Here I interrupted Rapp to tell him what had fallen from Murat when I met him in the Champs Elysees “Bah!” resumed Rapp, “Murat, brave as he was, was a craven in Napoleon’s presence!  On the Emperor’s arrival in Dantzic the first thing of which he spoke to me was the alliance he had just then concluded with Prussia and Austria.  I could not refrain from telling him that we did a great deal of mischief as allies; a fact of which I was assured from the reports daily transmitted to me respecting the conduct of our troops.  Bonaparte tossed his bead, as you know he was in the habit of doing when he was displeased.  After a moment’s silence, dropping the familiar thee and thou, he said, ’Monsieur le General, this is a torrent which must be allowed to run itself out.  It will not last long.  I must first ascertain whether Alexander decidedly wishes for war.’  Then, suddenly changing the subject of conversation, he said, ’Have you not lately observed something extraordinary in Murat?  I think he is quite altered.  Is be ill?’—­’Sire,’ replied I, ’Murat is not ill, but he is out of spirits.’—­’Out of spirits! but why?  Is he not satisfied with being a King?’—­’Sire, Murat says he is no King.’—­’That is his own fault.  Why does he make himself a Neapolitan?  Why is he not a Frenchman?  When he is in his Kingdom he commits all sorts of follies.  He favours the trade of England; that I will not suffer.’

“When,” continued Rapp, “he spoke of the favour extended by Murat to the trade between Naples and England I thought my turn would come next; but I was deceived.  No more was said on the subject, and when I was about to take my leave the Emperor said to me, as when in his best of humours, ‘Rapp, you will sup with me this evening.’  I accordingly supped that evening with the Emperor, who had also invited the King of Naples and Berthier.  Next day the Emperor visited the fortress, and afterwards returned to the Government Palace, where he received the civil and military authorities.  He again invited Murat, Berthier, and me to supper.  When we first sat down to table we were all very dull, for the Emperor was silent; and, as you well know, under such circumstances not even Murat himself dared to be the first to speak to him.  At length Napoleon, addressing me, inquired how far it was from Cadiz to Dantzic.  ‘Too far, Sire,’ replied I.  ’I understand you, Monsieur le General, but in a few months the distance will be still greater.’—­’So much the worse, Sire!’ Here there was another pause.  Neither Murat nor Berthier, on whom the Emperor fixed a scrutinising glance, uttered a word, and Napoleon again broke silence, but without addressing any one of us in particular:  ‘Gentlemen,’ said be in a solemn and rather low tone of voice, ’I see plainly that you are none of you inclined to fight again.  The King of Naples does not wish to leave the fine climate of his dominions, Berthier wishes to enjoy the diversion of the chase at his