," said he, aloud,
as he finished, "mark me, Aubuisson! silence--pas un mot? silence a la
mort!"

'"A la mort, sire!" repeated the general, while at the same moment Duroc
hurried into the room, and cried out--

'"They are advancing towards the Elster; Macdonald's rear-guard is
engaged----"

'A motion of Napoleon's hand towards the door and a look at Aubuisson
was the only notice he took of the intelligence, and the officer was
gone.

'While Duroc continued to detail the disastrous events the last arrived
news had announced, the Emperor approached the window, which was still
open, and looked out. All was in darkness towards that part of the city
near the defile. The attack was on the distant rampart, near which the
sky was red and lurid. Still, it was towards that dark and gloomy part
that Napoleon's eyes were turned, and not in the direction where the
fight was still raging. Peering into the dense blackness, he stood
without speaking, when suddenly a bright gleam of light shot up from the
gloom, and then came three tremendous reports, so rapidly, one after
the other, as almost to seem like one. The same instant a blaze of fire
flashed upwards towards the sky, and glittering fragments of burning
timber were hurled into the air. Napoleon covered his eyes with his
hand, and leaned against the side of the window.

'"It is the bridge over the Elster!" cried Duroc, in a voice half wild
with passion. "They've blown up the bridge before Macdonald's division
have crossed."

'"Impossible!" said the Emperor. "Go see quickly, Duroc, what has
happened."

'But before the general could leave the room, a wounded officer rushed
in, his clothes covered with the marks of recent fire.

'"The Sappers, sire! the Sappers-----"

'"What of them?" said the Emperor.

'"They've blown up the bridge, and the fourth corps are still in
Leipsic."

'The next moment Napoleon was on his horse, surrounded by his staff, and
galloping furiously towards the river.

'Never was a scene more awful than that which now presented itself
there. Hundreds of men had thrown themselves headlong into the rapid
river, where masses of burning timber were falling on every side;
horse and foot all mixed up in fearful confusion struggled madly in the
stream, mingling their cries with the shouts of those who came on from
behind, and who discovered for the first time that the retreat was cut
off. The Duke of Tarento crossed, holding by his horse's mane.
Lauris