It was just after daybreak in the morning when I woke to find an equerry of the Emperor with his hand upon my shoulder.

‘The Emperor desires to see you, Monsieur de Laval,’ said he.

‘Where?’

‘At the Pont de Briques.’

I knew that promptitude was the first requisite for those who hoped to advance themselves in his service.  In ten minutes I was in the saddle, and in half an hour I was at the chateau.  I was conducted upstairs to a room in which were the Emperor and Josephine, she reclining upon a sofa in a charming dressing-gown of pink and lace, he striding about in his energetic fashion, dressed in the curious costume which he assumed before his official hours had begun—­a white sleeping suit, red Turkish slippers, and a white bandanna handkerchief tied round his head, the whole giving him the appearance of a West Indian planter.  From the strong smell of eau-de-Cologne I judged that he had just come from his bath.  He was in the best of humours, and she, as usual, reflected him, so that they were two smiling faces which were turned upon me as I was announced.  It was hard to believe that it was this man with the kindly expression and the genial eye who had come like an east wind into the reception-room the other night, and left a trail of wet cheeks and downcast faces wherever he had passed.

‘You have made an excellent debut as aide-de-camp,’ said he; ’Savary has told me all that has occurred, and nothing could have been better arranged.  I have not time to think of such things myself, but my wife will sleep more soundly now that she knows that this Toussac is out of the way.’

‘Yes, yes, he was a terrible man,’ cried the Empress.  ’So was that Georges Cadoudal.  They were both terrible men.’

‘I have my star, Josephine,’ said Napoleon, patting her upon the head.  ’I see my own career lying before me and I know exactly what I am destined to do.  Nothing can harm me until my work is accomplished.  The Arabs are believers in Fate, and the Arabs are in the right.’

’Then why should you plan, Napoleon, if everything is to be decided by Fate?’

’Because it is fated that I should plan, you little stupid.  Don’t you see that that is part of Fate also, that I should have a brain which is capable of planning.  I am always building behind a scaffolding, and no one can see what I am building until I have finished.  I never look forward for less than two years, and I have been busy all morning, Monsieur de Laval, in planning out the events which will occur in the autumn and winter of 1807.  By the way, that good-looking cousin of yours appears to have managed this affair very cleverly.  She is a very fine girl to be wasted upon such a creature as the Lucien Lesage who has been screaming for mercy for a week past.  Do you not think that it is a great pity?’

I acknowledged that I did.