1 30 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



the different political parties, and the population at 

 large ; and you have left a very good impression 

 behind you. What I want you to do is to proceed to 

 the Madrid Embassy, because, in the event of a 

 foreign war, a good understanding with Spain is 

 equivalent to 200,000 men on the Pyrenean frontier." 

 I accordingly started for Madrid. Marshal Narvaez, 

 who had no liking for the revolutionists, was in power, 

 and I somewhat toned down his ardour and managed 

 to save a certain number of persons who had com- 

 promised themselves. After a year's residence at 

 Madrid, M. Drouyn de Lhuys saw fit to put Prince 

 Napoleon in my place and to select me for the 

 Legation at Berne. Upon the day of my arrival in 

 Paris I went to the National Assembly and witnessed, 

 from the diplomatists' gallery, a very stormy sitting. 

 A telegram from Italy had just come in stating that 

 General Oudinot, despite the declarations that had 

 been publicly made, had attacked Italy, or rather the 

 Eoman Eepublic, and that the Government was 

 gravely compromised. There was a talk even of 

 sending the Prince President to Yincennes, of turning 

 out the Ministry of course, and of giving strict 

 injunctions for a complete change of policy. The 

 irritation was very great in the Chamber, M. Ledru 

 Eollin and the rest of the Extreme Left shaking their 

 fists at the Ministry, and a free fight being imminent, 

 when M. Senard, who was a man of considerable 

 experience, calmed down his friends and got them to 



