You may easily conceive the sensations of the inhabitants of the upper town when we beheld the black clouds of smoke rising from the lower, while the incessant fire of the artillery rendered it impossible for us to repair thither, to obtain information or to afford assistance.  Here, as every where else, the fears of the inhabitants were wound up to the highest pitch.  A cry was raised that several streets were already in flames, and every one now hastened to his own house, that he might be at hand in case a similar accident should happen there.  It became more and more dangerous to remain in the upper stories, which the inhabitants accordingly quitted, and betook themselves to the kitchens and cellars.  If such were the terrors of the inmates, old and young, the fears and anxiety of the French who chanced to be in the houses surpassed all description.  Many of them were seen weeping like children, and starting convulsively at every report of the cannon.  In the midst of this hideous uproar I made another attempt to learn what was passing in the suburbs.  In the streets I found inexpressible confusion, people running in all directions, officers driving their men to the gates.  Cries and shouts resounded from all quarters, though very few of the persons from whom they proceeded knew what they would be at.  At this time cartouch-boxes and muskets were to be seen thrown away here and there in the streets.  The Saxon grenadier guards were drawn out with wonderful composure and grounded arms, before the royal residence.  Every unarmed person anxiously sought to gain the nearest house, but commonly found it shut against him.  Several had already lost their lives or been severely wounded by the balls which fell in all directions.  Napoleon was still in the city; he was at this moment with our king, with whom he had an animated conversation, which lasted near an hour.  Soon afterwards I saw him, accompanied by the king of Naples, proceeding on horseback toward the Ranstaedt gate.  I had meanwhile taken the opportunity of slipping into a house which overlooks that street, and now for the first time beheld a French retreat in the height of its confusion.  Not a vestige of regularity was any where observable.  The horse and foot guards poured along in mingled disorder.  They would probably have marched in quicker time, had they been permitted by the waggons and cannon, which were locked in one another, and obstructed the way.  Between these they were obliged to pass singly, and I really thought that it would be at least six hours before they could all have effected their passage.  Immense droves of cattle were cooped up among the crowd.  These seemed to be objects of particular concern to the French.  They sought out a space, however narrow, along the town-ditch, by which they might drive forward their horned favourites.  Whoever was bold enough, and had any hopes of being able to conduct these animals into his own habitation, had now an opportunity of making an advantageous bargain.