oleon knew; at all events, he thought he did, or pretended to
think it long afterwards at St. Helena, for Napoleon the Great was a
consummate liar.

Be that as it may, the Russians retreated, and the French advanced
farther and farther from their base. It was a great army--the greatest
ever seen. For Napoleon had eight monarchs serving with the eagles;
generals innumerable, many of them immortal--Davoust, the greatest
strategist; Prince Eugene, the incomparable lieutenant; Ney, the
fearless; four hundred thousand men. And they carried with them only
twenty days' provision.

They had marched from the Vistula, full of shipping, across the Pregel,
loaded with stores, to the Niemen, where there was no navigation.
Dantzig, behind them--that Gibraltar of the North--was stored with
provision enough for the whole army. But there was no transport; for the
roads of Lithuania were unsuitable for the heavy carts provided.

The country across the Niemen could scarce sustain its own sparse
population, and had nothing to spare for an invading army. This had once
been Poland, and was now inimical to Russia; but Russia did not care,
and the friendship of Lithuania was like many human friendships which we
make sacrifices to preserve--not worth having.

All the while the Russians retreated, and, stranger still, the French
followed them, eking out their twenty days' provision.

"I will make them fight a big battle, and beat them," said Napoleon;
"and then the Emperor will sue for peace."

But Barclay de Tolly continued to run away from that great battle. Then
came the news that Barclay had been deposed; that Kutusoff was coming
from the South to take command. It was true enough; and Barclay
cheerfully served in a subordinate position to the new chief. September
brought great hopes of a battle, for Kutusoff seemed to retreat with
less despatch, like a man choosing his ground--Kutusoff, that master of
the waiting game.

Early in September Murat, the impetuous leader of the pursuit,
complained to Nansouty that a cavalry charge had not been pushed home.

"The horses have no patriotism," replied Nansouty. "The men will fight
on empty stomachs, but not the horses."

An ominous reply at the beginning of a campaign, while communications
were still open.

At last, within a few days' march of Moscow, Kutusoff made a stand. At
last the great battle was imminent, after a hundred false alarms,
after many disappointed hopes. The country had