Cayenne and Lambressa are your guillotines,
and the Empress is safe from them.'
'But there are other modes of violent death,' he answered; 'from one of
which she escaped almost by miracle.'
'How did she behave,' I asked, 'at the _attentat?_'
'Little is known,' he answered, 'except that the Emperor said to her, as
he led her upstairs to her box: "Allons, il faut faire notre metier."'
'Then she is disturbed by religious fears. The little prince has been
taught to say to his father every morning: "Papa, ne faites pas de mal a
mon parrain." The Pope was his godfather.'
'If the Emperor dies, the real power will pass into the hands of Prince
Napoleon. And very dangerous hands they will be. He has more talent than
the Emperor, and longer views. Louis Napoleon is a revolutionist from
selfishness. Prince Napoleon is selfish enough, but he has also passion.
He detests everything that is venerable, everything that is established
or legal.
'There is little value now for property or for law, though the Government
professes to respect them. What, will it be when the Government professes
to hate them?'
_Wednesday, August_ 14.--We talked at breakfast of Rome.
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