erview with Bismarck. I will not
vouch for its truth, but, on the face of it, it sounds blunt enough to
be genuine. The Emperor was complimenting the German statesman on his
French.

"M. de Bismarck, I have never heard a German speak French as you do,"
said Napoleon.

"Will you allow me to return the compliment, sire?"

"Certainly."

"I have never heard a Frenchman speak French as you do."[47]

[Footnote 47: In the documents relating to the affair at
Strasburg, there is the report to Louis-Philippe by an officer
in the 46th regiment of the line, named Pleigne, in which the
latter, borrowing the process of Balzac as applied to the
French of the Baron de Nucingen, credits Louis-Napoleon with
the following phrase: "_Fous etes tecore de Chuillet; fous
tefez etre un prafe, che vous tecore._"--EDITOR.]

When Prince Louis-Napoleon held out his hand and I looked into his face,
I felt almost tempted to put him down as an opium-eater. Ten minutes
afterwards, I felt convinced that, to use a metaphor, he himself was the
drug, and that every one with whom he came in contact was bound to yield
to its influence. When I came away that evening, I could have given
Cavaignac, Thiers, Lamartine, Hugo, and the rest, who wanted to make a
cat's-paw of him, a timely warning, if they would have condescended to
listen to, and profit by it, which I am certain they would not have
done. Strange as it may seem, every one of these men, and, with the
exception of one, all undoubtedly clever, thought Louis-Napoleon either
an imbecile or a secret drunkard. And, what is more, they endeavoured to
propagate their opinion throughout the length and breadth, not only of
France, but of Europe.

As usual, the one who was really the greatest nonentity among the latter
was most lavish in his contempt. I am alluding to General Cavaignac. The
nobodies who have governed or misgoverned France since the Fall of Sedan
were, from an intellectual point of view, eagles compared to that surly
and bumptious drill-sergeant, who had nothing, absolutely nothing, to
recommend him for the elevated position he coveted. He was the least
among all those brilliant African soldiers whose names and prowess were
on every one's lips; he had really been made a hero of, at so much per
line, by the staff of the _National_, where his brother Godefroy wielded
unlimited power. He was all buckram; and, in the very heart of