The epic novelist Ivo Andric was convinced that human existence was similar to a river bed which, though being flooded from time to time, changes its course only over large time spans. In his "Bosnian Chronicle" (Travnička hronika) one of the floodings is the Napoleonic presence in Bosnia. Confronting the orient and the French enlightenment Andric does not leave doubt that after the closure of the French consulate in 1814 the orient with its ambivalence between patriarchal-lethargical crudeness and sensualistic authenticity has regained the hold over Travnik. Even the enlightened ambassador des Fossées, who in many ways is the mouthpiece of his author, has traits of a colonial ruler who perceives Bosnia only as a stepping stone in his diplomatic career. The only figure who stands for a better future is the unnamed wife of the consul Daville: thanks to her sense of family and her work ethos she has gained the respect of all communities of faith. This feature makes her the true diplomat in a humanist world.