the
practice hitherto pursued, of ranging the men three deep, was wrong, and
that two were sufficient; he therefore ordered that in future his
infantry should be drawn up in two ranks only.

Nay, more, he insisted that the inflexibility of the _states of
situation_ should give way to this illusion. He disputed their results.
The obstinacy of Count Lobau could not overcome his: he was desirous no
doubt of making his aide-de-camp understand what he wished others to
believe, and that nothing could shake his resolution.

Murat, nevertheless, transmitted to him tidings of the distress of his
advanced guard. They terrified Berthier; but Napoleon sent for the
officer who brought them, pressed him with his interrogatories, daunted
him with his looks, brow-beat him with his incredulity. The assertions
of Murat's envoy lost much of their assurance. Napoleon took advantage
of his hesitation to keep up the hopes of Berthier, and to persuade him
that matters were not yet so very urgent; and he sent back the officer
to Murat's camp with the opinion which he would no doubt propagate, that
the Emperor was immoveable, that he doubtless had his reasons for thus
persisting, and that they must all redouble their exertions.

Meanwhile the attitude of his army seconded his wishes. Most of the
officers persevered in their confidence. The common soldiers, who,
seeing their whole lives in the present moment and expecting but little
from the future, concerned themselves but little about it, retained
their thoughtlessness, the most valuable of their qualities. The
rewards, however, which the Emperor bestowed profusely upon them in the
daily reviews, were received only with a sedate joy, mingled with some
degree of dejection. The vacant places that were just filled up were yet
dyed with blood. These favours were threatening.

On the other hand, ever since they had left Wilna many of them had
thrown away their winter garments, that they might load themselves with
provisions. Their shoes were worn by the length of the way, and the rest
of their apparel by the actions in which they had been engaged; but, in
spite of all, their attitude was still lofty. They carefully concealed
their wretched plight from the notice of the Emperor, and appeared
before him with their arms bright and in the best order. In this first
court of the palace of the Czars, eight hundred leagues from their
resources, and after so many battles and bivouacs, they were anxious t