22 LIFE OF SADI CARNOT. 



country and was appointed Minister of War. 

 Bonaparte at the same time was still in favor with 

 the republicans. He remembered that Carnot had 

 assisted him in the beginning of his military ca- 

 reer, and he resumed the intimate relation which 

 had existed between them during the Directory. 

 When the minister went to Malmaison to work 

 with the First Consul, he often took with him his 

 son, then about four years old, to stay with 

 Madame Bonaparte, who was greatly attached to 

 him. 



She was one day with some other ladies in a 

 small boat on a pond, the ladies rowing the boat 

 themselves, when Bonaparte, unexpectedly ap- 

 pearing, amused himself by picking up stones and 

 throwing them near the boat, spattering water on 

 the fresh toilets of the rowers. The ladies dared 

 not manifest their displeasure, but the little Sadi, 

 after having looked on at the affair for some time, 

 suddenly placed himself boldly before the con- 

 queror of Marengo, and threatening him with his 

 fist, he cried "Beast of a First Consul, will you 

 stop tormenting those ladies I" 



Bonaparte, at this unexpected attack, stopped 

 and looked in astonishment at the child. Then 

 he was seized with a fit of laughter in which all 

 the spectators of the scene joined. 



