t profound indifference.

Meanwhile the royalists at home had failed in all their endeavours to
prevent his authority from being recognised all over France. The Duke
d'Angouleme was soon surrounded by the superior numbers of General
Gilly, and capitulated--on condition of being permitted to disband his
followers, and embark at Cette for Spain--a convention which Napoleon
did not hesitate to ratify. The Duchess of Angouleme, daughter of Louis
XVI., displayed at Bourdeaux such heroism as drew from Napoleon himself
the sarcastic eulogy, "She is the only man of her race;" but in spite of
the loyalty of the inhabitants all her efforts were vain. The garrison
was strong; they had caught the general flame; and the Princess was at
length compelled to take refuge in an English frigate. The Duke of Berri
repaired, on the first alarm, to La Vendee: but the regular troops in
that faithful province were, thanks to the previous care of King Louis's
war-minister, so numerous and so well posted, that this effort failed
also, and the Duke escaped to England. Before March had ended, the
tricolor flag was displayed on every tower of France.

Having discovered that there was no chance--if indeed he had ever
contemplated one--of persuading the Emperor of Austria to restore his
wife and son to him, Napoleon, ere he had been many days at the
Tuileries, set on foot a scheme for carrying them off from Vienna, by a
mixture of stratagem and force. There were French people in the suite of
Maria Louisa who easily embarked in this plot; and forged passports,
relays of horses, and all other appliances had been so well provided,
that but for a single individual, who betrayed the design, there seems
to have been a considerable probability of its success. On discovering
this affair the Emperor of Austria dismissed the French attendants of
his daughter, and caused her to discontinue the use of the arms and
liveries of Napoleon, which she had hitherto retained--nay, even the
imperial title itself, resuming those of her own family, and original
rank as archduchess. This procedure could not be concealed at Paris, and
completed the conviction of all men, that there was no hope whatever of
avoiding another European war; and almost at the same time a rash
expedition of Murat, which, if successful, might have materially
influenced the conduct of Austria, reached its end.

Napoleon, when at St. Helena, always persisted in denying any
participation in this desi