Her prayers and tears had no longer a
prevailing influence over Bonaparte, and she had not been able to
avert the death of the Duke d'Enghien.
"I have tried all means," she said, with tears, to Bourrienne, the
chief secretary of the emperor; "I wanted at any cost to turn him
aside from his dreadful intention. He had not apprised me of it, but
you know in what way I learned it. At my request he confessed to me
his purpose, but he was steeled against my prayers. I clang to him,
I fell on my knees before him. 'Do not meddle with what is none of
your business!' he cried, angrily, as he pushed me away from him.
'These are not women's affairs--leave me in peace.' And so I had to
let the worst come, and could do nothing to hinder it. But
afterward, when all was over, Bonaparte was deeply affected, and for
several days he remained sad and silent, and scolded me no more when
he found me in tears." [Footnote: Bourrienne, "Memoires du Consulat
et de l'Empire."]
The days passed by, the days of splendor, and then followed for
Josephine the days of misery and grief. Repelled by Napoleon, she
mourned four years over her spurned love and her ruined fortunes;
but then, when Napoleon's star went down, when he was robbed of his
imperial crown and compelled to leave France, Josephine's heart
broke, and she hid herself in her grave, in order not to witness
Napoleon's humiliation.
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