A hand-written love letter from Napoleon Bonaparte (1763 – 1821) to his mistress Josephine was auctioned at London and sold for US$557,000. This sale price at auction is more than five times its pre-sale estimate of US$100,000. It was an apologetic note written by Napoleon to his lover, Josephine prior to their wedding in 1796 after an altercation with the later.

Almost 75,000 letters were written by Napoleon in his lifetime including those letters sent to his wife, Josephine before and during their marriage.

Paris, December 1795

I wake filled with thoughts of you. Your portrait and the intoxicating evening which we spent yesterday have left my senses in turmoil. Sweet, incomparable Josephine, what a strange effect you have on my heart! Are you angry? Do I see you looking sad? Are you worried?… My soul aches with sorrow, and there can be no rest for you lover; but is there still more in store for me when, yielding to the profound feelings which overwhelm me, I draw from your lips, from your heart a love which consumes me with fire? Ah! it was last night that I fully realized how false an image of you your portrait gives!

You are leaving at noon; I shall see you in three hours.

Until then, mio dolce amor, a thousand kisses; but give me none in return, for they set my blood on fire.

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