‘I should have been there!’ he gasped.  ’Oh, what a misfortune!  Monsieur de Caulaincourt, you must excuse me!  Where is my hat and my sword?  Come, Monsieur de Laval, not an instant is to be lost!’

I could judge from the terror of de Meneval, as well as from the scene which I had witnessed with Admiral Bruix, what the influence was which the Emperor exercised over those who were around him.  They were never at their ease, always upon the brink of a catastrophe, encouraged one day only to be rudely rebuffed the next, bullied in public and slighted in private, and yet, in spite of it all, the singular fact remains that they loved him and served him as no monarch has been loved and served.

‘Perhaps I had best stay here,’ said I, when we had come to the ante-chamber, which was still crowded with people.

’No, no, I am responsible for you.  You must come with me.  Oh, I trust he is not offended with me!  How could he have got in without my seeing him?’

My frightened companion scratched at the door, which was opened instantly by Roustem the Mameluke, who guarded it within.  The room into which we passed was of considerable size, but was furnished with extreme simplicity.  It was papered of a silver-grey colour, with a sky-blue ceiling, in the centre of which was the Imperial eagle in gold, holding a thunderbolt.  In spite of the warm weather, a large fire was burning at one side, and the air was heavy with heat and the aromatic smell of aloes.  In the middle of the room was a large oval table covered with green cloth and littered with a number of letters and papers.  A raised writing-desk was at one side of the table, and behind it in a green morocco chair with curved arms there sat the Emperor.  A number of officials were standing round the walls, but he took no notice of them.  In his hand he had a small penknife, with which he whittled the wooden knob at the end of his chair.  He glanced up as we entered, and shook his head coldly at de Meneval.

‘I have had to wait for you, Monsieur de Meneval,’ said he.  ’I cannot remember that I ever waited for my late secretary de Bourrienne.  That is enough!  No excuses!  Take this report which I have written in your absence, and make a copy of it.’

Poor de Meneval took the paper with a shaking hand, and carried it to the little side table which was reserved for his use.  Napoleon rose and paced slowly up and down the room with his hands behind his back, and his big round head stooping a little forwards.  It was certainly as well that he had a secretary, for I observed that in writing this single document he had spattered the whole place with ink, and it was obvious that he had twice used his white kerseymere knee-breeches as a pen-wiper.  As for me, I stood quietly beside Roustem at the door, and he took not the slightest notice of my presence.

‘Well,’ he cried presently, ’is it ready, de Meneval?  We have something more to do.’