The allies having come to the determination
not to treat any further with the Emperor, the
commissioners, who had just been nominated and
approved, became less his representatives than
those of the army, and it was in the name of
the , latter that thty were to act. The Emperor
said :



ISO MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS

' Gentlemen, yon may now retire. I am going
to give directions relative to the instructions for
the commissioners, but I forbid them to make
stipulations respecting anything personal to me.'

Then, throwing himself on a sofa, and striking
his thigh with his hand, he continued :

' Nonsense, gentlemen ! let us leave all that
alone, and march to-morrow. We shall beat
them !'

I repeated to him briefly all that I had just
said concerning the position of the army.
' No,' we alb added, ' we have had enough of
it ; and remember that every hour that passes
tells against the success of the mission that the
envoys have to carry out.'

He did not insist, and said : ' Be ready to start
at four o'clock,' and then dismissed us.
