dingly surprised to find Ney
already there, and to find, that since it had left Kowno, the army was
marching without a rear-guard. Fortunately, the pursuit of the Russians,
after they had reconquered their own territory, became slackened. They
seemed to hesitate on the Prussian frontier, not knowing whether they
should enter it as allies or as enemies. Murat took advantage of their
uncertainty to halt a few days at Gumbinnen, and to direct the remains
of the different corps to the towns on the borders of the Vistula.

Previous to this dislocation of the army, he assembled the commanders of
it. I know not what evil genius it was that inspired him at this
council. One would fain believe that it was the embarrassment he felt
before these warriors for his precipitate flight, and spite against the
Emperor, who had left him with the responsibility of it; or it might be
shame at appearing again, vanquished, in the midst of the nations whom
our victories had most oppressed; but as his language bore a much more
mischievous character, which his subsequent actions did not belie, and
as they were the first symptoms of his defection, history must not pass
over them in silence.

This warrior, who had been elevated to the throne solely by the right of
victory, now returned discomfited. From the first step he took upon
vanquished territory, he fancied he felt it everywhere trembling under
his feet, and that his crown was tottering on his head. A thousand times
during the campaign, he had exposed himself to the greatest dangers; but
he, who, as a king, had shown as little fear of death as the meanest
soldier of the vanguard, could not bear the apprehension of living
without a crown. Behold him then, in the midst of the commanders, whom
his brother had placed under his direction, accusing that brother's
ambition, which he had shared, in order to free himself from the
responsibility which its gratification had involved.

He exclaimed, "that it was no longer possible to serve such a madman!
that there was no safety in supporting his cause; that no monarch in
Europe could now place any reliance on his word, or in treaties
concluded with him. He himself was in despair for having rejected the
propositions of the English; had it not been for that, he would still be
a great monarch, such as the Emperor of Austria, and the King of
Prussia."

Davoust abruptly cut him short. "The King of Prussia, the Emperor of
Austria," said he to him, "are m