1920-22 Draft of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom – Page 134

There's a long handwritten text in the image. Here's my attempt to transcribe it: There was some apparent. As we were informed, the French government had taken active measures in the Russian affair, and was induced to send its minister to the Duke D'Angouleme with the proposal to put himself at the head of some forces intending to act in Poitou, Anjou, Brittany, and Normandy to support the Royalist cause. His proposition was to make a diversion in favor of our King in his province with their troops, cannon, etc. and he pledged himself that ample funds would be advanced to support and provision his armies in return for which he expected countenance and support by our forces from Bordeaux to Dunkerque and Antwerp. He was allowed to carry matters so far as to collect provisionally troops and supplies for that purpose, to make all the military equipments which he had pledged, and to name lieutenants, commissaries, etc. till he should himself come forward in person to take the command. But after a certain time the Directory took the alarm, put a decided negative on the entire project, and withdrew the papers. Its views appear to have been in the first instance to commit the K. with such an engagement to them as might conciliate him to some degree and divert the renouncement they seem to have meditated of his interest. Pray excuse incoherencies perhaps occasioned by hurry or interruption. The whole business seemed to lead no further.