\"Whatdoyoumean？Whatwell—informedquarterdoyoureferto？\"
askedtheemperor。
\"Yourmajesty，\"saidHudelist，withasignificantgrin，\"CountMetternichisaveryfine—lookingman;now，QueenCarolineofNaples，Murat\'swife，andNapoleon\'sfavoritesister，isbynomeansinsensibletomanlybeauty，andsheacceptedwithevidentsatisfactionthehomagewhichthecountofferedtoher。Fortherest，Napoleonwinkedatandencouragedthisflirtation;for，previoustohisdepartureforSpain，hesaidtohissisterloudenoughtobeoverheardbysomeofourfriends，\'Amusez—nousceniais，MonsieurdeMetternich。Nousenavonsbesoinapresent！\'
[Footnote:Hormayr，\"TheEmperorFrancisandMetternich，aFragment，\"p。55。]MadameCarolineMurattoldCountMetternich，forinstance，thatitistheKingsofBavariaandWurtemburgthatkeeptheirspiesforNapoleonhereinVienna，andthattheyurgedNapoleonvehementlytoreturnfromSpaininordertodeclarewaragainstAustria。AndNapoleonisdeterminedtocomplywiththeirwishes。HetravelledwithextraordinaryexpeditionfromMadridtoParis，stoppingonlyatValladolid，whereheshuthimselfupfortwodayswithMaret，hisministerofforeignaffairs，anddispatchedeighty—fourmessagesindifferentdirections，withorderstoconcentratehisforcesinGermany，andcalloutthefullcontingentsoftheRhenishConfederacy。HisowntroopsandtheseGermanContingentsaretoformanarray——towhichheintendstogivethenameof\'theGermanArmyoftheEmperorNapoleon。\'AlthoughCountMetternichwasawareofallthis，hehastenedtoattendthegreatreceptionwhichtookplaceattheTuileriesafterNapoleon\'sreturn，inordertoassurehimagainofthefriendlydispositionsoftheimperialcourtofAustria。ButNapoleongavehirenotimeforthat。
Hecametomeethimwithafuriousgesture，andshoutedtohiminathunderingvoice:\'Well，M。deMetternich！hereisfinenewsfromVienna。Whatdoesallthismean？Havetheybeenstungbyscorpions？