Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookbordinate to yours; that my strength, my prowess, my spirit are all yours; that my soul is in your body; and that the day on which you change or cease to live will be my death-day; that Nature, that Earth, is beautiful only because you dwell therein. If you do not believe all this, if your soul is not convinced, penetrated by it, you grieve me, you do not love me--there is a magnetic fluid between people who love one another--you know perfectly well that I could not brook a rival, much less offer you one.[15] To tear out his heart and to see him would be for me one and the same thing, and then if I were to carry my hands against your sacred person--no, I should never dare to do it; but I would quit a life in which the most virtuous of women had deceived me. But I am sure and proud of your love; misfortunes are the trials which reveal to each mutually the whole force of our passion. A child as charming as its mamma will soon see the daylight, and will pass many years in your arms. Hapless me! I would be happy with one _day_. A thousand kisses on your eyes, your lips, your tongue, your heart. Most charming of thy sex, what is thy power over me? I am very sick of thy sickness; I have still a burning fever! Do not keep the courier more than six hours, and let him return at once to bring me the longed-for letter of my Beloved. Do you remember my dream, in which I was your boots, your dress, and in which I made you come bodily into my heart? Why has not Nature arranged matters in this way; she has much to do yet. N. B. _A la citoyenne Bonaparte, &c._ * * * * * _June 18th.--Bonaparte enters Modena, and takes 50 cannon at Urbino._ _June 19th.--Occupies Bologna, and takes 114 cannon._ _June 23rd.--Armistice with Rome. The Pope to pay 21 millions, 100 rare pictures, 200 MSS., and to close his ports to the English._ _June 24th._--Desaix, with part of Moreau's army, forces the passage of the Rhine. No. 8. TO JOSEPHINE. _Pistoia, Tuscany, June 26th._ For a month I have only received from my dear love two letters of three lines each. Is she so busy, that writing to her dear love is not then needful for her, nor, consequently, thinking about him? To live without thinking of Josephine would be death and annihilation to your husband. Your image gilds my fancies, and enlivens the black and sombre picture of melancholy and grief. A day perhaps may come in which I shall see you, for I doubt not you will be still at Paris, and verily on that day I will show you my pockets stuffed with letters that I have not sent you because they are too foolish (_bête_). Yes, that's the word. Good heavens! tell me, you who know so well how to make others love you without being in love yourself, do you know how to cure me of love??? I will give a good price for that remedy. You ought to have started on May 24th. Being good-natured, I waited till June 1st, as if a pretty woman would give up her habits, her friends, both Madame Tallien and a dinner with Barras, and the acting of a new play, and Fortuné; yes, Fortuné, whom you love much more than your husband, for whom you have only a little of the esteem, and a share of that benevolence with which your heart abounds. Every day I count up your misdeeds. I lash myself to fury in order to love you no more. Bah, don't I love you the more? In fact, my peerless little mother, I will tell you my secret. Set me at defiance, stay at Paris, have lovers--let everybody know it--never write me a monosyllable! then I shall love you ten times more for it; and it is not folly, a delirious fever! and I shall not get the better of it. Oh! would to heaven I could get better! but don't tell me you are ill, don't try to justify yourself. Good heavens! you are pardoned. I love you to distraction, and never will my poor heart cease to give all for love. If you did not love me, my fate would be indeed grotesque. You have not written me; you are ill, you do not come. But you have passed Lyons; you will be at Turin on the 28th, at Milan on the 30th, where you will wait for me. You will be in Italy, and I shall be still far from you. Adieu, my well-beloved; a kiss on thy mouth, another on thy heart. We have made peace with Rome--who gives us money. To-morrow we shall be at Leghorn, and as soon as I can in your arms, at your feet, on your bosom. _A la citoyenne Bonaparte, &c._ * * * * * _June 27th.--Leghorn occupied by Murat and Vaubois._ _June 29th.--Surrender of citadel of Milan; 1600 prisoners and 150 cannon taken._ FOOTNOTES [14] _Un millier de baise_ (sic). [15] So Tennant (_t'en offrir un_): but Baron Feuillet de Conches, an expert in Napoleonic graphology, renders the expression _t'en souffrir un_. SERIES B (1796-97) "Des 1796, lorsque, avec 30,000 hommes, il fait la conquête de l'Italie, il est non-seulement grand général, mais profond politique."--_Des Idées Napoléonniennes._ * * * * * "Your Government has sent against me four armies without Generals, and this time a General without an army."--_Napoleon to the Austrian Plenipotentiaries, at Leoben._ SERIES B (For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 211-223.) LETTER PAGE No. 1. _Sortie from Mantua_ 211 No. 2. _Marmirolo_ 211 _Fortuné_ 212 No. 3. _The village of Virgil_ 212 No. 4. _Achille_ 212 No. 5. _Will-o'-the-Wisp_ 213 No. 6. _The needs of the army_ 213-5 No. 7. _Brescia_ 215 No. 9. _I hope we shall get into Trent_ 216 No. 12. _One of these nights the doors will be burst open_ 216-8 No. 13. _Corsica is ours_ 218 No. 14. _Verona_ 219 No. 15. _Once more I breathe freely_ 220 No. 18. "_The 29th_" 220 No. 20. _General Brune_ 221 No. 21. _February 3rd_ 221 No. 24. _Perhaps I shall make peace with the Pope_ 222 No. 25. _The unlimited power you hold over me_ 222 No. 1. _July 5th._--Archduke Charles defeated by Moreau at Radstadt. _July 6th.--Sortie from Mantua: Austrians fairly successful._ TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Roverbella, July 6, 1796._ I have beaten the enemy. Kilmaine will send you the copy of the despatch. I am tired to death. Pray start at once for Verona. I need you, for I think that I am going to be very ill. I send you a thousand kisses. I am in bed. BONAPARTE. * * * * * _July 9th.--Bonaparte asks Kellermann for reinforcements._ _July 14th._--Frankfort on the Main captured by Kléber. _July 16th.--Sortie from Mantua: Austrians defeated._ No. 2. _July 17th.--Attempted coup de main at Mantua: French unsuccessful._ TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN. _Marmirolo_, _July 17, 1796_, 9 P.M. I got your letter, my beloved; it has filled my heart with joy. I am grateful to you for the trouble you have taken to send me news; your health should be better to-day--I am sure you are cured. I urge you strongly to ride, which cannot fail to do you good. Ever since I left you, I have been sad. I am only happy when by your side. Ceaselessly I recall your kisses, your tears, your enchanting jealousy; and the charms of the |