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Page 37
The First Consul yesterday evening evinced great regret. He
repeatedly said, "How miserable I am! I have known that man since
he was seven years old." I cannot but believe that he will
reconsider his unfortunate decision. I have intimated to him that
the burden of the business is too much for me, and that he must be
extremely at a loss for the services of one to whom he was so much
accustomed, and whose situation, I am confident, nobody else can
satisfactorily fill. He went to bed very low-spirited. I am, etc.
(Signed) MENEVAL.
19 Vendemiaire, an X.
(21st October 1802.)
Next day I received another letter from M. Meneval as follows:--
I send you your letters. The First Consul prefers that you should
break them open, and send here those which are intended for him. I
enclose some German papers, which he begs you to translate.
Madame Bonaparte is much interested in your behalf; and I can assure
you that no one more heartily desires than the First Consul himself
to see you again at your old post, for which it would be difficult
to find a successor equal to you, either as regards fidelity or
fitness. I do not relinquish the hope of seeing you here again.
A whole week passed away in conflicts between the First Consul's
friendship and pride. The least desire he manifested to recall me was
opposed by his flatterers. On the fifth day of our separation he
directed me to come to him. He received me with the greatest kindness,
and after having good-humouredly told me that I often expressed myself
with too much freedom--a fault I was never solicitous to correct--he
added: "I regret your absence much. You were very useful to me. You are
neither too noble nor too plebeian, neither too aristocratic nor too
Jacobinical. You are discreet and laborious. You understand me better
than any one else; and, between ourselves be it said, we ought to
consider this a sort of Court. Look at Duroc, Bessieres, Maret.
However, I am very much inclined to take you back; but by so doing I
should confirm the report that I cannot do without you."
Madame Bonaparte informed me that she had heard persons to whom Bonaparte
expressed a desire to recall me observe, "What would you do? People will
say you cannot do without him. You have got rid of him now; therefore
think no more about him: and as for the English newspapers, he gave them
more importance than they really deserved: you will no longer be troubled
with them." This will bring to mind a scene--which occurred at Malmaison
on the receipt of some intelligence in the 'London Gazette'.
I am convinced that if Bonaparte had been left to himself he would have
recalled me, and this conviction is warranted by the interval which
elapsed between his determination to part with me and the formal
announcement of my dismissal. Our rupture took place on the 20th of
October, and on the 8th of November following the First Consul sent me
the following letter:
CITIZEN BOURRIENNE, MINISTER OF STATE--I am satisfied with the
services which you have rendered me during the time yon have been
with me; but henceforth they are no longer necessary. I wish you to
relinquish, from this time, the functions and title of my private
secretary. I shall seize an early opportunity of providing for you
in a way suited to your activity and talents, and conducive to the
public service.
(Signed)BONAPARTE.
If any proof of the First Consul's malignity were wanting it would be
furnished by the following fact:--A few days after the receipt of the
letter which announced my dismissal I received a note from Duroc; but,
to afford an idea of the petty revenge of him who caused it to be
written, it will be necessary first to relate a few preceding
circumstances.
When, with the view of preserving a little freedom, I declined the offer
of apartments which Madame Bonaparte had prepared at Malmaison for myself
and my family, I purchased a small house at Ruel: the First Consul had
given orders for the furnishing of this house, as well as one which I
possessed in Paris. From the manner in which the orders were given I had
not the slightest doubt but that Bonaparte intended to make me a present
of the furniture. However, when I left his service he applied to have it
returned. As at first I paid no attention to his demand, as far as it
concerned the furniture at Ruel, he directed Duroc to write the following
letter to me:
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