Quels sont vos auteurs favoris? Tacite. Quelles sont vos occupations favorites? Chercher la solution de problèmes insolubles. Qui voudriez-vous être? Mon petit fils. Quelles personnes de l'histoire détestez-vous le plus? Le Connétable de Bourbon. Pour quelles fautes avez-vous le plus d'indulgence? Pour celles dont je profite. NAPOLÉON LOUIS. A quelle qualité donnez-vous la préférence? Au dévouement. Quels sont vos auteurs favoris? Calderon, Byron, Shakespeare. Quelles sont vos occupations favorites? Faire le bien. Qui voudriez-vous être? Ce que je suis. Quelles personnes de l'histoire détestez-vous le plus? Lopez. Pour quelles fautes avez-vous le plus d'indulgence? Pour celles que la passion excuse. EUGÉNIE. I add the answers of Prosper Mérimée: À quelle qualité donnez-vous la préférence? La persévérance. Quels sont vos auteurs favoris? Pr. Mérimée. Quelles sont vos occupations favorites? Faire des châteaux en Espagne. Qui voudriez-vous être? Napoléon III. Quelles personnes de l'histoire détestez-vous le plus? Mazarin. Pour quelles fautes avez-vous le plus d'indulgence? La gourmandise. PROSPER MÉRIMÉE. I think the Emperor's are very clever. "And the operetta?" inquired the Empress. "I hope your Majesties will be indulgent," I replied. Monsieur de Laferrière was next to me at dinner. He was as much interested in the operetta as other people seemed to be. I took advantage of his being my neighbor to ask him to manage it so that we could leave the salon before the _cercle_ commenced, as we had to dress, and if any of us were late I dared not think what the effect would be on the nervous Marquis. The Emperor raised his glass during dinner, though I sat very far down the table. I suppose he wanted to inspire me with hope and courage. Monsieur de Laferrière arranged everything for us most amiably. We rushed off to our rooms to dress. I, for one, was not long over my toilette, and, followed by my maid, hurried through the long corridors to the theater. We were all there except Monsieur de V----, who was no doubt still pottering over his raiment. The artist he had ordered from Paris was already there, brush in hand, ready to paint us. The result was very satisfactory. When we looked at ourselves in the glass we wondered why one should not be beautiful every day with so simple an art. We were rather taken back when Monsieur d'Espeuilles appeared in a wig and a false mustache; but he hastened to say there was nothing like being disguised to put one at one's ease. The gentlemen of the chorus, not willing to go to any extra expense, had _culottes courtes_ and white stockings; the ladies had tried to be more in harmony, but they thought that with rakes, spades, and basket they had quite enough _couleur locale_.