the movement of Marmont's troops. I myself went during the
morning to the hotel of M. de Talleyrand, and it was there I learnt how
what we had hoped for had become fact: the matter was completely decided.
The Emperor Alexander had walked out at six in the morning to the
residence of the King of Prussia in the Rue de Bourbon. The two
sovereigns afterwards proceeded together to M. de Talleyrand's, where
they were when Napoleon's Commissioners arrived. The Commissioners being
introduced to the two sovereigns, the Emperor Alexander, in answer to
their proposition, replied that the Regency was impossible, as
submissions to the Provisional Government were pouring in from all parts,
and that if the army had formed contrary wishes those should have been
sooner made known. "Sire," observed Macdonald, "that--was--impossible,
as none of the Marshals were in Paris, and besides, who could foresee the
turn which affairs have taken? Could we imagine that an unfounded alarm
would have removed from Essonne the corps of the Duke of Ragusa, who has
this moment left us to bring his troops back to order?" These words
produced no change in the determination of the sovereigns, who would hear
of nothing but the unconditional abdication of Napoleon. Before the
Marshals took leave of the Emperor Alexander they solicited an armistice
of forty-eight hours, which time they said was indispensable to negotiate
the act of abdication with Napoleon. This request was granted without
hesitation, and the Emperor Alexander, showing Macdonald a map of the
environs of Paris, courteously presented him with a pencil, saying,
"Here, Marshal, mark yourself the limits to be observed by the two
armies."--"No, Sire," replied Macdonald, "we are the conquered party, and
it is for you to mark the line of demarcation." Alexander determined
that the right bank of the Seine should be occupied by the Allied troops,
and the left bank by the French; but it was observed that this
arrangement would be attended with inconvenience, as it would cut Paris
in two, and it was agreed that the line should turn Paris. I have been
informed that on a map sent to the Austrian staff to acquaint Prince
Schwartzenberg with the limits definitively agreed on, Fontainebleau, the
Emperor's headquarters, was by some artful means included within the
line. The Austrians acted so implicitly on this direction that Marshal
Macdonald was obliged to complain on the subject to Alexander,
who removed all ob