"Here is a note for her. I took care not to mention your name, so as not to compromise you if anything happened. Read it."
I took the note; it was written entirely in Madame la Dauphine's hand: I have taken an exact copy of it.
"Carlsbad, 31 May 1833.
"It was a genuine pleasure for me, my dear sister, at last to hear from you direct I pity you with all my soul. Reckon always on my constant concern for you and especially for your dear children, who will be more precious to me than ever. My existence, as long as it endures, shall be consecrated to them. I have not yet been able to execute your commissions as regards our family, my health having required that I should come here to take the waters. But I shall discharge it immediately on my return to them; they and I, believe me, will never have any but the same sentiments on everything.
"Farewell, my dear sister: I pity you from the bottom of my heart and embrace you fondly.
"M. T."
I was struck by the reserve of this note: a few vague expressions of attachment but poorly covered the dryness of its substance. I respectfully said as much, and again pleaded the cause of the unfortunate prisoner. Madame answered that the King would give his decision. She promised me to interest herself on behalf of her sister; but there was no cordiality either in the voice or tone of the Dauphiness: one perceived rather a restrained irritation. The game seemed to me lost as far as my client's person was concerned. I fell back upon Henry V. I thought that I owed to the Princess the sincerity which I had always employed, at my risk and peril, to enlighten the Bourbons; I spoke to her, frankly and without flattery, of the education of M. le Duc de Bordeaux:
I talk to the Dauphiness.
"I know that Madame has read in a kindly spirit the pamphlet at the end of which I expressed a few ideas relating to the education of Henry V. I fear lest the child's surroundings should injure his cause: Messieurs de Damas, de Blacas and Latil are not popular."
Madame agreed with this; she even quite threw over M. de Damas, while saying two or three words in honour of his courage, his probity and his religion.
"In the month of September, Henry V. will be of age: does not Madame think that it would be a good thing to establish a council around him to which one would summon men upon whom France looks with less prejudice?"
"Monsieur de Chateaubriand, by multiplying counsellors one multiplies opinions: and then, whom would you propose to the King's choice?"
"M. de Villèle."