he was acting a part in one of those situations. It was
suggested by Mr. Ellis that he either wished, by means of his continual
complaints, to keep alive his interest in England, where he flattered
himself there was a party favourable to him, or that his troubled mind
found an occupation in the annoyance which he caused to the Governor.
Every attempt at conciliation on the part of Sir Hudson Lowe furnished
fresh causes for irritation. He sent fowling-pieces to Longwood, and the
thanks returned were a reply from Napoleon that it was an insult to send
fowling-pieces where there was no game. An invitation to a ball was
resented vehemently, and descanted upon by the French party as a great
offence. Sir Hudson Lowe at one time sent a variety of clothes and other
articles received from England which he imagined might be useful at
Longwood. Great offence was taken at this; they were treated, they said,
like paupers; the articles, ought to have been left at the Governor's
house, and a list sent respectfully to the household, stating that such
things were at their command if they wanted them.

An opinion has already been expressed that much of this annoyance was due
to the offended pride of Napoleon's attendants, who were at first
certainly far more captious than himself. He admitted as much himself on
one occasion in a conversation with O'Meara. He said, "Las Cases
certainly was greatly irritated against Sir Hudson, and contributed
materially towards forming the impressions existing in my mind." He
attributed this to the sensitive mind of Las Cases, which he said was
peculiarly alive to the ill-treatment Napoleon and himself had been
subjected to. Sir Hudson Lowe also felt this, and remarked, like Sir
George Cockburn, on more than one occasion, that he always found Napoleon
himself more reasonable than the persons about him.

A fertile source of annoyance was the resolution of Napoleon not upon any
terms to acknowledge himself a prisoner, and his refusal to submit to
such regulations as would render his captivity less burdensome. More
than once the attendance of an officer was offered to be discontinued if
he would allow himself to be seen once every day, and promise to take no
means of escaping. "If he were to give me the whole of the island," said
Napoleon, "on condition that I would pledge my word not to attempt an
escape, I would not accept it; because it would be equivalent to
acknowledging myself a prisoner, although at