comfort of his poor little sick heart, which overflowed with bile:  in fine, he was obliged to take to bed on arriving at Epernay, while the rest of the amiable party tried to drown their sorrows in champagne.  The second day was more fortunate on the score of health and spirits, but provisions were wanting, and great were the sufferings of the stomach.  The travellers lived on the hope of a good supper at Toul; but despair was at its height when, on arriving there, they found only a wretched inn, and nothing in it.  We saw some odd-looking folks there, which indemnified us a little for spinach dressed in lamp-oil, and red asparagus fried with curdled milk.  Who would not have been amused to see the Malmaison gourmands seated at a table so shockingly served!

In no record of history is there to be found a day passed in distress so dreadful as that on which we arrived at Plombieres.  On departing from Toul we intended to breakfast at Nancy, for every stomach had been empty for two days; but the civil and military authorities came out to meet us, and prevented us from executing our plan.  We continued our route, wasting away, so that you might, see us growing thinner every moment.  To complete our misfortune, the dormouse, which seemed to have taken a fancy to embark on the Moselle for Metz, barely escaped an overturn.  But at Plombieres we have been well compensated for this unlucky journey, for on our arrival we were received with all kinds of rejoicings.  The town was illuminated, the cannon fired, and the faces of handsome women at all the windows give us reason to hope that we shall bear our absence from Malmaison with the less regret.

With the exception of some anecdotes, which we reserve for chit-chat on our return, you have here a correct account of our journey, which we, the undersigned, hereby certify.

Josephine Bonaparte. 
Beauharnais-LAPALLETTE. 
Hortense beauharnais. 
Rapp. 
Bonaparte, mere.

The company ask pardon for the blots.
     21st Messidor.

It is requested that the person who receives this journal will show it to all who take an interest in the fair travellers.

This journey to Plombieres was preceded by a scene which I should abstain from describing if I had not undertaken to relate the truth respecting the family of the First Consul.  Two or three days before her departure Madame Bonaparte sent for me.  I obeyed the summons, and found her in tears.  “What a man-what a man is that Lucien!” she exclaimed in accents of grief.  “If you knew, my friend, the shameful proposals he has dared to make to me!  ‘You are going to the waters,’ said he; ’you must get a child by some other person since you cannot have one by him.’  Imagine the indignation with which I received such advice.  ‘Well,’ he continued, ’if you do not wish it, or cannot help it, Bonaparte must get a child by another woman, and you must adopt it, for