nd seven pieces of cannon,
two thousand five hundred artillery carriages, and five thousand baggage
waggons; it had no more ammunition than would suffice for one
engagement. Kutusoff perhaps calculated the disproportion between his
effective force and ours. On this point, however, nothing but conjecture
can be advanced, or he assigned purely military motives for his retreat.

So much is certain, that the old general deceived the governor to the
very last moment. He even swore to him "by his grey hair that he would
perish with him before Moscow," when all at once the governor was
informed, that in a council of war held at night in the camp, it had
been determined to abandon the capital without a battle.

Rostopchin was incensed, but not daunted by this intelligence. There was
now no time to be lost, no farther pains were taken to conceal from
Moscow the fate that was destined for it; indeed it was not worth while
to dissemble for the sake of the few inhabitants who were left; and
besides it was necessary to induce them to seek their safety in flight.

At night, therefore, emissaries went round, knocking at every door and
announcing the conflagration. Fusees were introduced at every favourable
aperture, and especially into the shops covered with iron of the
tradesmen's quarter. The fire engines were carried off: the desolation
attained its highest pitch, and each individual, according to his
disposition, was either overwhelmed with distress or urged to a
decision. Most of those who were left formed groups in the public
places; they crowded together, questioned each other, and reciprocally
asked advice: many wandered about at random, some depressed with terror,
others in a frightful state of exasperation. At length the army, the
last hope of the people, deserted them: the troops began to traverse the
city, and in their retreat they hurried along with them the still
considerable remnant of its population.

They departed by the gate of Kolomna, surrounded by a multitude of
women, children, and aged persons in deep affliction. The fields were
covered with them. They fled in all directions, by every path across the
country, without provisions, and laden with such of their effects as in
their agitation they had first laid their hands on. Some, for want of
horses, had harnessed themselves to carts, and thus dragged along their
infant children, a sick wife, or an infirm father, in short, whatever
they held most dear. The woods