"To these words Napoleon replied with a look which showed to what extremities it would be necessary to stoop to disarm him. Lord Keith did not insist, and Napoleon kept his glorious sword."
This scene is pure fiction; it is even contradicted by the Comte de Las Cases in his Mémorial, where he says:
"I asked if it would be really possible that they should go so far as to take the Emperor's sword from him. The admiral replied that they would respect it, but that Napoleon would be the only one, and that all the rest would be disarmed."
Napoleon therefore kept his sword, and his companions recovered theirs on their arrival at St. Helena.—B.
[373] The combined Dutch and English fleets defeated the French fleet off Cape la Hogue on the 29th of May 1692.—T.
[374] The French gained a bloody victory over the Russians at Smolensk in 1812.—T.
[375] These references, occurring in Books II. and III., form part of the portion excised from the Memoirs for separate publication.—T.
[376] Caius Asinius Pollio (B.C. 77—A.D. 3): cf. the Letters to Cicero.—T.
[377] Louis XIV. King of France (1638-1715) was 68 years of age at the date of the Battle of Ramillies.—T.
[378] François de Neufville, Maréchal Duc de Villeroi (1643-1730), was defeated at Ramillies by the Duke of Marlborough in 1706.—T.