Alawofthe23dofAugust1794forbadetheuseofanyothernamesthanthoseintheregisterofbirths.Iwishedtoconformtothislaw，whichveryfoolishlyinterferedwitholdhabits.Myeldestbrotherwasliving，andIthereforedesignatedmyselfFauvelettheyounger.ThisannoyedGeneralBonaparte.\"Suchchangeofnameisabsolutenonsense，\"saidhe.
\"IhaveknownyoufortwentyyearsbythenameofBourrienne.Signasyoustillarenamed，andseewhattheadvocateswiththeirlawswilldo.\"
Onthe20thofApril，asBonapartewasreturningtoItaly，hewasobligedtostoponanislandoftheTagliamento，whileatorrentpassedby，whichhadbeenoccasionedbyaviolentstorm.Acourierappearedontherightbankoftheriver.Hereachedtheisland.BonapartereadinthedespatchesoftheDirectorythatthearmiesoftheSambre—et—MeuseandtheRhinewereinmotion;thattheywerepreparingtocrosstheRhine，andhadcommencedhostilitiesontheverydayofthesigningofthepreliminaries.ThisinformationarrivedsevendaysaftertheDirectoryhadwrittenthat\"hemustnotreckonontheco—operationofthearmiesofGermany.\"ItisimpossibletodescribetheGeneral’svexationonreadingthesedespatches.HehadsignedthepreliminariesonlybecausetheGovernmenthadrepresentedtheco—operationofthearmiesoftheRhineasimpracticableatthatmoment，andshortlyafterwardshewasinformedthattheco—operationwasabouttotakeplace！TheagitationofhismindwassogreatthatheforamomentconceivedtheideaofcrossingtotheleftbankoftheTagliamento，andbreakingoffthenegotiationsundersomepretextorother.Hepersistedforsometimeinthisresolution，which，however，Berthierandsomeothergeneralssuccessfullyopposed.Heexclaimed，\"Whatadifferencewouldtherehavebeeninthepreliminaries，if，indeed，therehadbeenany！\"
Hischagrin，Imightalmostsayhisdespair，increasedwhen，somedaysafterhisentryintotheVenetianStates，hereceivedaletterfromMoreau，datedthe23dofApril，inwhichthatgeneralinformedhimthat，havingpassedtheRhineonthe20thwithbrilliantsuccess，andtakenfourthousandprisoners，itwouldnotbelongbeforehejoinedhim.
Who，infact，cansaywhatwouldhavehappenedbutforthevacillatinganddistrustfulpolicyoftheDirectory，whichalwaysencouragedlowintrigues，andparticipatedinthejealousyexcitedbytherenownoftheyoungconqueror？BecausetheDirectorydreadedhisambitiontheysacrificedthegloryofourarmsandthehonourofthenation;foritcannotbedoubtedthat，hadthepassageoftheRhine，sourgentlydemandedbyBonaparte，takenplacesomedayssooner，hewouldhavebeenable，withoutincurringanyrisk，todictateimperiouslytheconditionsofpeaceonthespot;or，ifAustriawereobstinate，tohavegoneontoViennaandsigneditthere.Stilloccupiedwiththisidea，hewrotetotheDirectoryonthe8thofMay：\"SinceIhavereceivedintelligenceofthepassageoftheRhinebyHocheandMoreau，Imuchregretthatitdidnottakeplacefifteendayssooner;or，atleast，thatMoreaudidnotsaythathewasinasituationtoeffectit.\"（Hehadbeeninformedtothecontrary.）What，afterthis，becomesoftheunjustreproachagainstBonaparteofhaving，throughjealousyofMoreau，deprivedFranceoftheadvantageswhichaprolongedcampaignwouldhaveprocuredher？BonapartewastoodevotedtothegloryofFrancetosacrificeittojealousyofthegloryofanyindividual.