friendship and devotedness of his master."

"I believe in the sincerity of Austria!" exclaimed Napoleon, frowning.
"I know her perfidy; I know that she is secretly arming to attack me as
soon as she believes me to be embarrassed by the events in Spain. But I
will unmask these hypocrites, and meet them with open visor. I will wage
war against them, because they disdain to remain at peace with me. Now
that I am sure of Russia, I am no longer afraid of Austria, for Russia
will assist me in the war against her, or at least not prevent me from
attacking and punishing her for her insolence. It was in my power to
overthrow that monarchy as I have overthrown those of Naples and Spain.
I refrained, and Austria is indebted to me for her existence. Now,
however, I am inexorable, and when I once more make my entry into
Vienna, it will be as dictator prescribing laws to the vanquished.
Austria is arming, and France will arm for another Austerlitz. I
authorize you to repeat these words to Count Vincent. I myself will
write to his emperor and intrust my letter to the ambassador. Tell him
so." He dismissed the minister and repaired to the dining-room.

Breakfast was ready, and had been served on a round table in the middle
of the room. Talleyrand, Berthier, Savary, and Daru, received the
emperor, and accompanied him to the table, not to participate in the
repast, but to converse with him, as Napoleon liked to do while he was
eating, and to reply to the questions which he addressed now to one, now
to another.

"Well, Daru," he asked, taking his seat, "you come from Berlin? What
about the payment of the contributions?"

"Ah, sire, the prospects are very discouraging," said Daru, shrugging
his shoulders. "More rigorous measures will probably become necessary to
coerce those stubborn Prussians, and--"

The door opened, and Constant, the _valet de chambre_, entered,
whispering a few words to Marshal Berthier.

The marshal approached the emperor, who was engaged with the wing of a
chicken. "Sire," he said, "your majesty ordered M. von Goethe to appear
before you at this hour. He is in the anteroom."

"Ah, M. von Goethe, the great German poet, the author of the 'Sorrows of
Werther,'" exclaimed Napoleon. "Let him come in immediately." A moment
later Constant announced M. von Goethe. Napoleon was still sitting at
the table; Talleyrand was standing at his right; Darn, Savary, and
Berthier, at his left. The eyes of all turned toward the do