Madame Junot (tome ii. p. 103).  “The cleverest of our company was M. de Bourrienne.  He played the more dignified characters in real perfection, and his talent was the more pleasing as it was not the result of study, but of a perfect comprehension of his part.”  And she goes on to say that even the best professional actors might have learnt from him in some parts.  The audience was not a pleasant one to face.  It was the First Consul’s habit to invite forty persons to dinner, and a hundred and fifty for the evening, and consequently to hear, criticise, and banter us without mercy” (Memoirs of Duchesse d’Abrantes, tome ii. p. 108).]—­

Bonaparte took great pleasure in our performances.  He liked to see plays acted by persons with whom he was familiar.  Sometimes he complimented us on our exertions.  Although I was as much amused with the thing as others, I was more than once obliged to remind him that my occupations left me but little time to learn my parts.  Then he would assume his coaxing manner and say, “Come, do not vex me!  You have such a memory!  You know that it amuses me.  You see that these performances render Malmaison gay and animated; Josephine takes much pleasure in them.  Rise earlier in the morning.—­In fact, I sleep too much; is not that the cafe—­Come, Bourrienne, do oblige me.  You make me laugh so heartily!  Do not deprive me of this pleasure.  I have not over much amusement, as you well know.”—­“All, truly!  I would not deprive you of any pleasure.  I am delighted to be able to contribute to your amusement.”  After a conversation of this sort I could not do less than set about studying my part.

At this period, during summer, I had half the Sunday to myself.  I was, however, obliged to devote a portion of this precious leisure to pleasing Bonaparte by studying a new part as a surprise for him.  Occasionally, however, I passed the time at Ruel.  I recollect that one day, when I had hurried there from Malmaison, I lost a beautiful watch made by Breguet.  It was four o’clock in the afternoon, and the road was that day thronged with people.  I made my loss publicly known by means of the crier of Ruel.  An hour after, as I was sitting down to table, a young lad belonging to the village brought me my watch.  He had found it on the high road in a wheel rut.  I was pleased with the probity of this young man, and rewarded both him and his father, who accompanied him.  I reiterated the circumstance the same evening to the First Consul, who was so struck with this instance of honesty that he directed me to procure information respecting the young man and his family.  I learned that they were honest peasants.  Bonaparte gave employment to three brothers of this family; and, what was most difficult to persuade him to, he exempted the young man who brought me the watch from the conscription.

When a fact of this nature reached Bonaparte’s ear it was seldom that he did not give the principal actor in it some proof of his satisfaction.  Two qualities predominated in his character—­kindness and impatience.  Impatience, when he was under its influence, got the better of him; it was then impossible for him to control himself.  I had a remarkable proof of it about this very period.