“No, general,” replied Roland, shrugging his shoulders; “it’s the remains of the old one.”
“Well, Roland, we must build up another, devoted to my son—if ever I have one.”
Roland made a gesture which might be translated into the words, “I don’t object.” Bonaparte understood the gesture perfectly.
“You must do more than not object,” said he; “you must contribute to it.”
A nervous shudder passed over Roland’s body.
“In what way, general?” he asked.
“By marrying.”
Roland burst out laughing.
“Good! With my aneurism?” he asked.
Bonaparte looked at him, and said: “My dear Roland, your aneurism looks to me very much like a pretext for remaining single.”