emarkable men are always the
centre of attraction.

"What are you saying, Talma?" demanded Bonaparte. "It seems to me they
are listening to you very attentively."

"Yes, but my reign is over," replied the artist.

"Why so?"

"I do as citizen Barras has done; I abdicate?"

"So citizen Barras has abdicated?"

"So rumor says."

"Is it known who will take his place?"

"It is surmised."

"Is it one of your friends, Talma?"

"Time was," said Talma, bowing, "when he did me the honor to say I was
his."

"Well, in that case, Talma, I shall ask for your influence."

"Granted," said Talma, laughing; "it only remains to ask how it can
serve you."

"Get me sent back to Italy; Barras would not let me go."

"The deuce!" said Talma; "don't you know the song, general, 'We won't go
back to the woods when the laurels are clipped'?"

"Oh! Roscius, Roscius!" said Bonaparte, smiling, "have you grown a
flatterer during my absence?"

"Roscius was the friend of Caesar, general, and when the conqueror
returned from Gaul he probably said to him about the same thing I have
said to you."

Bonaparte laid his band on Talma's shoulder.

"Would he have said the same words after crossing the Rubicon?"

Talma looked Bonaparte straight in the face.

"No," he replied; "he would have said, like the augur, 'Caesar, beware of
the Ides of March!'"

Bonaparte slipped his hand into his breast as if in search of
something; finding the dagger of the Companions of Jehu, he grasped
it convulsively. Had he a presentiment of the conspiracies of Arena,
Saint-Regent, and Cadoudal?

Just then the door opened and a servant announced: "General Bernadotte!"

"Bernadotte," muttered Bonaparte, involuntarily. "What does he want
here?"

Since Bonaparte's return, Bernadotte had held aloof from him, refusing
all the advances which the general-in-chief and his friends had made
him. The fact is, Bernadotte had long since discerned the politician
beneath the soldier's greatcoat, the dictator beneath the general, and
Bernadotte, for all that he became king in later years, was at that time
a very different Republican from Moreau. Moreover, Bernadotte believed
he had reason to complain of Bonaparte. His military career had not
been less brilliant than that of the young general; his fortunes were
destined to run parallel with his to the end, only, more fortunate than
that other--Bernadotte was to die on his throne. It is true, he did not
conquer that th