Pagina 49 di 3800

"The execution of the Duc d'Enghien," declared Monsieur Pierre,

"was a political necessity, and it seems to me that Napoleon

showed greatness of soul by not fearing to take on himself the

whole responsibility of that deed."

"Dieu! Mon Dieu!" muttered Anna Pavlovna in a terrified whisper.

"What, Monsieur Pierre... Do you consider that assassination

shows greatness of soul?" said the little princess, smiling and

drawing her work nearer to her.

"Oh! Oh!" exclaimed several voices.

"Capital!" said Prince Hippolyte in English, and began slapping

his knee with the palm of his hand.

The vicomte merely shrugged his shoulders. Pierre looked solemnly

at his audience over his spectacles and continued.

"I say so," he continued desperately, "because the Bourbons fled

from the Revolution leaving the people to anarchy, and Napoleon

alone understood the Revolution and quelled it, and so for the

general good, he could not stop short for the sake of one man's

life."