recollect one day that Bonaparte, on entering our cabinet, where I was already seated, exclaimed in a transport of joy impossible for me to describe, “Well, Bourrienne, my wife is at last enceinte!” I sincerely congratulated him, more, I own, out of courtesy than from any hope of seeing him made a father by Josephine, for I well remembered that Corvisart, who had given medicines to Madame Bonaparte, had nevertheless assured me that he expected no result from them.  Medicine was really the only political fraud to which Josephine had recourse; and in her situation what other woman would not have done as much?  Here, then, the husband and the wife are in contradiction, which is nothing uncommon.  But on which side is truth?  I have no hesitation in referring it to Josephine.  There is indeed an immense difference between the statements of a women—­trusting her fears and her hopes to the sole confidant of her family secrets, and the tardy declaration of a man who, after seeing the vast edifice of his ambition leveled with the dust, is only anxious, in his compulsory retreat, to preserve intact and spotless the other great edifice of his glory.  Bonaparte should have recollected that Caesar did not like the idea of his wife being even suspected.

CHAPTER XII.

1802.

Citizen Fesch created Cardinal Fesch—­Arts and industry—­Exhibition in the Louvre—­Aspect of Paris in 1802—­The Medicean Venus and the Velletrian Pallas—­Signs of general prosperity—­Rise of the funds—­ Irresponsible Ministers—­The Bourbons—­The military Government—­ Annoying familiarity of Lannes—­Plan laid for his disgrace—­ Indignation of Lannes—­His embassy to Portugal—­The delayed despatch—­Bonaparte’s rage—­I resign my situation—­Duroc—­ I breakfast with Bonaparte—­Duroc’s intercession—­Temporary reconciliation.

Citizen Fesch, who, when we were forced to stop at Ajaccio on our return from Egypt, discounted at rather a high rate the General-in-Chief’s Egyptian sequins, became again the Abbe Fesch, as soon as Bonaparte by his Consular authority re-erected the altars which the Revolution had overthrown.  On the 15th of August 1802 he was consecrated Bishop, and the following year received the Cardinal’s hat.  Thus Bonaparte took advantage of one of the members of his family being in orders to elevate him to the highest dignities of the Church.  He afterwards gave Cardinal Fesch the Archbishopric of Lyons, of which place he was long the titular.

—­[Like Cambaceres the Cardinal was a bit of a gourmet, and on one occasion had invited a large party of clerical magnates to dinner.  By a coincidence two turbots of singular beauty arrived as presents to his Eminence on the very morning of the feast.  To serve both would have appeared ridiculous, but the Cardinal was most anxious to have the credit of both.  He imparted his embarrassment to his chef: 

“‘Be of good faith, your