—­[During the short and hollow peace of Amiens Bonaparte sent over to England as consuls and vice-consuls, a number of engineers and military men, who were instructed to make plans of all the harbours and coasts of the United Kingdom.  They worked in secrecy, yet not so secretly but that they were soon suspected:  the facts were proved, and they were sent out of the country without ceremony.—­ Editor of 1836 edition.]—­

He had on one occasion said before an assemblage of generals, senators, and high officers of State, who were at an audience of the Diplomatic Body, “The English think that I am afraid of war, but I am not.”  And here the truth escaped him, in spite of himself.  “My power will lose nothing by war.  In a very short time I can have 2,000,000 of men at my disposal.  What has been the result of the first war?  The union of Belgium and Piedmont to France.  This is greatly to our advantage; it will consolidate our system.  France shall not be restrained by foreign fetters.  England has manifestly violated the treaties!  It would be better to render homage to the King of England, and crown him King of France at Paris, than to submit to the insolent caprices of the English Government.  If, for the sake of preserving peace, at most for only two months longer, I should yield on a single point, the English would become the more treacherous and insolent, and would enact the more in proportion as we yield.  But they little know me!  Were we to yield to England now, she would next prohibit our navigation in certain parts of the world.  She would insist on the surrender of par ships.  I know not what she would not demand; but I am not the man to brook such indignities.  Since England wishes for war she shall have it, and that speedily!”

On the same day Bonaparte said a great deal more about the treachery of England.  The gross calumnies to which he was exposed in the London newspapers powerfully contributed to increase his natural hatred of the liberty of the press; and he was much astonished that such attacks could be made upon him by English subjects when he was at peace with the English Government.

I had one day a singular proof of the importance which Bonaparte attached to the opinion of the English people respecting any misconduct that was attributed to him.  What I am about to state will afford another example of Bonaparte’s disposition to employ petty and roundabout means to gain his ends.  He gave a ball at Malmaison when Hortense was in the seventh month of her pregnancy.

   —­[This refers to the first son of Louis and of Hortense, Napoleon
   Charles, the intended successor of Napoleon, who was born 1802, died
   1807, elder brother of Napoleon iii.]—­

I have already mentioned that he disliked to see women in that situation, and above all could not endure to see them dance.  Yet, in spite of this antipathy, he himself asked Hortense to dance at the ball at Malmaison.  She at first declined, but Bonaparte was exceedingly importunate, and said to her in a tone of good-humoured persuasion, “Do, I beg of you; I particularly wish to see you dance.  Come, stand up, to oblige me.”  Hortense at last consented.  The motive for this extraordinary request I will now explain.