project of establishing myself during the winter in this
retreat, as long as the system of tyranny lasted. I only wished to
see my friends there, and to go occasionally to the theatre, and to
the museum. This was all the residence I wished in Paris, in the
state of distrust and espionnage which had begun to be established,
and I confess I cannot see what inconsistency there would have been
in the first consul allowing me to remain in this state of voluntary
exile. I had been there peaceably for a month, when a female, of
that description which is so numerous, endeavouring to make herself
of consequence at the expense of another female, more distinguished
than herself, went and told the first consul that the roads were
covered with people going to visit me. Nothing certainly could be
more false. The exiles whom the world went to see, were those who in
the eighteenth century were almost as powerful as the monarchs who
banished them; but when power is resisted, it is because it is not
tyrannical; for it can only be so by the general submission. Be that
as it may, Bonaparte immediately seized the pretext, or the motive
that was given him to banish me, and I was apprized by one of my
friends, that a gendarme would be with me in a few days with an
order for me to depart. One has no idea, in countries where routine
at least secures individuals from any act of injustice, of the
terror which the sudden news of arbitrary acts of this nature
inspires. It is besides extremely easy to shake me; my imagination
more readily lays hold of trouble than hope, and although I have
often found my chagrin dissipated by the occurrence of novel
circumstances, it always appears to me, when it does come, that
nothing can deliver me from it. In fact it is very easy to be
unhappy, especially when we aspire to the privileged lots of
existence.

I withdrew immediately on receiving the above intimation to the
house of a most excellent and intelligent lady*, to whom I ought to
acknowledge I was recommended by a person who held an important
office in the government*; I shall never forget the courage with
which he offered me an asylum himself: but he would have the same
good intentions at present, when he could not act in that manner
without completely endangering his existence. In proportion as
tyranny is allowed to advance, it grows, as we look at it, like a
phantom, but it seizes with the strength of a real being. I arrived
then, at the country sea