n now they feared
that the caged lion would burst his bars. Indeed, the trusty secretary
Fain asserts that when on Easter Monday, the 11th, Caulaincourt
brought back the allies' ratification of this deed, Napoleon's first
demand was to retract the abdication. It would be unjust, however, to
lay too much stress on this strange conduct; for at that time the
Emperor's mind was partly unhinged by maddening tumults.

His anguish increased when he heard the final terms of the allies.
They allotted to him the isle of Elba; to his consort and heir, the
duchies of Parma, Placentia and Guastalla, and two millions of francs
as an annual subsidy, divided equally between himself and her. They
were to keep the title of Emperor and Empress; but their son would
bear the name of Duke of Parma, etc. The other Bonapartes received an
annual subsidy of 2,500,000 francs, this and the former sum being paid
by France. Four hundred soldiers might accompany him to Elba. A
"suitable establishment" was to be provided for Eugene outside of
France.[453] For some hours Napoleon refused to ratify this compact.
All hope of resistance was vain, for Oudinot, Victor, Lefebvre, and,
finally, Ney and Berthier, had gone over to the royalists: even the
soldiery began to waver. But a noble pride held back the mighty
conqueror from accepting Elba and signing a money compact. It is not
without a struggle that a Caesar sinks to the level of a Sancho Panza.

He then talked to Caulaincourt with the insight that always illumined
his judgments. Marie Louise ought to have Tuscany, he said: Parma
would not befit her dignity. Besides, if she had to traverse other
States to come to him, would she ever do so? He next talked of his
Marshals. Massena's were the greatest exploits: but Suchet had shown
himself the wisest both in war and administration. Soult was able, but
too ambitious. Berthier was honest, sensible, the model of a chief of
the staff; and "yet he has now caused me much pain." Not a word
escaped him about Davoust, still manfully struggling at Hamburg. Not
one of his Ministers, he complained, had come from Blois to bid him
farewell. He then spoke of his greatest enemy--England. "She has done
me much harm, doubtless, but I have left in her flanks a poisoned
dart. It is I who have made this debt, that will ever burden, if not
crush, future generations." Finally, he came back to the hateful
compact which Caulaincourt pressed him in vain to sign. How could he
tak