s. He has never been
forgiven for having abandoned his army in Egypt, in Spain, at Moscow:
still less would he be pardoned for leaving it here, in the centre of
France."

[Footnote 57: M. de Flahaut saw truly, for it appears
certain, that Marshal Grouchy had held parleys with the
allies, and that an arrangement on the plan of the Duke
of Ragusa was about to be signed, when General Excelmans
arrested the Prussian colonel, who was sent to the
marshal, to conclude the treaty already agreed upon.]

These different opinions, blamed or approved, supplied us with
subjects for discussion; when a person came to inform us, that the
English were at la Capelle[58], four or five leagues from us. With
this General Bertrand was instantly made acquainted: but the Emperor
continued talking with the Duke of Bassano, and we had infinite
trouble, to make him resume his journey.

[Footnote 58: This information was false.]

We arrived at Laon. The Emperor alighted at the foot of the walls. Our
defeat was already known. A detachment of the national guard came to
meet the Emperor. "Our brothers and sons," said the commanding
officer to him, "are in the garrison towns, but dispose of us, sire;
we are ready to die for our country, and for you." The Emperor thanked
him heartily. Some peasants came round us, and gaped at us with stupid
looks: they often shouted, "Long live the Emperor!" but these shouts
annoyed us. In prosperity they are pleasing; after a battle lost they
wound the heart.

The Emperor was informed, that a considerable number of troops were
perceived at a distance. He sent one of his aides-de-camp, to
reconnoitre them. They were about three thousand Frenchmen, horse and
foot, whom Prince Jerome, Marshal Soult, General Morand, and Generals
Colbert, Petit, and Pelet de Morveau, had succeeded in rallying.
"Then," said Napoleon, "I will remain at Laon, till the rest of the
army joins. I have given orders for all the scattered soldiers to be
sent to Laon and Rheims. The gendarmerie and national guard shall
scour the country, and collect the laggers; the good soldiers will
join of themselves; in four and twenty hours we shall have a nucleus
of ten or twelve thousand men. With this little army I will keep the
enemy in check, and give Grouchy time to arrive, and the nation to
face about." This resolution was strongly combated. "Your Maje