Tell me what I am to do there." "Something of the utmost importance, Roland." "The devil! It isn't a diplomatic mission, I presume ?" "Yes; it is a diplomatic mission for which I need a man who is not a diplomatist." "Then I'm your man, general! Only, you understand, the less a diplomatist I am, the more precise my instructions must be." "I am going to give them to you.

Do you see that map ?" And he showed the young man a large map of Piedmont stretched out on the floor, under a lamp suspended from the ceiling.
"Yes, I see it," replied Roland, accustomed to follow the general along the unexpected dashes of his genius; "but it is a map of Piedmont." "Yes, it's a map of Piedmont." "So there is still a question of Italy ?" "There is always a question of Italy." "I thought you spoke of the Vendee ?" "Secondarily." "Why, general, you are not going to send me to the Vendee and go yourself to Italy, are you ?" "No; don't be alarmed." "All right; but I warn you, if you did, I should desert and join you." "I give you permission to do so; but now let us go back to Melas." "Excuse me, general; this is the first time you have mentioned him." "Yes; but I have been thinking of him for a long time.

Do you know where I shall defeat him ?" "The deuce! I do." "Where ?" "Wherever you meet him." Bonaparte laughed.
"Ninny!" he said, with loving familiarity.

Then, stooping over the map, he said to Roland, "Come here." Roland stooped beside him.

"There," resumed Bonaparte; "that is where I shall fight him." "Near Alessandria ?" "Within eight or nine miles of it.