Lucien understood, and approached Josephine, saying: "All is well." "Moreau ?" "With us." "I thought he was a Republican." "He has been made to see that we are acting for the good of the Republic." "I should have thought him ambitious," said Roland.
Lucien started and looked at the young man.
"You are right," said he.
"Then," remarked Josephine, "if he is ambitious he will not let Bonaparte seize the power." "Why not ?" "Because he will want it himself." "Yes; but he will wait till it comes to him ready-made, inasmuch as he doesn't know how to create it, and is afraid to seize it." During this time Bonaparte had joined the group which had formed around Talma after dinner, as well as before.

Remarkable men are always the centre of attraction.
"What are you saying, Talma ?" demanded Bonaparte.

"It seems to me they are listening to you very attentively." "Yes, but my reign is over," replied the artist.
"Why so ?" "I do as citizen Barras has done; I abdicate ?" "So citizen Barras has abdicated ?" "So rumor says." "Is it known who will take his place ?" "It is surmised." "Is it one of your friends, Talma ?" "Time was," said Talma, bowing, "when he did me the honor to say I was his." "Well, in that case, Talma, I shall ask for your influence." "Granted," said Talma, laughing; "it only remains to ask how it can serve you." "Get me sent back to Italy; Barras would not let me go." "The deuce!" said Talma; "don't you know the song, general, 'We won't go back to the woods when the laurels are clipped' ?" "Oh! Roscius, Roscius!" said Bonaparte, smiling, "have you grown a flatterer during my absence ?" "Roscius was the friend of Caesar, general, and when the conqueror returned from Gaul he probably said to him about the same thing I have said to you." Bonaparte laid his band on Talma's shoulder.
"Would he have said the same words after crossing the Rubicon ?" Talma looked Bonaparte straight in the face.
"No," he replied; "he would have said, like the augur, 'Caesar, beware of the Ides of March!'" Bonaparte slipped his hand into his breast as if in search of something; finding the dagger of the Companions of Jehu, he grasped it convulsively.

Had he a presentiment of the conspiracies of Arena, Saint-Regent, and Cadoudal?
Just then the door opened and a servant announced: "General Bernadotte!" "Bernadotte," muttered Bonaparte, involuntarily.

"What does he want here ?" Since Bonaparte's return, Bernadotte had held aloof from him, refusing all the advances which the general-in-chief and his friends had made him.