"Nothing," sighed the empress; "phrases of regret, cold words of comfort, which sounded like scorn from his mouth. General," she cried, rising suddenly, and fixing a tragic look upon him, "general, I fear that my reason will give way. So much sorrow no human soul can bear, so many tears no eyes can shed, without falling a prey to the powers of darkness. At night," she cried, gazing into space as if her mind pursued a vision, "at night, if after long tearful watching an uneasy slumber falls upon me, I see him creep up towards me, this demon--this demon brought forth by hell; he holds out a goblet, green flames dart from it! I shudder to my heart's core, but he holds the goblet to my lips, the flames beat on my brow with frightful pain; I must quaff,--quaff the terrible drink he offers me, and this drink is blood!--the blood of my husband!" she cried, shrieking aloud, and stretching out her hands with a movement of convulsive horror. "Your majesty! for God's sake, calm yourself!" cried the general, dismayed. A sound was heard in the antechamber. A lacquey entered. "His majesty the emperor has just driven into the _porte cochère_," he cried, and threw open the folding door leading to the anteroom. The Empress Charlotte rose quickly. She passed her handkerchief across her brow, the bewildered look vanished from her features, and she said with a calm and sorrowful smile: "Leave me alone with him, general, perhaps God has softened his heart." Napoleon appeared in the antechamber, he wore a black coat with the star and ribbon of the Order of Our Lady of Guadaloupe. Colonel Favé accompanied him. The empress met him at the threshold of her room. General Almonte with a deep bow withdrew into the antechamber. The servants closed the door. Napoleon kissed the hand of the empress, led her to the sofa and placed himself in an arm-chair beside her. The empress looked at him in breathless suspense, his veiled eyes were cast on the ground. "Is your majesty comfortable here?" he asked in a courteous tone. "I should have been happier if you would have accepted hospitality at one of my palaces." "I want nothing," said the empress with slight impatience, "I have come to hear my fate. I implore your majesty to say if it is pronounced, and what I have to hope." "I think I told your majesty yesterday my determination, and the political reasons upon which it was founded," said the emperor in a calm voice. "I can only regret that circumstances forbid, absolutely forbid my compliance with your majesty's wishes, as I should so much have wished," he added, with a polite bow. The Empress Charlotte's lips trembled convulsively. "Sire," said she in a repressed voice, "it is not a question of my wishes, they have never been directed to that distant throne. It is a question of the honour, perhaps of the life of my husband, for he will sacrifice his life to his honour."