The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. 721
Guard had not yet taken any part in the conflict, having had his horse killed, fought sword in hand,
and would now have been capable of affording him and on foot, in the front of the battle, till the very
protection aser a battle, which hitherto he had last. That marshal, whose military virtues at least
fought at disadvantage, but without being defeated. cannot be challenged, bore personal evidence against
But the circumstances by which he was surrounded two circumstances, industriously circulated by the
must lhave pressed on his mind at once. He had no friends of Napoleon. One of these fictions occurs
sIIuccours to look for; a reunion with Grouchy was in his own bllletin, which charges the loss of the
the only resolurce which could strengthen his forces; battle to a panic fear, brought about by the treachery
the Russians were advancing upon the Rhine with of some unknown persons, who raised the cly of
forced marches; the republicans at Paris were agi- "Saurve q2i pect." Another figment, greedily cretating schemes against his authority. It seemed as dited at Paris, bore, that four battalions of the Old
if all must be decided on that day, and on that field. Guard, the last who maintained the semblance of
Surrounded by these ill-omened circumstances, a order, answered a summons to surrender, by the
desperate elfort for victory, ere the Prussians could magnaninous reply,' The Guard can die, but canact effectually, might plerllaps yet drive the English not yield." And one edition of the story adds, that
from their position; and he determined to venture thereupon the battalions made a half wheel inwalds,
on this dr.riing experiment. and discharged their muskets into each others' boAbout seven o'clock, Napoleon's Guard were soms to save themselves from dying by the hands of
formed in two columns, under his own eye, near the English. Neither the original reply, nor the pre.
the bottom of the declivity of La Belle Alliance. tended self-sacrifice of the Guard, have the slightest
They were put under command of the dauntless foundation. Cambrone, in whose mouth the speech
Ney. Bonaparte told the soldiers, and indeed im- was placed, gave up his own sword, and remained
posed the same fiction on their commander, that the prisoner; and the military conduct of the French
Prussians whom they saw on the right were retreat- Guard is better eulogised by the undisputed truth,
ilg before Grouchy. Perhaps he might himself that they fobught to extremity, with the most unyieldbelieve that this was true.''The Guard answered ing constancy, than by imputing to themn an act of
for the last tinme, with shouts of Vive l'empereur, regimental suicide upon the lost field of battle.
and -moved resolutely forward, hiaving for their Every attribute of brave imen they have a just right
suptport four battalions of the Old Guard in reserve, to claim. It is no compliment to ascribe to them
who stood prepared to protect the advance of their that of madmen. Whether the words were used
comrades. A gradual change had taken place in by Cambrone or no, the Guard well deserved to
the English line of battle, in consequence of the have them insclibed on their monument.
repeated repulse of the French. Advancing by slow Whilst this decisive movement took polace, Bilow,
degrees, the right, which, at the beginning of the who had concentrated his troops, and was at length
conllict, presented a segment ofa convex circle, now qualified to act in force, carried the village of Planresembled one that was concave, the extreme right, chenois in the French rear, and was now firing so
whichl had been thrown back, being now rather close on their right wing, that the cannonade anbrought forward, so tlat their fire bothof artilleryand noyed the British who were in pursuit, and was
infanimtry fell upon the flank of the French, who had also suspended in consequence. Moving in oblique lines,
to sustain that whichil as Iolured on their front irom the British and Prussian armies canme into contact
the heights.'The Br-itish were arranged in a line of' with each other on the heights so lately occupied by
fotbur inea deep, to iieet the advancing columns of the French, and celebrated the victory with loud
the French Gtiard, and poured upon them a storm shouts of mutual congratulation.
of'lusketry which iever ceased an instant. Thile The French army was now in total and inextrisoldiers tired independently, as it is called; each cable confiusion and rout; and when the victorious
nin loadling and disclhaiging his piece as fast as lie generals met at the farm-lhouse of La Belle Alliance,
could. At length the British moved forward, as if it was agreed that the Prussians, who were fiesh in
to close round the heads ofthle columns, and at the comparison, should follow up the chase, a duty for
samiie tilue continlled to pour their shot Upon the vwhich the British, exhausted by the fitigues of a
enemy's flanks.'Tlhe French gallantly attempted to battle of eight hours, wvere totally inadequate.
deploy, for the purpose of returning the discharge. During the whole action, Napoleon maintained
But in their effort to do so, under so dreadful a fire, the uitniost serenity. He remimained on the heights of
they stopt, staggered, became disordered, were La Belle Alliance, keeping pretty near the cectre,
blended into one ilmass, and at length gave way, re- from which ihe had a fiull view of the field, which
tiring, or rather flying, in the utmost confusion. does not exceed a mile and a half in length. He
This was the last effort of the enemy, and Napoleon expressed no solicitude on the fate of the battle for
gave orders for the.retreat; to protect which, he a long time, noticed the behaviour of particular
had now no troops left, save the last four battalions regiments, and praised the English several times,
of the Old Guard, which had been stationed in the always, however, talking of them as an assured prey.
rear of the attacking columris. These threw them- When forming his guard for the last fatal effort, he
selves into squares, and stood firm. But at this descended near them, half down the causeway from
mnoment the Duke of WVellington commanded the La Belle Alliance, to bestow upon them what
whole British line to atlvance, so that, whatever proved his parting exhortation. He watched intentthe bravery and skill of these gallant veterans, they ly their progress with a spy-glass, and refused to
also were thrown into disorder, and swept away in listen to one or two aides-de-camp, who at that
the general rout, in spite of the efforts of Ney, who, moment came from the right to inform him of the
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