In short, the memorandum was virtually a continuation of the war.
The reading of such a dictum made Bonaparte's eyes flash with the flame which, in him, preceded his great decisions, as lightning precedes thunder.
"So, sir," said he, turning to Lord Tanlay, "this is all you have obtained ?" "Yes, citizen First Consul." "Then you did not repeat verbally to your uncle all that I charged you to say to him ?" "I did not omit a syllable." "Did you tell him that you had lived in France three years, that you had seen her, had studied her; that she was strong, powerful, prosperous and desirous of peace while prepared for war ?" "I told him all that." "Did you add that the war which England is making against France is a senseless war; that the spirit of disorder of which they speak, and which, at the worst, is only the effervescence of freedom too long restrained, which it were wiser to confine to France by means of a general peace; that that peace is the sole _cordon sanitaire_ which can prevent it from crossing our frontiers; and that if the volcano of war is lighted in France, France will spread like lava over foreign lands.
Italy is delivered, says the King of England; but from whom?
From her liberators.

Italy is delivered, but why?
Because I conquered Egypt from the Delta to the third Cataract; Italy is delivered because I was no longer in Italy.

But--I am here: in a month I can be in Italy.

What do I need to win her back from the Alps to the Adriatic?
A single battle.

Do you know what Massena is doing in defending Genoa?
Waiting for me.