Yet it was not without pangs of sorrow and remorse.

His laboured, panting breath and almost gasping words left on Bausset the impression that he was genuinely affected; and, consummate actor though he was, we may well believe that he felt the parting from his early associations.
Underneath his generally cold exterior he hid a nervous nature, dominated by an inflexible will, but which now and again broke through all restraint, bathing the beloved object with sudden tenderness or blasting a foe with fiery passion.

And it would seem that Josephine's pangs had power to reawaken the feelings of his more generous youth.
The ceremony of divorce took place on December 15th Josephine declaring with agonized pride that she gave her assent for the welfare of France.
Already the new marriage negotiations had begun.

They are unique even amidst the frigid annals of royal betrothals.

The French ambassador, Caulaincourt, was charged to make definite overtures at St.Petersburg for the hand of the Czar's younger sister; the conditions could easily be arranged; religion need be no difficulty; but time was pressing; the Emperor had need of an heir; "we are counting the minutes here," ran the despatch; and an answer was expected from St.Petersburg after an interval of _two days_.[222] The request caused Alexander the greatest perplexity.