All the hurrying about, the brief notes which I had to write to many friends, and the conversations in which I was compelled to take part, prevented me from dining before one o’clock in the morning.  It was not till then that Bonaparte, having gone to take the oath as Consul before the Five Hundred, afforded me an opportunity of taking some refreshment with Admires Bruix and some other officers.

At three o’clock in the morning I accompanied Bonaparte, in his carriage to Paris.  He was extremely fatigued after so many trials and fatigues.  A new future was opened before him.  He was completely absorbed in thought, and did not utter a single word during the journey.  But when he arrived at his house in the Rue de la Victoire, he had no sooner entered his chamber and wished good morning to Josephine, who was in bed, and in a state of the greatest anxiety on account of his absence, than he said before her, “Bourrienne, I said many ridiculous things?”—­“Not so very bad, General”—­“I like better to speak to soldiers than to lawyers.  Those fellows disconcerted me.  I have not been used to public assemblies; but that will come in time.”

We then began, all three, to converse.  Madame Bonaparte became calm, and Bonaparte resumed his wonted confidence.  The events of the day naturally formed the subject of our conversation.  Josephine, who was much attached to the Gohier family, mentioned the name of that Director in a tone of kindness.  “What would you have, my dear?” said Bonaparte to her.  “It is not my fault.  He is a respectable man, but a simpleton.  He does not understand me!—­I ought, perhaps, to have him transported.  He wrote against me to the Council of the Ancients; but I have his letter, and they know nothing about it.  Poor man! he expected me to dinner yesterday.  And this man thinks himself a statesman!—­Speak no more of him.”

During our discourse the name of Bernadotte was also mentioned.  “Have you seen him, Bourrienne?” said Bonaparte to me.—­“No, General”—­“Neither have I. I have not heard him spoken of.  Would you imagine it?  I had intelligence to-day of many intrigues in which he is concerned.  Would you believe it? he wished nothing less than to be appointed my colleague in authority.  He talked of mounting his horse and marching with the troops that might be placed under his command.  He wished, he said, to maintain the Constitution:  nay, more; I am assured that he had the audacity to add that, if it were necessary to outlaw me, the Government might come to him and he would find soldiers capable of carrying the decree into execution.”—­“All this, General, should give you an idea how inflexible his principles are.”—­“Yes, I am well aware of it; there is something in that:  he is honest.  But for his obstinacy, my brothers would have brought him over.  They are related to him.  His wife, who is Joseph’s sister-in-law, has ascendency over him.  As for me, have I not, I ask you, made sufficient advances to him?  You