and he began to write the end of the
paragraph, of which the first lines were already committed to paper.

"Tell me," said Roland; "is he still got his hobby, the dear general, of
colonizing Egypt?"

"Yes; and then, as a sort of offset, a little governing in France; we
will colonize from a distance."

"Well, my dear Bourrienne, suppose you post me a little on matters in
this country, so that I won't seem to have just arrived from Timbuctoo."

"In the first place, did you come back of your own accord, or were you
recalled?"

"Recalled? I should think so!"

"By whom?"

"The general himself."

"Special despatch?"

"Written by himself; see!"

The young man drew a paper from his pocket containing two lines, not
signed, in the same handwriting as that which Bourrienne had before him.
These two lines said: "'Start. Be in Paris 16th Brumaire. I need you."

"Yes," said Bourrienne, "I think it will be on the eighteenth."

"What will be on the eighteenth?"

"On my word, Roland, you ask more than I know. That man, as you are
aware, is not communicative. What will take place on the 18th Brumaire?
I don't know as yet; but I'll answer for it that something will happen."

"Oh! you must have a suspicion!"

"I think he means to make himself Director in place of Sieyes, or
perhaps president in Gohier's stead."

"Good! How about the Constitution of the year III.?"

"The Constitution of the year III. What about that?"

"Why, yes, a man must be forty years old to be a Director; and the
general lacks just ten of them."

"The deuce! so much the worse for the Constitution. They must violate
it."

"It is rather young yet, Bourrienne; they don't, as a rule, violate
children of seven."

"My dear fellow, in Barras' hands everything grows old rapidly. The
little girl of seven is already an old prostitute."

Roland shook his head.

"Well, what is it?" asked Bourrienne.

"Why, I don't believe the general will make himself a simple Director
with four colleagues. Just imagine it--five kings of France! It wouldn't
be a Directory any longer, but a four-in-hand."

"Anyway, up to the present, that is all he has allowed any one to
perceive; but you know, my dear friend, if we want to know the general's
secrets we must guess them."

"Faith! I'm too lazy to take the trouble, Bourrienne. Besides, I'm a
regular Janissary--what is to be, will be. Why the devil should I bother
to form an opinion and battle for it. It's quite wear