sense to suppose there was any utility in
the stupid pamphlets of Fauche-Borel, and therefore he dismissed him with
a refusal. Fauche was insolent, which compelled Comte de Gimel to send
him about his business as he deserved. This circumstance, which was
first communicated to me in a report, has since been confirmed by a
person who witnessed the scene. Fauche-Borel merely passed through
Hamburg, and embarked for London on board the same ship which took Lord
Morpeth back to England.

--[Louis Fauche-Borel (1762-1829), a Swiss who devoted himself to
the cause of the Royalists. As Louis stepped on the shore of France
in 1814, Fauche-Borel was ready to assist him from the boat, and was
met with the gracious remark that he was always at hand when a
service was required. His services were however left unrewarded]--

CHAPTER VIII.

1806.

Alarm of the city of Hamburg--The French at Bergdorf--Favourable
orders issued by Bernadotte--Extortions in Prussia--False
endorsements--Exactions of the Dutch--Napoleon's concern for his
wounded troops--Duroc's mission to the King of Prussia--Rejection of
the Emperor's demands--My negotiations at Hamburg--Displeasure of
the King of Sweden--M. Netzel and M. Wetteratedt.

At this critical moment Hamburg was menaced on all sides; the French even
occupied a portion of its territory. The French troops, fortunately for
the country, were attached to the corps commanded by the Prince de
Ponte-Corvo. This military occupation alarmed the town of Hamburg, to
which, indeed, it proved very injurious. I wrote to Marshal Bernadotte
on the subject. The grounds on which the Senate appealed for the
evacuation of their territory were such that hernadotte could not but
acknowledge their justice. The prolonged stay of the French troops in
the bailiwick of Bergdorf, which had all the appearance of an
occupation, might have led to the confiscation of all Hamburg property
in England, to the laying an embargo on the vessels of the Republic, and
consequently to the ruin of a great part of the trade of France and
Holland, which was carried on under the flag of Hamburg. There was no
longer any motive for occupying the bailiwick of Bergdorf when there
were no Prussians in that quarter. It would have been an absurd
misfortune that eighty men stationed in that bailiwick should, for the
sake of a few louis and a few ells of English cloth, have occasioned the
confiscation of Hamb