Reaching the northern end they repeated their tale, and claimed to see the commander.  While the defenders were hesitating, Oudinot’s grenadiers were rapidly marching forward.  As soon as they were seen, the Austrians prepared once more to fire the bridge.  Again they were implored to desist, as peace was as good as signed.  But when the grenadiers had reached the northern bank, the mask was dropped:  fresh troops were hurrying up and the chance of saving the bridge from their grasp was now lost.  By these means did Murat and Lannes secure an undisputed passage to the northern bank, for which four years later the French had desperately to fight.  Napoleon was delighted at Murat’s exploit, which greatly furthered his pursuit of the allies, and he at once restored that Marshal to high favour.  But those who placed gentlemanly conduct above the glamour of a trickster’s success were not slow, even then, to express their disapproval of this act of perfidy.[37]

The prolonged retreat into Moravia, the unexpected feebleness of the Hapsburg arms, and the lack of supplies weighed heavily on Alexander’s spirits, as is shown in his letter from Olmuetz to the King of Prussia on November 19th:  “Our position is more than critical:  we stand almost alone against the French, who are close on our heels.  As for the Austrian army, it does not exist....  If your armies advance, the whole position will alter at once."[38] A few days later, however, when 27,000 more Russians were at hand, including his Imperial Guard, the Czar passed from the depths of depression to the heights of confidence.  The caution of his wary commander, Kutusoff, who urged a Fabian policy of delay and retreat, now began to weary him.  To retire into northern Hungary seemed ignominious.  And though Frederick William held to his resolve of not drawing the sword before December 15th, and by that time the Archduke Charles with a large army was expected below Vienna, yet the susceptible young autocrat spurned the behests of irksome prudence.  In vain did Kutusoff and Schwarzenberg urge the need of delay and retreat:  Alexander gave more heed to the rash counsels of his younger officers.  An advance was ordered on Bruenn, and a successful cavalry skirmish at Wischau confirmed the Czar in his change from the strategy of Fabius to that of Varro.

Napoleon, who was now at Bruenn, had already divined this change in the temper of his foe, and called back his men with the express purpose of humouring Alexander’s latest mood and tempting him on to a decisive battle.  He saw clearly the advantage of fighting at once.  The renewed offers of an armistice, which he received from the prudent Francis, might alone have convinced him of this; and they came in time to give him an argument, telling enough to daunt the Prussian envoy, who was now drawing near to his headquarters.