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Commandant　Rapp　（for　such　only　was　his　rank　at　that　time）　was　then；　as　he
has　ever　been；　good；　full　of　courage；　and　universally　beloved。　　His
frankness；　which　sometimes　bordered　on　brusqueness；　pleased　the　Emperor；
and　I　have　many　times　heard　him　speak　in　praise　of　his　aide…de…camp；　whom
he　always　styled；　〃My　brave　Rapp。〃　　Rapp　was　not　lucky　in　battle；　for　he
rarely　escaped　without　a　wound。　　While　thus　anticipating　events；　I　will
mention　that　in　Russia；　on　the　eve　of　the　battle　of　La　Moskwa；　the
Emperor　said；　in　my　presence；　to　General　Rapp；　who　had　just　arrived　from
Dantzic；　〃See　here；　my　brave　fellow；　we　will　beat　them　to…morrow；　but
take　great　care　of　yourself。　　You　are　not　a　favorite　of　fortune。〃〃That
is；〃　said　the　general；　〃the　premium　to　be　paid　on　the　business；　but　I
shall　none　the　less　on　that　account　do　my　best。〃

Savary　manifested　for　the　First　Consul　the　same　fervid　zeal　and　unbounded
devotion　which　had　attached　him　to　General　Desaix；　and　if　he　lacked　any
of　the　qualities　of　General　Rapp；　it　was　certainly　not　bravery。　　Of　all
the　men　who　surrounded　the　Emperor；　no　one　was　more　absolutely　devoted　to
his　slightest　wishes。　　In　the　course　of　these　memoirs；　I　shall　doubtless
have　occasion　to　recall　instances　of　this　unparalleled　enthusiasm；　for
which　the　Duke　de　Rovigo　I　was　magnificently　rewarded；　but　it　is　just　to
say　that　he　did　not　bite　the　hand　which　rewarded　him；　and　that　he　gave　to
the　end；　and　even　after　the　end；　of　his　old　master　（for　thus　he　loved　to
style　the　Emperor）　an　example　of　gratitude　which　has　been　imitated　by
few。

A　government　decree；　in　the　month　of　June　following；　determined　that　the
body　of　Desaix　should　be　carried　to　the　Hospice　of　St。　Bernard；　and　that
a　tomb　should　be　erected　on　that　spot；　in　the　country　where　he　had
covered　himself　with　immortal　glory；　as　a　testimonial　to　the　grief　of
France；　and　especially　that　of　the　First　Consul。




CHAPTER　V。

The　victory　of　Marengo　had　rendered　the　conquest　of　Italy　certain。
Therefore　the　First　Consul；　thinking　his　presence　more　necessary　at　Paris
than　at　the　head　of　his　army；　gave　the　command　in　chief　to　General
Massena；　and　made　preparations　to　repass　the　mountains。　　On　our　return　to
Milan；　the　First　Consul　was　received　with　even　more　enthusiasm　than　on
his　first　visit。

The　establishment　of　a　republic　was　in　accordance　with　the　wishes　of　a
large　number　of　the　Milanese；　and　they　called　the　First　Consul　their
Savior；　since　he　had　delivered　them　from　the　yoke　of　the　Austrians。
There　was；　however；　a　party　who　detested　equally　these　changes；　the
French　army　which　was　the　instrument　of　them；　and　the　young　chief　who　was
the　author。　　In　this　party　figured　a　celebrated　artist；　the　singer
Marchesi。

During　our　former　visit；　the　First　Consul　had　sent　for　him；　and　the
musician　had　waited　to　be　entreated；　acting　as　if　he　were　much
inconvenienced；　and　at　last　presented　himself　with　all　the　importance　of
a　man　whose　dignity　had　been　offended。　　The　very　simple　costume　of　the
First　Consul；　his　short　stature；　thin　visage；　and　poor　figure　were　not
calculated　to　make　much　of　an　impression　on　the　hero　of　the　theater；　and
after　the　general…in…chief　had　welcomed　him　cordially；　and　very　politely
asked　him　to　sing　an　air；　he　replied　by　this　poor　pun；　uttered　in　a　tone
the　impertinence　of　which　was　aggravated　by　his　Italian　accent：　〃Signor
General；　if　it　is　a　good　air　which　you　desire；　you　will　find　an　excellent
one　in　making　a　little　tour　of　the　garden。〃　　The　Signor　Marchesi　was　for
this　fine　speech　immediately　put　out　of　the　door；　and　the　same　evening　an
order　was　sent　committing　the　singer　to　prison。　　On　our　return　the　First
Consul；　whose　resentment　against　Marchesi　the　cannon　of　Marengo　had
doubtless　assuaged；　and　who　thought　besides　that　the　penance　of　the
musician　for　a　poor　joke　had　been　sufficiently　long；　sent　for　him　again；
and　asked　him　once　more　to　sing；　Marchesi　this　time　was　modest　and
polite；　and　sang　in　a　charming　manner。　　After　the　concert　the　First
Consul　approached　him；　pressed　his　hand　warmly；　and　complimented　him　in
the　most　affectionate　manner；　and　from　that　moment　peace　was　concluded
between　the　two　powers；　and　Marchesi　sang　only　praises　of　the　First
Consul。

At　this　same　concert　the　First　Consul　was　struck　with　the　beauty　of　a
famous　singer；　Madame　Grassini。　　He　found　her　by　no　means　cruel；　and　at
the　end　of　a　few　hours　the　conqueror　of　Italy　counted　one　conquest　more。

The　following　day　she　breakfasted　with　the　First　Consul　and　General
Berthier　in　the　chamber　of　the　First　Consul。　　General　Berthier　was
ordered　to　provide　for　the　journey　of　Madame　Grassini；　who　was　carried　to
Paris；　and　attached　to　the　concert…room　of　the　court。

The　First　Consul　left　Milan　on　the　24th；　and　we　returned　to　France　by　the
route　of　Mont　Cenis；　traveling　as　rapidly　as　possible。　　Everywhere　the
Consul　was　received　with　an　enthusiasm　difficult　to　describe。　　Arches　of
triumph　had　been　erected　at　the　entrance　of　each　town；　and　in　each　canton
a　deputation　of　leading　citizens　came　to　make　addresses　to　and　compliment
him。　　Long　ranks　of　young　girls；　dressed　in　white；　crowned　with　flowers；
bearing　flowers　in　their　hands；　and　throwing　flowers　into　the　carriage　of
the　First　Consul；　made　themselves　his　only　escort；　surrounded　him；
followed　him；　and　preceded　him；　until　he　had　passed；　or　as　soon　as　he　set
foot　on　the　ground　wherever　he　stopped。

The　journey　was　thus；　throughout　the　whole　route；　a　perpetual　fete；　and
at　Lyons　it　amounted　to　an　ovation；　in　which　the　whole　town　turned　out　to
meet　him。　　He　entered；　surrounded　by　an　immense　crowd；　amid　the　most
noisy　demonstrations；　and　alighted　at　the　hotel　of　the　Celestins。　　In　the
Reign　of　Terror　the　Jacobins　had　spent　their　fury　on　the　town　of　Lyons；
the　destruction　of　which　they　had　sworn；　and　the　handsome　buildings　which
ornamented　the　Place　Belcour　had　been　leveled　to　the　ground；　the　hideous
cripple　Couthon；　　at　the　head　of　the　vilest　mob　of　the　clubs；　striking
the　first　blow　with　the　hammer。　　The　First　Consul　detested　the　Jacobins；
who；　on　their　side；　hated　and　feared　him；　and　his　constant　care　was　to
destroy　their　work；　or；　in　other　words；　to　restore　the　ruins　with　which
they　had　covered　France。　　He　thought　then；　and　justly　too；　that　he　could
not　better　respond　to　the　affection　of　the　people　of　Lyons；　than　by
promoting　with　all　his　power　the　rebuilding　of　the　houses　of　the　Place
Belcour；　and　before　his　departure　he　himself　laid　the　first　stone。　　The
town　of　Dijon　gave　the　First　Consul　a　reception　equally　as　brilliant。

Between　Villeneuve…le…Roi　and　Sens；　at　the　descent　to　the　bridge　of
Montereau；　while　the　eight　horses；　lashed　to　a　gallop；　were　bearing　the
carriage　rapidly　along　（the　First　Consul　already　traveled　like　a　king）；
the　tap　of　one　of　the　front　wheels　came　off。　　The　inhabitants　who　lined
the　route；　witnessing　this　accident；　and　foreseeing　what　would　be　the
result；　used　every　effort　to　stop　the　postilions；　but　did　not　succeed；
and　the　carriage　was　violently　upset。　　The　First　Consul　received　no
injury；　General　Berthier　had　his　face　slightly　scratched　by　the　windows；
which　were　broken；　and　the　two　footmen；　who　were　on　the　steps；　were
thrown；　violently　to　a　distance；　and　badly　wounded。　　The　First　Consul　got
out；　or　rather　was　pulled　out；　through　one　of　the　doors。　　This　occurrence
made　no　delay　in　his　journey；　he　took　his　seat　in　another　carriage
immediately；　and　reached　Paris　with　no　other　accident。　　The　night　of　the
2d　of　July；　he　alighted　at　the　Tuileries；　and　the　next　day；　as　soon　as
the　news　of　his　return　had　been　circulated　in　Paris；　the　entire
population　filled　the　courts　and　the　garden。　　They　pressed　around　the
windows　of　the　pavilion　of　Flora；　in　the　hope　of　catching　a　glimpse　of
the　savior　of　France；　the　liberator　of　Italy。

That　evening　there　was　no　one；　either　rich　or　poor；　who　did　not　take
delight　in　illuminating　his　house　or　his　garret。　　It　was　only　a　short
time　after　his　arrival　at　Paris　that　the　First　Consul　learned　of　the
death　of　General　Kleber。　　The　poniard　of　Suleyman　had　slain　this　great
captain　the　same　day　that　the　cannon　of　Marengo　laid　low　another　hero　of
the　army　of　Egypt。　　This　assassination　caused　the　First　Consul　the　most
poignant　grief；　of　which　I　was　an　eyewitness；　and　to　which　I　can　testify；
and；　nevertheless；　his　calumniators　have　dared　to　say　that　he　rejoiced　at
an　event；　which；　even　considered　apart　from　its　political　relations；
caused　him　to　lose　a　conquest　which　had　cost　him　so　much；　and　France　so
much　blood　and　expense。　　Other　miserable　wretches；　still　more　stupid　and
more　infamous；　have　even　gone　so　far　as　to　fabricate　and　spread　abroad
the　report　that　the　First　Consul　had　himself　ordered　the　assassination　of
his　companion　in　arms；　whom　he　had　placed　in　his　own　position　at　the　head
of　the　army　in　Egypt。　　To　these　I　have　only　one　answer　to　make；　if　it　is
necessary　to　answer　them　at　all；　it　is　this；　they　never　knew　the　Emperor。

After　his　return；　the　First　Consul　went　often　with　his　wife　to　Malmaison；
where　he　remained　sometimes　for　several　days。　　At　this　time　it　was　the
duty　of　the　valet　de　chambre　to　follow　the　carriage　on　horseback。　　One
day　the　First　Cons