68 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



Triumvirate, and approved by the Eoman Constituent 

 Assembly, as well as by the senators and conservators 

 of the Eoman municipality, in the belief that this act 

 is calculated permanently to strengthen French in- 

 fluence in Italy, and maintain the unspotted honour 

 of our army and of our glorious flag. 

 "May 30, 1849." 



M. Espivent shortly afterwards returned me, by 

 General Oudinot's order, the bundle of letters, which 

 he had not had time to read, being very occupied with 

 the details of his service and the orders he had to give 

 to the army. He had added, however, that I could 

 explain my views presently at a council meeting of 

 the generals which took place at four o'clock. Despite 

 my reading of the above documents and of my obser- 

 vations as to the absence of orders from our Govern- 

 ment and of the perilous nature of the situation, 

 nothing could alter General Oudinot's resolve, while 

 the manner in which he expressed his views made all 

 discussion impossible, and compelled me to advance 

 my official position in order to check the outbursts of 

 temper which I plainly said that I would not stand. 



A similar scene occurred again at night in the 

 presence of one of my friends, Captain Chaigneau, in 

 command of the frigate Magellan. But my firmness, 

 coupled with the dropping of my hand on to the hilt 

 of my sword when the General talked of having me 

 placed under arrest, fortunately had the effect of re- 



