ver
them, and the frightened animals, perfectly ungovernable, dashed along
the road at a fearful rate. Caesar kept shouting to Napoleon, "Keep in
the middle!" Cambaceres, pale with fright, thrust his head out of the
window, and shouted "Whoa! whoa!" Josephine, greatly alarmed, sank back
in her seat, and in silent resignation awaited the issue. As they
approached the avenue to St. Cloud, the imperial driver had not
sufficient skill to guide them safely through the gateway. The coach
struck against one of the pillars, and was overturned with a terrible
crash. Josephine and Cambaceres were considerably bruised. Napoleon was
thrown from his seat to the distance of eight or ten paces, and was
taken up insensible. He, however, soon recovered. On retiring at night,
they amused themselves in talking over the misadventure. "Mon ami," said
Josephine, laughing, "you must render unto Caesar the things that be
Caesar's. Let him keep his whip. Each to his vocation." The conversation
was continued for some time in a tone of pleasantry. Gradually Napoleon
became more serious. He seemed to be reflecting deeply, and said that he
never before came so near to death. "Indeed," said he, "I was for some
moments virtually dead. But what is death? what is death? It is merely a
sleep without dreams."

Such were probably, at this time, the views of Napoleon upon
immortality. He subsequently professed himself a sincere believer in the
divine origin of Christianity, and wished to die within the pale of the
Christian Church. That mind which can contemplate death with levity must
be either exceedingly weak or hopelessly deranged.

While nearly all who surrounded the first consul were contemplating with
the utmost satisfaction his approaching elevation to the throne, the
subject awakened in the bosom of Josephine the most agitating emotions.
She saw in the splendor of the throne peril to her husband, and the risk
of entire downfall to herself. "The real enemies of Bonaparte," said she
to Roederer, "are those who put into his head ideas of hereditary
succession, dynasty, divorce, and marriage." Again she is represented
as saying, "I do not approve the projects of Napoleon. I have often told
him so. He hears me with attention, but I can plainly see that I make no
impression. The flatterers who surround him soon obliterate all that I
have said. The new honors which he will acquire will augment the number
of his enemies. The generals will exclaim that th