he Chasseurs of the
Guard, and covered with dust, entered.

"Was Decres here?" And then, without waiting for a reply, continued:
"It is settled, all finally arranged; I told you, Madame, the 'pear was
ripe.' I start to-morrow for Boulogne; you, Murat, must accompany
me; D'Auvergne, your division will march the day after. Who is this
gentleman?"

This latter question, in all its abruptness, was addressed to me, while
a dark and ominous frown settled on his features.

"My aide-de-camp, sir," said the old general, hastily, hoping thus to
escape further inquiry.

"Your name, sir?" said the Consul, harshly, as he fixed his piercing
eyes upon me.

"Burke, sir; sous-lieutenant--"

"Of the Eighth Hussars," continued he. "I know the rest, sir. Every
conspiracy is made up of knaves and fools; you figured in the
latter capacity. Mark me, sir, your name is yet to make; the time
is approaching when you may have the opportunity. Still, General d'
Auvergne, it is not in the ranks of a _Chouan_ plot I should have gone
to select my staff."

"Pardon me, sir; but this young man's devotion to you--"

"Is on record. General; I have seen it in Mehee de la Touche's own
writing," added Bonaparte, with a sneer. "Give me the fidelity, sir,
that has no tarnish,--like your own, D'Auvergne. Go, sir," said he,
turning to me, while he waved his hand towards the door; "it will
need all your bravery and all your heroism to make me acquit General
d'Auvergne of an act of folly."

[Illustration: Napoleon sends Burke from the room]

I hung my head in shame, and with a low reverence and a tottering step
moved from the room and closed the door behind me.

I had just reached the street when the general overtook me.

"Come, come, Burke," said he; "you must not mind this. I heard Lannes
receive a heavier reproof because he only carried away three guns of an
Austrian battery when there were four in all."

"Bonaparte never forgets, sir," muttered I, between my teeth, as the
well-remembered phrase crossed my mind.

"Then there 's but one thing to do, my boy; give him a pleasanter
souvenir to look back upon. Besides," added he, in a lower tone, "the
general is ever harsh at the moment of victory; and such is the
present. In a few days more, France will have an emperor; the Senate has
declared, and the army wait but for the signal to salute their monarch.
And now for your own duties. Make your arrangements to start to-night by
post for Mayence; I