very friendly toward me, and neither of us then foresaw that one day
I should be his aide-de-camp, and that he would die in my arms at
Essling. General Murat came from the same region as we did, and as
he had been a shop-assistant to a silk merchant at Saint-Céré during
the period when my family spent the winter there, he had often come
to the house, bringing purchases to my mother. My father, also, had
rendered him a number of services, for which he was always grateful.
He gave me a hug, and reminded me that he had often held me in his
arms, when I was an infant.

General Bonaparte and my father having come back into the room,
they presented to one another the members of their suites. Generals
Lannes and Murat were old acquaintances of my father, who welcomed
them with great affability. He was a little distant with General
Berthier, whom, however he had seen before, when he was in the
bodyguard and Berthier was an engineer.

General Bonaparte, who knew my mother, asked me, very politely,
for news of her. He complimented me most warmly on having, while yet
so young, taken up a military career, and taking me gently by the
ear, which was always the most flattering caress which he bestowed on
those with whom he was pleased, he said to my father, "One day this
will be a second General Marbot." This prediction came true, although
at that time I had no expectation of it. However I was very proud of
these words. It takes so very little to make a child feel pleased
with himself.

When the visit was over, my father disclosed nothing of what had
been said between him and General Bonaparte; but I learned later that
Bonaparte, without stating his objectives clearly, had sought, by the