The Empress Josephine

Luise Muhlbach is the pseudonym given to the 19th century writer Luise Mundt. Mundt wrote over 50 novels. She is best known for her historical romances. Express Josephine is set during the reign of Napoleon. The story begins as follows: ""I win the battles, Josephine wins me the hearts." These words of Napoleon are the most beautiful epitaph of the Empress Josephine, the much loved, the much-regretted, and the much-slandered one. Even while Napoleon won battles, while with lofty pride he placed his foot on the neck of the conquered, took away from princes their crowns, and from nations their liberty--while Europe trembling bowed before him, and despite her admiration cursed him--while hatred heaved up the hearts of all nations against him--even then none could refuse admiration to the tender, lovely woman who, with the gracious smile of goodness, walked at his side; none could refuse love to the wife of the conqueror, whose countenance of brass received light and lustre from the beautiful eyes of Josephine, as Memnon's statue from the rays of the sun."