The Ex-Imperial Guard--Anecdotes of the last days at Fontainebleau--Invalided Cossacks--"Trahison"--Ruin and desolation--Roast dog--An English soldier--A Trappist veteran--Jack boots--Polytechnic cadets--A Russian officer--Cossacks, Kalmucks, and sparrows--Prussians and British lions--Rhine Castles--Rival inscriptions--Diligence atmosphere--Brisemaison--Sociable English. On leaving Paris, Edward Stanley planned to follow the traces of the desperate campaign which Napoleon had fought in the early months of that year (1814) against the Allies, and in which he so nearly succeeded in saving his crown for a time. As, however, the English travellers did not intend to return again to Paris, they reversed Napoleon's line of march and started to Fontainebleau by the road along which the Emperor rode back in hot haste on the night of March 30th, to take up the command of the force which should have been defending his capital, and where the sight of Mortier's flying troops convinced him that all hope was at an end. When they had visited Fontainebleau, where the final abdication had taken place on April 11th, they turned north-east to Melun and posted on through towns which had been the scenes of some of the most desperate fighting in that wonderful campaign, when Napoleon had seemed to be everywhere at once, dealing blows right and left against the three armies which, in the beginning of January, had advanced to threaten his Empire--Bülow in the north, Blücher on the east, and Schwarzenberg on the south. They passed through Guignes and Meaux, by which Napoleon's army had marched after his victory over Blücher at Vauchamps on February 14th, in the rapid movement to reinforce Marshal Victor, and to drive back Schwarzenberg from the Seine. Through Château Thierry, where on the 12th of February the Emperor and Marshal Mortier had pursued Russians and Prussians from street to street till they were driven over the Marne, and whence the French leader dashed after Blücher to Vauchamps. Through Soissons, which the Russians under Winzengerode had bombarded on March 3rd, and forced to surrender, whereby Blücher and Bülow were enabled to join hands. Through Laon, where Blücher retreated after Craonne, and where he finally shattered Marmont's forces in a night attack. By Berry au Bac, where the Emperor crossed the Aisne on his way to fight Blücher at Craonne, the scene on March 7th of one of the bloodiest battles of the war. On to Rheims where, after Marmont's disaster at Laon, Napoleon beat the Russians just before he was forced to rush southwards again to contend with Schwarzenberg and his Austrians. Finally they reached Châlons, which had been Napoleon's starting-point for the whole campaign, and where he had arrived in the closing days of January after having taken his last farewell of Marie Louise and of the King of Rome.