raised him to a distinguished rank in the army, and Josephine warmly espoused his interests: but Buonaparte was with difficulty persuaded to give his consent to the match. "Murat is the son of an innkeeper," said he,--"in the station to which events have elevated me, I must not mix my blood with his." These objections, however, were overcome by the address of Josephine, who considered Napoleon's own brothers as her enemies, and was anxious, not without reason, to have some additional support in the family. Her influence, from this time, appears to have remained unshaken; though her extravagance and incurable habit of contracting debts gave rise to many unpleasing scenes between her and the most methodical of mankind. [Footnote 32: The morning after the constitution was announced, the streets of Paris were placarded with the following pasquil:-- ------------------------------------------------ | POLITICAL SUBTRACTION. | | From 5 Directors | | Take 2 | | --- | | There remain 3 Consuls | | From them take 2 | | --- | | And there remains 1 BUONAPARTE. | ------------------------------------------------ This sufficiently expresses what was considered to be the essence of the new constitution.] CHAPTER XV The Chief Consul writes to the King of England--Lord Grenville's Answer--Napoleon passes the Great St. Bernard--The taking of St. Bard--The Siege of Genoa--The Battle of Montebello--The Battle of Marengo--Napoleon returns to Paris--The Infernal Machine--The Battle of Hohenlinden--The Treaty of Luneville.