ne possessed, had been exerted in
vain--the capital showed small symptoms of sympathising with him. The
newspapers had announced nothing but victories; but the truth could not
fail to penetrate in spite of all this treachery. The streets were daily
traversed by new crowds of provincialists, driven or terrified from
their dwellings. Every hospital, and many public buildings besides, were
crammed with wounded soldiers; and the number of dead bodies,
continually floating down the Seine was so great, that the meanest of
the populace durst no longer make use of the water. As one conclusive
token of the universal distrust, it may be mentioned that, whereas in
usual times the amount of taxes paid daily into the exchequer at Paris
is about L3000, the average, after the 1st of March, did not exceed L15.
It was Savary's business to despatch a full account of the state of the
city every night to headquarters;--and he did not hesitate to inform the
Emperor that the machinery of government was clogged in every wheel, and
that the necessity of purchasing peace, by abandoning him, was the
common burden of conversation.

Meantime, to swell the cup of his anxieties, there reached him new
intelligence of the most alarming character from the south-western
provinces, invaded by Lord Wellington. That victorious general had
driven Soult before him through the _Pays de Gaves_ (the tract of strong
country broken by the torrents descending from the Pyrenees); defeated
him in another great battle at Orthes; and was now pursuing him in the
direction of Toulouse. Nor was even this the worst: the English had been
received more like friends than enemies by the French; their camp was
far better served with provisions than that of Soult; and lastly,
Bourdeaux had risen openly in the cause of Louis. The white flag was
floating on every tower of the third city in France, and the Duke
D'Angouleme was administering all the offices of government, in the
midst of a population who had welcomed him with the enthusiasm of old
loyalty.

It was amidst such circumstances that Napoleon at length decided on
throwing himself on the rear of the Allies. They were for some time
quite uncertain of his movements after he quitted Rheims, until an
intercepted letter to Maria Louisa informed them that he was at St.
Dizier.

CHAPTER XXXVI

The Allies approach Paris--Maria Louisa retires to Blois--Marmont
and Mortier occupy the Heights of Montmartre--They