“The judge is not a murderer, nor is the executioner.”
“But the Golden Age passed—as it came.”
“Yet it comes again.”
“Not with Buonaparte!”
“No, not with him, but through him.”
“Who is he?”
“A Corsican, born in the same year in which France annexed his country. He will avenge it, and, since he can never feel himself a Frenchman, he will exploit our country only for his own purposes. But nevertheless, in spite of his unparalleled selfishness, his wickedness and crimes, he will serve humanity—for everything serves.”
“And afterwards?”
“Who can say? Probably things will go on as they have done hitherto; sometimes advancing, then a halt; then again advance.”
“And then the obsolete turns up again.”