The Corsican Ogre

At the sight of this agitation Louis XVIII pushed from him violently the table at which he was sitting.

“What ails you, baron?” he exclaimed. “You appear quite aghast. Has your uneasiness anything to do with what M. de Blacas has told me, and M. de Villefort has just confirmed?”

M. de Blacas moved suddenly towards the baron, but the fright of the courtier pleaded for the forbearance of the statesman; and besides, as matters were, it was much more to his advantage that the prefect of police should triumph over him than that he should humiliate the prefect.

“Sire⁠—” stammered the baron.

“Well, what is it?” asked Louis XVIII . The minister of police, giving way to an impulse of despair, was about to throw himself at the feet of Louis XVIII , who retreated a step and frowned.

“Will you speak?” he said.

“Oh, sire, what a dreadful misfortune! I am, indeed, to be pitied. I can never forgive myself!”

“Monsieur,” said Louis XVIII , “I command you to speak.”

“Well, sire, the usurper left Elba on the 26th February, and landed on the 1st of March.”