A new theory about Napoleon's hand

William Ansley · 09 Dec 2000, 00:23 · from urth-v0030.mbox · original

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From: William Ansley <wansley at warwick.net>
Subject: (urth) A new theory about Napoleon's hand
Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 00:23:44
Message-ID: <urth-v0030-0184 at digest.urth.net>
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While I hesitate to bring up this old chestnut again, I am still=20
fascinated by Weer's remark about Napoleon's hand on page 2 of=20
_Peace_. He remarks that he knew why Napoleon kept one hand thrust=20
into his waistcoat, but whenever he told someone the reason, "the=20
innocent remark invariably offended."

When we discussed this before, no one could think of a suitable=20
"innocent remark" that described any of the possible reasons that=20
Napoleon might have had his hand in his waistcoat that would=20
invariably offend. Perhaps the remark itself wasn't what offended but=20
the fact that Weer presented it as the one true explanation of why=20
Napoleon had his hand in his waistcoat. I think if there was ever any=20
generally agreed upon explanation of why Napoleon had his hand in his=20
waistcoat, then some memory of it would have survived to the present=20
day.

So Weer is presenting an definite answer to a question asked by=20
people who think it is a question no one knows the answer to. Another=20
thing that might make Weer's way of answering the question offend is=20
that he just doesn't seem to have had good "people skills."

I don't doubt Weer himself believed that his explanation of the=20
Napoleon's hand conundrum was the correct one.

--=20
William Ansley

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