to.

Joséphine.-Nine months.

Charles.-Well! nine months, I say, he considers. .
Joséphine.-Charles, if he knew!

Charles.-Oh dear! what are you going to tell me?
Joséphine.-Charles, you who were his schoolfellow.
Charles.-Good gracious! you frighten me.

Joséphine. If he knew that I have only pleaded guilty

Charles. Three quarters? Two thirds?

Joséphine (in an under tone).-To half.

Charles.-Twelve hundred thousand francs of debts. Do you know what the nation allows the First Consul per annum? Joséphine.-Yes, Five hundred thousand francs.

Charles.-Well, that does for everything: Pensions, bounties, gratuities, stipends, all come out of that sum. Joséphine. Charles, I declare to you that it is not my fault.

Charles. Nay. . . but candidly

I saw an account

of Leroy's, thirty-four bonnets for one month!

Joséphine.-Ah, you know how Bonaparte hates to see me more than once in the same hat or bonnet.

Charles.-Yes: but thirty-four in one month! Do you put on two a day!

Joséphine.-No, but the dealers tease so, they keep sending me boxes full of the tastiest and prettiest things; I never know which to choose, then they tell me to keep them all, that they do not want money. I allow myself to be tempted, and then, without my knowing how, their bills amount to fearful sums.

Charles.-Twelve hundred thousand francs !

Joséphine.-Oh! but first of all, the whole of that was not spent in dress. Have not I my pensioners too? My widows, my orphans? Would you have me send them away empty-handed when they come to me for help.

Charles.-Yes, I know how kind-hearted you are.

Joséphine. If you knew the delight there is in giving! Then I tell them to pray for the First Consul . . and for

me

Charles. For you! Why what can you wish for? Joséphine.-Oh Charles . . I am very unhappy sometimes, I can tell you! . . Not that Bonaparte ever

You know

savez s'il est bon avec moi !-Mais empereur, empereur, serat-il toujours le maître ? . . Charles, vous a-t-il jamais parlé de divorce?

Charles (vivement).-Jamais.

Joséphine.-Oh! s'il vous en parlait, Charles, au nom du ciel! au nom de ce qu'il y a de plus sacré au monde. Oh! le voilà, je l'entends. . Je me sauve . . Charles, ne lui parlez pas des six cent mille francs qui restent . . Plus tard plus tard ..

Charles.-Et le bon sur le trésor ?
Joséphine.-Ah! donnez, j'oubliais.

Bonaparte paraît, suivi d'un huissier.

Bonaparte (à l'huissier).-Un homme viendra ce matin ;il prononcera ces deux mots: "Toulon et liberté." Vous me l'amènerez par cette porte. (L'huissier sort.) Asseyez-vous, Charles, nous aurons de la besogne aujourd'hui. Avez-vous les journaux? que disent-ils ?

Charles. Les journaux français ?

Bonaparte.-Non, ils ne disent que ce que je veux ; je sais d'avance ce qu'il y a dedans . . Les journaux étrangers? Charles.-Les journaux anglais parlent de la guerre, et protestent de leur amour pour la paix.

Bonaparte.-Leur amour pour la paix?-Et pourquoi alors n'observent-ils pas le traité d'Amiens ? Pourquoi s'obstinent-ils, contre toutes leurs promesses, à garder Malte, l'entrepôt de la Méditerranée, le relais de l'Egypte ?— J'aimerais mieux leur abandonner le faubourg Saint-Antoine.

L'huissier revient, suivi de l'espion.

L'Huissier.-Voilà la personne qu'attend le citoyen Premier Consul (L'Espion entre enveloppé d'un manteau, Charles veut se retirer; Bonaparte lui fait signe de rester).

Bonaparte (à l'Espion).—Eh bien ! qu'y a-t-il de nouveau ? L'Espion (montrant Charles).—Nous ne sommes pas seuls. Bonaparte.-Parlons bas Que dit-on du couronne

ment?

L'Espion.-C'est le vœu général.

Bonaparte.-Et les jacobins, complotent-ils toujours.

how kind he is to me? But as Emperor, will he always be able to do as he likes?-Charles, has he ever spoken to you of a divorce?

Charles (earnestly).-Never.

Joséphine.-Oh! if ever he did speak to you about it, Charles, in the name of heaven, in the name of what is most sacred.. oh! but here he is, I hear him. . I must run away. Charles, do not say a word to him about the six hundred thousand francs now. Another time you may . . another time . . Charles. Here, your draft on the treasury. Joséphine.-Oh! I forgot. Do give it me.

Enter Bonaparte and a page.

(Exit.)

Bonaparte (to the page).—A man will come this morning he will utter these two words: "Toulon" and "liberty.' You will bring him in to me by that door. (Exit page.) Sit down, Charles, we shall have work to do to-day. you got the papers? What do they say?

Charles. The French papers?

Have

Bonaparte.-No, they only say what I wish; I know beforehand what is in them. . . The foreign papers.

Charles.-The English papers talk of war, and assert their love for peace.

Bonaparte.-Their love for peace!-well, why don't they observe the Treaty of Amiens then? Why do they persist, in spite of every promise, in keeping Malta, the Mediterranean station, the relay on the way to Egypt? I had rather give up to them the Faubourg Saint Antoine.

Enter page preceding spy.

Charles moves to go,

The page.-Here is the person expected by Citizen First Consul. (Enter spy wrapped in cloak. Bonaparte beckons to him to remain.)

Bonaparte (to spy).-Well! what news

Spy (showing Charles).-We are not alone.

Bonaparte.-Speak low. What do people say of the

coronation?

Spy. It is the general wish.

Bonaparte. And are the Jacobins going on plotting?

L'Espion.-Vous êtes prévenu contre eux; ce ne sont point les jacobins qui sont à craindre, se sont les royalistes. Bonaparte.-N'importe, ma police est mal faite. L'Espion.-Je le crois.

Bonaparte. J'ai manqué d'être assassiné hier à Saint

Cloud.

L'Espion.-Je le sais.

Bonaparte.-Comment ?

L'Espion.-J'y étais.

Bonaparte.-Qui t'y avait envoyé >
L'Espion.-Personne.

Bonaparte.-Un homme me sauva la vie.
L'Espion.-En se jetant entre vous et l'assassin.
Bonaparte.-Et il a reçu le coup.

L'Espion (ouvrant son manteau et montrant son bras).— Dans le bras.

Bonaparte (après un silence).-Comment! c'est toi.

L'Espion.-Vous voyez qu'un espion peut être bon à autre chose qu'à faire la police ;-quand ce ne serait qu'à servir de gaîne à un poignard!

que

Bonaparte. Que puis-je faire pour toi? que veux-tu ?

L'espion.-Pour moi! et quels sont les titres ou le rang l'on accorde à un espion? On lui donne de l'or, et vous ne m'en laissez pas manquer; on lui donne des ordres,―et j'attends les vôtres.

Bonaparte.-Eh bien ! retourne te mêler au peuple, au milieu duquel je vais passer dans une heure pour aller à Notre-Dame. Dis que l'empereur Napoléon chérira encore plus ses sujets que le Premier Consul n'aimait ses concitoyens. Dis.. dis enfin tout ce que ton dévouement pour moi t'inspirera. (L'Espion sort.) Que cet homme est bizarre !

UNE TRANSITION.

Bonaparte.-Vous avez beau dire, monsieur mon secrétaire, la France a assez de république. Le Directoire a fait plus contre elle que la Montagne.—Et voyez ce qu'il reste de vieux Romains!-Sur trois millions cinq cent soixantequatorze mille huit cent quatre-vingt-dix-huit votes, deux

Spy.-You are prejudiced against them. It is not the Jacobins who are to be feared but the Royalists.

Bonaparte. No matter, my police does not act.

Spy. So I think.

Bonaparte.-I just missed being stabbed yesterday at Saint

Cloud.

Spy. I know you did.

Bonaparte.-Why, how do you know?
Spy. I was there.

Bonaparte.-Who had sent you there?
Spy.-No one.

Bonaparte.-A man saved my life.

Spy. By rushing in between you and the murderer.
Bonaparte. And he got stabbed.

Spy (throwing open his cloak and displaying his arm).-In

the arm.

Bonaparte (after a pause).-What, it was you?

Spy.-You see, a spy may be something better than a detective; if only to be a sheath to a dagger.

Bonaparte.-What can I do for you? What would you

like?

Spy.-I? Why what kind of titles or rank can be given to a spy? You can give him money—and of that you give me plenty, and you can give him orders, and yours are what I want.

Bonaparte.-Well! go back amidst the people, amongst whom I shall be passing in an hour's time on my way to Notre Dame. Say that the Emperor Napoleon will love his subjects even more than the First Consul loved his fellowcitizens. Say say anything that your devotion to me puts into your head. (Exit spy.) What an odd fellow that

is !

A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT.

Bonaparte.-You may say what you like, Mr. Secretary, France has had republic enough. The Directory has done more to injure it than the Mountain (the ultra-demagogues). Just see what is left of the old Romans! Out of three million, five hundred and seventy-four thousand, eight