things capable of rendering the archdukes suspicious to him, or even
convicting them of a wrong committed against him, the emperor will
reward and promote me, and, as he says, satisfy the cravings of my
ambition. Well, well, we shall see. If you watch a man very closely
and are really intent on spying out something suspicious in his
conduct, you will in the end surely find some little hook or other
by which you may hold him, and which you may gradually hammer out
and extend until it becomes large enough to hang the whole man on
it. In the first place, I shall pay particular attention to the
Archduke John, for his brother is particularly jealous of and angry
with him. Ah, if I could discovery such a little hook by which to
hold him, the emperor would reward my zeal with money, honors, and
orders, and he would henceforward repose the most implicit
confidence in my fidelity. Well, I shall think of it; the idea is a
good one, and worthy of being matured. I shall form a scheme to make
the good and munificent Archduke John the ladder by which I shall
rise. I must conquer, and if I can do it only by pulling down
others, it is the duty of self-preservation for me not to shrink
from the task. I will now go to the chancery and wait there for the
emperor's return. Ah, how his old limbs trembled when he heard of
Napoleon's return. How hard and unpleasant it was for him to swallow
the bad news which I communicated to him! There is no more
interesting spectacle than that presented by a human face passing
through all the various stages of excitement, and involuntarily
performing in its features the five acts of a tragedy. And all the
better when this human face is that of an emperor. During my whole
journey from Paris to Vienna I was enjoying, by anticipation, the
moment when I should deliver this Pandora's box to the emperor. He
is opposed to war, and must nevertheless wage it; that is the best
part of the joke. Aha! it is a fine sight to behold the gods of this