He drank some coffee which Constant had placed upon the small round table at his elbow.

Then he leaned back in his chair once more, still staring moodily at the red glow of the fire, with his chin sunk upon his chest.
'In those days,' said he, 'the kings of Europe will walk behind the Emperor of France in order to hold up his train at his coronation.

Each of them will have to maintain a palace in Paris, and the city will stretch as far as Versailles.

These are the plans which I have made for Paris if she will show herself to be worthy of them.

But I have no love for them, these Parisians, and they have none for me, for they cannot forget that I turned my guns upon them once before, and they know that I am ready to do so again.