Before the King departed for Ghent he had consented to sign the contract of marriage between one of my daughters and M. Massieu de Clerval, though the latter was at that time only a lieutenant in the navy.  The day appointed for the signature of the contract happened to be Sunday, the 19th of March, and it may well be imagined that in the critical circumstances in which we then stood, a matter of so little importance could scarcely be thought about.  In July I renewed my request to his Majesty; which gave rise to serious discussions in the Council of Ceremonies.  Lest any deviation from the laws of rigid etiquette should commit the fate of the monarchy, it was determined that the marriage contract of a lieutenant in the navy could be signed only at the petty levee.  However, his Majesty, recollecting the promise he had given me, decided that the signature should be given at the grand levee.  Though all this may appear exceedingly ludicrous, yet I must confess that the triumph over etiquette was very gratifying to me.

A short time after the King appointed me a Councillor of State; a title which I had held under Bonaparte ever since his installation at the Tuileries, though I had never fulfilled the functions of the office.  In the month of August; the King having resolved to convoke a new Chamber of Deputies, I was appointed President of the Electoral College of the department of the Yonne.  As soon as I was informed of my nomination I waited on M. de Talleyrand for my instructions, but he told me that, in conformity with the King’s intentions, I was to receive my orders from the Minister of Police.  I observed to M. de Talleyrand that I must decline seeing Fouche, on account of the situation in which we stood with reference to each other.  “Go to him, go to him,” said M. de Talleyrand, “and be assured Fouche will say to you nothing on the subject.”

I felt great repugnance to see Fouche, and consequently I went to him quite against my inclination.  I naturally expected a very cold reception.  What had passed between us rendered our interview exceedingly delicate.  I called on Fouche at nine in the morning, and found him alone, and walking in his garden.  He received me as a man might be expected to receive an intimate friend whom he had not seen for a long time.  On reflection I was not very much surprised at this, for I was well aware that Fouche could make his hatred yield to calculation.  He said not a word about his arrest, and it may well be supposed that I did not seek to turn the conversation on that subject.  I asked him whether he had any information to give me respecting the elections of the Yonne.  “None at all,” said he; “get yourself nominated if you can, only use your endeavours to exclude General Desfouinaux.  Anything else is a matter of indifference to me.”—­“What is your objection to Desfournaux?”—­“The Ministry will not have him.”