hand, and twisted his right arm in the singular epileptic gesture which
was peculiar to him. But his thoughts and plans were so admirably clear
that even I, who knew nothing of the matter, could readily follow them,
while above all I was impressed by the marvellous grasp of fact which
enabled him to speak with confidence, not only of the line-of-battle
ships, but of the frigates, sloops, and brigs at Ferrol, Rochefort,
Cadiz, Carthagena, and Brest, with the exact strength of each in men and
in guns; while the names and force of the English vessels were equally
at his fingers' ends. Such familiarity would have been remarkable in a
naval officer, but when I thought that this question of the ships was
only one out of fifty with which this man had to deal, I began to
realise the immense grasp of that capacious mind. He did not appear to
be paying the least attention to me, but it seems that he was really
watching me closely, for he turned upon me when he had finished his
dictation.

'You appear to be surprised, Monsieur de Laval, that I should be able to
transact my naval business without having my minister of marine at my
elbow; but it is one of my rules to know and to do things for myself.
Perhaps if these good Bourbons had had the same habit they would not now
be living amidst the fogs of England.'

'One must have your Majesty's memory in order to do it,' I observed.

'It is the result of system,' said he. 'It is as if I had drawers in my
brain, so that when I opened one I could close the others. It is seldom
that I fail to find what I want there. I have a poor memory for names
or dates, but an excellent one for facts or faces. There is a good deal
to bear in mind, Monsieur de Laval. For example, I have, as you have
seen, my one little drawer full of the ships upon the sea. I have