noon
Bonaparte 's suffering and anger at this news were unbounded ; a terrible restlessness and anxiety took possession of him , and , to obtain speedy and reliable news from Josephine , he sent from Milan to Paris a special courier , whose only business it was to carry a letter to Josephine . The general had nothing to communicate to the Directory ; it was only the lover writing to his beloved ! What fire , what energy of passion , penetrated him , is evident from the following letter : IV . `` TORTONA , at noon , the 27th Prairial , `` In the Year IV . of the Republic -LRB- 15th June , 1796 -RRB- . `` To Josephine : My life is a ceaseless Alpine burden . An oppressive foreboding prevents me from breathing .