“Sire, here it is.”
Napoleon took it hastily; but when he fixed his eyes on the address, he frowned.
“Ah, this emperor ‘by the grace of God’ believes he need not address me with the title conferred upon me by the French nation,” he said, hastily. “He does not write to the Emperor of the French, but ‘to the chief of the French government.’ [Footnote: historical.—Vide “Memoires du Due de Rovigo,” vol. ii., p. 187.] Did you read the address, Savary?”
“The Emperor Alexander called my attention to it himself, sire. I remember his words distinctly. They were as follows: “The address does not contain the title which your chief has assumed since then. I do not set any great value on such trifles; but it is a rule of etiquette, and I shall alter it with pleasure as soon as he has given me an opportunity for doing so.” [Footnote: Alexander’s own words.—Vide “Memoires du Due de Rovigo,” vol. ii., p. 187.]
“And what did you reply to him?”
“Sire, I replied, ‘Your majesty is right. This can only be a rule of etiquette, and the emperor will not judge it in any other way. When he was general-in-chief of the Italian army he already gave orders and prescribed laws to more than one king; contented with the homage of the French, he only deems it a satisfaction for them to be recognized.’” [Footnote: Historical.—Vide “Memoires du Duc de Rovigo,” vol. ii., p. 167.]
“Your reply was fitting and to the point,” said Napoleon, with a pleasant nod, while he opened the emperor’s letter and glanced over it. “Phrases, empty words,” he then exclaimed, throwing the letter contemptuously on the table. “Talleyrand was right when he said language was given to us for the purpose of concealing our thoughts. Those men use it for that purpose.”
“Sire, the emperor did not conceal his thoughts during our interview,” replied the general. “I conversed with him long and freely, and I may say that he uttered his opinions very frankly. The Emperor Alexander said: ‘Peace was only to be thought of if your majesty should stipulate reasonable terms which would not hurt anybody’s feelings, and which would not be calculated to weaken the power and importance of the other princes and to increase that of France. France was a power already large enough; she needed no aggrandizement, and the other powers could not tolerate such a one.’”
“Ah, I shall teach them to tolerate it nevertheless; I shall prove to all of them that France is at the head of all monarchies, and compel them to recognize the Emperor of France with bowed heads!”
He paced the room hastily with angry eyes and panting breast. His steps, however, became gradually more quiet, and the furrows disappeared from his forehead.