en the Mediterranean had become
completely blocked up by English cruisers, almost every letter was
intercepted.

For political purposes, there were many who wished to destroy the
influence which Josephine had acquired over the mind of her illustrious
husband. In the accomplishment of this plan, they endeavored, in every
way in their power, to excite the jealousy of Napoleon. The very efforts
which Josephine was making to attract the most influential men in Paris
to her saloon were represented to him as indications of levity of
character, and of a spirit of unpardonable coquetry. The enemies of
Josephine had their influential agents in the camp of Napoleon, and with
malice, never weary, they whispered these suspicions into his ear.
The jealousy of his impassioned nature was strongly aroused. In his
indignation, he wrote to Josephine in terms of great severity, accusing
her of "playing the coquette with all the world." She was very deeply
wounded by these unjust suspicions, and wrote to him a letter in reply,
which, for tenderness and delicacy of sentiment, and the expression of
conscious innocence, is hardly surpassed by any thing which has ever
been written. Her letter was intercepted, and Napoleon never saw it. For
many months nearly all communication with the army of Egypt was cut off
by the vigilance of the English. There were flying reports ever reaching
the ear of Josephine of disaster to the army, and even of the death of
Napoleon. Josephine was at times in great distress. She knew not the
fate of her husband or her son. She knew that, by the grossest
deception, her husband's confidence in her had been greatly impaired,
and she feared that, should he return, she might never be able to regain
his affections. Still, she devoted herself with unwearied diligence in
watching over all his interests, and though her heart was often
oppressed with anguish, she did every thing in her power to retain the
aspect of cheerfulness and of sanguine hope. One of her favorite
amusements--the favorite amusement of almost every refined mind--was
found in the cultivation of flowers. She passed a portion of every
pleasant day with Hortense among the flower-beds, with the hoe, and the
watering-pot, and the pruning-knife. Hortense, though she loved the
society of her mother, was not fond of these employments, and in
subsequent life she never turned to them for a solace. With Josephine,
however, this taste remained unchanged through life.