s arrangements for moving to Genoa were
nearly complete, and Louis was comfortably settled at school in
Chalons. "Brutus" Lucien was the only luckless wight of the number:
his fears had been realized, and, having been denounced as a Jacobin,
he was now lying terror-stricken in the prison of Aix, and all about
him men of his stripe were being executed.

On August fifth the members of the new Committee of Safety finally
entered on their duties. Almost the first document presented at the
meeting was Buonaparte's demand for restoration to his rank in the
artillery. It rings with indignation, and abounds with loose
statements about his past services, boldly claiming the honors of the
last short but successful Italian campaign. The paper was referred to
the proper authorities, and, a fortnight later, its writer received
peremptory orders to join his corps in the west. What could be more
amusingly characteristic of this persistent man than to read, in a
letter to Joseph under date of the following day, August twentieth: "I
am attached at this moment to the topographical bureau of the
Committee of Safety for the direction of the armies in Carnot's place.
If I wish, I can be sent to Turkey by the government as general of
artillery, with a good salary and a splendid title, to organize the
artillery of the Grand Turk." Then follow plans for Joseph's
appointment to the consular service, for a meeting at Leghorn, and for
a further land speculation. At the close are these remarks, which not
only exhibit great acuteness of observation, but are noteworthy as
displaying a permanent quality of the man, that of always having an
alternative in readiness: "It is quiet, but storms are gathering,
perhaps; the primaries are going to meet in a few days. I shall take
with me five or six officers.... The commission and decree of the
Committee of Safety, which employs me in the duty of directing the
armies and plans of campaign, being most flattering to me, I fear they
will no longer allow me to go to Turkey. We shall see. I may have on
hand a campaign to-day.... Write always as if I were going to Turkey."

This was all half true. By dint of soliciting Barras and Doulcet de
Pontecoulant, another well-wisher, both men of influence, and by
importuning Freron, then at the height of his power, but soon to
display a ruinous incapacity, Buonaparte had actually been made a
member of the commission of four which directed the armies, and Dutot
had been s