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articles　Napoleon　had　ordered；　and　while　he　was　wrapping　the　silken
handkerchief　around　the　emperor's　head；　and　assisted　him　in　putting
on　his　gray；　well…lined；　and　comfortable　cloth…coat　instead　of　the
uniform；　the　emperor　softly　whistled　and　hummed　an　air。

He　then　snugly　stretched　himself　in　his　arm…chair；　and　kindly
nodding　to　Constant；　he　said：　〃As　soon　as　General　Savary　has
returned；　let　him　come　in。〃

Constant　softly　glided　into　the　anteroom。　He　met　there　some　of　his
acquaintances。

〃I　have　important　news　for　you；　gentlemen；〃　he　said。　〃We　shall　fight
a　battle　in　two　or　three　days。〃

〃Did　the　emperor　tell　you　so？〃

〃No；　he　is　not　in　the　habit　of　speaking　of　such　things。　But　during
the　night…toilet　he　whistled　Marlborough's　air；　and　he　does　so　only
when　there　is　to　be　a　battle。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　de　Constant；〃
vol。　iv。；　p。　109。＇




CHAPTER　XLVIII。

BEFORE　THE　BATTLE。


Five　hours　later　General　Savary　reentered　the　emperor's　cabinet；　he
was　still　lying　on　his　arm…chair　and　sleeping；　but　when　the　general
accosted　him　in　a　low　voice；　Napoleon　opened　his　eyes　and　asked
eagerly：　〃Well；　did　you　see　the　czar？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　I　saw　him　and　conversed　with　him。〃　〃Ah；〃　exclaimed
Napoleon；　quickly；　〃tell　me　all　about　it；　do　not　omit　any　thing。　How
did　he　look　when　he　read　my　letter？〃

〃Sire；　when　I　had　delivered　your　letter　to　the　Emperor　Alexander；　he
went　with　it　into　an　adjoining　room；　from　which　he　returned　only
half　an　hour　later；　with　a　reply　in　his　hand。〃

〃Give　me　the　letter；　Savary！〃

〃Sire；　here　it　is。〃

Napoleon　took　it　hastily；　but　when　he　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　address；
he　frowned。

〃Ah；　this　emperor　'by　the　grace　of　God'　believes　he　need　not　address
me　with　the　title　conferred　upon　me　by　the　French　nation；〃　he　said；
hastily。　〃He　does　not　write　to　the　Emperor　of　the　French；　but　'to
the　chief　of　the　French　government。'　＇Footnote：　historical。Vide
〃Memoires　du　Due　de　Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　187。＇　Did　you　read　the
address；　Savary？〃

〃The　Emperor　Alexander　called　my　attention　to　it　himself；　sire。　I
remember　his　words　distinctly。　They　were　as　follows：　〃The　address
does　not　contain　the　title　which　your　chief　has　assumed　since　then。
I　do　not　set　any　great　value　on　such　trifles；　but　it　is　a　rule　of
etiquette；　and　I　shall　alter　it　with　pleasure　as　soon　as　he　has
given　me　an　opportunity　for　doing　so。〃　＇Footnote：　Alexander's　own
words。Vide　〃Memoires　du　Due　de　Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　187。＇

〃And　what　did　you　reply　to　him？〃

〃Sire；　I　replied；　'Your　majesty　is　right。　This　can　only　be　a　rule　of
etiquette；　and　the　emperor　will　not　judge　it　in　any　other　way。　When
he　was　general…in…chief　of　the　Italian　army　he　already　gave　orders
and　prescribed　laws　to　more　than　one　king；　contented　with　the　homage
of　the　French；　he　only　deems　it　a　satisfaction　for　them　to　be
recognized。'〃　＇Footnote：　Historical。Vide　〃Memoires　du　Duc　de
Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　167。＇

〃Your　reply　was　fitting　and　to　the　point；〃　said　Napoleon；　with　a
pleasant　nod；　while　he　opened　the　emperor's　letter　and　glanced　over
it。　〃Phrases；　empty　words；〃　he　then　exclaimed；　throwing　the　letter
contemptuously　on　the　table。　〃Talleyrand　was　right　when　he　said
language　was　given　to　us　for　the　purpose　of　concealing　our　thoughts。
Those　men　use　it　for　that　purpose。〃

〃Sire；　the　emperor　did　not　conceal　his　thoughts　during　our
interview；〃　replied　the　general。　〃I　conversed　with　him　long　and
freely；　and　I　may　say　that　he　uttered　his　opinions　very　frankly。　The
Emperor　Alexander　said：　'Peace　was　only　to　be　thought　of　if　your
majesty　should　stipulate　reasonable　terms　which　would　not　hurt
anybody's　feelings；　and　which　would　not　be　calculated　to　weaken　the
power　and　importance　of　the　other　princes　and　to　increase　that　of
France。　France　was　a　power　already　large　enough；　she　needed　no
aggrandizement；　and　the　other　powers　could　not　tolerate　such　a
one。'〃

〃Ah；　I　shall　teach　them　to　tolerate　it　nevertheless；　I　shall　prove
to　all　of　them　that　France　is　at　the　head　of　all　monarchies；　and
compel　them　to　recognize　the　Emperor　of　France　with　bowed　heads！〃

He　paced　the　room　hastily　with　angry　eyes　and　panting　breast。　His
steps；　however；　became　gradually　more　quiet；　and　the　furrows
disappeared　from　his　forehead。

〃I　need　two　days　more；〃　he　muttered　to　himself〃two　days；　and　I
must　have　them；　Savary。〃　He　then　said　aloud；　turning　to　the　general：
〃Did　you　make　no　further　observations？　Did　you　not　notice　the　spirit
animating　the　Russian　camp？〃　〃Sire；　the　whole　youth　of　the　highest
Russian　nobility　were　at　the　emperor's　headquarters；　and　I　conversed
with　many　of　them；　I　heard　and　observed　a　great　many　things。〃

〃Well；　and　what　do　they　think　of　us？〃

Savary　smiled。　〃Sire；〃　he　said；　〃those　young　men　did　not　breathe　any
thing　but　war　and　victory；　and　they　seemed　to　believe　that　your
majesty　wished　to　avoid　active　hostilities　since　the　Russians　had
formed　a　junction　with　the　Austrians。〃

〃Ah；　did　they　seem　to　believe　that？〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；　joyfully。
〃Well；　we　will　try　to　strengthen　their　belief。　General；　take　a
bugler　along　and　return　to　the　headquarters　of　the　emperor。　Tell　him
that　I　propose　to　him　an　interview　for　to…morrow　in　the　open　field
between　the　two　armies；　the　time　and　hour　to　be　designated　by
himself；　and　a　cessation　of　hostilities　to　take　place　for　the　next
twenty…four　hours。　Go！〃

〃I　believe；〃　said　the　emperor；　when　he　was　alone　again；　〃I　believe　I
have　gained　my　second　day　also；　and　I　only　want　a　third　one；　in
order　to　be　able　to　vanquish　all　my　enemies。　Those　arrogant　Russians
believe；　then；　that　I　wish　to　avoid　a　battle；　and　to　remain　in　my
present　position？　I　will　try　to　strengthen　this　opinion　of　theirs；
earthworks　shall　be　thrown　up；　and　the　batteries　shall　be　fortified。
Every　thing　must　have　the　appearance　of　anxiety　and　timidity。〃

And　Napoleon　summoned　his　generals　and　gave　them　aloud　these　new
orders；　but；　in　a　whisper；　he　instructed　them　to　begin　the
retrograde　movement；　and　to　let　the　troops　occupy　the　positions　he
had　selected　for　them　on　the　extensive　ground　he　had　reconnoitered
yesterday。

And　the　night　expired；　and　half　the　next　day；　before　General　Savary
returned　from　his　mission。　In　the　mean　time　Napoleon　had　changed　his
quarters。　He　had　repaired　to　the　camp　of　his　army；　and　a　bundle　of
straw　was　now　his　only　couch。　He　had　impatiently　looked　for　Savary；
and　went　to　meet　him　with　hasty　steps。

〃Why　so　late？〃　he　asked。

〃Sire；　it　was　almost　impossible　for　me　to　reach　the　emperor。　He　had
left　Olmutz。　All　the　night　long　I　was　conducted　from　bivouac　to
bivouac；　in　order　to　find　Prince　Bagration；　who　could　alone　take　me
to　the　emperor。〃

〃And　you　have　seen　the　emperor？〃　asked　Napoleon；　impatiently。

〃Yes；　sire；　after　overcoming　many　obstacles　and　difficulties；　I
succeeded　in　penetrating　to　the　emperor。　I　submitted　your　majesty's
proposition　to　him。　The　emperor　replied：　'It　would　afford　him　the
greatest　pleasure　to　see　and　make　the　acquaintance　of　your　majesty；
but　time　was　too　short　for　it　now。　Moreover；　before　entering　into
such　negotiations；　he　would　have　to　consult　the　Emperor　of　Austria；
and　learn　your　majesty's　views；　so　as　to　be　able　to　see　whether　such
an　interview　would　be　advisable　or　not。　Hence；　he　would　send　one　of
his　confidential　advisers　with　me；　and　intrust　him　with　a　mission　to
your　majesty。　The　reply　which　he　would　bring　to　him　from　your
majesty　would　decide　the　matter。'〃

〃Ah；　and　the　third　day　will　pass　in　this　manner！〃　exclaimed
Napoleon；　joyfully。　〃Where　is　the　emperor's　envoy？　and　who　is　it？〃

〃Sire；　the　emperor　sent　his　first　aide…de…camp；　Prince　Dolgorouki；
with　me。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃

〃Sire；　I　left　him　with　the　grand…guard；　he　is　waiting　there　for　your
majesty's　orders。〃

Napoleon　rose　hastily　from　the　straw；　on　which　he　had　been　sitting
with　folded　arms。

〃My　horse！〃　he　shouted；　and　when　Roustan　had　brought　his　charger；　he
vaulted　into　the　saddle　and　galloped　so　rapidly　forward　that　his
suite　were　scarcely　able　to　overtake　him。　On　arriving　close　to　the
grand…guard；　he　halted　and　alighted；　and　while　he　sent　off　Savary　to
conduct　Prince　Dolgorouki　to　him；　he　muttered：　〃Only　a　third　day！〃

He　received　the　prince　with　the　calmness　and　composure　of　a　proud
imperator；　of　a　chieftain　accustomed　to　victory。　A　wave　of　his　hand
caused　his　suite　to　stand　back；　and　when　the　officers　had　withdrawn；
he　commenced　conversing　with　Prince　Dolgorouki；　while　walking　up　and
down　with　him。

The　emperor　suddenly　approached　the　members　of　his　suite；　and　they
heard　him　say　in　a　loud　and　angry　voice：

〃If　that　is　all　you　wish　to　say　to　me；　hasten　to　inform　your　emperor
that　I　had　not　thought　at　all　of　such　conditions　when　I　applied　for
an　interview　with　him；　I　should　only　have　shown　him　my　army；　and；　as
to　the　conditions；　relied　on　his　honesty。　He　wishes　a　battle；　very
well；　let　us　fight。　I　wash　my　hands　of　it！〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's
own　words。Vide　〃Memoires　du　Due　de　Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　196。＇

He　turned　his　back　to　Prince　Dolgorouki　with　a　slight　wave　of　his
hand；　and　fixing　his　flaming　eagle…eyes　on　his　generals；　he　said；
shrugging　his　shoulders：

〃Russia　will　make　peace　if　France　will　give　up　Belgium；　and；　first
of　all　things；　cede　the　crown　of　Italy　to　the　King　of　Sardinia。　Oh；
those　men　must　be　crazy！。　They　want　me　to　evacuate　Italy；　and　they
will　find　out　soon　that　they　cannot　even　get　me　out　of　Vienna。　What
would　have　been　their　terms；　and　what　would　they　have　made　of
France；　if　they　had　beaten？　Well；　let　things　turn　out　as　it　may；
please　God；　but　in　less　than　forty…eight　hours　I　will　pay　them　well
for　their　arrogance！〃　＇Footnote：　Ibid；　p。　198。＇

And　instead　of　mounting　again　on　horseback；　he　continued　walking　on
the　highway；　muttering　to　himself；　and　with　his　riding…whip　knocking
off　the　small　grass…blades　he　met　on　the　road。　He　had　now　reached
the　first　infantry　post　of　his　army。　The　sentinel　was　an　old
soldier；　who　was　unconcernedly　filling　his　pipe　while　holding　his
musket　between　his　legs。

The　gloomy　eyes　of　the　emperor　turned　to　him；　and　pointing　over　to
the　position　of　the　enemy；　he　said；　angrily：　〃Those　arrogant　fellows
believe　they　can　swallow　us　without　further　ceremony！〃

The