brother Jerome jokingly advising Josephine to give the Consul a little Caesar.  Napoleon broke out, “Yea, that he may end in the same manner as that of Alexander?  Believe me, Messieurs, that at the present time it is better not to have children:  I mean when one is condemned to rule nations.”  The fate of the King of Rome shows that the exclamation was only too true!]—­

“Endeavour once more to make her sensible of her mad extravagance.  Every day I discover new instances of it, and it distresses me.  When I speak to her—­on the subject I am vexed; I get angry—­she weeps.  I forgive her, I pay her bills—­she makes fair promises; but the same thing occurs over and over again.  If she had only borne me a child!  It is the torment of my life not to have a child.  I plainly perceive that my power will never be firmly established until I have one.  If I die without an heir, not one of my brothers is capable of supplying my place.  All is begun, but nothing is ended.  God knows what will happen!  Go and see Josephine, and do not forget my injunctions..”

Then he resumed the gaiety which he had exhibited at intervals during our conversation, far clouds driven by the wind do not traverse the horizon with such rapidity as different ideas and sensations succeeded each other m Napoleon’s mind.  He dismissed me with his usual nod of the head, and seeing him in such good humour I said on departing, “well, Sire, you are going to hear the old bell of Brienne.  I have no doubt it will please you better than the bells of Ruel.”  He replied, “That’s tree—­you are right.  Adieu!”

Such are my recollections of this conversation, which lasted for more than an hour and a half.  We walked about all the time, for Bonaparte was indefatigable in audiences of this sort, and would, I believe, have walked and talked for a whole day without being aware of it.  I left him, and, according to his desire, went to see Madame Bonaparte, which indeed I had intended to do before he requested it.

I found Josephine with Madame de la Rochefoucauld, who had long been in her suite, and who a short time before had obtained the title of lady of honour to the Empress.  Madame de la Rochefoucauld was a very amiable woman, of mild disposition, and was a favourite with Josephine.  When I told the Empress that I had just left the Emperor, she, thinking that I would not speak freely before a third person, made a sign to Madame de la Rochefoucauld to retire.  I had no trouble in introducing the conversation on the subject concerning which Napoleon had directed me to speak to Josephine, for; after the interchange of a few indifferent remarks, she herself told me of a violent scene, which had occurred between her and the Emperor two days before.  “When I wrote to you yesterday,” said she, “to announce your appointment, and to tell you that Bonaparte would recall you, I hoped that you would come to see me on quitting him, but I did not think that he would have sent for you so soon.  Ah! how I wish that you were still with him, Bourrienne; you could make him hear reason.  I know not who takes pleasure in bearing tales to him; but really I think there are persons busy everywhere in finding out my debts, and telling him of them.”