NAPOLEON. You understand perfectly. You came here because your Austrian
employers calculated that I was six leagues away. I am always to be
found where my enemies don't expect me. You have walked into the lion's
den. Come: you are a brave woman. Be a sensible one: I have no time to
waste. The papers. (He advances a step ominously).
LADY (breaking down in the childish rage of impotence, and throwing
herself in tears on the chair left beside the table by the lieutenant).
I brave! How little you know! I have spent the day in an agony of fear.
I have a pain here from the tightening of my heart at every suspicious
look, every threatening movement. Do you think every one is as brave as
you? Oh, why will not you brave people do the brave things? Why do you
leave them to us, who have no courage at all? I'm not brave: I shrink
from violence: danger makes me miserable.
NAPOLEON (interested). Then why have you thrust yourself into danger?
LADY. Because there is no other way: I can trust nobody else. And now
it is all useless--all because of you, who have no fear, because you
have no heart, no feeling, no-- (She breaks off, and throws herself on
her knees.) Ah, General, let me go: let me go without asking any
questions. You shall have your despatches and letters: I swear it.
NAPOLEON (holding out his hand). Yes: I am waiting for them. (She
gasps, daunted by his ruthless promptitude into despair of moving him
by cajolery; but as she looks up perplexedly at him, it is plain that
she is racking her brains for some device to outwit him. He meets her
regard inflexibly.)
LADY (rising at last with a quiet little sigh). I will get them for
you. They are in my room. (She turns to the door.)
NAPOLEON. I shall accompany you, madame.
LADY (drawing herself up with a noble air of offended delicacy).I
cannot permit you, General, to enter my chamber.
NAPOLEON. Then you shall stay here, madame, whilst I have your chamber
searched for my papers.
LADY (spitefully, openly giving up her plan). You may save yourself the
trouble. They are not there.
NAPOLEON. No: I have already told you where they are. (Pointing to her
breast.)
LADY (with pretty piteousness). General: I only want to keep one little
private letter. Only one. Let me have it.
NAPOLEON (cold and stern). Is that a reasonable demand, madam?
LADY (encouraged by his not refusing point blank). No; but that is why
you must grant it. Are your own demands reasonable? thousands of lives
for the sake of your victories, your ambitions, your destiny! And what
I ask is such a little thing. And I am only a weak woman, and you a
brave man. (She looks at him with her eyes full of tender pleading and
is about to kneel to him again.)
NAPOLEON (brusquely). Get up, get up. (He turns moodily away and takes
a turn across the room, pausing for a moment to say, over his shoulder)
You're talking nonsense; and you know it. (She gets up and sits down in
almost listless despair on the couch. When he turns and sees her there,
he feels that his victory is complete, and that he may now indulge in a
little play with his victim. He comes back and sits beside her. She
looks alarmed and moves a little away from him; but a ray of rallying
hope beams from her eye. He begins like a man enjoying some secret
joke.) How do you know I am a brave man?