Truth would then have sometimes appeared flattery, and sometimes, also, it might not have been without danger.
Afterwards, when the progress of events removed Bonaparte to a far distant island in the midst of the ocean, silence was imposed on me by other considerations,-by considerations of propriety and feeling.
After the death of Bonaparte, at St.Helena, reasons of a different nature retarded the execution of my plan.

The tranquillity of a secluded retreat was indispensable for preparing and putting in order the abundant materials in my possession.

I found it also necessary to read a great number of works, in order to rectify important errors to which the want of authentic documents had induced the authors to give credit.

This much-desired retreat was found.

I had the good fortune to be introduced, through a friend, to the Duchesse de Brancas, and that lady invited me to pass some time on one of her estates in Hainault.