“Devil of a man!” cried Bonaparte. “Have your own way.” Then, taking him by the arm, he dragged him a few steps apart from Joseph, and continued, “Bernadotte, I want to play above-board with you.”
“Why so,” retorted the latter, “since I am not on your side?”
“Never mind. You are watching the game, and I want the lookers-on to see that I am not cheating.”
“Do you bind me to secrecy?”
“No.”
“That is well, for in that case I should have refused to listen to your confidences.”
“Oh! my confidences are not long! Your Directory is detested, your Constitution is worn-out; you must make a clean sweep of both, and turn the government in another direction. You don’t answer me.”
“I am waiting to hear what you have to say.”
“All I have to say is, Go put on your uniform. I can’t wait any longer for you. Join me at the Tuileries among our comrades.”
Bernadotte shook his head.