with the emperor to inspect the
building of the church. And that time she had been ill and suffering,
and with the fullest conviction she had said to her mother that she,
Queen Hortense, would be the first that would be laid to rest in the
vault of St. Denis. Now, after so many years, she descended into it
living and had hardly a right to visit it.

But there was another grave, another monument to her memories, beside
which Hortense desired to pray. This was the grave of the Empress
Josephine, in the church at Ruelle.

With what emotions did she approach this place and kneel down beside the
grave-mound! Of all that Josephine had loved, there remained only
Hortense and her son, a solitary couple, who were now secretly visiting
the place where Hortense's mother reposed. The number of flowers that
adorned the monument proved that Josephine was at least resting in the
midst of friends, who still held her memory sacred, and this was a
consolation for her daughter.

From Ruelle and its consecrated grave they wandered on to Malmaison.
Above all, Hortense wished to show this pa