100
LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.
do not repent the path you have chosen. Remain upon your theatre.Who knows if I shall ever make my appearance again upon mine ? Ihave seen Monvel Qa distinguished comedian and dramatic writer] ; heis a true friend. Barras [president of the Directory] makes me finepromises; but will he keep them ? I doubt it. In the mean time, I amreduced to my last sous. Have you a few crowns to spare me ? I willnot refuse them, and I promise to repay you out of the first kingdom Ishall win by my sword, How happy were the heroes of Ariosto ; theyhad not to depend upon a Minister of war!
Adieu, your affectionate
The coincidence of this letter so soon following theachievement of the artillery before Toulon , is not the moststriking feature of the great historical phenomenon, the firstglimmerings of which I have reproduced before my readers.Four short years after the date of the above letter to Talma,Napoleon being then only twenty-six years old, returned toParis , on the conclusion of his wonderful Italian campaignof 1796. The President of the Directory presented himwith a splendid standard, on which was the following in-scription, “ He has defeated five armies, triumphed ineighteen battles and sixty-seven combats. Taken prisonersone hundred and fifty thousand soldiers of the enemy. Hehas sent one hundred and sixty standards of the enemy to thedifferent military establishments of France ; one thousandone hundred and fifty pieces of cannon to the arsenals.Two hundred millions of francs to the Treasury ; Fifty-oneships of war to the ports; treasures of art and literature tothe galleries and libraries. He has signed nine treaties, allof great advantage to the Republic . He has given libertyto eighteen communities or nations.”
Upon the return of the Neapolitan expedition fromToulon , the Queen and her grand visir Acton, commenced