breakfasted. He was soon surrounded by the whole population of the
place; and he heard the same sentiments and the same prayers as before he
quitted France. A multitude of petitions had already been drawn up, and
were presented to him, just as though he had come from Paris and was
making a tour through the departments. One complained that his pension
had not been paid, another that his cross of the Legion of Honour had
been taken from him. Some of the more discontented secretly informed
Napoleon that the authorities of the town were very hostile to him, but
that the mass of the people were devoted to him, and only waited till his
back was turned to rid themselves of the miscreants. He replied, "Be not
too hasty. Let them have the mortification of seeing our triumph without
having anything to reproach us with." The Emperor advanced with all the
rapidity in his power. "Victory," he said, "depended on my speed. To me
France was in Grenoble. That place was a hundred miles distant, but I
and my companions reached it in five days; and with what weather and what
roads! I entered the city just as the Comte d'Artois, warned by the
telegraph, was quitting the Tuileries."

Napoleon himself was so perfectly convinced of the state of affairs that
he knew his success in no way depended on the force he might bring with
him. A 'piquet' of 'gens d'armes', he said, was all that was necessary.
Everything turned out as he foresaw. At first he owned he was not
without some degree of uncertainty and apprehension. As he advanced,
however, the whole population declared themselves enthusiastically in his
favour: but he saw no soldiers. It was not till he arrived between Mure
and Vizille, within five or six leagues from Grenoble, and on the fifth
day after his landing, that he met a battalion. The commanding officer
refused to hold even a parley. The Emperor, without hesitation, advanced
alone, and 100 grenadiers marched at some distance behind him, with their
arms reversed. The sight of Napoleon, his well-known costume, and his