Lelorgne d’Ideville smilingly interpreted this speech to Napoleon thus: “If a battle takes place within the next three days the French will win, but if later, God knows what will happen.” Napoleon did not smile, though he was evidently in high good humor, and he ordered these words to be repeated.

Lavrúshka noticed this and to entertain him further, pretending not to know who Napoleon was, added:

“We know that you have Bonaparte and that he has beaten everybody in the world, but we are a different matter⁠ ⁠…”⁠—without knowing why or how this bit of boastful patriotism slipped out at the end.