OnthesamedayBonapartesaidagreatdealmoreaboutthetreacheryofEngland.ThegrosscalumniestowhichhewasexposedintheLondonnewspaperspowerfullycontributedtoincreasehisnaturalhatredofthelibertyofthepress;andhewasmuchastonishedthatsuchattackscouldbemadeuponhimbyEnglishsubjectswhenhewasatpeacewiththeEnglishGovernment.
IhadonedayasingularproofoftheimportancewhichBonaparteattachedtotheopinionoftheEnglishpeoplerespectinganymisconductthatwasattributedtohim.WhatIamabouttostatewillaffordanotherexampleofBonaparte’sdispositiontoemploypettyandroundaboutmeanstogainhisends.HegaveaballatMalmaisonwhenHortensewasintheseventhmonthofherpregnancy.
——[ThisreferstothefirstsonofLouisandofHortense，NapoleonCharles，theintendedsuccessorofNapoleon，whowasborn1802，died1807，elderbrotherofNapoleonIII.]——
Ihavealreadymentionedthathedislikedtoseewomeninthatsituation，andaboveallcouldnotenduretoseethemdance.Yet，inspiteofthisantipathy，hehimselfaskedHortensetodanceattheballatMalmaison.
Sheatfirstdeclined，butBonapartewasexceedinglyimportunate，andsaidtoherinatoneofgood—humouredpersuasion，\"Do，Ibegofyou;