ng figure.
She was deeply moved at the generosity manifested by your majesty; she
is filled with admiration for the hero to whom indeed the whole world is
doing homage, and before whose power the mightiest princes pass away;
she is possessed of sufficient energy and courage to give utterance to
her sentiments, even in presence of her father the emperor."

"Indeed!" exclaimed Napoleon, joyfully. "But who told you so,
Champagny?"

"Sire, the Prince von Lichtenstein, during our confidential interview
yesterday; and he added that the Emperor Francis, notwithstanding the
short time that has elapsed since the conclusion of the recent bloody
war, and the many fresh humiliations he has had to undergo, seemed
himself to be an admirer of your majesty, for he listened to the eulogy
of the archduchess with smiling tranquillity."

"That is strange," said Napoleon, slowly pacing the room; "but the
Austrian marriages were always pernicious to France."

"Sire, it was, however, an Austrian princess, Queen Anne, who gave to
France one of her greatest kings, Louis XIV."

"That is true," said Napoleon; "and I should be happy if my son
resembled the great Louis."

"Sire, he will resemble his great father," said Champagny.

"A son--an heir to my throne," said the emperor, passionately--"a
legitimate inheritor of my glory, and a descendant of an ancient and
imperial house, who would dare doubt the purity of his blood, and his
right to reign? His throne I would have established; and he would
confirm by the highest title the fourth dynasty of France. Champagny, I
must have such a son, and--poor Josephine!"

He paced the apartment with rapid steps, and, halting in front of his
minister, he said: "I shall set out to-morrow; this air is oppressive. I
can hardly breathe it; and besides I have no longer any business here.
You will remain for the purpose of exchanging the treaties of peace.
Immediately after the arrival of the Austrian plenipotentiary, bringing
the copy of the treaty signed by the Emperor Francis, you will attend to
the exchange of the ratifications, and inform me that it has been
carried into effect. I shall go from here to Munich, and reach
Fontainebleau in the course of a week. You may tell the Prince von
Lichtenstein, in the same confidential manner in which he spoke to you
of the archduchess, that I am now firmly determined to separate from
the Empress Josephine; that a divorce from her had been irrevocably
resolved up