"MY SWEET ANGEL: I am intoxicated with joy, gratitude, and admiration. I have seen him, I have spoken to him; he gave me his hand, he made me be seated. He is a great prince; he will be the master of the world. He gave me the medal of St. Helena, and the Cross of an Officer. Little Leblanc, an old friend and a true heart, conducted me into his presence; he is Marshal of France, too, and a Duke of the new empire! As for promotion, there's no more need of speculation on that head. A prisoner of war in Prussia and in a triple coffin, I return with my rank; so says the military law. But in less than three months I shall be a brigadier-general--that's certain; he deigned to promise it to me himself. What a man! A god on earth! No more conceited than he of Wagram and Moscow, and, like him, the father of the soldier. He wanted to give me money from his private purse to replace my equipments. I answered, 'No, sire; I have a claim to recover at Dantzic; if it is paid, I shall be rich; if the debt is denied, my pay will suffice for me.' Thereupon (O Beneficence of Princes, thou art not, then, but an empty name!) he smiled slightly, and said, twisting his moustache, 'You remained in Prussia from 1813 to 1859?'--'Yes, sire.'--'Prisoner of war under exceptional conditions?'--'Yes, sire.'--'The treaties of 1814 and 1815 stipulated for the release of prisoners?'--'Yes, sire.'--'They have been violated, then, in your case?'--'Yes, sire.'--'Well, then, Prussia owes you an indemnity. I will see that it is recovered by diplomatic proceedings.'--'Yes sire. What goodness!' Now, there's an idea which would never have occurred to me! To squeeze money out of Prussia--Prussia, who showed herself so greedy for our treasures in 1814 and 1815! _Vive l'Empereur!_ My well-beloved Clementine! Oh, may our glorious and magnanimous sovereign live forever! _Vivent l'Imperatrice et le Prince Imperial!_ I saw them! The Emperor presented me to his family! The Prince is an admirable little soldier! He condescended to beat the drum on my new hat. I wept with emotion. Her Majesty the Empress said, with an angelic smile, that she had heard my misfortunes spoken of. 'Oh, Madame!' I replied, 'such a moment as this compensates them a hundred fold.'--'You must come and dance at the Tuilleries next winter.'--'Alas, Madame, I have never danced but to the music of cannon; but I shall spare no effort to please you! I will study the art of Vestris."--'_I_'ve managed to learn the quadrille very nicely,' joined in Leblanc.