distrustful of us, and convinced that Austria is intent on attacking
him. Besides, he felt no longer at ease in pain, and all sorts of
conspiracies had been entered into in Paris, whereby his return
might have been rendered impossible if he had hesitated any longer."

"Who were the conspirators?"

"Talleyrand and Fouche, the dear friends and obedient servants of
the Emperor Napoleon. He knows full well what their friendship and
devotedness amount to. Hence be had the two gentlemen well watched,
and it seems his spies sent him correct reports, for, after
returning from Spain, he rebuked them unmercifully; be told them,
with the rage of a true Corsican, and regardless of etiquette, what
miserable fellows they were, and how high he stood above them."

"And yet he would like so much to be an emperor in strict.
accordance with court etiquette," said the emperor, laughing. "He is
anxious to have such a court about him as Louis XIV. had. But the
lawyer's son always reappears in the emperor, and, if it please God,
He will one day deprive him of all his power and splendor."

"And, if it please God, your majesty will be His instrument in
putting an end to Napoleon's power and splendor," cried Hudelist,
with a smile which distorted his face strangely, and caused two rows
of large yellow teeth to appear between the pale lips of his
enormous mouth. "It is true he stands firm as yet, and rebukes his
ministers as Nero did his freedmen. Talleyrand was still
thunderstruck at what the emperor had told him, when he had an
interview with Count Metternich and myself in Fouche's green-house.
To be sure, the phrases which he repeated to us were well calculated