diocletianscabbagefarm
When Napoleon escaped from Elba and returned to France in 1815 the official government newspaper Le Moniteur’s headlines read as follows, and you can just feel the gradual process of ‘oh shit’:
9th March, the Anthropophagus (man-eater/cannibal) has quit his den
10th, the Corsican Ogre has landed at Cape Juan
11th, the Tiger has arrived at Gap
12th, the Monster slept at Grenoble
13th, the Tyrant has passed through Lyons
14th, the Usurper is directing his steps towards Dijon, but the brave and loyal Burgundians have risen en masse and surrounded him on all sides
18th, Bonaparte is only sixty leagues from the capital; he has been fortunate enough to escape the hands of his pursuers
19th, Bonaparte is advancing with rapid steps, but he will never enter Paris
20th, Napoleon will, tomorrow, be under our ramparts
21st, the Emperor is at Fontainbleau
22nd, His Imperial and Royal Majesty, yesterday evening, arrived at the Tuileries, amidst the joyful acclamations of his devoted and faithful subjects.
