on which, in fact,
the Government had a right to prevent. _It was the Almighty's will:
we must submit._ He had decreed our loss the day He removed my beloved
brother[7] from this world. Had he lived still, all this would
have turned otherwise. It has been also an immense misfortune that
Joinville and Aumale were both away. They were both popular (which
poor dear _never-to-be-sufficiently-respected_ Nemours was _not_),
energetic, courageous, and capable of turning chance in our favour.
Oh! _how I long_ to know what is become of them! I cannot live till
then, and the thought of my unfortunate parents _annihilates_ me! Poor
dear Joinville had foreseen and foretold almost all that has happened,
and it was the idea of the crisis he apprehended which made him so
unhappy to go. He repeated it to me several times six weeks ago. Alas!
_nobody_ would believe him, and who _could believe_ that in _a day_,
almost without struggle, _all would be over_, and the past, the
present, the future carried away on an unaccountable storm! _God's
will be done!_ He was at least _merciful_ to my dear Aunt, and I hope
He will preserve all those dear to me!

Here everything is quiet: the horror general, and the best feeling
and spirit prevailing. There is still now nothing to fear: but if _a
republic really established_ itself in France, it is impossible to
tell what may happen. For this reason your Uncle thinks it right that
we should remove to some place of safety what we have of precious.
If you permit I will avail myself of the various messengers that are
going now to send _under your care_ several boxes, which you will
kindly send to Claremont to Moor, to keep with those your Uncle
already sent. They contain your Uncle's letters and those of my
parents--the treasure I most value in the world.

_29th._--MY DEARLY BELOVED VICTORIA,--This was written yesterday, in
a moment of comparative quiet, when I thought my parents at least safe
and in security in England. Albert's letter to your Uncle of the 27th,
which arrived yesterday evening, says they were _not arrived yet_, and
I am again in the most horrible agony. I had also yesterday evening
details of their flight (_my father flying!!!_) by Madame de Murat,
Victoire's lady, who has gone to England, which quite distracted me.
Thank God that Nemours and Clem at least _are safe!_I am quite unable
to say more, and I hope the Duchess and Alexandrine will excuse me if
I don't write to them. Truly, I _