“The nation,” he said, “has had a respite of twelve years from every kind of political agitation, and for one year has enjoyed a respite from war.  This double repose has created a craving after activity.  It requires, or fancies it requires, a Tribune and popular assemblies.  It did not always require them.  The people threw themselves at my feet when I took the reins of government You ought to recollect this, who made a trial of opposition.  Where was your support—­your strength?  Nowhere.  I assumed less authority than I was invited to assume.  Now all is changed.  A feeble government, opposed to the national interests, has given to these interests the habit of standing on the defensive and evading authority.  The taste for constitutions, for debates, for harangues, appears to have revived.  Nevertheless it is but the minority that wishes all this, be assured.  The people, or if you like the phrase better; the multitude, wish only for me.  You would say so if you had only seen this multitude pressing eagerly on my steps, rushing down from the tops of the mountains, calling on me, seeking me out, saluting me.  On my way from Cannes hither I have not conquered—­I have administered.  I am not only (as has been pretended) the Emperor of the soldiers; I am that of the peasants of the plebeians of France.  Accordingly, in spite of all that has happened, you see the people come back to me.  There is sympathy between us.  It is not as with the privileged classes.  The noblesse have been in my service; they thronged in crowds into my antechambers.  There is no place that they have not accepted or solicited.  I have had the Montmorencys, the Noailles, the Rohans, the Beauveaus, the Montemarts, in my train.  But there never was any cordiality between us.  The steed made his curvets—­he was well broken in, but I felt him quiver under me.  With the people it is another thing.  The popular fibre responds to mine.  I have risen from the ranks of the people:  my voice seta mechanically upon them.  Look at those conscripts, the sons of peasants:  I never flattered them; I treated them roughly.  They did not crowd round me the less; they did not on that account cease to cry, `Vive l’Empereur!’ It is that hetween them and me there is one and the same nature.  They look to me as their support, their safeguard against the nobles.  I have but to make a sign, or even to look another way, and the nobles would be massacred in every province.  So well have they managed matters in the last ten months! but I do not desire to be the King of a mob.  If there are the means to govern by a constitution well and good.  I wished for the empire of the world, and to ensure it complete liberty of action was necessary to me.  To govern France merely it is possible that a constitution may be better.  I wished for the empire of the world, as who would not have done in my place?  The world invited me to rule over it.  Sovereigns and subjects alike emulously bowed the neck under my sceptre.  I