　want　to　compel　me　forcibly　to　open　the
gates　of　my　eyes　to　you？　Do　you　not　know；　then；　Josephine；　that　I
have　sworn　not　to　accept　any　letters　from　the　Pretender；　in　order
not　to　be　obliged　to　make　a　harsh　reply　to　him？〃

〃Keep　your　oath；　then；〃　said　Josephine；　smiling；　〃do　not　accept　the
letter；　but　permit　me　to　do　so；　and　let　me　read　the　contents　of　the
letter　to　you。〃

〃Oh；　women；　women！〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；　smiling。　〃They　are　born
sophists；　and　I　believe　they　would　be　able　to　outwit　the　devil
himself！　Well；　I　will　comply　with　your　request；　take　the　letter　and
read　it　to　me。〃

Josephine　uttered　a　joyful　cry；　and　took　the　letter　from　Marianne's
hands。　While　she　broke　the　seal　and　unfolded　the　paper；　Bonaparte
had　risen　from　his　arm…chair；　and　commenced　slowly　pacing　the　room。
He　knew；　perhaps；　that　Marianne's　eyes　were　fixed　upon　him　with　a
searching　expression；　and　her　glances　were　disagreeable　to　him。

Josephine　read　as　follows：

〃Men　like　you；　sir；　never　inspire　suspicion　and　uneasiness；　whatever
their　conduct　may　be。　You　have　accepted　the　exalted　position　which
the　French　people　offered　to　you；　and　I