The Twin Lieutenants | Page 5

but before he could decipher
the words, he had recognized the writing.
He sighed and read:
"Thou art here! I have embraced thee. She who loves thee more than all
the world."
"Josephine !" murmured he, looking around him, as if he expected to
see her appear in the depths of the apartment or leap from behind some
piece of furniture.
But he was really alone.
At this moment, the door opened, the usher entered carrying the two
candelabras, and announced:
"His excellence Monsieur the Archchancellor."
Napoleon arose, went to the mantel-piece, leant upon it and waited.
Behind the usher appeared the high personage who had been
introduced.

CHAPTER II.
THREE STATESMEN.
REGIS DE CAMBACERES was, at this period, fifty-six years of age,
that is to say, fifteen or sixteen years older than they called him.
As to character, he was a kind and benevolent man. A wise jurisconsult,
he had succeeded his father as counselor to the court of the exchequer;
in 1792 he had been elected deputy to the National Convention; on the
19th of January, 1793, he had voted for the reprieve; he had become in
1794, president of the. committee of public safety; had been appointed
the following year, minister of justice; in 1799, had been chosen by
Bonaparte as second consul; lastly, in 1804, had been named
Archchancellor, created Prince of the Empire, and made Duke of
Parma.
As to constitution, he was a man of middling stature, tending to turn to
obesity, fond of good living, affected in dress, who, though one of the
gentlemen of the long robe, had taken to the air of the court, with a
facility and promptitude which was well appreciated by the great
reconstructor of the social edifice.
Then, in the eyes of Napoleon, he had yet another sort of merit:
Cambaceres had perfectly comprehended that the man of genius who
had advanced upon the political scene and who, passing by his side,
had attached his fortune to his own, and as his equal received him in his
familiarity, had a right to his respect in becoming that elect of destiny
who, at the time of which we write, commanded Europe; without
descending to humility, he placed himself in the position--not of a man
who flatters--but of one who admires.
So, always ready to obey the Emperor's first desire, a quarter of an hour
had sufficed for him to make his dressing in a style which would be
judged irreproachable in the circle of the Tuileries, and, though aroused
at two o'clock of the morning, that is to say in the midst of his slumber,
which was to him essentially disagreeable, he arrived with as lively an
eye and as smiling a mouth as would have been seen in him at seven

o'clock of the evening, to wit, the hour when, after having left table and
taken his coffee, he was enjoying that happy state, which, at the end of
a good dinner, accompanies an easy digestion.
The visage which received him was far from having the air of good
humor which lit up his own; so, perceiving it, the Archchancellor made
a movement which bore resemblance to a step in retreat.
Napoleon, with his eagle eye, from which not only nothing of great
things escaped, but also none of little ones, saw the movement,
understood the cause, and softening the expression of his face, said:
"Oh, come ! come ! M. the Archchancellor! it is not you whom I
want !"
" I hope your Majesty may never want me," responded Cambaceres;
"for I should be a most unfortunate man the day when I incur your
displeasure."
At this moment the valet de chambre retired, leaving the two
candelabras and taking the candles.
"Constant," said the Emperor, "close the door, watch in the
ante-chamber and let the person whom I expect enter the green saloon."
Then turning to Cambaceres, he said, as he breathed after a long
suffocation:
"Ah, here I am in France! here I am at the Tuileries ! We are alone, M.
the Archchancellor, let us speak with open hearts."
"Sire," said the Archchancellor, "apart from the respect which sets a
barrier to my words, I never speak otherwise to your Majesty."
The Emperor fixed upon him a piercing look.
"You fatigue, Cambaceres: you make sad; contrary to the others, whose
design is to throw light, you efface things each day; I do not like that;
think that, in the civil order, you are the first after me."

"I know that your Majesty has treated me according to his generosity
and not agreeably to my merits."
'"You are wrong, I have treated you pursuant to your worth; it is for
that I entrusted to you the bringing up of the laws, not only when they
were born,