soldiers were transformed into friends and companions of Alcides； etc。；
all of which was cutting the ground from under the feet of the singers of
the future。
The fete of Lyons ended in a ball which lasted until daylight； at which
the First Consul remained two hours； which he spent in conversation with
the magistrates of the city。 While the better class of the inhabitants
gave these grand entertainments to their guests； the people；
notwithstanding the cold； abandoned themselves on the public squares to
pleasure and dancing； and towards midnight there was a fine display of
fireworks on the Place Bonaparte。
After fifteen or eighteen days passed at Lyons； we returned to Paris； the
First Consul and his wife continuing to reside by preference at
Malmaison。 It was； I think； a short time after the return of the First
Consul that a poorly dressed man begged an audience； an order was given
to admit him to the cabinet； and the First Consul inquired his name。
〃General；〃 replied the petitioner； frightened by his presence； 〃it is I
who had the honor of giving you writing lessons in the school of
Brienne。〃〃Fine scholar you have made！〃 interrupted vehemently the
First Consul； 〃I compliment you on it！〃 Then he began to laugh at his
own vehemence； and addressed a few kind words to this good man； whose
timidity such a compliment had not reassured。 A few days after the
master received； from the least promising； doubtless； of all his pupils
at Brienne （you know how the Emperor wrote）； a pension amply sufficient
for his needs。
Another of the old teachers of the First Consul； the Abbe Dupuis； was
appointed by him to the post of private librarian at Malmaison； and lived
and died there。 He was a modest man； and had the reputation of being
well…educated。 The First Consul visited him often in his room； and paid
him every imaginable attention and respect。
CHAPTER IX。
The day on which the First Consul promulgated the law of public worship；
he rose early； and entered the dressing…room to make his toilet。 While
he was dressing I saw Joseph Bonaparte enter his room with Cambaceres。
〃Well；〃 said the First Consul to the latter； 〃we are going to mass。 What
do they think of that in Paris？〃〃Many persons；〃 replied M。 Cambaceres；
〃will go to the representation with the intention of hissing the piece；
if they do not find it amusing。〃
〃If any one thinks of hissing； I will have him put out…of…doors by the
grenadiers of the Consular Guard。〃
〃But if the grenadiers begin to hiss like the others？〃
〃I have no fear of that。 My old soldiers will go to Notre Dame exactly
as they went to the mosque at Cairo。 They will watch me； and seeing
their general remain quiet and reverent； they will do as he does； saying
to themselves； 〃That is the countersign！〃
〃I am afraid；〃 said Joseph Bonaparte； 〃that the general officers will not
be so accommodating。 I have just left Augereau； who was vomiting fire
and fury against what he calls your capricious proclamations。 He； and。
a few others； will not be easy to bring back into the pale of our holy
mother； the church。〃
〃Bah！ that is like Augereau。 He is a bawler； who makes a great noise；
and yet if he has a little imbecile cousin； he puts him in the priests
college for me to make a chaplain of him。
〃That reminds me；〃 continued the First Consul； addressing his colleague；
〃when is your brother going to take possession of his see of Rouen？ Do
you know it has the finest archiepiscopal palace in France？ He will be
cardinal before a year has passed； that matter is already arranged。〃
The second consul bowed。 From that moment his manner towards the First
Consul was rather that of a courtier than an equal。
The plenipotentiaries who had been appointed to examine and sign the
Concordat were Joseph Bonaparte； Cruet； and the Abbe Bernier。 This
latter； whom I saw sometimes at the Tuileries； had been a chief of the
Chouans； ＇The Chouans were Royalists in insurrection in Brittany。＇
and took a prominent part in all that occurred。 The First Consul； in
this same conversation； the opening of which I have just related；
discussed with his two companions the subject of the conferences on the
Concordat。 〃The Abby Bernier；〃 said the First Consul； 〃inspired fear in
the Italian prelates by the vehemence of his logic。 It might have been
said that he imagined himself living over again the days in which he led
the Vendeens to the charge against the blues。 Nothing could be more
striking than the contrast of his rude and quarrelsome manner with the
polished bearing and honeyed tones of the prelates。 Cardinal Caprara
came to me two days ago； with a shocked air； to ask if it is true that；
during the war of the Vendee； the Abbe Bernier made an altar on which to
celebrate mass out of the corpses of the Republicans。 I replied that I
knew nothing of it； but that it was possible。 'General； First Consul；'
cried the frightened cardinal； 'it is not a red hat； but a red cap； which
that man should have？'
〃I am much afraid；〃 continued the First Consul； 〃that that kind of cap
would prevent the Abbe Bernier from getting the red hat。〃
These gentlemen left the First Consul when his toilet was finished； and
went to make their own。 The First Consul wore on that day the costume of
the consuls； which consisted of a scarlet coat without facings； and with
a broad embroidery of palms； in gold； on all the seams。 His sword； which
he had worn in Egypt； hung at his side from a belt； which； though not
very wide； was of beautiful workmanship； and richly embroidered。 He wore
his black stock； in preference to a lace cravat； and like his colleagues；
wore knee…breeches and shoes； a French hat； with floating plumes of the
three colors； completed this rich costume。
The celebration of this sacrament at Notre Dame was a novel sight to the
Parisians； and many attended as if it were a theatrical representation。
Many； also； especially amongst the military； found it rather a matter of
raillery than of edification； and those who； during the Revolution； had
contributed all their strength to the overthrow of the worship which the
First Consul had just re…established； could with difficulty conceal their
indignation and their chagrin。
The common people saw in the Te Deum which was sung that day for peace
and the Concordat； only an additional gratification of their curiosity；
but among the middle classes there was a large number of pious persons；
who had deeply regretted the suppression of the forms of devotion in
which they had been reared； and who were very happy in returning to the
old worship。 And； indeed； there was then no manifestation of
superstition or of bigotry sufficient to alarm the enemies of
intolerance。
The clergy were exceedingly careful not to appear too exacting； they
demanded little； condemned no one； and the representative of the Holy
Father； the cardinal legate； pleased all； except perhaps a few
dissatisfied old priests； by his indulgence； the worldly grace of his
manners； and the freedom of his conduct。 This prelate was entirely in
accord with the First Consul； and he took great pleasure in conversing
with him。
It is also certain； that apart from all religious sentiment； the fidelity
of the people to their ancient customs made them return with pleasure to
the repose and celebration of Sunday。 The Republican calendar was
doubtless wisely computed； but every one is at first sight struck with
the ridiculousness of replacing the legend of the saints of the old
calendar with the days of the ass； the hog； the turnip； the onion； etc。
Besides； if it was skillfully computed； it was by no means conveniently
divided。 I recall on this subject the remark of a man of much wit； and
who； notwithstanding the disapprobation which his remark implied；
nevertheless desired the establishment of the Republican system；
everywhere except in the almanac。 When the decree of the Convention
which ordered the adoption of the Republican calendar was published； he
remarked： 〃They have done finely； but they have to fight two enemies who
never yield； the beard； and the white shirt。〃
＇That is to say； the barber and the washerwoman； for whom ten days
was too long an interval。TRANS。＇
The truth is； the interval from one decadi to another was too long for
the working…classes； and for all those who were constantly occupied。
I do not know whether it was the effect of a deep…rooted habit； but
people accustomed to working six days in succession； and resting on the
seventh； found nine days of consecutive labor too long； and consequently
the suppression of the decadi was universally approved。 The decree which
ordered the publication of marriage bans on Sunday was not so popular；
for some persons were afraid of finding in this the revival of the former
dominance of the clergy over the civil authorities。
A few days after the solemn re…establishment of the catholic worship；
there arrived at the Tuileries a general officer； who would perhaps have
preferred the establishment of Mahomet； and the change of Notre Dame into
a mosque。 He was the last general…in…chief of the army of Egypt； and was
said to have turned Mussulman at Cairo； ex…Baron de Menou。 In spite of
the defeat by the English which he had recently undergone in Egypt；
General Abdallah…Menou was well received by the First Consul； who
appointed him soon after governor…general of Piedmont。 General Menou was
of tried courage； and had given proof of it elsewhere； as well as on the
field of battle； and amid the most trying circumstances。
After the 10th of August； although belonging to the Republican party； he
had accompanied Louis Sixteenth to the Assembly； and had been denounced
as a Royalist by the Jacobins。 In 1795 the Faubourg Saint Antoine having
risen en masse； and advanced against the Convention； General Menou had
surrounded and disarmed the seditious citizens； but he had refused to
obey the atrocious orders of the commissioners of the Convention； who
decreed that the entire faubourg should be burned； in order to punish the
inhabitants for their continued insurrections。 Some time afterwards；
having again refused to obey the order these commissioners of