was made to feel that the welfare of the province was subordinate to the interests of the Imperial Government, and that he formed but a fraction of the immense structure beneath which Napoleon had crushed the liberties of Europe. When that structure began to totter, the governor of the little out-work on the Rhine was one of the first to perceive the altered temper of the German nation, and the eagerness with which, after Essling, they watched every sign of its approaching dissolution. After the battles of Lutzen and Bautzen, and during the armistice of Prague, the Emperor himself passed a few days at Mayence and ordered Beugnot to join him there. The account of that interview is extremely graphic.

replied that his Majesty could not expect a parcel of German clod-poles to fight like the elite of the French guards of honour. After some further discussion the Emperor gave up the second light regiment I was to furnish, and said he had rather impose on the country the re-organization of a good Polish legion which would not desert. I replied that I hoped the expense would not exceed that of the regiment. To which the Emperor replied, "I must have troops, and formed troops. Manage it as you like. The time for calculating so closely is past." The Emperor then dictated letters to me for two or three hours, and so many decrees that it would take the whole night to engross them. All this time he was walking up and down in his cabinet, dictating with great rapidity. He stopped a moment at the first word of the sentence, and then threw off the whole in a breath, which rendered it almost impossible to follow him."

The art of the Emperor's secretaries consisted in seizing his meaning as well as they could, retaining if possible any characteristic expression, but putting the whole in their own words. He scarcely read the papers over when they were brought to him written with too broad a margin. He into sign, and only complained that they were sisted on not having any. After some little time Beugnot took an opportunity to urge the Emperor to grant to the inhabitants of the Duchy some relaxation of the state monopoly of tobacco, which had been imposed on them by France.

'I found the Emperor as firm and prompt as ever, but he was not at his ease in conversation, and he evidently thought he had a part to play. On the very first day he gave me a long account of his forces of all arms. Whenever he made an assertion in the course of his harangue, which might try my credulity, he watched me closely to observe the effect of his statements. Thus, when he said that the King of Denmark was giving him 40,000 horses, with which he should have the most formidable cavalry in Europe, I made, without intending it, I must confess, a gesture of impatience, from which he inferred that I had no great reliance on his formidable cavalry. He grew angry. "You are one of those wiseacres," he broke out, "who are cocksure of everything. You say, after Frederic, that seven years are required to make a trooper. I tell you, that with good officers, regiments of "When I had told my story, his Majesty recavalry are formed as soon as others. Put the plied, "It is inconceivable that you have not men on horseback and they stick there. That discovered the motive which makes me persist is all the secret. Look at my guards of honour! in maintaining the tobacco monopoly in the Nothing can surpass them for courage and in- Duchy? It is not the affair of your Duchy, telligence. They are admirable cavalry; have but of France. I know very well you gain we been seven years forming them?" The nothing by it-perhaps you may lose; but conversation turned on the recent levies of what does that signify, if it is to the advantage Austria and Bavaria. I took the liberty of re- of France? Know then that in every country marking that they were very strong, and I ex-in which the sale of tobacco is restricted by the pressed some doubt of the political views of those Powers. The Emperor pooh-poohed my doubts, but without irritation. I inferred from the manner he spoke of it, that the same idea had more than once crossed his own mind. "I dont know," said he, "against whom these excessive levies of men are intended, by Austria especially. If this goes on, who is to stop? There will be none but women left in Europe to till the ground. I have an army as good as ever,and 400,000 strong. That is enough to right myself in the North. I shall not think of doubling it, though nothing would be more easy.' I held my tongue, and acquiesced in everything Within the next few days the intelligence his Majesty was pleased to wish me to believe. When he thought he had convinced me, he of the defection of Bavaria and the more talked of the affairs of the Grand Duchy. He than equivocal attitude of Austria reached complained of the local troops, said they cost a the Imperial Court. Napoleon said no great deal, and deserted the next morning. I more of the 40,000 horses from Denmark

State, and which borders on a country where the sale is free, you must reckon on a continental infiltration by smuggling for seven or eight leagues from the frontier. It is from that I want to protect France: you must prevent this infiltration as you can. I keep it at eight leagues from my frontiers. As matters now are, I can reckon on the returns of the left bank of the Rhine as much as on those of the interior of France. That is what I wanted. Guess then if I am going to sacrifice the interests of France to your convenience."

and of his prodigious reinforcements. But | Count de St. Priest, a French émigré who one day when Beugnot through inadver- commanded the division of the Russian tence took his master's chair in the imperi- army which occupied Dusseldorf. al closet, and even took it more than once, On the left bank of the Rhine the authorNapoleon said to him, in a tone of expostu- ity of France was still unshaken, and the lation rather than anger, You will sit in my Prefect of Aix-la-Chapelle would not be place, I see; you choose your time ill.' Beug-lieve that the allied armies could ever vennot had the courage to persist in the represen- ture to cross that barrier. Six leagues. tations he had already made in favour of from that city lay Marshal Macdonald at the inhabitants of the Duchy, and he added the head of what was called his army. that after all this was but a small concession Beugnot was ordered to go to his headto make, in order to give greater security to quarters and report on his troops. That,' the rear of the French armies. said the Marshal, 'is soon done. The personnel of my army consists of myself, here present, and of the chief of my staff, General Gruneller: as to the materiel, that consists of four straw-chairs and a deal table. This is what they call at Paris the army of Marshal Macdonald.' On his return to Paris with this discouraging report, Beugstill talked of preserving all that he possess not had an audience of the Emperor, who - his 100,000 men on the ed in Germany Elbe- and his determination to fall on the rear of the allies, and if they dared to cross the Rhine

more.

tanes

'vous verriez une belle débâ cle.' For the present, however, he ordered Beugnot to proceed to Lille in a position not sensibly differing from that of a Prefect The order was insulting to a man of Beugnot's official rank, and he remonstrated accordingly. The Emperor replied in his usual style :

""At such a time," I said, "the public opinion of a country should be taken into consideration." "I understand you," rejoined the Emperor, looking at me with animation, "you advise me to make concessions, and to show great respect for public opinion; those are the big phrases of the school to which you belong.' Sire, I am of no school but that of the Emperor." "That is a way of speaking, nothing You are of the school of the ideologues, like Regnault, like Roederer, Louis, and Fonno, not Fontanes, I am wrong, he belongs to another set of fools. Do you suppose I do not catch your meaning, through all the disguises in which you mask it? You are one of those who sigh for the liberty of the press, the liberty of the tribune, and who believe in the omnipotence of public opinion. Well then! I will tell you my last word!" Then putting his right hand on the hilt of his sword, he added, "As long as this sword hangs by my side, and may it long hang there, you shall have none of the liberties you are sighing for, not even that, Monsieur Beugnot, of making a me must serve as it suits me, and where it suits fine speech of your own in the tribune." Minister or not, I have not time to think "But, sire, what enemy has traduced me to about that, and if I send you anywhere as a this extent in the eyes of the Emperor ?" sous-prefet your duty is to go." No doubt, "No one; but I know you, and I know you Sire, but a man who has filled a high office better than you know yourself. You will bring cannot go to a lesser office without an air of those papers to me at the cabinet this evening." disgrace, for-." "To the point, I am in a I was dismissed, but I received the same even-hurry. You must go to Lille, Duplantier is ing an order to attend the following day at ten, and to remain at home where I could be found. My audience on the following day was postponed till four, and when I arrived at that hour, I was informed by the Chamberlain of the day that his Majesty was getting into his carriage to leave Mayence.' (Vol. ii. p. 19.).

Before many months had elapsed the sinister presentiments of M. Beugnot were fulfilled. Leipzig followed Dresden. The French troops in disorder retraced the great road of Germany which had so often led them to victory. The enemy pressed upon their rear, and very shortly nothing remained for the French Minister who was governing the Grand Duchy of Berg, but to pack up his papers, recross the Rhine, and leave his last dinner to be eaten by the

""What do you mean?

me.

Whosoever serves

killing himself in my service there, which is no
good to him or to me either. That department
of the North is one of the gates of France, and
"The Em-
you will have plenty to do there."
peror may rely on my zeal, but may I ask with
what title I am to present myself in that depart-
ment?" Really, Monsieur Beugnot, you
presume." "I beg the Emperor's pardon.'
"Is this a time for titles ? Go there as Préfet,
as Minister, as Emperor if you dare. How can
you talk to me of such nonsense, when my
head is on fire from morning till night? Your
Macdonald does nothing, prevents nothing.
Clouds of Cossacks are ravaging the Rhine de-
partments. I have to organise the defence of
the whole country, and with what? At such a
your pocket, and you talk to me of titles! It
moment I place one of the keys of France in
is time enough to talk of that when you have
nothing else to do. They told me you were a
man of sense, but you don't show it. Start at

And that was Count Beugnot's last conversation with Napoleon Bonaparte. His mission to Lille was of course abortive. All he could do was to prepare the place against a siege by the Russian army, and while he was still at his post he received a note from his old friend Dupont de Nemours in the following terms:

the latest to-morrow morning. Correspond horrors of invasion. The roads were with my ministers, or write to me direct if blocked by troops or broken up by the rethere is any important reason. Good morning, cent military operations. Half France was Count Beugnot, a pleasant journey to you! in the hands of the enemy. The whole administrative machinery of the Empire was shattered to pieces. It deserves to be remembered to the immortal honour of Count Beugnot, that he was the man who, almost alone and unaided, faced these difficulties, and restored something like order in the kingdom. He entered the service of the Bourbons without prejudices or passion; he exercised the power confided to him without resentment; and it would have been well for the Court if they had had the wisdom to confide more implicitly in his patriotism and good sense. His evidence, therefore, on the true character of the First Restoration is of the highest value, and it absolutely contradicts the opinions which have too often been accredited in France.

Take care of yourself. The last barrier is broken down; the allies will enter Paris tonight or to-morrow.'

Nothing remained for the luckless Minister but to effect his escape in disguise. At Amiens he saw for the first time the white cockade. At Chantilly the people were cheering the Provisional Government and the House of Bourbon. At St. Denis the Cossacks were burning stacks and collecting forage. And that was the end of the First Empire.

repre

'The enemies of the Bourbons have said and repeated, and they still repeat, that these Princes came back in 1814 in the baggage-waggons of the invader. So untrue is it that they came in that shameful guise, that the Duke of WelThe Emperor Napoleon had not alto- lington refused at Bordeaux to see the Duke gether misjudged M. Beugnot, when he of Angoulême, who had thrown himself into told him that he was one of the men who and when the magistrates of the town consultthat town with more spirit than discretion; were sighing in their hearts for a more lib-ed the English General as to the conduct they eral form of Government. He had served should adopt towards this prince, the Duke of the Empire, without approving its despotic Wellington replied that he thought it would be policy, or abandoning the principles of the unwise to commit themselves with the Duke of Legislative Assembly; and he readily lent Angoulême whilst the allies were still negotiathimself to the establishment of a more lib-ing at Chatillon with the ministers of Napoeral form of government, when the leon. At the same time Monsieur (the Comte sentatives of the nation first gathered round d'Artois) was timidly approaching some of the the throne of Louis XVI. M. de Talley- Austrian commander than the local authoritowns of Lorraine, more careful to avoid the rand, the sinister genius of the Restoration, ties; he was far enough from invoking the forwas his friend, and accordingly he trans-ces of the invader, and he would have done so ferred his allegiance without hesitation to without success. He had taken refuge at Vethe entresol of the Hôtel St. Florentin, soul, where he was visited by a few gentlemen which has witnessed so many of the most of the country, and avoided by the greater remarkable events of this century. * Tal-number. The Emperor of Russia declared in leyrand at once placed the Ministry of the a proclamation of the 31st March, that the AlInterior in his hands, and he was thus sud- lied Sovereigns would only recognize and guardenly called upon to take a prominent and antee a constitution given by the French nation decided part in the restoration of Louis to itself; and in reply to a deputation of the Senate on the 2d April, the same Prince said, "It is just and wise to give to France strong and liberal institutions in harmony with the enlightened spirit of the age. The object of my allies and of myself is to protect the liberty of your decisions." It was only four days later when the Senate, by its constitution, had recalled Louis Xavier of France to the throne, that the Bourbons were acknowledged. Till then, although France was occupied by 200,000 foreign troops, their existence was hazardous and obscure. And I am confident that if the Senate had at that moment summoned to the throne of France some other family than the

XVIII. to the throne.

The task was one of appalling difficulty. The air was infected by the exhalations of dead horses and dead bodies. The enormous supplies of food required for the Allied armies threatened to famish the people. The population was groaning under the

The small apartment of the Hotel St. Florentin Was the residence of Prince Talleyrand, and was afterwards occupied by Princess Lieven till her death. The Emperor Alexander of Russia lived, during his residence in Paris, on the first floor of the same hotel.

Bourbons, that family would have been accepted by Europe, not only without difficulty, but with satisfaction, so generally was the prediction believed that the Bourbons would have great difficulty in maintaining themselves in the country.' (Vol. ii. p. 99.)

France: je la revois enfin ! et rien n'y est
changé, si ce n'est qu'il s'y trouve nos Fran-
cais de plus!'
Censor, and I give you my word that the
Capital,' said the great
Prince will believe in a day or two that he
really uttered them, and nobody will recol-
lect you had a hand in the matter.' The

but the dynasty; and as M. Beugnot lost
the honour of it in his lifetime, it is but fair
that it should now be restored to his mem-
ory.

The following anecdote of that pedantic
priest, the Abbe de Pradt, Archbishop of
Malines under the Empire, is so droll that
we must make room for it :-

M. Beugnot had had, we think, no pre-bon mot has outlived not only the Prince, vious acquaintance with any members of the Royal Family, and he had no prepossessions in their favonr. But the position he filled in the Provisional Government at the moment of the Restoration brought him into contact with the Comte d'Artois, and in spite of his own liberal views Beugnot had more personal regard for him than for Louis XVIII. The constant opposition which really existed between these two royal brothers originated in their characters, but it was strengthened by the whole course of their lives. It had divided the emigration at Coblenz; it divided the friends of the Restoration at Paris; and in spite of the superior abilities, taet, and judgment of the King, the most influential member of the Royalist party was his brother.

The

-"Just so,"

The day the Provisional Government was formed, the Archbishop of Malines called on that so important a structure should have been M. de Talleyrand, and expressed his surprise raised without reserving a place for him in it, and he asked the Prince with some ill humour what it was intended to do for him, as he clearly could not be left out. "Leave you out," exclaimed the Prince, "far from it. You can at On the 12th of April the Comte d'Ar- this moment render a most signal service. tois made his triumphal entry into Paris. Have you got a white pocket-handkerchief?" "Yes." That was beyond a doubt the brightest day "But a very white one!". "Certainly.". ."-"Let me see it then." of the Restoration. The enthusiasm of the Archbishop pulls out his handkerchief, Talleypeople was genuine. The crowds flocking rand takes it by one corner, and waves it franaround him arrested his passage from the tically in the air, shouting, "Vive le Roi." Barrière de Bondy to Notre Dame. To" You see what I am doing- now take your some one, who attempted to make way for handkerchief, do as I do - go down along the him, the Prince exclaimed, 'Laissez, Mon- Boulevard towards the Faubourg St. Antoine, sieur, laissez, j'arriverai toujours trop tôt.' waving the white standard crying, Vive le On his return to the Tuileries, Beugnot ex look at my dress. I am in my bishop's wigRoi." But, Prince, you can't mean it. Just pressed a hope that he was not 'fatigued.' Fatigued? How should I be fatigued? my cross, my legion of honour." This is the only day of happiness I have ed. If you had not got them on, you would "that is just what is wantrejoined Talleyrand, had for thirty years. But, after all, have had to fetch them. Cross, wig, powder, the brilliant impressions of the day were dress, all that will make a sensation, and it is over, and the mighty work was not com- a sensation we want." plete. There remains,' said M. de Talleyrand, the article to be written for the "Moniteur;" and, above all, what had the Prince himself said on so memorable an occasion?' Nobody could recollect. The probability is that beyond a few incoherent expressions of pleasure and of gratitude, he had said nothing at all. Then it was that Beugnot reached the culminating instant of his life. He tried it once. He tried it twice. M. de Talleyrand was not satisfied. At last M. Pasquier gave a fortunate hint, and at the third effort, Beugnot produced (out of his inner consciousness) those memorable words which appeared in the Moniteur' the next morning, and have been ascribed to the Prince by an admiring posterity: Plus de divisions: la paix et la

'It is hardly credible that M. de Pradt, a man not without talent and ability, should have But off he went on fallen into such a trap. Talleyrand's errand. At first he got on pretty well, though he was soon surrounded by a crowd of street blackguards, but when he reached the Boulevard Poissonière, the Archbishop fell upon a knot of Bonapartists, who soon charged him and sent him flying homewards. His flight was so rapid that he had to pocket the white standard and to rush throngh the mud. In this state he got back to the Rue St. Florentin, where he proceeded to relate with great emphasis his daring and his success. He had conquered a great part of the capital to the royal cause; he had been stopped at the Fau bourg Poissonière by obstacles which could only have yielded to a troop of horse; but he still showed in his retreat that he was alike unmoved by the eye of Bonaparte and by the tu

mult of the populace, prava jubentium. All | name to the King of France.
which M. de Talleyrand listened to with the ut-ges as these the King was really a great mas-