if he should not attain the greatness of his father, is still certainly not quite out of his kind, and must always be a little Napoleon! A small Napoleon! As if the column of the Place Vendôme did not by its greatness alone awaken our admiration! It is because it is so great and strong that the people support themselves by it in these vague and tottering times, when the Vendôme pillar is the only thing in France which stands firmly.
Round this column all the thoughts of the people turn. It is for them an imperishable iron book of history, in which they read their own heroic deeds.[1] But there lives especially, in their memory, the infamous manner in which the statue of this column was treated by the Germans—how they sawed away the feet from the poor Emperor, and tied a rope round his neck as if he were a thief, and tore him down from his height. The good Germans did their duty. Every one has his mission on this earth, a mission which he unconsciously accomplishes, and leaves behind him a symbol that it has been fulfilled.[2] So
- ↑ French version—"Elle est le livre impérissable de son histoire, sa chronique d'airain." Which is certainly more correct from a metallic point of view.—Translator.
- ↑ A nonsensical fatalistic "utterance," which has been immensely popular, especially in America. If we are all specially destined unto what we do, it is a great pity that so many are specially planned to make fools of themselves, or, in fact, to misbehave in any way.—Translator.
