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Russian banknotes for that of 1812；＇68＇ Savary ends in getting weary；
he is charged with too many dirty jobs； however hardened his
conscience it has a tender spot； he discovers at last that he has
scruples。 It is with great repugnance that； in February； 1814； he
executes the order to have a small infernal machine prepared； moving
by clock…work； so as to blow up the Bourbons on their return into
France。＇69＇ 〃Ah；〃 said he； giving himself a blow on the forehead； 〃it
must be admitted that the Emperor is sometimes hard to serve！〃
If he exacts so much from the human creature； it is because； in
playing the game he has to play； he must absorb everything； in the
situation in which be has placed himself； caution is unnecessary。 〃Is
a statesman；〃 said he； 〃made to have feeling？ Is he not wholly an
eccentric personage； always alone by himself； he on one side and the
world on the other？〃＇70＇
In this duel without truce or mercy； people interest him only whilst
they are useful to him； their value depends on what he can make out of
them； his sole business is to squeeze them； to extract to the last
drop whatever is available in them。
〃I find very little satisfaction in useless sentiments；〃 said he
again；＇71＇ 〃and Berthier is so mediocre that I do not know why I waste
my time on him。 And yet when I am not set against him； I am not sure
that I do not like him。〃
He goes no further。 According to him； this indifference is necessary
in a statesman。 The glass he looks through is that of his own
policy；＇72＇ he must take care that it does not magnify or diminish
objects。 … Therefore； outside of explosions of nervous sensibility；
〃he has no consideration for men other than that of a foreman for his
workmen；〃＇73＇ or； more precisely； for his tools； once the tool is worn
out； little does he care whether it rusts away in a corner or is cast
aside on a heap of scrap…iron。 〃Portalis； Minister of Justice；＇74＇
enters his room one day with a downcast look and his eyes filled with
tears。 'What's the matter with you； Portalis？' inquired Napoleon；
'are you ill？ 'No； sire； but very wretched。 The poor Archbishop of
Tours； my old schoolmate 。 。 。' 'Eh； well； what has happened to him？'
'Alas； sire； he has just died。' 'What do I care？ he was no longer good
for anything。'〃 Owning and making the most of men and of things； of
bodies and of souls； using and abusing them at discretion； even to
exhaustion； without being responsible to any one； he reaches that
point after a few years where he can say as glibly and more
despotically than Louis XIV。 himself；
〃My armies； my fleets； my cardinals； my councils； my senate； my
populations； my empire。〃＇75＇
Addressing army corps about to rush into battle：
〃Soldiers； I need your lives； and you owe them to me。〃
He says to General Dorsenne and to the grenadiers of the guard：＇76＇
〃I hear that you complain that you want to return to Paris； to your
mistresses。 Undeceive yourselves。 I shall keep you under arms until
you are eighty。 You were born to the bivouac； and you shall die
there。〃
How he treats his brothers and relations who have become kings； how he
reins them in； how he applies the spur and the whip and makes them
trot and jump fences and ditches； may be found in his correspondence；
every stray impulse to take the lead； even when justified by an
unforeseen urgency and with the most evident good intention； is
suppressed as a deviation； is arrested with a brusque roughness which
strains the loins and weakens the knees of the delinquent。 The
amiable Prince Eugene； so obedient and so loyal；＇77＇ is thus warned：
〃If you want orders or advice from His Majesty in the alteration of
the ceiling of your room you should wait till you get them； were Milan
burning and you asked orders for putting out the fire； you should let
Milan burn until you got them。 。 。 His Majesty is displeased； and very
much displeased； with you； you must never attempt to do his work。
Never does he like this； and he will never forgive it。〃
This enables us to judge of his tone with subalterns。 The French
battalions are refused admission into certain places in Holland：＇78＇
〃Announce to the King of Holland； that if his ministers have acted on
their own responsibility； I will have them arrested and all their
heads cut off。〃
He says to M。 de Ségur； member of the Academy commission which had
just approved M。 de Chateaubriand's discourse：＇79＇
〃You； and M。 de Fontaines； as state councillor and grand master； I
ought to put in Vincennes。 。 。 。 Tell the second class of the
Institute that I will have no political subjects treated at its
meetings。 。 。 。 。If it disobeys； I will break it up like a bad club。
Even when not angry or scolding；＇80＇ when the claws are drawn in； one
feels the clutch。 He says to Beugnot； whom he has just berated；
scandalously and unjustly； … conscious of having done him injustice
and with a view to produce an effect on the bystanders； …
〃Well； you great imbecile； you have got back your brains？〃
On this； Beugnot； tall as a drum…major； bows very low； while the
smaller man； raising his hand； seizes him by the ear； 〃a heady mark of
favor；〃 says Beugnot； a sign of familiarity and of returning good
humor。 And better yet； the master deigns to lecture Beugnot on his
personal tastes； on his regrets； on his wish to return to France： What
would he like？ To be his minister in Paris？ 〃Judging by what he saw of
me the other day I should not be there very long； I might die of worry
before the end of the month。〃 He has already killed Portalis； Cretet；
and almost Treilhard； even though he had led a hard life： he could no
longer urinate； nor the others either。 The same thing would have
happened to Beignot； if not worse。 。 。 。
〃 Stay here 。 。 。 。 after which you will be old； or rather we all
shall be old； and I will send you to the Senate to drivel at your
ease。〃
Evidently；＇81 the nearer one is to his person the more disagreeable
life becomes。＇82＇ 〃Admirably served； promptly obeyed to the minute； he
still delights in keeping everybody around him in terror concerning
the details of all that goes on in his palace。〃 Has any difficult task
been accomplished？ He expresses no thanks； never or scarcely ever
praises； and； which happens but once； in the case of M。 de Champagny；
Minister of Foreign Affairs； who is praised for having finished the
treaty of Vienna in one night； and with unexpected advantages；＇83＇
this time； the Emperor has thought aloud； is taken by surprise；
〃ordinarily； he manifests approbation only by his silence。〃 … When M。
de Rémusat； prefect of the palace； has arranged 〃one of those
magnificent fêtes in which all the arts minister to his enjoyment；〃
economically； correctly； with splendor and success； his wife never
asks her husband＇84＇ if the Emperor is satisfied； but whether he has
scolded more or less。
〃His leading general principle； which he applies in every way； in
great things as well as in small ones； is that a man's zeal depends
upon his anxiety。〃
How insupportable the constraint he exercises； with what crushing
weight his absolutism bears down on the most tried devotion and on the
most pliable characters； with what excess he tramples on and wounds
the best dispositions； up to what point he represses and stifles the
respiration of the human being； he knows as well as anybody。 He was
heard to say；
〃The lucky man is he who hides away from me in the depths of some
province。〃
And； another day； having asked M。 de Ségur what people would say of
him after his death； the latter enlarged on the regrets which would be
universally expressed。 〃Not at all；〃 replied the Emperor； and then；
drawing in his breath in a significant manner indicative of universal
relief； he replied；
〃They'll say； 'Whew！'〃＇85＇
IV。 His Bad Manners。
His bearings in Society。 … His deportment toward Women。 … His disdain
of Politeness。
There are very few monarchs； even absolute； who persistently； arid
from morning to night； maintain a despotic attitude。 Generally； and
especially in France； the sovereign makes two divisions of his time；
one for business and the other for social duties； and； in the latter
case； while always head of the State； he is also head of his house：
for he welcomes visitors； entertains his guests； and； that his guests
may not be robots； he tries to put them at their ease。 … That was the
case with Louis XIV。＇86＇ … polite to everybody； always affable with
men； and sometimes gracious； always courteous with women； and some
times gallant； carefully avoiding brusqueness； ostentation； and
sarcasms； never allowing himself to use an offensive word； never
making people feel their inferiority and dependence； but； on the
contrary； encouraging them to express opinions； and even to converse；
tolerating in conversation a semblance of equality； smiling at