virtues of good men against them.
The most hilarious thing was that Calvin was surrounded by the very best men, the most difficult ones that Napoleon had won over. The Marquis de La Fayette, for instance - he was the servant who bathed the boy, just as he bathed the Emperor. It would never occur to Calvin that Napoleon would keep his most dangerous enemies near him, oblivious to how he humiliated them. If Calvin only understood, he would realize that this was real power. Evil men, weak men, fearful men - they were so easy to control. It was only when men of virtue fell under Napoleon's control that he felt at last the confidence to reach for power, to unseat the king and take his place, to conquer Europe and impose his peace upon the warring nations.
Calvin never sees that, because he is himself a fearful and ambitious man, and does not realize that others might be fearless and generous. No wonder he resents his older brother so much! From what Calvin said of him, it seemed to Napoleon that Alvin would be a very difficult case indeed, a very hard one to break. In fact, knowing that Calvin's brother existed was enough to cause Napoleon to hold off on his plan of building up his armies in Canada with an eye to conquering the three English-speaking nations of America. No reason to do anything to make Alvin Smith turn his eyes eastward. That was a contest Napoleon did not want to embark on.
Instead he would send Calvin home, armed with great skill at subversion, deception, corruption, and manipulation. He'd have no control over Alvin, of course, but he would surely be able to deceive him, for Napoleon well knew that just as evil, weak, and fearful people saw their own base motives in other people's actions, so also the virtuous tended to assume the noblest of motives for other people's acts; why else were so many awful liars so successful at bilking others? If good people weren't so trusting of bad ones, the human race would have died out long ago - most women never would have let most men near them.
Let the brothers battle it out. If anyone can get rid of the threat of this Alvin Smith, it's his own brother, who can get close to him - not me, with all my armies, with all my skill. Let them fight.
But not until my leg is healed.
"My dear Leon, you mustn't drift off with the covers down like that."
It was La Fayette, checking on him before sleep. Napoleon let the fellow pull his blanket up. It was a coolish night; it was good to have such tender concern from a loving man of great responsibility, dependability, creativity. I have in my hands the best of men, and under my thumb the worst of them. My record is much better than God's. Clearly the old fellow chose the wrong son to make his only begotten. If I'd been in Jerusalem in the place of that dullard Jesus, I'd never have been crucified. I would have had Rome under my control in no time, and the whole world converted to my doctrine.
Maybe that's what this Alvin was - God's second try! Well, Napoleon would help with, the script. Napoleon would send Alvin Smith his Judas.
"You need your sleep, Leon," said La Fayette.
"My mind is so full," said Napoleon.
"Of happy things, I pray."
"Happy indeed."
"No pain in your leg? It's good to have that American boy here, if he keeps you from that dreadful suffering."
"I know that when I'm in pain I'm so difficult to live with," said Napoleon.
"Not at all, never. Don't even think it. It's a joy to be with you."
"Do you ever miss it, my Marquis? The armies, the power? Government, politics, intrigues?"
"Oh, Leon! How could I miss it? I have it all through you. I watch what you do and I marvel. I never could have done so well. I'm at school with you every day; you are the superb master."
"Am I?"
"The master. The master of all is my dear Leon. How truly they named your house in Corsica, my dear. Buona Parte. Good parts. You are truly the lion of good parts."
"How sweet of you to say so, my Marquis. Good night."
"God bless you."
The candle retreated from the room, and moonlight returned its dim light through the curtains.
I know you're studying me, Calvin. Sending your doodling bug, as you so