their way to London to apprise the
immortal Bathurst of their arrival and of their desire to see him, so
that he might listen to some observations about St. Helena matters.
This man of mighty mystery and dignity does not deign to reply, but
sends a Ministerial messenger to inform the Count that it is the
Prince Regent's pleasure that he quits Great Britain instantly. Las
Cases tells the messenger that it is a "very sorry, silly pleasure"
for His Royal Highness to have, but he has to quit all the same, as
England is now governed by "sorry, silly pleasure." Another batch of
papers is taken from him, and he is bundled away to Ostend and from
thence to other inhospitable countries, and ultimately lands at
Frankfort.

The Count writes many clever, rather long, but disturbing letters to
noble lords in England, to members of Governments in other countries,
and to every crowned head interested in the little community they have
in safe and despotic keeping at St. Helena. He sends a petition to the
British Parliament stating in clear, clinching terms another
indictment against the British Ministry and their agent. This document
was sent from the deserts of Tygerberg, but like much more of a
similar kind, not a word was said about it. The author, however, was
not to be fooled or driven from the path which he conceived to be his
duty to his much wronged Emperor, so the petition was published, and
created a great sensation.

This had to be subdued or counteracted, and as the Government were
unaccustomed to manly, straightforward dealing, they fell back on
their natural method of intrigue and the spreading of reports that
were likely to encourage and create prejudice against their captive.
It was imputed to them that while the Congress was sitting at
Aix-la-Chapelle they got up a scare of a daring plot of escape. This
was done at a time when the monarchs were touched with a kind of
sympathy for the man who had so often spared them, and whom their
cruelty was now putting to death.

No wonder that this Ministry of little men were suspected of tricks
degrading and treacherous. The recitals of their distorted versions
of their woes affected the public imagination like a dreary litany.
Vast communities of men were beginning to realise that a tragedy was
being engineered in the name of sanctity and humanity.

Every agency composed of cunning, unscrupulous rascals was enlisted to
picture the Emperor as a hideous monster who should not