34 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



thousand men from Toulon and Marseilles. This will 

 be none too many. In the event of an understanding 

 being come to with Borne, and our troops entering the 

 city as allies, it would be desirable that our troops 

 should be on the road before the arrangement, which I 

 see no necessity for hurrying on, is completed. If we 

 sent for reinforcements after the occupation of Eome, 

 to overcome any fresh difficulties which might arise, 

 this step might, in the midst of a population which 

 would have received us as friends, tend to aggravate 

 our difficulties. If we are very strong before any defi- 

 nite step is taken we shall terminate matters far more 

 expeditiously and at less cost, and we should be able 

 to send our troops home afterwards far more quickly. 

 "We must not lose sight of the fact that the increase 

 and concentration of the French forces at Civita Yec- 

 chia and Eome will not weaken us internally, for when 

 once our flag is firmly implanted in Italy we shall 

 have no more risings to put down, and in any event it 

 must be borne in mind that we have now to do not with 

 the soldiers of the Pope, but with the Eoman soldiers. 

 " I am of opinion that General Oudinot should be 

 kept where he is. Whatever you do, do not send him 

 any more siege material. What he wants is a rein- 

 forcement of troops, and if he gets them Austria will 

 hesitate to attack us, whereas with fresh siege material 

 it will seem as if we are determined to annihilate 

 Eome, to which I will not in any circumstance what- 

 ever lend a hand. And if the intentions of the Govern- 



