The MONDAINE Empress Was At Once Merged In The Adoring
Mother; Her Whole Soul Was Wrapped Up In The Boy.
It was
easy enough then to speculate on his career, at least so far
as the building of castles in the air for fantasies to roam
in.
What a future he had before him! - to consolidate the
Empire! to perfect the great achievement of his father, and
render permanent the foundation of the Napoleonic dynasty! to
build a superstructure as transcendent for the glories of
Peace, as those of his immortal ancestor had been for War!
It was not difficult to play the game with such court cards
in one's hand. Nor was it easy to coin these PHRASES DE
SUCRECANDI without sober and earnest reflections on the
import of their contents. What, indeed, might or might not
be the consequences to millions, of the wise or unwise or
evil development of the life of that bright and handsome
little fellow, now trotting around the dessert table, with
the long curls tumbling over his velvet jacket, and the
flowers in his hand for some pretty lady who was privileged
to kiss him? Who could foretell the cruel doom - heedless of
such favours and such splendid promises - that awaited the
pretty child? Who could hear the brave young soldier's last
shrieks of solitary agony? Who could see the forsaken body
slashed with knives and assegais? Ah! who could dream of
that fond mother's heart, when the end came, which eclipsed
even the disasters of a nation!
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