—­["Napoleon often reflected on the best mode of making this communication to the Empress; still he was reluctant to speak to her.  He was apprehensive of the consequences of her susceptibility of feeling; his heart was never proof against the shedding of tears.  Ho thought, however, that a favourable opportunity offered for breaking the subject previously to his quitting Fontainebleau.  He hinted at it in a few words which be had addressed to the Empress, but he did not explain himself until the arrival of the viceroy, whom he had ordered to join him.  He was the first person who spoke openly to his mother and obtained her consent for that bitter sacrifice.  He acted on the occasion like a kind son and a man grateful to his benefactor and devoted to his service, by sparing him the necessity of unpleasant explanations towards a partner whose removal was a sacrifice as painful to him as it was affecting:  The Emperor, having arranged whatever related to the future condition of the Empress, upon whom he made a liberal settlement, urged the moment of the dissolution of the marriage, no doubt because he felt grieved at the condition of the Empress herself, who dined every day and passed her evenings in the presence of persons who were witnessing her descent from the throne.  There existed between him and the Empress Josephine no other bond than a civil act, according to the custom which prevailed at the time of this marriage.  Now the law had foreseen the dissolution of such marriage oontracts.  A particular day having therefore been fixed upon, the Emperor brought together into his apartments those persons whose ministry was required in this case; amongst others, the Arch-Chancellor and M. Regnault de St. Jean d’Angely.  The Emperor then declared in a loud voice his intention of annulling the marriage he had contracted with Josephine, who was present; the Empress also made the same declaration, which was interrupted by her repeated sobs.  The Prince Arch-Chancellor having caused the article of the law to be read, he applied it to the cam before him, and declared the marriage to be dissolved.” (Memoirs of ad Due de Rovigo).]—­

From all parts the merchants received orders to buy Austrian stock, in which an extraordinary rise immediately took place.  Napoleon’s marriage with Maria Louisa was hailed with enthusiastic and general joy.  The event was regarded as the guarantee of a long peace, and it was hoped there would be a lasting cessation of the disasters created by the rivalry of France and Austria.  The correspondence I received showed that these sentiments were general in the interior of France, and in different countries of Europe; and, in spite of the presentiments I had always had of the return of the Bourbons to France, I now began to think that event problematic, or at least very remote.