—­[Joseph Fouche (1754-1820); Conventionalist; member of extreme Jacobin party; Minister of Police under the Directory, August 1799; retained by Napoleon in that Ministry till 1802, and again from 1801 to 1810; became Duc d’Otrante in 1809; disgraced m 1810, and sent in 1813 as governor of the Illyrian Provinces; Minister of Police during the ‘Cent Jours’; President of the Provisional Government, 1815; and for a short time Minister of Police under second restoration.]—­

negotiated with the departments, and dexterously managed, without compromising Fouche, to ruin those from whom that Minister had received his power.  There was no time to lose; and Fouche said to me on the 14th Brumaire, “Tell your General to be speedy; if he delays, he is lost.”

On the 17th, Regnault de St. Jean d’Angely told Bonaparte that the overtures made to Cambaceres and Lebrun had not been received in a very decided way.  “I will have no tergiversation,” replied Bonaparte with warmth.  “Let them not flatter themselves that I stand in need of them.  They must decide to-day; to-morrow will be too late.  I feel myself strong enough now to stand alone.”

Cambaceres

—­[Cambaceres (J.  J. Regis de) (1763-1824) Conventionalist; Minister of Justice under Directory, 1799; second Consul, 25th December 1799; Arch-Chancellor of the Empire, 1804; Duc de Parma, 1806; Minister of Justice during the ‘Cent Jours’:  took great part in all the legal and administrative projects of the Consulate and Empire.]—­

and Lebrun

—­[Charles Francois Lebrun (1757-1824).  Deputy to the National Assembly, and member of the Council of the Five Hundred; Third Consul, 25th December 1799; Arch-Treasurer of the Empire, 1804; Duc de Plaisance, 1806; Governor-General of Holland, 1806; Lieutenant- Governor of Holland, 1810 to 1813; chiefly engaged in financial measures]—­

were, almost utter strangers to the intrigues which preceded the 18th Brumaire.  Bonaparte had cast his eyes on the Minister of Justice to be one of his colleagues when he should be at liberty to name them, because his previous conduct had pledged him as a partisan of the Revolution.  To him Bonaparte added Lebrun, to counterbalance the first choice.  Lebrun was distinguished for honourable conduct and moderate principles.  By selecting these two men Bonaparte hoped to please every one; besides, neither of them were able to contend against his fixed determination and ambitious views.

What petty intrigues marked the 17th Brumaire!  On that day I dined with Bonaparte; and after dinner he said, “I have promised to dine to-morrow with Gohier; but, as you may readily suppose, I do not intend going.  However, I am very sorry for his obstinacy.  By way of restoring his confidence Josephine is going to invite him to breakfast with us to-morrow.  It will be impossible for him to suspect anything.  I saw Barras this morning,