The  best  mode  to  effect  this,  that  occurred  to  me,  was  a  disvowal  of
Mr.  Consul  Brown's  disreputable  behaviour,  but  I  was  willing,  of
course,  to  leave  my  restitution  to  the  superior  wisdom  of  the  autho
rities  in  Downing-street.  I  inferred  my  chances  were  all  the  better
that  Lord  Palmerston,  though  a  member  of  the  Government,  was
no  longer  at  the  head  of  the  Foreign  Office.  To  be  sure,  his
successor,  Lord  Clarendon,  would  take  care  not  to  compromise
his  noble  colleague  by  taking  any  steps  in  my  favour  without
consulting  him,  and  it  remained  to  be  seen  how  far  the  latter
would  consent  to  repair  the  injuries  I  had  endured.  It  is  a  rare
thing  for  a  great  man  in  office  to  admit  an  error  by  doing  an  act
of  justice,  not  that  he  may  lack  magnanimity,  but  it  would  go
to  prove  he  had  made  a  mistake,  and  we  have  the  high  authority
of  Talleyrand,  "  g'une  faute  est  pire  qun  crime,"  (that  an  error  is
worse  than  a  crime),  not  a  very  moral  axiom,  it  is  true,  but  in
diplomacy  the  end  invariably  justifies  the  means.
The  difficulty  my  case  presented  was  how  to  satisfy  my  expec
tations  without  damaging  the  parties  so  active  against  me.  On3
method  had  been  hit  upon  which  I  had  rejected.  A  pardon  had
been  offered  me  whilst  in  prison,  together  with  money,  which
Miss  Gamble  was  ready  to  advance,  on  condition  that  IsJtould  bind


252  A    PRETEXT.
mysetf  to  leave  Europe,  and  maJce  no  publication  of  all  thai  Jiad
occurred.  I  declined  Iho  bargain  without  a  moment's  hesitation.
