the news that the Emperor heard from Grouchy about 8 a.m.—­he refused to grant him an audience earlier.  Forthwith he dictated a letter to Ney to the following effect:  that the Prussians had been routed and were being pursued towards Namur; that the British could not attack him (Ney) at Quatre Bras, for the Emperor would in that case march on their flank and destroy them in an instant; that he heard with pain how isolated Ney’s troops had been on the 16th, and ordered him to close up his divisions and occupy Quatre Bras.  If he could not effect that task, he must warn the Emperor, who would then come.  Finally, he warned him that “the present day is needed to finish this operation, to complete the munitions of war, to rally stragglers and call in detachments.”

A singular day’s programme this for the man who had trebled the results of the victory of Jena by the remorseless energy of the pursuit.  After dictating this despatch, he ordered Lobau to take a division of infantry for the support of Pajol on the Namur road.  He then set out for St. Amand in his carriage.  On arriving at the place of carnage he mounted his horse and rode slowly over the battle-field, seeing to the needs of the wounded of both nations with kindly care, and everywhere receiving the enthusiastic acclaim of his soldiery.  This done, he dismounted and talked long and earnestly with Grouchy, Gerard, and others on the state of political parties at Paris.  They listened with ill-concealed restlessness.  At Fleurus Grouchy asked for definite orders, and received the brusque reply that he must wait.  But now, towards 11 o’clock, the Emperor hears that Wellington is still at Quatre Bras, that Pajol has captured eight Prussian guns on the Namur road, and that Excelmans has seen masses of the enemy at Gembloux.  At once he turns from politics to war.

His plan is formed.  While he himself falls on the British, Grouchy is to pursue the Prussians with the corps of Gerard and Vandamme, the division of Teste (from Lobau’s command), and the cavalry corps of Pajol, Excelmans, and Milhaud.  The Marshal begged to be relieved of the task, setting forth the danger of pursuing foes that were now reunited and far away.  It was in vain.  About 11.30 the Emperor developed his verbal instructions in a written order penned by Bertrand.  It bade Grouchy proceed to Gembloux with the forces stated above (except Milhaud’s corps and a division of Vandamme’s corps, which were to follow Napoleon) to reconnoitre on the roads leading to Namur and Maestricht, to pursue the enemy, and inform the Emperor as to their intentions.  If they have evacuated Namur, it is to be occupied by the National Guards.  “It is important to know what Bluecher and Wellington mean to do, and whether they propose reuniting their armies in order to cover Brussels and Liege, by trying their fortune in another battle...."[500]