Page:Hazlitt, Political Essays (1819).djvu/229

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sion, est, de donner de suite leur démission, et de declarer, qu'ils n'ont pris sur eux les responsibilités de gouvernement, que pour assurer la tranquilité publique, et l'intégrité du royaume de S. M. Louis XVIII.'

"Talleyrand, Sir Charles Stuart, and Pozzo di Borgo, each took a copy of this document, and each, by way of memorandum, put their names and mine to the paper, by way of recording, as I suppose, the parties present at the discussion.

"I forthwith mounted my horse and returned to Paris; Lord March was appointed by the duke to accompany me. On our arrival at the Barriere de la Villette, we found the French soldiery perfectly frantic, and vociferating "Vive l'Empereur!" "A bas les Anglais!" "A bas les Bourbons!" They were on the point of firing at the Belgian trumpeter who preceded us: it was with the greatest difficulty that some French hussars, under whose escort we had approached the barriers, could prevent the soldiers from firing at Lord March as he was riding off. They were also obliged to exert themselves strenuously in my defence, as many of the infantry pointed their muskets at me, vociferating "Vive l'Empereur!" "Vive Napoleon!" "We are betrayed!" "We have been sold!" "We will fight to the last drop of our blood!"

"Down with the Bourbons!" "Let us kill this traitor!" "He has assisted in selling us!" "We have seen him pass before!" The hussars took me between them, some of the infantry also assisted in parrying off the blows aimed at me, and turning aside the muzzles of the muskets. Thus, after great peril, I was fortunate enough to gain the quarters of a general officer, with only a sabre cut on my left leg. The general dispersed the men, and gave me a strong escort to conduct me to the Thuilleries.

"In consequence of my communicating the documents and assurances I had received from Talleyrand and the Duke of Wel-