and we will see each other often。 Go to her this morning； I have spoken
to her of you。 The matter is already arranged； and she expects you。〃
As may be believed； I lost no time in presenting myself to Madame
Bonaparte。 Knowing that she was at Malmaison； I went there immediately；
and was received by her with a kindness which overwhelmed me with
gratitude； as I was not then aware that she manifested this same
graciousness to every one； and that it was as inseparable from her
character as was grace from her person。 The duties required of me； in
her service； were altogether nominal； and nearly all my time was at my
own disposal； of which I took advantage to visit Paris frequently。 The
life that I led at this time was very pleasant to a young man like
myself； who could not foresee that in a short while he would be as much
under subjection as he was then at liberty。
Before bidding adieu to a service in which I had found so much that was
agreeable； I will relate some incidents which belong to that period； and
which my situation with the stepson of General Bonaparte gave me the
opportunity of learning。
M。 de Bourrienne has related circumstantially in his memoirs the events
of the 18th Brumaire； ＇The 18th Brumaire； Nov。 9； 1799； was the day
Napoleon overthrew the Directory and made himself First Consul。…TRANS。＇
and the account which he has given of that famous day is as correct as it
is interesting； so that any one curious to know the secret causes which
led to these political changes will find them faithfully pointed out in
the narration of that minister of state。 I am very far from intending to
excite an interest of this； kind； but reading the work of M。 Bourrienne
put me again on the track of my own recollections。 These memoirs relate
to circumstances of which he was ignorant； or possibly may have omitted
purposely as being of little importance； and whatever he has let fall on
his road I think myself fortunate in being permitted to glean。
I was still with Eugene de Beauharnais when General Bonaparte overthrew
the Directory； but I found myself in as favorable a situation to know all
that was passing as if I had been in the service of Madame Bonaparte； or
of the general himself； for my master； although he was very young； had
the entire confidence of his stepfather； and； to an even greater degree；
that of his mother； who consulted him on every occasion。
A few days before the 18th Brumaire； Eugene ordered me to make
preparations for a breakfast he wished to give on that day to his
friends； the number of the guests； all military men； being much larger
than usual。 This bachelor repast was made very gay by an officer； who
amused the company by imitating in turn the manners and appearance of the
directors and a few of their friends。 To represent the Director Barras；
he draped himself 'a la grecque' with the tablecloth； took off his black
cravat； turned down his shirt…collar； and advanced in an affected manner；
resting his left arm on the shoulder of the youngest of his comrades；
while with his right he pretended to caress his chin。 Each person of the
company understood the meaning of that kind of charade； and there were
uncontrollable bursts of laughter。
He undertook then to represent the Abbe Sieyes； by placing an enormous
band of paper inside of his neckcloth； and lengthening thus indefinitely
a long； pale face。 He made a few turns around the room； astraddle of his
chair； and ended by a grand somersault； as if his steed had dismounted
him。 It is necessary to know； in order to understand the significance of
this pantomime； that the Abbe Sieges had been recently taking lessons in
horseback； riding in the garden of the Luxembourg； to the great amusement
of the pedestrians； who gathered in crowds to enjoy the awkward and
ungraceful exhibition made by this new master of horse。
The breakfast ended； Eugene reported for duty to General Bonaparte； whose
aide…de…camp he was； and his friends rejoined the various commands to
which they belonged。
I went out immediately behind them； for from a few words that had just
been dropped at my young master's； I suspected that something grave and
interesting was about to take place。 M。 Eugene had appointed a
rendezvous with his comrades at Pont…Tournant； so I repaired to that
spot； and found a considerable gathering of officers in uniform and on
horseback； assembled in readiness to escort General Bonaparte to Saint…
Cloud。
The commandant of each part of the army had been requested by General
Bonaparte to give a breakfast to their corps of officers； and they had
done so like my young master。 Nevertheless； the officers； even the
generals； were not all in the secret； and General Murat himself； who
rushed into the Hall of the Five Hundred at the head of the grenadiers；
believed that it was only a question of exemption； on account of age；
that General Bonaparte intended to propose； in order that he might obtain
the place of director。
I have learned from an authoritative source； that when General Jube； who
was devoted to General Bonaparte； assembled in the court of the
Luxembourg； the guard of the directors of which he was commander； the
honest M。 Gohier； president of the Directory； put his head out of the
window； and cried to Jube： 〃Citizen General； what are you doing down
there？〃〃Citizen President； you can see for yourself I am mustering the
guard。〃〃Certainly； I see that very plainly； Citizen General； but why
are you mustering them？〃〃Citizen President； I am going to make an
inspection of them； and order a grand maneuver。 Forwardmarch！〃 And
the citizen general filed out at the head of his troop to rejoin General
Bonaparte at Saint…Cloud； while the latter was awaited at the house of
the citizen president； and the breakfast delayed to which General
Bonaparte had been invited for that very morning。
General Marmont had also entertained at breakfast the officers of the
division of the army which he commanded （it was； I think； the artillery）。
At the end of the repast he addressed a few words to them； urging them
not to alienate their cause from that of the conqueror of Italy； and to
accompany him to Saint…Cloud。 〃But how can we follow him？〃 cried one of
his guests。 〃We have no horses。〃〃If that alone deters you； you will
find horses in the court of this hotel。 I have seized all those of the
national riding…school。 Let us go below and mount。〃 All the officers
present responded to the invitation except General Allix； who declared he
would take no part in all this disturbance。
I was at Saint…Cloud on the two days； 18th and 19th Brumaire。 I saw
General Bonaparte harangue the soldiers； and read to them the decree by
which he had been made commander…in…chief of all the troops at Paris； and
of the whole of the Seventeenth Military Division。 I saw him come out
much agitated first from the Council of the Ancients； and afterwards from
the Assembly of the Five Hundred。 I saw Lucien Bonaparte brought out of
the hall； where the latter assembly was sitting； by some grenadiers； sent
in to protect him from the violence of his colleagues。 Pale and furious；
he threw himself on his horse and galloped straight to the troops to
address them； and when he pointed his sword at his brother's breast；
saying he would be the first to slay him if he dared to strike at
liberty； cries of 〃Vive Bonaparte！ down with the lawyers！〃 burst forth
on all sides； and the soldiers； led by General Murat； rushed into the
Hall of the Five Hundred。 Everybody knows what then occurred； and I will
not enter into details which have been so often related。
The general； now made First Consul； installed himself at the Luxembourg；
though at this time he resided also at Malmaison。 But he was often on
the road； as was also Josephine； for their trips to Paris when they
occupied this residence were very frequent； not only on Government
business； which often required the presence of the First Consul； but also
for the purpose of attending the theater； of whose performances General
Bonaparte； was very fond； giving the preference always to the Theatre
Francais and the Italian Opera。 This observation I make in passing；
preferring to give hereafter the information I have obtained as to the
tastes and habits of the emperor。
Malmaison； at the period of which I speak； was a place of unalloyed
happiness； where all who came expressed their satisfaction with the state
of affairs； everywhere also I heard blessings invoked upon the First
Consul and Madame Bonaparte。 There was not yet the shadow of that strict
etiquette which it was necessary afterwards to observe at Saint…Cloud； at
the Tuileries； and in all the palaces in which the Emperor held his
court。 The consular court was as yet distinguished by a simple elegance；
equally removed from republican rudeness and the luxuriousness of the
Empire。 Talleyrand was； at this period； one of those who came most
frequently to Malmaison。 He sometimes dined there； but arrived generally
in the evening between eight and nine o'clock； and returned at one； two；
and sometimes three in the morning。
All were admitted at Madame Bonaparte's on a footing of equality； which
was most gratifying。 There came familiarly Murat； Duroc； Berthier； and
all those who have since figured as great dignitaries； and some even as
sovereigns； in the annals of the empire。
The family of General Bonaparte were assiduous in their attentions； but
it was known among us that they had no love for Madame Bonaparte； of
which fact I had many proofs。 Mademoiselle Hortense never left her
mother； and they were devotedly attached to each other。
Besides men distinguished by their posts under the government or in the
army； there gathered others also who were not less distinguished by
personal merit； or the position which their birth had given them before
the Revolution。 It was a veritable panorama； in which we saw the persons
themselves pass before our eyes。 The scene itself； even exclusive of the
gayety which always attended the dinings of Eugene； had its attractions。
Among those whom we saw most frequently were Volney； Denon； Lemercier；
the Prince of Poix； de Laigle； Charles Baudin； General Beu