Cries of enthusiasm rent the apartments; tears were
shed, and a sense of the solemnity of the moment penetrated every
mind. All shouted, "Long live the emperor! Long live the empress!"
Maria Louisa, pale with emotion, her face bathed in tears, leaned
her head on the emperor's shoulder; and, holding his son in his left
arm, he placed his right around the trembling form of his consort.
At the sight of this touching group the enthusiasm of the National
Guard knew no bounds. They wept, cheered, and swore they would die
to a man rather than forsake the emperor--that they would allow
Paris to be laid in ruins by the artillery of the enemy rather than
surrender the empress and the King of Rome.
But this enthusiasm of the National Guard met with no response
beyond the Tuileries. Paris maintained an ominous silence, and, when
the emperor rode through the city at night, the streets were
deserted; no one had awaited him to pay homage on his departure.
Paris was asleep--its sleep that of exhaustion--and the people were
dreaming, perhaps, that adversity was hastening upon them.
FALL OF PARIS.
CHAPTER XLVII.
THE BATTLE OF LA ROTHIERE.
The morning of the 1st of February dawned cold and gloomy; heavy
gusts, driving the snow across the plain, gave to the landscape a
sad and dreary aspect. Silence reigned in the camps of the hostile
armies.
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