The journey from Dover to London is not exactly short, but fortunately, Napier accompanied Soult in conversation, so the atmosphere in the carriage was not only not dull, but could even be considered cheerful.
From a certain perspective, Arthur was rather thankful that the Foreign Office had sent Colonel Napier to Dover to welcome Soult together with him. Because even though Arthur was not an insignificant figure in the British government system and was not lacking in experience, as the saying goes, "comparison kills."
Sir Arthur could easily deal with blockheads like Bismarck and Herzen, but this did not prevent him from being overshadowed every time he faced Talleyrand. Even though Soult's political skills were slightly inferior to Talleyrand's, this French Marshal was still a veteran in the French military, from the Great Revolution to the present. Sitting in the same carriage with such a person, even without uttering a word, made one feel overawed.
