DEPARTURE  
During the year that this eighth crusade lasted—the ninth if we count Saint Louis's double attempt as two—Bonaparte did all that it was humanly possible to do. He took Alexandria, conquered the Mamelukes at Chebrou?ss and the Pyramids, took Cairo, achieved the[Pg 669] conquest of the Delta, and by means of its marshes completed the conquest of Upper Egypt, took Gaza, Jaffa, and destroyed the Turkish army of Djezzar at Mount Tabor; and finally he annihilated a second Turkish army at Aboukir.
The tri-color had floated triumphantly over the Jordan and the Nile.
But he was ignorant of what was happening in France, and that was why on the evening of his victory of Aboukir he was gazing dreamily at the gulf which had swallowed up his fleet.
He sent for Quartermaster Falou, and questioned him about the battle of Beyrout, the disaster to the flotilla, and the loss of the "Italie," and his presentiment haunted him more persistently than ever. He called Roland in the hope of learning some news.
"My dear Roland," said he, "I greatly desire to open a new career for you."
"What is it?" asked Roland.
"That of a diplomat."
"Oh, what a sad idea that is, general."
"Nevertheless, you must yield to it."
"What! You are not going to allow me to refuse?"
"No."
"Then explain."
"I am going to send you with a flag of truce to Sidney Smith."
"My instructions?"
"You are to find out what is happening in France, and you will try to distinguish the truth from the false in what the commodore tells you, by no means an easy matter."
"I will do my best. What will be the ostensible object of my embassy?"
"An exchange of prisoners. The English have twenty-five of our men; we have two hundred and fifty Turks. We will give them the two hundred and fifty men if they will give us our twenty-five Frenchmen."
"And when am I to start?"
[Pg 670]
"To-day."
It was the 26th of July.
Roland went and he returned that same evening with a pile of newspapers. Sidney had recognized him as the hero of Saint-Jean-d'Acre, and had offered no objections to telling him what was going on in Europe. Then, as he had read incredulity in Roland's eyes, he had given him all the French, English, and German papers which he had on the "Tiger."
The news which these papers contained was disastrous. The Republic, defeated at Sockah and Magnano, had lost Germany at Sockah and Magnano. Masséna, intrenched in Switzerland, occupied an unassailable position on the Albis. The Appenines had been invaded and the Var threatened.
The next day, when Bonaparte saw Roland, he asked: "Well?"
"Well?" replied the young man.
"I knew that Italy was lost!"
"You will have to take it again."
"We will try," returned Bonaparte. "Call Bourrienne."
Bourrienne was called.
"Ask Berthier where Ganthéaume is," said Bonaparte.
"He is at Ramanieh superintending the construction of the fleet which is to start for Upper Egypt."
"Are you sure?"
"I received a letter from him yesterday."
"I need a brave and reliable messenger," Bonaparte said to Roland; "send for Falou and his dromedary."
Roland went out.
"Write these few words to Alexandria, Bourrienne," co............