GENERAL SAVARY SENT TO SPAIN But, even before Murat's letters, in which he put forward his new ideas, could reach Paris, the Emperor had summoned General Savary, one of his ablest, boldest, most faithful and, if need were, most unscrupulous ambassadors, who had just returned from a most important mission to St. Petersburg. He revealed to Savary all his thoughts upon Spain, his desire to regenerate it and bind it to France by making a complete change in its dynasty; the new phase created by the recent events at Aranjuez; the desirability of making use of the old against the new King; his intention not to recognize Ferdinand-while affecting a religious regard for the rights of Charles IV., but making him yield up his crown at a later period-to draw Ferdinand away from Madrid, to Burgos or Bayonne, and to obtain from him a cession of his rights by an indemnity in Italy, such as Tuscany, for example; but, if he should prove obdurate to boldly publish the protest of Charles IV., to declare that he alone was King of Spain, and to treat Ferdinand, as a son and as a subject, like a rebel. Savary was enjoined to act with discretion, to allure Ferdinand to Bayonne, with the hope of seeing the dispute with his father decided in his favour. Savary set out immediately for Madrid to apprise Murat of these secret purposes, and to carry them into execution without reserve. The Emperor instructed Murat to preserve the life of the Prince of Peace at all costs, and to send him to Bayonne, to carefully protect the old sovereigns, to bring them from Aranjuez to the Escurial, where they would be in the midst of the French army; to beware of ac knowledging Ferdinand VII., and finally, to wait for the arrival of the French court at Bayonne, where it would arrive shortly. Murat and General Savary soon decided upon the manner in which they would carry this dark and difficult plot into execution. The question which Ferdinand had to resolve was simply: should he go to meet Napoleon? The danger of compromising the provinces, the colonies, or some other great interests of the Spanish monarchy, never even presented itself to the minds of Ferdinand and his advisers, so entirely were they occupied with the fear that Charles IV. would go to plead for himself, and, perhaps, gain his cause with Napoleon. Ferdinand sent his two most trusted advisers to sound Murat and Savary as to their attitude, and they were so completely duped by the encouragement received from each of them, that they returned to Ferdinand convinced that this journey to Burgos would certainly lead to his recognition as King of Spain. The astute diplomat, Savary, had no difficulty whatever in misleading these otherwise cunning men, who would have deceived themselves had no one else deceived them, so anxious were they to be persuaded to take any measure which might thwart the restoration of the old King and Manuel Godoy to power. Ferdinand having thus determined to go to Burgos, had the effrontery to go to his outraged parents, whom he had left almost in destitution, without even deigning to see before he set out for Madrid from Aranjuez, to ask for a letter to Napoleon, in order, in some measure to bind his old father by a word of good will in his favour, but met with a bad reception from him, and with a still worse one from his mother who angrily refused to aid him in his attempt to establish his good conduct in the events of Aranjuez. Although somewhat disconcerted. at this refusal, he appointed a regency, with commission to give orders in cases of emergency during his absence, and prepared to set out on the 10th of April, with his suite and principal advisers to Burgos. The news of this intended journey caused an inexpressible commotion in Madrid, which was only partially allayed by a proclamation from Ferdinand, saying that the Emperor of France was coming in person to the capital, there to contract a new alliance, and to consolidate the happiness of the Spaniards, and that he could not neglect the duty of going to meet a guest so illustrious and so great as the victor of Austerlitz and Friedland. It had been agreed upon between Murat and Savary that the latter, for fear of some alteration in Ferdinand's mind, should make the journey along with him and his suite, to draw them on from Burgos to Vittoria, and from Vittoria to Bayonne, where the Emperor would be. It was also decided that the demand for delivering up the Prince of Peace should be deferred till Ferdinand had crossed the frontier. No sooner was the departure of Ferdinand known than the old sovereigns became greatly alarmed, and manifested an ardent desire to proceed in person to plead their cause against an unnatural son, without waiting for the Emperor to arrive at Madrid. The widowed young Queen of Etruria, wished also to defend the rights of her infant son, now become King of North Lusitania, and contributed to the eagerness of her parents to take the road to Bayonne. Murat was at once informed of this desire of her parents by the young Queen, and learned, with inexpressible joy, that the Bourbons would themselves soon leave the |