“. . .  This is what I said to the King this morning, and I added that I would answer for everything if my advice were followed.  I am now going to direct my aide de camp, Colonel Fabvier, to draw up the plan of defence.”  I did not concur in Marmont’s opinion.  It is certainly probable that had Louis XVIII. remained in his palace the numerous defections which took place before the 20th of March would have been checked and some persons would not have found so ready an excuse for breaking their oaths of allegiance.  There can be little doubt, too, but Bonaparte would have reflected well before he attempted the siege of the Tuileries.

—­[Marmont (tome vii. p. 87) gives the full details of his scheme for provisioning and garrisoning the Tuileries which the King was to hold while his family spread themselves throughout the provinces.  The idea had nothing strange in it, for the same advice was given by General Mathieu Dumas (Souvenirs, tome iii. p. 564), a man not likely to suggest any rash schemes.  Jaucourt, writing to Talleyrand, obviously believed in the wisdom of the King’s remaining, as did the Czar; see Talleyrand’s Correspondence, vol. ii. pp. 94, 122, 129.  Napoleon would certainly have been placed in a strange difficulty, but a king capable of adopting such a resolution would never have been required to consider it.]—­

Marmont supported his opinion by observing that the admiration and astonishment excited by the extraordinary enterprise of Napoleon and his rapid march to Paris would be counterbalanced by the interest inspired by a venerable monarch defying his bold rival and courageously defending his throne.  While I rendered full justice to the good intentions of the Duke of Ragusa, yet I did not think that his advice could be adopted.  I opposed it as I opposed all the propositions that were made in the Council relative to the different places to which the King should retire.  I myself suggested Lille as being the nearest, and as presenting the greatest degree of safety, especially in the first instance.

It was after midnight when I left the Council of the Tuileries.  The discussion had terminated, and without coming to any precise resolution it was agreed that the different opinions which had been expressed should be submitted to Louis XVIII. in order that his Majesty might adopt that which should appear to him the best.  The King adopted my opinion, but it was not acted upon until five days after.

My appointment to the Prefecture of the Police was, as will be seen, a late thought of measure, almost as late indeed as Napoleon’s proposition to send me as his Minister Plenipotentiary to Switzerland.  In now accepting office I was well convinced of the inutility of any effort that might be made to arrest the progress of the fast approaching and menacing events.  Being introduced into the King’s cabinet his Majesty asked me what I thought of the situation of affairs.  “I think, Sire, that