m that
his familiarity with the country, as well as a warm-hearted admiration
and respect for his shrewdness and skill and courage, had caused his
selection. That was enough for the old soldier; dangers, difficulties,
were as the breath of life to the veteran. And he was always happy to
follow Marteau, in whose career he took an interest almost fatherly.

The weather was frightful. It had snowed and then thawed. The
temperature was now just above the freezing point. The rough wind was
raw, the fierce winter gale was laden with wet snow. The roads, like
all country cross-roads in France, or anywhere else, for that matter,
in that day, were a sea of mud. It was well that the pair had brought
two extra horses. By changing mounts from time to time they were
enabled to spare their beasts and make the greater speed. The Emperor
had impressed upon his young aide the necessity for getting the
information to him at the earliest possible moment. Haste was
everything. So they pressed on.

Without waiting for their report, and presuming on his general
knowledge of Bluecher's character and shrewdly deducing the exact state
of affairs Napoleon was already acting as if he possessed absolute and
accurate information. The drums were beating the long roll as they
rode through the still dark streets of the little town of Nogent.
Horses were being harnessed to guns, baggage wagons were being loaded,
ammunition caissons were being got ready. The troops were assembling
out of houses and tents, and coming from around fires, where many of
them had passed an unsheltered night.

There was little of the joy, the gaiety, the _elan_ of the French
soldier, to be seen in the faces of the men thus summoned to the
Eagles. They came, indeed, they answered the call, but with black
looks and sullen faces and a manner almost despairing. They had fought
and fought and fought. They had been beaten back and back and back,
and when they had not been fighting they had been retreating. And
always they were hungry. And always they were cold.

The enormous armies of Schwarzenberg had been extended on either side.
They were constantly threatened with being outflanked. Most of them
were young soldiers, weary and dispirited, and many of them unarmed.
Every battle had reduced the stock of good muskets. Many of those
still in possession of the troops had been ruined by their unskillful
handling.

The supply of regimental officers was utterly i