He seemed pale and dejected, as from recent and
exhausting illness. His only dress was a night-gown and slippers, and he
drank from time to time a quantity of tisan, or some such liquid, which
was placed beside him, saying he had suffered severely during the night,
but that his complaint had left him.
After this crisis, and having ratified the treaty which his mareschals
had made for him. Napoleon appeared more at his ease than he had been
for some time before, and conversed frankly with his attendants upon the
affairs of France.
NAPOLEON TAKES LEAVE OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD.
Napoleon having now resigned himself entirely to his fate, whether for
good or evil, prepared, on the 20th of April, to depart for his place of
retreat. But first, he had the painful task of bidding farewell to the
body in the universe most attached to him, and to which he was probably
most attached,--his celebrated Imperial Guard. Such of them as could be
collected were drawn out before him in review. Some natural tears
dropped from his eyes, and his features had the marks of strong emotion
while reviewing for the last time, as he must then have thought likely,
the companions of so many victories. He advanced to them on horseback,
dismounted, and took his solemn leave. "All Europe," he said, "had armed
against him; France herself had deserted him, and chosen another
dynasty. He might," he said, "have maintained with his soldiers a civil
war of years, but it would have rendered France unhappy.
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