"
"I am to renounce the throne, too, for my son--my dear little King
of Rome?" cried Napoleon, mournfully. "No, never! I cannot deprive
my son of his inheritance. This is too much. I will put myself at
the head of my army and run the risk of any calamities, rather than
submit to a humiliation worse than them all!"
"Your majesty has no army. Treason has infected your marshals."
"What do you mean? Ah. it is true, you come alone! Where are the
marshals? Where is Ney? Where is Macdonald?"
"Sire, they have remained in Paris."
"Ah, I understand," exclaimed Napoleon, with a scornful laugh; "they
are waiting there for King Louis XVIII., in order to offer him their
services. But where is Marmont? You know well that I am greatly
attached to Marmont, and I long to see him. Why does he not come?"
"Sire, Marshal Marmont has passed over to the allies with a corps of
ten thousand men."
"Marmont!" cried Napoleon, almost with a scream--"Marmont a traitor!
That is false--that is impossible! Marmont cannot have betrayed me!"
"Sire, he did betray you. He marched the troops, notwithstanding
their undisguised reluctance, to Versailles, in order there to join
the allies, after receiving from them the solemn promise that the
French soldiers should be treated as friends."
"Marmont has betrayed me!" murmured Napoleon. "Marment, whom I loved
as a son--who owes me all--who--" His voice faltered; his heart was
rent, and, sinking on a chair, he buried his quivering face in his
hands.
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