164 EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 



ledge it to be the best policy to employ all the 

 means that may secure its being carried into 

 effect.' You may think that I hazarded his 

 displeasure by my answer, but the manner in 

 which he received it convinced me that he was 

 better pleased with my frankness than if I had 

 hammered out a compliment. ... I now took 

 my leave and strolled down with Count Bertrand 

 to dinner." 



It was some time afterwards that the surgeon 

 paid a second visit to The Briars to dine with 

 Mr. Balcombe. He accidentally took a path 

 which led to the gardens, and at the angle 

 formed by two paths he met Napoleon clatter- 

 ing down among the rocks in his heavy military 

 boots. 



" He accosted me with an apparent mixture 

 of satisfaction and surprise, and reproached me 

 in terms of great civility for my long absence. 

 There was a rough deal board placed as a seat 

 between two stones, on which, after having 

 brushed away the dust with his hands, he sat 

 himself down, and desired me to take my place 

 beside him. Las Cases soon joined us. While 

 I was gazing with some astonishment on the 

 barren wonders of the scene around me, ' Well,' 



