As for Davoust, I felt my hands tied with respect to him.  I do not mean to affect generosity, for I acknowledge the enmity I bore him; but I did not wish it to be supposed that I was acting towards him from a spirit of personal vengeance.  I therefore merely ordered him to be watched.  The other twenty-three were to me in this matter as if they had never existed; and some of them, perhaps, will only learn in reading my Memoirs what dangerous characters they were thought to be.

On the 15th of March, after the conversation which, as I have already related, I had with Louis XVIII, I went to M. de Blacas and repeated to him what I had stated to the King on the certainty of Bonaparte’s speedy arrival in Paris.  I told him that I found it necessary to devote the short time still in our power to prevent a reaction against the Royalists, and to preserve public tranquillity until the departure of the Royal family, and that I would protect the departure of all persons who had reasons for withdrawing themselves from the scene of the great and perhaps disastrous events that might ensue.  “You may readily believe, Count,” added I, “that considering the great interests with which I am entrusted, I am not inclined to lose valuable time in arresting the persons of whose names I have received a list.  The execution of such a measure would be useless; it would lead to nothing, or rather it would serve to irritate public feeling.  My conviction of this fact has banished from me all idea of keeping under restraint for four or five days persons whose influence, whether real or supposed, is nil, since Bonaparte is at Auxerre.  Mere supervision appears to me sufficient, and to that I propose confining myself.”—­“The King,” replied M. de Blacas, “relies on you.  He knows that though only forty-eight hours have elapsed since you entered upon your functions, you have already rendered greater services than you are perhaps aware of.”  I then asked M. de Blacas whether he had not received any intimation of Bonaparte’s intended departure from the island of Elba by letters or by secret agents.  “The only positive information we received,” answered the Minister, “was an intercepted letter, dated Elba, 6th February.  It was addressed to M. -----, near Grenoble.  I will show it you.”  M. de Blacas opened a drawer of his writing-table and took out the letter, which he gave to me.  The writer thanked his correspondent for the information he had transmitted to “the inhabitant of Elba.”  He was informed that everything was ready for departure, and that the first favourable opportunity would be seized, but that it would be desirable first to receive answers to some questions contained in the letter.  These questions related to the regiments which had been sent into the south, and the places of their cantonment.  It was inquired whether the choice of the commanders was conformable to what had been agreed on in Paris, and whether Labedoyere was at his post.  The letter was rather long and it impressed