art of our ambassador, I may note here my own
recollections on the subject.

On Tuesday, the 5th of July, about 2.30 p.m., I was walking along the
Faubourg Saint-Honore, when, just in front of the Embassy, I was brought
to a standstill by Lord Lyons' carriage turning into the courtyard from
the street. His lordship was inside. We were on very good terms, I may
say on very friendly terms, and he beckoned me to come in. I was at the
short flight of steps leading to the hall almost as soon as the
carriage, and we went inside together. I do not suppose I was in his
private room for more than ten minutes, but I brought away the
impression that, although the Duc de Gramont and M. Emile Ollivier might
think it necessary to adopt a bellicose tone in face of the Hohenzollern
candidature, there was little or no fear of war, because the Emperor was
_decidedly_ inclined to peace. I remember this the more distinctly,
seeing that Lord Lyons told me that he had just returned from an
interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I am not certain of the
exact words used by his lordship, but positive as to the drift of one of
his remarks; namely, that the Duc de Gramont was the last person who
ought to conduct the negotiations. "There is too much personal animosity
between him and Bismarck, owing mainly to the latter having laughed his
pretensions to scorn as a diplomatist while the duke was at Vienna." I
am certain the words were to that effect. Then he added, "I can
understand though I fail to approve De Gramont's personal irritation,
but cannot account for Ollivier's, and he seems as pugnacious as the
other. Nevertheless, I repeat, the whole of this will blow over: William
is too wise a man to go to war on such a pretext, and the Emperor is too
ill not to want peace. I wish the Empress would leave him alone. I am
going to Ollivier's to-night, and I'll know more about it by to-morrow
morning."

It is very evident from this that the historians were subsequently
wrongly informed as to M. Emile Ollivier's attitude at that moment,
which they have described as exactly the reverse from what Lord Lyons
found it. I knew little or nothing of M. Ollivier, still he did not give
me the impression of being likely to adopt a hectoring tone just in
order to please the gallery, the gallery being in this instance the
clientele of the opposition, whom the Emperor feared more than any one
else. From all I have been able to gather since, Louis-Napoleo