EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 165 



said Napoleon with a smile, ' what say you to 

 it ? and can you think that your countrymen 

 have treated me kindly.' I had but one answer 

 to such a question, and that was by giving no 

 answer at all. . . . His conversation was on 

 this occasion, as on all others when I have been 

 with him, easy, good-humoured, and familiar, 

 without the least taint of his former greatness. 

 . . . On my mentioning the activity of the 

 Admiral in superintending the repairs at Long- 

 wood, he replied, ' Your Admiral knows, I 

 doubt not, in what time a ship may be got 

 ready, but as an architect I think his calcula- 

 tions will fail.' I maintained, however, that 

 whether it was upon land or sea Sir George 

 Cockburn was of a character that would en- 

 sure success in whatever he may be called 

 upon to undertake. He then inquired after 

 those gentlemen whose names he endeavoured 

 to recollect, and expressed a wish to see them 

 as they passed ; * if,' said he, ' they will be 

 contented to visit me as you do now, in the 

 fields, as my present residence is not calculated 

 to receive company.' Napoleon frequently 

 makes one of Mr. Balcombe's family parties, 

 where he is neither troublesome nor intrusive 



