The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-03 00:00:00

THE VALET'S RESOLVE TO LEAVE THE HERO.

It was great matter for surprise with all who knew San-
tini that he was one of the two exceptions; and every
motive but the right one was assigned for his quitting a
master ha loved so dearly. The fact was that the faithful
Corsican had found a way of making his departure from the
island more useful to the Emperor than his stay in it would
would have been. His intentions will be best explained by
the following conversation. Alone with Napoleon, Santini
said to him, " Sirs, does your Majesty doubt of my devo-
tion?" " No; but why this preamble ?" "Is your Ma-
jesty quite convinced that I would give the last drop of
my blood to be of service to you ?" " Yes, yes," said
Napoleon impatiently; "go on." "It was neces-
sary to me to receive this assurance from your
own mouth, Sire, before explaining myself." " Well,
I know you to be a most faithful servant : now go on."
" Sire, I do not intend to sign the declaration of Sir Hudson
Lowe." " Why not ?" asked the Emperor, his eyes flash-
ing fire. " I must leave you, Sire." "So you would
abandon me, mountaineer 1" cried the Emperor sadly, "oh,
men, men 1" " Sire, I have resolved to leave you, but only
that I may serve you the better. Of what use to you am
I here ? whereas in Europe, humble as I am, in making use
of your name, and still fresh from your service, I can first
of all awaken public curiosity, and then turn it to the
profit of your Majesty. I shall relate everything that has
passed here ; I will have the account of your daily torture
on this miserable rock published in the English news-
papers ; and, when this is known, surely the indignation of
the world will fall on the English Government, who, by
this means, will be compelled to render justice to your
Majesty." Santini evinced such animation while unfolding
his project that the Emperor was much impressed ; he re-
flected for some time, and then said, pulling Santini's ear,
" Well, mountaineer, your project pleases me; but have
you well considered the task you wish to undertake ? Will
it not be too much for you ? W ill you be able to accom2lish
it ?” 66 With God's help, yes, Sire."

THE EMPEROR'S FAREWELL TO HIS FAITHFUL SERVANTS

The hour of departure had come, and the vessel bound
for the Cape was ready to set sail. Napoleon sent for the
faithful servitors who were about to leave him, most likely
for ever ; and, after a sad and touching farewell, after tell-
ing them to cherish his memory, and to love their country,
he gave to each a written title to a pension for life, to be
paid by the different members of his family. They then
left him ; but he signed to Santini to remain, and when
they were alone, said—" Well, are you still in the same
mind ?" More than ever, your Majesty, am I not going ?"
"Do not compromise yourself, or you will be lost : be pru-
dent, or you will not succeed." " I shall remember
that I have to save your Majesty from the claws of a
tiger—l will be prudent." " Very well." And the Em-
peror called to the Count Las Cases and his son Emanuel,
Who were occupied in the cabinet adjoining," Have you
finished that transcription ?" " Yes, sire," answered
Emanuel Las Cases; and he delivered to Napaleon the
fragments of satin on which he had copied the protest in
microscopic characters with Indian ink. Santini received
it from the Emperor's hangs, and with it the last farewell
of his master—that adored master by whose side he never
stood again until five and twenty years' afterwards, when
the dead hero was brought to France, to find a shelter under
the gilded dome of the Invalides I
The last occasion on which the cause of the Emperor was
pleaded before the House of Commons was on the 15th of
March. The sitting was a stormy one, but it witnessed the
complete triumph of the noble defender of Napoleon. A
Commission, formed of men of mixed opinions, was de-
spatched to Saint Helena, with orders to inquire rigor-
ously into :the condition of the prisoner. They had full
power to act, and they did what they could : but they
could neither change the climate of the island, nor its
governor. Death, too, was marching with giant strides
towards Napoleon. Still some good was done, and the
Emperor was fully sensible of it. On receiving the pam-
phlet and newspapers, in which hie protest had been pub
fished, he cried out joyously, "Ah I I told you all along
that my mountaineer would succeed '."

The mountaineer, however, says a reviewer of
Mr. Jerrold's book in the Reader, never saw his
master again. He was arrested at Milan, and retained as a
prisoner there, and afterwards in Vienna, till the death
of the great exile set him free. The Revolution of July
1830 brought the faithful fellow some luck, for he became
door-keeper to the Cabinet of Louis Philippe, and after-
wards held an appointment in the Post-office. But
a more appropriate post was in store for him in the
end of his days. He had seen the remains of his great
master brought in triumph to Paris ; but he saw more
than that—the Bonaparte dynasty revived and re-
established. Louis Napoleon, even while yet only Pre-
sident of the Republic, took every opportunity of
seeking out and rewarding the survivors of those who had
been faithful to his uncle; and, a guardian being re-
quired for the Emperor's tou.b, Santini was appointed
to the office, and made chevalier of the Legion of
Honour. Year alter year ho performed his duty of watch-
ing by the splendid tomb; and not many months since he
died at his post.