che
is despatched from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the French Embassy
in London, instead of the ordinary cabinet (or queen's) messenger, which
proves that the despatches are more important than usual. They contain
letters from the Prince-President himself to Comte Walewski, the
contents of which are probably known to the Marquis de Turgot, but which
are despatched in that way, instead of being sent directly from the
Elysee by a trustworthy person, because the presidential residence is
watched day and night by the "counter-police" of the Assembly. The
reason why the Marquis de Turgot selects a young aristocrat is because
he feels certain that he cannot be tampered with. On the 29th of
November a connection of mine receives a letter from a friend in London,
who is supposed to be behind the scenes, but who this time is utterly in
the dark. It is to the following effect: "There is something in the
wind, but I know not what. Both yesterday morning (27th) and to-day
Walewski has been closeted for more than two hours each time with
Palmerston. There is to be a grand dinner at Walewski's on the second of
next month, to which I received an invitation. Can you tell me what
mischief is brewing?"

The recipient of the letter was neither better nor worse informed than
the rest of us, and in spite of all the assertions to the contrary which
have been made since, no one foresaw the crisis in the shape it came
upon us. On the contrary, the general opinion was that in the end
Louis-Napoleon would get the worse, in spite of the magic influence of
his name with the army. It was expected that if the troops were called
upon to act against the National Assembly, they would refuse and turn
against their leaders. I am by no means certain that the
Prince-President did not entertain a similar opinion up to the last
moment, for I have it on excellent authority that as late as the 26th of
November he endeavoured to postpone the affair for a month. It was then
that De Persigny showed his teeth, and insisted upon the night of the
1st or 2nd of December as the latest. The interview was a very stormy
one. On that very morning De Persigny had received a letter from London,
not addressed to his residence. It contained a draft for L2000, but with
the intimation that these would be the last funds forthcoming. He showed
the Prince-President the letter, and Napoleon gave in there and then.
The letters spoken of just now were despatched on the same da