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Ch. XII.]
the Emperor Napoleon.
123

treme shortness, and desired me to have it lengthened. In vain I pleaded the impossibility of any alteration; he kept twitching it about, until I was obliged to fly to Josephine, and have the desired change made by letting down some of the tucks, thereby spoiling the effect of my pretty dress; but I knew it was useless resisting, when once the fiat had gone forth.

After dinner the carriage was announced, and we all obeyed the emperor's signal of rising from table, his manner of performing that ceremony being brusque and startling. He would push his chair suddenly away, and rise as if he had received an electric shock. I recollect his remarking upon the want of gallantry displayed by Englishmen, in sitting so long after dinner. He said, "If Balcombe had been here, he would want to drink one, two, three, ah! cinq bouteilles, eh? Balcombe go to the Briars to get droonk?" It was one of his early attempts at expressing himself in English.

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