[xpi0t0s]

This works (displays 3) in Visual Studio 2008:

class A
{
private: 
	A(){}
public: 
	int foo(){return 3;}
	friend A* whatever();
};

A* whatever()
{
	return new A;
}

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
	A* baz=whatever();
	printf("%d\n",baz->foo());
	return 0;
}

I would expect C# to be identical to the above apart from maybe the odd bit of syntax.

With a private constructor you have to have either a member function that returns a new object such as the create() function previously or a friend that will create one for you.