The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 37

[Pageheading: A GRAPHIC NARRATIVE]

_Mr Featherstonhaugh[9] to Viscount Palmerston._

HAVRE, _3rd March 1848._

MY DEAR LORD PALMERSTON,--It was a hair-trigger affair altogether, but thanks be to G.o.d everything has gone off admirably. I was obliged to abandon the plan of trusting the King in a fis.h.i.+ng-boat from Trouville. The weather was very stormy; had he attempted to find the steamer, he might have failed, for the sea was in a furious state and the wind ahead. There was also the danger of the fis.h.i.+ng-boat being lost, a contingency the very idea of which made me miserable.

I therefore abandoned the plan altogether, and after much and careful reflection determined to execute one more within my control, and the boldness of which, though trying to the nerves, was its very essence for success. It was to bring the King and Queen into Havre itself before anybody could suspect such a dangerous intention, and have everything ready for their embarkation to a minute. To carry out the plan, I wanted vigilant, intelligent, and firm agents, and I found them as it turned out. It was known to me that the lower cla.s.ses suspected it was M. Guizot concealed at Trouville, and as some sinister occurrence might reasonably be expected there, I sent a faithful person into Calvados. It was high time. The mob had a.s.sembled at the place where the King was, who had to slip out at the back door and walk two leagues on foot. At length he reached a small cottage belonging to a gardener at Honfleur, where the Queen was. This was half-past six o'clock A.M. yesterday. My agent saw the King and Queen, who, after some conversation, sent him back with this message, that they "would wait where they were until they again heard from me, and would carry out my final arrangements with exact.i.tude, as far as it depended upon them." I now instructed Captain Paul to be ready at half-past seven P.M., when it would be dark, to have his water hot, ready to get up steam; to have only a rope moored to the quay with an anchor astern; to expect me with a party a little before eight P.M., and as soon as I had got on board with my party and told him to push off, he was to let me go on sh.o.r.e, cut his rope and cable, get into the middle of the Basin, up with his steam and jib and push for England. Not a word was to be spoken on board.

To get the King here from Honfleur the following method was adopted: M. Bresson, a loyal and intelligent officer in the French Navy and well known to the King, and Mr Jones, my Vice-Consul and princ.i.p.al Clerk, went in the steam ferry-boat a quarter before five P.M. to Honfleur. From the landing-place it is three-quarters of a mile to the place where the King and Queen were concealed. The ferry-boat was to leave Honfleur for Havre a quarter before seven o'clock. I had given M. Bresson a pa.s.sport for Mr and Mrs Smith, and with this pa.s.sport the King was to walk to the landing-place, where he was to be met by my Vice-Consul and be governed by him.

If the _gens d'armes_ disputed his pa.s.sport Mr Jones was to vouch for its regularity, and say that he was sent by me to conduct Mr Smith to Havre, who was my Uncle. M. Bresson was to follow with the Queen, and the rest of the suite were to come to the ferry-boat one after another, but none of the party were to know each other. The ferry-boat was to arrive in Havre about half-past seven, and I was to do the rest. A white pocket-handkerchief was to be twice exhibited as a signal that all was right so far. The difficulty of the _gens d'armes_ being infinitely more to be provided against and apprehended here, I first confidentially communicated to the greatest gossips in the town that I had seen a written statement from an official person that the King had reached England in a fis.h.i.+ng-boat from the neighbourhood of Treport, and then got some persons whom I could rely upon, sons of my tradesmen here who are in the National Guard, to be near the steamer that was to receive the King, to give me their a.s.sistance if it should be necessary, on account of the turbulence of the crowd, to embark some friends of mine who were going to England. And if an extraordinary number of _gens d'armes_ were stationed at the steamer, and they hesitated about letting my Uncle go on board, then about one hundred yards off I had two persons who were to pretend a quarrel and a fight, to which I knew the _gens d'armes_ would all go as well as the crowd. In the meantime I hoped that as Captain Paul made no noise with his steam that the crowd would not a.s.semble, and that we might find no _gens d'armes_. The anxiously expected moment at length arrived. The ferry-boat steamer came to the quay; it was almost dark, but I saw the white pocket-handkerchief. There was a great number of pa.s.sengers, which favoured the debarkation. When half of them were out, the trembling Queen came up the ladder. I took her hand, told her it was me, and M. Bresson walked with her towards our steamer. At last came the King, disguised, his whiskers shaved off, a sort of casquette on his head, and a coa.r.s.e overcoat, and immense goggles over his eyes.

Not being able to see well, he stumbled, when I advanced, took his hand and said, "Ah, dear Uncle, I am delighted to see you." Upon which he answered, "My dear George, I am glad you are here." The English about me now opened the crowd for their Consul, and I moved off to a quiet and shaded part of the quay. But my dear Uncle talked so loud and so much that I had the greatest difficulty to make him keep silence. At length we reached the steamer; it was like a clock-work movement. The crowd was again opened for me. I conducted the King to a state-room below, gave him some information, and having personally ascertained that the Queen was in her cabin, and being very much touched with her tears and her grateful acknowledgments, I respectfully took my leave, gave the Captain the word to cut loose, and scrambled ash.o.r.e. In twenty minutes the steamer was outside, steaming away for England. I drove down to the jetty, and had that last satisfaction of seeing her beyond all possibility of recall, and then drove home. Much has been said this morning about the mysterious departure of Captain Paul, and I have been obliged to confess that the gentleman I was seen conducting on board was a brother of the King of Naples, who was immensely frightened without cause, and that I had engaged the steamer for him and his family. Many think, however, that it was the King, but then again that could not be if he crossed over from Treport in a fis.h.i.+ng-boat. We have got everybody completely mystified, and there are only four persons in the secret, who will all remain in the same story.

I have scribbled, amidst the most hurried engagements, this little narrative, believing that it would interest your Lords.h.i.+p. It has the interest of romance and the support of truth. I have the honour to be, etc.

G. W. FEATHERSTONHAUGH.

Information has just reached me that one hour after the King and Queen left their hiding-place last night, and just when I was embarking them, an officer and three _gens d'armes_ came to the place to arrest him. They were sent by the new Republican _Prefet_. It appears that the man who gave him refuge had confessed who he was as soon as the King had left Trouville, and had betrayed the King's hiding-place at Honfleur. What an escape! Your Lords.h.i.+p will see a paragraph in the enclosed newspaper not altogether false. We in the secret know nothing about Louis Philippe; we know something about the Count of Syracuse and something about Mr William Smith. If it leaks out, it must come from England. Here no one has any proof. In the meantime almost everybody here is delighted to think that he may have escaped.

[Footnote 9: British Consul at Havre. This letter was submitted to the Queen by Lord Palmerston.]

[Pageheading: ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND]

[Pageheading: RECEPTION AT CLAREMONT]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

CARLTON GARDENS, _3rd March 1848._ (3 P.M.)

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs to state that General Dumas has just been with him to announce that the King and Queen of the French landed this morning at Newhaven, having been brought over in the Steam Packet Express, in which they embarked at Havre yesterday evening about eight o'clock.

General Dumas says that till the morning of their arrival at Dreux the King and the Queen imagined that the Comte de Paris had succeeded to the Throne, and that the d.u.c.h.ess of Orleans had been declared Regent; that when they heard that a Republic and a Provisional Government had been declared they thought it unsafe to remain at Dreux; and that they then separated in order to go by different roads to Honfleur, where they were to meet at a small house belonging to a friend of General Dumas. At that house they remained for some days, until Mr Featherstonhaugh opened a communication with them. The King then removed to Trouville in order to embark from thence in a manner which Mr Featherstonhaugh had arranged, and he remained there two or three days for that purpose; but the weather was too stormy, and prevented his departure. In the meanwhile the people of Trouville found out who he was, and their demonstrations of attachment became inconvenient.

He therefore returned to Honfleur, and the arrangements were altered.

Yesterday evening at seven o'clock the King, the Queen, and General Dumas came to the ferry-boat which plies between Honfleur and Havre, and were met by the Vice-Consul, who treated the King as uncle of the Consul. On landing at Havre the King walked straight down to the Express Packet, which was lying ready; the Queen went separately, and after making a slight round through the streets of Havre embarked also; the Packet then immediately started, and went into Newhaven in preference to any other port, because no Packets start from thence for the French coast. General Dumas says that the whole party were unprovided with anything but the clothes they wore, and he was going to the King's banker to provide funds to enable him to come to town, and said that the King begged him to apologise for his not having at once written to your Majesty to thank your Majesty for the great interest which your Majesty has taken in his safety, and for the a.s.sistance, which he has received for his escape, but that he would do so this evening.

General Dumas said that the King's present intention is to remain in England in the strictest _incognito_, and that he and the Queen will a.s.sume the t.i.tle of Count and Countess of Neuilly.

Viscount Palmerston explained to General Dumas that your Majesty has made arrangements for the King's reception at Claremont, and that your Majesty intended to send down an officer of your Majesty's Household to communicate with the King.

General Dumas said that the King would most gratefully avail himself of the arrangement as to Claremont, but that under all circ.u.mstances, and as the King wished to remain in entire privacy, he thought it would be better that no person from your Majesty's Household should go down to the King at Newhaven, and that he was sure the King would rather find his own way from the railway station at London Bridge to Claremont than attract attention by being met at the station by any of your Majesty's carriages.

The King would remain to-night at Newhaven, and would come up to-morrow morning. General Dumas said that the King and the Queen had gone through much personal fatigue and mental anxiety, but are both well in health. The General was going to Count Jarnac before he returned to Newhaven.

[Pageheading: THE KING'S GRAt.i.tUDE]

_The King of the French to Queen Victoria._

NEWHAVEN, SUSs.e.x, _3eme Mars 1848._

MADAME,--Apres avoir rendu graces a Dieu, mon premier devoir est d'offrir a votre Majeste l'hommage de ma reconnaissance pour la genereuse a.s.sistance qu'elle nous a donnee, a moi et a tous les miens et que la Providence vient de couvrir d'un succes complet, puisque j'apprends qu'ils sont tous a present sur la terre hospitaliere de l'Angleterre.

Ce n'est plus, Madame, que _le Comte de Neuilly_ qui, se rappelant vos anciennes bontes, vient chercher sous ses auspices, un asyle et une retraite paisible et aussi eloignee de tout rapport politique que celle dont il y a joui dans d'autres temps, et dont il a toujours precieus.e.m.e.nt conserve le souvenir.

On me presse tellement pour ne pas manquer le train qui emportera ma lettre que j'ai a peine le temps de prier votre Majeste d'etre mon interprete aupres du Prince votre auguste epoux.

Ma femme, accablee de fatigue par la vie que nous venons de mener depuis dix jours! ecrira un peu plus tard a votre Majeste. Tout ce qu'elle a pu faire, est de tracer quelques mots pour notre bien aimee Louise que je recommande a votre bonte. On me presse encore, Madame, je ne puis que me souscrire avec mon vieil attachement pour vous, de votre Majeste, tres affectionne,

LOUIS PHILIPPE.

_The Queen of the French to Queen Victoria._

NEWHAVEN, _3eme Mars 1848._

MADAME,--A peine arrivee dans cette contree hospitaliere apres 9 jours d'une cruelle agonie, mon premier sentiment, apres avoir beni la Divine Providence, c'est de remercier, du fond de mon c[oe]ur, votre Majeste, pour les facilites qu'elle a bien voulu nous donner pour venir dans ce pays terminer nos vieux jours dans la tranquillite et l'oubli. Une vive inquietude me tourmente, c'est d'apprendre le sort de mes enfants cheris desquels nous avons du nous separer; j'ai la confiance qu'ils auront trouve aussi un appui dans le c[oe]ur genereux de votre Majeste, et qu'ils auront ete egalement sauves comme leur admirable Pere, mon premier tresor. Que Dieu vous benisse, Madame, ainsi que le Prince Albert et vos enfants, et vous preserve de malheurs pareils aux notres, c'est le v[oe]u le plus sincere de celle qui se dit, Madame, de votre Majeste, la toute devouee,

MARIE AMeLIE.

[Pageheading: ARRIVAL OF GUIZOT]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

HOUSE OF COMMONS, _3rd March 1848._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty: he has read with deep interest the affecting letter of the fallen King.

After the vicissitudes of a long life, it may be no irremediable calamity if a Prince of great powers of mind and warm domestic affections is permitted by Providence to end his days in peace and tranquillity.

Of course all enmity to his projects as a King ceases with his deposition.