a market-cart travelled thirty miles to Paris. Here the energetic child, impelled by grief and love, succeeded in finding her mother's maid, Victorine. It was however impossible for them to obtain access to the prison, and Hortense the next day returned to Fontainebleau. Josephine, upon being informed of this imprudent act, to which affection had impelled her child, wrote to her the following letter:

Letter from Josephine.

"I should be entirely satisfied with the good heart of my Hortense, were


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felt a sincere satisfaction in rendering him some service, since it was afterwards in my power to do so."

Commencement of the Reign of Terror. Arrest of Beauharnais.

Josephine had spent three years in Martinique. Consequently, upon her return to France, Hortense was six years of age. Soon after her


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