at he fancied he had incurred
his displeasure, the Emperor explained himself mildly, received his
answers favourably, confided to him the road he meant to travel, and
took his advice, respecting its details.

His manner was kind and flattering to them all; afterwards, having
assembled them at his table, he complimented them for their noble
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 entertainment was over, he made Prince Eugene read to them
his twenty-ninth bulletin; after which, declaring aloud what he had
already confided to each of them, 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 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
reorganise the army. That Rapp would second him, and afterwards go to
Dantzic, Lauriston to Warsaw, and Narbonne to Berlin; that his household
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 Loison,
De Wrede, reinforcements, provisions, and ammunition of all sorts;
afterwards they would go into winter-quarters on the other side of the
Niemen; that he hoped the Russians would not pass the Vistula before his
return."

In conclusion, "I leave the King of Naples to command the army. I hope
that you will yield him the same obedience as you would to myself, and
that the greatest harmony will prevail among you."

As it was now ten o'clock at night, he then rose, squeezed their hands
affectionately, embraced them, and departed.

BOOK XII.

CHAP. I.

Comrades! I must confess that my spirit, discouraged, refused to
penetrate farther into the recollection of so many horrors. Having
arrived at the departure of Napoleon, I had flattered myself that my
task was completed. I had announced myself as the historian of that
great epoch, when we were pre