[Footnote 12:  It appeared subsequently, by means of a public prosecution, that Vidocq, with a party of his followers, were among the revolters, disguised as countrymen.  A government that has an intimation of the existence of a plot to effect its own overthrow, has an unquestionable right to employ spies to counteract the scheme; but if it proceed so far as to use incentives to revolt, it exceeds its legitimate powers.]

While we were conversing, General ——­, whom I had not seen since the dinner of the previous day, was announced and admitted.  He stayed but a few minutes, for, though his reception was kind, the events of the last week had evidently cast a restraint about the manners of both parties.  The visit appeared to me, to be one of respect and delicacy on the part of the guest, but recent occurrences, and his close connexion with the King, rendered it constrained; and, though there appeared no evident want of good feeling on either side, little was said, during this visit, touching the “two days,” as the 5th and 6th of June are now termed, but that little served to draw from Lafayette a stronger expression of political hostility, than I had ever yet heard from his lips.  In allusion to the possibility of the liberal party connecting itself with the government of Louis-Philippe, he said—­“a present, un ruisseau de sang nous separe."[13] I thought General—­considered this speech as a strong and a decisive one, for he soon after rose and took his leave.

[Footnote 13:  “We are now separated by a rivulet of blood.”]

Lafayette spoke favourably of the personal qualities and probity of his visitor, when he had withdrawn, but said that he was too closely incorporated with the juste milieu to be any longer classed among his political friends.  I asked him if he had ever known a true liberal in politics, who had been educated in the school of Napoleon?  The General laughingly admitted that he was certainly a bad master to study under, and then added it had been intended to offer General ——­ a portfolio, that of the public works I understood him to say, had they succeeded in overturning the ministry.

This conversation insensibly led to one on the subject of the revolution of July, and on his own connexion with the events of that important moment.  I despair of doing justice to the language of General Lafayette on this occasion, and still less so to his manner, which, though cool and dignified, had a Roman sternness about it that commanded the deepest respect.  Indeed, I do not remember ever to have seen him with so much of the externals of a great man as on this evening, for no one, in common, is less an actor with his friends, or of simpler demeanour.  But he now felt strongly, and his expressions were forcible, while his countenance indicated a portion of that which was evidently working within.  You must be satisfied, however, with receiving a mere outline of what fell from his lips in an uninterrupted explanation that lasted fully half an hour.