Eugene and Mortier disputed the honour of this sacrifice, and the first only carried it in right of his superior rank.  Shelter and the distribution of provisions had effected that which threats had failed to do.  The stragglers were rallied, the viceroy again found himself at the head of four thousand men; all were ready to march at the news of Ney’s danger; but it was their last effort.

They proceeded in the darkness, by unknown roads, and had marched two leagues at random, halting every few minutes to listen.  Their anxiety was already increased.  Had they lost their way? were they too late? had their unfortunate comrades fallen? was it the victorious Russian army they were about to meet?  In this uncertainty, Prince Eugene directed some cannon shot to be fired.  Immediately after they fancied they heard signals of distress on that sea of snow; they proceeded from the third corps, which, having lost all its artillery, answered the cannon of the fourth by some volleys of platoon firing.

The two corps were thus directed towards their meeting.  Ney and Eugene were the first to recognize each other; they ran up, Eugene more precipitately, and threw themselves into each other’s arms.  Eugene wept, Ney let some angry words escape him.  The first was delighted, melted, and elevated by the warlike heroism which his chivalrous heroism had just saved!  The latter, still heated from the combat, irritated at the dangers which the honour of the army had run in his person, and blaming Davoust, whom he wrongfully accused of having deserted him.

Some hours afterwards, when the latter wished to excuse himself, he could draw nothing from Ney but a severe look, and these words, “Monsieur le Marechal, I have no reproaches to make to you; God is our witness and your judge!”

When the two corps had fairly recognized each other, they no longer kept their ranks.  Soldiers, officers, generals, all ran towards each other.  Those of Eugene shook hands with those of Ney; they touched them with a joyful mixture of astonishment and curiosity, and pressed them to their bosoms with the tenderest compassion.  The refreshments and brandy which they had just received they lavished upon them; they overwhelmed them with questions.  They then all proceeded together in company, towards Orcha, all impatient, Eugene’s soldiers to hear, and Ney’s to tell their story.

CHAP.  VIII.

They stated, that on the 17th of November they had quitted Smolensk with twelve cannon, six thousand infantry, and three hundred cavalry, leaving there five thousand sick at the mercy of the enemy; and that had it not been for the noise of Platof’s cannon, and the explosion of the mines, their marshal would never have been able to bring away from the ruins of that city seven thousand unarmed stragglers who had taken shelter in them.  They dwelt upon the attentions which their leader had shown to the wounded, and to the women and their children, proving upon this occasion that the bravest was again the most humane.