Thus did the French people permit his return without firing a gun in defence of truth, and of their legitimate sovereign, whom they had recalled to the throne of his ancestors only ten months before!  Our excellent friend, the minister, joined us soon after; but he was taciturn and thoughtful, and retired early.  The next morning I determined to see Napoleon; but when our carriage arrived at the Pont Royal, thousands were collected there.  Our servant advised us to descend and make our way on foot.  The crowd civilly made way—­they were waiting to see the review.  An unusual silence prevailed, interrupted only by the cries of the children, whom the parents were thumping with energy for crying “Vive le Roi,” instead of “Vive l’Empereur!”—­which, some months before, they had been thumped for daring to vociferate!  We proceeded to the Bibliotheque Royale:  its outward appearance is that of an hospital or prison, its interior heavy and dark,—­it was almost deserted.—­Van Pratt still lingered there.—­A Dutchman’s phlegm tempered his emotions on the proceedings without; perhaps the repeated changes of government during his long life had diminished his interest in them.  After showing me, with great complacency, much of the valuable possessions of this national collection of learning, splendid missals written on vellum, MSS. &c. &c. upon which my mind cannot now dwell, he recommended us to proceed to the review, to see which he had the good-nature to procure me admittance to the small apartment of a friend in the Tuileries; and from the window I saw and heard for the first time this scourge of the Continent,—­his martial, active figure mounted on his famed white horse.  He harangued with energetic tone (and in those bombastic expressions we have always remarked in all his manifestoes, and which are so well adapted to the French,) the troops of the divisions of Lepol and Dufour.  There was much embracing of Les Anciens Aigles of the Old Guard—­much mention of “great days, and souvenirs dear to his heart,” of the “scars of his brave soldiers;” which, to serve his views, he will re-open without remorse, like the vampire of Greece.  The populace were tranquil, as I had remarked them on the bridge.  Inspirited by my still unsatisfied curiosity, I rejoined my escort, and proceeded to the gardens, where not more than thirty persons were collected under the windows.  There was no enthusiastic cry, at least none deemed sufficient to induce him to show himself.  In despair at not being able to contemplate his physiognomy at greater ease, I made my cavalier request some persons in the throng to cry “Vive l’Empereur!” Some laughed, and replied “Attendez un peu,” while others advised us to desire some of the children to do so.  A few francs thrown to the latter, soon stimulated their little voices into cries of the loyalty of that day, and Napoleon presented himself at the window; but he did not stand there in a firm attitude—­he retired often, and re-appeared, standing rather sideways,