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From Vert…Coucou to Groentendael； for a distance of nearly two leagues in the direction of Brussels； according to the testimony of eye…witnesses who are still alive； the roads were encumbered with fugitives。
This panic was such that it attacked the Prince de Conde at Mechlin； and Louis XVIII。 at Ghent。
With the exception of the feeble reserve echelonned behind the ambulance established at the farm of Mont…Saint…Jean； and of Vivian's and Vandeleur's brigades； which flanked the left wing； Wellington had no cavalry left。
A number of batteries lay unhorsed。 These facts are attested by Siborne； and Pringle； exaggerating the disaster； goes so far as to say that the Anglo…Dutch army was reduced to thirty…four thousand men。
The Iron Duke remained calm； but his lips blanched。
Vincent； the Austrian missioner； Alava； the Spanish missioner； who were present at the battle in the English staff； thought the Duke lost。
At five o'clock Wellington drew out his watch； and he was heard to murmur these sinister words； 〃Blucher； or night！〃
It was at about that moment that a distant line of bayonets gleamed on the heights in the direction of Frischemont。
Here es the change of face in this giant drama。
BOOK FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER XI
A BAD GUIDE TO NAPOLEON； A GOOD GUIDE TO BULOW
The painful surprise of Napoleon is well known。
Grouchy hoped for； Blucher arriving。
Death instead of life。
Fate has these turns； the throne of the world was expected； it was Saint Helena that was seen。
If the little shepherd who served as guide to Bulow； Blucher's lieutenant； had advised him to debouch from the forest above Frischemont； instead of below Plancenoit； the form of the nineteenth century might； perhaps； have been different。
Napoleon would have won the battle of Waterloo。
By any other route than that below Plancenoit； the Prussian army would have e out upon a ravine impassable for artillery； and Bulow would not have arrived。
Now the Prussian general； Muffling； declares that one hour's delay； and Blucher would not have found Wellington on his feet。
〃The battle was lost。〃
It was time that Bulow should arrive； as will be seen。
He had； moreover； been very much delayed。
He had bivouacked at Dion…le…Mont； and had set out at daybreak； but the roads were impassable； and his divisions stuck fast in the mire。
The ruts were up to the hubs of the cannons。
Moreover； he had been obliged to pass the Dyle on the narrow bridge of Wavre； the street leading to the bridge had been fired by the French； so the caissons and ammunition…wagons could not pass between two rows of burning houses； and had been obliged to wait until the conflagration was extinguished。
It was mid…day before Bulow's vanguard had been able to reach Chapelle…Saint…Lambert。
Had the action been begun two hours earlier； it would have been over at four o'clock； and Blucher would have fallen on the battle won by Napoleon。
Such are these immense risks proportioned to an infinite which we cannot prehend。
The Emperor had been the first； as early as mid…day； to descry with his field…glass； on the extreme horizon； something which had attracted his attention。
He had said； 〃I see yonder a cloud； which seems to me to be troops。〃
Then he asked the Duc de Dalmatie； 〃Soult； what do you see in the direction of Chapelle…Saint…Lambert？〃 The marshal； levelling his glass； answered； 〃Four or five thousand men； Sire； evidently Grouchy。〃
But it remained motionless in the mist。
All the glasses of the staff had studied 〃the cloud〃 pointed out by the Emperor。
Some said：
〃It is trees。〃
The truth is； that the cloud did not move。
The Emperor detached Domon's division of light cavalry to reconnoitre in that quarter。
Bulow had not moved； in fact。
His vanguard was very feeble； and could acplish nothing。
He was obliged to wait for the body of the army corps； and he had received orders to concentrate his forces before entering into line； but at five o'clock； perceiving Wellington's peril； Blucher ordered Bulow to attack； and uttered these remarkable words：
〃We must give air to the English army。〃
A little later； the divisions of Losthin； Hiller； Hacke； and Ryssel deployed before Lobau's corps； the cavalry of Prince William of Prussia debouched from the forest of Paris； Plancenoit was in flames； and the Prussian cannon…balls began to rain even upon the ranks of the guard in reserve behind Napoleon。
BOOK FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER XII
THE GUARD
Every one knows the rest；the irruption of a third army； the battle broken to pieces； eighty…six months of fire thundering simultaneously； Pirch the first ing up with Bulow； Zieten's cavalry led by Blucher in person； the French driven back； Marcognet swept from the plateau of Ohain； Durutte dislodged from Papelotte； Donzelot and Quiot retreating； Lobau caught on the flank； a fresh battle precipitating itself on our dismantled regiments at nightfall； the whole English line resuming the offensive and thrust forward； the gigantic breach made in the French army； the English grape…shot and the Prussian grape…shot aiding each other； the extermination； disaster in front； disaster on the flank； the Guard entering the line in the midst of this terrible crumbling of all things。
Conscious that they were about to die； they shouted； 〃Vive l'Empereur！〃 History records nothing more touching than that agony bursting forth in acclamations。
The sky had been overcast all day long。
All of a sudden； at that very moment；it was eight o'clock in the eveningthe clouds on the horizon parted； and allowed the grand and sinister glow of the setting sun to pass through； athwart the elms on the Nivelles road。 They had seen it rise at Austerlitz。
Each battalion of the Guard was manded by a general for this final catastrophe。
Friant； Michel； Roguet； Harlet； Mallet； Poret de Morvan； were there。
When the tall caps of the grenadiers of the Guard； with their large plaques bearing the eagle appeared； symmetrical； in line； tranquil； in the midst of that bat； the enemy felt a respect for France； they thought they beheld twenty victories entering the field of battle； with wings outspread； and those who were the conquerors； believing themselves to be vanquished； retreated； but Wellington shouted； 〃Up； Guards； and aim straight！〃 The red regiment of English guards； lying flat behind the hedges； sprang up； a cloud of grape…shot riddled the tricolored flag and whistled round our eagles； all hurled themselves forwards； and the final carnage began。
In the darkness； the Imperial Guard felt the army losing ground around it； and in the vast shock of the rout it heard the desperate flight which had taken the place of the 〃Vive l'Empereur！〃 and； with flight behind it； it continued to advance； more crushed； losing more men at every step that it took。 There were none who hesitated； no timid men in its ranks。 The soldier in that troop was as much of a hero as the general。 Not a man was missing in that suicide。
Ney； bewildered； great with all the grandeur of accepted death； offered himself to all blows in tha