owerful division of Russians, commanded by Sacken, and, therefore,
belonging to the apparently indestructible army of Blucher. These
unexpected enemies were charged in the streets, and at length retired
out of the town (which was burnt to the ground in the struggle) and
thence beyond the Aube--which, in that quarter, runs nearly parallel
with, and at no great distance from, the Seine. The Emperor then halted,
and spent the night in a wheelwright's cottage at Chatres.

All this while the semblance, at least, of negotiation had been kept up
at Chatillon. Caulaincourt, receiving no answer to that important
despatch which reached Buonaparte (as has been mentioned) at Nogent, on
the 8th of February proceeded to act on the instructions dated at
Troyes, on the 3rd; and, in effect, accepted the basis of the Allies.
When Schwartzenberg was attacked at Nangis on the 17th, he had just
received the intelligence of Caulaincourt's having signed the
preliminary articles; and he, therefore, sent a messenger to ask why the
Emperor, if aware of his ambassador's act, persisted in hostilities?
Napoleon had ere then, as we have seen, desired Caulaincourt to assume
"a less humble attitude," and instead of ratifying, as he was bound on
every principle of honour and law to do, the signature which his
ambassador had had full powers to affix, he returned no answer whatever
to Schwartzenberg, but despatched a private letter to the Emperor of
Austria, once more endeavouring to seduce him from the European league.
The Emperor's reply to this despatch reached Napoleon at this hovel in
Chatres: it announced his resolution on no account to abandon the
general cause; but, at the same time, intimated that Francis lent no
support to the Bourbonists (who were now arming in Franche-Comte around
Monsieur), and urged Napoleon to avert by concession, ere it was yet too
late, total ruin from himself and his House. Buonaparte, flushed with a
succession of victories, was in no temper to listen to such advice, and
the Austrian envoy left his headquarters with a note, signifying that
_now_ he would not even consent to a day's armistice, unless the Allies
would fall back so as to leave _Antwerp_ in their front.

The same evening there came news from Paris, which might have been
expected to disturb the pride of these imaginations. The Council of
State had discussed deliberately the proposals of the Allied Powers,
and, with only one dissenting voice, now entreated th