he granted some minutes to the old man to
converse with and bless his son. "Shall I give my blessing to a rebel?"
cried the aged parent--"I hereby give him my curse." Rostophchin ordered
the culprit to be executed, and then turning to the Frenchman, said,
"Your preference of your own people was natural. Take your liberty.
There was but one Russian traitor, and you have witnessed his death."
The governor then set all the malefactors in the numerous jails of
Moscow at liberty, and, abandoning the city to them, withdrew at the
head of the inhabitants, who had for some time been preparing the means
of retreat at his suggestion.

Such was the story of the Frenchman; and every hour brought some new
confirmation of the relentless determination of Rostophchin's
countrymen. Some peasants, brought in from the neighbouring country,
were branded on the arm with the letter N. One of them understanding
that this marked him as the property and adherent of Napoleon, instantly
seized an axe and chopped off his limb. Twelve slaves of Count Woronzow
were taken together and commanded to enlist in the French service, or
suffer death; four of the men folded their arms in silence, and so died.
The French officer in command spared the rest. Such were the anecdotes
which reached Napoleon as he surveyed, from the battlements of the
Kremlin, the raging sea of fire which now swept the capital, east, west,
north, and south. During four days the conflagration endured, and
four-fifths of the city were wholly consumed. "Palaces and temples,"
says the Russian author, Karamsin, "monuments of art and miracles of
luxury, the remains of ages long since past, and the creations of
yesterday, the tombs of ancestors, and the cradles of children, were
indiscriminately destroyed. Nothing was left of Moscow save the memory
of her people, and their deep resolution to avenge her fall."

During two days Napoleon witnessed from the Kremlin the spread of this
fearful devastation, and, in spite of continual showers of sparks and
brands, refused to listen to those who counselled retreat. On the third
night, the equinoctial gale rose, the Kremlin itself took fire, and it
became doubtful whether it would be possible for him to withdraw in
safety; and then he at length rode out of Moscow, through streets in
many parts arched over with flames, and buried, where this was not the
case, in one dense mantle of smoke. "These are indeed Scythians," said
Napoleon. He halted, and