e can
attain to. Then, of course, I teach Peni for an hour or so. He reads
German, French, and, of course, Italian, and plays on the piano
remarkably well, for which Robert deserves the chief credit. A very
gentle, sweet child he is; sweet to look at and listen to; affectionate
and good to live with, a real 'treasure' so far. His passion is music;
and as we are afraid of wearing his brain, we let him give most of his
study-time to the piano.

So you want me, you expect me, I suppose, to approve of the miserable,
undignified, unconscientious doings in England on the conspiracy
question?[58] No, indeed. I would rather we had lost ten battles than
stultified ourselves in the House of Commons with Brummagem brag and
Derby intrigues before the eyes of Europe and America. It seems to me
utterly pitiful. I hold that the most susceptible of nations should not
reasonably have been irritated by the Walewski despatch, which was
absolutely true in its statement of facts. Ah, dearest friend, _how_
true I know better than you do; for I know of knowledge how this
doctrine of assassination is held by chief refugees and communicated to
their disciples in England--yes, to noble hearts, and to English hands
still innocent--my very soul has bled over these things. With my own
ears I have heard them justified. For nights I have been disturbed in my
sleep with the thoughts of them. In the name of liberty, which I love,
and of the Democracy, which I honour, I protest against them. And if
such things can be put down, I hold they should be put down; and that
the Conspiracy Bill is the smallest and lightest step that can be taken
towards the putting down. For the rest, the great Derby intrigue, as
shown in its acts, and as resulting in its State papers, nothing in
history, it seems to me, was ever so small and mean.

What I think of _him_? Why, I think he is the only great man of his age,
speaking of public men. I think 'Napoleon III devant le peuple anglais'
a magnificent State paper. I confess to you it drew the tears to my eyes
as I read it. So grand, so calm, so simply true!

And now with regard to Switzerland. You must remember that there is such
a thing as an international law, and that only last year the Swiss
appealed in virtue of it to France about the Neufchatel refugees, and
that France received and acted on that appeal. The very translation of
the French despatch adds to the injustice done to it in England; because
'_insister_' do