ery page. Well now, I don't like that;
it smells of 'party,' you know. You are quite right. And were you much
occupied with your service under Napoleon?"

The general was in ecstasies, for the prince's remarks, made, as they
evidently were, in all seriousness and simplicity, quite dissipated the
last relics of his suspicion.

"I know Charasse's book! Oh! I was so angry with his work! I wrote to
him and said--I forget what, at this moment. You ask whether I was very
busy under the Emperor? Oh no! I was called 'page,' but hardly took my
duty seriously. Besides, Napoleon very soon lost hope of conciliating
the Russians, and he would have forgotten all about me had he not loved
me--for personal reasons--I don't mind saying so now. My heart was
greatly drawn to him, too. My duties were light. I merely had to be at
the palace occasionally to escort the Emperor out riding, and that
was about all. I rode very fairly well. He used to have a ride before
dinner, and his suite on those occasions were generally Davoust, myself,
and Roustan."

"Constant?" said the prince, suddenly, and quite involuntarily.

"No; Constant was away then, taking a letter to the Empress Josephine.
Instead of him there were always a couple of orderlies--and that was
all, excepting, of course, the generals and marshals whom Napoleon
always took with him for the inspection of various localities, and
for the sake of consultation generally. I remember there was
one--Davoust--nearly always with him--a big man with spectacles. They
used to argue and quarrel sometimes. Once they were in the Emperor's
study together--just those two and myself--I was unobserved--and
they argued, and the Emperor seemed to be agreeing to something under
protest. Suddenly his eye fell on me and an idea seemed to flash across
him.

"'Child,' he said, abruptly. 'If I were to recognize the Russian
orthodox religion and emancipate the serfs, do you think Russia would
come over to me?'"

"'Never!' I cried, indignantly."

"The Emperor was much struck."

"'In the flashing eyes of this patriotic child I read and accept the
fiat of the Russian people. Enough, Davoust, it is mere phantasy on our
part. Come, let's hear your other project.'"

"'Yes, but that was a great idea," said the prince, clearly interested.
"You ascribe it to Davoust, do you?"

"Well, at all events, they were consulting together at the time. Of
course it was the idea of an eagle, and must have originated with