Paris, 11th Vendemiaire.  Year XI.

   Citizen-general—­I have read with interest the account of what you
   did to re-establish order in the fifty-second demi-brigade, and
   also the report of General Liebert, dated the 5th Vendemiaire. 
   Tell that officer that the Government is satisfied with his conduct. 
   His promotion from the rank of Colonel to that of General of brigade
   is confirmed.  I wish that brave officer to come to Paris.  He has
   afforded an example of firmness and energy which does honour to a
   soldier. 
                    (Signed) Bonaparte.

Thus in the same affair Bonaparte, in a few days, from the spontaneous expression of blame dictated by hate, was reduced to the necessity of declaring his approbation, which he did, as may be seen, with studied coldness, and even taking pains to make his praises apply to Colonel Liebert, and not to the general-in-chief.

Time only served to augment Bonaparte’s dislike of Bernadotte.  It might be said that the farther he advanced in his rapid march towards absolute power the more animosity he cherished against the individual who had refused to aid his first steps in his adventurous career.  At the same time the persons about Bonaparte who practised the art of flattering failed not to multiply reports and insinuations against Bernadotte.  I recollect one day, when there was to be a grand public levee, seeing Bonaparte so much out of temper that I asked him the cause of it.  “I can bear it no longer,” he replied impetuously.  “I have resolved to have a scene with Bernadotte to-day.  He will probably be here.  I will open the fire, let what will come of it.  He may do what he pleases.  We shall see!  It is time there should be an end of this.”

I had never before observed the First Consul so violently irritated.  He was in a terrible passion, and I dreaded the moment when the levee was to open.  When he left me to go down to the salon I availed myself of the opportunity to get there before him, which I could easily do, as the salon was not twenty steps from the cabinet.  By good luck Bernadotte was the first person I saw.  He was standing in the recess of a window which looked on the square of the Carrousel.  To cross the salon and reach the General was the work of a moment.  “General!” said I, “trust me and retire!—­I have good reasons for advising it!” Bernadotte, seeing my extreme anxiety, and aware of the sincere sentiments of esteem end friendship which I entertained for him, consented to retire, and I regarded this as a triumph; for, knowing Bernadotte’s frankness of character and his nice sense of honour, I was quite certain that he would not submit to the harsh observations which Bonaparte intended to address to him.  My stratagem had all the success I could desire.  The First Consul suspected nothing, and remarked only one thing, which was that his victim was absent.  When the