Chapter 34

           

           Napoleon’sgenerals—Davout,Ney,andMurat,whowerenearthatregionoffireandsometimesevenenteredit—repeatedlyledintoithugemassesofwell-orderedtroops.Butcontrarytowhathadalwayshappenedintheirformerbattles,insteadofthenewstheyexpectedoftheenemy’sflight,theseorderlymassesreturnedthenceasdisorganizedandterrifiedmobs.Thegeneralsre-formedthem,buttheirnumbersconstantlydecreased.InthemiddleofthedayMuratsenthisadjutanttoNapoleontodemandreinforcements.

           Napoleonsatatthefootoftheknoll,drinkingpunch,whenMurat’sadjutantgallopedupwithanassurancethattheRussianswouldberoutedifHisMajestywouldlethimhaveanotherdivision.

           “Reinforcements?”saidNapoleoninatoneofsternsurprise,lookingattheadjutant—ahandsomeladwithlongblackcurlsarrangedlikeMurat’sown—asthoughhedidnotunderstandhiswords.

           “Reinforcements!”thoughtNapoleontohimself.“Howcantheyneedreinforcementswhentheyalreadyhavehalfthearmydirectedagainstaweak,unentrenchedRussianwing?”

           “TelltheKingofNaples,”saidhesternly,“thatitisnotnoonyet,andIdon’tyetseemychessboardclearly.Go!...”

           Thehandsomeboyadjutantwiththelonghairsigheddeeplywithoutremovinghishandfromhishatandgallopedbacktowheremenwerebeingslaughtered.

           NapoleonroseandhavingsummonedCaulaincourtandBerthierbegantalkingtothemaboutmattersunconnectedwiththebattle.

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