The Duke of Otranto, president of the committee, appeared in the
council, and in public, to approve the principles and determinations
of his colleagues. In private, it was a different affair. Devoted in
appearance to all parties, he flattered and deceived them in turn, by
pretended confidential communications, and chimerical hopes. He spoke
of liberty to the republicans, of glory and Napoleon II. to the
Bonapartists, of legitimacy to the friends of the King, of guarantees
and a general peace to the partizans of the Duke of Orleans; and thus
contrived to secure himself on all sides, in case of need, favourable
chances and supporters[78]. Men familiar with his practices were not
the dupes of his artifices, and endeavoured to unmask them: but his
apparent conduct was so irreproachable, that their warnings were
considered as the result of personal prejudice, or unjust suspicion.

[Footnote 78: The Emperor, informed of the manoeuvres of
M. Fouche, said: "He is ever the same; always ready to
thrust his foot into every one's slipper."]

Besides, it was agreed on all hands, that the fate of France depended
on the negotiations with foreign powers: and it was hoped, that the
plenipotentiaries, and particularly Messrs. d'Argenson and la Fayette,
whose principles were inflexible, would render every kind of surprise
or treachery impracticable.

These plenipotentiaries had left Paris on the 25th of June. Their
instructions were as follows:

_Instructions for Messieurs the Plenipotentiaries of the Committee of
Government to the Allied Powers._

"Paris, June the 23d, 1815.

"The object of the mission of messieurs the plenipotentiaries,
appointed to repair to the allied powers, has no farther need of being
developed. It is in their hearts, as it is in the hearts of all
Frenchmen: the business is, to save their country.

"The salvation of the country is connected with two essential
subjects: the independence of the nation, and the integrity of its
territories.

"The independence of the nation cannot be complete, except the
constituent principles of the present organization of France be secure
from every foreign attack. One of the principles of this organization
is the inheritance of the throne in the imperial family. The Emperor
having abdicated, his rights have devolved on his son. The foreign
powers cannot make the least attack on this prin