The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

&846 LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
has been transmitted to your lordship by Sir Henry him very much,' she said.' If that is the case,' I
Hotham); and it was not till then agreed upon that replied,'I request you will take measures to prevent
I should receive him; when either Monsieur Las its being otffered, as it is absolutely impossible I can
Cases, or General Gourgaud (I am not positive accept of it; and I wish to spare him the mortificawhich, as I was employed writing my own dispatch- tion, and umyself the pain, of a refusal.' There the
es), wrote to Bertrand to inform him of it. While matter dropt, and I heard no more of it, till about
paper was preparing to write the letter, I said again half an hour before Bonaparte quitted the Belleroto Monsieur Las Cases,' You will recollect I have phon, when Montholon came to me, and said he was
no authority for making conditions of any sort.' desired by Bonaparte to express the hingh sense lihe
Nor has Monsieur Las Cases ever started such an entertained of my conduct throughout the whole of
idea till the day before yesterday. That it was the transaction: that it had been his intention to
not the feeling of Bonaparte, or the rest of his present me with a box containing his portrait, but
people, I will give strong proof, drawn from the that he understood I was determined not to accept
conversations they have held with ne. it. I said,'Placed as I was, I felt it impossible to
"As I never heard the subject mentioned till two receive a present firol himn, though I was highly
I days ago, I shall not detail every conversation that flattered at the testimony he had borne to the uphas passed, but confine myself to that period, rightness of my conduct throughout.' Montholon
"The night that the squadron anchored at the added,'One of the greatest causes of chagrin he
back of Blerryhead, Bonaparte sent for me about feels in not being admitted to an interview with the
ten, P. DI., and said lie was informed by Bertrand, that Prince Regent, is, that he had determined to ask as
I had received orders to remove him to the Nor- a favour, your being promoted to the rank of rearthunlberland, and wished to know if that was the admiral.' To which I replied,'That would have
case; on being told that it was, he requested that I been quite impossible, but I do not the less feel the
would write a letter to Bertrand, stating I had such kindness of the intention.' I then said,'I am hurt
orders, that it might not appear he went of his own that Las Cases should say I held forth any assuraccord, but that he had been forced to do so. I told ances as to the reception Bonaparte was to meet
him I could have no objection, and wrote a letter to with in England.'-' Oh!' said he,' Las Cases is
that effect, which your lordship afterwards sanc- disappointed in his expectations: and as he negotioned, and desired me, if he required it, to give him tiated the affair, he attributes the emperor's situation
a copy of the order. to himself: but I can assure you, that he (Bonaparte)
"After having arranged that matter, I was going to feels convinced you have acted like a man of honour
withdraw, when he requested tile to remain, as he throughout.'
had something ilore to say: he then began complain- "As your lordship overheard part of a conversaing of his treatment in being forced to go to St tion which took place between Las Cases and me
Helena: among other things he observed,'They on the quarter-deck of the Bellerophon, I shall not
say I made no conditions; certainly I made no con- detail it; but on that occasion, I positively denied
ditions: how could a private man (uzparticulierJ having promised anything as to the reception of
make conditions with a nation? I wanted nothing Bonaparte and his suite; and I believe your lordfrom them bhut hospitality, or (as the ancients ship was of opinion le could not make out the statewould express it) air and water. I threw myself nlent to you. It is extremely unpleasant for me to
on the generosity of the English nation: I claimed be under the necessity of entering into a detail of
a place sur lears jAyers, and my only wish was this sort; but the unhandsome representation Las
to purchase a small estate, and end my life in Cases has made to your lordship of my conduct has
tranquillity.' After inore of the satme sort of con- obliged nle to produce proofs of the light int which
versation, I left him for the night. the transaction was viewed by Bonaparte as well as
"Oiu the morning lie removed fromu the Bellero- his attendants.
phion to thle Northumberland, lie sent for me again, "I again repeat, that Captain Gamnbier and Sartoand said(,'I have sent for you to express my grati- rius can verify the principal part of what I have
tude foir your condtlct to ne, while I hlave been on stated, as far as concerns the charge made agaiilst
board the ship you command. My reception in mne by Count Las Cases.
England has been very different fIro what I ex- "I have the honour to he your lordship's
pected; beat you throughout have behavecd like a
i~cted; bri you throughou~t have. ehave* lik e a " Most obedient humblle servant,
man of' honour; and I request you will accept yK
thanks, as well as convey them to the officers and
ship's company of tile Bellerophon' To { he Riglut eitn.'
"Soon afterwards, Montholon came to me from nilt Keith,.t. B.
Bonaparte; bet, to understand what passed between
him and me, I must revert to a conversation that I
had with Madame Bertrand on the passage from'Stan, il Plymoutll Sotlll,
Rochefort. 15th August, 1815.
"' It is not necessary to state how the conversation " MY LORD,
commenced. as it does not apply to the present "I have read Captain Maitland's letter to your
transaction; but she informed me that it was Bona- lordship, of the 8th instant, containing his observaparte's intention to present me with a box containing tions upon the assertions made on the preceding day
his picture set with diamonds. I answered,'I hope by Count Las Cases; and I most fully attest the
not, for I camnot receive it.'-' Then you will offend correctness of the statement he has made, so far as
I