it deeply at heart to clear up, if, he said, I had no objection to it.
The first question was relative to these words of my letter to Prince
Lucien: “Those who surround us complain bitterly that their letters
are falsified in the public papers,” &c. It was asked of me who these
persons were. The Aide-de-camp held his pen to take down my answers. I
desired he would write that, seeing no inconvenience in answering, I
would do so, but entirely of my own accord; for that, if the Governor
thought to question by virtue of his authority, I should be silent;
and I then said, “that those words of my letter were vague, general,
and without any application whatever; that they were what had been
said to us by every one, when they sought to console us for the very
improper expressions or descriptions regarding us, which we
occasionally found in the London papers, under the date of St.
Helena.”
The Governor’s second question applied to my private letter. It
contained, amongst others, a request to ask Lord Holland whether he
had received the parcels I had directed to him. Sir Hudson Lowe
inquired what those parcels were, and by whom I had forwarded them,
&c.; and here he visibly redoubled the mildness of his deportment, in
order to obtain a satisfactory answer, confessing that he had no right
to compel me to reply; but it would be, he said, the means of
materially expediting and simplifying my own affair, &c. I replied,
rather in a solemn manner, that this point was my _secret_, which
evidently created an impression upon the physiognomy of Sir Hudson
Lowe; and, my words being taken down as I uttered them, I continued to
dictate, adding that the answer I had just given was only that which
my education and habits prompted me to give, that any other might have
given rise to the Governor’s doubts, and that it was not proper I
should expose the veracity of my words to the smallest suspicion;
that, after this preliminary statement, however, I had no longer any
objection to declare that I never, in all my life, had any
communication with Lord Holland. This unexpected conclusion was a
_coup de théâtre_, quite a comedy-scene; it would be difficult to
describe the surprise of the Governor, the astonishment of the
officers; the pen stopped in the writer’s hand. Sir Hudson Lowe did
not hesitate to reply that he fully believed me, but that he must
confess he could not understand the business at all. I confessed, in
my turn, that I could not help laughing at the perplexity I caused
him, but that I had told him all. The fact is, I had intended, when my
servant should return, to intrust him besides with several authentic
documents upon our situation, for Lord Holland: but I had not been
allowed time for so doing; they had come too soon to take me away. I
had the honour of knowing his Lordship only by the nobleness and
dignity of his public conduct; but to transmit the truth to him, as an
hereditary legislator of his country, and a member of the supreme
court of Great Britain, appeared to me very proper in us both, and
equally becoming and serviceable to the honour of the British
character.
MY ANXIETIES.—A LETTER FROM THE EMPEROR,
A REAL BLESSING.
16th.—More than twenty days had elapsed, and nothing as yet announced
any change in our dreadful situation. My son’s illness continued to
exhibit the most alarming symptoms; my health was visibly declining
through grief and anxiety. Our confinement was so strict that we had
not yet heard a single word from Longwood; I was quite ignorant how my
unfortunate affair had been interpreted there; I had merely learnt
that the Emperor had not left his apartment during the last fifteen or
eighteen days and had almost always taken his meals there alone. What
did I not suffer from these circumstances! The Emperor had evidently
been affected, but in what manner? Shall I own it? this doubt was, to
me, a source of absolute torment; it haunted me at every moment since
I had quitted Longwood: for the Emperor was perfectly ignorant of the
cause of my being carried off; fate had so ordained it. What would he
have thought, on hearing about my clandestine letters? What would have
been his opinions, what motive would he assign to my disguise towards
him; I, who from habit, would not have stirred a step, or hazarded an
expression, without communicating with him? I coupled these faults,
which I even exaggerated, with the affecting kindness of the last
moments I had passed with him. Some minutes before I was torn away
from him, he was more cheerful towards me, seemed even better disposed
than usual; and, some moments later, he had perhaps been led to find
something mysterious in my conduct. The appearance of the right of
reproach and of doubt had perhaps already risen in his mind. This idea
grieved me more than I could express, and visibly affected my health.
Fortunately, the Governor came to restore me to life. He presented
himself towards evening, appearing much taken up with what he had to
tell me, and, after a long preamble, which it was difficult for me to
understand, he concluded by informing me, that he held in his hand a
letter, which my situation gave him the right to withhold from me; but
that he knew how dear to me was the hand that wrote it, how much I
valued the sentiments which it expressed, and that he was, therefore,
going to shew it to me, notwithstanding the many personal motives he
might have for not doing so! It was a letter from the Emperor!
Whatever harm Sir Hudson Lowe may have done to us, whatever his
motives may have been, at this moment, I owe him a real obligation for
the happiness he afforded me; and, when I recollect it, I am tempted
to reproach myself for many details and certain imputations; but I
owed them to truth, and to considerations of the highest importance. I
shewed myself so much affected that he appeared to be moved by it, and
consented to my request of being allowed to take a copy of what was
strictly personal in the letter. My son copied it in a hurry, so much
did we dread lest he should alter his mind; and when he left us, we
re-copied it in many ways and in many places; we even learnt it by
heart, so great was our fear that the night’s reflections might
occasion Sir Hudson Lowe to repent. And, in fact, when he re-appeared
the next morning, he expressed to me his regret on the subject; and I
did not hesitate to offer to return to him the copy I had taken,
assuring him that I should not feel the less grateful. We had ensured
to ourselves the means of being generous without inconvenience.
Whether he suspected that such was the case, or whether from a
continuation of the same kindness, I know not; but he declined my
offer. I shall now lay before the reader that letter, the original of
which was kept by Sir Hudson Lowe, which he gave me his word should
share the same fate as my other papers, and which I nevertheless had
all possible trouble to obtain, when the English Government, after
Napoleon’s death, thought that they could not avoid restoring my
Journal to me. I shall transcribe here those passages of the letter
which Sir Hudson Lowe allowed me to copy at the time, and such as they
were published after my return to Europe; those parts which he kept
back are thrown into the notes, at the bottom of the pages: the two
together will form the whole of the original.
“My dear Count de Las Cases,—My heart is deeply affected by what you
now experience. Torn from me a fortnight ago, you have been ever since
closely confined, without the possibility of my receiving any news
from you, or sending you any; without having had any communication
with any person, either French or English; deprived even of the
attendance of a servant of your own choice.
“Your conduct at St. Helena has been, like the whole of your life,
honourable and irreproachable; I have pleasure in giving you this
testimony.
“Your letter to one of your friends in London contains nothing
reprehensible; you merely disburden your heart into the bosom of
friendship.
[_Half the letter was wanting here._[24]]
Footnote 24:
“This letter is similar to eight or ten others, which you have
written to the same person, and which you have sent unsealed. The
Governor having had the indelicacy to pry into the expressions which
you confide to friendship, has latterly reproached you with them,
threatening to send you out of the island, if your letters continued
to be the bearers of complaints against him. He has thus violated
the first duty of his situation, the first article of his
instructions, the first sentiment of honour; he has thus authorized
you to seek for means to open your heart to your friends, and inform
them of the guilty conduct of this Governor. But you have been very
simple; your confidence has been easily beguiled!
“A pretext was wanting to seize upon your papers; but your letter to
your friend in London could not authorize a visit from the police to
you; since it contained no plot, no mystery: since it was only the
expression of a heart noble and sincere. The illegal and precipitate
conduct observed on this occasion bears the stamp of a base feeling
of personal animosity.
“In countries the least civilized, exiles, prisoners, and even
criminals, are under the protection of the laws and of the
magistrates; those persons who are intrusted with the keeping of
them have superior officers in the administration who watch over
them. On this rock, the man who makes the most absurd regulations,
executes them with violence, and transgresses all laws; there is
nobody to check the outrages of his passions.
“The Prince Regent can never be informed of the acts carried on
under his name; they have refused to forward my letters to him; they
have, in a violent manner, sent back the complaints made by Count
Montholon; and Count Bertrand has since been informed that no
letters would be received if they continued to be libellous as they
had hitherto been.
“Longwood is surrounded by a mystery which it is sought to render
impenetrable, in order to conceal a guilty line of conduct which is
calculated to create a suspicion of the most criminal intentions!!!
“By reports insidiously circulated, it is endeavoured to deceive the
officers, the travellers, the inhabitants, of this island, and even
the agents whom, it is said, Austria and Russia have sent hither. No
doubt the English Government is deceived, in like manner, by artful
and false representations.
“They have seized your papers, amongst which, they know there were
some belonging to me, without the least formality, in the room next
to mine, with a ferocious _eclat_ and manifestation of joy. I was
informed of it a few moments afterwards, and looked from the window,
when I saw that they were hurrying you away. A numerous staff was
prancing round the house; me thought I saw the inhabitants of the
Pacific Ocean dancing round the prisoner whom they are about to
devour.”
“Your company was necessary to me. You are the only one that can read,
speak, and understand English. How many nights you have watched over
me during my illnesses! However, I advise you, and if necessary, I
order you, to demand of the Governor of this country to send you to
the Continent; he cannot refuse, since he has no power over you, but
by virtue of the act which you have voluntarily signed. It will be a
great source of consolation to me to know that you are on your way to
more favoured climes.
“Once in Europe, whether you proceed to England or return home,
endeavour to forget the evils which you have been made to suffer; and
boast of the fidelity which you have shewn towards me, and of all the
affection I feel for you.
“If you should, some day or other, see my wife and son, embrace them
for me; for the last two years, I have had no news from them, either
directly or indirectly.
[_Three or four lines were wanting here._[25]]
Footnote 25:
“There is in this country a German botanist, who has been here for
the last six months, and who saw them in the gardens of Shoenbruna,
a few months before his departure. The barbarians have carefully
prevented him from coming to give me any news respecting them.”
“In the mean time be comforted, and console my friends. My body, it is
true, is exposed to the hatred of my enemies; they omit nothing that
can contribute to satisfy their vengeance; they make me suffer the
protracted tortures of a slow death; but Providence is too just to
allow these sufferings to last much longer. The insalubrity of this
dreadful climate, the want of every thing that tends to support life,
will soon, I feel, put an end to my existence.
[_Four or five lines were wanting here._[26]]
“As there is every reason to suppose that you will not be allowed to
come and see me before your departure, receive my embrace, and the
assurance of my friendship. May you be happy!
“Yours,
“NAPOLEON.”
“_Longwood; 11th December, 1816._” */
Footnote 26:
“The last moments of which will be an opprobrium to the English
name; and Europe will one day stigmatize with horror that perfidious
and wicked man; all true Englishmen will disown him as Briton.”
REFLECTIONS ON THE EMPEROR’S LETTER.—NEW OBSTACLES
STARTED BY SIR HUDSON LOWE.
From Tuesday, Dec. 17th, to Thursday 19th, 1816.—The Emperor’s letter
proved a source of real consolation to me. It was continually present
in my thoughts; it dissipated my alarms, strengthened my resolution,
and in short it rendered me truly happy. I read it carefully over and
over again. I weighed every word it contained. From my own knowledge
of the Emperor, I thought that I could guess how he had been induced
to write it. I could conceive what would be his uneasiness respecting
the cause of my removal, and his surprise on hearing of the
clandestine correspondence. From his constant habit of considering
things in every possible point of view, I felt convinced that his
penetration had enabled him to discover precisely what had taken
place, and that he had determined to write to me in consequence. My
conjectures on all these points proved to be correct: for I afterwards
learned that the Emperor, after some delay, had determined to write to
me, without knowing what might be the nature of the papers which had
caused my arrest.
Need I say how dearly I prized this letter! I who had so frequently
heard the Emperor declare that he would not write to his wife, his
mother, or his brothers, since he could not do so without having his
letters opened and read by his jailers. But the letter to me had been
opened with his own consent and with his own hands; for, after it was
sent to Sir Hudson Lowe by the officer on guard, it was returned with
the observation that it could not be delivered to me until it should
be read and approved by the Governor. The Emperor was reclining on his
sofa at the moment when the letter was brought back to him, with this
new obstacle. He uttered not a word, but raising his hand over his
head, he took the letter, broke the seal, and immediately returned it,
without even looking at the person who had presented it.
Another circumstance which rendered this letter valuable in my eyes
was that it bore the Emperor’s full signature; and I knew how much he
disliked to sign his name at length, in the new circumstances in which
he was placed. This, I believe, was the first time he had signed his
name at full length since he had been at St. Helena, and, from an
inspection of the original, it is easy to perceive that it cost him
some degree of consideration. At first he wrote with his own hand,
merely the date: “_Longwood, December 11, 1816_,” concluding with his
usual cipher. But, conceiving this to be insufficient, he added, lower
down: “_your devoted Napoleon_,” repeating his cipher. The whole bears
evident traces of having been written under feelings of
embarrassment.[27]
Footnote 27:
This letter was written by one of Napoleon’s suite; but the Emperor
himself, with his own hand, marked the punctuation. I have mentioned
in a former part of my Journal that, in his writing, the Emperor was
perfectly careless of orthography; yet it is singular that, in the
letter here alluded to, he has himself corrected the slightest
errors.
But the greatest satisfaction which the Emperor’s letter afforded me
was that it pointed out precisely the course which I had previously
determined on adopting. “I _entreat_ you, and in case of urgency, I
_command_ you, to quit the island,” said the Emperor: and this was
exactly what I had resolved to do, during the first days of my
seclusion, while separated from all my friends, and having no
counsellor but myself. I can no longer, I thought, be of any great
service to the Emperor here; but I may, perhaps, be useful to him
elsewhere. I will go to England, and appeal to the Ministers. They
cannot suspect my conduct to be premeditated; seeing that I have been
snatched, as it were, from sudden death. Whatever I say will evidently
come from my heart. I will paint the truth, and they cannot but be
touched with the miseries I shall unfold to them. They will ameliorate
the condition of the illustrious captive, and I will myself return and
lay at his feet the consolation which my zeal will have procured.
I therefore resumed my prayers and entreaties; and a circumstance
which the more induced me to do so was that my son had just then been
seized with a relapse, and had been for half an hour in a state of
insensibility, without any other assistance than I was capable of
affording him. My distress and anxiety may be easily conceived; and I
was myself very much indisposed. I wrote a letter to the Governor, in
which I said:—“You reduce me to the utmost possible misery. What a
terrible responsibility you are taking upon yourself! You are a
father; and alarms like those which now distress me may, perhaps, one
day remind you of my unavailing entreaties.” It was evident that, by
detaining us, he was hurrying us to our graves. I was unable to
conceive what could induce him thus to involve himself in new
difficulties; it appeared to me most natural that he should prefer
letting us die elsewhere.
Sir Hudson Lowe called that very day. He said that the note he had
received respecting my son’s health was the occasion of his visit. He
had sent for Dr. Baxter, who arrived soon after him.
In the course of a long conversation, I could very well discern that
Sir Hudson Lowe had now some secret object in view with respect to me.
We reciprocally sounded each other on various points; and the Governor
concluded by observing that he could not send me back to England,
because I insisted on carrying my Journal along with me; while, on the
other hand, it was claimed by the Emperor, as it had been written by
his order. The cunning and absurdity of this reasoning were
sufficiently obvious. Then, as if seized by a sudden thought and a
momentary feeling of condescension, he added that, if I wished to
return to Longwood, he would very willingly agree to it. I trembled to
hear this.... However, recollecting the letter and the significant
words of the Emperor, I replied that, though the idea of returning to
Longwood was wholly contrary to my present intention, yet, if the
Emperor expressed a desire to that effect, I should immediately change
my resolution. Sir Hudson Lowe observed that he had good reason to
believe the Emperor did wish for my return. The Governor’s thoughts
were evidently occupied with some new scheme or other respecting me;
but I could not guess what it was. I signified that it would be
necessary for me to write to Longwood, to learn what were the
Emperor’s wishes. To this the Governor did not positively object, but
he expressed himself with the utmost obscurity. At length he departed;
at least I supposed him gone. He had, however, merely withdrawn for a
time, to hold a conference with his confidential officer; after which
he came to inform me that, having considered the business, he thought
it advisable for me to write to the Grand Marshal on the subject of my
return to Longwood, at the same time observing that, according to the
manner in which I might express myself in my letter, the Emperor would
or would not be induced to signify a wish for my return. This was very
certain, and I could not but smile at the observation.
OFFICIAL DECISION RESPECTING MY REMOVAL TO THE
CAPE.—CONDUCT OF SIR HUDSON LOWE.
20th, 21st.—Sir Hudson Lowe, harassed by my incessant appeals to him,
and perplexed by the awkward situation in which he had placed himself,
began apparently to repent of having made so much noise about so
trifling a matter. He evidently wished to see me return to the
Emperor, which of course would have relieved him of all embarrassment,
and would have put an end to the whole business. Consequently, with
the view of inducing me the more speedily to adopt this step, the
Governor addressed to me the official decision respecting my removal
to the Cape of Good Hope; and this document he accompanied by a letter
in which he once more mentioned, in very studied language, the
facility he afforded me of returning to Longwood. I have avoided, as
far as possible, inserting the documents connected with this
correspondence, and have abridged several of my own letters through
the fear of fatiguing the reader. However, it is proper that I should
produce all that is necessary for the explanation of this affair, and
I therefore subjoin the official decision, and the letter to which I
have just alluded.
DECLARATION.
“The Governor having duly considered all the circumstances, relative
to the affair of Count Las Cases, has adopted the following decision:—
“Count Las Cases having committed a direct and premeditated violation
of the regulations established at St. Helena, by virtue of the
authority of the British Government, relative to General Bonaparte, in
corrupting the fidelity of an inhabitant of the island, so far as to
render him, in a criminal and underhand way, the bearer of secret and
clandestine letters for Europe; and having thus broken one of the
indispensable conditions to which he voluntarily acquiesced when he
signed his declaration to obtain leave to reside at St. Helena, the
said Count Las Cases has been separated from the person of General
Bonaparte; and, in conformity with the instructions of the British
Government, he will be transported to the Cape of Good Hope.
“Count Las Cases is permitted to take with him all his property and
papers, excepting, however, such of the latter as may have reference
to General Bonaparte, since the time he has been under the authority
of the British Government, and also such correspondence as may not
have passed through the official channel of the English authorities.
“The Governor will await the orders of the British Government
respecting those papers, the nature of which may be the subject of
dispute.
(_Signed_) “HUDSON LOWE.”
“_Plantation House, Dec. 20, 1816._” */ #/
LETTER FROM SIR HUDSON LOWE, WHICH ACCOMPANIED
THE PRECEDING DOCUMENT.
“SIR,—In communicating to you the enclosed decision, permit me to
mention, what I have already stated verbally, that I shall make no
objection to your remaining on the island, if you prefer to do so,
rather than proceed to the Cape of Good Hope, there to wait until I
receive instructions from the British Government respecting you.
“In case you should prefer remaining at St. Helena, I conceive it
necessary to require from you a declaration, expressing your wish to
that effect, and a promise to submit to the same restrictions under
which you have hitherto been permitted to reside here.
“Thus, Sir, it is entirely at your own option, either to proceed to
the Cape of Good Hope, or to remain here, with your papers under seal,
until I shall receive instructions from Government.
“I have the honour to be, &c.
(_Signed_) “HUDSON LOWE.”
I immediately acknowledged the receipt of these two documents, at the
same time requesting an acknowledgment of the receipt of all my
letters, for as yet I had had no intimation of any one of them having
been received. Wishing to reply to the Governor’s offer of allowing me
to return to Longwood, I instantly addressed a letter on this subject
to the Grand Marshal, which I sent to Sir Hudson Lowe, in order that
he might peruse it, and forward it to its destination.