“Here is already a reinforcement,” said Napoleon; and the march recommenced.  Early in the morning they passed through the town of Grasse, and halted on the height beyond it—­where the whole population of the place forthwith surrounded them, some cheering, the great majority looking on in perfect silence, but none offering any show of opposition.  The roads were so bad in this neighbourhood, that the pieces of cannon which they had with them were obliged to be abandoned in the course of the day, but they had marched full twenty leagues ere they halted for the night at Cerenon.  On the 5th, Napoleon reached Gap.  He was now in Dauphiny, called “The cradle of the Revolution,” and the sullen silence of the Provencals was succeeded by popular acclamations; but still no troops had joined him—­and his anxiety was great.

It was at Gap that he published his first proclamations; one “To the Army,” another “To the French people,” both no doubt prepared at Elba, though dated “March 1st, Gulf of Juan.”  The former, and more important of the two, ran in these words—­“Soldiers! we have not been beaten.  Two men, raised from our ranks,[69] betrayed our laurels, their country, their prince, their benefactor.  In my exile I have heard your voice.  I have arrived once more among you, despite all obstacles, and all perils.  We ought to forget that we have been the masters of the world; but we ought never to suffer foreign interference in our affairs.  Who dares pretend to be master over us?  Take again the eagles which you followed at Ulm, at Austerlitz, at Jena, at Montmirail.  Come and range yourselves under the banners of your old chief.  Victory shall march at the charging step.  The Eagle, with the national colours, shall fly from steeple to steeple—­on to the towers of Notre Dame!  In your old age, surrounded and honoured by your fellow-citizens, you shall be heard with respect when you recount your high deeds.  You shall then say with pride—­I also was one of that great army which entered twice within the walls of Vienna, which took Rome, and Berlin, and Madrid, and Moscow—­and which delivered Paris from the stain printed on it by domestic treason, and the occupation of strangers.”

It was between Mure and Vizele that Cambronne, who commanded his advanced guard of forty grenadiers, met suddenly a battalion sent forwards from Grenoble to arrest the march.  The colonel refused to parley with Cambronne; either party halted until Napoleon himself came up.  He did not hesitate for a moment.  He dismounted, and advanced alone; some paces behind him came a hundred of his guard, with their arms reversed.  There was perfect silence on all sides until he was within a few yards of the men.  He then halted, threw open his surtout so as to show the star of the Legion of Honour, and exclaimed, “If there be among you a soldier who desires to kill his general—­his Emperor—­let him do it now.  Here I am.”—­The old cry of Vive l’Empereur burst instantaneously from every lip.  Napoleon