FROM THE 28TH of October, when the frosts began, the flight of the French assumed a more tragic aspect, from the men being frozen or roasted to death by the camp-fires, while the Emperor, and kings, and dukes, still drove on with their stolen booty in fur cloaks and closed carriages. But in its essentials, the process of the flight and disintegration of the French army went on unchanged.

From Moscow to Vyazma of the seventy-three thousands of the French army (not reckoning the Guards, who had done nothing but pillage all through the war), only thirty-six thousand were left, though only five thousand had been killed in battle. Here we have the first term of a progression, by which the remaining terms are determined with mathematical exactness. The French army went on melting away and disappearing in the same ratio from Moscow to Vyazma, from Vyazma to Smolensk, from Smolensk to the Berezina, from the Berezina to Vilna, apart from the greater or less degree of cold, the pursuit and barring of the way, and all other conditions taken separately. After Vyazma, instead of three columns, the French troops formed a single mass, and so they marched on to the end. This is how Berthier wrote to the Emperor (and we know that generals feel it permissible to depart rather widely from the truth in describing the condition of their armies):—

“I think it my duty to report to your majesty the condition of the various corps under my observation on the march the last two or three days. They are almost disbanded. Hardly a quarter of the men remain with the flags of their regiments; the rest wander off on their own account in different directions, trying to seek food and to escape discipline. All think only of Smolensk, where they hope to recover. During the last few days many soldiers have been observed to throw away their cartridges and muskets. In such a condition of affairs, whatever your further plans may be, the interests of your majesty's service make it essential to muster the army at Smolensk, and to rid them of ineffectives, such as cavalry men without horses, as well as of superfluous baggage and a part of the artillery, which is now out of proportion with the numbers of the effective army. Supplies and some days' rest are essential: the soldiers are exhausted by hunger and fatigue; during the last few days many have died by the roadside or in the bivouacs. This state of things is growing continually worse, and if steps are not quickly taken for averting the danger, we shall be exposed to the risk of being unable to control the army in the event of a battle.

“November 9. Thirty versts from Smolensk.”

After struggling into Smolensk, the promised land of their dreams, the French killed one another fighting over the food there, sacked their own stores, and when everything had been pillaged, they ran on further. All hastened on, not knowing whither or for what end they were going; least of all knew that great genius, Napoleon, since there was no one to give him orders. But still he and those about him clung to their old habits: wrote commands, letters, reports, orders of the day; called each other your majesty, mon frère, Prince d'Eckmühl, roi de Naples, and so on. But the orders and reports were all on paper: no attempt was made to carry them out, because they could not be carried out. And although they addressed each other as “majesty,” “highness,” and “mon cousin,” they all felt that they were pitiful and loathsome creatures, who had done a great wrong, for which they had now to pay the penalty. And in spite of their pretence of caring for the army, each was thinking only of himself, and how to make his escape as quickly as possible to safety.

自十月二十八以后，大地开始上冻。法国军队溃逃的境遇更加悲惨：有的被冻死，有的在火堆旁烤死。而皇帝、总督和公爵们身穿皮衣，驾着马车，携带抢来的财物，继续往前赶路；但是法国军队自从莫斯科撤退后就一直溃不成军。这种现象一直没有丝毫变化。

从莫斯科到维亚济马，法军原有七万三千人（不包括近卫军，他们除了抢劫，在整个战争中什么事情也不干），现在只剩下三万六千人了（在战争中阵亡的约五千人）。这是第一阶段的数字，以后的数字完全可以用算术计算出来了。

从莫斯科到维亚济马，从维亚济马到斯摩棱斯克，从斯摩棱斯克到别列济纳，从别列济纳到维也纳，法军就是按照上述比例减员和毁灭的，法军的减员和毁灭与天气寒冷的程度、追击、道路阻障以及一切其他的条件无关。到达维亚济马后，原先分三路纵队行进的法军，已缩成一团，就这样一直走到最后。贝蒂埃向皇帝上了一道奏章（众所周知，这些官员报告军队状况，与真实情况相距甚远了）。他写道：

“我有责任向陛下报告，这三天我在各军团行军中所见到的情况，这些军团已溃不成军，军旗下只有四分之一的士兵，余者四散奔逃，去寻找食物或逃避执行军务。都想早日赶到斯摩棱斯克，以便能获得喘息的机会。

这几天许多士兵把枪支弹药扔掉。不论陛下今后如何打算，我们都必须在斯摩棱斯克进行休整，应当清除徒步的骑兵、徒手的士兵，不必要的辎重以及与目前兵力不相适应的炮兵用品。军队需要补充给养和休息。由于饥饿和劳累，士兵们已精疲力尽，最近几天有许多士兵死于行军途中和宿营地。这种情况继续在恶化，如不迅速采取补救措施，一旦发生战斗，我们手中将没有可用之兵。

十一月九日，离斯摩棱斯克三十俄里。①

①这篇奏章是作者用法文写的——译者注。

法国人蜂拥进入他们看作是天堂的斯摩棱斯克之后，为了夺得食物，互相残杀或抢劫自己的仓库。把什么都抢光之后，又继续奔逃。

法国人一味向前奔逃，他们不知道去哪里，也不知道为了什么。可怜，天才的拿破仑比别人知道得更少，因为没有人给他下指令。但是他和他周围的人依然保持惯例：下命令，发公函，写报告，下Ordredujour①彼此称呼：“Sire，moncousin，princed'Ekmuhl，roideNaples”②等等。所有这些都是废纸一堆，因为已不可能办到，他们虽然以陛下、殿下和贤弟相称，但是已经意识到，由于作恶多端，现在正得到报应，已经成为可怜虫。他们伪装得很关心军队，其实每个人心里都只有自己，只想能逃出一条命来。

①法语：每日报表。

②法语：陛下、贤弟、埃克木尔王、那不勒斯王。