पृष्ठ 769 / 3800

The younger Emperor could not restrain his wish to be present at

the battle and, in spite of the remonstrances of his courtiers,

at twelve o'clock left the third column with which he had been

and galloped toward the vanguard. Before he came up with the

hussars, several adjutants met him with news of the successful

result of the action.

This battle, which consisted in the capture of a French squadron,

was represented as a brilliant victory over the French, and so

the Emperor and the whole army, especially while the smoke hung

over the battlefield, believed that the French had been defeated

and were retreating against their will. A few minutes after the

Emperor had passed, the Pavlograd division was ordered to

advance. In Wischau itself, a petty German town, Rostov saw the

Emperor again. In the market place, where there had been some

rather heavy firing before the Emperor's arrival, lay several

killed and wounded soldiers whom there had not been time to move.

The Emperor, surrounded by his suite of officers and courtiers,

was riding a bobtailed chestnut mare, a different one from that

which he had ridden at the review, and bending to one side he

gracefully held a gold lorgnette to his eyes and looked at a

soldier who lay prone, with blood on his uncovered head.