The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

694 LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
the success or ruin of the expedition must be Lyons, and the Duke d'Angoulenle repaired to
decided. Nismes. The legislative bodies, and most of the
Soult, the minister at war, had ordered some large better classes, declared for the royal cause. The
bodies of troops to be moved into the country be- residents of the various powers hastened to assure
twixt Lyons and Chamb6ri, to support, as he after- Louis of tle support of their sovereigns. Corps
wards alleged, the high language which Talleyrand of volunteers were raised, both among the royalists
had been oflate holding at the congress, by showing and the constitutional or moderate party. The
that France was in readiness for war. It'f the mar- most animating proclarriations called the people to
shal acted with good faith in this measure, he was at arms. An address by the. celebrated Benjamin
least most unfortunate; for, as he himself admits, Constant, one of the moot distinguished of the moeven in his attempt at exculpation, the troops were derate party, was remarkable for its eloquence.
so placed as if they had been purposely thrown in It placed in the most striking light the contrast
Bonaparte's way, and proved unhappily to consist of between the lawful government of a constitutional
corps peculiarly devoted to the ex emperor's person. monarch, and the usurpation of an Attila, or GenOn the 7th of March, the 7th regiment of the line, ghis, who governed only by the sword of his Mainecommanded by Colonel Lab6doyere, arrived at lakes. It reminded France of the general detestaGrenoble. He was young, nobly born, handsome, tion with which Bonaparte had been expelled
and distinguished as a military man. His marriage from the kingdom, and proclaimed Frencllmen to
having connected himl with the noble and lo3al be the scorn of Europe, should they again stretch
family of Damas, he procured preferment and active their hands voluntarily to the shackles which they
employment fiom Louis XVIII. through their in- had burst and hurled from them. All were sumterest, and they were induced even to pledge them- moned to arms, more especially those to whom liselves for his fidelity. Yet Lab6doyere had been berty was dear; for in the triumph of Bonaparte, it
engaged by Cambrone deep in the conspiracy of must find its grave for ever.-" With Louis," said
Elba, and used the command thus obtained for the the address, " was peace and happiness;-with
destruction of the monarch by whom he was trusted. Bonaparte, war, misery, and desolation." Even a
As Napoleon approached Grenoble, he came into more animating appeal to popular feeling was made
contact with the outposts of the garrison, who drew by a female on the staircase of the Tuileries, who
out, but seemed irresolute. Bonaparte halted his exclaimed, "If Louis has not men enough to
own little party, and advanced almost alone, ex- fight for him, let him call on the widows and childposing his breast, as he exclaimed," IHe who will less mothers who have been rendered such by Nakill his emperor, let him now work his pleasure." poleon."
The appeal was irresistible-the soldiers threw Notwithstanding all these demonstrations of zeal,
down their arms, crowded round the general who the public mind had been much influenced by the
had so often led them to victory, and shouted causes of discontent which had been so artfully
Vive l'empereur! In the meanwhile, Lab6doyere, enlarged upon for many months past. The decided
at the head of two battalions, was sallying from the royalists were few, the constitutionalists lukewarlm.
gates of Grenoble. As they advanced, he displayed It became every moment more likely, that not the
an eagle, which, like that of Marius, worshipped voice of the people, but the sword of' the army,
by the Roman conspirator, had been carefully pre- must determine tile controversy. Soult, whose
served to be the type of civil war; at the same conduct had given much cause for suspicion,
time, he distributed among the soldiers the three- which was augmented by his proposal to call out
coloured cockades, which he had concealed in the the officers who since the restoration had been
hollow of a drum. They were received with en- placed on half-pay, resigned his office, and was
thusiasin. It was in this moment that Marechal de succeeded by Clarke, Duke of Feltre, less renowned
camp Des Villiers, the superior officer of Lab6- as a soldier, but more trustworthy as a subject. A
doyere, arrived on the spot, alarmed at what was camp was established at Melun —troops were astaking place, and expostuilated with the young mi- sembled there —and as much care as possible was
litary fanatic and the soldiers. He was compelled used in selecting the troops to whoml the royal cause
to retire. General Marchand, the loyal comman- was to be intrusted.
dant of Grenoble, had as little influence on the In the meantime, Fortune had not entirely abantroops remaining in the place; they made him pri- donid the Bourbons. That part of the Bonapartist
soner, and delivered up the city to Bonaparte.- conspiracy which -was to have been executed in
Napoleon was thus at the head of nearly three the north was discovered and disconcerted. Lethousand soldiers, with a suitable train of artillery, fibvre Desnouiettes, discreditably known in Engand a corresponding quantity of ammunition. He land by his breach of parole, with the two Generals
acted with a moderation which his success could Lallemand, were the agents in this plot. On the
well afford, and dismissed General Marchand un- 1Oth MIarch, Lef6bvre Desnouettes marched forinjured. ward his regiment to join Bonaparte; but the ofliWhen the first news of Napoleon's arrival reached cers having discovered his purpose, lie wvas obliged
Paris, it excited surprise rather than alarm; but to make his escape fromal tile arrest with which he
when he was found to traverse the country without was threatened. The two Lallemands put the garopposition, some strange and combined treason he- rison of Lille, to the number of six thousand men,
gan to be generally Taprehended.'hat the i3our- in nImotion, by nmeans of forged orders, declaring
bons vmight not be wvantii, to their own cause, there was an inslrrection in Paris. But Marshal
Monsieur, with tile DLtke of' Orleans, set out fir' Mortier, meeting the troops on the nlargh, detected