New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-30

the night with pile of dispatches TaIIeyrand
was awakened that he might read the novel 70
his master After listening for half an hour
Napoleon grew impatient That is not senti-
ment," he said. 1T is hash Of phrase head
| front-side-back- Don't you see she thinks she
loves this Englishman because he shows him
self cold and Indifferent? Go TO bed-it's time
wasted Whenever an author personfhes her
self in a book it is a failure Good nfghtr' Ma
poleon as literary critic Is not often remern-
Oered More familiar is the Emperor who said
of his Frenchmen BY appealing to their irnagi-
nation l can do what like with themr' and
who. seen at Warsaw. on his retreat from
Russia. was in wise cast down though he
had Just sacrificed a million men to his bold
caprice Behold the aspect OF the great man
at that moment as reported to author by her
fe therin-law. Count StanisIaus Potoch
He spoke Of the disasters without seeking TO
disguise them nor even to minimize their hor-
rOrS. He admitted his mistakes and alluded To
the excessive confidence he had placed in his
star which up 70 that fatal hour had seemed TO
lord II over the elements. He detailed all the
favorable prospects the future might offer. and
gave succinct review OF European politics.
He enumerated with rare sagacity the favorable
and untOward circumstances ne might meet
WITH He did not destroy our hopes. but
couraged our efforts, promised to return at the
mead OF a fresh army; in word, passed the fire
or his discourse into the souls of his listeners
man upon all who heard him was potent
that my father-in-law, who had left US quite
depressed, came back full of hope. and this,
JhouSh ne was no longer at the age OF illusions,
and his exact and penetrating mind made for
the practical side in all the serious affairs OF life
Concerning NapoIeon's second wife Countess
POtocka is frank to the point of severity. She
notes that there was nothing remarkable about
Marie Louise but the beauty OF her foot-a
beauty which led the ambassador extraordinary
who engineered the marriage TO send To NapO-
leon her little slipper as a portrait Of the bride
1t was said that the Emperor wore the little
slipper next his heart-not for long probably. II
we may credit the statements OF our Countess.
who does not join the chorus chanting Ma
poleons unchanging love for the young Aus
trian- She represents him as quickly disiIIu-
stoned. and never tires of mentioning the I'm
presss stolid stupidity. Hers was wooden
face without smile expression OF Interest," At
an audience she went round the circle OF her
visitors. moving from one to the other like
those machine dolls that go when they are
wound up showing off their stiff, slender figures
and their large, pale blue porcelain eyes staring
and fixed The Emperor walked at her side.
prompting her in what she had to say. chiefly
to the people whom he wished to favor. When
my turn came, the lady who was presenting
me having given the young sovereign my name.
distinctly overheard the words very graceful
muttered by Napoleon She repeated them so
dryly and with such Teutonic accent that
they charmed me very slightly"
There are many hasty sketches in this book
that are we'll worth remembering We see
Talleyrand cynical. false charming. with d nap
kin over his arm. tray OF lemonade in his
hand, serving funky the ruler he toadied
used and despised- We see the pIurned AIurat
playing prince" with tinsel manners, the
whelming desire to talk about his own exploits
We see-no. the picturesque procession is too
long; let the reader evoke it for himself from
UncommOny entertaining recital admirably
translated.