turned
him back on to the track of his morning's anger, which was still fresh
in him.

"And let him know that I will do so!" said Napoleon, rising and pushing
his cup away with his hand. "I'll drive all his Wurttemberg, Baden, and
Weimar relations out of Germany.... Yes. I'll drive them out. Let him
prepare an asylum for them in Russia!"

Balashev bowed his head with an air indicating that he would like to
make his bow and leave, and only listened because he could not help
hearing what was said to him. Napoleon did not notice this expression;
he treated Balashev not as an envoy from his enemy, but as a man
now fully devoted to him and who must rejoice at his former master's
humiliation.

"And why has the Emperor Alexander taken command of the armies? What is
the good of that? War is my profession, but his business is to reign
and not to command armies! Why has he taken on himself such a
responsibility?"

Again Napoleon brought out his snuffbox, paced several times up and down
the room in silence, and then, suddenly and unexpectedly, went up to
Balashev and with a slight smile, as confidently, quickly, and simply
as if he were doing something not merely important but pleasing to
Balashev, he raised his hand to the forty-year-old Russian general's
face and, taking him by the ear, pulled it gently, smiling with his lips
only.

To have one's ear pulled by the Emperor was considered the greatest
honor and mark of favor at the French court.

"Well, adorer and courtier of the Emperor Alexander, why don't you say
anything?" said he, as if it was ridiculous, in his presence, to be the
adorer and courtier of anyone but himself, Napoleon. "Are the horses
ready for the general?" he added, with a slight inclination of his head
in reply to Balashev's bow. "Let him have mine, he has a long way to
go!"

The letter taken by Balashev was the last Napoleon sent to Alexander.
Every detail of the interview was communicated to the Russian monarch,
and the war began...

CHAPTER VIII

After his interview with Pierre in Moscow, Prince Andrew went to
Petersburg, on business as he told his family, but really to meet
Anatole Kuragin whom he felt it necessary to encounter. On reaching
Petersburg he inquired for Kuragin but the latter had already left the
city. Pierre had warned his brother-in-law that Prince Andrew was on
his track. Anatole Kuragin promptly obtained an appointment from
the Minister of War and went to join t