He gave a little laugh, and leaning forward took a quill pen from my writing-table, disliking idle fingers while he talked.
"That time has come, my friend. Do you mean to stand by me?"
"LET US UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, MR. HOWARD."
"Yes."
"You are a man of few words," he answered, looking at me with a new keenness which sat strangely on his benign features. "But I want no more. The government has fallen—the doctors say the Emperor's life is not worth that!"
And he snapped his finger and thumb, glancing at the clock. It was eight o'clock. We had dined at half-past six.
"Can you come with me now? I want to show you the state of Paris—the condition of the people, the way of their thoughts. One cannot know too much of the ... people—for they will some day rule the world."
"And rule it devilish badly," I added, putting my papers together.