When I think of the great Emperor, my thoughts again grow summer-green and golden; a long avenue of lindens rises blooming around, on the leafy twigs sit singing nightingales, the water-fall rustles, flowers are growing from full round beds, dreamily nodding their fair heads--I was once wondrously intimate with them; the rouged tulips, proud as beggars, condescendingly greeted me, the nervous sick lilies nodded with melancholy tenderness, the drunken red roses laughed at me from afar, the night-violets sighed--with the myrtles and laurels I was not then acquainted, for they did not entice with a shining bloom, but the mignonette, with whom I now stand so badly, was very intimate. I am speaking of the court garden of Düsseldorf, where I often lay upon the bank, and piously listened while Monsieur Le Grand told of the warlike feats of the great Emperor, beating meanwhile the marches which were drummed during the deeds, so that I saw and heard all to the life. I saw the passage over the Simplon--the Emperor in advance and his brave grenadiers climbing on behind him, while the scream of frightened birds of prey sounded around, and avalanches thundered in the distance--I saw the Emperor with flag in hand on the bridge of Lodi--I saw the Emperor in his grey cloak at Marengo--I saw the Emperor mounted in the battle of the Pyramids--naught around save powder-smoke and Mamelukes--I saw the Emperor in the battle of Austerlitz--ha! how the bullets whistled over the smooth, icy road!--I saw, I heard the battle of Jena--_dum, dum, dum_.--I saw, I heard the battles of Eylau, of Wagram---- ah, I could hardly bear it! Monsieur Le Grand drummed so that the drums of my ears nearly burst. CHAPTER VIII. But what were my feelings when I saw with my own highly-graced eyes himself? Hosannah! the Emperor!