He told me that he had sent to Hartwell several drafts of proclamations, with none of which, he said, the King was satisfied.  On allowing me the copy of the last of these drafts I frankly told him that I was quite of the King’s opinion as to its unfitness.  I observed that if the King should one day return to France and act as the general advised he would not keep possession of his throne six months.  Driesen then requested me to dictate a draft of a proclamation conformably with my ideas.  This I consented to do on one condition, viz. that he would never mention my name in connection with the business, either in writing or conversation.  General Driesen promised this, and then I dictated to him a draft which I would now candidly lay before the reader if I had a copy of it.  I may add that in the different proclamations of Louis XVIII.  I remarked several passages precisely corresponding with the draft I had dictated at Hamburg.

During the four years which intervened between my return to Paris and the downfall of the Empire it several times occurred to me that General Driesen had betrayed my secret, and on his very first visit to me after the Restoration, our conversation happening to turn on Hamburg, I asked him whether he had not disclosed what I wished him to conceal?  “Well,” said he, “there is no harm in telling the truth now.  After you had left Hamburg the King wrote to me inquiring the name of the author of the last draft I had sent him, which was very different from all that had preceded it.  I did not answer this question, but the King having repeated it in a second letter, and having demanded an answer, I was compelled to break my promise to you, and I put into the post-office of Gothenberg in Sweden a letter for the King, in which I mentioned your name.”

The mystery was now revealed to me.  I clearly saw what had excited in Napoleon’s mind the suspicion that I was carrying on intrigues with England.  I have no doubt as to the way in which the affair came to his knowledge.  The King must have disclosed my name to one of those persons whose situations placed them above the suspicion of any betrayal of confidence, and thus the circumstance must have reached the ear of Bonaparte.  This is not a mere hypothesis, for I well know how promptly and faithfully Napoleon was informed of all that was said and done at Hartwell.

Having shown General Drieaen Napoleon’s accusatory letter, he begged that I would entrust him with it for a day or two, saying he would show it to the King at a private audience.  His object was to serve me, and to excite Louis XVIII.’s interest in my behalf, by briefly relating to him the whole affair.  The general came to me on leaving the Tuileries, and assured me that the King after perusing the letter, had the great kindness to observe that I might think myself very happy in not having been shot.  I know not whether Napoleon was afterwards informed of the details of this affair, which certainly had no connection with any intrigues with England, and which, after all, would have been a mere peccadillo in comparison, with the conduct I thought it my duty to adopt at the time of the Restoration.