‘I am most anxious,’ added Lafosse, ’that this stupid opposition of yours should come to an end.  Trifling as the matter may seem, it endangers the cordiality of the Alliance.  The people of England, who do not know how jealous and passionnes we are, cannot estimate the mistrust and the irritation which it excites.  That an enterprise on which the French, wisely or foolishly, have set their hearts, should be stopped by the caprice of a wrong-headed Englishman, hurts our vanity; and everything that hurts our vanity offends us much more than what injures our serious interests.

’If the engineers and the capitalists decide in favour of the scheme, you will have to yield at last.  You had much better do so now, when you can do it with a good grace.  Do not let your acquiescence be extorted.’

[Footnote 1:  M. Lafosse died many years ago.  He was a friend of M. de Lesseps, by whom he and Mr. Senior were invited to join the expedition to Egypt—­ED.]

Paris, May 19.—­After breakfast I spent a couple of hours with Cousin.

‘You have been in England,’ he said, ’since you left Egypt.  What is the news as to our Canal?  Will Palmerston let us have it?  You must stay a few weeks in Paris to estimate the effect of your opposition to it.  We consider Palmerston’s conduct as a proof that his hatred of France is unabated, and the acquiescence of the rest of your Cabinet as a proof that, now we are no longer necessary to you, now that we have destroyed for you the maritime power of Russia, you are indifferent to our friendship.

’I know nothing myself as to the merits of the Canal.  I distrust Lesseps and everything that he undertakes.  He has much talent and too much activity, but they only lead him and his friends into scrapes.  I daresay that the Canal is one, and that it will ruin its shareholders; but as I am anxious we should not quarrel with England, I am most anxious that this silly subject of dispute should be removed.’

‘Louis Napoleon,’ he continued, ’professed to wish that you should allow the Sultan to give his consent; but I doubt whether he is sincere.  I am not sure that he is not pleased at seeing the Parisians occupied by something besides his own doings, especially as it promotes the national dislike of England.  Now that the war is over we want an object.  He tries to give us one by launching us into enormous speculations.  He is trying to make us English; to give us a taste for great and hazardous undertakings, leading to great gains, great losses, profuse expenditure, and sudden fortunes and failures.  Such things suit you; they do not suit us.  Our habits are economical and prudent, perhaps timid.  We like the petty commerce of commission and detail, we prefer domestic manufactures to factories, we like to grow moderately rich by small profits, small expenditure, and constant accumulation.  We hate the nouveaux riches, and scarcely wish to be among them.