The husband of Madame Miot (one of Madame Joseph’s ladies-in-waiting) was not so patient, nor such a philosopher as Joseph Bonaparte.  Some charitable person having reported in the company of a ‘bonne amie’ of Miot, that his wife did not pass her nights in solitude, but that she sought consolation among the many gallants and disengaged visitors at Morfontaine, he determined to surprise her.  It was past eleven o’clock at night when his arrival was announced to Joseph, who had just retired to his closet.  Madame Miot had been in bed ever since nine, ill of a migraine, and her husband was too affectionate not to be the first to inform her of his presence, without permitting anybody previously to disturb her.  With great reluctance, Madame Miot’s maid delivered the key of her rooms, while she accompanied him with a light.  In the antechamber he found a hat and a greatcoat, and in the closet adjoining the bedroom, a coat, a waistcoat, and a pair of breeches, with drawers, stockings, and slippers.  Though the maid kept coughing all the time, Madame Miot and her gallant did not awake from their slumber, till the enraged husband began to use the bludgeon of the lover, which had also been left in the closet.  A battle then ensued, in which the lover retaliated so vigorously, that the husband called out “Murder! murder!” with all his might.  The chateau was instantly in an uproar, and the apartments crowded with half-dressed and half-naked lovers.  Joseph Bonaparte alone was able to separate the combatants; and inquiring the cause of the riot, assured them that he would suffer no scandal and no intrigues in his house, without seriously resenting it.  An explanation being made, Madame Miot was looked for but in vain; and the maid declared that, being warned by a letter from Paris of her husband’s jealousy and determination to surprise her, her mistress had reposed herself in her room; while, to punish the ungenerous suspicions of her husband, she had persuaded Captain d’ Horteuil to occupy her place in her own bed.  The maid had no sooner finished her deposition, than her mistress made her appearance and upbraided her husband severely, in which she was cordially joined by the spectators.  She inquired if, on seeing the dress of a gentleman, he had also discovered the attire of a female; and she appealed to Captain d’ Horteuil whether he had not the two preceding nights also slept in her bed.  To this he, of course, assented; adding that, had M. Miot attacked him the first night, he would not then perhaps have been so roughly handled as now; for then he was prepared for a visit, which this night was rather unexpected.  This connubial farce ended by Miot begging pardon of his wife and her gallant; the former of whom, after much entreaty by Joseph, at last consented to share with him her bed.  But being disfigured with two black eyes and suffering from several bruises, and also ashamed of his unfashionable behaviour, he continued invisible for ten days afterwards, and returned to this city as he had left it, by stealth.