d me, however. The next morning on getting
into the Diligence we found only one passenger--Major Kleist, nephew to
the celebrated Prussian General and to General Tousein--a Russian
equally famous here though not so well known in England. His appearance
was much in his favor; he talked a great deal; had commanded a regiment
of the Russian Imperial Elites of the Guard (in which he still was) at
the battle of Leipsic and throughout the campaign; been engaged in every
action from the Borodino to the capture of Paris; wounded two or three
times; fought a French Officer in the Bois de Boulogne, and got his
finger cut abominably; visited London and Portsmouth with his Emperor,
dined with the Regent, &c. He told me many interesting anecdotes and
particulars, although, from a certain random way of speaking and the
loose, unconnected manner in which his words dropped from him, I could
not place implicit confidence in what he said, nor vouch for the
accuracy of his accounts. He said decidedly that Alexander had visited
the Princess of Wales in London incog.; he mentioned an anecdote which I
cannot quite believe, because had it occurred in Paris we must have
heard of it. One day when Eugene Beauharnais was with Louis XVIII.
Marmont came in. Eugene, on seeing him, turned to the King, said, "Sire,
here is a Traitor; do not trust in him; he has betrayed one master, he
may betray you."

Marmont, of course, challenged him; they fought the next day and Marmont
was wounded in the arm. He spoke highly of the King of Prussia as a
military, unassuming, amiable, sensible man, and that he _does_ visit
the tomb of his wife.[84] Alexander, he said, was fond of diplomacy, an
amiable man, very brave, but not much of a general. I asked him what he
thought of the Duchess of Oldenburg. When I said she had excellent sense
and great information, he simply replied, "Oui, et peut-etre un pen
trop." Of Constantine[85] he spoke with indignation, and his whiskers
vibrated as he described his detestable character--debauched, depraved,
cruel, dishonest, and a coward. Constantine was abusing a Colonel in
very gross tones, a short time ago, for misconduct and incompetency in
battle. "Indeed!" said the officer; "you must have been misinformed;
this cannot arise from your own observation, as I do not recollect
having ever seen you near me upon these occasions."

No wonder the Russians were moderate towards the inhabitants during the
campaign--their discipline wa