ircumstances, you will remind me of them; it is
not my intention, to conceal any thing. Now, as after the affair of
Moscow, the whole truth[59] must be disclosed to France. I might have
thrown on Marshal Ney," continued Napoleon, "the blame of part of the
misfortunes of that day: but the mischief is done; no more is to be
said about it." I read this new twenty-ninth bulletin: a few slight
changes, suggested by General Drouot, were assented to by the Emperor;
but, from what whim I know not, he would not confess, that his
carriages had fallen into the hands of the enemy. "When you get to
Paris," said M. de Flahaut to him, "it will be plainly seen, that your
carriages have been taken. If you conceal this, you will be charged
with disguising truths of more importance; and it is necessary, to
tell the whole, or say nothing." The Emperor, after some demur,
finally acceded to this advice.

[Footnote 59: This shows how unjustly Napoleon has been
reproached with having falsified the truth, and
calumniated the army, in that bulletin.]

I then read the bulletin a second time; and, every person agreeing in
its accuracy, M. de Bassano sent it off to Prince Joseph by a courier
extraordinary.

At the moment when it arrived, Paris was resounding with transports
of joy, to which the splendid victory of Ligny, and the good news
received from the armies of the West and of the Alps, had given rise.

Marshal Suchet, always fortunate, always able, had made himself master
of Montmelian, and from one triumph had proceeded to another, till he
had driven the Piedmontese from the passes and valleys of Mount Cenis.

General Desaix, one of his lieutenants, had driven back from the side
of Jura the enemy's advanced posts, taken Carrouge, crossed the Arva,
and, in spite of the difficulty of the country, made himself master of
all the defiles in the twinkling of an eye.

The war of la Vendee had justified the Emperor's conjectures.

The Marquis of Roche-jaquelin, ashamed of the defeat at Aisenay,
awaited with impatience an opportunity for redeeming the disgrace.
Informed, that a fresh English fleet was bringing him arms and stores,
he thought this opportunity was arrived; and immediately made
preparations to favour the landing announced, and, if necessary, to
give battle to the imperialists.

These preparations, badly contrived, and badly ordered, did not obtain
the unanimous assent of the army. Part