aly consequently became the base of Napoleon's operations.
There he was strongly intrenched. In case of failure in any of his
operations in Paris, he could retire behind the Alps, and bid defiance
to his foes.

Josephine was exactly the partner he needed to protect these
all-important interests during his absence. Her strong and active
intelligence, her sincerity, her unrivaled powers of fascinating all who
approached her, and her entire devotion to Napoleon, rendered her an
ally of exceeding efficiency. Powerful as was the arm of Napoleon, he
never could have risen to the greatness he attained without the aid of
Josephine. She, at Milan, kept up the splendor of a royal court. The
pleasure-loving Italians ever thronged her saloons. The most illustrious
nobles were emulous to win her favor, that they might obtain eminence in
the service of her renowned spouse. At the fetes and entertainments she
gave to the rejoicing Milanese she obtained access to almost every mind
it was desirable to influence. No one could approach Josephine without
becoming her friend, and a friend once gained was never lost. A weak
woman, under these circumstances, which so severely tested the
character, would have been often extremely embarrassed, and would
have made many mistakes. It was remarkable in Josephine, that,
notwithstanding the seclusion of her childhood and early youth, she ever
appeared self-possessed, graceful, and at home in every situation in
which she was placed. She moved through the dazzling scenes of her court
at Milan, scenes of unaccustomed brilliance which had so suddenly burst
upon her, with an air as entirely natural and unembarrassed as if her
whole life had been passed in the saloons of monarchs. She conversed
with the most distinguished generals of armies, with nobles of the
highest rank, with statesmen and scholars of wide-spread renown, with a
fluency, an appropriateness, and an inimitable tact which would seem to
indicate that she had been cradled in the lap of princes, and nurtured
in the society of courts. It seemed never to be necessary for her to
study the rules of etiquette. She was never accustomed to look to
others to ascertain what conduct was proper under any circumstances.
Instinctive delicacy was her unerring teacher, and from her bearing
others compiled their code of politeness. She became the queen of
etiquette, not the subject.

Thus, while Napoleon, in Paris, was cautiously scrutinizing the state of
p