n army of criminals, whom
Heaven and the civilized world would severely judge. From these
overwhelming thoughts and paroxysms of rage against the incendiaries, we
were roused only by an eagerness to obtain intelligence; and all the
accounts began to accuse the Russians alone of this disaster.

In fact, officers arrived from all quarters, and they all agreed. The
very first night, that of the 14th, a fire-balloon had settled on the
palace of Prince Trubetskoi, and consumed it: this was a signal. Fire
had been immediately set to the Exchange: Russian police soldiers had
been seen stirring it up with tarred lances. Here howitzer shells,
perfidiously placed, had discharged themselves in the stoves of several
houses, and wounded the military who crowded round them. Retiring to
other quarters which were still standing, they sought fresh retreats;
but when they were on the point of entering houses closely shut up and
uninhabited, they had heard faint explosions within; these were
succeeded by a light smoke, which immediately became thick and black,
then reddish, and lastly the colour of fire, and presently the whole
edifice was involved in flames.

All had seen hideous-looking men, covered with rags, and women
resembling furies, wandering among these flames, and completing a
frightful image of the infernal regions. These wretches, intoxicated
with wine and the success of their crimes, no longer took any pains to
conceal themselves: they proceeded in triumph through the blazing
streets; they were caught, armed with torches, assiduously striving to
spread the conflagration: it was necessary to strike down their hands
with sabres to oblige them to loose their hold. It was said that these
banditti had been released from prison by the Russian generals for the
purpose of burning Moscow; and that in fact so grand, so extreme a
resolution could have been adopted only by patriotism and executed only
by guilt.

Orders were immediately issued to shoot all the incendiaries on the
spot. The army was on foot. The old guard which exclusively occupied one
part of the Kremlin, was under arms: the baggage, and the horses ready
loaded, filled the courts; we were struck dumb with astonishment,
fatigue and disappointment, on witnessing the destruction of such
excellent quarters. Though masters of Moscow, we were forced to go and
bivouac without provisions outside its gates.

While our troops were yet struggling with the conflagration, and the