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gentle medicine, and the empress resumed her ordinary occupations, though evidently without the usual enjoyment. Some days after, Lord Beverley, with his two sons, breakfasted at Malmaison; and to this nobleman Josephine expressed herself warmly on the generosity of the English, who at that time, she said, alone spoke of Napoleon in a becoming manner. She complained bitterly of the ingratitude of those who, not satisfied with abandoning his falling fortunes, overwhelmed his memory with calumny. On the 10th, Alexander, with other distinguished foreigners, dined at Malmaison. Josephine, despite a headache and cold shiverings, which she laboured to conceal, did the honours of the table, and in the evening attempted even to take a part in a game of 'prisoners!' on the beautiful lawn in front of his residence, To anxious enquirers, however, she continued to reply, with a faint smile, which belied the assurance, 'that she was only fatigued and would be well to morrow.' Tomorrow came, but Josephine was evidently worse; on the 24th the empress had a slight attack of sore throat, but otherwise rallied so much as to insist on receiving the emperor of Russia and the king of Prussia. Thenceforward, the disease assumed a most alarming character, exhibiting symptoms of a gangrenous quinsy, and its progress became fearfully rapid. On the morning of the 25th, Alexander returned, and filled with anxiety at the alteration in Josephine's appearance, requested permission to send his own physician. This the empress declined; but she was attended by her own, and the two physicians attached to the households of her son and daughter. On the night of the 26-27th, a blister was applied between the shoulders, and synapisms to the feet; but though these gave some relief from pain, they affected no impression on the disease.
