give me four
cannon, and I'll sweep the whole rabble out.'"

What would have happened if Lieutenant Bonaparte had followed his
impulse, obtained what he wanted from Louis XVI., and _swept the rabble
out_, that is to say the people of Paris? Had his cannon made a
clean sweep on June 20th, would he have had to make another the 13th
Vendemiaire for the benefit of the Convention?

While the ex-Syndic; who had grown grave, was outlining in his mind
the opening pages of his future "History of the Consulate," Bonaparte
presented himself at the bar of the Council of the Ancients, followed
by his staff, and by all those who chose to do likewise. When the tumult
caused by this influx of people had subsided, the president read over
the decree which invested Bonaparte with the military power. Then, after
requesting him to take the oath, the president added:

"He who has never promised his country a victory which he did not
win, cannot fail to keep religiously his new promise to serve her
faithfully."

Bonaparte stretched forth his hand and said solemnly:

"I swear it!"

All the generals repeated after him, each for himself:

"I swear it!"

The last one had scarcely finished, when Bonaparte recognized Barras'
secretary, that same Bollot of whom Barras had spoken that morning
to his two colleagues. He had come there solely to give his patron an
account of all that was happening there, but Bonaparte fancied he was
sent on some secret mission by Barras. He resolved to spare him the
first advance, and went straight to him, saying:

"Have you come on behalf of the Directors?" Then, without giving him
time to answer, he continued: "What have they done with that France I
left so brilliant? I left peace; I find war. I left victories; I find
reverses. I left the millions of Italy, and I find spoliation and
penury. What have become of the hundred thousand Frenchmen whom I knew
by name? They are dead!"

It was not precisely to Barras' secretary that these words should have
been said; but Bonaparte wished to say them, needed to say them, and
little he cared to whom he said them. Perhaps even, from his point of
view, it was better to say them to some one who could not answer him. At
that moment Sieyes rose.

"Citizens," said he, "the Directors Moulins and Gohier ask to be
admitted."

"They are no longer Directors," said Bonaparte, "for there is no longer
a Directory."

"But," objected Sieyes, "they have not yet sent in their r