In the meantime watch, and listen, and keep silence." Roland bowed and drew aside, resolved, as Josephine had advised, to play the part of observer.
But what was there to observe?
Three principal groups occupied the salon.

The first, gathered around Madame Bonaparte, the only woman present, was more a flux and reflux than a group.

The second, surrounding Talma, was composed of Arnault, Parseval-Grandmaison, Monge, Berthollet, and two or three other members of the Institute.

The third, which Bonaparte had just joined, counted in its circle Talleyrand, Barras, Lucien, Admiral Bruix, [Footnote: AUTHOR'S NOTE .-- Not to be confounded with Rear-Admiral de Brueys, who was killed at Aboukir, August 1, 1798.

Admiral Bruix, the negotiator with Talleyrand of the 18th Brumaire, did not die until 1805.] Roederer, Regnaud de Saint-Jean-d'Angely, Fouche, Real, and two or three generals, among whom was Lefebvre.
In the first group they talked of fashions, music, the theatre; in the second, literature, science, dramatic art; in the third, they talked of everything except that which was uppermost in their minds.