I therefore returned home quite satisfied as to the result of the Emperor Alexander’s visit to the King of Prussia.  I knew, from the persons about the Czar, that he cherished a hatred, which was but too well justified, towards Bonaparte.  Frederick William is of too firm a character to have yielded to any of the considerations which might on this subject have been pressed on him as they had been on the Emperor of Russia.  But, besides that the King of Prussia had legitimate reasons for disliking Napoleon, policy would at that time have required that he should appear to be his enemy, for to do so was to render himself popular with his subjects.  But the King of Prussia did not need to act under the dictates of policy; he followed his own opinion in rejecting the propositions of the Marshals, which he did without hesitation, and with much energy.

While the Marshals had gone to Paris Bonaparte was anxious to ascertain whether his Commissioners had passed the advanced posts of the foreign armies, and in case of resistance he determined to march on Paris, for he could not believe that he had lost every chance.  He sent an aide de camp to desire Marmont to come immediately to Fontainebleau:  such was Napoleon’s impatience that instead of waiting for the return of his aide de camp he sent off a second and then a third officer on the same errand.  This rapid succession of envoys from the Emperor alarmed the general who commanded the different divisions of Marmont’s corps at Essonne.  They feared that the Emperor was aware of the Convention concluded that morning with Prince Schwartzenberg, and that he had sent for Marmont with the view of reprimanding him.  The fact was, Napoleon knew nothing of the matter, for Marmont, on departing for Paris with Macdonald and Ney, had left orders that it should be said that he had gone to inspect his lines.  Souham; Lebrun des Essarts, and Bordessoulle, who had given their assent to the Convention with Prince Schwartzenberg, deliberated in the absence of Marmont, and, perhaps being ignorant that he was released from his promise, and fearing the vengeance of Napoleon, they determined to march upon Versailles.  On arriving there the troops not finding the Marshal at their head thought themselves betrayed, and a spirit of insurrection broke out among them.  One of Marmont’s aides de camp, whom he had left at Essonne, exerted every endeavour to prevent the departure of his general’s corps, but, finding all his efforts unavailing, he hastened to Paris to inform the Marshal of what had happened.  ’When Marmont received this news he was breakfasting at Ney’s with Macdonald and Caulaincourt:  they were waiting for the answer which the Emperor Alexander had promised to send them.  The march of his corps on Versailles threw Marmont into despair.  He said to the Marshals, “I must be off to join my corps and quell this mutiny;” and without losing a moment he ordered his carriage and directed the coachman to drive with the utmost speed.  He sent forward one of his aides de camp to inform the troops of his approach.