e appointed
prison until rescued. For instance, Hortense leaves her fortress, and
cautiously invades the territory of the enemy. Josephine darts after
her, and eagerly pursues her over the greensward. Eugene, who remains at
his fortress until after Josephine left hers, bounds after his mother.
It is now her turn to flee. But others of her party, who have remained
under the protection of their fortress, rush to her rescue. Eugene,
however, succeeds in touching his mother before they reach him, and
leads her off in triumph a prisoner. A tree, perhaps, at a little
distance, is her prison. Here she must remain until rescued by a touch
from one of her own party. But if the one who is rushing to her rescue
is touched by one of the other party who left his fortress an instant
later, another captive is taken to stand by her side.

In this mimicry of war Napoleon always delighted to engage. After
dinner, upon the lawn at Malmaison, the most distinguished gentlemen and
ladies, not of France only, but of all Europe, were often actively and
most mirthfully engaged in this sport. Kings, and queens, and princes of
the blood royal were often seen upon the lawn at Malmaison pursuing and
pursued. Napoleon and Josephine, and most of the friends who surrounded
them, were in the vigor of athletic youth, and, in entire abandonment to
the frolic of the hour, the air resounded with their shouts. It was
observed that Napoleon was ever anxious to choose Josephine as the first
on his side, and he seemed nervously excited, if she was taken prisoner,
until she was rescued. He was a poor runner, and often fell, rolling
over headlong upon the grass, while he and all his associates were
convulsed with laughter. When there was no special engagement demanding
attention, this sport often continued for hours. Napoleon was often
taken captive. But when Josephine was imprisoned, he was incessantly
clapping his hands, and shouting, "A rescue! a rescue!" till she was
released. A gloomy misanthrope, wrapped in self, could not have enjoyed
these scenes of innocent hilarity.

But the life of Josephine was not devoted to amusement. While she
entered with warmth into these sports, being the soul of every festive
party, her heart was consecrated to the promotion of happiness in every
way in her power. When a child, playing with the little negresses of
Martinique, she was adored as their queen. When in penury, crossing the
Atlantic, by kind sympathy manifested for