es derniers jours
d'inquietude et de fatigue. Albert me charge d'offrir les hommages a
votre Majeste, et je vous prie de deposer les notres aux pieds de la
Reine, a qui je compte repondre demain. Je me dis, Sire et mon bon
Frere, de votre Majeste, la bien affectionnee S[oe]ur,

VICTORIA R.

_Queen Victoria to the Queen of the French._

PALAIS DE BUCKINGHAM, _4eme Mars 1848._

MADAME,--Votre Majeste aura excuse que je ne vous ai pas de suite
remercie de votre bonne et aimable lettre de hier. C'est des fonds
de mon c[oe]ur que je me rejouis de vous savoir en surete a Claremont
avec le Roi. Mes pensees etaient aupres de votre Majeste pendant tous
ces affreux jours, et je fremis en pensant a tout ce que vous avez
souffert de corps et d'ame.

Albert sera le Porteur de ces lignes; j'aurais ete si heureuse de
l'accompagner pour vous voir, mais je n'ose plus quitter Londres.

Avec l'expression de l'affection et de l'estime, je me dis toujours,
Madame, de votre Majeste, la bien affectionnee S[oe]ur,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: THE ROYAL FUGITIVES]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

CARLTON GARDENS, _5th March 1848._

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and
cannot see that there could be any objection to the King and Queen of
the French coming to town to visit your Majesty, and indeed, on
the contrary, it would seem under all the circumstances of the case
natural that they should be anxious to see your Majesty, and that your
Majesty should be desirous of receiving them.

Viscount Palmerston was sure that your Majesty would read with
interest Mr Featherstonhaugh's account of the manner in which he
managed the escape of the King and Queen of the French. It is like one
of Walter Scott's best tales, and the arrangements and the execution
of them do great credit to Mr Featherstonhaugh, who will be highly
gratified to learn, as Viscount Palmerston proposes to inform him,
that your Majesty has approved his conduct. Mr Featherstonhaugh has
also probably rendered a good service to the Provisional Government,
who would have been much embarrassed if their Commissioner had
arrested the King and Queen.

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _7th March 1848._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Albert has written to you so constantly that I have
little to add; he just tells me this is not quite true. However,
there is nothing very new except that we have seen