[77] In 1796, the Directory appointed Berruyer commander of the Hôpital des Invalides, which situation he held till his death, in 1804. [78] Las Cases, tom. i., p. 161. [79] Montholon, tom. iii., p. 82. [80] See vol. i., p. 355. [81] Buonaparte was then in his twenty-sixth year. Josephine gave herself in the marriage contract for twenty-eight.--S. [82] A lady of high rank, who happened to live for some time in the same convent at Paris, where Josephine was also a pensioner or boarder, heard her mention the prophecy, and told it herself to the author, just about the time of the Italian expedition, when Buonaparte was beginning to attract notice. Another clause is usually added to the prediction--that the party whom it concerned should die in an hospital, which was afterwards explained as referring to Malmaison. This the author did not hear from the same authority. The lady mentioned used to speak in the highest terms of the simple manners and great kindness of Madame Beauharnais.--S. [83] "It was I who proposed Buonaparte for the command of the army of Italy, not Barras."--CARNOT, _Réponse à Bailleul_. "Napoleon owed the appointment to the command of the army of Italy to his signal services under Dumerbion."--JOMINI, tom. viii., p. 49. CHAPTER III. _The Alps--Feelings and Views of Buonaparte on being appointed to the Command of the Army of Italy--General Account of his new Principles of Warfare--Mountainous Countries peculiarly favourable to them--Retrospect of Military Proceedings since October 1795--Hostility of the French Government to the Pope--Massacre of the French Envoy Basseville, at Rome--Austrian Army under Beaulieu--Napoleon's Plan for entering Italy--Battle of Montenotte, and Buonaparte's first Victory--Again defeats the Austrians at Millesimo--and again under Colli--Takes possession of Cherasco--King of Sardinia requests an Armistice, which leads to a Peace, concluded on very severe Terms--Close of the Piedmontese Campaign--Napoleon's Character at this period._