But in after days, at St.
Helena, when dictating the apology of his life to the companions of his exile, he not only spoke openly of the death of the Duke d'Enghien, but appears to have dwelt upon it often and long.

Well aware that this was generally regarded as the darkest trait in his history, he displayed a feverish anxiety to explain it away.

But the Sultan Akber wore a signet, inscribed, "I never knew any one that lost his way in a straight road;" and he that is conscious of innocence can have no temptation to multiply the lines of his defence.

Buonaparte, according to the mood of the moment, or the companion whom he addressed, adopted different methods of vindicating himself.

They were inconsistent as well as diverse; and even Las Cases seems to have blushed for his hero when he recorded them.
At one time Napoleon represents himself as having been taken by surprise: his ministers come on him when he is alone, at midnight, and inform him that the Bourbons have conspired to assassinate him--that the proofs are in their hands--that the Duke d'Enghien has already been more than once in Paris, and is lying close to the frontier, expecting the signal to return and head the conspirators in person .-- In the first flush of indignation he gives the order for arresting the duke--every artifice is adopted to prevent him from interfering afterwards--everything is arranged by Talleyrand--the duke addresses a letter to him from Strasburg--that letter Talleyrand suppresses until the tragedy is over--had it been delivered in time, the life of the unhappy prince had been saved.
Unfortunately for Buonaparte, eight days elapsed between the order for the arrest and the order for the execution, a much longer period than was ever necessary for restoring the composure of his strong understanding.