1, 1802.
Later Livingston himself became uneasy, fearing lest Napoleon's wilfulness might plunge him into an undertaking which, though certain to end disastrously to the French, might meanwhile cause great trouble to the Americans.] Tedious Course of the Negotiations.
There were many Americans and many Frenchmen of note who were less clear-sighted.

Livingston encountered rebuff after rebuff, and delay after delay.

Talleyrand met him with his usual front of impenetrable duplicity.

He calmly denied everything connected with the cession of Louisiana until even the details became public property, and then admitted them with unblushing equanimity.

His delays were so tantalizing that they might well have revived unpleasant memories of the famous X.
Y.Z.negotiations, in which he tried in vain to extort bribe-money from the American negotiators [Footnote: Jefferson was guilty of much weak and undignified conduct during these negotiations, but of nothing weaker and more petty than his attempt to flatter Talleyrand by pretending that the Americans disbelieved his admitted venality, and were indignant with those who had exposed it.