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generals　at　the　head　of　the　coalition　had　rushed　with　their　masses　of
soldiers　upon　the　capital。

However　disastrous　might　be　the　news　brought　to　headquarters；　the　Emperor
wished　to　verify　its　truth　in　person；　and　on　his　return　from　Saint…Dizier
made　a　detour　to　Vitry；　in　order　to　assure　himself　of　the　march　of　the
allies　on　Paris；　and　all　his　doubts　were　dissipated　by　what　he　saw。
Could　Paris　hold　out　long　enough　for　him　to　crush　the　enemy　against　its
walls？　　Thereafter　this　was　his　sole　and　engrossing　thought。　　He
immediately　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　his　army；　and　we　marched　on
Paris　by　the　road　to　Troyes。　　At　Doulencourt　he　received　a　courier　from
King　Joseph；　who　announced　to　him　the　march　of　the　allies　on　Paris。　　That
very　moment　he　sent　General　Dejean　in　haste　to　his　brother　to　inform　him
of　his　speedy　arrival。　　If　he　could　defend　himself　for　two　days；　only　two
days；　the　allied　armies　would　enter　Paris；　only　to　find　there　a　tomb。
In　what　a　state　of　anxiety　the　Emperor　then　was！　　He　set　out　with　his
headquarters　squadrons。　　I　accompanied　him；　and　left　him　for　the　first
time　at　Troyes；　on　the　morning　of　the　30th；　as　will　be　seen　in　the
following　chapter。




CHAPTER　XXVI。

What　a　time　was　this！　　How　sad　the　period　and　events　of　which　I　have　now
to　recall　the　sad　memory　！　　I　have　now　arrived　at　the　fatal　day　when　the
combined　armies　of　Europe　were　to　sully　the　soil　of　Paris；　of　that
capital；　free　for　so　many　years　from　the　presence　of　the　invader。　　What　a
blow　to　the　Emperor！　　And　what　cruel　expiation　his　great　soul　now　made
for　his　triumphant　entries　into　Vienna　and　Berlin！　　It　was；　then；　all　in
vain　that　he　had　displayed　such　incredible　activity　during　the　admirable
campaign　of　France；　in　which　his　genius　had　displayed　itself　as
brilliantly　as　during　his　Italian　campaign。　　The　first　time　I　saw　him　on
the　day　after　a　battle　was　at　Marengo；　and　what　a　contrast　his　attitude
of　dejection　presented　when　I　saw　him　again　on　the　31st　of　March　at
Fontainebleau。

Having　accompanied　His　Majesty　everywhere；　I　was　near　him　at　Troyes　on
the　morning　of　the　30th　of　March。

The　Emperor　set　out　at　ten　o'clock；　accompanied　only　by　the　grand　marshal
and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza。　　It　was　then　known　at　headquarters　that　the
allied　troops　were　advancing　on　Paris；　but　we　were　far　from　suspecting
that　at　the　very　moment　of　the　Emperor's　hurried　departure　the　battle
before　Paris　was　being　most　bitterly　waged。　　At　least　I　had　heard　nothing
to　lead　me　to　believe　it。　　I　received　an　order　to　move　to　Essonne；　and；
as　means　of　transportation　had　become　scarce　and　hard　to　obtain；　did　not
arrive　there　until　the　morning　of　the　31st；　and　had　been　there　only　a
short　time　when　the　courier　brought　me　an　order　to　repair　to
Fontainebleau；　which　I　immediately　did。　　It　was　then　I　learned　that　the
Emperor　had　gone　from　Troyes　to　Montereau　in　two　hours；　having　made　the
journey　of　ten　leagues　in　that　short　space　of　time。　　I　also　learned　that
the　Emperor　and　his　small　suite　had　been　obliged　to　make　use　of　a　chaise
on　the　road　to　Paris；　between　Essonne　and　Villejuif。　　He　advanced　as　far
as　the　Cour　de　France　with　the　intention　of　marching　on　Paris；　but　there；
verifying　the　news　and　the　cruel　certainty　of　the　surrender　of　Paris；　had
sent　to　me　the　courier　whom　I　mentioned　above。

I　had　been　at　Fontainebleau　only　a　short　while　when　the　Emperor　arrived。
His　countenance　was　pale　and　harassed　to　a　greater　degree　than　I　had　ever
seen　it；　and　he　who　knew　so　well　how　to　control　all　the　emotions　of　his
soul　did　not　seem　to　attempt　to　conceal　the　dejection　which　was　so
manifest　both　in　his　attitude　and　in　his　countenance。　　It　was　evident　how
greatly　he　was　suffering　from　all　the　disastrous　events　which　had
accumulated　one　after　the　other　in　terrible　progression。　　The　Emperor
said　nothing　to　any　one；　and　closeted　himself　immediately　in　his　cabinet；
with　the　Dukes　of　Bassano　and　Vicenza　and　the　Prince　of　Neuchatel。　　These
generals　remained　a　long　while　with　the　Emperor；　who　afterwards　received
some　general　officers。　　His　Majesty　retired　very　late；　and　appeared　to　me
entirely　crushed。　　From　time　to　time　I　heard　stifled　sighs　escape　from
his　breast；　with　which　were　mingled　the　name　of　Marmont；　which　I　could
not　then　understand；　as　I　had　heard　nothing　of　the　terms　of　the
surrender；　and　knew　that　the　Duke　of　Ragusa　was　a　marshal　to　whom　the
Emperor　seemed　always　deeply　attached。　　I　saw　that　evening；　at
Fontainebleau；　Marshal　Moncey；　who　the　evening　before　had　bravely
commanded　the　national　guard　at　the　barricade　of　Clichy；　and　also　the
Duke　of　Dantzic。

A　gloomy　and　silent　sadness　which　is　perfectly　indescribable　reigned　at
Fontainebleau　during　the　two　days　which　followed。　　Overcome　by　so　many
repeated　blows；　the　Emperor　seldom　entered　his　cabinet；　where　he　usually
passed　so　many　hours　engaged　in　work。　　He　was　so　absorbed　in　his
conflicting　thoughts；　that　often　he　did　not　notice　the　arrival　of　persons
whom　he　had　summoned；　looked　at　them；　so　to　speak；　without　seeing　them；
and　sometimes　remained　nearly　half　an　hour　without　addressing　them；　then；
as　if　awaking　from　this　state　of　stupefaction；　asked　them　questions
without　seeming　to　hear　the　reply；　and　even　the　presence　of　the　Duke　of
Bassano　and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　whom　he　summoned　more　frequently；　did
not　interrupt　this　condition　of　preoccupation　or　lethargy；　so　to　speak。
The　hours　for　meals　were　the　same；　and　they　were　served　as　usual；　but　all
took　place　amid　complete　silence；　broken　only　by　the　necessary　noise　of
the　service。　　At　the　Emperor's　toilet　the　same　silence；　not　a　word　issued
from　his　lips；　and　if　in　the　morning　I　suggested　to　him　one　of　the　drinks
that　he　usually　took；　he　not　only　did　not　reply；　but　nothing　in　his
countenance　which　I　attentively　observed　could　make　me　believe　that　he
had　heard　me。　　This　situation　was　terrible　for　all　the　persons　attached
to　his　Majesty。

Was　the　Emperor　really　so　overwhelmed　by　his　evil　fortune？　　Was　his
genius　as　benumbed　as　his　body？　　I　must　admit；　in　all　candor；　that　seeing
him　so　different　from　what　he　appeared　after　the　disasters　of　Moscow；　and
even　when　I　had　left　him　at　Troyes　a　few　days　before；　I　strongly　believed
it。　　But　this　was　by　no　means　the　case；　his　soul　was　a　prey　to　one　fixed
idea　that　of　taking　the　offensive　and　marching　on　Paris。　　And　though；
indeed；　he　remained　overwhelmed　with　consternation　in　his　intimate
intercourse　with　his　most　faithful　ministers　and　most　skillful　generals；
he　revived　at　sight　of　his　soldiers；　thinking；　doubtless；　that　the　one
would　suggest　only　prudent　counsels　while　the　others　would　never　reply
aught　but　in　shouts　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　　to　the　most　daring　orders　he
might　give。　　For　instance；　on　the　2d　of　April　he　momentarily；　so　to
speak；　shook　off　his　dejection；　and　in　the　court　of　the　palace　held　a
review　of　his　guard；　who　had　just　rejoined　him　at　Fontainebleau。　　He
addressed　his　soldiers　in　a　firm　voice；　saying：

　　　　　〃Soldiers！　　the　enemy　has　stolen　three　marches　on　us；　and　has　taken
　　　　　possession　of　Paris；　we　must　drive　them　out。　　Unworthy　Frenchmen；
　　　　　emigres　to　whom　we　have　extended　pardon；　have　donned　the　white
　　　　　cockade；　and　gone　over　to　our　enemies。　　The　cowards！　　They　will　reap
　　　　　the　reward　of　this　new　treason。　　Let　us　swear　to　conquer　or　to　die；
　　　　　and　to　have　respect　shown　to　this　tricolored　cockade；　which　for
　　　　　twenty…five　years　we　have　borne　on　the　road　to　glory　and　honor。〃

The　troops　were　roused　to　enthusiasm　at　the　sound　of　their　chief's　voice；
and　shouted　in　unison；　〃Paris！　　Paris！〃　　But　the　Emperor；　nevertheless；
resumed　his　former　dejection　on　crossing　the　threshold　of　the　palace；
which　arose　no　doubt　from　the　fear；　only　too　well　founded；　of　seeing　his
desire　to　march　on　Paris　thwarted　by　his　lieutenants。　　It　is　only　since；
that　reflecting　on　the　events　of　that　time；　I　am　enabled　to　conjecture　as
to　the　struggles　which　passed　in　the　soul　of　the　Emperor；　for　then；　as
during　my　entire　period　of　service；　I　would　not　have　dared　to　think　of
going　outside　the　limits　of　my　ordinary　duties　and　functions。

Meanwhile；　the　situation　became　more　and　more　unfavorable　to　the　wishes
and　plans　of　the　Emperor。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza　had　been　sent　to　Paris；
where　a　provisional　government　had　been　formed　under　the　presidency　of
the　Prince　of　Benevento；　without　having　succeeded　in　his　mission　to　the
Emperor　Alexander；　and　each　day　his　Majesty　with　deep　grief　witnessed　the
adhesion　of　the　marshals　and　a　large　number　of　generals　to　the　new
government。　　He　felt　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel's　desertion　deeply；　and　I
must　say　that；　unaccustomed　as　we　were　to　political　combinations；　we　were
overcome　with　astonishment。

Here　I　find　that　I　am　compelled　to　speak　of　myself；　which　I　have　done　as
little　as　possible　in　the　course　of　these　memoirs；　and　I　think　this　is　a
justice　which　all　my　readers　will　do　me；　but　what　I　have　to　say　is　too
intimately　connected　with　the　last　days　I　passed　with　the　Emperor；　and
concerns　my　personal　honor　too　nearly；　for　me　to　suppose　that　I　can　be
reproached　for　so　doing。　　I　was；　as　may　well　be　supposed；　very　anxious　as
to　the　fate　of　my　family；　of　whom　I　had　received　no　news　for　a