"And why not denounce Lucien ?" cried Napoleon; "he ought to have been arrested instantly, and confined in the Temple." The Consul having spoken thus, quitted the apartment, shutting the door with violence.

Fouche smiled, and whispered to De Bourienne--"Confine the author in the Temple! Lucien showed me the manuscript; I found it full of corrections in the handwriting of--the First Consul!" Lucien, informed of his brother's wrath, came forthwith to the Tuileries, and complained that "he had been made a puppet and abandoned." "The fault is your own," answered Napoleon; "it was your business not to be detected.
Fouche has shown himself more dexterous--so much the worse for you." Lucien resigned forthwith the office which he held in the ministry, and proceeded as ambassador to Spain.
How far these disturbances in the French capital might have contributed to the indecision of the Austrian cabinet during this autumn, we know not.

Five months had now elapsed since the armistice after Marengo; and the First Consul, utterly disgusted with the delay, determined to resume arms, and to be first in the field.

Between the 17th and the 27th of November his generals received orders to set all their troops once more in motion.

Everywhere the French arms had splendid success.