ivate individual, and do not take it amiss if I sometimes venture
to speak kindly to my servants without an interpreter."

The frequent excursions made by the court formed a principal class of
events in Josephine's life as empress; they constituted those
alternations which gave her most pleasure. When such journeys were in
contemplation, none knew the hour of departure, or even the route--a
secrecy adopted to guard against conspiracies. "We set out at such an
hour," generally an early one, Napoleon would carelessly say, as he
retired for the night. By the appointed hour every preparation was
made, and the imperial travellers departed.

Sometimes Josephine travelled alone; and, on such occasions, every
thing was arranged beforehand, including the replies she was to make
to the addresses made to her, and the presents she was to bestow. Even
the most minute thing was set down in a huge manuscript volume, which
Josephine diligently conned previous to every ceremony. But if any
thing chanced to escape her memory in this multiplicity of details,
her unpremeditated answers or arrangements were always delivered with
so much eloquence and propriety, or marked with such perfect kindness,
that all parties were satisfied. Sometimes, however, a little mistake
occurred, as, for example, on departing from Rheims, Josephine
presented the mayoress with a medalion of malakite, set with diamonds,
using the expression, "It is the emblem of hope." Some days after, on
seeing this absurdity in one of the journals, she could not believe
that she had used it, and despatched a courier instantly to Napoleon,
fearing his displeasure above all things. This occasioned the famous
order that no journalist should report any speech of the emperor or
empress, unless the same had previously appeared in the "_Moniteur_."
But Josephine usually adhered with scrupulous exactness to her written
instructions. "He has said it, and it must be right," was the constant
remark with which she silenced all suggestions of change. On these
excursions, every thing like vain etiquette was laid aside: every
thing passed as if among a party of equals, on an excursion of
pleasure, each being bound to supply a modicum to the common fund of
enjoyment; the empress studying opportunities of showing those
attentions which cost so little, and yet go so far in winning a way to
the heart.

Charlemagne had received the holy unction from the hands of the head
of the Catholic church