If they had seen me three times at the spectacle, they would no longer look at me." Another day Bourienne could not help congratulating him on some noisy demonstration of popular favour.

"Bah!" he answered, "they would rush as eagerly about me if I were on my way to the scaffold." In his intercourse with society at this period, he was, for the most part, remarkable for the cold reserve of his manners.

He had the appearance of one too much occupied with serious designs, to be able to relax at will into the easy play of ordinary conversation.

If his eye was on every man, he well knew that every man's eye was upon him; nor, perhaps, could he have chosen a better method (had that been his sole object) for prolonging and strengthening the impression his greatness was calculated to create, than this very exhibition of indifference.

He did not suffer his person to be familiarised out of reverence.