Among people of all classes and opinions an 18th Brumaire was desired and expected.  Many royalists even believed that a change would prove favourable to the King.  So ready are we to persuade ourselves of the reality of what we wish.

As soon as it was suspected that Bonaparte would accept the power offered him, an outcry was raised about a conspiracy against the Republic, and measures were sought for preserving it.  But necessity, and indeed, it must be confessed, the general feeling of the people, consigned the execution of those measures to him who was to subvert the Republic.  On his return to Paris Bonaparte spoke and acted like a man who felt his own power; he cared neither for flattery, dinners, nor balls,—­his mind took a higher flight.

We arrived in Paris on the 24th Vendemiaire (the 16th of October).  As yet he knew nothing of what was going on; for he had seen neither his wife nor his brothers, who were looking for him on the Burgundy road.  The news of our landing at Frejus had reached Paris by a telegraphic despatch.  Madame Bonaparte, who was dining with M. Gohier when that despatch was communicated to him, as president of the Directory, immediately set off to meet her husband, well knowing how important it was that her first interview with him should not be anticipated by his brothers.

The imprudent communications of Junot at the fountains of Messoudiah will be remembered, but, after the first ebullition of jealous rage, all traces of that feeling had apparently disappeared.  Bonaparte however, was still harassed by secret suspicion, and the painful impressions produced by Junot were either not entirely effaced or were revived after our arrival in Paris.  We reached the capital before Josephine returned.  The recollection of the past; the ill-natured reports of his brothers,

     —­[Joseph Bonaparte remarks on this that Napoleon met Josephine at
     Paris before his brothers arrived there, (Compare d’Abrantis,
     vol. 1, pp. 260-262 and Rumusat, tome i. pp. 147-148.)]—­

and the exaggeration of facts had irritated Napoleon to the very highest pitch, and he received Josephine with studied coldness, and with an air of the most cruel indifference.  He had no communication with her for three days, during which time he frequently spoke to me of suspicions which his imagination converted into certainty; and threats of divorce escaped his lips with no less vehemence than when we were on the confines of Syria.  I took upon me the office of conciliator, which I had before discharged with success.  I represented to him the dangers to be apprehended from the publicity and scandal of such an affair; and that the moment when his grand views might possibly be realized was not the fit time to entertain France and Europe with the details of a charge of adultery.  I spoke to him of Hortense and Eugene, to whom he was much attached.  Reflection, seconded by his ardent affection for Josephine, brought about a complete reconciliation.  After these three days of conjugal misunderstanding their happiness was never afterwards disturbed by a similar cause.