The Storyteller NAPOLEON AND LUCIAN

New Zealand Tablet, 25 October 1906, Page 3

The Storyteller

NAPOLEON AND LUCIAN

- (Concluded from last week.) 'Fool and madman that you are,' rejoins Napoleon, as he walks the room speaking in murmurs. Senseless . and blind to your own interests, can you, - do you. not see that I am destined to stay -this rubbish car of the guillotine, which is mistaken for re- - publicanism ?' Then, suddenly stopping, and "turning to -Lucian, he says: ' Come with me in spirit to a high mountain, and I'll show you the kingdoms of the earth. Which of these realises your sublime dreams ? is it. the Germanic Confederation, where no animation is known to exist save' in the universities, which are a species of republican agitation, within a monarchism ?Is it Spain, Catholic for centuries ? Or is it Russia, which perhaps is sometimes thoughtful, but whose political life, for a moment animated by the Czar, Peter, falls back again into her polar paralysis •? Come,- now, Lucian, renounce your Utopian " follies, give me a brother's hand; antf- to-morrow I will make you the ruler of a great people. I shall recognise your wife, as my sister, and you shall ' possess my entire confidence and friendship.' 'Thus it is,' says Lucian— ' hopeless in - convincing me you wish to bribe me.' The Emperor is atout to reply, when Lucian interrupts him,- saying : ' Allow me, Napoleon, for this is a solemn moment, and will have no, counterpart in . the course of our lives. - 1 cannot blame you for misjudging me. You have silenced so many. with your golden gifts, that you thought you would do likewise with me. You would make me a Jung I^Very well. I shall accept, provided my kingdom shall not be a vice-royalty. You. wish to bestowa- country upon me! I accept it, -no matter which, but upon the condition that I shall be. free to governs; it agreeably to its ideas and xa«ttU:e^ menls.: I", shall be its protector, not %%& -tyr-an^^^^a sire it shall love, not fear me. The^?dar I SssumP the #rovn ' of Spain, Sweden, Wurtembu|^t^|;6«llk^i land, that , day 1 shall cease to fie^srVraKflßßi my new country shall be my nationality. ~ f hinftwefr on it, Napoleon ; then we shall be ,n%^longer •brothers in blood, _• but in rank ; your wishest-^hd ambitions . shall ' be confined to my frontiers : if you should march against me, I shall be ready to meet you'you will -doubtless defeat me, for you are a great soldier; and the god of battles is not always on the side of justice; then I' shall- be a throneless 'king , and, my people vanquished, and you at liberty to bestow my crown and country upon some one more submissive and grateful than I. I have-done.'- . Ever the same, ever the same !' murmurs Napoleon. Then suddenly stamping his foot, he exclaims • Lucian, you forget you should . obey me as ybur king, and as my subject !' . ' You,' replies Lucian— ' you, Napoleon, are but mv senior, ,not my father ; you, sire, are my brother, not my Ring. Never shall I stoop beneath your, iron yoke— never, never, never.' . . v " The Emperor becomes fearfully pale, while his eyes assumes a terrible expression. At .length he says; :Keflect, reflect,- Lucian; .upon what I have said" 1 <xt L f atner consider well what I am about to say Napoleon,' rejoins Lucian. • You have dealt the republic a serious death-blow, for you smote her nr the dark and as a coward ; yet the spirit of liberty Which you believed you -had, and still believe you have crushed, is spreading throughout the r land. You " -H MI y £ fi y ou - are driving it before you, while in reality •j^t follows watchfully in your. wake. So long as you are victorious it will remain tranquil ; but when the nour --of- your misfortunes and reverses shall have > . come, when defeat and disasters shall have assailed you, you will .then* realise what faith or confidence you can repose in. that -France which you have made so slavishly great. Every country or nationality built up by might and force will, sooner or later, fall by the same means. And you, Napoleon, you will fall .from- the summit- of that Empire ; yes, you will' be shattered aye, brother, as I break this— see'— taking" his watch and smashing it to pieces on the' floorwhile we, portions and ruins of your-forturie, • shell-to-scattered world-wide, because we are, of the same Kindred, and cursed because we bear your nam& Fare- ,. well, sire, farewell!' . Lucian leaves. Napoleon stands statue-like. In a few r- JH 0111611 ' 8 a carriage is heard crossing the courta" * I^^»W^^Jj^ ai? ! tlyi1 ''* ring *' rIli * vj9ell *-*' *What k *mgi«e* f irf« tne valefc w 11 ®* 5 answers' M&J- fcutewv* i&«Be*s $b*uo&. ihno*® ,SMR-s«wtisWi Jhritoj©

It is well,' murmurs" Napoleon, as he again as- . . sumes that cold and impassive * composure . with which as beneath a mask he .conceals'* his own intense emotions. ...... v , Scarcely had ten "years passed ere Lucian's predic- : tions were fulfilled. x .The" empire "which had become ' great by desp.otisnv was at length overpowered "Napoleon .was humbled and a fugitive. His mother Madame Bonaparte, who had given -birth to an" Emperor, ■ three kings r and two archduchesses, "withdrew ' to Home, Lucian to tlie principality of Carrino, Louis to Florence, Joseph to the tftnted states, Jerome to Wurtemburg, the -Princes Eliza to Baden, Madame 1 Borghese to Piombino, and the Queen" of" Holland to the castle of Arenemburg.— From the French of Dumas.