It was still dark when Napoleon reached once more that venerable castle.  He retired to rest immediately; not, however, in any of the state-rooms which he had been accustomed to occupy, but in a smaller apartment, in a different and more sequestered part of the building.

The Duke of Vicenza reached the Czar’s quarters at Pantin early in the morning of the 31st, while he was yet asleep; and recognised, amidst the crowd in the ante-chamber, a deputation from the municipality of Paris, who were waiting to present the keys of the city, and invoke the protection of the conqueror.  As soon as Alexander awoke, these functionaries were admitted to his presence, and experienced a most courteous reception.  The Czar repeated his favourite expression, that he had but one enemy in France:  and promised that the capital, and all within it, should be treated with perfect consideration.  Caulaincourt then found his way to Alexander—­but he was dismissed immediately.  The countenance of the envoy announced, as he came out, that he considered the fate of his master as decided; nor, if he had preserved any hope, could it have failed to expire when he learned that Alexander had already sent to Talleyrand, requesting him on no account to quit the capital, and proposing to take up his own residence in his hotel.  Nesselrode, the Russian minister, who received the municipal deputation ere the Czar awoke, entered freely into conversation with the gentleman at their head, M. Laborde.  That person, being questioned as to the state of public feeling, answered that there were three parties:  the army, who still adhered to Buonaparte; the republicans, who wished for his deposition, but would not object to the King of Rome being recognised as Emperor, provided a liberal constitution were established, and the regency placed in fit hands; and finally, the old nobility and the saloons of Paris, who were united in desiring the restoration of the Bourbons.  “But at the Prince of Benevento’s,” said Laborde, “the Emperor will best acquire a knowledge of all this—­it is there that our chief statesmen assemble habitually.”  This conversation is supposed to have fixed Alexander’s choice of a residence; and as we have already seen that Talleyrand was ere now committed in the cause of Louis, the result of this choice may be anticipated.

The history of what La Vallette had called “the secret intrigues with the stranger” has not yet been cleared up—­nor is it likely to be so for some time.  If there was one of the Allied Princes on whose disposition to spare himself, or at least his family, Napoleon might have been supposed to count,—­it must have been the Emperor of Austria; and yet, at daybreak this very morning, a proclamation was tossed in thousands over the barriers of Paris, in which several phrases occurred, not to be reconciled with any other notion than that he and all the Allies agreed in favouring the restoration of the Bourbons, ere any part of their forces entered