lessart,
feeling the temper of his men, did not dare insist.

He quartered them at La Mure to await the arrival of the infantry, and
further orders from General Marchand. When the 5th regiment of infantry
was reported to have reached Laffray, Delessart had the sapeurs out and
marched out to meet them, although it was then close upon midnight.

While Delessart and his troops encamped at Laffray, Cambronne--who was
in command of Napoleon's vanguard--himself occupied La Mure. This was on
the 7th. The Mayor--who had so strongly protested against the
destruction of the bridge of Ponthaut--gathered the population around
him, and in a body men, women and children marched out of the borough
along the Corps-Sisteron road in order to give "the Emperor" a rousing
welcome.

It was still early morning. Napoleon at the head of his Old Guard
entered La Mure; a veritable ovation greeted him, everyone pressed round
him to see him or touch his horse, his coat, his stirrups; he spoke to
the people and held the Mayor and municipal officials in long
conversation.

Just as practically everywhere else on his route, he had won over every
heart; but his small column which had been eleven hundred strong when he
landed at Jouan, was still only eleven hundred strong: he had only
rallied four recruits to his standard. True, he had met with no
opposition, true that the peasantry of the Dauphine had loudly acclaimed
him, had listened to his harangues and presented him with flowers, but
he had not had a single encounter with any garrison on his way, nor
could he boast of any defections in his favour; now he was nearing
Grenoble--Grenoble, which was strongly fortified and well
garrisoned--and Grenoble would be the winning or losing cast of this
great gamble for the sovereignty of France.

It was close on eleven when the great adventurer set out upon this
momentous stage of his journey: the Polish Lancers leading, then the
chasseurs of his Old Guard with their time-worn grey coats and heavy
bear-skins; some of them were on foot, others packed closely together in
wagons and carts which the enthusiastic agriculturists of La Mure had
placed at the disposal of "the Emperor."

Napoleon himself followed in his coach, his horse being led along.
Amidst thundering cries of "God speed" the small column started on its
way.

As for the rest, 'tis in the domain of history; every phase of it has
been put on record:--Delessart--worried in his mind that he had