510 PARIS, 
Ihout of “The king forever!” were difiniffed to their 
refpeftive quarters. 
In about an hour the pain abated, and Louis expreffed 
his determination to review the troops of the line, con¬ 
fiding of 6000 men, who were drawn up in the Place du 
Caroufel. After the fliameful defection of fo many regi¬ 
ments, thefe were regarded with the mod anxious folici- 
tude. On them depended the fate of the Bourbon dy- 
nady. As they approached the gates, Louis trembled. 
He was not long kept in fufpenfe. The grenadiers of the 
fil'd regiment hoided their caps on the points of their 
bayonets, which adtion was immediately followed by all 
the troops : but they uttered no fhout. Louis was evi¬ 
dently and profoundly affedled. He attempted to addrefs 
them, but he could not utter a word : he could only prefs 
his hand to his heart, and thus filently, but forcibly, ap¬ 
peal to them. The filence of the troops was regarded by 
every refledling man as ominous of their approaching 
treachery; but thofe whofurrounded themonarch thought 
differently ; the fears of the courtiers were diffipated, 
and they predidted the fpeedy fall of Bonaparte, his fol¬ 
lowers, his principles, and his caufe. Many of them, in 
the intoxication of their joy, congratulated each other 
that the enterprife of Bonaparte had been attempted. It 
exhibited, Paid they, the true charadter of the public feel¬ 
ing; it drew a ufeful line of demarcation between the 
good and the bad. They blefled the occafion which un- 
malked the one, and proved the fidelity of the other. A 
few days fhow'ed the folly of this condudl, and afforded 
a mournful and almoft incredible proof of the levity of 
the French charadier, and the weaknefs of human nature. 
Napoleon, after iffuing his proclamations and decrees 
at Lyons, prepared to march forward ; and on the 13th 
he departed for Villefranche, and reached Magon in the 
evening. He travelled in an open carriage, feldom ef- 
corted by more than a dozen dragoons, and often without 
a fingle attendant. He was frequently more than aleague 
before his advanced-guard. At many of the towns 
through which he paffed,and at which he changed horfes, 
he was not recognifed. At one polt-houfe, an Englifh 
lady arrived in an oppofite diredtion at the fame moment. 
Neither file nor the mailer of the poll-houfe knew him, 
and (he requefted*that he would permit her to have the 
firlt fet of horfes, as fhe u'as preffed for time. He fmiled, 
and replied, “ that the objedt of 'his journey was rather 
prefiing too, but that he mull give way to a lady ;” when 
fire had proceeded about a league, Ihe met the advanced- 
guard, and learned, to her great furprife, that it was the 
emperor Napoleon. A few ports from Lyons he met a 
regiment of cavalry marching with the avowed purpofe 
of oppoling him. He no fooner difcerned the dragoons 
at a diftance, with the white ftandard and cockade, than 
he quitted his carriage, mounted a led horfe, and, at¬ 
tended by one aid-du-camp, rode forward to meet them. 
He advanced to the colonel, and, without one word of 
preface, ordered the regiment to break into column and 
follow him. The order was obeyed as quickly and as re¬ 
gularly as if they were on parade. In many towns the 
populace, hearing of his approach, afiembled in crowds, 
and abandoned themfelves to the greatell exceffes. Every 
fymbol of the royal government was deftroyed, and thofe 
who appeared with the white cockade were infulted. 
When Napoleon appeared among them, they thronged 
around him; impeded his progrefs ; and deafened him 
with their Ihouts of welcome. He fmiled at one, carefled 
another; and diftributed croffes of the legion of honour 
among fotne of the molt dillinguilhed, faying, at the fame 
time, “It was for you, my friends, that I inftituted the 
legion of honour, and not for the emigrants penfioned by 
our enemies.” His progrefs towards Paris was moft rapid. 
On the 15th he flept at Autun, and on the 16th at Aval- 
Ion. The military every where obeyed him with alacrity ; 
and his army, like a fnow-ball, augmented as it rolled on. 
The French government had ufed every exertion to keep 
the foldiers to their colours, and even threatened them 
with the punilhment of death in cafe they deferred. 
In the mean time, marlhal Ney, with the whole of his 
corps, had joined Napoleon. It is faid that this officer 
was taking meafures for falling on the rear of the invader, 
and for that purpofe was on the point of marching from 
Lons le Saulnier, where his forces were ftationed, when, 
on.the.night of the 12th of March, fome of Bonaparte’s 
emiflaries arrived, and were introduced to him. They 
delivered.to him letters from the grand-marffial Bertrand, 
which painted, in the moll glowing colours, the hopelefs 
fituation of the king, and the certainty of Napoleon’s 
fuccefs. They allured him that the emperor had con¬ 
certed this enterprife with Auftria, through the media¬ 
tion of general Koller; that the emprefs and her fon 
were on the road to Paris; that England had connived at 
his efcape; that Murat advanced triumphant towards 
Italy to affift his brother-in-law'; that the Ruffians had 
retired to their diftant country, and Alexander would no 
more intermeddle with the affairs of the fouth; that 
Pruffia alone was unable to contend with France; that, 
if the marfhal were difpofed to refill, he had no longer 
the power; that Napoleon had fecretly received the fub- 
miffion of every regiment in’the lervice ; that all Ney’s 
moft confidential officers had long been enrolled among 
the adherents of the emperor; and that a vain and ufe- 
lefs attempt at refiftance, would expofe his country to the 
horrors of civil war. It was added, that Napoleon had 
for ever renounced his projects of arbitrary government 
and univerfal dominion, and wilhed now to reign for the 
happinefs of France alone. Whatever might have been 
the fentiments of Ney before he received this communi¬ 
cation, after paufing a fliort time, he refolved to join his 
’ troops to thofe of Napoleon. He faw evidently, that the 
king’s caufe was hopelefs; “and he was weak enough,” 
fays Mr. Hobhoufe, “ not to do the only thing left for an 
honourable man. Inftead of returning to Paris with the 
news, he marched with the revolted army ; and has branded 
his name with an infamy that even the fuccefs of his 
caufe has failed to obliterate. His name and crime fur- 
nilhed a pun for the Parifian wits, who fay of his trea¬ 
chery, II faid etre ne pour f a; and the king foon after 
defignated him as the Ne plus ultra of traitors.” 
This defection was decifive of the contell, for all confi¬ 
dence was now at an end. On the 17th, Bonaparte ar¬ 
rived at Auxerre. Here he met the fourteenth regiment 
of the line, which had proceeded by forced marches to 
range itlelf under his banners. As foon as thefe foldiers 
were drawn up before him, they trampled underfoot the 
white cockade which they had fworn to defend. Napo¬ 
leon fmiled at this proof of their attachment, and walk¬ 
ing through their ranks, addreffed himfelf familiarly to 
feveral whom he recognifed, or pretended to recolledh 
He flopped before an old foldier, who was decorated with 
three medals : “ And you,” faid he, flapping him gently 
on the Ihoulder, “ how long have you been in the ier- 
vice ?” Twenty-five years, fire! “Ah! I recolledt,” 
interrupted Napoleon, “ we were togetheratRivoli, where 
we took feven pieces of cannon. I lee that you are a good 
foldier, and I will take care of you.” By thefe familiar 
converfations Napoleon always gained the hearts of the 
foldiers. On the 19th, at night,- he turned off from the 
great road to fleep at Fontainebleau, determined that the 
palace which had witneffed his misfortunes Ihould firft re¬ 
ceive him in his fuccefs. 
The French court was in the greatell alarm. On the 
night of the 18th, a grand council was held attheTuile- 
ries, at which the princes, the minifters, and the generals, 
affifted. The generals declared that no dependence was 
to be placed in the army afiembled at Melun, and depre¬ 
cated any further refiftance to the progrefs of Napoleon 
as a ufelefs vvalle of blood. This was ftrenuoufly oppofed 
by fome of the courtiers, and one of the princes; and, it 
is faid, the moft violent and intemperate language was 
ufed. 
