The soldiers of Friand, drawn up in front of Semenowska, repelled the first charges, but when they were assailed with a shower of balls and grape shot, they began to give way; one of their leaders got tired, and gave orders to retreat.  At that critical moment, Murat ran up to him, and seizing him by the collar, exclaimed, “What are you about?” The colonel, pointing to the ground, covered with half his troops, answered, “You see well enough that it is impossible to stand here.”—­“Very well, I will remain!” exclaimed the king.  These words stopped the officer:  he looked Murat steadily in the face, and turning round, coolly said, “You are right!  Soldiers, face to the enemy!  Let us go and be killed!”

Meanwhile, Murat had just sent back Borelli to the emperor to ask for assistance; that officer pointed to the clouds of dust which the charges of the cavalry were raising upon the heights, which had hitherto remained tranquil since they had been taken.  Some cannon-balls also for the first time fell close to where Napoleon was stationed; the enemy seemed to be approaching; Borelli insisted, and the emperor promised his young guard.  But, scarcely had it advanced a few paces, when he himself called out to it to halt.  The Count de Lobau, however, made it advance by degrees, under pretence of dressing the line.  Napoleon perceiving it, repeated his order.

Fortunately, the artillery of the reserve advanced at that moment, to take a position on the conquered heights; Lauriston had obtained the emperor’s consent to that manoeuvre, but it was rather a permission than an order.  Shortly after, however, he thought it so important, that he urged its execution with the only movement of impatience he exhibited during the whole of that day.

It is not known whether his doubts as to the results of Prince Poniatowski and Prince Eugene’s engagement on his right and left kept him in uncertainty; what is certain is, that he seemed to be apprehensive lest the extreme left of the Russians should escape from the Poles, and return to take possession of the field of battle in the rear of Ney and Murat.  This at least was one of the causes of his retaining his guard in observation upon that point.  To such as pressed him, his answer was, “that he wished to have a better view; that his battle was not yet begun; that it would be a long one; that they must learn to wait; that time entered into every thing; that it was the element of which all things are composed; that nothing was yet sufficiently clear.”  He then inquired the hour, and added, “that the hour of his battle was not yet come; that it would begin in two hours.”

But it never began:  the whole of that day he was sitting down, or walking about leisurely, in front, and a little to the left of the redoubt which had been conquered on the 5th, on the borders of a ravine, at a great distance from the battle, of which he could scarcely see any thing after it got beyond the heights; not at all uneasy when he saw it return nearer to him, nor impatient with his own troops, or the enemy.  He merely made some gestures of melancholy resignation, on every occasion, when they came to inform him of the loss of his best generals.  He rose several times to take a few turns, but immediately sat down again.