“No; Constant was away then, taking a letter to the Empress Josephine. Instead of him there were always a couple of orderlies⁠—and that was all, excepting, of course, the generals and marshals whom Napoleon always took with him for the inspection of various localities, and for the sake of consultation generally. I remember there was one⁠—Davoust⁠—nearly always with him⁠—a big man with spectacles. They used to argue and quarrel sometimes. Once they were in the Emperor’s study together⁠—just those two and myself⁠—I was unobserved⁠—and they argued, and the Emperor seemed to be agreeing to something under protest. Suddenly his eye fell on me and an idea seemed to flash across him.

“ ‘Child,’ he said, abruptly. ‘If I were to recognize the Russian orthodox religion and emancipate the serfs, do you think Russia would come over to me?’

“ ‘Never!’ I cried, indignantly.

“The Emperor was much struck.