It is not the less true, however, that I wrote, by his dictation, a mass of instructions for private intrigues.  Napoleon also said to another noble companion of his exile at St Helena, “Malta certainly possessed vast physical means of resistance; but no moral means.  The knights did nothing dishonourable nobody is obliged to do impossibilities.  No; but they were sold; the capture of Malta was assured before we left Toulon.”

The General-in-Chief proceeded to that part of the port where the Turks made prisoners by the knights were kept.

The disgusting galleys were emptied of their occupants:  The same principles which, a few days after, formed the basis of Bonaparte’s proclamation to the Egyptians, guided him in this act of reason and humanity.

He walked several times in the gardens of the grandmaster.  They were in beautiful order, and filled with magnificent orange-trees.  We regaled ourselves with their fruit, which the great heat rendered most delicious.

On the 19th of June, after having settled the government and defence of the island, the General left Malta, which he little dreamed he had taken for the English, who have very badly requited the obligation.  Many of the knights followed Bonaparte and took civil and military appointments.

During the night of the 22d of June the English squadron was almost close upon us.  It passed at about six leagues from the French fleet.  Nelson, who learned the capture of Malta at Messina on the day we left the island, sailed direct for Alexandria, without proceeding into the north.  He considered that city to be the place of our destination.  By taking the shortest course, with every sail set, and unembarrassed by any convoy, he arrived before Alexandria on the 28th of June, three days before the French fleet, which, nevertheless, had sailed before him from the shores of Malta.  The French squadron took the direction of Candia, which we perceived on the 25th of June, and afterwards stood to the south, favoured by the Etesian winds, which regularly prevail at that season.  The French fleet did not reach Alexandria till the 30th of June.

When on board the ‘Orient’ he took pleasure in conversing frequently with Monge and Berthollet.  The subjects on which they usually talked were chemistry, mathematics, and religion.  General Caffarelli, whose conversation, supplied by knowledge, was at once energetic, witty, and lively, was one of those with whom he most willingly discoursed.  Whatever friendship he might entertain for Berthollet, it was easy to perceive that he preferred Monge, and that he was led to that preference because Monge, endowed with an ardent imagination, without exactly possessing religious principles, had a kind of predisposition for religious ideas which harmonised with the notions of Bonaparte.  On this subject Berthollet sometimes rallied his inseparable friend Monge.  Besides, Berthollet was, with his cold imagination, constantly devoted to analysis and abstractions, inclined towards materialism, an opinion with which the General was always much dissatisfied.