Disturbed but not put out
Sir: Mr Barnwell (Letters, 28 Febru-
ary) thinks that when Captain Maitland told
Comtesse Bertrand, 'Madam, you talk like a very foolish woman' he was trying to silence 'not a "silly Creole" but an obstinate lady.' The Comtesse while on board the 'Bellerophon' had attacked him 'with some warmth' a hundred times' for his treatment of Buonaparte, told his chief, Lord Keith, that it would be the height of injustice to send them to St Helena, abused the English government and nation, abused the Eth- peror for his selfishness; and having failed in her efforts to persuade her husband to desert, attempted to commit suicide from her quarters in the First Lieutenant's cabin —an unpardonable liberty. Surely these were the actions not of an obstinate lady but a near-looney.
This correspondence is now closed—Editor,
SPECTATOR.
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