On the day after the ball one of the newspapers contained some verses on Hortense’s dancing.  She was exceedingly annoyed at this, and when the paper arrived at Malmaison she expressed, displeasure at it.  Even allowing for all the facility of our newspaper wits, she was nevertheless at a loss to understand how the lines could have been written and printed respecting a circumstance which only occurred the night before.  Bonaparte smiled, and gave her no distinct answer.  When Hortense knew that I was alone in the cabinet she came in and asked me to explain the matter; and seeing no reason to conceal the truth, I told her that the lines had been written by Bonaparte’s direction before the ball took place.  I added, what indeed was the fact, that the ball had been prepared for the verses, and that it was only for the appropriateness of their application that the First Consul had pressed her to dance.  He adopted this strange contrivance for contradicting an article which appeared in an English journal announcing that Hortense was delivered.  Bonaparte was highly indignant at that premature announcement, which he clearly saw was made for the sole purpose of giving credit to the scandalous rumours of his imputed connection with Hortense.  Such were the petty machinations which not unfrequently found their place in a mind in which the grandest schemes were revolving.

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Put some gold lace on the coats of my virtuous republicans
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Were made friends of lest they should become enemies
Would enact the more in proportion as we yield