llor of state, that Bonaparte's
nails were perfectly well made. Another time a courtier exclaimed,
"The first consul's hand is beautiful!" "Ah! for heaven's sake,
Sir," replied a young nobleman of the ancient noblesse, who was not
then a chamberlain, "don't let us talk politics." The same courtier,
speaking affectionately of the first consul, said, "He frequently
displays the most infantine sweetness." Certainly, in his own
family, he amused himself sometimes with innocent games; he has been
seen to dance with his generals; it is even said that at Munich, in
the palace of the king and queen of Bavaria, to whom no doubt this
gaiety appeared very odd, he assumed one evening the Spanish costume
of the Emperor Charles VII. and began dancing an old French country
dance, la Monaco.

CHAPTER 9.

Paris in 1802.--Bonaparte President of the Italian republic.--My
return to Coppet.

Every step of the first consul announced more and more openly his
boundless ambition. While the peace with England was negotiating at
Amiens, he assembled at Lyons the Cisalpine Consulta, consisting of
the deputies from Lombardy and the adjacent states, which had been
formed into a republic under the directory, and who now inquired
what new form of government they were to assume. As people were not
yet accustomed to the idea of the unity of the French republic being
transformed into the unity of one man, no one ever dreamt of the
same person uniting on his own head the first consulship of France
and the presidency of Italy; it was expected therefore that Count
Melzi would be nominated to the office, as the person most
distinguished by his knowledge, his illustrious birth, and the
respect of his fellow citizens. All of a sudden the report got
abroad that Bonaparte was to get himself nominated; and at this
news a moment of life seemed still perceptible in the public
feeling. It was said that the French constitution deprived of the
right of citizenship whoever accepted employment in a foreign
country; but was he a Frenchman, who only wanted to make use of the
great nation for the oppression of Europe, and vice versa? Bonaparte
juggled the nomination of president out of all these Italians, who
only learned a few hours before proceeding to the scrutiny, that
they must appoint him. They were told to join the name of Count
Melzi, as vice-president, to that of Bonaparte. They were assured
that they would only be governed by the former, who would al