never lost sight. Probably all
were open at this moment, but in one only could I perceive any increase
of brilliancy; it was the great balcony window, which was as large as
the doorway of a church, and sent from afar a flood of light over the
stream. Evidently it had just been opened at the thunder of the cannon,
and I said to myself, 'The Emperor and the marshals are doubtless on the
balcony; they know that I have reached the enemy's camp, and are making
vows for my safe return.' This thought raised my courage, and I heeded
the cannon-balls not a bit. Indeed, they were not very dangerous, for
the stream swept us along at such a pace that the gunners could not aim
with any accuracy, and we must have been very unlucky to get hit. One
shot would have done for us, but all fell harmless into the Danube. Soon
I was out of range, and could reckon a successful issue to my
enterprise. Still, all danger was not yet at an end; We had still to
cross among the floating pine-stems, and more than once we struck on
submerged islands, and were delayed by the branches of the poplars. At
last we reached the right bank, more than two leagues below Moelk, and a
new terror assailed me. I could see bivouac fires, and had no means of
learning whether they belonged to a French regiment. The enemy had
troops on both banks, and I knew that on the right bank Marshal Lannes'
outposts were not far from Moelk, facing an Austrian corps, posted at
Saint-Polten.

Our army would doubtless go forward at daybreak, but was it already
occupying this place? And were the fires that I saw those of friends or
enemies? I was afraid that the current had taken me too far down, but
the problem was solved by French cavalry trumpets sounding the reveille.
Our uncertainty being at an end, we rowed with all our strength to the
shore, where in the dawning light we could see a village. As we drew
near, the report of a carbine was heard, and a bullet whistled by our
ears. It was evident that the French sentries took us for a hostile
crew. I had not foreseen this possibility, and hardly knew how we were
to succeed in getting recognised, till the happy thought struck me of
making my six grenadiers shout, 'Vive l'Empereur Napoleon!' This was, of
course, no certain evidence that we were French, but it would attract
the attention of the officers, who would have no fear of our small
numbers, and would no doubt prevent the men from firing on us before
they knew whether we were