Mr. de Talleyrand was at death’s door this morning and everybody was wondering whether the sly devil was playing some sort of practical joke. We know he never acts without a purpose, but no-one could figure out what advantage there could be in suffering the pangs of death. -Le Charivari, 1838 as translated by Philip G. Dwyer
Talleyrand is a cutthroat trick-taking game... [click here for more]