The Twin Lieutenants | Page 5

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, but during the gestation of their mother Justice, before they were born. Well, the Code of criminal examination does not move, does not advance: I told you that I wished it to be terminated in the year 1808, but, here we are at the 23rd of January, 1809, and, although the legislative body will remain assembled during my absence, this code is not finished and may not be perhaps for three months yet."
"Will your Majesty permit me to say, upon that subject, the whole truth?" hazarded the Archchancellor,
"Proceed," said the Emperor.
"Well, sire, I see--I do not say with fear, for I should have no fear while your Majesty holds the sword or the scepter--I see, with regret, that a spirit of inquietude and indiscipline commences to glide over all."
"You