"Oh -- the books did not especially help," grinning. "My father despaired of them, but I was willful, and -- well, I wished to see our people, France herself, as a republic of old, free and righteous as she should be; like in the first revolution except done more judiciously. Then we should have France on her own terms. She is great because she is France, not on the account of any soldier or so-called emperor who only fought to make himself great and powerful." A pause. "But I digress. It was the books, and our history, and my brothers, my friends from school, a bit of everything."