most exaggerated picture of the country's beauties, and pointing out
the credit which might be gained by dealing successfully with the
difficult situation in the army there, whereas there would be little
opportunity to acquire distinction in the army of the Rhine, where
all was well. My father was swayed by this specious reasoning, and
believing that there was more merit in going to the more dangerous
post, he persisted in his intention of going to Italy, in spite of
the objections of my mother, who had a secret presentiment which made
her wish for my father to go to the Rhine. This presentiment was not
false. She never saw her husband again!

To his present aide-de-camp, Captain Gault, my father now added
another officer, M. R*** who had come to him from his friend General
Augereau. M. R*** had the rank of major. He was a member of a
Maintenon family and had some ability and some education, which he
very rarely employed; for in a stupid manner, which was then quite
common, he swaggered about, forever cursing and swearing, and talking
of running people through with his sabre. This bully-boy had only one
virtue, very rare at this time: he was always turned out with the
greatest elegance. My father, who had taken on M. R*** without
knowing anything about him, now much regretted it; but he could not
send him back without upsetting his old friend, Augereau. Although my
father disliked him, he thought, perhaps rightly, that a general
should make use of the military qualities of an officer, without
worrying too much about his personal manners; but, as he did not care
to have the company of M. R*** on a long journey, he had given him the
job of taking his coaches and horses from Paris to Nice, having under
his orders the old stud-groom, Spire, a highly responsible man, used
to the management of stables. The stable was large: my father had
fifteen horses, which with those of his aide-de-camp and of his