“But the man was mad,” said Hornblower. “A raving lunatic. A stark, staring, idiotic impostor, and not a very good impostor at that.”
“I think there was something about him,” said Barbara, sticking to her guns. “Something—”
“You mean he kissed your hand and made pretty speeches,” said Hornblower in a huff.
It was not until six days later that The Times published a dispatch from Paris.
Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, the Pretender to the Imperial Throne, was today nominated as a candidate in the elections about to be held for the Presidency of the French Republic.
And it was not until a month after that that a liveried servant delivered a packet and a letter at Smallbridge. The letter was in French, but Hornblower had no difficulty in translating it—
My Lord
I am commanded by Monseigneur His Highness the Prince-President, as one of his first acts on assuming the control of the affairs of his people, to convey to you His Highness’s gratitude for the assistance you were kind enough to render him during his journey to Paris. Accompanying this letter Your Lordship will find the insignia of a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, and I have the pleasure of assuring Your Lordship that at His Highness’ command I am requesting of Her Majesty the Queen, through Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, permission for you to accept them.
I am also commanded by His Highness to beg that you will convey to Her Ladyship your wife his grateful thanks as well, and that you will present for her acceptance the accompanying token of his esteem and regard, which His Highness hopes will be a fitting tribute to the beautiful eyes which His Highness remembers so well.
With the highest expressions of my personal regard,
I am,
Your most humble and obedient servant
Cadore, Minister of Foreign Affairs.