"Any way you come like a true soldier when the action is on. But I am not used to meet those who do not haste when recompense is offered."
"I deserve none. Born a Frenchman, loving my land, jealous of its prosperity, confounding my individuality with that of its thirty millions of men, I work for them in toiling for myself. A selfish man deserves no recompense."
"Excuse me, you had another reason. You thought the state of events serious and held back——"
"For a more serious one? Your Majesty guesses correctly."
"I like frankness," said the King, reddening, for he was nervous. "So, you predicted ruin for the sovereign and you wanted to be out of the reach of the flying splinters."
"No, Sire, since I hasten towards the danger."
"You come fresh from Necker and you naturally speak like him. Where is he?"
"Ready at hand to obey your orders."
"All for the best, for I shall require him," returned Louis with a sigh. "In politics, nobody should sulk. A plan may be good and fail from accidents."
"Sire, your Majesty reasons admirably," said Gilbert, coming to his aid; "but the main thing now is to see into the future clearly; as a physician, I speak bluntly at crises."