The advice of Barras undoubtedly helped to still the questioning surmises of Josephine; and the wedding was celebrated, as a civil contract, on March 9th, 1796.

With a pardonable coquetry, the bride entered her age on the register as four years less than the thirty-four which had passed over her: while her husband, desiring still further to lessen the disparity, entered his date of birth as 1768.
A fortnight before the wedding, he had been appointed to command the Army of Italy: and after a honeymoon of two days at Paris, he left his bride to take up his new military duties.

Clearly, then, there was some connection between this brilliant fortune and his espousal of Josephine.

But the assertion that this command was the "dowry" offered by Barras to the somewhat reluctant bride is more piquant than correct.

That the brilliance of Buonaparte's prospects finally dissipated her scruples may be frankly admitted.