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proof。 He was much pleased with the services of M。 Veyrat；
inspector general of police； and he desired the Cross。 I presented
petitions to this effect to his Majesty； who said to me one day；
〃I am well satisfied with Veyrat。 He serves me well； and I will
give him as much money as he wishes； but the Cross； never！〃
CONSTANT。＇
On entering Mezieres his Majesty was received by the authorities of the
city； the clergy； and the National Guard。 〃Messieurs；〃 said the Emperor
to the National Guard who pressed around him； 〃we fight to day for our
firesides； let us defend them in such a manner that the Cossacks may not
come to warm themselves beside them。 They are bad guests； who will leave
no place for you。 Let us show them that every Frenchman is born a
soldier； and a brave one！〃 His Majesty on receiving the homage of the
curate； perceiving that this ecclesiastic regarded him with extreme
interest and agitation； consequently considered the good priest more
attentively； and soon recognized in him one of the former regents of the
college of Brienne。 〃What！ is it you； my dear master？〃 cried the
Emperor。 〃You have； then； never left your retirement！ So much the
better； since for that reason you will be only the better able to serve
the cause of your native land。 I need not ask if you know the country
around here。〃〃Sire；〃 replied the curate； 〃I could find my way with my
eyes shut。〃〃Come with us； then； you will be our guide； and we will
converse。〃 The worthy priest immediately saddled his well…broken horse；
and placed himself in the center of the Imperial staff。
The same day we arrived before Brienne。 The Emperor's march had been so
secret and so rapid that the Prussians had heard nothing of it until he
suddenly appeared before their eyes。 A few general officers were made
prisoners； and Blucher himself； who was quietly coming out of the
chateau； had only time to turn and fly as quickly as he could； under a
shower of balls from our advance guard。 The Emperor thought for a moment
that the Prussian general had been taken； and exclaimed； 〃We have got
that old swash…buckler。 Now the campaign will not be long。〃 The
Russians who were established in the village set it on fire； and an
engagement took place in the midst of the flames。 Night arrived； but the
combat still continued； and in the space of twelve hours the village was
taken and retaken many times。 The Emperor was furious that Blucher
should have escaped。 As he returned to headquarters； which had been
established at Mezieres； his Majesty narrowly escaped being pierced
through with the lance of a Cossack； but before the Emperor perceived the
movement of the wretch； the brave Colonel Gourgaud； who was marching
behind his Majesty； shot the Cossack dead with his pistol。
The Emperor had with him only fifteen thousand men； and they had waged an
equal struggle with eighty thousand foreign soldiers。 At the close of
the combat the Prussians retreated to Bar…sur…Aube； and his Majesty
established himself in the chateau of Brienne； where he passed two
nights。 I recalled during this stay the one that I had made ten years
before in this same chateau of Brienne； when the Emperor was on his way
to Milan with the intention of adding the title of King of Italy to that
of Emperor of the French。 〃To…day；〃 I said to myself； 〃not only is Italy
lost to him； but here in the center of the French Empire； and a few
leagues from his capital； the Emperor is defending himself against
innumerable enemies！〃 The first time I saw Brienne； the Emperor was
received as a sovereign by a noble family who fifteen years before had
welcomed him as a protege。 He had there revived the happiest
remembrances of his childhood and youth； and in comparing himself in 1805
with what he had been at the Ecole Militaire had spoken with pride of the
path he had trod。 In 1814； on the 31st of January； the end to which this
path was tending began to be seen。 It is not that I wish to announce
myself as having foreseen the Emperor's fall； for I did not go so far as
that。 Accustomed to see him trust to his star； the greater part of those
who surrounded him trusted it no less than he； but nevertheless we could
not conceal from ourselves that great changes had taken place。 To delude
ourselves in this respect it would have been necessary to close our eyes
that we might neither see nor hear this multitude of foreigners； whom we
had until now seen only in their own country； and who； in their turn；
were now in our midst。
At each step； in fact； we found terrible proofs of the enemy's presence。
After taking possession of the towns and villages； they had arrested the
inhabitants； maltreated them with saber…strokes and the butt ends of
their guns； stripping them of their clothing； and compelling those to
follow them whom they thought capable of serving as guides on their
march； and if they were not guided as they expected they killed with the
sword or shot their unfortunate prisoners。 Everywhere the inhabitants
were made to furnish provisions； drink； cattle； forage； in a word；
everything that could be useful to an army making enormous requisitions；
and when they had exhausted all the resources of their victims； they
finished their work of destruction by pillage and burning。 The
Prussians； and above all the Cossacks； were remarkable for their brutal
ferocity。 Sometimes these hideous savages entered the houses by main
force； shared among themselves everything that fell into their hands；
loaded their horses with the plunder； and broke to pieces what they could
not carry away。 Sometimes； not finding sufficient to satisfy their
greed； they broke down the doors and windows； demolished the ceiling in
order to tear out the beams； and made of these pieces and the furniture；
which was too heavy to be carried away； a fire； which being communicated
to the roofs of neighboring houses consumed in a moment the dwellings of
the unhappy inhabitants； and forced them to take refuge in the woods。
Sometimes the more wealthy inhabitants gave them what they demanded；
especially brandy； of which they drank eagerly； thinking by this
compliance to escape their ferocity； but these barbarians； heated by
drink； then carried their excesses to the last degree。 They seized
girls； women； and servants； and beat them unmercifully； in order to
compel them to drink brandy until they fell in a complete state of
intoxication。 Many women and young girls had courage and strength to
defend themselves against these brigands； but they united three or four
against one； and often to avenge themselves for the resistance of these
poor creatures mutilated and slew them； after having first violated them；
or threw them into the midst of the bivouac fires。 Farms were burned up；
and families recently opulent or in comfortable circumstances were
reduced in an instant to despair and poverty。 Husbands and old men were
slain with the sword while attempting to defend the honor of their wives
and daughters； and when poor mothers attempted to approach the fires to
warm the children at their breasts； they were burned or killed by the
explosion of packages of cartridges； which the Cossacks threw
intentionally into the fire； and the cries of pain and agony were stifled
by the bursts of laughter from these monsters。
I should never end if I attempted to relate all the atrocities committed
by these foreign hordes。 It was the custom at the time of the
Restoration to say that the complaints and narrations of those who were
exposed to these excesses were exaggerated by fear or hatred。 I have
even heard very dignified persons jest pleasantly over the pretty ways of
the Cossacks。 But these wits always kept themselves at a distance from
the theater of war； and had the good fortune to inhabit departments which
suffered neither from the first nor second invasion。 I would not advise
them to address their pleasantries to the unfortunate inhabitants of
Champagne； or of the departments of the east in general。 It has been
maintained also that the allied sovereigns and the general officers of
the Russian and Prussian army severely forbade all violence in their
regular troops； and that the atrocities were committed by undisciplined
and ungovernable bands of Cossacks。 I have been in a position to learn；
on many occasions； especially at Troves； proofs to the contrary。 This
town has not forgotten； doubtless； how the Princes of Wurtemberg and
Hohenlohe and the Emperor Alexander himself justified the burnings；
pillage； violations； and numerous assassinations committed under their
very eyes； not only by the Cossacks； but also by regularly enlisted and
disciplined soldiers。 No measures were taken by the sovereigns or by
their generals to put an end to such atrocities； and nevertheless when
they left a town there was needed only an order from them to remove at
once the hordes of Cossacks who devastated the country。
The field of the La Rothiere was； as I have said； the rendezvous of the
pupils of the military school of Brienne。 It was there that the Emperor；
when a child； had foreshadowed in his engagement with the scholars his
gigantic combats。