n cut,
and, entirely overcome with emotion, she sat down and wept bitterly.
With the point of a knife, and with a trembling hand, she inscribed in
the bark these words, peculiarly characteristic of her depth of feeling,
and of the gentleness of her spirit: "Unhappy William! thou hast
forgotten me!"

William, however, had not forgotten her. Again and again he had written
in terms of the most ardent affection. But the friends of Josephine,
meeting with an opportunity for a match for her which they deemed far
more advantageous, had destroyed these communications, and also had
prevented any of her letters from reaching the hand of William. Thus
each, while cherishing the truest affection, deemed the other faithless.

CHAPTER II.

THE MARRIAGE OF JOSEPHINE.

A.D. 1775-A.D. 1785

Alexander de Beauharnais.--His character.--A new suitor.--Motives
for the marriage.--The announcement.--Feelings of Josephine.--Zeal
of M. Beauharnais.--The engagement.--Departure from Martinique.--
Parting scenes.--Josephine's arrival in France.--Her interview with
William.--Explanation of William.--Distress of Josephine.--Josephine
retires to a convent.--She marries the Viscount Beauharnais.--
Fashionable life.--Josephine is introduced at court.--Maria Antoinette
and Josephine.--French philosophy.--Infidelity of Beauharnais.--Birth
of a daughter.--Birth of a son.--An arch deceiver.--Josephine betrayed.
--Application for a divorce.--Josephine triumphant.--Visit to
Versailles.--Interview with Maria Antoinette.--Kindness of the
queen.--Josephine embarks for Martinique.--Hours of despondency.--
Josephine arrives at Martinique.--Her kind reception.

Josephine was about fourteen years of age when she was separated from
William. A year passed away, during which she received not a line from
her absent friend. About this time a gentleman from France visited
her uncle upon business of great importance. Viscount Alexander de
Beauharnais was a fashionable and gallant young man, about thirty years
of age, possessing much conversational ease and grace of manner, and
accustomed to the most polished society of the French metropolis. He
held a commission in the army, and had already signalized himself by
several acts of bravery. His sympathies had been strongly aroused by the
struggle of the American colonists with the mother country, and he had
already aided the colonists both with his sword and his purse.

Several large and valuable estates in Ma