Chapter 10

           

           Butstrangetosay,allthesemeasures,efforts,andplans—whichwerenotatallworsethanothersissuedinsimilarcircumstances—didnotaffecttheessenceofthematterbut,likethehandsofaclockdetachedfromthemechanism,swungaboutinanarbitraryandaimlesswaywithoutengagingthecogwheels.

           Withreferencetothemilitaryside—theplanofcampaign—thatworkofgeniusofwhichThiersremarksthat,“Hisgeniusneverdevisedanythingmoreprofound,moreskillful,ormoreadmirable,”andentersintoapolemicwithM.FaintoprovethatthisworkofgeniusmustbereferrednottothefourthbuttothefifteenthofOctober—thatplanneverwasorcouldbeexecuted,foritwasquiteoutoftouchwiththefactsofthecase.ThefortifyingoftheKrémlin,forwhichlaMosquée(asNapoleontermedthechurchofBasiltheBeatified)wastohavebeenrazedtotheground,provedquiteuseless.TheminingoftheKrémlinonlyhelpedtowardfulfillingNapoleon’swishthatitshouldbeblownupwhenheleftMoscow—asachildwantstheflooronwhichhehashurthimselftobebeaten.ThepursuitoftheRussianarmy,aboutwhichNapoleonwassoconcerned,producedanunheard-ofresult.TheFrenchgeneralslosttouchwiththeRussianarmyofsixtythousandmen,andaccordingtoThiersitwasonlyeventuallyfound,likealostpin,bytheskill—andapparentlythegenius—ofMurat.

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