with a dejected and
listless air, and returned to sleep at a village some little distance
off, which was within reach of the enemy's fire.

The Russian autumn had triumphed over him: had it not been for that,
perhaps the whole of Russia would have yielded to our arms on the plains
of the Moskwa: its premature inclemency was a most seasonable assistance
to their empire. It was on the 6th of September, the very day before the
great battle! that a hurricane announced its fatal commencement. It
struck Napoleon. Ever since the night of that day, it has been seen that
a wearying fever had dried up his blood, and oppressed his spirits, and
that he was quite overcome by it during the battle; the suffering he
endured from this, added to another still more severe, for the five
following days arrested his march, and bound up his genius. This it was
which preserved Kutusof from total ruin at Borodino, and allowed him
time to rally the remainder of his army, and withdraw it from our
pursuit.

On the 9th of September we found Mojaisk uncovered, and still standing:
but beyond it the enemy's rear-guard on the heights which command it,
and which their army had occupied the day before. Some of our troops
entered the town for the purpose of passing through it in pursuit of the
enemy, and others to plunder and find lodgings for themselves. They
found neither inhabitants nor provisions, but merely dead bodies, which
they were obliged to throw out of the windows, in order to get
themselves under cover, and a number of dying soldiers, who were all
collected into one spot. These last were so numerous, and had been so
scattered about, that the Russians had not dared to set fire to the
habitations; but their humanity, which was not always so scrupulous, had
given way to the desire of firing on the first French they saw enter,
which they did with shells: the consequence was, that this wooden town
was soon set fire to, and a part of the unfortunate wounded whom they
had abandoned were consumed in the flames.

While we were making attempts to save them, fifty voltigeurs of the 33d
climbed the heights, of which the enemy's cavalry and artillery still
occupied the summit. The French army, which had halted under the walls
of Mojaisk, was surprised at seeing this handful of men, scattered about
on this uncovered declivity, teasing with their fire thousands of the
enemy's cavalry. All at once what had been foreseen happened; several of
the enemy's sq