eir commander, and accusing him of weakness, had
raised a cry of treason, and that the latter had not dared to leave his
camp.

Lauriston's instructions purported that he was to address himself to no
one but Kutusoff. He therefore peremptorily rejected any intermediate
communication, and seizing, as he said, this occasion for breaking off a
negotiation which he disapproved, he retired, in spite of all the
solicitations of Wolkonsky, and determined to return to Moscow. In that
case, no doubt, Napoleon, exasperated, would have fallen upon Kutusoff,
overthrown him and destroyed his army, as yet very incomplete, and have
forced him into a peace. In case of less decisive success, he would at
least have been able to retire without loss upon his reinforcements.

Beningsen unfortunately desired an interview with Murat. Lauriston
paused. The chief of the Russian staff, an abler negotiator than
soldier, strove to charm the new king by demonstrations of respect; to
seduce him by praises; to deceive him with smooth words, breathing
nothing but a weariness of war and the hope of peace: and Murat, tired
of battles, anxious respecting their result, and as it is said,
regretting his throne, now that he had no hope of a better, suffered
himself to be charmed, seduced and deceived.

Beningsen was equally successful in persuading his own commander, and
the leader of our vanguard; he sent in great haste for Lauriston, and
had him conducted to the Russian camp, where Kutusoff was waiting for
him at midnight. The interview began ill. Konownitzin and Wolkonsky
wished to be present. This shocked the French general: he insisted that
they should retire, and they complied.

As soon as Lauriston was alone with Kutusoff, he explained his motives
and his object, and applied for a safe-conduct to Petersburg. The
Russian general replied, that a compliance with this demand exceeded his
powers; but he immediately proposed to send Wolkonsky with the letter
from Napoleon to Alexander, and offered an armistice till the return of
that officer. He accompanied these proposals with pacific protestations,
which were repeated by all his generals.

"According to their account," they all deplored the continuance of the
war. And for what reason? Their nations, like their Emperors, ought to
esteem, to love, and to be allies of one another. It was their ardent
wish that a speedy peace might arrive from Petersburg. Wolkonsky could
not make "haste enough." They pr