August, 1799, an hour after midnight
That very night , before the morning began to dawn , General Desaix started , accompanied by his adjutant Louis , and a few servants . Their first goal was Alexandria , whither the command of General Bonaparte summoned them and a few others . The proposed journey of the commanding general was still a carefully concealed secret , and the divan in Cairo had merely been informed that Bonaparte was planning to undertake a short journey in the Delta . On the 22d of August , 1799 , an hour after midnight , two French frigates left the harbor of Alexandria . On board of one of them was Bonaparte , the emperor of the future ; -- on the other was Louis Charles , the king of the past . Nameless and unknown , the descendant of the monarchs of France , with his sixteen years , returned to France -- to France , that seemed no longer to remember its past , its kings , and to have no thoughts , no love , no admiration for aught excepting that new , brilliant constellation which had arisen over France-Bonaparte . He had returned from Egypt to regain Italy , but he found other work awaiting him in Paris .