tributed to that
effect. Nevertheless, all the artisans of the Coup d'Etat considered
themselves nearly as great geniuses as the intellectual and military
giant who conceived and executed the 19th Brumaire, and pretended to
impose their policy upon Europe by imposing their will upon the Emperor,
though not one could hold a candle to him in statecraft. Napoleon with a
Moltke by his side would have been a match for Bismarck, and the left
bank of the Rhine _might_ have been French; Alsace-Lorraine would
certainly not have been German. It is not my purpose, however, to enter
upon politics. I repeat, De Persigny, De Morny, and to a certain extent
Walewski, endeavoured to exalt themselves into political Napoleons at
all times and seasons; De Saint-Arnaud felt convinced that the
strategical mantle of the great warrior had fallen upon him; De Maupas
fancied himself another Fouche. The only one who was really free from
pretensions of either kind was Colonel (afterwards General) Fleury. He
was the only modest man among the lot.

The greatest offender in that way was, no doubt, De Persigny. During his
journey to Rome in 1866 he did not hesitate to tender his political
advice to such past masters in diplomacy as Pius IX. and Cardinal
Antonelli. Both pretended to profit by the lesson, but Mgr. de
Merode,[52] who was not quite so patient, had many an animated
discussion with him, in which De Persigny frequently got the worst. One
evening the latter thought fit to twit him with his pugnaciousness. "I
suppose, monsignor," he said, "it's the ancient leaven of the trooper
getting the upper hand now and then." "True," replied the prelate; "I
was a captain in the foreign legion, and fought in Africa, where I got
my cross of the Legion of Honour. But you, monsieur le duc, I fancy I
have heard that you were more or less of a sergeant-quartermaster in a
cavalry regiment."

[Footnote 52: Frederic Xavier de Merode was the descendant of
an ancient Flemish family, and became an influential member of
the Prelatura. He took an active share in the organization of
the Papal troops which fought at Mentana. There is a romantic
but absolutely true story connected with his military career.
He was from his very youth intended for the priesthood, but one
day, when he was but nineteen, he had a quarrel with a
fellow-student, who gave him a box on the ears. M. de Merode
was to