'Light the lamps,
Constant, and have the carriages ready in half-an-hour. Look over this
draft of a letter to the Emperor of Austria, and let me have your
observations upon it, Talleyrand. De Meneval, there is a lengthy report
here as to the new dockyard at Brest. Extract what is essential from
it, and leave it upon my desk at five o'clock to-morrow morning.
Berthier, I will have the whole army into the boats at seven. We will
see if they can embark within three hours. Monsieur de Laval, you will
wait here until we start for Pont de Briques.' So with a crisp order to
each of us, he walked with little swift steps across the room, and I saw
his square green back and white legs framed for an instant in the
doorway. There was the flutter of a pink skirt beyond, and then the
curtains closed behind him.
Berthier stood biting his nails, while Talleyrand looked at him with a
slight raising of his bushy eyebrows. De Meneval with a rueful face was
turning over the great bundle of papers which had to be copied by
morning. Constant, with a noiseless tread, was lighting the candles
upon the sconces round the room.
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