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having to give way to a mere Roman Prince； See Iung's Lucien； tome
ii。 p； 190。＇
At this period； when the Consulate for life was only in embryo；
flattering counsels poured in from all quarters； and tended to encourage
the First Consul in his design of grasping at absolute power。
Liberty rejected an unlimited power； and set bounds to the means he
wished and had to employ in order to gratify his excessive love of war
and conquest。 〃The present state of things； this Consulate of ten
years；〃 said he to me； does not satisfy me； I consider it calculated to
excite unceasing troubles。〃 On the 7th of July 1801； he observed； 〃The
question whether France will be a Republic is still doubtful： it will be
decided in five or six years。〃 It was clear that he thought this too
long a term。 Whether he regarded France as his property； or considered
himself as the people's delegate and the defender of their rights； I am
convinced the First Consul wished the welfare of France； but then that
welfare was in his mind inseparable from absolute power。 It was with
pain I saw him following this course。 The friends of liberty； those who
sincerely wished to maintain a Government constitutionally free； allowed
themselves to be prevailed upon to consent to an extension of ten years
of power beyond the ten years originally granted by the constitution。
They made this sacrifice to glory and to that power which was its
consequence； and they were far from thinking they were lending their
support to shameless intrigues。 They were firm； but for the moment only；
and the nomination for life was rejected by the Senate； who voted only
ten years more power to Bonaparte； who saw the vision of his ambition
again adjourned。
The First Consul dissembled his displeasure with that profound art which；
when he could not do otherwise； he exercised to an extreme degree。 To a
message of the Senate on the subject of that nomination he returned a
calm but evasive and equivocating answer； in which； nourishing his
favourite hope of obtaining more from the people than from the Senate；
he declared with hypocritical humility； 〃That he would submit to this new
sacrifice if the wish of the people demanded what the Senate authorised。〃
Such was the homage he paid to the sovereignty of the people； which was
soon to be trampled under his feet！
An extraordinary convocation of the Council of State took place on
Monday； the 10th of May。 A communication was made to them； not merely of
the Senate's consultation； but also of the First Consul's adroit and
insidious reply。 The Council regarded the first merely as a
notification； and proceeded to consider on what question the people
should be consulted。 Not satisfied with granting to the First Consul ten
years of prerogative； the Council thought it best to strike the iron
while it was hot； and not to stop short in the middle of so pleasing a
work。 In fine； they decided that the following question should be put to
the people： 〃Shall the First Consul be appointed for life； and shall he
have the power of nominating his successor？〃 The reports of the police
had besides much influence on the result of this discussion； for they one
and all declared that the whole of Paris demanded a Consul for life； with
the right of naming a successor。 The decisions on these two questions
were carried as it were by storm。 The appointment for life passed
unanimously； and the right of naming the successor by a majority。 The
First Consul； however； formally declared that he condemned this second
measure； which had not originated with himself。 On receiving the
decision of the Council of State the First Consul； to mask his plan for
attaining absolute power； thought it advisable to appear to reject a part
of what was offered him。 He therefore cancelled that clause which
proposed to give him the power of appointing a successor； and which had
been carried by a small majority。
CHAPTER X。
1802。
General Bernadotte pacifies La vendee and suppresses a mutiny at
ToursBonaparte's injustice towards himA premeditated scene
Advice given to Bernadotte； and Bonaparte disappointedThe First
Consul's residence at St。 CloudHis rehearsals for the Empire
His contempt of mankindMr。 Fox and BonaparteInformation of plans
of assassinationA military dinner given by BonaparteMoreau not
of the partyEffect of the 'Senates…consultes' on the Consulate for
lifeJourney to PlombieresPrevious scene between Lucien and
JosephineTheatrical representations at Neuilly and Malmaison
Loss of a watch； and honesty rewardedCanova at St。 Cloud
Bonaparte's reluctance to stand for a model。
Having arrived at nearly the middle of the career which I have undertaken
to trace； before I advance farther I must go back for a few moments； as I
have already frequently done； in order to introduce some circumstances
which escaped my recollection； or which I purposely reserved； that I
might place them amongst facts analogous to them： Thus； for instance； I
have only referred in passing to a man who； since become a monarch； has
not ceased to honour me with his friendship； as will be seen in the
course of my Memoirs； since the part we have seen him play in the events
of the 18th Brumaire。 This man； whom the inexplicable combination of
events has raised to a throne for the happiness of the people he is
called to govern； is Bernadotte。
It was evident that Bernadotte must necessarily fall into a kind of
disgrace for not having supported Bonaparte's projects at the period of
the overthrow of the Directory。 The First Consul； however； did not dare
to avenge himself openly； but he watched for every opportunity to remove
Bernadotte from his presence； to place him in difficult situations； and
to entrust him with missions for which no precise instructions were
given； in the hope that Bernadotte would commit faults for which the
First Consul might make him wholly responsible。
At the commencement of the Consulate the deplorable war in La Vendee
raged in all its intensity。 The organization of the Chouans was
complete； and this civil war caused Bonaparte much more uneasiness than
that which he was obliged to conduct on the Rhine and in Italy； because；
from the success of the Vendeans might arise a question respecting
internal government； the solution of which was likely to be contrary to
Bonaparte's views。 The slightest success of the Vendeans spread alarm
amongst the holders of national property； and； besides； there was no hope
of reconciliation between France and England； her eternal and implacable
enemy； as long as the flame of insurrection remained unextinguished。
The task of terminating this unhappy struggle was obviously a difficult
one。 Bonaparte therefore resolved to impose it on Bernadotte； but this
general's conciliatory disposition； his chivalrous manners； his tendency
to indulgence； and a happy mixture of prudence and firmness； made him
succeed where others would have failed。 He finally established good
order and submission to the laws。
Some time after the pacification of La Vendee a rebellious disposition
manifested itself at T