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Chapter 4

           Ishouldhavesaid,ofcourse,‘MakepeacewithAlexander,’butasachildIexpressedmyideainthenaivewayrecorded.‘Oh,mychild,’hewouldsay(helovedtotalktomeandseemedtoforgetmytenderyears),‘Oh,mychild,IamreadytokissAlexander’sfeet,butIhateandabominatetheKingofPrussiaandtheAustrianEmperor,andandbutyouknownothingofpolitics,mychild.’Hewouldpullup,rememberingwhomhewasspeakingto,buthiseyeswouldsparkleforalongwhileafterthis.Wellnow,ifIweretodescribeallthis,andIhaveseengreatereventsthanthese,allthesecriticalgentlemenofthepressandpoliticalpartiesOh,nothanks!I’mtheirveryhumbleservant,butnothanks!”

           “Quitesopartiesyouareveryright,”saidtheprince.“IwasreadingabookaboutNapoleonandtheWaterloocampaignonlytheotherday,byCharasse,inwhichtheauthordoesnotattempttoconcealhisjoyatNapoleon’sdiscomfitureateverypage.Wellnow,Idon’tlikethat;itsmellsof‘party,’youknow.Youarequiteright.AndwereyoumuchoccupiedwithyourserviceunderNapoleon?”

           Thegeneralwasinecstasies,fortheprince’sremarks,made,astheyevidentlywere,inallseriousnessandsimplicity,quitedissipatedthelastrelicsofhissuspicion.

           “IknowCharasse’sbook!Oh!Iwassoangrywithhiswork!IwrotetohimandsaidIforgetwhat,atthismoment.YouaskwhetherIwasverybusyundertheEmperor?Ohno!Iwascalled‘page,’buthardlytookmydutyseriously.

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