514 De Bourrienne’s Memoirs. [ May, 
“ From motives of delicacy to M. Fourés, the general-in-chief entrusted 
him with a mission to the Directory. That officer accordingly embarked at 
Alexandria. The vessel on board of which he sailed was taken by the 
English, who, informed of the cause of his mission, had the malice to send the 
envoy back to Egypt, instead of detaining him prisoner. 
« Bonaparte ardently desired to render this lovely woman a mother. , On 
this subject I frequently conversed with him, when we breakfasted together 
téte-a-téte. ‘ What would you have?’ asked he, ‘ la petite sotte n’en peut pas 
Saire, i . 
“* The lady on her part, when we represented to her the great advantage 
she might derive on presenting Bonaparte with a pledge of their mutual ten- 
derness, generally replied—* Ma foi, ce n'est pas ma faute !” 
** One of that class of men, who in the east have for ages past claimed the 
privilege of predicting future events with assurance, if not with truth, was, on 
account of his wonderful skill, recommended to Bonaparte by the principal 
inhabitants of Cairo, who assured him that the personage in question could 
predict his fate with certainty. Bonaparte ordered him to be admitted, and 
Venture the interpreter was present at the interview. When this second 
Zoroaster prepared himself to commence his jugglery upon Bonaparte, the 
latter refused, and requested me to allow the magician to exercise’ his skill 
upon me, to which'I without hesitation acceded. In order that the reader 
may better appreciate the merit of his prophecy, I should premise, that since 
my arrival at Cairo, I had ,been reduced to a state of excessive weakness. 
The navigation of the Nile, and the badness of the food during twelve days, 
had enfeebled me extremely. I was frightfully thin and pale. 
“ After having examined my hands, and felt my pulse and forehead, the 
conjuror assumed an air of composure and sympathy, shrugged his shoulders, 
and said to Venture that he did not feel at liberty to acquaint me with my 
destiny. I intimated to him that he might say whatever he pleased, as it was 
perfectly indifferent to me. After considerable difficulty on his part, and 
equal obstinacy on mine, he endefl by informing me, that ‘ in two months the 
land of Egypt would receive me into its bosom.’ 
“ T thanked him for the information, and he was dismissed. When we 
were alone, Bonaparte said to me, ‘Well, what think you of that?’ I 
replied, ‘ that the sage ran no great risk of compromising his reputation, by 
announcing my last moments. Considering the state under which I suffered, 
the probability was that I should die. However,’ said I, ‘ if Louis only 
sends the wine I have applied for, I do not despair of coming round.’ ” 
“ The art of imposing upon mankind has from time immemorial formed a 
considerable part of the science of government, and in this admirable art 
Bonaparte was unquestionably a proficient of the first order. He neglected 
no opportunity of shewing off the superiority of France before the Egyptians. 
But it happened more than once, that their simple unaided tact disconcerted 
his manceuvres to this effect. 
“ Some days after the visit of the pretended magician of whom I have just 
made honourable mention, Bonaparte conceived the design of playing con- 
juror against conjuror, if I may use such an expression. For this purpose he 
invited the principal sheicks to be present at some chemical experiments which 
it was proposed that M. Berthollet should make. Bonaparte expected to 
enjoy their astonishment. However, the many wonderful transmutations of 
liquors, electric shocks, and galvanic experiments that took place, seemed to 
cause them not the slightest surprise: they witnessed the operations of the 
skilful chemist with the most mortifying and imperturbable sang froid. When 
Berthollet had finished, the sheick El-Bekry replied to him through the inter- 
preter, ‘ your experiments are superb, but can they effect that I shall be at 
Maroc and here at the same instant?’ Berthollet answered with a shrug. 
© In that case,’ observed the sheick, ‘ you are not altogether a conjuror.’ ” 
