. Napoleon, who believed that the Allies would separate him from Empress Marie-Louise of Austria and their son, the King of Rome, took a dose of "Condorcet's poison" on the night of April 12/13, which he hoped would be the means of committing suicide. For a long time, it was thought to be opium in a little water, with Dr. Hillemand believing that it was an accidental over-intake of opium to soothe abdominal pain. It would appear, however, that this was not the case, as Napoleon's condition and the nature of his discomfort were not consistent with opium intoxication. He called
Armand de Caulaincourt to dictate his last wishes. In the midst of his illness, the Emperor complained of the slow effect of the substance he had swallowed. He declared to Caulaincourt: "It's so hard to die, it's so unfortunate to have a constitution that postpones the end of a life that I can't wait to see the end!" Napoleon's nausea became increasingly violent, and he began to vomit. When Dr Alexandre-Urbain Yvan arrived, Napoleon asked for an extra dose of poison, but the doctor refused, saying that he was not a murderer and would never do anything against his conscience. The doctor himself had a nervous breakdown, fled on horseback, and was never seen again. As the Emperor's agony continued, Caulaincourt left the room to ask the chamber valet and the internal service to remain silent. Napoleon called Caulaincourt back, telling him he'd rather die than sign the treaty. The effects of the poison then wore off, and he was able to resume his normal activities. == Departure from France ==