Pagina 292 di 3800

As she became animated the prince looked at her more and more

sternly, and suddenly, as if he had studied her sufficiently and

had formed a definite idea of her, he turned away and addressed

Michael Ivanovich.

"Well, Michael Ivanovich, our Bonaparte will be having a bad time

of it. Prince Andrew" (he always spoke thus of his son) "has been

telling me what forces are being collected against him! While you

and I never thought much of him."

Michael Ivanovich did not at all know when "you and I" had said

such things about Bonaparte, but understanding that he was wanted

as a peg on which to hang the prince's favorite topic, he looked

inquiringly at the young prince, wondering what would follow.

"He is a great tactician!" said the prince to his son, pointing

to the architect.