THE MISSION TO ROME. 85 



cause for alarm, your movements being merely made 

 to anticipate the foreign armies which were marching 

 on Eome from seizing these positions. But for this and 

 for my return to Home the tocsin would have been 

 sounded, the garrison and the population of the city, 

 down even to the women of the Trastevere armed 

 with their knives, would have mounted to the assault 

 of Monte Mario. I feel sure that our brave soldiers 

 would have held their own, but the consequences of 

 an attack and of a desperate assault would have gone 

 straight to the heart of our country. 



" Having left head-quarters after I had handed you 

 my last note, and having my eyes thoroughly open to 

 the objections to the immediate entrance of the French 

 army into Home, where you would probably have com- 

 promised the interests which it is my duty to forward, 

 I drew up of myself a fresh draft of agreement, entirely 

 in conformity with the directions which I had received 

 from the French Government. This project, adopted 

 after some discussion by the executive power, has been 

 approved, with only three dissenting votes, by the 

 Constituent Assembly. 



"I handed to you, before signing it, a copy accom- 

 panied by a declaration, first communicating to you 

 my instructions of May 8th. 



"With regard to your declaration that you will 

 consider as null and of no effect the arrangement duly 

 signed yesterday by the executive power and myself, 

 it will be for our Government to decide, and, in accord- 



