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allowing their discontent to be plainly manifest； and the faithful adorer
of his Majesty became proportionately more lavish of his expressions of
admiration； as his antagonists showed themselves ready with reproaches。
The Duke of Rovigo was informed of these discussions； which each day
became more eager and animated； and one fine day our honest employee
found on returning to his home a letter bearing the seal of the general
of police。 He could not believe his eyes。 He； a good； simple； modest
man living his retired life； what could the minister of general police
desire of him？ He opens the letter； and finds that the minister orders
him to appear before him the next morning。 He reports there as may be
imagined with the utmost punctuality； and then a dialogue something like
this ensued between these gentlemen。 〃It appears； Monsieur；〃 said the
Duke of Rovigo； 〃that you are very devoted to the Emperor。〃〃Yes； I love
him； I would give him my blood； my life。〃〃You admire him greatly？〃
〃Yes； I admire him！ The Emperor has never been so great； his glory has
never〃〃That is all very well； Monsieur； your sentiments do you honor；
and I share those sentiments with you； but I urge on you to reserve the
expression of them for yourself； for； though I should regret it very
much； you may drive me to the necessity of having you arrested。〃〃I； my
Lord； have me arrested？ Ah！ but doubtlesswhy？〃〃Do you not see that
you cause the expression of opinions that might remain concealed were it
not for your enthusiasm； and finally； you will force； many good men to
compromise themselves to a certain extent； who will return to us when
things are in better condition。 Go； Monsieur； let us continue to love；
serve； and admire the Emperor； but at such a time as this let us not
proclaim our fine sentiments so loudly； for fear of rendering many guilty
who are only a little misguided。〃 The employee of the treasury then left
the minister； after thanking him for his advice and promising to follow
it。 I would not dare to assert that he kept his word scrupulously； but I
can affirm that all I have just said is the exact truth； and I am sure
that if this passage in my Memoirs falls under the eyes of the Duke of
Rovigo it will remind him of an occurrence which he may perhaps have
forgotten； but which he will readily recall。
Meanwhile the commission； composed as I have said of five senators and
five members of the Corps Legislatif； devoted itself assiduously to the
duty with which it was charged。 Each of these two grand bodies of the
state presented to his Majesty a separate address。 The senate had
received the report made by M。 de Fontanes； and their address contained
nothing which could displease the Emperor； but was on the contrary
expressed in most proper terms。 In it a peace was indeed demanded； but a
peace which his Majesty could obtain by an effort worthy of him and of
the French people。 〃Let that hand so many times victorious；〃 they said；
〃lay down its arms after having assured the repose of the world。〃 The
following passage was also noteworthy： 〃No； the enemy shall not destroy
this beautiful and noble France； which for fourteen hundred years has
borne itself gloriously through such diverse fortunes； and which for the
interest of the neighboring nations themselves should always bear
considerable weight in the balance of power in Europe。 We have as
pledges of this your heroic constancy and the national honor。〃 Then
again； 〃Fortune does not long fail nations which do not fail in their
duty to themselves。〃
This language； worthy of true Frenchmen； and which the circumstances at
least required； was well pleasing to the Emperor； as is evident from the
answer he made on the 29th of December to the deputation from the senate
with the prince archchancellor at its head：
〃Senators；〃 said his Majesty； 〃I am deeply sensible of the sentiments you
express。 You have seen by the articles which I have communicated to you
what I am doing towards a peace。 The sacrifices required by the
preliminary basis which the enemy had proposed to me I have accepted； and
I shall make them without regret； since my life has only one object；the
happiness of the French people。
〃Meanwhile Bearn； Alsace； Franche…Comte； and Brabant have been entered；
and the cries of that part of my family rend my soul。 I call the French
to the aid of the French！ I call the Frenchmen of Paris； Brittany；
Normandy； Champagne； Burgundy； and the other departments to the aid of
their brothers。 Will they abandon them in misfortune？ Peace and the
deliverance of our territory should be our rallying cry。 At the sight of
this whole people in arms the foreigner will flee； or will consent to
peace on the terms I have proposed to him。 The question is no longer the
recovery of the conquests we have made。〃
It was necessary to be in a position to thoroughly know the character of
the Emperor to understand how much it must have cost him to utter these
last words； but from a knowledge of his character also resulted the
certainty that it would have cost him less to do what he promised than to
say them。 It would seem that this was well understood in Paris； for the
day on which the 'Moniteur' published the reply of his Majesty to the
senate； stocks increased in value more than two francs； which the Emperor
did not fail to remark with much satisfaction； for as is well known； the
rise and decline of stocks was with him the real thermometer of public
opinion。
In regard to the conduct of the Corps Legislatif； I heard it condemned by
a man of real merit deeply imbued with republican principles。 He uttered
one day in my presence these words which struck me： 〃The Corps Legislatif
did then what it should have done at all times； except under these
circumstances。〃 From the language used by the spokesman of the
commission； it is only too evident that the speaker believed in the false
promises of the declaration of Frankfort。 According to him； or rather
according to the commission of which he was after all only the organ；
the intention of the foreigners was not to humiliate France； they only
wished to keep us within our proper limits； and annul the effects of an
ambitious activity which had been so fatal for twenty years to all the
nations of Europe。 〃The propositions of the confederated powers；〃 said
the commission； 〃seem to us honorable for the nation； since they prove
that foreigners both fear and respect us。〃 Finally the speaker；
continuing his reading； having reached a passage in which allusion was
made to the Empire of the Lily； added in set phrase that the Rhine； the
Alps； the Pyrenees； and the two seas inclosed a vast territory； several
provinces of which had not belonged to ancient France； and that
nevertheless the crown royal of France shone brilliantly with glory and
majesty among all other diadems。
At these words the Duke of Massa interrupted the speaker； exclaiming；
〃What you say is unconstitutional；〃 to which the speaker vehemently
replied； 〃I see nothing unconstitutional here except your presence；〃 and
continued to read his report。 The Emperor was each day informed of what
took place in the sitting of the Corps Legislatif； and I remember that
the day on which their report was read he； appeared much disturbed； and
before retiring walked up and down the room in much agitation； like one
trying to make some important decision。 At last he decided not to allow
the publication of the address of the Corps Legislatif； which had been
communicated to him according to custom。 Time pressed； the next day
would have been too late； as the address would be circulated in Paris；
where the public mind was already much disturbed。 The order was
consequently given to the minister of general police to have the copy of
the report and the address seized at the printing establishment； and to
break the forms already set up。 Besides this the order was also given to
close the doors of the Corps Legislatif； which was done； and the
legislature thus found itself adjourned。
I heard many persons at this time deeply regret that his Majesty had
taken these measures； and； above all； that having taken them he had not
stopped there。 It was said that since the Corps Legislatif was now
adjourned by force； it was better； whatever might be the result； to
convoke another chamber； and that the Emperor should not recognize the
members of the one he had dismissed。 His Majesty thought otherwise； and
gave the deputies a farewell audience。 They came to the Tuileries； and
there his only too just resentment found vent in these words：
〃I have suppressed your address； as it was incendiary。 Eleven…twelfths
of the Corps Legislatif are composed of good citizens whom I know and for
whom I have much regard； the other twelfth is composed of seditious
persons who are devoted to England。 Your Commission and its chairman；
M。 Laine； are of this number。 He corresponds with the Prince Regent；
through the lawyer Deseze。 I know it； and have proof of it。 The other
four are of the same faction。 If there are abuses to be remedied； is
this a time for remonstrances； when two hundred thousand Cossacks are
crossing our frontiers？ Is this