Every hospital, and many public buildings besides, were crammed with wounded soldiers; and the number of dead bodies, continually floating down the Seine was so great, that the meanest of the populace durst no longer make use of the water.  As one conclusive token of the universal distrust, it may be mentioned that, whereas in usual times the amount of taxes paid daily into the exchequer at Paris is about L3000, the average, after the 1st of March, did not exceed L15.  It was Savary’s business to despatch a full account of the state of the city every night to headquarters;—­and he did not hesitate to inform the Emperor that the machinery of government was clogged in every wheel, and that the necessity of purchasing peace, by abandoning him, was the common burden of conversation.

Meantime, to swell the cup of his anxieties, there reached him new intelligence of the most alarming character from the south-western provinces, invaded by Lord Wellington.  That victorious general had driven Soult before him through the Pays de Gaves (the tract of strong country broken by the torrents descending from the Pyrenees); defeated him in another great battle at Orthes; and was now pursuing him in the direction of Toulouse.  Nor was even this the worst:  the English had been received more like friends than enemies by the French; their camp was far better served with provisions than that of Soult; and lastly, Bourdeaux had risen openly in the cause of Louis.  The white flag was floating on every tower of the third city in France, and the Duke D’Angouleme was administering all the offices of government, in the midst of a population who had welcomed him with the enthusiasm of old loyalty.

It was amidst such circumstances that Napoleon at length decided on throwing himself on the rear of the Allies.  They were for some time quite uncertain of his movements after he quitted Rheims, until an intercepted letter to Maria Louisa informed them that he was at St. Dizier.

CHAPTER XXXVI

The Allies approach Paris—­Maria Louisa retires to Blois—­Marmont and Mortier occupy the Heights of Montmartre—­They are defeated—­King Joseph escapes—­Marmont capitulates—­the Allies enter Paris—­Napoleon at Fontainebleau—­His abdication.

Napoleon continued for several days to manoeuvre on the country beyond St. Dizier.  Having thus seized the roads by which the Grand Army had advanced, he took prisoners many persons of distinction on their way to its headquarters—­and at one time the Emperor of Austria himself escaped most narrowly a party of French hussars.  Meanwhile petty skirmishes were ever and anon occurring between Napoleon’s rear-guard and Austrians, whom he took for the van-guard of Schwartzenberg.  They were, however, detached troops, chiefly horse, left expressly to hang on his march, and cheat him into this belief.  The Grand Army was proceeding rapidly down the Seine; while Blucher, having repeatedly beaten Marmont and Mortier, was already within sight of Meaux.