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by　several　witnesses　of　this　really　touching　scene。

An　Inhabitant。〃Is　it　true；　as　I　am　told；　that　the　condition　of　affairs
is　so　bad？〃

The　Emperor。　〃I　cannot　say　that　they　are　in　a　very　good　condition。〃

The　Inhabitant。〃But　how；　then；　will　all　this　end？

The　Emperor。〃By　my　faith；　God　alone　knows。〃

The　Inhabitant。〃But　what！　　Is　it　possible　the　enemy　could　really　enter
France？〃

The　Emperor。〃That　might　occur；　and　they　might　even　penetrate　as　far　as
this　place；　if　you　do　not　come　to　my　aid。　　I　have　not　a　million　arms。　　I
cannot　do　everything　alone。〃

Numerous　Voices。〃We　will　uphold　you；　we　will　uphold　you。〃

Still　more　Voices。〃Yes；　yes。　　Count　on　us。〃

The　Emperor。〃In　that　case　the　enemy　will　be　beaten；　and　we　will
preserve　our　glory　untarnished。〃

Several　Voices。〃But　what；　then；　shall　we　do？〃

The　Emperor。〃Be　enrolled　and　fight。〃

A　New　Voice。〃We　would　do　this　gladly；　but　we　would　like　to　make　certain
conditions。〃

The　Emperor。〃Well；　speak　out　frankly。　　Let　us　know；　what　are　these
conditions？〃

Several　Voices。〃That　we　are　not　to　pass　the　frontiers。〃

The　Emperor。〃You　shall　not　pass　them。〃

Several　Voices。〃We　wish　to　enter　the　guard。〃

The　Emperor。〃Well；　then；　you　shall　enter　the　guard。〃

His　Majesty　had　hardly　pronounced　these　last　words；　when　the　immense
crowd　which　surrounded　him　made　the　air　resound　with　cries　of　〃Vive
l'Empereur！〃　and　their　number　continued　to　increase　all　the　way　as　the
Emperor　slowly　returned　to　the　Tuileries；　until；　by　the　time　he　reached
the　gates　of　the　Carrousel；　he　was　accompanied　by　an　innumerable　cortege。
We　heard　these　noisy　acclamations；　but　they　were　so　badly　interpreted　by
the　commandant　of　the　post　at　the　palace；　that　he　thought　it　was　an
insurrection；　and　the　iron　gates　of　the　Tuileries　on　that　side　of　the
court　were　closed。

When　I　saw　the　Emperor；　a　few　moments　after　his　return；　he　appeared　more
annoyed　than　pleased；　for　everything　having　an　appearance　of　disorder　was
excessively　distasteful　to　him；　and　a　popular　tumult；　whatever　its　cause；
had　always　in　it　something　unpleasant　to　him。

Meanwhile　this　scene；　which　his　Majesty　might　well　have　repeated；
produced　a　deep　impression　on　the　people；　and　this　enthusiasm　had
positive　and　immediate　results；　since　on　that　day　more　than　two　thousand
men　were　voluntarily　enrolled；　and　formed　a　new　regiment　of　the　guard。

On　the　anniversary　fete　of　the　coronation　and　of　the　battle　of
Austerlitz；　there　were　as　usual　free　representations　in　all　the　theaters
of　Paris；　but　at　these　the　Emperor　did　not　appear；　as　he　had　so　often
done。　　There　were　also　amusements；　a　free　distribution　of　eatables；　and
also　illuminations；　and　twelve　young　girls；　whose　marriage　dowries　were
given　by　the　city　of　Paris；　were　married　to　old　soldiers。　　I　remember
that　among　everything　which　marked　the　ceremonials　of　the　Empire；　the
custom　of　performing　these　marriages　was　the　one　most　pleasing　to　the
Emperor；　and　he　often　spoke　of　it　in　terms　of　approbation；　for；　if　I　may
be　allowed　to　make　the　observation；　his　Majesty　had　what　might　be　called
a　kind　of　mania　on　the　subject　of　marriage。　　We　were　now　settled　at　the
Tuileries；　which　the　Emperor　had　not　left　since　the　20th　of　November　when
he　had　returned　from　Saint…Cloud；　and　which　he　did　not　leave　again　until
his　departure　for　the　army。　　His　Majesty　often　presided　over　the
deliberations　of　the　council　of　state；　which　were　of　grave　interest。　　I
learned　at　that　time；　in　relation　to　a　certain　decree；　a　circumstance
which　appeared　to　me　very　singular。　　The　Commune　of　Montmorency　had　long
since　lost　its　ancient　name；　but　it　was　not　until　the　end　of　November；
1813；　that　the　Emperor　legally　took　away　the　name　of　Emile　which　it　had
received　under　the　republic　in　honor　of　J。　J。　Rousseau。　　It　may　well　be
believed　that　it　had　retained　it　so　long　simply　because　the　Emperor's
attention　had　not　been　directed　to　it　sooner。

I　do　not　know　but　I　should　ask　pardon　for　relating　so　trivial　an　event；
when　so　many　great　measures　were　being　adopted　by　his　Majesty。　　In　fact；
each　day　necessitated　new　dispositions；　since　the　enemy　was　making
progress　at　every　point。　　The　Russians　occupied　Holland　under　the　command
of　General　Witzengerode；　who　had　opposed　us　so　bitterly　during　the
Russian　campaign；　already；　even；　the　early　return　to　Amsterdam　of　the
heir　of　the　House　of　Orange　was　discussed；　in　Italy　Prince　Eugene　was
holding　out　only　by　dint　of　superior　skill　against　the　far　more　numerous
army　of　Bellegarde；　　who　had　just　passed　the　Adige；　that　of　the　Prince
von　Swarzenberg　occupied　the　confines　of　Switzerland；　the　Prussians　and
the　troops　of　the　Confederation　were　passing　the　Rhine　at　several　points。
There　remained　to　the　Emperor　not　a　single　ally；　as　the　King　of　Denmark；
the　only　one　who　had　until　now　remained　faithful；　had　succumbed　to　the
northern　torrent；　and　concluded　an　armistice　with　Russia；　and　in　the
south　all　the　strategy　of　Marshal　Soult　barely　sufficed　to　delay　the
progress　of　the　Duke　of　Wellington；　who　was　advancing　on　our　frontiers　at
the　head　of　an　army　far　more　numerous　than　that　with　which　we　could
oppose　him；　and　which；　moreover；　was　not　suffering　from　the　same
privations　as　our　own。　　I　remember　well　to　have　heard　several　generals
blame　the　Emperor　at　that　time；　because　he　had　not　abandoned　Spain；　and
recalled　all　his　troops　to　France。　　I　make　a　note　of　this；　but；　as　may
well　be　believed；　am　not　willing　to　risk　my　judgment　on　such　matters。
At　all　events；　it　is　evident　that　war　surrounded　us　on　every　side；　and　in
this　state　of　affairs；　and　with　our　ancient　frontiers　threatened；　it
would　have　been　strange　if　there　had　not　been　a　general　cry　for　peace。
The　Emperor　desired　it　also；　and　no　one　now　holds　a　contrary　opinion。
All　the　works　which　I　have　read；　written　by　those　persons　best　situated
to　learn　the　exact　truth　of　these　events；　agree　on　this　point。　　It　is
known　that　his　Majesty　had　dictated　to　the　Duke　of　Bassano　a　letter　in
which　he　adhered　to　the　basis　of　the　proposal　for　a　new　congress　made　at
Frankfort　by　the　allies。　　It　is　also　known　that　the　city　of　Mannheim　was
designated　for　the　session　of　this　new　congress；　to　which　the　Duke　of
Vicenza　was　to　be　sent。　　The　latter；　in　a　note　of　the　2d　of　December；
made　known　again　the　adhesion　of　the　Emperor　to　the　original　principles
and　summary　to　be　submitted　to　the　Congress　of　Mannheim。　　The　Count　de
Metternich；　on　the　10th；　replied　to　this　communication　that　the
sovereigns　would　inform　their　allies　of　his　Majesty's　adhesion。　　All
these　negotiations　were　prolonged　only　on　account　of　the　allies；　who
finally　declared　at　Frankfort　that　they　would　not　consent　to　lay　down
their　arms。　　On　the　20th　of　December　they　openly　announced　their
intention　to　invade　France　by　passing　through　Switzerland；　whose
neutrality　had　been　solemnly　recognized　by　treaty。　　At　the　period　of
which　I　speak；　my　position　kept　me；　I　must　admit；　in　complete　ignorance
of　these　affairs；　but；　on　learning　them　since；　they　have　awakened　in　me
other　remembrances　which　have　powerfully　contributed　to　prove　their
truth。　　Every　one；　I　hope；　will　admit　that　if　the　Emperor　had　really
desired　war；　it　is　not　before　me　he　would　have　taken　the　trouble　to
express　his　desire　for　the　conclusion　of　peace；　as　I　heard　him　do　several
times；　and　this　by　no　means　falsifies　what　I　have　related　of　a　reply
given　by　his　Majesty　to　the　Prince　of　Neuchatel；　since　in　this　reply　he
attributes　the　necessity　of　war　to　the　bad　faith　of　his　enemies。　　Neither
the　immense　renown　of　the　Emperor　nor　his　glory　needs　any　support　from
me；　and　I　am　not　deluding　myself　on　this　point；　but　I　ask　to　be　allowed
like　any　other　man　to　give　my　mite　of　the　truth。

I　have　said　previously；　that　when　passing　through　Mayence　the　Emperor　had
convened　the　Corps　Legislatif　for　the　2d　of　December；　but　by　a　new　decree
it　was　postponed　until　the　19th　of　that　month；　and　this　annual　solemnity
was　marked　by　the　introduction　of　unaccustomed　usages。　　In　the　first
place；　as　I　have　said；　to　the　Emperor　alone　was　given　the　right　of　naming
the　president　without　the　presentation　of　a　triple　list；　as　was　done　in
former　times　by　the　senate；　moreover；　the　senate　and　the　council　of　state
repaired　in　a　body　to　the　hall　of　the　Corps　Legislatif　to　be　present　at
the　opening　of　the　session。　　I　also　remember　that　this　ceremony　was
anticipated　with　more　than　usual　interest；　since　throughout　Paris　all
were　curious　and　eager　to　hear　the　address　of　the　Emperor；　and　what　he
would　say　on　the　situation　of　France。　　Alas；　we　were　far　from　supposing
that　this　annual　ceremony　would　be　the　last。

The　senate　and　the　council　of　state；　having　taken　the　places　indicated　to
them　in　the　hall；　the　Empress；　arrived；　and　entered　the　reserved　gallery；
surrounded　by　her　ladies　and　the　officers　of　her　household。　　At　last　the
Emperor　appeared；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　the　Empress；　and　was
introduced　with　the　accustomed　ceremonials。　　When　the　new　president；　the
Duke　of　Massa；　had　taken　the　oath　at　the　hands　of　the　Emperor；　his
Majesty　pronounced　the　following　discourse：

　　　　　〃Senators；　Councilors　of　State；　Deputies　from　the　Departments　to　the
　　　　　Corps　Legislatif：

　　　　　Brillia