—­[’Manuscrit de Sainte Helene d’une maniere inconnue’, London.  Murray; Bruxelles, De Mat, 20 Avril 1817.  This work merits a note.  Metternich (vol, i. pp. 312-13) says, “At the time when it appeared the manuscript of St. Helena made a great impression upon Europe.  This pamphlet was generally regarded as a precursor of the memoirs which Napoleon was thought to be writing in his place of exile.  The report soon spread that the work was conceived and executed by Madame de Stael.  Madame de Stael, for her part, attributed it to Benjamin Constant, from whom she was at this time separated by some disagreement.”  Afterwards it came to be known that the author was the Marquis Lullin de Chateauvieux, a man in society, whom no one had suspected of being able to hold a pen:  Jomini (tome i. p. 8 note) says.  “It will be remarked that in the course of this work [his life of Napoleon] the author has used some fifty pages of the pretended ‘Manuscrit de Sainte Helene’.  Far from wishing to commit a plagiarism, he considers he ought to render this homage to a clever and original work, several false points of view in which, however, he has combated.  It would have been easy for him to rewrite these pages in other terms, but they appeared to him to be so well suited to the character of Napoleon that he has preferred to preserve them.”  In the will of Napoleon occurs (see end of this work):  “I disavow the ‘Manuscrit de Sainte Helene’, and the other works under the title of Maxims, Sentences, etc., which they have been pleased to publish during the last six years.  Such rules are not those which have guided my life:  This manuscript must not be confused with the ’Memorial of Saint Helena’.]—­

CHAPTER IV.

1795-1797

On my return to Paris I meet Bonaparte—­His interview with Josephine —­Bonaparte’s marriage, and departure from Paris ten days after—­ Portrait and character of Josephine—­Bonaparte’s dislike of national property—­Letter to Josephine—­Letter of General Colli, and Bonaparte’s reply—­Bonaparte refuses to serve with Kellerman—­ Marmont’s letters—­Bonaparte’s order to me to join the army—­My departure from Sens for Italy—­Insurrection of the Venetian States.

After the 13th Vendemiaire I returned to Paris from Sens.  During the short time I stopped there I saw Bonaparte less frequently than formerly.  I had, however, no reason to attribute this to anything but the pressure of public business with which he was now occupied.  When I did meet him it was most commonly at breakfast or dinner.  One day he called my attention to a young lady who sat opposite to him, and asked what I thought of her.  The way in which I answered his question appeared to give him much pleasure.  He then talked a great deal to me about her, her family, and her amiable qualities; he told me that he should probably marry her, as he was convinced that the union would make him happy.