ISTRY OF THE INTERIOR, TO RESUME MY
LECTURES.--UNSETTLED FEELING OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES ON THE RETURN OF
NAPOLEON.--ITS REAL CAUSES.--SENTIMENTS OF FOREIGN NATIONS AND
GOVERNMENTS TOWARDS NAPOLEON.--APPARENT RECONCILIATION, BUT
REAL STRUGGLE, BETWEEN NAPOLEON AND THE LIBERALS.--THE
FEDERATES.--CARNOT AND FOUCHE.--DEMONSTRATION OF LIBERTY DURING THE
HUNDRED DAYS, EVEN IN THE IMPERIAL PALACE.--LOUIS XVIII. AND HIS
COUNCIL AT GHENT.--THE CONGRESS AND M. DE TALLEYRAND AT VIENNA.--I
GO TO GHENT ON THE PART OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL ROYALIST COMMITTEE AT
PARIS.--MY MOTIONS AND OPINIONS DURING THIS JOURNEY.--STATE OF
PARTIES AT GHENT.--MY CONVERSATION WITH LOUIS XVIII.--M. DE
BLACAS.--M. DE CHATEAUBRIAND.--M. DE TALLEYRAND RETURNS FROM
VIENNA.--LOUIS XVIII. RE-ENTERS FRANCE.--INTRIGUE PLANNED AT MONS
AND DEFEATED AT CAMBRAY.--BLINDNESS AND IMBECILITY OF THE CHAMBER
OF REPRESENTATIVES.--MY OPINION RESPECTING THE ADMISSION OF FOUCHE
INTO THE KING'S CABINET.

The King having quitted, and the Emperor having re-entered Paris, I
resumed my literary pursuits, determined to keep aloof from all secret
intrigue, all useless agitation, and to occupy myself with my historical
labours and studies, not without a lively regret that the political
career which had scarcely opened to me, should be so suddenly closed.[9]
It is true I did not believe that I was excluded beyond the possibility
of return. Not but that the miraculous success of Napoleon had convinced
me there was a power within him which, after witnessing his fall, I was
far from believing. Never was personal greatness displayed with more
astounding splendour; never had an act more audacious, or better
calculated in its audacity, arrested the imagination of nations. Neither
was external support wanting to the man who relied so much on himself,
and on himself alone.

The army identified itself with him, with an enthusiastic and blind
devotion. Amongst the popular masses, a revolutionary and warlike
spirit, hatred of the old system and national pride, rose up at his
appearance and rushed madly to his aid. Accompanied by fervent
worshippers, he re-ascended a throne abandoned to him on his approach.
But by the side of this overwhelming power, there appeared almost
simultaneously a proportionate weakness. He who had traversed France in
triumph, and who by personal influence had swept all with him, friends
and enemi