Bonaparte’s wish to negotiate with England and Austria—­ An emigrant’s letter—­Domestic details—­The bell—­Conspiracy of Ceracchi, Arena, Harrel, and others—­Bonaparte’s visit to the opera —­Arrests—­Rariel appointed commandant of Vincennes—­The Duc d’Enghien’s foster-sister—­The 3d Nivoise—­First performance of Haydn’s “Creation”—­The infernal machine—­Congratulatory addresses—­ Arbitrary condemnations—­M.  Tissot erased from the list of the banished—­M.  Truguet—­Bonapartes’ hatred of the Jacobins explained—­ The real criminals discovered—­Justification of Fouche—­Execution of St. Regent and Carbon—­Caesar, Cromwell, and Bonaparte—­Conversation between Bonaparte and Fouche—­Pretended anger—­Fouche’s dissimulation—­Lucien’s resignation—­His embassy to Spain—­War between Spain and Portugal—­Dinner at Fouche’s—­Treachery of Joseph Bonaparte—­A trick upon the First Consul—­A three days’ coolness—­ Reconciliation.

The happy events of the campaign of Italy had been crowned by the armistice, concluded on the 6th of July.  This armistice was broken on the 1st of September, and renewed after the battle of Hohenlinden.  On his return from Marengo Bonaparte was received with more enthusiasm than ever.  The rapidity with which, in a campaign of less than two months, he had restored the triumph of the French standard, excited universal astonishment.  He then actively endeavoured to open negotiations with England and Austria; but difficulties opposed him in every direction.  He frequently visited the theatre, where his presence attracted prodigious throngs of persons, all eager to see and applaud him.

The immense number of letters which were at this time addressed to the First Consul is scarcely conceivable.  They contained requests for places, protestations of fidelity, and, in short, they were those petitionary circulars that are addressed to all persons in power.  These letters were often exceedingly curious, and I have preserved many of them; among the rest was one from Durosel Beaumanoir, an emigrant who had fled to Jersey.  This letter contains some interesting particulars relative to Bonaparte’s family.  It is dated Jersey, 12th July 1800, and the following are the most remarkable passages it contains: 

I trust; General, that I may, without indiscretion, intrude upon your notice, to remind you of what, I flatter myself, you have not totally forgotten, after having lived eighteen or nineteen years at Ajaccio.  But you will, perhaps, be surprised that so trifling an item should be the subject of the letter which I have the honour to address to you.  You cannot have forgotten, General, that when your late father was obliged to take your brothers from the college of Autun, from whence he went to see you at Brienne, he was unprovided with mousy, and he asked me for twenty-five louis, which I lent him with pleasure.  After his return he had no opportunity of paying me, and when I left Ajaccio your mother offered to dispose