ANECDOTES OF NAPOLEON. 307 



colossal. I took his audacity for noble pride, and the opinions he ad- 

 vanced for daring truths, drawn from the study of men and events. 

 Whoever may condemn my weakness, would not, perhaps, have 

 been wiser, if placed as I was. The deluder had something so ex- 

 traordinary about him, that he might have been admired by persons 

 of more experience than I. I asked him, however, whether the se- 

 crets he had justdisclosed to me, it was not imprudent to declare. "In 

 the first place," said I, " I shall not believe in any good qualities you 

 may display.'' " What matters it to me," replied he hastily ; " I 

 must only employ a little more artifice in my deceits with you." " If 

 I were to unmask you to the whole establishment '?" " Scholars and 

 masters would tax you with imposture. They would say to you, ' Such a 

 being at sixteen is not in nature ;' and they would be right in their 

 sense. All here is only of human stature, and I am already some feet 

 higher. Are you sure yourself that I am not deceiving you as to 

 the maxims I have just cited ? Who has told you that they are not a 

 new snare I am laying for you, by thus giving myself an extraordinary 

 character here ? Are you not sadly perplexed, my dear Dangeais ? 

 How will you settle your ideas of me ? What am I ? What shall I 

 be ? Come, do not torment yourself. Live with me from day to day. 

 I am, my friend, the first word of an enigma which time can only 

 solve.'' 



I was, however, curious to know his intention with regard to his 

 mistress. " It is not probably your design to marry her," said I to 

 him. Did you ever see a fierce young bull touched by the goad ? 

 The fiery animal bounds, turns, and menaces ; such was Napoleon 

 on this question being asked him. "Dangeais,"' replied he, with a 

 forced calmness, " if, in the conversations we ha^e had together, cer- 

 tain unpleasing expressions have escaped me, the question you ask 

 sufficiently avenges you. I am willing to believe that you did not 

 foresee the blow it would inflict on my self-love, otherwise I should 

 never pardon you. Eugenia partakes of much more fortune than I; 

 but there is a title wanting to induce me to make her my wife at this 

 period, that of Queen of France. At that price only would I sacri- 

 fice my liberty. What ! shall I immolate myself before attaining 

 my sixteenth year ! Marry at sixteen ! And whom ! The daugh- 

 ter of a mere private man. And where? In a corner. Dangeais, 

 confess thou hast never thought me capable of such modesty. 

 Wretch! if thou didst — but no, thou dost not think me made for a 

 peaceful citizen, who lives tranquilly on a modest patrimony. Has 

 nature, in short, formed me to be pleased with mildly cultivating the 

 earth, and then noiselessly and namelessly gliding into the torrent of 

 eternity? No ; I believe not that either physically or morally, there 

 is aught in me announcing such inclinations. Yes, Dangeais, if I 

 knew that I should never be more than now, that I should be com- 

 pelled to pass days of calm and stillness, I would isolate myself on a 

 pointed rock in the bosom of the ocean. There at least I should be 

 nearer to the thunder's growl; my ear would catch the roar of the 

 billows breaking against the rock ; I should witness the torments of 

 the deep; I should behold shipwrecks; the cries of the perishing 

 would reach me ; I should count the fragments. Now, ask me if I 



