France has no friends, only interests.
A great country worthy of the name does not have any friends.
One cannot govern with 'buts'.
There can be no prestige without mystery, for familiarity breeds contempt.
As an adolescent I was convinced that France would have to go through gigantic trials, that the interest of life consisted in one day rendering her some signal service and that I would have the occasion to do so.
For all of us Frenchmen, the guiding rule of our epoch is to be faithful to France.