y, it will have
died out long before Mademoiselle de la Mariniere is grown up."

"But explain, my dear friend!" cried Monsieur Joseph. "Is the Emperor
going to raise a regiment of Amazons, to fight Russia? I am dying with
curiosity."

"Some people would find your idea less disagreeable than the fact," said
the Prefect, smiling, while the General shook with laughter.

"Amazons! ha! ha! capital! I should like to lead them."

It seemed that the Prefect, for once, was ashamed of his great master.
He went on to explain, in a hurried fashion, how he and his brother
Prefects had received this very singular command from the Emperor--that
they were to send him, not a mere list, but a _catalogue raisonne_, of
all the well-born girls in their several departments; their personal
appearance, their disposition, their dowries, their prospects in the
future; in short, every particular regarding them. And with what object?
to arrange marriages between these young women of the best blood in
France and his most favoured officers. It was one way, an original way,
of making society loyal to the Empire; but the plan savoured too much of
the treatment of a conquered country to please men like the Baron de
Mauves. He might speak of it with a certain outward respect, as coming
from the Emperor; and the presence of General Ratoneau was also a check
upon his real sentiments; but he was not surprised at Monsieur Joseph's
evident disgust, and not out of sympathy with it.

The reign of the soldier! They were heroes, perhaps, many of these men
whom Napoleon delighted to honour. It was not unnatural that he should
heap dukedoms and pensions and orders upon them. But it seemed a
dangerous step forward, to force such men as this Ratoneau, for
instance, into the best families of France. No doubt he, in spite of his
Napoleonic looks, was a bad specimen; but Monsieur Joseph might be
excused if he looked at him as he said: "My dear Baron, it is tyranny. I
speak frankly, gentlemen; it is a step on the road to ruin. Our old
families will not bear it. What have you done?"

"Nothing," said Monsieur de Mauves. "I think most of the Prefects agree
with me; it is an order which will have to be repeated."

On which the General turned round with a grin, and quoted to him his own
words--"Monsieur le Prefet--if you accept the new regime, you should
accept it loyally."

"Pardon--nothing of this before the children, I beg," exclaimed Monsieur
Joseph in haste, fo