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The Hanoverians lined this balustrade and fired from above。
The infantry men； replying from below； six against two hundred； intrepid and with no shelter save the currant…bushes； took a quarter of an hour to die。
One mounts a few steps and passes from the garden into the orchard； properly speaking。
There； within the limits of those few square fathoms； fifteen hundred men fell in less than an hour。 The wall seems ready to renew the bat。
Thirty…eight loopholes； pierced by the English at irregular heights； are there still。 In front of the sixth are placed two English tombs of granite。 There are loopholes only in the south wall； as the principal attack came from that quarter。
The wall is hidden on the outside by a tall hedge； the French came up； thinking that they had to deal only with a hedge； crossed it； and found the wall both an obstacle and an ambuscade； with the English guards behind it； the thirty…eight loopholes firing at once a shower of grape…shot and balls； and Soye's brigade was broken against it。
Thus Waterloo began。
Nevertheless； the orchard was taken。
As they had no ladders； the French scaled it with their nails。
They fought hand to hand amid the trees。
All this grass has been soaked in blood。 A battalion of Nassau； seven hundred strong； was overwhelmed there。 The outside of the wall； against which Kellermann's two batteries were trained； is gnawed by grape…shot。
This orchard is sentient； like others； in the month of May。 It has its buttercups and its daisies； the grass is tall there； the cart…horses browse there； cords of hair； on which linen is drying； traverse the spaces between the trees and force the passer…by to bend his head； one walks over this uncultivated land； and one's foot dives into mole…holes。 In the middle of the grass one observes an uprooted tree…bole which lies there all verdant。 Major Blackmann leaned against it to die。
Beneath a great tree in the neighborhood fell the German general； Duplat； descended from a French family which fled on the revocation of the Edict of Nantes。 An aged and falling apple…tree leans far over to one side； its wound dressed with a bandage of straw and of clayey loam。 Nearly all the apple…trees are falling with age。
There is not one which has not had its bullet or its biscayan。＇6＇ The skeletons of dead trees abound in this orchard。
Crows fly through their branches； and at the end of it is a wood full of violets。
＇6＇ A bullet as large as an egg。
Bauduin； killed； Foy wounded； conflagration； massacre； carnage； a rivulet formed of English blood； French blood； German blood mingled in fury； a well crammed with corpses； the regiment of Nassau and the regiment of Brunswick destroyed； Duplat killed； Blackmann killed； the English Guards mutilated； twenty French battalions； besides the forty from Reille's corps； decimated； three thousand men in that hovel of Hougomont alone cut down； slashed to pieces； shot； burned； with their throats cut；and all this so that a peasant can say to…day to the traveller：
Monsieur； give me three francs； and if you like； I will explain to you the affair of Waterloo！
BOOK FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER III
THE EIGHTEENTH OF JUNE； 1815
Let us turn back；that is one of the story…teller's rights； and put ourselves once more in the year 1815； and even a little earlier than the epoch when the action narrated in the first part of this book took place。
If it had not rained in the night between the 17th and the 18th of June； 1815； the fate of Europe would have been different。 A few drops of water； more or less； decided the downfall of Napoleon。 All that Providence required in order to make Waterloo the end of Austerlitz was a little more rain； and a cloud traversing the sky out of season sufficed to make a world crumble。
The battle of Waterloo could not be begun until half…past eleven o'clock； and that gave Blucher time to e up。
Why？
Because the ground was wet。
The artillery had to wait until it became a little firmer before they could manoeuvre。
Napoleon was an artillery officer； and felt the effects of this。 The foundation of this wonderful captain was the man who； in the report to the Directory on Aboukir； said：
Such a one of our balls killed six men。
All his plans of battle were arranged for projectiles。 The key to his victory was to make the artillery converge on one point。 He treated the strategy of the hostile general like a citadel； and made a breach in it。
He overwhelmed the weak point with grape…shot； he joined and dissolved battles with cannon。
There was something of the sharpshooter in his genius。
To beat in squares； to pulverize regiments； to break lines； to crush and disperse masses；for him everything lay in this； to strike； strike； strike incessantly； and he intrusted this task to the cannon…ball。 A redoubtable method； and one which； united with genius； rendered this gloomy athlete of the pugilism of war invincible for the space of fifteen years。
On the 18th of June； 1815； he relied all the more on his artillery； because he had numbers on his side。
Wellington had only one hundred and fifty…nine mouths of fire； Napoleon had two hundred and forty。
Suppose the soil dry； and the artillery capable of moving； the action would have begun at six o'clock in the morning。 The battle would have been won and ended at two o'clock； three hours before the change of fortune in favor of the Prussians。 What amount of blame attaches to Napoleon for the loss of this battle？ Is the shipwreck due to the pilot？
Was it the evident physical decline of Napoleon that plicated this epoch by an inward diminution of force？
Had the twenty years of war worn out the blade as it had worn the scabbard； the soul as well as the body？
Did the veteran make himself disastrously felt in the leader？
In a word； was this genius； as many historians of note have thought； suffering from an eclipse？
Did he go into a frenzy in order to disguise his weakened powers from himself？ Did he begin to waver under the delusion of a breath of adventure？ Had he beea grave matter in a generalunconscious of peril？ Is there an age； in this class of material great men； who may be called the giants of action； when genius grows short…sighted？ Old age has no hold on the geniuses of the ideal； for the Dantes and Michael Angelos to grow old is to grow in greatness； is it to grow less for the Hannibals and the Bonapartes？
Had Napoleon lost the direct sense of victory？
Had he reached the point where he could no longer recognize the reef； could no longer divine the snare； no longer discern the crumbling brink of abysses？
Had he lost his power of scenting out catastrophes？
He who had in former days known all the roads to triumph； and who； from the summit of his chariot of lightning； pointed them out with a sovereign finger； had he now reached that state of sinister amazement when he could lead his tumultuous legions harnessed to it； to the precipice？ Was he seized at the age of forty…six with a supreme madness？ Was that titanic charioteer of destiny no longer anything more than an immense dare…devil？
We do not think so。
His plan of battle was； by the confession of all； a masterpiece。 To go straight to the centre of the Allies' line； to make a breach in the enemy； to cut them in two； to drive the British half back on Hal； and the Prussian half on Tongres； to make two shattered fragments of Wellington and Blucher； to carry Mont…Saint…Jean； to seize Brussels； to hurl the German into the Rhine； and the Englishman into the sea。 All this was contained in that battle； according to Napoleon。 Afterwards people would see。
Of course； we do not here pretend to furnish a history of the battle of Waterloo； one of the scenes of the foundation of the story which we are relating is connected with this battle； but this history is not our subject； this history； moreover； has been finished； and finished in a masterly manner； from one point of view by Napoleon； and from another point of view by a whole pleiad of historians。＇7＇
＇7＇ Walter Scott； Lamartine； Vaulabelle； Charras； Quinet； Thiers。
As for us； we leave the historians at loggerheads； we are but a distant witness； a passer…by on the plain； a seeker bending over that soil all made of human flesh； taking appearances for realities； perchance； we have no right to oppose； in the name of science； a collection of facts which contain illusions； no doubt； we possess neither military practice nor strategic ability which authorize a system； in our opinion； a chain of accidents dominated the two leaders at Waterloo； and when it bees a question of destiny； that mysterious culprit； we judge like that ingenious judge； the populace。
BOOK FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER IV
A
Those persons who wish to gain a clear idea of the battle of Waterloo have only to place； mentally； on the ground； a capital A。 The left limb of the A is the road to Nivelles； the right limb is the road to Genappe； the tie of the A is the hollow road to Ohain from Braine…l'Alleud。 The top of the A is Mont…Saint…Jean； where Wellington is； the lower left tip is Hougomont； where Reille is stationed with Jerome Bonaparte； the right tip is the Belle…Alliance； where Napoleon was。
At the centre of this chord is the precise point where the final word of the battle was pronounced。
It was there that the lion has been placed； the involuntary symbol of the supreme heroism of the Imperial Guard。
The triangle included in the top of the A； between the two limbs and the tie； is the plateau of Mont…Saint…Jean。 The dispute over this plateau constituted the whole battle。
The wings of the two armies extended to the right and left of the two roads to Genappe and Nivelles； d'Erlon facing Picton； Reille facing Hill。
Behind the tip of the A； behind the plateau of Mont…Saint…Jean； is the forest of Soignes。
As for the plain itself； let the reader picture to himself a vast undulating sweep of ground； each rise mands the next rise； and all the undulations mount towards Mont…Saint…Jean； and there end in the forest。
Two hostile troops on a field of battle are two wrestlers。
It is a question of seizing the opponent round the waist。
The one seeks to trip up the other。
They clutch at everything：
a bush is a point of support； an angle of the wall offers them a rest to the shoulder； for the lack of a hovel under whose cover they can draw up； a regiment yields its ground； an unevenness in the ground； a chance turn in the landscape； a cross…path encountered at the right moment； a grove； a ravine； can stay the heel of that colossus which is called an army； and prevent its retreat。
He who quits the field is beaten； hence the necessity devolving on the responsible leader； of examining the most insignificant clump of trees； and of studying deeply the slightest relief in the ground。
The two generals had attentively studied the plain of Mont…Saint…Jean； now called the plain of Waterloo。
In the preceding year； Wellington； with the sagacity of foresight； had examined it as the possible seat of a great battle。
Upon this spot； and for this duel； on the 18th of June； Wellington had the good post； Napoleon the bad post。 The English army was stationed above； the French army below。
It is almost superfluous here to sketch the appearance of Napoleon on horseback； glass in hand； upon the heights of Rossomme； at daybreak； on June 18； 1815。
All the world has seen him before we can show him。
That calm profile under the little three…cornered hat of the school of Brienne； that green uniform； the white revers concealing the star of the Legion of Honor； his great coat hiding his epaulets； the corner of red ribbon peeping from beneath his vest； his leather trousers； the white horse with the saddle…cloth of purple velvet bearing on the corners crowned N's and eagles； Hessian boots over silk stockings； silver spurs； the sword of Marengo；that whole figure of the last of the Caesars is present to all imaginations； saluted with acclamations by some； severely regarded by others。
That figure stood for a long time wholly in the light； this arose from a certain legendary dimness evo