Warsaw at nightfall, on the 10th of
December. His ambassador there, the Abbe de Pradt, who had as yet heard
no distinct accounts of the progress of events, was unexpectedly visited
by Caulaincourt, who abruptly informed him that the grand army was no
more. The Abbe accompanied Caulaincourt to an obscure inn, where the
Emperor, wrapped in a fur cloak, was walking up and down rapidly, beside
a newly-lit fire. He was received with an air of gaiety, which for a
moment disconcerted him; and proceeded to mention that the inhabitants
of the Grand Duchy were beginning to show symptoms of disaffection, and
even of a desire to reconcile themselves with the Prussians, under whose
yoke they feared they were destined to return. The Abbe expressed his
own satisfaction that the Emperor had escaped from so many dangers.
"Dangers," cried Napoleon, "there were none--I have beat the Russians in
every battle--I live but in dangers--it is for kings of Cockaigne to sit
at home at ease. My army is in a superb condition still--it will be
recruited at leisure at Wilna, and I go to bring up 300,000 men more
from France. I quit my army with regret, but I must watch Austria and
Prussia, and I have more weight on my throne than at headquarters. The
Russians will be rendered foolhardy by their successes--I shall beat
them in a battle or two on the Oder, and be on the Niemen again within a
month." This harangue, utterly contradictory throughout, he began and
ended with a favourite phrase--"Monsieur L'Ambassadeur, from the sublime
to the ridiculous there is but a step."

Resuming his incognito and his journey, Napoleon reached Dresden on the
evening of the 14th December, where the King of Saxony visited him
secretly at his inn, and renewed his assurances of fidelity. He arrived
at the Tuileries on the 18th, late at night, after the Empress had
retired to rest. He entered the ante-chamber, to the confusion of her
attendants, who at length recognised him with a cry that roused Maria
Louisa from her slumbers; and Napoleon was welcomed with all the warmth
of undiminished affection.

The army, whom its chief had thus abandoned, pursued meanwhile that
miserable march, of which every day augmented the disorder. The garrison
of Wilna and Maison's corps, united to those who escaped across the
Beresina, might number in all 80,000. Before Murat reached Wilna, 40,000
of these had either died or fallen alive into the hands of their
unrelenting pursuers. In that c