THE MISSION TO ROME. 43 



the next clay, after the discovery of a fresh plot, and 

 after hearing the details spontaneously communicated 

 to them by Colonel Lavelaine de Maubeuge, while I 

 was in conference at head-quarters, that they pro- 

 ceeded to arrest one of the culprits, a Frenchman 

 named Colin. This man was still confined in a dun- 

 geon of St. Angelo when I left Eome on the 1st of 

 June. 



The general in command kept on writing to urge 

 me to have done with the matter off hand, and though 

 we had both quite agreed that it was indispensable, in 

 the absence of any instructions posterior to my leaving 

 Paris, to gain time and await, at all events for a week, 

 replies to the letters which I had forwarded through 

 M. Forbin-Janson, he sent me message upon message, 

 saying that the generals were pressing him to act ; 

 that he had full confidence in me, but that no one 

 shared my sanguine views, and regarded them as 

 illusory. He added that, in the opinion of General 

 Yaillant, the statu quo was derogatory to the dignity 

 and interests of the army. 



I replied to him on the 23rd : 



" I have communicated to you, before sending 

 them, all the despatches which I have addressed to 

 the Government since my arrival at Eome, and I 

 have to-day sent to Paris, by M. de la Tour 

 d'Auvergne, a general report which I discussed with 

 you yesterday, and to which you raised no objections. 



