THE MISSION TO ROME. 



61 



the case. In my opinion, a 

 very firm attitude, an attack 

 which, with no worse results 

 than the destruction of a few 

 tottering walls, would have 

 made us masters of the Roman 

 head-quarters, would have led 

 the population to decide in our 

 favour. . . . We should at all 

 events have been in a strong, 

 healthy, and satisfactory posi- 

 tion, both as regards our na- 

 tional pride and the political 

 necessities of the day. Sooner 

 or later we should have been 

 received unconditionally, and 

 been allowed to dictate our own 

 terms. We should not have 

 had to struggle, as we now 

 shall have to do, if you suc- 

 ceed, against engagements 

 which we cannot fulfil, and 

 which will most seriously com- 

 promise us in the eyes of all 

 Europe. 



17. I deem it my duty to 

 decline formally and fully all 

 responsibility for what has 

 taken place since your arrival. 

 But I will not conclude with- 

 out rendering homage to your 

 zeal and good intentions, with- 

 out begging you to see in my 

 outspoken frankness nothing 

 save a proof of my confidence 

 in your character and of my 

 now long-standing affection. 

 DE RAYNEVAL. 



17. I willingly assume full 

 responsibility for what is being 

 done before Rome. I do not 

 ask anyone to share it with me, 

 and I honour M. de Rayneval 

 for arriving at convictions dif- 

 ferent from mine as the out- 

 come of ideas which spring 

 from the same patriotic source 

 as my own. I thank him for 

 his frankness, which harmo- 

 nizes so well with my own, 

 and with the sincere affection 

 which I feel for him. 



F. DE LESSEPS. 



