nd as to order the Duke
of Dantzic to open his package of chocolate and let us taste it?"

Napoleon laughed. "Why, I cannot order him to give away what I have just
given him," he said. "But a glance at the outside may show you whether
it is good or not. If he will open it and let you see it, I have no
objection."

The duke took the package from his pocket; he himself was desirous to
discover what it contained; Lannes, Duroc, Talleyrand, and Berthier,
surrounded him. The emperor stood at some distance, and looked smilingly
at the group. Lefebvre broke the string and unfolded the wrapper. It
contained nothing but a number of small printed papers; but these were
valuable, being bank-notes to the amount of a hundred thousand dollars.
Lefebvre, overjoyed, looked at the emperor. Duroc and Talleyrand smiled
also, but Lannes exclaimed in a loud voice, "Forsooth, I should also
like to have a pound of this Dantzic chocolate![32] Sire, is there not
somewhere another Prussian fortress manufacturing such an excellent
article? Send me thither, and, I pledge you my word, I shall get my
chocolate!"

[Footnote 32: This scene is strictly historical. The army knew in what
manner the emperor had rewarded Marshal Lefebvre, and it became a
cant-phrase for soldiers who wished to borrow money of their comrades:
"Have you any Dantzic chocolate?"]

Napoleon shrugged his shoulders. "No," he said, "there are really no
Prussian fortresses that we can take; all are in our hands; only Colberg
and Graudenz are holding out, and who knows how soon they will
surrender? You will have no chance to obtain your chocolate in Prussia,
Lannes, but I will give you and all my marshals an opportunity, I hope,
on the battle-field."

"Ah," they exclaimed in joyful chorus, "then there will be a battle
soon?"

"Yes," said Napoleon, gravely. "Let the fall of Dantzic be only a signal
of fresh victories for us! The time of inaction is past. Let us invite
the Emperor of Russia to a war-dance on the territory of his ally the
King of Prussia. Possibly, the beautiful queen may take part in it, for
she is said to be a fine dancer, and to have delighted the young
officers of the guard at the balls given in the palace of Berlin. She
is, moreover, a heroine, who, when her king had an army, witnessed the
parade of the troops in the costume of an Amazon. I am, indeed,
inquisitive, like Marshal Lannes--not, however, as to the quality of
the chocolate, but as to this queen,