29/30 He passed, however, unseen through the British fleet, and disembarked at Frejus, October 8, 1799. Although the general paid no apparent attention to these details, none escaped him. He sent Eugene, Berthier, Bourrienne, his aides-de-camp and his suite by way of Gap and Draguignan, while he took the road to Aix strictly incognito, accompanied only by Roland, to judge for himself of the state of the Midi. Hoping that the joy of seeing his family again would revive the love of life in his heart crushed by its hidden sorrow, he informed Roland at Aix that they would part at Lyons, and gave him three weeks' furlough to visit his mother and sister. |