ing, till your
own nation and I have decided.'"

The ordinary routine of life with her, as empress, was as follows.
Constant, the valet de chambre of Napoleon, gives the following account
of the commencement of the day. "I had a regular order to enter the
emperor's apartment at seven o'clock. When the empress passed the
night there, it was a very unusual occurrence not to find the august
spouses awake. The emperor commonly asked for tea or an infusion of
orange-flowers, and rose immediately after. In the course of a few
minutes the empress rose also, and, putting on a loose morning-gown,
either read the journals while the emperor dressed, or retired by a
private access to her own apartments, but never without addressing some
kind and condescending words to myself."

Josephine invariably commenced her morning toilet at nine o'clock. This
occupied an hour, and then she passed into a saloon where she received
those who had obtained the favor of a morning presentation. A great many
petitions were presented her on such occasions, and, with unvarying
kindness, she manifested great firmness in rejecting those which
appeared unworthy of her support. These audiences occupied an hour, and
then she met, at eleven o'clock, the most distinguished ladies of the
court at the breakfast-table. Napoleon, entirely engrossed by those
majestic plans he was ever conceiving and executing, usually breakfasted
alone in his cabinet, very hastily, not allowing more than seven or
eight minutes to be occupied by the meal. After breakfast, Josephine,
with her ladies, took a short walk, if the weather was fair, or for half
an hour played a game of billiards. The remainder of the morning, until
three o'clock, she passed in her apartment, with her chosen female
friends, reading, conversing, and embroidering. Josephine herself was an
admirable reader, and the book they were perusing was passed alternately
from hand to hand. No works were read but those of real value. By common
consent, all novels were banished from the circle, as Napoleon
inveterately abominated every work of that kind. If he happened to
find a novel in the hands of any of the attendants of the palace, he
unhesitatingly tossed it into the fire, and roundly lectured the reader
upon her waste of time. If Josephine had been a novel reader, she never
could have acquired that mental energy which enabled her to fill with
dignity and with honor every position she was called to occupy.

Occa