many facts of high interest in her life at this period and subsequently.  How happens it too that he makes no mention of Mademoiselle Louise, who might be called her ‘demioselle de compagnie’ rather than her ‘femme de chambre’?  At the outset of the journey to Italy she was such a favourite with Josephine that she dressed like her mistress, ate at table with her, and was in all respects her friend and confidante.

“The journey was long, much too long for Junot, though he was very much in love with Mademoiselle Louise.  But he was anxious to join the army, for to him his General was always the dearest of mistresses.  Junot has often spoken to me, and to me alone, of the vexations he experienced on this journey.  He might have added to his circumstantial details relative to Josephine the conversation he is reported go have had with Bonaparte to Egypt; but he never breathed a word on the subject, for his character was always noble and generous.  The journey to Italy did not produce the effect which usually arises from such incidents in common life; namely, a closer friendship and intimacy between the parties.  On the contrary, Madame Bonaparte from that moment evinced some degree of ill-humour towards Junot, and complained with singular warmth of the want of respect which he had shown her, in making love to her ’femme de chambre’ before her face.”

According to ’Erreurs (tome i. pp. 4, 50) Junot was not then in Syria.  On 10th February Napoleon was at Messoudiah.  Junot only arrived from Egypt at Gaza on the 25th February.  Madame d’Abrantes (ii. 32) treats this conversation as apocryphal.  “This (an anecdote of her own) is not an imaginary episode like that, for example, of making a person speak at Messoudiah who never was there."]—­

Our little army continued its march on El-Arish, where we arrived on the 17th of February.  The fatigues experienced in the desert and the scarcity of water excited violent murmurs amongst the soldiers during their march across the isthmus.  When any person on horseback passed them they studiously expressed their discontent.  The advantage possessed by the horsemen provoked their sarcasms.  I never heard the verses which they are said to have repeated, but they indulged in the most violent language against the Republic, the men of science, and those whom they regarded as the authors of the expedition.  Nevertheless these brave fellows, from whom it was not astonishing that such great privations should extort complaints, often compensated by their pleasantries for the bitterness of their reproaches.

Many times during the crossing of the isthmus I have seen soldiers, parched with thirst, and unable to wait till the hour for distribution of water, pierce the leathern bottles which contained it; and this conduct, so injurious to all, occasioned numerous quarrels.

El-Arish surrendered on the 17th of February.  It has been erroneously stated that the garrison of this insignificant place, which was set at liberty on condition of not again serving against us, was afterwards found amongst the besieged at Jaffa.  It has also been stated that it was because the men composing the El-Arish garrison did not proceed to Bagdad, according to the capitulation, that we shot them at Jaffa.  We shall presently see the falsehood of these assertions.