The  thought  of  the  splendours  laid  at  her  feet,
but  not  originally  meant  for  her,  suddenly  over-
came her.  The  interests  of  France  and  of  the
Emperor  himself  were  far  more  important  than
her  own.  She  asked  him  to  reflect  upon  this,
to  consult  and  study  higher  political  reasons
of  State,  to  weigh  all  pros  and  cons,  to  elicit
the  judgment  of  his  people  and  that  of  the  world.
She  added  that  if  he  thought  fit  to  maintain  his
generous  offer,  she  conjured  of  him  to  calm  the
scruples  of  her  mother,  so  full  of  zeal  and
devotion  to  the  glory  of  the  Emperor.  Sweetly,
softly,  ingeniously,  she  begged  of  him  to  write
himself  to  the  Countess  of  Montijo,  asking  her
not  to  consider  as  an  insuperable  hindrance  the
distance  existing  between  the  throne  and  the
object  of  his  love.  In  a  word,  he  was  to  obtain
her  consent  to  their  marriage.
