of Egypt, treated this news as absurd, but he was taken aback when,
having sent for the post master, who had just returned from Lyons, he
was told, "I saw General Bonaparte, whom I know very well, because I
served under his command in Italy. He is staying in some hotel in
Lyon, and has with him his brother Louis, Generals Berthier, Lannes
and Murat, as well as a great, number of officers, and a Mameluke."

This could hardly have been more positive; however the revolution
had given rise to so many falsehoods, and factions had been so
cunning in inventing stories which would serve their ends, that my
father was still in doubt when we entered the suburbs of Lyon. All
the houses were draped with flags. Fireworks were going off. The
crowd filled the streets to the point of preventing our coach from
moving. There was dancing in the public squares and the air rang
with cries of "Vive Bonaparte. Saviour of the country!" It was
evident that Bonaparte was indeed in Lyon. My father said, "I was
well aware that he was to be sent for, but I did not think it would
be so soon. The coup has been well organised, and there are great
events to come. I feel sure that I was right to leave Paris. At
least, in the army I can serve the country without taking part in a
coup, which, however necessary, I find repugnant." Having said this,
he fell into a deep reverie, which lasted for the long time it took
us to work our way through the crowds to the hotel where our rooms
had been prepared.

The nearer we got to the hotel, the thicker the crowd became, and
when we reached the door we saw that it was hung about with Chinese
lanterns and guarded by Grenadiers. It was here that General
Bonaparte was staying, in rooms that had been booked a week before
for my father.