flourishing; the expense of my return to
France, which the state of my affairs rendered necessary, had nearly
drained my purse, and I found great difficulty in providing the
indispensable requisites for the voyage. Hortense, who was a smart,
lively girl, became a great favorite with the sailors; she entertained
them by imitating the songs and dances of the negroes. No sooner did
she observe me engaged, than she slipped upon deck, and repeated her
little exercises to the renewed delight of all. An old quarter-master
was particularly attentive to her, and, whenever he found a moment's
leisure, he devoted it to his _little friend_, who became much
attached to him. This constant dancing and skipping soon destroyed my
daughter's slight shoes. Knowing that she had no other pair, and
fearing that I should forbid her going upon deck, if I should discover
this defect in her attire, she concealed it. Her bleeding feet one day
attracted my notice. I asked, in alarm, if she had hurt herself. 'No,
mamma.' 'But your feet are bleeding.' 'It really is nothing.' I
insisted upon seeing what was the matter, and found that the shoes
were in tatters, and her foot dreadfully torn by a nail. The voyage
was not half performed, and there seemed no possibility of procuring a
new pair before reaching France. I was quite overcome at the idea of
Hortense's sorrow at being compelled to remain shut up in my little
cabin, and to the injury to her health. My tears found a free vent.
At this moment our friend the quarter-master appeared. With honest
bluntness he asked the cause of our grief. Hortense, sobbing all the
while, told him that she could no longer go on deck, because she had
no shoes. 'Is that all?' said he; 'I have an old pair somewhere in my
chest; I will bring them; you, madam, can cut them to shape, and I
will sew them as well as I can. On board ship, you must put up with
many things. It is not the place to be too nice and particular.' He
did not wait for my reply, but went in quest of his shoes, which he
brought to us with an air of exultation, and offered them to Hortense,
who received them with eager delight. We set to work with zeal, and
Hortense enjoyed the delight of furnishing the evening's diversion to
the crew. I repeat that no present was ever received by me with more
pleasure than this pair of old, coarse, leather shoes."

The motive of Josephine in returning to France was to be near her
husband, who was a prominent actor in the