fear of displeasing me. Go, and think it over for a few moments in
the next room; come back and tell us frankly your decision.'

I admit that when I heard Marshal Lannes' proposal I had broken out all
over in a cold sweat; but at the same moment, a feeling, which I cannot
define, but in which a love of glory and of my country was mingled,
perhaps, with a noble pride, raised my ardour to the highest point, and
I said to myself, 'The Emperor has here an army of 150,000 devoted
warriors, besides 25,000 men of his guard, all selected from the
bravest. He is surrounded with aides-de-camp and orderly officers, and
yet when an expedition is on foot, requiring intelligence no less than
boldness, it is I whom the Emperor and Marshal Lannes choose.' 'I will
go, sir,' I cried without hesitation. 'I will go; and if I perish, I
leave my mother to your Majesty's care.' The Emperor pulled my ear to
mark his satisfaction; the marshal shook my hand, 'I was quite right to
tell your Majesty that he would go. There's what you may call a brave
soldier.'

[Illustration: '"I will go, sir," I cried']

My expedition being thus decided on, I had to think about the means of
executing it. The Emperor called General Bertrand, his aide-de-camp,
General Dorsenne, of the guard, and the commandant of the imperial
head-quarters, and ordered them to put at my disposal whatever I might
require. At my request an infantry picket went into the town to find the
burgomaster, the syndic of the boatmen, and five of his best hands. A
corporal and five grenadiers of the old guard who could all speak
German, and had still to earn their decoration, were also summoned, and
voluntarily agreed to go with me. The Emperor had them brought in first,
and promised that on their return they should receive the Cross at once.
The brave men replied by a 'Vive l'Empereur!' and went to get ready. As
for the five boatmen, on its being explained to them through the
interpreter that they had to take a boat across the Danube, they fell on
their knees and began to weep. The syndic declared that they might just
as well be shot at once, as sent to certain death. The expedition was
absolutely impossible, not only from the strength of the current, but
because the tributaries had brought into the Danube a great quantity of
fir trees recently cut down in the mountains, which could not be avoided
in the dark, and would certainly come against the boat and sink it.
Besides, how could one la