he judged of what the Emperor would do by his situation, while I judged by his character.  I told M. de Talleyrand that Caulaincourt might have received written orders to sign; for the sake of showing them to the Plenipotentiaries of the Allies, but that I had no doubt he had been instructed to postpone coming to a conclusion, and to wait for final orders.  I added, that I saw no reason to change my opinion, and that I continued to regard the breaking up of the Congress as nearer than appearances seemed to indicate.  Accordingly, three days afterwards, the Allies grew tired of the delay and the conferences were broken up.  Thus Napoleon sacrificed everything rather than his glory.  He fell from a great height, but he never, by his signature, consented to any dismemberment of France.

The Plenipotentiaries of the Allies, convinced that these renewed difficulties and demands had no other object but to gain time, stated that the Allied powers, faithful to their principles, and in conformity with their previous declarations, regarded the negotiations at Chatillon as terminated by the French Government.  This rupture of the conferences took place on the 19th of March, six days after the presentation of the ultimatum of the Allied powers.  The issue of these long discussions was thus left to be decided by the chances of war, which were not very favourable to the man who boldly contended against armed Europe.  The successes of the Allies during the conferences at Chatillon had opened to their view the road to Paris, while Napoleon shrunk from the necessity of signing his own disgrace.  In these circumstances was to be found the sole cause of his ruin, and he might have said, “Tout est perdu, fors la gloire.”  His glory is immortal.

—­[The conviviality and harmony that reigned between the Ministers made the society and Intercourse at Chatillon most agreeable.  The diplomatists dined alternately with each other; M. de Caulaincourt liberally passing for all the Ministers, through the French advanced posts, convoys of all the good cheer in epicurean wises, etc., that Paris could afford; nor was female society wanting to complete the charm and banish ennui from the Chatillon Congress, which I am sure will be long recollected with sensations of pleasure by all the Plenipotentiaries there engaged (Memoirs of Lord Burghersh).]—­

CHAPTER XXXIII.

1814

Curious conversation between General Reynier and the Emperor Alexander—­Napoleon repulses the Prussians—­The Russians at Fontainebleau—­Battle of Brienne—­Sketch of the campaign of France—­ Supper after the battle of Champ Aubert—­Intelligence of the arrival of the Duc d’Angouleme and the Comte d’Artois in France—­The battle of the ravens and the eagle—­Battle of Craonne—­Departure of the Pope and the Spanish Princes—­Capture of a convoy—­Macdonald at the Emperor’s headquarters—­The