ceived from the Emperor of Russia this
laconic answer: "No peace, no truce, with that man: any thing except
him[12]."

[Footnote 12: The Emperor Alexander, at the time of the
affair of Fontainebleau, had guarantied to the Duke of
Vicenza, for Napoleon, the possession of the island of
Elba. M. de Talleyrand and the foreign ministers
remonstrated to him strongly, on the danger of leaving
the Emperor on a spot so near to France and Italy; and
conjured him, not to oppose their compelling him to
choose another place of retreat. Alexander, faithful to
his engagements, would not consent to this. When the
Emperor returned, Alexander made it a point of honour,
to repair the noble fault he had committed; and became,
rather from duty than from animosity, the most
inveterate enemy of Napoleon and of France.]

The agents maintained by the Emperor in foreign countries informed
him, that the troops of all the powers were in arms; and that the
arrival of the Russians alone was waited for, to commence the
campaign[13].

[Footnote 13: He had agents in Germany and in England,
who informed him, with perfect accuracy, of every thing
going on there. It is true, that these agents made him
pay dearly for their services. In London, for instance,
he had two persons, who cost him two thousand guineas a
month. "If my Germans," said he on this subject, "were
so dear, I must give them up."]

Thus every hope of conciliation was annihilated: the friends of
Napoleon began to doubt his safety: he alone contemplated with
imperturbable firmness the dangers, with which he was menaced.

The events of 1814 had disclosed to him the importance of the capital;
and it may well be presumed, that he did not neglect the means of
putting it into a state of defence. When the moment was arrived, for
definitively resolving on the work of the fortifications, which he had
already sketched out, M. Fontaine, his favourite architect, was with
him, and was going to withdraw. "No," said the Emperor to him, "stay
here: you shall help me to fortify Paris." He ordered the map of
levels to be brought him; examined the sinuosities of the ground;
consulted M. Fontaine on the placing of redoubts, and t