When Ferdinand arrived at Bayonne, the Emperor went to see him at once, and Ferdinand went down to the door to meet him. The interview was short, but the Spanish King was invited to dinner that night. It was noticeable that, although Napoleon was very friendly, he never addressed his guest as “Majesty”; and hardly was Ferdinand back in his rooms, when a message was conveyed to him by Savary to the effect that the Emperor had determined that the Bourbons should not return to the throne of Spain, and that, as he had determined to put a French Prince upon the throne, he required the son of Charles IV. to renounce the diadem of both worlds in his own name and in that of all his family. Pedro Ceballos was loud in his indignation at such usurpation, when Napoleon, who had heard his remarks from the next room, entered the apartment, upbraided him for his treachery to Charles, and declined to enter further into the matter until Ferdinand’s father was there to speak for himself. After Charles had sent Napoleon a protest against his abdication, he concentrated all his efforts on gaining the liberty of the Prince of the Peace. Indeed, the old man seemed more upset at the risks run by his ex-Minister than he was at the treatment he had himself received. Pursuant to Murat’s advice, Charles and his wife repaired to the Escorial, and there, in this imposing but gloomy abode, they brooded over the turn in their affairs until despair filled their hearts. Murat, faithful to the promise made to Charles in the presence of the Queen of Etruria on the eve of his departure for the Escorial, did his best for the dethroned Sovereigns, and persuaded the Union to depute him to accompany them to Bayonne to take part in the conference with Napoleon. The fact of Godoy being in Bayonne was another reason for the royal couple to wish to go there, as they had not seen him since his release from captivity. The following letter, which the King wrote to Napoleon announcing his departure for Bayonne, shows the esteem in which they held Bonaparte: “ARANDA, “_April 25, 1808_. “SIR AND BROTHER, “A prey to rheumatic pains in my hands and knees, I should be completely miserable were not my troubles alleviated by the hope of seeing you in a few days. I cannot hold a pen, so I beg of Your Majesty to pardon my not writing with my own hand to express the great pleasure I have in going to enjoy your generous kindness, for I am obliged to use a secretary. “The Queen also writes to Your Imperial Majesty, and we beg you to accept our united sentiments of love and confidence. “Your protection is balm to the wounds of my heart, and I feel that the moment in which I shall find myself in your arms will be one of the happiest of my life, and the first, after all that has happened, on which I shall feel sure of my existence. “May my wishes be fulfilled!