Page:The Czar, A Tale of the Time of the First Napleon.djvu/342

332 serious. It was to be feared the whole strength of the Allies would be required to overthrow Napoleon, and a plan of united action was being arranged amongst them. The Czar was only anxious to do what was best for the general welfare, and it was probable he would be called upon to make the first attack; but time and place were as yet uncertain. "If I were the Czar," Tolstoi added indignantly, "I would see every Bourbon of them all drowned in the Seine before I would stir a finger to save them. You have heard of the practices of M. Talleyrand—how the old fox induced King Louis to enter into a secret treaty against us with the other Powers before the return of Buonaparte, who found the precious document on a table in the Tuileries, where it had been left behind by accident, and sent it to the Czar, just to show him what sort of friends he had."

"No, I did not hear that," said Ivan, keenly interested. "Well, what did the Czar do?"

"Put it into the fire. 'It is not I who am to be thought of,' he said, 'but the peace of the world.' I think, Prince Ivan, something else will be thought of if we take Paris again and M. de Talleyrand sees fit to stay there."

Ivan had abundance of leisure at this time, some of which he spent in wandering about the beautiful environs of Heidelberg, looking at the picturesque old town from the "Angel's Meadow," or watching the sun go down behind the shadowy purple hills. He sometimes prolonged these rambles until late in the evening, enjoying the solitude, for thought was busy within him, and had endless materials upon which to work.

On one of these occasions he strayed into a hilly path, secluded from general observation, and found that it led to a cottage, in the window of which a light was placed. He drew nearer, intending to ask his way; for he was surprised to find, himself in a place probably not more than a mile from the town, and yet so entirely new to him. As he approached, he