Louis Napoleon swiftly embraced the results, appearing convinced he had been given a public mandate to rule. Others were less enthusiastic; prior to the plebiscite, Louis Napoleon’s critics had questioned the referendum’s legality. Following the returns, many challenged the validity of such an implausibly lopsided result. One such critic was Victor Hugo, who had originally supported Louis Napoleon but had been infuriated by the coup d'état, departed Paris for Brussels by train on 11 December 1851. He became the most bitter critic of Louis Napoleon, rejected the amnesty offered him, and did not return to France for twenty years.