Fear the first movement of the soul, because it is usually the most noble. (S. M. de Talleyrand) Crippled from birth; an avid gambler and corrupt official; one of the smartest foreign ministers history knows; a talented intriguer and impeccably amoral politician; a man who possessed not only a resourceful mind, but also a rare political sense. This is who the author and main character of this book was. For almost half a century, he made history. Emperors, kings, parliaments, military leaders could not achieve what Talleyrand achieved: sometimes just a word spoken at the right time, the right accent, subtle calculation. His name became a household name, and his life became surrounded by legends and myths. The memoirs of the legendary diplomat are an invitation to the world of big politics, a textbook on weaving intrigues and the art of negotiations.