“What fun,” said Annabel, “to introduce a prince of the empire to a prince of the woods!”

“What do you think of your brother?” I inquired.

He looked astonished and raised his eyebrows.

“I suppose you mean the emperor?”

I told him I did.

“If you want my candid opinion,” his eyes twinkled, and he linked his hands around his white satin knees, “I think my brother rules his family with a rod of iron.”

“What will you do,” I continued, “when your family are turned out?”

“My faith!” said Annabel, “this in a house favorable to the Empire!”

“A very natural question,” said Jerome.  “I have often asked myself the same thing.”

“The king of France,” I argued, “and all the Bourbons were turned out.  Why shouldn’t the Bonapartes be?”

“Why shouldn’t they, indeed!” responded Jerome.  “My mother insists they will be.  But I wouldn’t be the man who undertakes to turn out the emperor.”

“What is he like?”

“Impossible to describe him.”

“Is he no larger than you?”

Annabel gurgled aloud.

“He is not as large.”

“Yet he is a great soldier?”

“A great soldier.  And he is adored by the French.”

“The French,” I quoted, “are all fire and tow.”

“Thank you!” said Annabel, pulling out her light frizzes.

“You seem interested in the political situation,” remarked Prince Jerome.

I did not know what he meant by the political situation, but told him I had just heard about the Bonapartes.

“Where have you lived?” he laughed.

I told him it didn’t matter where people lived; it all depended on whether they understood or not.

“What a sage!—­I think I’m one of the people who will never be able to understand,” said Jerome.

I said he did not look as if he had been idiotic, and both he and Mademoiselle de Chaumont laughed.

“Monsieur”—­

“Lazarre Williams,” supplemented Annabel.

“Monsieur Lazarre Williams, whatever your lot in life, you will have one advantage over me; you will be an American citizen.”

“Haven’t I that doleful advantage myself?” mourned Annabel.  “A Baltimore convent, an English governess—­a father that may never go back to France!”

“Mademoiselle, all advantages of nationality, of person, of mind, of heart, are yours!”

So tipping the interview with a compliment he rose up, and Annabel rose also, making him a deep courtesy, and giving him her hand to be led back to the floor.  He kissed her white forefinger, and bowed to me.

“You have suggested some interesting thoughts, monsieur prince of the woods.  Perhaps you may yet take your turn on the throne of France.  What would you do in that case?”

“I would make the people behave themselves if I had to grind them to powder.”

“Now there spoke old Louis XIV!” laughed young Jerome Bonaparte.  We both bowed, and he passed down with Annabel into the hall.