e; "I will
join you again in a few moments. The emperor is laconic enough in his
communications. Meanwhile, I leave you to the care of my friend."

The emperor was already impatient, and the moment the colonel appeared
he grasped his arm familiarly, and led him aside, while the immediate
group of courtiers fell back respectfully, and out of earshot.

"Colonel," said Napoleon, "I have news--great news. The enemies of
France will not give us a moment's repose. It is no longer England
alone that threatens us. I could have crushed England, had she met me
single handed. In a month my eagles would have lighted on the tower of
London. Russia, Austria, and Sweden have joined her. Our frontier is
threatened by half a million men. Lioncourt, you are brave and trusty,
and I will tell you what I dare communicate to few. My movements must
be as secret as the grave. Paris must not suspect them. What do you
think I propose doing?"

"To strengthen the frontier by concentrating your troops on different
points, sire."

Napoleon smiled.

"No, Lioncourt; we will beard the lion in his den. I have broken up
the camp at Boulogne. I will rush at once into the heart of Germany. I
will separate the enemy's columns from each other. The first division
that marches against me shall be outflanked, attacked in the rear, and
cut to pieces. One after another they shall fall before me. In three
months I shall triumph over the coalition. I shall dictate terms of
peace from the field of battle. Lioncourt, they are short sighted.
They know nothing of me yet. They fancy that my heart is engaged in
these frivolous pomps and gayeties with which I amuse the people--that
I have become enervated by 'Capuan delights.' But you know me better.
You know that my throne is the back of my war horse--that the sword is
my sceptre, cannon my diplomatists. I wished for peace--they have
elected war; on their heads be the guilt and the bloodshed."

He paused, out of breath with the rapidity of his utterance. Colonel
Lioncourt waited respectfully till he should recommence.

"Colonel," he said, at last, in a tone of sadness, a melancholy shade
passing over his fine features, "they have described me as a
sanguinary monster. History will do me justice. History will attest
that I never drew the sword without just cause--that I returned it to
its scabbard on the earliest opportunity. Not on my soul the guilt of
slaughtered thousands, of villages burned, of peasants driven