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of　achieving　important　successes。〃

〃You　know　very　little　about　the　nations　of　the　peninsula；　they　do
not　deserve　that　forty　thousand　French　soldiers　should　be　killed　for
their　sake。　I　see　from　your　letter　that　you　always　argue　from
unfounded　premises。　You　fancy　that　liberty　would　make　a　great
impression　upon　a　lazy；　superstitious；　cowardly；　and　degraded
people。〃

〃You　ask　me　to　do　miracles；　and　I　cannot　perform　them。　Ever　since　I
came　to　Italy；　the　nation's　desire　for　liberty　and　equality　was　not
my　ally；　or　at　best　it　was　but　a　very　feeble　one。　Whatever　is　merely
good　to　be　mentioned　in　proclamations　and　printed　speeches　is　worth
no　more　than　a　novel。〃

〃Hoping　that　the　negotiations　will　have　a　favorable　issue；　I　do　not
enter　upon　further　details　to　enlighten　you　about　many　matters　which
apparently　have　been　misunderstood。　Only　by　prudence；　sagacity；　and
determination　we　are　able　to　realize　great　objects　and　surmount　all
obstacles；　otherwise　all　our　efforts　will　prove　unavailing。
Frequently　there　is　but　a　single　step　from　victory　to　ruin。　In
highly　critical　times；　I　have　always　noticed　that　a　mere　nothing
decided　the　most　important　events。〃

〃It　is　characteristic　of　our　nation　to　be　too　rash　and　fiery　in
prosperity。　If　we　adopt　a　sagacious　policy；　which　is　nothing　but　the
result　of　the　calculation　of　combination　and　chances　as　a　base　for
our　operations；　we　shall　long　remain　the　greatest　nation　and　most
powerful　state　in　Europenay；　more；　we　shall　hold　the　balance　of
power；　we　shall　make　it　incline　wherever　we　desire；　and　if　it　were
the　will　of　Providence；　it　would　be　no　impossibility　to　achieve　in
the　course　of　a　few　years　those　great　results　which　a　glowing　and
excited　imagination　perhaps　foresees；　but　which　only　a　man　of
extraordinary　coolness；　perseverance；　and　prudence　is　able　to
accomplish　if〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　iv。；
p。　581。＇

Bonaparte　paused　suddenly　as　if　he　had　been　about　to　betray　a
profound　secret；　and　stopped　exactly　when　it　was　not　yet　too　late　to
keep　it　buried　within　his　own　breast。

〃It　is　enough；〃　he　then　said；　〃erase　the　last　word　and　close　the
letter。　What　makes　you　look　at　me　so　strangely；　Bourrienne？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　general；　I　had　a　vision。　It　seemed　to　me　as　if
an　oriflamme　were　burning　on　your　head；　and　I　believe　if　all　nations
and　all　men　could　behold　you　as　I　saw　you　just　now；　they　would
believe　once　more　in　the　fables　of　pagan　mythology；　and　feel
satisfied　that　Jove　the　Thunderer　had　deigned　to　descend　once　more
into　our　human　world。〃

Bonaparte　smiled；　and　this　smile　lighted　up　his　face；　previously　so
stern　and　rigid。

〃You　are　a　flatterer　and　a　courtier；〃　he　said；　playfully　pinching
Bourrienne's　ear　so　violently　that　the　latter　was　scarcely　able　to
conceal　a　shriek　of　pain　under　a　smile。　〃Yes；　indeed；　you　are　a
regular　courtier；　and　the　republic　has　done　well　to　banish　you；　for
flattery　is　something　very　aristocratic；　and　injurious　to　our　stiff
republican　dignity。　And　what　an　idea；　to　compare　me　to　Jove
appearing　on　earth！　Don't　you　know；　then；　you　learned　scholar　and
flatterer；　that　Jove；　whenever　he　descended　from　Olympus；　was　in
pursuit　of　a　very　worldly　and　entirely　ungodly　adventure？　It　would
only　remain　for　you　to　inform　my　Josephine　that　I　was　about　to
transform　myself　into　an　ox　for　the　sake　of　some　beautiful　Europa；
or　drop　down　in　the　shape　of　a　golden　rain　to　gain　the　love　of　a
Danae。〃

〃General；　the　sagacious　and　spirited　Josephine　would　believe　the
former　to　be　impossible；　for　even　if　you　should　succeed　in
performing　all　the　miracles　of　the　world；　you　could　never　transform
yourself　into　an　ox。〃

〃What！　you　compared　me　a　minute　ago　with　Jove；　and　now　you　doubt
already　whether　I　could　accomplish　what　Jove　has　done！〃　exclaimed
Bonaparte；　laughing。　〃Ah；　flatterer；　you　see　I　have　caught　you　in
your　own　meshes。　But　would　my　Josephine　believe；　then；　that　I　could
transform　myself　into　a　golden　rain　for　the　purpose　of　winning　a
Danae；　you　arrant　rogue？〃

〃Yes；　general；　but　she　always　would　take　good　care　to　be　that　Danae
herself。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　you　are　right；〃　replied　Bonaparte；　laughing　even
louder　than　before。　〃Josephine　likes　golden　rains；　and　should　they
be　ever　so　violent；　she　would　not　complain；　for　if　they　should
immerse　her　up　to　the　neck；　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours　she　would
have　got　rid　of　the　whole　valuable　flood。〃

〃Your　wife　is　as　liberal　and　generous　as　a　princess；　and　that　is　the
reason　why　she　spends　so　much　money。　She　scatters　her　charities　with
liberal　hands。〃

〃Yes；　Josephine　has　a　noble　and　magnanimous　heart；〃　exclaimed
Napoleon；　and　his　large　blue　eyes　assumed　a　mild　and　tender
expression。　〃She　is　a　woman　just　as　I　like　womenso　gentle　and
good；　so　childlike　and　playful；　so　tender　and　affectionate；　so
passionate　and　odd！　And　at　the　same　time　so　dignified　and　refined　in
her　manners。　Ah；　you　ought　to　have　seen　her　at　Milan　receiving　the
princes　and　noblesse　in　her　drawing…room。　I　assure　you；　my　friend；
the　wife　of　little　General　Bonaparte　looked　and　bore　herself
precisely　like　a　queen　holding　a　levee；　and　she　was　treated　and
honored　as　though　she　were　one。　Ah；　you　ought　to　have　seen　it！〃

〃I　DID　see　it；　general。　I　was　at　Milan　before　coming　here。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　that　is　true。　I　had　forgotten　it。　You　lucky　fellow；　you
saw　my　wife　more　recently　than　I　did　myself。　Josephine　is　beautiful；
is　she　not？　No　young　girl　can　boast　of　more　freshness；　more　grace；
innocence；　and　loveliness。　Whenever　I　am　with　her；　I　feel　as
contented；　as　happy　and　tranquil　as　a　man　who；　on　a　very　warm　day；
is　reposing　in　the　shade　of　a　splendid　myrtle…tree；　and　whenever　I
am　far　from　her〃

Bonaparte　paused；　and　a　slight　blush　stole　over　his　face。　The　young
lover　of　twenty…eight　had　triumphed　for　a　moment　over　the　stern；
calculating　general；　and　the　general　was　ashamed　of　it。

〃This　is　no　time　to　think　of　such　things；〃　he　said；　almost
indignantly。　〃Seal　the　letters　now；　and　dispatch　a　messenger　to
Paris。　Ah；　Paris！　Would　to　God　I　were　again　there　in　my　little　house
in　the　Rue　Chantereine；　alone　and　happy　with　Josephine！　But　in　order
to　get　there；　I　must　first　make　peace　herepeace　with　Austria；　with
the　Emperor　of　Germany。　Ah；　I　am　afraid　Germany　will　not　be　much
elated　by　this　treaty　of　peace　which　her　emperor　is　going　to
conclude；　and　by　which　she　may　lose　some　of　her　most　splendid
fortresses　on　the　Rhine。〃

〃And　the　Republic　of　Venice；　general？〃

〃The　Republic　of　Venice　is　about　to　disappear；〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；
frowning。　〃Venice　has　rendered　herself　unworthy　of　the　name　of　a
republicshe　is　about　to　disappear。〃

〃General；　the　delegates　of　the　republic　were　all　day　yesterday　in
your　anteroom；　vainly　waiting　for　an　audience。〃

〃They　will　have　to　wait　to…day　likewise　until　I　return　from　the
conference　which　is　to　decide　about　war　or　peace。　In　either　case；
woe　unto　the　Venetians！　Tell　them；　Bourrienne；　to　wait　until　I
return。　And　now；　my　carriage。　I　cannot　let　the　Austrian
plenipotentiaries　wait　any　longer　for　my　ultimatum。〃




CHAPTER　VIII。

THE　TREATY　OF　CAMPO　FORMIO。


The　Austrian　plenipotentiaries　were　at　the　large　Alberga　of　Udine；
waiting　for　General　Bonaparte。　Every　thing　was　prepared　for　his
reception；　the　table　was　set；　and　the　cooks　were　only　looking　for
the　arrival　of　the　French　chieftain　in　order　to　serve　up　the
magnificent　dejeuner　with　which　to…day's　conference　was　to　begin。

Count　Louis　Cobenzl　and　the　Marquis　de　Gallo　were　in　the　dining…
room；　standing　at　the　window　and　looking　at　the　scenery。

〃It　is　cold　to…day；〃　said　Count　Cobenzl；　after　a　pause　in　the
conversation。　〃For　my　part；　I　like　cold　weather；　for　it　reminds　me
of　the　most　memorable　years　of　my　lifeof　my　sojourn　at　the　court
of　the　Russian　Semiramis。　But　you；　marquis；　are　probably　reminded　by
this　frosty　weather　even　more　sensibly　of　your　beautiful　Naples　and
the　glowing　sun　of　the　south。　The　chilly　air　must　make　you
homesick。〃

〃That　disease　is　unknown　to　me；　count；〃　said　the　marquis。　〃I　am　at
home　wherever　I　can　serve　my　king　and　my　country。〃

〃But　to…day；　my　dear　marquis；　you　have　to　serve　a　foreign　prince。〃

〃Austria　is　the　native　country　of　my　noble　Queen　Caroline；〃　said　the
marquis；　gravely；　〃and　the　empress　is　my　king's　daughter。　The
Austrian　court；　therefore；　may　command　my　whole　power　and　ability。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　we　are　going　to　have　hard　work　to…day；　marquis；〃
remarked　Count　Cobenzl；　gloomily。　〃This　French　general　is　really　a
sans…culotte　of　the　worst　kind。　He　is　entirely　devoid　of　noblesse；
bon　ton；　and　refinement。〃

〃My　dear　count；　for　my　part　I　take　this　Bonaparte　to　be　a　very　long…
headed　man；　and　I　am　sure　we　must　be　greatly　on　our　guard　to　be　able
to　wrest　a　few　concessions　from　him。〃

〃Do　you　really　believe　that；　marquis？〃　asked　the　count；　with　an
incredulous　smile。　〃You　did　not　see；　then；　how　his　marble　face
lighted　up　when　I　handed　him　the　other　day　that　autograph　letter
from　his　majesty　the　emperor？　You　did　not　see　how　he　blushed　with
pleasure　while　reading　it？　Oh；　I　noticed　it；　and；　at　that　moment；　I
said　to　myself：　'This　republican　bear　is　not　insensible　to　the
favors　and　affability　of　the　great。'