But I must keep to my jackstraws.

On April 17, 1803, Bonaparte's brother, Lucien, reports a conversation held with him by Bonaparte.

What purposes, what oscillations, may have been going on deep in Bonaparte's secret mind, no one can tell.

We may guess that he did not relinquish his plan about Louisiana definitely for some time after the thought had dawned upon him that it would be better if he did relinquish it.

But unless he was lying to his brother Lucien on April 17, 1803, we get no mere glimpse, but a perfectly clear sight of what he had come finally to think.