Attempt to assassinate Napoleon.--Landing of Napoleon in France. --Attempt to Escape.--Vigilance of the Allies.--Generosity of Joseph.--Joseph escapes from France.--Selects Point Breeze.--Calumnies of the Allies.--Noble Character of Joseph Bonaparte.--Death of the Emperor.--Letter of General Bertrand.--Marriage of Princess Charlotte. --The Crown of Mexico.--Visit of La Fayette.--General Lamarque.--Letter from General Lamarque.--Letter to Francis Leiber.--Letter to La Fayette.--Letter to Maria Louisa.--Letter to Prince Metternich.--Letter to the Emperor of Austria.--Appeal to the Chamber of Deputies.--Letter to General Lamarque.--Letter to General Bernard.--Letter to La Fayette.--Letter to the Duke of Reichstadt. While Joseph was enjoying his peaceful residence upon the shores of Europe's most beautiful lake, Madame de Stael hastened to inform him of a plot which had been revealed to her for the assassination of the Emperor at Elba. The evidence was conclusive. Joseph was at breakfast with the celebrated tragedian Talma. Both Talma and Madame de Stael were anxious to hasten to Elba to inform the Emperor of his danger. But Joseph sent a personal friend, and two of the assassins were arrested.[AB] [Footnote AB: "I thanked them for their generous offer, but preferred to charge with that difficult commission M. Boisneau, whose patriotism and personal attachment to Napoleon I had known at the siege of Toulon. You know with what success he fulfilled his commission."--Memoires du Roi Joseph, tome dixieme, p. 342.] At Prangins, in 1815, Joseph learned that Napoleon had landed in France, had advanced as far as Lyons, and was desirous of seeing him in Paris as soon as possible. Joseph's wife, Julie, was then in Paris, having been drawn there by the sickness and death of the mother, Madame Clary. He immediately left his chateau, after having buried all his valuable papers in a box in the forest, setting out secretly at ten o'clock at night, accompanied by the two princesses, his daughters. A few hours after his departure, an armed band, sent by the influence of the Allies, arrived at the chateau to arrest him. Joseph upon his arrival in France, immediately, with characteristic devotion, placed himself entirely at the disposition of the brother he loved so well. As Joseph traversed France, he was everywhere met with great enthusiasm, the people shouting, "Napoleon the Emperor of our choice;" "The nation desires him alone;" "No aristocracy;" "Away with the old regime." Before the departure of the Emperor for Waterloo, many distinguished persons, among others Benjamin Constant, who assisted in drawing up the celebrated Additional Act, were introduced to him by Joseph. One day he conducted to the Tuileries the son of Madame de Stael, who bore a letter from his mother to the Emperor, in which, speaking of the _Additional Act_, she said, "It is every thing which France can now need; nothing but what it needs, nothing more than it needs."