’You were surprised when I told you a little while ago about your encounter with the Englishman in the village inn.  You are still more surprised now when I tell you about a certain young lady.  You must certainly have thought that I was very badly served by my agents in England if I did not know such important details as these.’

’I cannot conceive, Sire, why such trifles should be reported to you, or why you should for one instant remember them.’

’You are certainly a very modest young man, and I hope you will not lose that charming quality when you have been for a little time at my Court.  So you think that your own private affairs are of no importance to me?’

‘I do not know why they should be, Sire.’

‘What is the name of your great-uncle?’

‘He is the Cardinal de Laval de Montmorency.’

‘Precisely.  And where is he?’

‘He is in Germany.’

’Quite so—­in Germany, and not at Notre Dame, where I should have placed him.  Who is your first cousin?’

‘The Duke de Rohan.’

‘And where is he?’

‘In London.’

’Yes, in London, and not at the Tuileries, where he might have had what he liked for the asking.  I wonder if I were to fall whether I should have followers as faithful as those of the Bourbons.  Would the men that I have made go into exile and refuse all offers until I should return?  Come here, Berthier!’ he took his favourite by the ear with the caressing gesture which was peculiar to him.  ’Could I count upon you, you rascal—­eh?’

‘I do not understand you, Sire.’  Our conversation had been carried on in a voice which had made it inaudible to the other people in the room, but now they were all listening to what Berthier had to say.

‘If I were driven out, would you go into exile also?’

‘No, Sire.’

‘Diable!  At least you are frank.’

‘I could not go into exile, Sire.’

‘And why?’

‘Because I should be dead, Sire.’

Napoleon began to laugh.

‘And there are some who say that our Berthier is dull-witted,’ said he.  ’Well, I think I am pretty sure of you, Berthier, for although I am fond of you for reasons of my own I do not think that you would be of much value to anyone else.  Now I could not say that of you, Monsieur Talleyrand.  You would change very quickly to a new master as you have changed from an old one.  You have a genius, you know, for adapting yourself.’

There was nothing which the Emperor loved more than to suddenly produce little scenes of this sort which made everybody very uncomfortable, for no one could tell what awkward or compromising question he was going to put to them next.  At present, however, they all forgot their own fears of what might come in their interest at the reply which the famous diplomatist might make to a suggestion which everybody knew to be so true.  He stood, leaning upon his black ebony stick, with his bulky shoulders stooping forward, and an amused smile upon his face, as if the most innocent of compliments had been addressed to him.  One of his few titles to respect is that he always met Napoleon upon equal terms, and never condescended to fawn upon him or to flatter him.