"The question is," continued Piétri, "whether this agitation shall be counteracted?" "No," said the emperor decidedly, "it would be far from my wish for public opinion strongly to take up the side of Austria; it would be inconvenient. I must tell you honestly," he proceeded after thinking deeply for a moment, "that I have very little confidence in Austria, she seems to me to be in the process of dissolution and near her fall. The great emperor had this same thought," he added half speaking to himself, "they did not understand him in Berlin, and were punished for it at Jena--Count Bismarck is no Haugwitz, and--but," he said, suddenly interrupting himself, "does Austria make no effort to work on public opinion here?" Piétri shrugged his shoulders. "Prince Metternich," he said, "is too much a grand seigneur to trouble himself to descend from the heights of Olympus into the dark and murky atmosphere of journalism, for which in Austria they maintain a most sovereign contempt." "Yes, yes," said the emperor, "these legitimate diplomatists breathe and move upon their Olympian heights without regarding what takes place on earthly dust, and yet it comes from below that public opinion, that Proteus-like power who weaves the threads upon the loom of eternal Fate, that mysterious power, before whose sentence the proud gods of Olympus and of Tartarus tremble." "Something," said Piétri, laughing, "has been done by Austria to influence public opinion--in very long, correct, and diplomatic articles the 'Mémorial diplomatique' explains--" "Debraux de Saldapenda?" asked the emperor, smiling. "Your majesty is right!" "Certainly," said Napoleon, as he brushed the ashes of his cigar from his trousers, "a small counter influence can do no harm. Let an article appear here and there, calling attention to the necessity of not allowing Austria's position in Europe to be too much weakened. You understand, in Europe, not a word about Germany, and the articles must bear the stamp of official Austrian origin, the journalists themselves must believe they come from thence. You will know how to arrange this?" "Perfectly, sire," replied Piétri. "Laguerronière told me," continued the emperor, "of a very clever little journalist--Escudier--he has relations in Austria; make use of him, we must certainly strengthen our newspaper contingent," he proceeded, "our cadres are very small, and we must make a campaign. Think over this." Piétri bowed. The groom of the chambers announced: "His Excellency Monsieur Drouyn de Lhuys." The emperor bent his head, took a last whiff from his cigar, and said to his secretary, "Stay near me, I may need you." Piétri withdrew through the large and heavy portière, which concealed the steps leading to his own room. Scarcely had the folds of the curtain closed behind him, when Drouyn de Lhuys entered the emperor's cabinet. He looked as calm and grave as ever, and had his portfolio under his arm.