"Berlin." As we entered, his aide-de-camp advanced to us, but the Emperor stopped him and beckoned us to his side.
"You have not yet received the cross of honour, Brigadier Gerard?" he asked.
I replied that I had not, and was about to add that it was not for want of having deserved it, when he cut me short in his decided fashion.
"And you, Major?" he asked.
"No, sire."
"Then you shall both have your opportunity now."
He led us to the great map upon the wall and placed the tip of Berthier's sword on Rheims.
"I will be frank with you, gentlemen, as with two comrades. You have both been with me since Marengo, I believe?" He had a strangely pleasant smile, which used to light up his pale face with a kind of cold sunshine. "Here at Rheims are our present headquarters on this the 14th of March. Very good. Here is Paris, distant by road a good twenty-five leagues. Blucher lies to the north, Schwarzenberg to the south." He prodded at the map with the sword as he spoke.
"Now," said he, "the further into the country these people march, the more completely I shall crush them. They are about to advance upon Paris. Very good. Let them do so. My brother,
