THE HUNDRED DAYS. 101 



dressed to him, after the battle of Waterloo : " CARNOT, 



I HAVE KNOWN YOU TOO LATE ! " 



But, as I am writing a biography and not a panegyric, 

 I will frankly say that Carnot, as member of the Pro- 

 visional Government of that epoch, laboured under the 

 injurious and anti-national influence of the Duke of 

 Otranto, which led him to give his adhesion to measures 

 that were stamped with evident feebleness, and to others 

 over which every heart animated by patriotic sentiments 

 would gladly throw a thick veil. 



And yet, can we very warmly reproach Carnot with 

 having allowed himself to be fascinated by the intrigues 

 of Fouche, when we see Napoleon, notwithstanding the 

 strongest suspicions of treason, retain that man in his 

 Council ? 



Amidst the reproaches ostensibly addressed to Carnot, 

 respecting that period of our annals, there is one on 

 which I can give some personal explanation. I have 

 heard the austere Conventional severely blamed for 

 having accepted the title of Count of the Empire ; hap- 

 pily my memory can faithfully repeat some words of our 

 colleague's which clear up this point in his life, and which 

 were related to me by an officer the very day that he 

 heard them. 



They were at table, at the Minister of the Interior's 

 house. A letter arrives ; the minister breaks the seal, 

 and almost instantly exclaims : " Well, Gentlemen, see 

 me here a Count of the Empire ! I can, however, easily 

 guess whence the blow comes. It is my dismissal that is 

 wished for, that is demanded ; I will not give him that 

 satisfaction ; I will remain, because I think I can be 

 useful to my country. The day will come, I hope, when 

 I shall be allowed to explain myself fully respecting this 



