Yet he would say little about himself, but he sat in the corner
of the cafe watching us all with a wonderfully sharp pair of eyes
and listening intently to our talk.
One night I was leaving the cafe when Captain Fourneau followed
me, and touching me on the arm he led me without saying a word
for some distance until we reached his lodgings. "I wish to have
a chat with you," said he, and so conducted me up the stair to
his room. There he lit a lamp and handed me a sheet of paper
which he took from an envelope in his bureau. It was dated a few
months before from the Palace of Schonbrunn at Vienna. "Captain
Fourneau is acting in the highest interests of the Emperor
Napoleon.
Those who love the Emperor should obey him without
question.--Marie Louise." That is what I read. I was familiar
with the signature of the Empress, and I could not doubt that
this was genuine.
"Well," said he, "are you satisfied as to my credentials?"
"Entirely."
"Are you prepared to take your orders from me?"
"This document leaves me no choice.
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