might give rise. He had, therefore, no time to lose, and the
moment for his departure had already arrived."

Such were the motives assigned by Napoleon; and General Caulaincourt
immediately received orders secretly to prepare for his departure. The
rendezvous was fixed at Smorgoni,[177] and the time the night of the 5th
of December.

When Napoleon reached Smorgoni all the marshals were summoned. As they
successively entered, he took each one aside in private, and first of
all secured their approbation of his plan, gaining some by his
arguments, and others by confidential communications.

His manner was kind and flattering to them all; and afterward, having
assembled them at his table, he complimented them for their brilliant
actions during the campaign. As to himself, the only confession he made
of his temerity was couched in these words: "If I had been born to the
throne, if I had been a Bourbon, it would have been easy for me not to
have committed any faults."

When their interview was over, he made Prince Eugene read to them his
twenty-ninth bulletin; after which, declaring aloud what he had confided
to each of them privately, he told them "that he was about to depart
that very night with Duroc, Caulaincourt and Lobau, for Paris; that his
presence there was indispensable for France as well as for the remains
of his unfortunate army. It was there only that he could take measures
for keeping the Austrians and Prussians in check. These nations would
certainly pause before they declared war against him, when they saw him
at the head of the French nation, and a fresh army of twelve hundred
thousand men."

He added, that "he had ordered Ney to proceed to Wilna, there to
reorganize the army; that Rapp would second him, and afterward go to
Dantzic, Lauriston to Warsaw, and Narbonne to Berlin; that his own guard
would remain with the army; but that it would be necessary to strike a
blow at Wilna, and stop the enemy there. There they would find
re-enforcements, provisions, and ammunition of all sorts; that afterward
they would go into winter quarters on the other side of the Niemen; and
that he hoped the Russians would not pass the Vistula before his
return."

He said, in concluding, "I leave the King of Naples to command the army.
I hope that you will yield him the same obedience that you would to
myself, and that the greatest harmony will prevail among you."

As it was now ten o'clock at night, he rose, affectionatel