n the presence of the Spanish ambassador.

If we were writing history we should have many more things to say
of Bonaparte without counting those which--after finishing with
Bonaparte--we should still have to say of Napoleon. But we are writing
a simple narrative, in which Bonaparte plays a part; unfortunately,
wherever Bonaparte shows himself, if only for a moment, he becomes, in
spite of himself, a principal personage.

The reader must pardon us for having again fallen into digression; that
man, who is a world in himself, has, against our will, swept us along in
his whirlwind.

Let us return to Roland, and consequently to our legitimate tale.

CHAPTER XXXVII. THE AMBASSADOR

We have seen that Roland, on returning to the Luxembourg, asked for the
First Consul and was told that he was engaged with Fouche, the minister
of police.

Roland was a privileged person; no matter what functionary was with
Bonaparte, he was in the habit, on his return from a journey, or merely
from an errand, of half opening the door and putting in his head. The
First Consul was often so busy that he paid no attention to this head.
When that was the case, Roland would say "General!" which meant, in
the close intimacy which still existed between the two schoolmates:
"General, I am here; do you need me? I'm at your orders." If the First
Consul did not need him, he replied: "Very good." If on the contrary he
did need him, he said, simply: "Come in." Then Roland would enter,
and wait in the recess of a window until the general told him what he
wanted.

On this occasion, Roland put his head in as usual, saying: "General!"

"Come in," replied the First Consul, with visible satisfaction; "come
in, come in!"

Roland entered. Bonaparte was, as he had been told, busy with the
minister of police. The affair on which the First Consul was engaged,
and which seemed to absorb him a great deal, had also its interest for
Roland.

It concerned the recent stoppages of diligences by the Companions of
Jehu.

On the table lay three _proces-verbaux_ relating the stoppage of one
diligence and two mail-coaches. Tribier, the paymaster of the Army of
Italy, was in one of the latter. The stoppages had occurred, one on the
highroad between Meximieux and Montluel, on that part of the road which
crosses the commune of Bellignieux; the second, at the extremity of the
lake of Silans, in the direction of Nantua; the third, on the highroad
between Saint-Etienne