Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1836-1840
agents to Syria for the purpose of finding out the exact extent of
Ibrahim's power. Hence we have been deceived, and the attitude of
France has been guided by unrealised expectations. M. de Broglie
thinks that the King was greatly mistaken in dismissing the Ministry
of M. Thiers, because he would in any case have fallen a victim to
public ridicule at this moment. This opinion is based upon the fact
that if one stakes a large sum upon one card and it does not appear
the ridicule is universal. The person to whom he was speaking on the
matter yesterday evening thought, on the other hand, that while the
Chamber might fear war, it would never have been strong enough to
overthrow the Cabinet.
"The speech drawn up by Thiers did not propose a new levy of a hundred
and fifty thousand men, but merely wished to anticipate the new levy
by three months, whether for peace or for war, this being the levy
ordinarily made in the spring. Moreover, the tone of the speech was
quite moderate; but the fact is that neither he nor the King was
sincere and it was a mere pretext on either side.
"There was a Ministerial crisis, of which we had no suspicion, after
the capture of Beyrout. The Ministry wished to make a demonstration by
sending the fleet to Alexandria, but the King was opposed to this
idea. M. de Broglie was asked to mediate between the two parties, and
patched the matter up, on the theory that it was impossible at that
moment to appoint a permanent Ministry if those in power resigned upon
such a question. He was also opposed to the idea of sending a fleet to
Alexandria, believing that the measure was good in itself, as likely
to cause the allies anxiety while giving them no reason for complaint,
and thinking it a measure which an absolute Government would have
every right to carry out; but in French practice, on the other hand,
as soon as this measure had been executed, the Press would have driven
the fleet into action, whether they wished or not, and war would have
been the result. All this argument, in any case, is based upon the
fact that this measure or anything like it could only be carried out
by violent means of which the public must hear, such as a resignation,
a crisis, and so forth. If the matter had been quietly arranged with
the private knowledge of the King, the case would have been very
different. Moreover, M. de Broglie is by no means well disposed
towards the King. He says, however, that it is all a matter of
indifference to him apart from the outward disturbance; that he will
support any possible Ministry, that not only will he make no attempt
to overthrow them, but will not even try to shake their stability,
seeing that any of the said Ministries are always more reasonable than
the Chamber. In short, he says that he is part of the Ministerial
suite, an avowal which no one had yet ventured to make, and that he
greatly envies you the prospect of spending his winter in the country.
His calmness is quite Olympian, though tempered with bitter and
piercing irony.
"M. Guizot tells his friends in confidence that he has induced M. de
Broglie to accept the London Embassy. I believe nothing of the kind,
but I forgot to ask him yesterday evening. M. Molé seemed to me to be
utterly cast down; he is a kind of Jeremiah singing madrigals, and is
greatly changed."
_Rochecotte, November 22, 1840._--Yesterday my son-in-law wrote to his
wife saying that the diplomatic correspondence was read privately
before the Commission of the Address in the Chamber of Deputies. It
represents M. Thiers as an incompetent and impossible Minister, M.
Guizot as a wise ambassador and a dangerous auxiliary, Lord Palmerston
as a resolute and strong character; it shows that Thiers had
attempted to deceive and blind the eyes of every one and to take them
in, and was simply laughed at, as also was France. He also writes that
the Duc d'Orléans made his little impromptu speech before the Chamber
of Peers with admirable tact, grace, and nobility.
Another note has been received from Lord Palmerston, milder in tone
than the former, but still raising anxiety upon the Egyptian question.
M. Mounier has been officially sent to London to try and secure some
concession.
My son Valençay writes to me to say that Madame de Nesselrode is at
Paris for six weeks; that she will not appear at Court, and therefore
will not go into society, but will live quietly by herself, and is
delighted with her idea. I do not know whether Count Nesselrode will
be equally delighted.
_Rochecotte, November 23, 1840._--My son-in-law writes that M.
Walewski, who had been sent to Egypt as an envoy to Ibrahim, thought
that he was still writing despatches for the Ministry of March 1, and
had announced that in spite of all his efforts he could not induce
Ibrahim to pass the Taurus. This despatch seems to be causing a great
sensation.
_Rochecotte, November 24, 1840._--My son-in-law writes: "There is a
vague rumour that some arrangement will be made in Syria and Egypt
which will not be the ruin of the Pasha. This is in consequence of his
complete submission to the Powers, but we shall boast of it here, and
the majority will appear to believe it. For some time past there have
been terrible arguments between Thiers and Guizot, face to face, and
the worst of it is for them both that the bystanders support one of
them against the other; consequently they will dig the pit in which
they will both fall. Thiers is almost entirely ruined, and Guizot will
be in the spring after he has refused, as he will, to pave the way for
M. Molé, who will certainly enter upon office if the King wishes."
_Rochecotte, November 25, 1840._--I have been reading with admiration
the noble farewell of Queen Christina to the Spanish nation.[142] It
seems to belong to another time and to an age when there was still
something divine in the language of kings. This touching manifesto is
said to have been drawn up by Señor de Offalia, who has also left
Spain.
[142] This manifesto of Queen Christina to the Spanish nation
will be found in the Appendix.
_Rochecotte, November 26, 1840._--What a dreadful speech M. Dupin has
made! I am certainly the most peaceful creature in France, but I
cannot understand how any one can descend to such depths. A descent so
useless, so tactless, and so clumsy that it really seems as if he were
trying to win a wager.
The wife of the Marshal d'Albuféra tells me that the Comtesse de
Nesselrode met M. Thiers at her house, and that he put out all his
efforts to charm the Comtesse. Madame de Nesselrode takes such sudden
fancies that she might get excited even over M. Thiers.
The English have captured Saint-Jean d'Acre. Their little Queen has
been confined of a daughter.[143]
[143] Victoria, Crown Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, was
born on November 21, 1840. By her marriage with Prince Frederick
William of Prussia she afterwards became Empress of Germany. She
was the mother of the Emperor William II.
_Rochecotte, November 28, 1840._--The Duc de Noailles writes: "You
will see by reading the reports of yesterday's session in the Chamber
of Deputies the excitement which pervaded the assembly. This
establishes and confirms peace with disgrace. These events will be a
heavy burden upon the future of the present dynasty. I think that the
consequence at home will be a kind of reform in the Chamber, which
will produce a dissolution, and also another Chamber, in which we
shall be forced to endure a Left Ministry led by Thiers."
Madame Mollien writes to me: "Queen Christina is pretty; her
complexion is superb, her skin fine and white; she has a gentle look
and a clever and gracious smile, but those who wish to think her
charming must look no lower than her head; in full detail she is
almost a monstrosity, quite as much as her sister the Infanta. She
came to France unattended by any of her ladies, though the newspapers
are pleased to speak of some Doña, who, if she does exist, is probably
nothing but a chambermaid. At Paris there are some Spanish ladies who
will perform some kind of attendance upon her; at the present moment
the Duchess of Berwick is so acting. Her suite is composed of only two
men, who are both young; one especially, the Count of Raquena, does
not seem to be more than twenty. He is a little man with fair
moustaches, and looks like a comedy lieutenant. I do not know when the
Queen will start. She says she is very happy here. I am afraid she
will be too happy and stay too long. These royal visits always cause a
certain amount of disturbance, which soon wearies the inhabitants of
the Tuileries. She dines there every day, though she is staying in the
royal palace. Her interview with her sister was very cold, but it
passed off without any scene, and nothing more was expected."
The Duchesse de Bauffremont sent me news of the marriage of her
grandson with the second Mlle. d'Aubusson; the eldest daughter is
marrying Prince Marc de Beauvau. Gontran's marriage will not take
place for a year, as the young lady is only fifteen; she will be
enormously rich. Her mother is Mlle. de Boissy. Her father has been
ill for ten years, and his property is in the hands of executors.
Gontran is not yet nineteen, and a very handsome young fellow.
_Rochecotte, November 29, 1840._--The day before yesterday the
_Journal des Débats_ was very curiously filled with the speeches of M.
Passy and M. Guizot, throughout which M. Thiers must have felt himself
somewhat uneasy. On the whole these explanations are not very
creditable to the cleverness of any one except to the skill and the
dignified tenacity of Lord Palmerston. It appears to me that all the
French actors have emerged from the business somewhat bespattered,
including even the little Bourqueney.
_Rochecotte, November 30, 1840._--The discussions in the Chamber have
induced me to read the newspaper through, and I am not sorry, for it
is a curious drama, though one in which the situation is more
interesting than the people, whose appearance becomes ever more
threadbare as they adopt the most certain means of degradation, want
of straightforwardness, simplicity, and truth in their dealings.
Moreover, this discussion is like the Day of Judgment; whether they
like it or not, every one is stripped of his fine feathers, and truth
is forced to the forefront. Hitherto M. Villemain seems to me to speak
the truth in the most suitable and striking language, but he is only
in a position to speak for one side of the matter, though this, in my
opinion, is the side to which blame chiefly attaches.
_Rochecotte, December 1, 1840._--The Duc de Noailles tells me: "I had
a long talk yesterday with M. Guizot, and I told him that recent
events and all that discussion has brought forth will considerably
complicate the present situation for a long time. He thinks, on the
contrary, that the difficulties are only momentary, and that public
feeling upon this question will be as short-lived as it was upon the
Polish war eight years ago.[144] I also had a long talk with Berryer
concerning his speech; he is thinking it over, and has some good
ideas; his conclusion will probably give the Ministry a set-back. He
will say that war is obviously impossible at this moment, but that
peace as formulated by the Ministry is not acceptable to the Chamber,
and that the Address should be referred to a new commission. Odilon
Barrot and M. Dufaure have already proposed this idea, which might
easily become popular. I also met Thiers at the Chamber, and walked
about for ten minutes with him. I reminded him that I had already
prophesied the events that have come to pass, because in this great
business nothing could be done without alliances, while France was
united to an ally who was opposed to her interests and obviously