r presence on board the ship will still have
a great influence over Frenchmen; cut the cables, promise money to the
crew, and if the captain resist have him put on shore, and hoist your
sails. I have no doubt but Fouche has sold you to the Allies.'--
'I believe it also; but go and make the last effort with the Minister of
Marine.' I went off immediately to M. Decres. He was in bed, and
listened to me with an indifference that made my blood boil. He said to
me, 'I am only a Minister. Go to Fouche; speak to the Government. As
for me, I can do nothing. Good-night.' And so saying he covered himself
up again in his blankets. I left him; but I could not succeed in
speaking either to Fouche or to any of the others. It was two o'clock in
the morning when I returned to Malmaison; the Emperor was in bed. I was
admitted to his chamber, where I gave him an account of the result of my
mission, and renewed my entreaties. He listened to me, but made no
answer. He got up, however, and spent a part of the night in walking up
and down the room.

"The following day was the last of that sad drama. The Emperor had gone
to bed again, and slept a few hours. I entered his cabinet at about
twelve o'clock. 'If I had known you were here,' he said, 'I would have
had you called in.' He then gave me, on a subject that interested him
personally, some instructions which it is needless for me to repeat.
Soon after I left him, full of anxiety respecting his fate, my heart
oppressed with grief, but still far from suspecting the extent to which
both the rigour of fortune and the cruelty of his enemies would be
carried."

All the morning of the 29th of June the great road from St. Germain rung
with the cries of "Vive l'Empereur!" proceeding from the troops who
passed under the walls of Malmaison. About mid-day General Becker, sent
by the Provisional Government, arrived. He had been appointed to attend
Napoleon. Fouche knew that General Becker had grievances against the
Emperor, and thought to find in him willing agent. He was greatly
deceived, for the General paid to the Emperor a degree of respect highly
to his honour. Time now became pressing. The Emperor, at the moment of
departure, sent a message by General Becker himself to the Provisional
Government, offering to march as a private citizen at the head of the
troops. He promised to repulse Blucher, and afterwards to continue his
route. Upon the refusal of the Provisional Government he quitted
Malmais