Fear of Assassination. 211 



for I was afraid of seeing tlie Emperor also, but he did not 

 come. General Miramon looked as bright as if he were going 

 to a ball, but poor Mejia looked very much depressed. 



My husband had written a letter to the Emperor, which I 

 transmitted to him, in which he implored him to lose no time 

 by resigning himself to delusive hopes, but to prepare Immedi- 

 ately for escape, for which the plan was also contained in the 

 letter. 



I now told the Emperor that I had arranged everything with 

 Colonel Villanueva, who would lead him outside the prison, 

 where a guard of one hundred men would be kept ready toes- 

 curt him to the Sierra Gorda, and from thence to the coast. 

 The Emperor insisted on my following him close on horseback 

 with Dr. Basch. He was afraid of being betrayed and assas- 

 sinated, and thought that the presence of a lady might be a 

 kind of protection against such an atrocious act. 



Villanueva had, however, declared to me that nothing could 

 be done without Palacios, who had always three guards in the 

 prison who walked all night before the room of the Emperor. 

 I told him so, and that 1 had myself engaged to win him over, 

 but that I required money for that purpose. 



The Emperor now saw at last his position in its true light, 

 and regretted that he had squandered so much precious time. 

 Unfortunately he had no money, but he said he would look to 

 that, and have at least five thousand dollars in gold, which I 

 required to give either to Palacois to distribute amongst tlie 

 soldiers, or to give it myself into their hands. 



When I returned again to see the Emperor he was in de- 

 spair, for he could not procure the money which was required 

 to bribe the two colonels ; but he would give me two bills, each 

 ^ for one hundred thousand dollars, signed by himself, and drawn 

 upon the Imperial family in Vienna. The five thousand dol- 

 lars, howevtr, he could not send me until nine o'clock p.m. 



I had not yet made any attempt to bribe Palacios, and it 

 was agreed between myself and Villanueva that I should leave 

 the prison at eight o'clock p.m., and request Palacios to see 

 me home, where I would detain him until ten o'clock, I did 

 not live then in the hotel, but in a private house belonging to 

 Madame Pepita Vicentis, the widow of a gentlemen of our 

 party v/ho died during the siege. The old lady was extremely 

 kind to our prisoners, and undertook to provide for fifteen uf 



