It is well known that the Emperor often had his secretaries, and even his ministers, called during the night.  During his stay at Warsaw, the Prince de Talleyrand once received a message after midnight; he came at once, and had a long interview with the Emperor, and work was prolonged late into the night, when his Majesty, fatigued, at last fell into a deep slumber.  The Prince of Benevento, who was afraid to go out, fearing lest he might awaken the Emperor or be recalled to continue the conversation, casting his eyes around, perceived a comfortable sofa, so he stretched himself out on it, and went to sleep.  Meneval, secretary to his Majesty, not wishing to retire till after the minister had left, knowing that the Emperor would probably call for him as soon as Talleyrand had retired, became impatient at such a long interview; and as for me, I was not in the best humor, since it was impossible for me to retire without taking away his Majesty’s lamp.  Meneval came a dozen times to ask me if Prince Talleyrand had left.  “He is there yet,” said I.  “I am sure of it, and yet I hear nothing.”  At last I begged him to place himself in the room where I then was, and on which the street-door opened, whilst I went to act as sentinel in a vestibule on which the Emperor’s room had another opening; and it was arranged that the one of us who saw the prince go out would inform the other.  Two o’clock sounded, then three, then four; no one appeared, and there was not the least movement in his Majesty’s room.  Losing patience at last, I half opened the door as gently as possible; but the Emperor, whose sleep was very light, woke with a start, and asked in a loud tone:  “Who is that?  Who comes there?” “What is that?” I replied, that, thinking the Prince of Benevento had gone out, I had come for his Majesty’s lamp.  “Talleyrand!  Talleyrand!” cried out his Majesty vehemently.  “Where is he, then?” and seeing him waking up, “well, I declare he is asleep!  Come, you wretch; how dare you sleep in my room! ah! ah!” I left without taking out the lamp; they began talking again, and Meneval and I awaited the end of the tete-a-tete, until five o’clock in the morning.

The Emperor had a habit of taking, when he thus worked at night, coffee with cream, or chocolate; but he gave that up, and under the Empire no longer took anything, except from time to time, but very rarely, either punch mild and light as lemonade, or when he first awoke, an infusion of orange-leaves or tea.

The Emperor, who so magnificently endowed the most of his generals, who showed himself so liberal to his armies, and to whom, on the other hand, France owes so many and such handsome monuments, was not generous, and it must even be admitted was a little niggardly, in his domestic affairs.  Perhaps he resembled those foolishly vain rich persons, who economize very closely at home, and in their own households, in order to shine more outside.  He made very few, not to say no, presents to members of his household; and