on that day by
Napoleon to Marie Louise. It ends thus: "I have decided to march
towards the Marne, in order to push the enemy's army further from
Paris, and to draw near to my fortresses. I shall be this evening at
St. Dizier. Adieu, my friend! Embrace my son." Warned by this letter
of Napoleon's plan, Bluecher pushes on; his outposts on the morrow join
hands with those of Schwarzenberg, and send a thrill of vigour into
the larger force.

That leader, held at bay by Macdonald's rearguard, was groping after
Napoleon, when the capture of a French despatch, and the news
forwarded by Bluecher, informed him of the French Emperor's eastward
march. A council of war was therefore held at Pougy on the afternoon
of the 23rd, when the Czar and the bolder spirits led Schwarzenberg to
give up his communications with Switzerland, and stake everything on
joining Bluecher, and following Napoleon's 40,000 with an array of
180,000 men. But the capture of another French despatch a few hours
later altered the course of events once more. This time it was a
budget of official news from Paris to Napoleon, describing the
exhaustion of the finances, the discontent of the populace, and the
sensation caused by Wellington's successes and the capture of
Bordeaux. These glad tidings inspired Alexander with a far more
incisive plan--to march on Paris. This suggestion had been pressed on
him on the 17th by Baron de Vitrolles, a French royalist agent, at the
close of a long interview; and now its advantages were obvious.
Accordingly, at Sommepuis, on the 24th, he convoked his generals,
Barclay, Volkonski, Toll, and Diebitsch, to seek their advice. Barclay
was for following Napoleon, but the two last voted for the advance to
Paris, Toll maintaining that only 10,000 horsemen need be left behind
to screen their movements. The Czar signified his warm approval of
this plan; a little later the King of Prussia gave his assent, and
Schwarzenberg rather doubtfully deferred to their wishes. Thus the
result of Napoleon's incursion on the rear of the allies signally
belied his expectations. Instead of compelling the enemy to beat a
retreat on the Rhine, it left the road open to his capital.[443]

At dawn on the 25th, then, the allied Grand Army turned to the
right-about, while Bluecher's men marched joyfully on the parallel road
from Chalons. Near La Fere-Champenoise, on that day, a cloud of
Russian and Austrian horse harassed Marmont's and Mortier's corps, and