l be lost."

He looked thoughtful and went away. Then he returned, thanked me warmly,
and we continued to converse.

We spoke about the press. I advised him to respect it profoundly and
at the same time to establish a State press. "The State without a
newspaper, in the midst of newspapers," I observed, "restricting itself
to governing while publicity and polemics are the rule, reminds one
of the knights of the fifteenth century who obstinately persisted in
fighting against cannon with swords; they were always beaten. I grant
that it was noble; you will grant that it was foolish."

He spoke of the Emperor. "It is here," he said, "that I saw him for the
last time. I could not re-enter this palace without emotion. The Emperor
had me brought to him and laid his hand on my head. I was seven years
old. It was in the grand salon downstairs."

Then Louis Bonaparte talked about La Malmaison. He said:

"They have respected it. I visited the place in detail about six weeks
ago. This is how I came to do so. I had gone to see M. Odilon Barrot at
Bougival.

"'Dine with me,' he said.

"' I will with pleasure.' It was 3 o'clock. 'What shall we do until
dinner time?'

"'Let us go and see La Malmaison,' suggested M. Barrot.

"We went. Nobody else was with us. Arrived at La Malmaison we rang the
bell. A porter opened the gate, M. Barrot spoke:

"'We want to see La Malmaison.'

"'Impossible!' replied the porter.

"'What do you mean, impossible?'

"'I have orders.'

"'From whom?'

"'From her Majesty Queen Christine, to whom the chateau belongs at
present.'

"'But monsieur here is a stranger who has come expressly to visit the
place.'

"'Impossible!'

"'Well,' exclaimed M. Odilon Barrot, 'it's funny that this door should
be closed to the Emperor's nephew!'

"The porter started and threw his cap on the ground. He was an old
soldier, to whom the post had been granted as a pension.

"'The Emperor's nephew!' he cried. 'Oh! Sire, enter!'

"He wanted to kiss my clothes.

"We visited the chateau. Everything is still about in its place. I
recognised nearly everything, the First Consul's study, the chamber of
his mother, my own. The furniture in several rooms has not been changed.
I found a little armchair I had when I was a child."

I said to the Prince: "You see, thrones disappear, arm-chairs remain."

While we were talking a few persons came, among others M. Duclerc, the
ex-Minister of Finance of the Executive Comm