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“Happy omen!” said Napoleon; “the olive is the emblem of peace.”

He plucked some violets, and then sat down and consulted his maps, which were spread on a table before him. There were two routes which might be taken; an easy one through Provence, and a difficult one over the snowy mountains of Dauphiny. But on the former he could not count on the loyalty of the people; on the latter he could: the difficult route was chosen.

It proved a cold and wearying journey. The men were obliged to march in single file along narrow roads which bordered precipices. Several mules, one of them laden with gold, lost their footing and were plunged down the cliff. Napoleon was forced to dismount and go on foot to keep warm. For a short time he rested beside the brush-wood fire of a cabin whose only tenant was an old woman.

“Have you any news from Paris?” he asked her. “Do you know what the king is doing?”

“The king? You mean the Emperor,” answered the old woman. “He is always down yonder.”

So, here was a Frenchwoman who had not heard a word of the last year’s doings. Was this the stuff of glory? Napoleon looked at General Drouet, and said, in pensive tones, “Do you hear this, Drouet? What, after all, is the good of troubling the world in order to fill it with our name?”

We cannot follow their progress step by step. That small army of a thousand men was marching to conquer a kingdom, but for days it had only the mountains and the snows to overcome. As yet not a soldier had been encountered, and they had been a week on shore. But the news of the landing had now spread far and wide, and soldiers were marching to stop the advance of the “Brigand of Elba,” as the royalists in Paris called Napoleon. How would they receive him,–with volleys or acclamations? That was soon to be learned. The troops in that part of France were concentrated at Grenoble and its vicinity. The Emperor was approaching them. The problem would soon be solved.

At nine o’clock of March 7 Napoleon separated his small force into three divisions, himself taking station in the midst of the advance-guard, on horseback, wearing his famous gray overcoat and the broad ribbon of the Legion of Honor. About one o’clock the small battalion approached a regiment of the troops of the king, who were drawn up in line across the road. Napoleon dismounted.

“Colonel Mallet,” he said, “tell the soldiers to put their weapons under their left arms, points down.”

“Sire,” said the colonel, “is it not dangerous to act thus in presence of troops whose sentiments we do not know, and whose first fire may be so fatal?”

“Mallet, tell them to put the weapons under their arms,” repeated Napoleon.

The order was obeyed. The two battalions faced each other, at short pistol-shot, in absolute silence. Napoleon advanced alone towards the royal troops.

“Present arms!” he commanded.

They obeyed, levelling their guns at their old commander. He advanced slowly, with impassive face. Reaching their front, he touched his cap and saluted.

“Soldiers of the Fifth,” he cried, loudly, “do you recognize me?”

“Yes, yes,” came from some voices, filled with barely-repressed enthusiasm.

“Soldiers, behold your general; behold your emperor,” he continued. “Let any of you who wishes to kill him, fire.”

Fire?–Their guns went to the earth; they flung themselves on their knees before him, called him father, shed tears, shouted as if in frenzy, waved their shakos on their bayonets and sabres.

“All is over,” said Napoleon to Bertrand and Drouet. “In ten days we shall be in the Tuileries.”

In a brief time the Emperor moved on, the king’s regiment, now wearing the tricolor cockade, following with his former troop. As they drew near Grenoble throngs of peasantry gathered, with enthusiastic cheers. Another regiment approached, the seventh of the line, commanded by Colonel de Labedoyere. He had taken the eagle of the regiment from a chest, brandished his sword, and crying “Long live the Emperor! Those who love me follow me!” led the way from Grenoble. The whole regiment followed. Meeting Napoleon, the colonel and the Emperor sprang from their horses and warmly embraced.