at home in every situation.--Unembarrassed air of
Josephine.--She becomes the queen of etiquette.--Josephine an object
of homage.--Her powers of fascination.--Popular enthusiasm.--Affected
seclusion of Napoleon.--He becomes studious.--His laudable emulation.--
His noble ambition.--Napoleon the idol of the army.--Napoleon mounts
guard.--The "Little Corporal."--Triumphal fete.--Song of the soldiers.
--Speech of Barras.--Remarkable contrast.--Josephine the center of
attraction.--Josephine the "Star of Napoleon."--She is a ministering
angel.--Jealousy of Napoleon.--Arts of her enemies to encourage it.--The
"pear" not yet ripe.--Napoleon resolves to go to Egypt.--Magnificence of
his plans.

On the 9th of March, 1796, Josephine was married to Napoleon. The
Revolution had swept away every thing that was sacred in human and
divine institutions, and the attempt had been made to degrade marriage
into a mere partnership, which any persons might contract or dissolve at
pleasure. According to the Revolutionary form, Josephine and Napoleon
presented themselves before a magistrate, and simply announced their
union. A few friends attended as witnesses of the ceremony.

Napoleon had, in the mean time, been appointed commander of the French
forces in Italy. In twelve days after his nuptials, he left his bride
and hastened to the army, then in the lowest state of poverty and
suffering. The veteran generals, when they first saw the pale-faced
youth who was placed over them all, were disposed to treat him with
contempt. Hardly an hour elapsed after his arrival ere they felt and
admitted that he was their master. He seemed insensible to mental
exhaustion, or fatigue, or hunger, or want of sleep. He was upon
horseback night and day. Almost supernatural activity was infused into
the army. It fell like an avalanche upon the Austrians. In fifteen days
after he took command, he proclaimed to his exulting and victorious
troops,

"Soldiers! you have gained in fifteen days six victories, taken
one-and-twenty standards, fifty-five pieces of cannon, many strong
places, and conquered the richest part of Piedmont; you have made
fifteen thousand prisoners, and killed or wounded ten thousand men."

Paris was perfectly intoxicated with the announcement, day after day, of
these brilliant achievements. The name of Napoleon was upon every lip,
and all France resounded with his praises. "This young commander," said
one of the discomfited veteran generals