turned as white as his beautiful
ruffles as he sprang to his feet, hardly able to speak for agitation.

'I should have been there!' he gasped. 'Oh, what a misfortune!
Monsieur de Caulaincourt, you must excuse me! Where is my hat and my
sword? Come, Monsieur de Laval, not an instant is to be lost!'

I could judge from the terror of de Meneval, as well as from the scene
which I had witnessed with Admiral Bruix, what the influence was which
the Emperor exercised over those who were around him. They were never
at their ease, always upon the brink of a catastrophe, encouraged one
day only to be rudely rebuffed the next, bullied in public and slighted
in private, and yet, in spite of it all, the singular fact remains that
they loved him and served him as no monarch has been loved and served.

'Perhaps I had best stay here,' said I, when we had come to the
ante-chamber, which was still crowded with people.

'No, no, I am responsible for you. You must come with me. Oh, I trust
he is not offended with me! How could he have got in without my seeing
him?'

My frightened companion scratched at the door, which was opened
instantly by Roustem the Mameluke, who guarded it within. The room into
which we passed was of considerable size, but was furnished with extreme
simplicity. It was papered of a silver-grey colour, with a sky-blue
ceiling, in the centre of which was the Imperial eagle in gold, holding
a thunderbolt. In spite of the warm weather, a large fire was burning
at one side, and the air was heavy with heat and the aromatic smell of
aloes. In the middle of the room was a large oval table covered with
green cloth and littered with a number of letters and papers. A raised
writing-desk was at one side of the table, and behind it in a green
morocco chair with curved arms there sat the Emperor. A number of
officials were standing round the walls, but he took no notice of them.
In his hand he had a small penknife, with which he whittled the wooden
knob at the end of his chair. He glanced up as we entered, and shook
his head coldly at de Meneval.

'I have had to wait for you, Monsieur de Meneval,' said he. 'I cannot
remember that I ever waited for my late secretary de Bourrienne.
That is enough! No excuses! Take this report which I have written in
your absence, and make a copy of it.'

Poor de Meneval took the paper with a shaking hand, and carried it to
the little side table which was reserved for his use. N