give way.
Any such expectation ought to have been dissipated by a letter
which Lord John received meanwhile from Palmerston, in which he
talked with his usual confidence and levity of 'the certainty of
success,' the 'hopeless condition of the Pasha,' and the facility
with which the Treaty would be carried into effect.[17]

[17] Everything turned out according to his anticipations.

[Page Head: LORD PALMERSTON'S RESOLUTION.]

In the morning, after I had been with Guizot (and after
Palmerston's interview with Lord John), he went to Palmerston and
communicated fully the offer of France, saying he would not enter
into the details of the question, but he could not help reminding
him of the failure of so many of his confident expectations.
Palmerston said that there would be no sort of difficulty in
enforcing the Treaty, and that then France might join if she
pleased. Guizot replied that this was out of the question, that
France was now ready to join in a transaction fair and honourable
to both parties, but she would not stand by, see the question
settled without her, and then come in to bolster up an arrangement
made by others, and with which she had no concern. In the evening
he went to Holland House, where he told Melbourne what he had
communicated to Palmerston; found him in a satisfactory
disposition, but Melbourne said that there was a danger greatly to
be feared, and that was, that our ambassador at Constantinople,
who was very violent against Mehemet Ali, and not afraid of war,
might and probably would urge the immediate rejection of the
Pacha's proposal and every sort of violent measure.[18] Guizot,
naturally enough, expressed (to me) his astonishment that the
Prime Minister should hold such language, and that, if he had an
ambassador who was likely to act in such a manner so much at
variance with his political views, he did not recall him or
supersede him by a special mission. This, however, was very
characteristic of Melbourne; and I told Clarendon, urging him to
insist that some positive understanding should be come to, upon
the conduct to be adopted by Ponsonby. There can be no doubt that
Palmerston and Ponsonby between them will do all they can to
embroil matters, and to make a _transaction_ impossible, and
Palmerston writes just what he pleases without any of his
colleagues having the least idea what he says. The result of the
whole then is, that the Cabinet meet at three to-day, and that
Lord John w