"You, at least, do not advise surrender ?" "Not yet, Sire." "But when ?" asked Napoleon quickly.

Without waiting for an answer to his question, he continued: "The allies now graciously offer us--think of it, gentlemen--the limits of 1791." "Impossible!" cried a big red-headed marshal.
"They demand it, Prince of the Moskowa," answered the Emperor, addressing Marshal Ney.
"But it's incredible, Sire." "What!" burst out Napoleon passionately.

"Shall we leave France less than we found her, after all these victories, after all these conquests, after all these submissions of kings and nations?
Shall we go back to the limits of the old monarchy?
Never!" "But, Sire----" began Marshal Maret.
"No more," said the Emperor, turning upon the Duc de Bassano.

"Rather death than that.

While we have arms we can at least die." He flashed an imperious look upon the assembly, but no one seemed to respond to his appeal.