JET. 42.] HER RETURN. 357 



was that she had been alarmed at the result of the 

 Milan inquiry, of which most exaggerated rumours were 

 purposely spread, and that those who urged her coming 

 over had succeeded in persuading her that her safety 

 would be best consulted by the popular feeling which 

 her arrival was certain to excite. A long discussion 

 with her had no effect in diverting her from her pur- 

 pose, which I believed to have been fixed before she 

 set out on her journey ; and she left St Omer very 

 suddenly, after refusing to let Lord Hutchinson be 

 presented to her. 



The following notes, which passed at St Omer be- 

 tween the parties i.e., the Queen, Lord Hutchinson, 

 and myself show more distinctly the course that 

 the affair took : * 



" Mr Brougham having humbly submitted to the 

 Queen that he had reason to believe that Lord Hutch- 

 inson had brought over a proposition from the King 

 to her Majesty, the Queen has been pleased to com- 

 mand Mr Brougham to request Lord Hutchinson to 

 communicate any such proposition as soon as possible 

 in writing. The bearer of this, Count Vassali, will 

 wait to receive it from his Lordship. 



"June*, 1820." 



FROM LORD HUTCHINSON. 



" ST OMER, June 4, lS20haJf-past 1 P.M. 

 " Lord Hutchinson presents his compliments to Mr 

 Brougham, and requests that he will have the good- 

 ness to present his humble and respectful duty to the 



* See debate in the House of Commons, 6th June 1820, on the tenor 

 of these notes. Hansard, 871. 



