The marshals stood in silence, and looked at him in an embarrassed
manner. Laying aside the pen, and rising, he held up the paper on
which he had written, and motioned to Marshal Ney. "Here, Prince de
la Moskwa," said Napoleon, "read to the marshals what I have
written."
Ney read in a tremulous voice: "'The allied powers, having
proclaimed that the Emperor Napoleon is the sole obstacle to the
reestablishment of peace in Europe, the Emperor Napoleon, faithful
to his oath, declares that he is ready to descend from the throne,
to quit France, and even life itself, for the good of the country,
inseparable from the rights of his son, of the regency of the
empress, and of the maintenance of the laws of the empire.'"
[Footnote: Fain, "Manuscrit de 1814," p. 221.]
"You have willed it so," said Napoleon, when Ney had finished.
"Macdonald and Ney, with Caulaincourt, will immediately repair with
this document to Paris. On the way they will meet Mortier, and
request him to accompany them. The four dukes will present my
conditional abdication to the Emperor Alexander, and treat with him
in regard to the future of my son and the regency of my consort."
On the 7th of April the Duke de Vicenza entered the emperor's
cabinet, pale and with a mournful air.
"Caulaincourt," cried Napoleon, "you have delivered my abdication to
Alexander?"
"Yes, sire," said Caulaincourt, sadly.
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