I am. It is only by universal dominion that peace
can be assured in the world. When there is only one authority in
Europe, seated at Paris, and when all the kings are so many lieutenants
who hold their crowns from the central power of France, it is then that
the reign of peace will be established. Many powers of equal strength
must always lead to struggles until one becomes predominant. Her
central position, her wealth and her history, all mark France out as
being the power which will control and regulate the others. Germany is
divided. Russia is barbarous. England is insular. France only
remains.'

I began to understand as I listened to him that my friends in England
had not been so far wrong when they had declared that as long as he
lived--this little thirty-six year old artilleryman--there could not
possibly be any peace in the world. He drank some coffee which Constant
had placed upon the small round table at his elbow. Then he leaned back
in his chair once more, still staring moodily at the red glow of the
fire, with his chin sunk upon his chest.

'In those days,' said he, 'the kings of Europe will walk behind the
Emperor of France in order to hold up his train at his coronation. Each
of them will have to maintain a palace in Paris, and the city will
stretch as far as Versailles. These are the plans which I have made for
Paris if she will show herself to be worthy of them. But I have no love
for them, these Parisians, and they have none for me, for they cannot
forget that I turned my guns upon them once before, and they know that I
am ready to do so again. I have made them admire me and fear me, but I
have never made them like me. Look what I have done for them. Where
are the treasures of Genoa, the pictures and statues of Venice and of
the Vatican? They are in the Louvre. The spoils of my victories have
gone to decorate her. But they must always be changing, always
chattering. They wave their hats at me now, but they would soon be
waving their fists if I did not give them something to talk over and to
wonder at. When other things are quiet, I have the dome of the
Invalides regilded to keep their thoughts from mischief. Louis XIV.
gave them wars. Louis XV. gave them the gallantries and scandals of
his Court. Louis XVI. gave them nothing, so they cut off his head. It
was you who helped to bring him to the scaffold, Talleyrand.'

'No, Sire, I was always a moderate.'

'At least, you did no