n long and warm; for as
soon as it was ended Bonaparte entered the cabinet exceedingly agitated,
and said to me, "Bourrienne, how do you think Bernadotte has behaved?
You have traversed France with me--you witnessed the enthusiasm which my
return excited--you yourself told me that you saw in that enthusiasm the
desire of the French people to be relieved from the disastrous position
in which our reverses have placed them. Well! would you believe it?
Bernadotte boasts, with ridiculous exaggeration, of the brilliant and
victorious situation of France! He talks about the defeat of the
Russians, the occupation of Genoa, the innumerable armies that are rising
up everywhere. In short, I know not what nonsense he has got in his
head."--"What can all this mean?" said I. "Did he speak about
Egypt?"--"Oh, yes! Now you remind me. He actually reproached me for
not having brought the army back with me! 'But,' observed I, 'have you
not just told me that you are absolutely overrun with troops; that all
your frontiers are secure, that immense levies are going on, and that
you will have 200,000 infantry?--If this be true, what do you want with
a few thousand men who may ensure the preservation of Egypt?' He could
make no answer to this. But he is quite elated by the honour of having
been War Minister, and he told me boldly that he looked upon the army of
Egypt as lost nay, more. He made insinuations. He spoke of enemies
abroad and enemies at home; and as he uttered these last words he looked
significantly at me. I too gave him a glance! But stay a little. The
pear will soon be ripe! You know Josephine's grace and address. She was
present. The scrutinising glance of Bernadotte did not escape her, and
she adroitly turned the conversation. Bernadotte saw from my
countenance that I had had enough of it, and he took his leave. But
don't let me interrupt you farther. I am going back to speak to
Josephine."

I must confess that this strange story made me very impatient to find
myself alone with Madame Bonaparte, for I wished to hear her account of
the scene. An opportunity occurred that very evening. I repeated to her
what I had heard from the General, and all that she told me tended to
confirm its accuracy. She added that hernadotte seemed to take the
utmost pains to exhibit to the General a flattering picture of the
prosperity of France; and she reported to me, as follows, that part of
the conversation which was peculiarly calculated to irrit