glory and not to his vanity. In expressing his
dissatisfaction with one of his ministers Bonaparte had said, in the
presence of several individuals, among whom was M. Maret, "If I could
find a second Bourrienne I would get rid of you all." This was
sufficient to raise against me the hatred of all who envied the
confidence of which I was in possession.

The failure of a firm in Paris in which I had invested a considerable sum
of money afforded an opportunity for envy and malignity to irritate the
First Consul against me. Bonaparte, who had not yet forgiven me for
wishing to leave him, at length determined to sacrifice my services to a
new fit of ill-humour.

A mercantile house, then one of the most respectable in Patna, had among
its speculations undertaken some army contracts. With the knowledge of
Berthier, with whom, indeed, the house had treated, I had invested some
money in this business. Unfortunately the principals were, unknown to
me, engaged in dangerous speculations in the Funds, which in a short time
so involved them as to occasion their failure for a heavy amount. This
caused a rumour that a slight fall of the Funds, which took place at that
period, was occasioned by the bankruptcy; and the First Consul, who never
could understand the nature of the Funds, gave credit to the report. He
was made to believe that the business of the Stock Exchange was ruined.
It was insinuated that I was accused of taking advantage of my situation
to produce variations in the Funds, though I was so unfortunate as to
lose not only my investment in the bankrupt house, but also a sum of
money for which I had become bound, by way of surety, to assist the house
in increasing its business. I incurred the violent displeasure of the
First Consul, who declared to me that he no longer required my services.
I might, perhaps have cooled his irritation by reminding him that he
could not blame me for purchasing an interest in a contract, since he
himself had stipulated for a gratuity of 1,500,000 francs for his brother
Joseph out of the contract for victualling the navy. But I saw that for
some time past M. de Meneval had begun to supersede me, and the First
Consul only wanted such an opportunity as this for coming to a rupture
with me.

Such is a true statement of the circumstances which led to my separation
from Bonaparte. I defy any one to adduce a single fact in support of the
charge of peculation, or any transaction of the kind; I fear