Wellington and Castlereagh were also of the opinion that Louis XVIII should show a degree of ruthlessness to those soldiers and officials who had betrayed him by going over to Napoleon even before he had left Paris. They lamented the French King’s apparent flabbiness, and insisted on the execution of Marshal Ney, General de Labedoyère and General de Lavalette. Ironically, it was thanks to a British officer that the latter was sprung from gaol and spirited away to safety. But the others were duly executed,
