was a necessity of
his position. He also proposed to that Marshal to cross the Seine and
attack the allies, forgetting that the Marne, with its bridges held by
them, was in the way. Marmont, endowed with a keen and sardonic
intelligence, had already seen that his master was more and more the
victim of illusions, never crediting the existence of difficulties
that he did not actually witness. And when, on the 3rd, or perhaps
earlier, offers came from the royalists, the Marshal promised to help
them in the way that will shortly appear.

Napoleon's last overtures to the Czar came late on the following day.
On that morning he had a long and heated discussion with Berthier,
Ney, Oudinot, and Lefebvre. Caulaincourt and Maret were present as
peacemakers. The Marshals upbraided Napoleon with the folly of
marching on Paris. Angered by their words Napoleon at last said: "The
army will obey me." "No," retorted Ney, "it will obey its commanders."

Macdonald, who had just arrived with his weary corps, took up their
case with his usual frankness. "Our horses," he said, "can go no
further: we have not enough ammunition for one skirmish, and no means
of procuring more. If we fail, as we probably shall, the whole of
France will be destroyed. We can still impose on the enemy: let us
retain our attitude.... We have had enough of war without kindling
civil war." Finally the Emperor gave way, and drew up a declaration
couched in these terms: "The allied Powers having proclaimed that the
Emperor Napoleon was the sole obstacle to the re-establishment of
peace in Europe, the Emperor Napoleon, faithful to his oaths, declares
that he is ready to descend from the throne, to leave France, and even
give up his life, for the good of the fatherland, inseparable from the
rights of his son, of those of the regency of the Empress and of the
maintenance of the laws of the Empire."[449]

A careful reading of this document will show that it was not an act of
abdication, but merely a conditional offer to abdicate, which would
satisfy those undiplomatic soldiers and gain time. Macdonald also
relates that, after drawing it up, the Emperor threw himself on the
sofa, struck his thigh, and said: "Nonsense, gentlemen! let us leave
all that alone and march to-morrow, we shall beat them." But they held
him to his promise; and Caulaincourt, Ney, and Macdonald straightway
proceeding to Paris, beset the Czar with many entreaties and some
threats to recognize the Reg