Quotes
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Charles Talleyrand : All of those who voted for the death of Louis XVI consider you one of them now. They even have a title to propose for you: Emperor of the French. It's not a bad idea, of course. On one condition: to avoid any possible confusion, it must never look like a disguised return to the monarchy.
Napoléon : There will never be a king in France again, Talleyrand. I fought and would have given my life to make France a republic.
Charles Talleyrand : But an emperor can be elected. Like the Caesars in ancient Rome.
Napoléon : The Caesars were elected by the Senate. I would want all the citizens of France to approve my election.
Charles Talleyrand : Then let me be the first citizen of France to offer my approval... sire.
Napoléon : Sire? Sire?
Charles Talleyrand : You'll get used to it very quickly.
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Charles Talleyrand : Even the most fervent revolutionaries would applaud your decision to be firm with a henchman of the monarchy.
Napoléon : Support from such men leaves me cold. They've shed too much blood. They voted for the king's death.
Charles Talleyrand : Yes. And I wonder, what would you have done?
Napoléon : I don't know.
Charles Talleyrand : Of course you know. The revolution was irresistible. You would have done much the same as I did. You can't fight a tidal wave.
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Charles Talleyrand : All that in one day, sire?
Napoléon : In a few hours, yes. 20,000 of their men dead. Between 7 and 8,000 of ours.
Charles Talleyrand : Sire, for one day I think I've...
Napoléon : Seen enough? No, Talleyrand, not yet, no. No. Open your eyes. Look, listen, smell, until nausea overcomes you, because you're going to negotiate peace. I want you to know what it has cost.
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Charles Talleyrand : And what will you demand from them?
Napoléon : I can demand anything?
Charles Talleyrand : Anything. You're the master.
Napoléon : Good. Then I demand... peace.
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Napoléon : Now I've made war with Austria. You want me to make love to her. To make love, Monsieur Talleyrand, you have to love.
Charles Talleyrand : Love? Sire, what's called for here is making a child.
Napoléon : With that fat pink ham who no doubt speaks French with a terrible accent.
Charles Talleyrand : Your Majesty, the whole of Europe finds Marie Louise extremely attractive, and if you should require some proof of that... I'm certainly not insisting.
Napoléon : France has already had an Austrian woman, Marie Antoinette. You can't build the future on bad memories.
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Charles Talleyrand : Do you never come down from your horse, sire?
Napoléon : I've been known to sleep in the saddle. I think I've done just about everything a man can do on a horse's back except make love. But that's still a possibility.
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Joséphine de Beauharnais : Very well. Since you seem to be saying my husband won't be back for Christmas, I shall join him in Poland.
Charles Talleyrand : I shouldn't think that would be a terribly good idea, madame, and if you return from that journey sadder than when you departed, you'll have only yourself to blame.
Joséphine de Beauharnais : The man I love is there.
Charles Talleyrand : It takes two to love.
Joséphine de Beauharnais : What are you insinuating?
Charles Talleyrand : Insinuating, madame? Strange, isn't it? People always accuse me of wearing a mask to conceal my thoughts, and yet the one time I'm completely candid, you appear not to have understood. But then perhaps it's you who's wearing the mask.
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Napoléon : Eavesdropping?
Charles Talleyrand : I... I was just passing by, sire. I... I walk very slowly.
Napoléon : You are minister of my foreign affairs, monsieur, not of my family affairs.
Charles Talleyrand : Yes, of course, but I couldn't help overhearing, sire. I fear your brother Lucien is correct. An emperor without an heir is in an extremely tenuous position. A successful attempt on his life can annihilate everything. Not just the man, but his work. Sire, I think you should take all the time you need. You will find a delicate way of explaining it to her.
Napoléon : Explaining it to her is not the problem. I love her. That is the problem.
