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142 "The General was presented to the Directoire in the courtyard of the Petit Luxembourg, where an autel de la patrie had been erected. He was introduced to the five directors by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. de Talleyrand, who took occasion to deliver a speech wherein, honouring in Bonaparte ' his undying love of country and humanity/ he praised 'his contempt of luxuriousness and pomp, this miserable ambition of ordinary souls! The day was at hand when it would become necessary to entreat him to tear himself away from the quiet peace of his studious retreat.' It was noticed that General Bonaparte hardly partook of any dish at the dinner which followed this ceremony. This abstinence was attributed to his feeling unwell, but I learned since from a confidential aide-de-camp, M. de La Valette, that Bonaparte had considered this precaution necessary in the face of the dangers which he believed threatened his existence. Whether or not his suspicions were based on any foundation, one cannot help recording them, for they must have greatly affected the resolution he was about to take."

draws a different picture of the state of French feeling towards Napoleon on his