A friend of mine, M. Sauvaire Barthelemy, one of Louis Philippe's
peers, was standing at the door of his hotel reading a letter. A
gentleman in plain clothes addressed him, announced himself as an _agent
de police_, and asked him if the letter which he was reading was
political. "No," said Barthelemy, "you may see it. It is a _billet de
mariage." "I am directed," said the agent, "to request you to get into
this carriage." They got in and drove to Mazas. There Barthelemy was
shown into a neat room with iron bars to the windows, and ordered to
wait. After some time Louis Pietri, the Prefet de Police, arrived.
'"I am grieved," he said, "at giving you so much trouble, but I have been
commanded to see you in this place, and to inform you that the Emperor
cannot bear that a man in your high position should systematically
misrepresent him.
'"L'Empereur fait tout ce qu'il peut pour le bonheur de la France, et il
n'entend pas supporter une opposition aussi constante et aussi violente.
Effectivement il ne veut pas d'opposition. Voulez-vous le tenir pour
dit, Monsieur, et recevoir de nouveau mes excuses du derangement que j'ai
du vous causer? Pour le present vous etes libre.
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