Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/274

 232 ORIGIN OF THE WAR OF 1853 chap. His want of the personal qualifications for enter- • prises of this sort being now known in the French Array, and, ridicule having fastened upon his name, he could not afterwards seduce into his schemes any officers of higher rank than a lieu- tenant. Yet he did not desist. Before long he was planning another 'return from Elba,' but this time with new dresses and decorations. So long as he was preparing counterfeit flags and counterfeit generals and counterfeit soldiers,* and teaching a forlorn London bird to play the part of an omen and guide the destiny of France, he was perfectly at home in that kind of statesman- ship ; and the framing of the plebiscites and pro- clamations, which formed a large part of his cargo, was a business of which he was master; but if his arrangements should take effect then what lie had to look for was, that at an early hour on a sum- mer morning he would find himself in a barrack- yard at Boulogne surrounded by a band of armed followers, and supported by one of the officers of the garrison whom he had previously gained over; but also having to do with a number of soldiery, of whom some would be for him and some inclining against him, and others confused and perplexed. Now, this was exactly what happened to him : his arrangements had been so skilful, and fortune had so far lured him on, that whither he meant to 42d, one of the regiments quartered at Boulogne ; and buttons having on them the number of the regiment were forged for the purpose at Birmingham.
 * The dresses were made to counterfeit the uniform of the