“I have received your royal highness’ letter.  I have always taken a lively interest in your misfortunes, and those of your family.  You must not think of appearing in France; you could only return here by trampling over a hundred thousand dead bodies.  I shall always be happy to do anything that can alleviate your fate and help to banish the recollection of your misfortunes.”—­Bourrienne.]—­

The substance of the two letters given in the ‘Memorial of St. Helena’ is correct.  The ideas are nearly the same as those of the original letters.  But it is not surprising that, after the lapse of so long an interval, Napoleon’s memory should somewhat have failed him.  However, it will not, I presume, be deemed unimportant if I present to the reader literal copies of this correspondence; together with the explanation of some curious circumstances connected with it.

The following is Louis XVIII’s letter:—­

February 20,1800.

Sir—­Whatever may be their apparent conduct, men like you never inspire alarm.  You have accepted an eminent station, and I thank you for having done so.  You know better than any one how much strength and power are requisite to secure the happiness of a great nation.  Save France from her own violence, and you will fulfil the first wish of my heart.  Restore her King to her, and future generations will bless your memory.  You will always be too necessary to the State for me ever to be able to discharge, by important appointments, the debt of my family and myself.

(Signed) Louis.

The First Consul was much agitated on the reception of this letter.  Though he every day declared his determination to have nothing to do with the Princes, yet he hesitated whether or no he should reply to this overture.  The numerous affairs which then occupied his mind favoured this hesitation.  Josephine and Hortense conjured him to hold out hope to the King, as by so doing he would in no way pledge himself, and would gain time to ascertain whether he could not ultimately play a far greater part than that of Monk.  Their entreaties became so urgent that he said to me, “These devils of women are mad!  The Faubourg St. Germain has turned their heads!  They make the Faubourg the guardian angel of the royalists; but I care not; I will have nothing to do with them.”

Madame Bonaparte said she was anxious he should adopt the step she proposed in order to banish from his mind all thought of making himself King.  This idea always gave rise to a painful foreboding which she could never overcome.

In the First Consul’s numerous conversations with me he discussed with admirable sagacity Louis XVIII.’s proposition and its consequences.  “The partisans of the Bourbons,” said he, “are deceived if they suppose I am the man to play Monk’s part.”  Here the matter rested, and the King’s letter remained on the table.  In the interim Louis XVIII. wrote a second letter, without any date.  It was as follows: