I have a letter to give you.'-- 'A letter?
And from whom ?'--'Read it, general.' "I asked him to take a seat; I took the letter, but as I was opening it, I saw that the address was--_a M.le Commandant Mesonan_.

I said to him: 'But, my dear Commandant, this is for you, not for me.'-- 'Read it, General!'-- I opened the letter and read thus:-- "'My dear Commandant, it is most essential that you should immediately see the general in question; you know he is a man of resolution, on whom one may rely.

You know also that he is a man whom I have put down to be one day a marshal of France.

_You will offer him, from me, 100,000 francs_; and you will ask him into what banker's or notary's hands _I shall pay 300,000 francs_ for him, in the event of his losing his command.' "I stopped here, overcome with indignation; I turned over the leaf, and I saw that the letter was signed, 'LOUIS NAPOLEON.' "I handed the letter back to the commandant, saying that it was a ridiculous and abortive affair." Who speaks thus?
General Magnan.

Where?
In the open Court of Peers.
Before whom?
Who is the man seated on the prisoners' bench, the man whom Magnan covers with "scorn," the man towards whom Magnan turns his "indignant" face?
Louis Bonaparte.
Money, and with money gross debauchery: such were his means of action in his three enterprises at Strasburg, at Boulogne, at Paris.