lds; its centre was in one of the longest streets
of the city; its head had reached the Kremlin. The gates of that citadel
appeared to be closed. Ferocious cries issued from within it: men and
women, of savage and disgusting aspect, appeared fully armed on its
walls. In a state of filthy inebriety, they uttered the most horrible
imprecations. Murat sent them an amicable message, but to no purpose. It
was found necessary to employ cannon to break open the gate.

We penetrated partly without opposition, partly by force, among these
wretches. One of them rushed close to the king, and endeavoured to kill
one of his officers. It was thought sufficient to disarm him, but he
again fell upon his victim, rolled him on the ground, and attempted to
suffocate him; and even after his arms were seized and held, he still
strove to tear him with his teeth. These were the only Muscovites who
had waited our coming, and who seemed to have been left behind as a
savage and barbarous token of the national hatred.

It was easy to perceive, however, that there was no unison in this
patriotic fury. Five hundred recruits, who had been forgotten in the
Kremlin, beheld this scene without stirring. At the first summons they
dispersed. Farther on, we overtook a convoy of provisions, the escort of
which immediately threw down its arms. Several thousand stragglers and
deserters from the enemy, voluntarily remained in the power of our
advanced guard. The latter left to the corps which followed the task of
picking them up; and these to others, and so on: hence they remained at
liberty in the midst of us, till the conflagration and pillage of the
city having reminded them of their duty, and rallied them all in one
general feeling of antipathy, they went and rejoined Kutusoff.

Murat, who had been stopped but a few moments by the Kremlin, dispersed
this crew which he despised. Ardent and indefatigable as in Italy and
Egypt, after a march of nine hundred leagues, and sixty battles fought
to reach Moscow, he traversed that proud city without deigning to halt
in it, and pursuing the Russian rear-guard, he boldly, and without
hesitation, took the road for Wladimir and Asia.

Several thousand Cossacks, with four pieces of cannon, were retreating
in that direction. The armistice was at an end. Murat, tired of this
peace of half a day, immediately ordered it to be broken by a discharge
of carbines. But our cavalry considered the war as finished; Moscow
appear