anent and momentous grievance. On seeing Napoleon, he is
sufficiently taken aback to check himself and salute; but he does not
betray by his manner any of that prophetic consciousness of Marengo and
Austerlitz, Waterloo and St. Helena, or the Napoleonic pictures of
Delaroche and Meissonier, which modern culture will instinctively
expect from him.)

NAPOLEON (sharply). Well, sir, here you are at last. Your instructions
were that I should arrive here at six, and that I was to find you
waiting for me with my mail from Paris and with despatches. It is now
twenty minutes to eight. You were sent on this service as a hard rider
with the fastest horse in the camp. You arrive a hundred minutes late,
on foot. Where is your horse!

THE LIEUTENANT (moodily pulling off his gloves and dashing them with
his cap and whip on the table). Ah! where indeed? That's just what I
should like to know, General. (With emotion.) You don't know how fond I
was of that horse.

NAPOLEON (angrily sarcastic). Indeed! (With sudden misgiving.) Where
are the letters and despatches?

THE LIEUTENANT (importantly, rather pleased than otherwise at having
some remarkable news). I don't know.

NAPOLEON (unable to believe his ears). You don't know!

LIEUTENANT. No more than you do, General. Now I suppose I shall be
court-martialled. Well, I don't mind being court-martialled; but (with
solemn determination) I tell you, General, if ever I catch that
innocent looking youth, I'll spoil his beauty, the slimy little liar!
I'll make a picture of him. I'll--

NAPOLEON (advancing from the hearth to the table). What innocent
looking youth? Pull yourself together, sir, will you; and give an
account of yourself.

LIEUTENANT (facing him at the opposite side of the table, leaning on it
with his fists). Oh, I'm all right, General: I'm perfectly ready to
give an account of myself. I shall make the court-martial thoroughly
understand that the fault was not mine. Advantage has been taken of the
better side of my nature; and I'm not ashamed of it. But with all
respect to you as my commanding officer, General, I say again that if
ever I set eyes on that son of Satan, I'll--

NAPOLEON (angrily). So you said before.

LIEUTENANT (drawing himself upright). I say it again, just wait until I
catch him. Just wait: that's all. (He folds his arms resolutely, and
breathes hard, with compressed lips.)

NAPOLEON. I AM waiting, sir--for your explanation.

LIEUTENANT (confidently)