k and silent corridors, and opened the heavy, clanking iron doors
leading into the vault. Napoleon entered. For a moment he stood still on
the threshold and gazed in surprise at its plain, gloomy vault, the
walls of which were not adorned with trophies, nor with any decorations
whatever, and at that humble wooden coffin, which stood so bare and
solitary in the middle of the sombre room. Behind him were his marshals,
who looked at the strange scene with an air of curiosity and
astonishment.

"Ah," said Napoleon, gently turning his head toward them, and pointing
with his right hand to the coffin, "a man must have distinguished
himself by many great deeds, and obtained immortal glory, to need thus
no earthly pomp and splendor!"

He approached closely to the coffin; folding his arms on his breast, his
lips firmly compressed, he gazed long and steadfastly at it. The blaze
of the torch shed a bright light on his face, and as his pale head alone
was distinctly visible in the darkness, the beholders might have
believed one of the marble statues of the Caesars on the terrace of
Sans-souci, had descended from its pedestal in order to pay a visit to
the dead king.

After a long pause Napoleon's eye resumed its wonted brilliancy. He
pointed with a strange smile at the dust covering the lid of the coffin.
"Dust without and dust within! that within was a great king and a hero;
yet that without is more lasting than the oaths which the Emperor
Alexander swore here a year ago, with Frederick William and the
beautiful Louisa. Even the kiss which Alexander imprinted at that time
on the coffin of Frederick is no longer visible; dust has covered it,
and equalized every thing." Thus speaking, he drew lines with his hand;
without knowing it, perhaps, his finger traced a large _N_ in the dust
of the royal coffin. He then hastily left the dark vault to return to
the palace.[16]

[Footnote 16: One of Horace Vernet's most beautiful paintings represents
this visit of Napoleon paid to the grave of Frederick the Great.]

The emperor paced the room a long while, his hands clasped on his back;
he then rang the bell impetuously, and sent for the chief of his
cabinet, M. de Menneval.

"Be seated," said he, as soon as that functionary made his appearance;
"take my pen, I will dictate to you my eighteenth bulletin."[17]

[Footnote 17: Napoleon wrote or dictated all his bulletins without
consulting any one in regard to them. After being dictated, t