the
same hour or even earlier it must be posted on all the walls of Paris."

"But suppose the Ancients won't consent to issue it?" said Lucien.

"All the more reason to have it posted, ninny," said Bonaparte. "We must
act as if it had been issued."

"Am I to correct this grammatical error in the last paragraph?" asked
Bourrienne, laughing.

"Where?" demanded Lucien, in the tone of an aggrieved author.

"The word 'immediate,'" replied Bourrienne. "You can't say 'transmitted
immediate'; it ought to be 'immediately.'"

"It's not worth while," said Bonaparte. "I shall act, you may be sure,
as if it were 'immediately.'" Then, after an instant's reflection, he
added: "As to what you said just now about their not being willing to
pass it, there's a very simple way to get it passed."

"What is that."

"To convoke the members of whom we are sure at six o'clock in the
morning, and those of whom we are not sure at eight. Having only our own
men, it will be devilishly hard to lose the majority."

"But six o'clock for some, and eight for the others--" objected Lucien.

"Employ two secretaries; one of them can make a mistake." Then turning
to Lucien, he said: "Write this."

And walking up and down, he dictated without hesitating, like a man who
has long thought over and carefully prepared what he dictates; stopping
occasionally beside Bourrienne to see if the secretary's pen were
following his every word:

CITIZENS--The Council of the Ancients, the trustee of the nation's
wisdom, has issued the subjoined decree: it is authorized by
articles 102 and 103 of the Constitution.

This decree enjoins me to take measures for the safety of the
National Legislature, and its necessary and momentary removal.

Bourrienne looked at Bonaparte; _instantaneous_ was the word the
latter had intended to use, but as the general did not correct himself,
Bourrienne left _momentary_.

Bonaparte continued to dictate:

The Legislature will find means to avoid the imminent danger into
which the disorganization of all parts of the administration has
brought us.

But it needs, at this crisis, the united support and confidence of
patriots. Rally around it; it offers the only means of establishing
the Republic on the bases of civil liberty, internal prosperity,
victory and peace.

Bonaparte perused this proclamation, and nodded his head in sign of
approval. Then he looked at his watch.

"Eleven o'clock," he said; "t