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all the occurrences of the day。＇24＇ Finally； the chateau is forced
and he strolls through the Tuileries； looks in at the neighboring
cafés； and that is all： he is not disposed to take sides； he has no
Jacobin or royalist inclination。 His features； even； are so calm 〃as
to provoke many hostile and distrustful stares； as someone who is
unknown and suspicious。〃 … Similarly； after the 31st of May and the
2nd of June； his 〃Souper de Beaucaire〃 shows that if he condemns the
departmental insurrection it is mainly because he deems it futile： on
the side of the insurgents； a defeated army； no position tenable； no
cavalry； raw artillerymen； Marseilles reduced to its own troops； full
of hostile sans…culottes and so besieged； taken and pillaged。 Chances
are against it： 〃Let the impoverished regions； the inhabitants of
Vivaris； of the Cevennes； of Corsica； fight to the last extremity； but
if you lose a battle and the fruit of a thousand years of fatigue；
hardship； economy； and happiness become the soldier's prey。〃＇25＇ Here
was something with which the Girondists could be converted！ … None of
the political or social convictions which then exercised such control
over men's minds have any hold on him。 Before the 9th of Thermidor he
seemed to be a 〃republican montagnard；〃 and we follow him for months
in Provence。 〃the favorite and confidential adviser of young
Robespierre；〃 〃admirer〃 of the elder Robespierre；＇26＇ intimate at Nice
with Charlotte Robespierre。 After the 9th of Thermidor has passed； he
frees himself with bombast from this compromising friendship： 〃I
thought him sincere；〃 says he of the younger Robespierre； in a letter
intended to be shown； 〃but were he my father and had aimed at tyranny；
I would have stabbed him myself。〃 On returning to Paris； after having
knocked at several doors； he takes Barras for a patron。 Barras； the
most brazen of the corrupt； Barras； who has overthrown and contrived
the death of his two former protectors。＇27＇ Among the contending
parties and fanaticisms which succeed each other he keeps cool and
free to dispose of himself as he pleases； indifferent to every cause
and concerning himself only with his own interests。 … On the evening
of the 12th of Vendémiaire； on leaving the Feydeau theatre； and
noticing the preparations of the sectionists；＇28＇ he said to Junot：
〃Ah； if the sections put me in command； I would guarantee to place
them in
the Tuileries in two hours and have all those Convention rascals
driven out！ 〃
Five hours later； summoned by Barras and the Conventionalists； he
takes 〃three minutes〃 to make up his mind； and； instead of 〃blowing up
the representatives；〃 he mows down the Parisians。 Like a good
condottière； he does not commit himself； considers the first that
offers and then the one who offers the most； only to back out
afterwards； and finally； seizing the opportunity； to grab everything。
… He will more and more become a true condottière； that is to say；
leader of a band； increasingly independent； pretending to submit under
the pretext of the public good； looking out only for his own interest；
self…centered； general on his own account and for his own advantage in
his Italian campaign before and after the 18th of Fructidor。＇29＇ He
is； however； a condottière of the first class； already aspiring to the
loftiest summits； 〃with no stopping…place but the throne or the
scaffold；〃＇30＇ 〃determined＇31＇ to master France； and through France
Europe。 Without distraction； sleeping only three hours during the
night；〃 he plays with ideas； men； religions； and governments；
exploiting people with incomparable dexterity and brutality。 He is；
in the choice of means as of ends； a superior artist； inexhaustible in
glamour； seductions； corruption； and intimidation； fascinating； and
yet more terrible than any wild beast suddenly released among a herd
of browsing cattle。 The expression is not too strong and was uttered
by an eye…witness； almost at this very date； a friend and a competent
diplomat： 〃You know that； while I am very fond of the dear general； I
call him to myself the little tiger； so as to properly characterize
his figure； tenacity； and courage； the rapidity of his movements； and
all that he has in him which maybe fairly regarded in that sense。〃＇32＇
At this very date； previous to official adulation and the adoption of
a recognized type； we see him face to face in two portraits drawn from
life； one physical； by a truthful painter； Guérin； and the other
moral； by a superior woman； Madame de Sta？l； who to the best European
culture added tact and worldly perspicacity。 Both portraits agree so
perfectly that each seems to interpret and complete the other。 〃I saw
him for the first time；〃＇33＇ says Madame de Sta？l； 〃on his return to
France after the treaty of Campo…Formio。 After recovering from the
first excitement of admiration there succeeded to this a decided
sentiment of fear。〃 And yet； 〃at this time he had no power； for it was
even then supposed that the Directory looked upon him with a good deal
of suspicion。〃 People regarded him sympathetically； and were even
prepossessed in his favor；
〃thus the fear he inspired was simply due to the singular effect of
his person on almost all who approached him。 I had met men worthy of
respect and had likewise met men of ferocious character； but nothing
in the impression which Bonaparte produced on me reminded me of
either。 I soon found； in the various opportunities I had of meeting
him during his stay in Paris； that his character was not to be
described in terms commonly employed； he was neither mild nor）violent；
nor gentle nor cruel； like certain personages one happens to know。 A
being like him； wholly unlike anybody else； could neither feel nor
excite sympathy； he was both more and less than a man； his figure；
intellect； and language bore the imprint of a foreign nationality 。 。
。 。 far from being reassured on seeing Bonaparte oftener； he
intimidated me more and more every day。 I had a confused impression
that he was not to be influenced by any emotion of sympathy or
affection。 He regards a human being as a fact； an object； and not as
a fellow…creature。 He neither hates nor loves； he exists for himself
alone； the rest of humanity are so many ciphers。 The force of his
will consists in the imperturbable calculation of his egoism。 He is a
skillful player who has the human species for an antagonist； and whom
he proposes to checkmate。 。 。 Every time that I heard him talk I
was struck with his superiority； it bore no resemblance to that of men
informed and cultivated through study and social intercourse； such as
we find in France and England。 His conversation indicated the tact of
circumstances； like that of the hunter in pursuit of his prey。 His
spirit seemed a cold； keen sword…blade； which freezes while it wounds。
I felt a profound irony in his mind； which nothing great or beautiful
could escape； not even his own fame； for he despised the nation whose
suffrages he sought。 。 。 〃 … 〃With him； everything was means or
aims； spontaneity； whether for good or for evil； was entirely absent。〃
No law； no ideal and abstract rule； existed for him；
〃he examined things only with reference to their immediate
usefulness； a general principle was repugnant to him； either as so
much nonsense or as an enemy。〃
Now； if we contemplate Guérin's portrait；＇34＇ we see a spare body；
whose narrow shoulders under the uniform wrinkled by sudden movements；
the neck swathed in its high twisted cravat； the temples covered by
long； smooth； straight hair； exposing only the mask； the hard features
intensified through strong contrasts of light and shade； the cheeks
hollow up to the inner angle of the eye； the projecting cheek…bones；
the massive； protuberant jaw； the sinuous； mobile lips； pressed
together as if attentive； the large； clear eyes； deeply sunk under the
broad； arched eyebrows； the fixed； oblique look； as penetrating as a
rapier； and the two creases which extend from the base of the nose to
the brow； as if in a frown of suppressed anger and determined will。
Add to this the accounts of his contemporaries＇35＇ who saw or heard
the curt accent or the sharp； abrupt gesture； the interrogating；
imperious； absolute tone of voice； and we comprehend how； the moment
they accosted him； they felt the dominating hand which seizes them；
presses them down； holds them firmly and never relaxes its grasp。
Already； at the receptions of the Directory； when conversing with men；
or even with ladies； he puts questions 〃which prove the superiority of
the questioner to those who have to answer them。〃＇36＇ 〃Are you
married？〃 says he to this one； and 〃How many children have you？ 〃to
another。 To that one； 〃When did you come here？〃 or； again； 〃When are
you going away ？ He places himself in front of a French lady； well…
known for her beauty and wit and the vivacity of her opinions； 〃