"For Your Majesty's return. Even now the unpopularity of His Imperial Highness, Franz----" "Eloin!" Maximilian stopped him sharply. But he could not hide the flash of his own blue eyes. "What would Your Majesty? In Vienna, in Budapest, in your own Venetia, sire, they long for you; at least as regent till the crown prince shall come of age. Would you rebuke them also, as you do me?" Charlotte stared at the Belgian in amazement and distrust. He had only just warned her how Jacqueline had kindled Maximilian's Austrian hopes in order to get him out of Mexico, and here he was borrowing that woman's guile. And here was Maximilian, too, softening under the enervating blandishment, softening behind his frowns for the officious meddler. "There, there, Eloin," he said, "you know that I must be inexorable. But in the Journal Officiel it will appear that you are gone on a secret mission, though you have no mission at all. None at all, do you understand, sir?" Eloin protested that he understood. "None," repeated the Emperor, "except to win back my confidence. When you have taken leave of Her Majesty, you may come to my cabinet to bid me farewell." As Maximilian left them, Charlotte turned on the favorite. "Indeed, Monsieur Eloin?" she said in utter scorn. "But, Your Majesty----" "Is Napoleon, then, so liberal a paymaster?" "Your Majesty!" and in genuine distress the courtier hurried on. "If you would listen, Madame! 'Tis true that Jeanne d'Aumerle has found the surest lever to pry His Highness out of Mexico----" "So good a lever, that you would use it too, to topple over my throne." "Not so, Madame. It's a cunning lever, yes; but _I_ shall use another fulcrum." "Really, monsieur, if I were in the mood for riddles and such pretty trifles, I'd ask you to favor Us with a chansonnette." "But this is as plain as day. First, our little intrigante knows that if His Majesty tries for the Austrian throne, he must leave Mexico. _That_ is her lever to move him. But suppose we shift it to my fulcrum. Then, whatever encourages his hopes for Austria, will make him but the more determined to cling to Mexico. For to succeed in Austria, he must triumph first in Mexico. He must prove to Europe that he can reign brilliantly. But if he abandons Mexico, as Jacqueline would persuade him, what of his prestige then? What of his glory to dazzle the Austrians? If Your Majesty would suggest to him this phase----" "And you, meanwhile in Europe?" "Oh, I shall find his chances good over there, but conditional on his success here." "Monsieur Eloin, I find that I must congratulate you. More, I even regret that you are going, for I dread that some other will replace you in favor with the Emperor who----"