The Emperor had, indeed, fought hard for his throne and against heavy odds.
He had fought against indifference, against carelessness, against negligence, last of all against treachery.

For in the end it was treachery that had undone him and France.

Still, it may be that even had Marmont and Mortier remained loyal the end would have been the same.
The odds were too heavy, in fine.

The Emperor did not realize their preponderance until it was too late.

If he had assembled every soldier, abandoning everything else but the defense of France, and if he had shown with such an army as he could have gathered under those conditions the same spirit of generalship which he had exhibited in that marvelous campaign against Bluecher, he might have saved France, his throne, his wife, his little son, his prestige, everything.