waiting for your majesty's orders in the anteroom."

"Very well, let him come in. Have the horses brought to the door. All
the marshals and my whole suite must be ready. We set out immediately to
meet the Emperor Alexander, but I will previously put on my decoration
of St. Andrew's order; then my toilet will be complete.--Talma!"

Constant hastened into the anteroom to inform Talma that the emperor
wished to see him, and a moment afterward the great actor made his
appearance. "Ah, you have arrived, then, Talma," exclaimed Napoleon,
gayly, "and I hope you have brought with you the most select company of
actors, the finest costumes, and the best pieces?"

"I have brought hither, sire, the actors and the theatre of the
conqueror of the world," said Talma, "and that says every thing. The
eyes of your majesty will be on us; that is all that is needed to
inspire us."

"But you will also play before an audience such as perhaps will never
again assemble," said Napoleon, smiling. "You will have it occupied by
kings and sovereign princes."

"Sire," said Talma, bowing deeply, "where your majesty is, there is but
one king and master."

"No; there is another king, and his name is Talma," exclaimed Napoleon,
smiling. "These German princes may take a lesson from Talma as to the
manner in which a king should bear himself in prosperity as well as in
adversity. You will, therefore, perform Oedipus, Cinna, Mohammed, and
Andromache, that kings may see how true monarchs ought to behave. I
could have wished, however, that you had prepared not only the tragedies
of Racine, Corneille, and Voltaire, but also some of the comedies of
Moliere. You know how highly I esteem them. But the Germans would not
understand them. We must show them the beauty and sublimity of our
tragic theatre; they will appreciate it better than the profound wit of
Moliere. Make it indispensable for the actors, and very particularly the
actresses, to speak as distinctly and loudly as possible, that the
Emperor Alexander, who is somewhat hard of hearing, may understand. You
are the representatives of the honor of French literature; just say so
to the artists in my name, and order the ladies especially to refrain
from their wonted ogling and coquetry. Handsome Mademoiselle Bourgoin
likes also to make conquests, not only on the stage, but among the
spectators; and, while she is playing tragic _amoureuses_, she casts on
the audience glances that are more suitable to a be