'If I were driven out, would you go into exile also?'
'No, Sire.'
'Diable! At least you are frank.'
'I could not go into exile, Sire.'
'And why?'
'Because I should be dead, Sire.'
Napoleon began to laugh.
'And there are some who say that our Berthier is dull-witted,' said he.
'Well, I think I am pretty sure of you, Berthier, for although I am fond
of you for reasons of my own I do not think that you would be of much
value to anyone else. Now I could not say that of you, Monsieur
Talleyrand. You would change very quickly to a new master as you have
changed from an old one. You have a genius, you know, for adapting
yourself.'
There was nothing which the Emperor loved more than to suddenly produce
little scenes of this sort which made everybody very uncomfortable, for
no one could tell what awkward or compromising question he was going to
put to them next. At present, however, they all forgot their own fears
of what might come in their interest at the reply which the famous
diplomatist might make to a suggestion which everybody knew to be so
true.
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