that without the desire of accepting any appointment in 1815.  M. de Blacas, who was himself much surprised at Macdonald’s letter, communicated it to the King of Naples, whose answer deserves to be recorded.  It was as follows:—­“If I had not imposed a law upon myself to acknowledge none of the French endowments, the conduct of Marshal Macdonald would have induced me to make an exception in his favour.”  It is gratifying to see princes such scrupulous observers of the laws they make for themselves!

About the end of August 1815, as I was walking on the Boulevard des Capucines, I had the pleasure of meeting Rapp, whom I had not seen for a long time.  He had just come out of the house of Lagrenee, the artist, who was painting his portrait.  I was on foot, and Rapp’s carriage was waiting, so we both stepped into it, and set off to take a drive in the Bois de Boulogne.  We had a great deal to say to each other, for we had not met since the great events of the two Restorations.  The reason of this was, that in 1814 I passed a part of the year at Sens, and since the occurrences of March 1815 Rapp himself had been absent from Paris.  I found him perfectly resigned to his change of condition, though indulging in a few oaths against the foreigners.  Rapp was not one of those, generals who betrayed the King on the 20th of March.  He told me that he remained at the head of the division which he commanded at Ecouen, under the orders of the Due de Berry, and that he did not resign it to the War Minister until after the King’s departure.  “How did Napoleon receive you?” I inquired.  “I waited till he sent for me.  You know what sort of fellow I am:  I know nothing about politics; not I. I had sworn fidelity to the King.  I know my duty, and I would have fought against the Emperor.”—­“Indeed!”—­“Yes, certainly I would, and I told him so myself.”—­“How! did you venture so far?”—­“To be sure.  I told him that my resolution was definite.  ’Pshaw! . . . replied he angrily.  ’I knew well that you were opposed to me.  If we had come to an action I should have sought you out on the field of battle.  I would have shown you the Medusa’s head.  Would you have dared to fire on me?’—­’Without doubt,’ I replied. `Ah! parbleu this is too much,’ he said.  ’But your troops would not have obeyed you.  They had preserved all their affection for me.’—­’What could I do?’ resumed I.  ’You abdicated, you left France, you recommended us to serve the King—­and then you return!  Besides; I tell you frankly, I do not augur well of what will happen.  We shall have war again.  France has had enough of that.’  Upon this,” continued Rapp, “he assured me that he had other thoughts; that he had no further desire for war; that he wished to govern in peace, and devote himself solely to the happiness of his people.  When I hinted opposition on the part of the Foreign Powers, he said that he had made alliances.  He then spoke to me of the King, and I said I had been much pleased with him; indeed, the King gave