und his legs, two horsemen struck out of the Ambleteuse road,
and came at hand-gallop towards him. The foremost, who rode with short
stirrups, and sat his horse as if he despised him, was the foremost man
of the world just now, and for ten years yet to come.

Carne ran forward to show himself, and the master of France dismounted.
He always looked best upon horseback, as short men generally do, if they
ride well; and his face (which helped to make his fortune) appeared
even more commanding at a little distance. An astonishing face, in its
sculptured beauty, set aspect, and stern haughtiness, calm with the
power of transcendant mind, and a will that never met its equal. Even
Carne, void of much imagination, and contemptuous of all the human
character he shared, was the slave of that face when in its presence,
and could never meet steadily those piercing eyes. And yet, to the study
of a neutral dog, or a man of abstract science, the face was as bad as
it was beautiful.

Napoleon--as he was soon to be called by a cringing world--smiled
affably, and offered his firm white hand, which Carne barely touched,
and bent over with deference. Then the foaming horse was sent away in
charge of the attendant trooper, and the master began to take short
quick steps, to and fro, in front of the weather-beaten tree; for to
stand still was not in his nature. Carne, being beckoned to keep at his
side, lost a good deal of what he had meant to say, from the trouble he
found in timing his wonted stride to the brisk pace of the other.

"You have done well--on the whole very well," said Napoleon, whose voice
was deep, yet clear and distinct as the sound of a bell. "You have
kept me well informed; you are not suspected; you are enlarging your
knowledge of the enemy and of his resources; every day you become more
capable of conducting us to the safe landing. For what, then, this
hurry, this demand to see me, this exposing of yourself to the risk of
capture?"

Carne was about to answer; but the speaker, who undershot the thoughts
of others before they were shaped--as the shuttle of the lightning
underweaves a cloud--raised his hand to stop him, and went on:

"Because you suppose that all is ripe. Because you believe that the slow
beasts of islanders will strengthen their defences more by delay than
we shall strengthen our attack. Because you are afraid of incurring
suspicion, if you continue to prepare. And most of all, my friend,
because you a