"Au revoir."
I went home; took paper, pen and ink and wrote the following letter of resignation:—
"SIRE,—My political opinions being entirely out of harmony with those your Majesty has the right to insist upon in persons who compose your Household, I beg your Majesty to accept my resignation of the post of Librarian. I have the honour to remain, yours respectfully, etc.,
"ALEX. DUMAS"
I apologise for the style, which was that of the period. Then I put a short note to Bixio in the post containing this one line:—
"Alea jacta est!"
We shall see later how, as my letter never reached the hands of the king, I was obliged to send in my resignation a second time, which was inserted in the papers and repeated in the Preface to Napoleon.