Her life at Navarre was now more agreeable to her, because free from the restraints of etiquette. Though constantly surrounded by the pomp of a court, her courtiers were for the most part old and valued friends, with whom she lived rather in society, than as mistress and dependants. She exhausted every means to render their retreat agreeable to them--a retreat, however, recompensed by salaries equal to those of the imperial court, and which conciliated Napoleon's approval. Benevolence and kindliness of feeling were the leading traits of Josephine's character; besides distributing, by the hands of competent and pious persons, a large portion of her limited revenues in relieving distress wherever it occurred, she kept constantly about her a number of young ladies, orphans of ancient houses, now fallen into decay, to whom she not only gave an accomplished education, but watched over their establishment in life with parental solicitude. The first event of importance which broke in upon the tranquillity of Josephine's life, was the birth of the king of Rome. It happened that the whole household were at Evreux, at a grand entertainment, when the news reached that place. The party returned immediately to the palace, where Josephine had remained. "I confess," says a youthful member of the party, "that my boundless affection for Josephine caused me violent sorrow, when I thought that she who occupied her place was now completely happy. Knowing but imperfectly the grandeur of soul which characterized the empress, her absolute devotion to the happiness of the emperor, I imagined there must still remain in her so much of the woman as would excite bitter regret at not having been the mother of a son so ardently desired. I judged like a frivolous person, who had never known cares beyond those of a ball. On arriving at the palace, I learned how to appreciate one who had been so long the cherished companion, and always the true friend, of Napoleon. I beheld every face beaming with joy, and Josephine's more radiant than any. No sooner had the party entered than she eagerly asked for details. 'How happy,' said she, 'the emperor must be! I rejoice that my painful sacrifice has proved so useful for France. One thing only makes me sad; not having been informed of his happiness by the emperor himself; but then he had so many orders to give, so many congratulations to receive. Yes, ladies, there must be a _fete_ to celebrate this event; the whole city of Evreux must come to rejoice with us; I can never have too many people on this occasion.'" [Illustration: MARIA LOUISA.] The emperor's omission seems to have greatly pained Josephine; for the same night she wrote him a delicate and touching letter, from which these are extracts:--