THE MISSION TO ROME. 101 



which he had served in his youth viz. in 1831, when 

 his elder brother died of fever under the walls of Eome 

 he this time spoke of the obstinacy of the Eoman 

 Court, to which he attributed the impossibility of any- 

 thing like conciliation. He appeared to me very uneasy 

 as to the position of his Government, placed between 

 the cross fire of two irreconcilable parties the Ke- 

 actionists and the party of the Mountain under Ledru- 

 Rollin. I felt convinced from that hour that the 

 President was preparing to combat them both. 



I was not, therefore, surprised when I saw soon 

 after the walls of Paris covered with bills announcing 

 the invasion of the Chamber by the troops, the flight 

 of Ledru-Rollin after the affray at the Arts-et-Metiers, 

 and the arrest of several deputies. 



Holding aloof, as I have always done, from the 

 internal dissensions of my country, I awaited quietly 

 at home the decisions which might be come to with 

 regard to myself, and the Moniteur shortly after- 

 wards published a decree which, by virtue of Art. 99 

 of the Constitution, referred to the Council of the 

 State the examination of my mission to Rome. 



The Ministry which had entrusted me, in a very 

 critical phase of its own existence, with a mission 

 bristling with difficulties, and which had so readily 

 abandoned me without deigning even to examine my 

 action, had not only countenanced attacks upon me, but 

 had itself attacked me from the national tribune while 

 I maintained a complete silence, and before the Council 



