ThevictorythatBonapartedesiredwasthuswon，andhecouldreturnwithhonortoPrance。Hemadesecretpreparationsforhisjourneythither，fittinguptwoships，whichweretocarryhimandhiscompanions。Thearmywastohearofhisdepartureonlyafterhehadgone；but，muchashedesiredtokeepthethingsecret，thereweresomewhohadtoknowofit，andamongthem，happily，wasGeneralKleber。Bonapartehadchosenhimashissuccessor，andthereforehemustbeinformedrespectingtheconditionofaffairsbeforetheheadofthearmyshouldwithdraw。Onthesamedaywhenthiscommunicationtookplace，KleberrepairedtoGeneralDesaix，whowashisintimatefriend，andfromwhomhelearnedthathewastobeoneofBonaparte’scompanionsonthereturn。Thetwogeneralshadaprolongedsecretinterview，andatthecloseofittheybothwenttoKleber’shouse，andenteredtheroomofhisadjutantLouis。GeneralDesaixbowedwithgreatdeferencetotheyoungman，who，blushingatthehonorwhichsodistinguishedageneralpaidhim，extendedhishandtohim。Desaixpressedakissuponit，andfromhiseyes，unusedtotears，therefelladropupontheyoungman’shand。
“General，“criedLouis，inamazement，“whatareyoudoing？“
“Iampayingmyhomagetomisfortuneandtothepast，“saidDesaix，solemnly，“andthetearwhichIdroponyourhandisthesealofmyfidelityandsilenceinthefuture。Youngman，IsweartoyouthatI
willcherishyoursecretinmyheartasahallowedtreasure，andwilldefendwithmylife’sbloodthepaperswhichyouruncle，GeneralKleber，hasintrustedtomycarethisday。Iamasoldieroftherepublic，Ihavepledgedmyfidelitytoher，andmustandshallkeepit。Icannotbecomeapartisan；butIshallalwaysbetheprotectorofmisfortune，andahelperintimeofneed。Trustmeinthis，andacceptmeasyourfriend。“
“Idoacceptyou，general，“saidLouis，gently，“andifIdonotpromisetoloveyoujustastenderlyasIlovemyuncle，GeneralKleber，whohasbeentomefather，brother，andprotector，andtowhomIoweeverything，yet，Icanassureyou，that，afterhim，thereisnoonewhomIwillloveasIshallyou，andthereisnooneinEuropewhocancontendwithyouformylove。Iamverypoorinfriends，andyetIfeelthatmyheartisrichinlovethatnoonedesiresnow。“
“Preservethatpossessionwell，myson，“saidKleber，ashetookleaveofhisson，andlaidhishandontheheadoftheyoungman。
“Preserveyourhearttenderandloving，forifFateisjust，itmayonedaybefortheadvantageofawholenationthatyouareso，andtheheartofthemanbethemediatorbetweenthepeopleanditsking!Farewell，myson；weseeeachotherto-dayforthelasttime，forinthisveryhouryouwillgotoyourshipwithDesaix。Itmaybethattheshipswillsailthisverynight，andifso，well!A
quickandunlooked-forseparationmitigatesthepainsofparting。
Youwillsoonhaveovercomethem，andwhenyoureachParis，thepastwillsinkbehindyouintothesea。“
“Never，oh，never!“criedLouis，withemotion。“Ishallneverforgetmybenefactor，mysecondfather!“
“Myson，oneeasilyforgetsinParis，andespeciallywhenhegoesthitherforthepurposeofcreatinganewfutureoutoftheruinsofthepast!ButIshallneverforgetyou；andifmypresentimentshouldnotdeceiveme，andIshouldsoondie，youwilllearnaftermydeaththatIhavelovedyouasason。Nowgo，andIsaytoyou，asanotherlovedvoiceoncesaidtoyou，andasthesickandthedyingoncerepeatedittoyou，’Godblessyou!Allsaintsandangelsprotectyou!’“
Theyremainedlockedintheirtenderembrace，andthenparted——nevertomeetagain!
Thatverynight，beforethemorningbegantodawn，GeneralDesaixstarted，accompaniedbyhisadjutantLouis，andafewservants。
TheirfirstgoalwasAlexandria，whitherthecommandofGeneralBonapartesummonedthemandafewothers。
Theproposedjourneyofthecommandinggeneralwasstillacarefullyconcealedsecret，andthedivaninCairohadmerelybeeninformedthatBonapartewasplanningtoundertakeashortjourneyintheDelta。
Onthe22dofAugust，1799，anhouraftermidnight，twoFrenchfrigateslefttheharborofAlexandria。OnboardofoneofthemwasBonaparte，theemperorofthefuture；——ontheotherwasLouisCharles，thekingofthepast。Namelessandunknown，thedescendantofthemonarchsofFrance，withhissixteenyears，returnedtoFrance——toFrance，thatseemednolongertorememberitspast，itskings，andtohavenothoughts，nolove，noadmirationforaughtexceptingthatnew，brilliantconstellationwhichhadarisenoverFrance-Bonaparte。
HehadreturnedfromEgypttoregainItaly，buthefoundotherworkawaitinghiminParis。Thishebroughttocompletionwiththeenergyandboldnesswhichcharacterizedallhisdealings。Byapromptstrokeheputanendtotheconstitutionwhichhadprevailedtillthen，abrogatedtheConventionandtheCouncilofFiveHundred，andgavetheFrenchrepublicanewconstitution，puttingattheheadofthegovernmentthreeconsuls，Sieyes，RogerDucos，andhimself。Butthesethreeconsulswereintendedtobeameretransition，amerestepforwardinthevictoriousmarchofBonaparte。Afterafewweekstheyweresuperseded，andBonapartebecametheFirstConsulandtheheadofFrance。
Onthe25thofDecember，1799，FrancehailedGeneralBonaparteastheFirstConsuloftheFrenchrepublic。Anewcenturywasdawning，andwiththebeginningofthisnewcenturythegatesoftheTuileries，thedesertedpalaceofkings，openedtoanewpossessor。
Bonaparte，theFirstConsul，tookuphisresidencethere；andinthefirstspringofthenewcenturytheconsul，accompaniedbyJosephine，removedtoSt。Cloudforsummerquarters。TheparkofQueenMarieAntoinettewasgivenbytheFrenchnationtotheFirstConsul；andintheapartmentswherethequeenwithhersonLouisCharlesandherdaughterTheresaoncedwelt，Josephine，withhersonEugeneandherdaughterHortense，nowabode。
“IwouldIhadremainedinEgypt，“sighedthedauphinoften，wheninthesilenceandsolitudeofhisapartmenthesurrenderedhimselftohisrecollectionsanddreams。“Ithadbeenbettertodieyounginaforeignland，whileallthestarsofhopewerebeamingaboveme，thantoprotractamiserable，obscurelifehere，andseeallthestarsfadeoutonebyone!“
Yes，thestarsofhopewerepalingonebyoneforthesonofKingLouis。Noonethoughtofhim，noonebelievedinhim。HehaddiedintheTemple，thatwasallthatanyonewantedtoknow。Thedeadwaslamentedbyall，thelivingwouldhavebeenunwelcometoany。Hehaddiedandbeenburied，littleKingLouisXVII。，andnoonespokeofhimmore。
Theonlysubjectofmen’stalkwasthegloryandgreatnessoftheFirstConsul。ThebeautyandgraceofJosephinewerecelebratedinthesamehallswhichhadonceresoundedwiththepraisesoffairQueenMarieAntoinette。ThehalfmillionloverswhohadoncebowedtoMariewerenowdevotedtoJosephine，andpaidtheirhomagetoherwiththesameenthusiasmwithwhichtheyhadbeforeworshippedthequeen。ThesonofthegeneralwhooncehadgiventheoathoffidelitytoKingLouisXVI。，thesonofGeneralBeauharnais，isnowtheadoptedsonoftherulerofFrance；whilethesonofthekingmustsecretehimselfandremainwithoutname，rank，andtitle。ItishisgoodfortunethatDesaixistheretopitytheforsakenone，andtogivehimaplaceinhishomeandhisheart。Nooneelseknowshim；heistheadjutantofGeneralDesaix，thatishisonlyrankandtitle。
ButhestillremainedthenephewofGeneralKleber，whohadbeenleftinEgypt，andwho，attheendofthecentury，gainedadecisivevictoryatHeliopolisovertheTurksandMamelukes。HeremainedthenephewofGeneralKleber，andattheendoftheyear1800thefrigatel’Aigle，onitsreturnfromEgypt，broughtagreatpacketforGeneralDesaix。Itcontainedmanypapersofvalue，manyrollsofgold-pieces，besidesgemsandpearls。But；italsocontainedasealedblackdocumentdirectedtotheadjutantofGeneralDesaix。
ThisdocumentcontainedthewillofKleber，commander-in-chiefoftheFrencharmyinEgypt。HehadgivenittoGeneralMenou，togetherwithhispapersandvaluables，withtheintimationthatdirectlyafterhisdeaththeyshouldallbesenttoGeneralDesaixinFrance。
GeneralMenoufollowedthisinstruction，forKleberwasdead。ThemurderousbulletofaMamelukekilledhimonthe14thofJune，1800。
HiswillwasthelastevidenceofhisloveforhisnephewLouis，whomhedesignatedashisonlyheir，andKleberwasrichthroughinheritedwealthaswellasthespoilsofwar。
ButLouisCharlestooknosatisfaction，anditmadenoimpressiononhim，whenDesaixinformedhimthathewasthepossessorofamillion。“Amillion!WhatshallIdowithit？“answeredLouis，sadly。“Wereitamillionsoldiers，andImightputmyselfattheirheadandwiththemstormtheTuileriesandmakemyentranceintoSt。
Cloud，Ishouldconsidermyselffortunate。Butwhatadvantagetomeareamillionoffrancs？Icanbeginnothingwiththem；IshouldhavetoestablishastoreandperhapshavethecustomoftheFirstConsuloftherepublic!“
“Hush!youngman，hush!“repliedDesaix，“youarebitterandsad，andIunderstandit，forthehorizonisdarkforyou，andoffersyounocheerfulprospect；butamillionfrancsisagoodthingnotwithstanding，andonedayyouwillknowhowtoprizeit。Thismillionoffrancsmakesyouarichman，andarichmanisafreeandindependentman。Ifyoudonotwishtolivelongerasasoldier，youhavethepowertogiveupyourcommissionandlivewithoutcare，andthatissomething。Mynextbusinesswillbetoassureyouyourfortuneagainstalltheuncertaintiesofthefuture，whicharethemoretobeguardedagainst，aswearesoontoadvanceintoItalyagainforthenextcampaign。Ican，therefore，notputyourpropertyandyourpapersintoyourhands，fortheyconstituteyourfuture，andwemustdepositthemwithsomeonewithwhomtheyshallbesafe，andthatmustbewithamanofpeace。Doyouknowwhothismanis？“
“Iknownoone，general，exceptingyourself，“repliedLouis，withashrug，“whomIshoulddaretotrust。“
“But，fortunately，Iknowanentirelyreliableman；shallItellyouwhoheis？“
“Doso，Ibegyou，general。“
“HisnameisFouche。“
Louisstarted，andadeathlypalenesscoveredhischeeks。