Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

FAMILY MEMOIRS.13

the street, the other crossed with him ; he stopped, the mysterious stranger stopped likewise, at a short distance. M. de Ségur, being without arms, and fearful that this rencontre might be connected with the personal ill-will of the king, began to run as he drew near to his own residence, but notwithstanding his haste, he could not prevent the pursuer from arriving at his door, just as it opened. He cast down at the feet of M. de Ségur a roll of papers, and instantly disappeared. The latter, before picking them up, directed several of his people to follow this unknown individual, but they could not overtake him.

The papers contained the projet of the treaty of Pilnitz, copied word for word, in the cabinet of the Prussian king; and thus it was that France, aided by those who were secret converts to her new doctrines, attained the first information of this celebrated document.

Circumstances more powerful than the talents or the will of men, rendered futile the negotiations of my father with the Berlin cabinet; but notwithstanding the failure of his object, he obtained the esteem, and even the friendship, of all those with whom business brought him into contact, (not excepting the king and the ministers,) which indemnified him, personally, for the ill success of his political mission.

"When my father was about to return to his government to give an account of his negotiations, his mother-in-law, then a French refugee at the same court at which he represented France as minister, joined her entreaties to those of his other friends at Berlin, to induce him to change his intentions, forsake the con-