and then emerged again into the street. To their
surprise, and not a little to their consternation, they found their path
blazing with illuminations. Their whole route was filled with a dense
throng of men, women, and children, all eager to catch a glimpse of
their beloved empress, and of the brilliant suite which accompanied her.

The ladies recoiled from attempting the passage on foot through such a
crowd, and proposed sending for the carriages and escort. Josephine,
apprehensive that some accident might occur in attempting to drive the
horses through such a dense mass of people, would not listen to the
suggestion. "Were any one to be injured," she said, "of these friends
whom our imprudence has assembled, I never could forgive myself." Taking
the arm of the chevalier, she led the way through the crowd. The ladies
all followed, each supported by the arm of some nobleman of the court.
The populace respectfully opened before them, and closed up behind. The
plumes, and diamonds, and gay attire of the court shone brilliantly
in the blaze of light which was shed upon them from the illuminated
windows. The enthusiastic acclamations of the populace greeted the
empress until she arrived, in perfect safety, at her residence. As soon
as she entered her saloon, with her accustomed frankness she thanked the
chevalier for the advice which he had given, and confessed that, in not
following it, she had been guilty of imprudence, which might have been
attended by very serious consequences.

When traveling unaccompanied by the emperor, she was fond of
breakfasting in the open air, upon some green lawn, beneath the shade of
venerable trees, or upon some eminence, where her eye could feast upon
the sublimities of Nature, which are so attractive to every ennobled
mind. The peasantry, from a respectful distance, would look upon the
dazzling spectacle perfectly bewildered and awe-stricken. The service
of silver and of gold, the luxurious viands, the gorgeous display of
graceful female attire, and uniforms and liveries, all combined to
invest the scene, in their eyes, with a splendor almost more than
earthly.

On one occasion, a mother's love and pride triumphed over even her
scrupulous obedience to the wishes of Napoleon. Napoleon and Josephine,
accompanied by Eugene and a very magnificent retinue, were at Mayence.
There was to be a grand presentation of the German princes to the
emperor and empress. Eugene, the son of the empress, accor