"The king will allow me not to attempt to combat his opinion," I replied, laughing, "but to remain of my own way of thinking?"
"Of course! You know that my influence does not extend over people's opinions, unfortunately, or I should have tried to modify yours and those of some other friends of yours."
"Meanwhile, as the conversation has fallen on this subject, your Majesty may wish me to say what I think?"
"On the disposition of la Vendée?"
"And on the policy of the king...."
"Tell me what you think of both."
"Well, I think that a foreign war, upon the Rhine or in Italy, would be a popular one at the present moment; that the king does not care to bring about such a war, and that he is not sorry to have an excuse for not doing so."
"Ah! indeed!"
"La Vendée would offer him such an excuse."
"How so?"