was devoted to General Bonaparte； assembled in the court of the
Luxembourg； the guard of the directors of which he was commander； the
honest M。 Gohier； president of the Directory； put his head out of the
window； and cried to Jube： 〃Citizen General； what are you doing down
there？〃〃Citizen President； you can see for yourself I am mustering the
guard。〃〃Certainly； I see that very plainly； Citizen General； but why
are you mustering them？〃〃Citizen President； I am going to make an
inspection of them； and order a grand maneuver。 Forwardmarch！〃 And
the citizen general filed out at the head of his troop to rejoin General
Bonaparte at Saint…Cloud； while the latter was awaited at the house of
the citizen president； and the breakfast delayed to which General
Bonaparte had been invited for that very morning。
General Marmont had also entertained at breakfast the officers of the
division of the army which he commanded （it was； I think； the artillery）。
At the end of the repast he addressed a few words to them； urging them
not to alienate their cause from that of the conqueror of Italy； and to
accompany him to Saint…Cloud。 〃But how can we follow him？〃 cried one of
his guests。 〃We have no horses。〃〃If that alone deters you； you will
find horses in the court of this hotel。 I have seized all those of the
national riding…school。 Let us go below and mount。〃 All the officers
present responded to the invitation except General Allix； who declared he
would take no part in all this disturbance。
I was at Saint…Cloud on the two days； 18th and 19th Brumaire。 I saw
General Bonaparte harangue the soldiers； and read to them the decree by
which he had been made commander…in…chief of all the troops at Paris； and
of the whole of the Seventeenth Military Division。 I saw him come out
much agitated first from the Council of the Ancients； and afterwards from
the Assembly of the Five Hundred。 I saw Lucien Bonaparte brought out of
the hall； where the latter assembly was sitting； by some grenadiers； sent
in to protect him from the violence of his colleagues。 Pale and furious；
he threw himself on his horse and galloped straight to the troops to
address them； and when he pointed his sword at his brother's breast；
saying he would be the first to slay him if he dared to strike at
liberty； cries of 〃Vive Bonaparte！ down with the lawyers！〃 burst forth
on all sides； and the soldiers； led by General Murat； rushed into the
Hall of the Five Hundred。 Everybody knows what then occurred； and I will
not enter into details which have been so often related。
The general； now made First Consul； installed himself at the Luxembourg；
though at this time he resided also at Malmaison。 But he was often on
the road； as was also Josephine； for their trips to Paris when they
occupied this residence were very frequent； not only on Government
business； which often required the presence of the First Consul； but also
for the purpose of attending the theater； of whose performances General
Bonaparte； was very fond； giving the preference always to the Theatre
Francais and the Italian Opera。 This observation I make in passing；
preferring to give hereafter the information I have obtained as to the
tastes and habits of the emperor。
Malmaison； at the period of which I speak； was a place of unalloyed
happiness； where all who came expressed their satisfaction with the state
of affairs； everywhere also I heard blessings invoked upon the First
Consul and Madame Bonaparte。 There was not yet the shadow of that strict
etiquette which it was necessary afterwards to observe at Saint…Cloud； at
the Tuileries； and in all the palaces in which the Emperor held his
court。 The consular court was as yet distinguished by a simple elegance；
equally removed from republican rudeness and the luxuriousness of the
Empire。 Talleyrand was； at this period； one of those who came most
frequently to Malmaison。 He sometimes dined there； but arrived generally
in the evening between eight and nine o'clock； and returned at one； two；
and sometimes three in the morning。
All were admitted at Madame Bonaparte's on a footing of equality； which
was most gratifying。 There came familiarly Murat； Duroc； Berthier； and
all those who have since figured as great dignitaries； and some even as
sovereigns； in the annals of the empire。
The family of General Bonaparte were assiduous in their attentions； but
it was known among us that they had no love for Madame Bonaparte； of
which fact I had many proofs。 Mademoiselle Hortense never left her
mother； and they were devotedly attached to each other。
Besides men distinguished by their posts under the government or in the
army； there gathered others also who were not less distinguished by
personal merit； or the position which their birth had given them before
the Revolution。 It was a veritable panorama； in which we saw the persons
themselves pass before our eyes。 The scene itself； even exclusive of the
gayety which always attended the dinings of Eugene； had its attractions。
Among those whom we saw most frequently were Volney； Denon； Lemercier；
the Prince of Poix； de Laigle； Charles Baudin； General Beurnonville；
Isabey； and a number of others； celebrated in science； literature； and
art； in short； the greater part of those who composed the society of
Madame de Montesson。
Madame Bonaparte and Mademoiselle Hortense often took excursions on
horseback into the country。 On these occasions her most constant escorts
were the Prince de Poix and M。 de Laigle。 One day； as this party was
reentering the court…yard at Malmaison； the horse which Hortense rode
became frightened； and dashed off。 She was an accomplished rider； and
very active； so she attempted to spring off on the grass by the roadside；
but the band which fastened the end of her riding…skirt under her foot
prevented her freeing herself quickly； and she was thrown； and dragged by
her horse for several yards。 Fortunately the gentlemen of the party；
seeing her fall； sprang from their horses in time to rescue her； and； by
extraordinary good fortune； she was not even bruised； and was the first
to laugh at her misadventure。
During the first part of my stay at Malmaison； the First Consul always
slept with his wife； like an ordinary citizen of the middle classes in
Paris； and I heard no rumor of any intrigue in the chateau。 The persons
of this society； most of whom were young； and who were often very
numerous； frequently took part in sports which recalled college days。
In fact； one of the greatest diversions of the inhabitants of Malmaison
was to play 〃prisoners' base。〃 It was usually after dinner； and
Bonaparte； Lauriston； Didelot； de Lucay； de Bourrienne； Eugene； Rapp；
Isabey； Madame Bonaparte； and Mademoiselle Hortense would divide
themselves into two camps； in which the prisoners taken； or exchanged；
would recall to the First Consul the greater game； which he so much
preferred。 In these games the most active runners were Eugene； Isabey；
and Hortense。 As to General Bonaparte； he often fell； but rose laughing
boisterously。
General Bonaparte and his family seemed to enjoy almost unexampled
happiness； especially when at Malmaison； which residence； though
agreeable at that time； was far from being what it has since become。
This estate consisted of the chateau； which Bonaparte found in bad
condition on his return from Egypt； a park already somewhat improved； and
a farm； the income of which did not with any certainty exceed twelve
thousand francs a year。 Josephine directed in person all the
improvements made there； and no woman ever possessed better taste。
From the first； they played amateur comedy at Malmaison； which was a
relaxation the First Consul enjoyed greatly； but in which he took no part
himself except that of looker…on。 Every one in the house attended these
representations； and I must confess we felt perhaps even more pleasure
than others in seeing thus travestied on the stage those in whose service
we were。
The Malmaison Troupe； if I may thus style actors of such exalted social
rank； consisted principally of Eugene； Jerome； Lauriston； de Bourrienne；
Isabey； de Leroy； Didelot； Mademoiselle Hortense； Madame Caroline Murat；
and the two Mademoiselles Auguie； one of whom afterwards married Marshal
Ney；
＇Michel Ney； Styled by Napoleon the 〃bravest of the brave；〃 was
born 1769； at Sarre…Louis （now in Prussia）； son of a cooper。
Entered the army as a private 1787； adjutant…general 1794； general
of brigade 1796； general of division 1799； marshal 1804； Duke of
Elchingen 1805； Prince of Moskwa 1812； and commanded the rear…guard
in the famous retreat from Russia。 On the return from Elba he went
over to Napoleon； was at Waterloo。 Was afterwards taken； and in
spite of the terms of the surrender of Paris was tried for treason；
and shot in the gardens of the Luxembourg； Dec。 8； 1815。TRANS。＇
and the other M。 de Broc。 All four were very young and charming； and few
theaters in Paris could show four actresses as pretty。 In addition to
which； they showed much grace in their acting； and played their parts
with real talent； and were as natural on the stage as