, with vanity easily touched, and
indifferent to danger, he heard only homage in the murmurs about him.
"The people received me as they always have done; and even the stairs
of the palace were crowded, huzzaing, and saying, 'God bless Lord
Nelson.'"

His interview with the Crown Prince was private, only Lindholm being
present. It ranged, according to his private letter to Addington, over
the whole subject of the existing differences with Great Britain, and
the respective interests of the two states. The most important points
to be noticed in this personal discussion, which was preliminary to
the actual negotiation, are, first, Nelson's statement of the cause
for the presence of the British fleet, and, second, the basis of
agreement he proposed. As regards the former, to a question of the
Prince he replied categorically: The fleet is here "to crush a most
formidable and unprovoked Coalition against Great Britain." For the
second, he said that the only foundation, upon which Sir Hyde Parker
could rest his justification for not proceeding to bombardment, would
be the total suspension of the treaties with Russia for a fixed time,
and the free use of Danish ports and supplies by the British fleet.
These two concessions, it will be observed, by neutralizing Denmark,
would remove the threat to British communications, and convert Denmark
into an advanced base of operations for the fleet. Nelson did not have
great hope of success in negotiating, for he observed that fear of
Russia, not desire for war, was controlling the Prince. Therefore, had
he been commander-in-chief, he would at all risks have pushed on to
Revel, and struck the coalition to the heart there. "I make no
scruple," he wrote to St. Vincent after he had procured the armistice,
"in saying that I would have been at Revel fourteen days ago. No man
but those on the spot can tell what I have gone through, and do
suffer. I wanted Sir Hyde to let me at least go and cruise off
Carlscrona, [where the Swedish fleet was,] to prevent the Revel ships
getting in. Think of me, my dear Lord, and if I have deserved well,
let me retire; if ill, for heaven's sake supersede me, for I cannot
exist in this state." Pegasus was indeed shackled.

The truce was continued from day to day, both sides preparing to renew
hostilities, while the negotiators sat. Discussing thus, sword in
hand, Nelson frankly told the other side that he wanted an armistice
for sixteen weeks, to give him time to