any, in a state of intoxication
aggravated by hunger, had fallen near the flames, which, reaching them,
put a miserable end to their lives.

The houses and palaces which had escaped the fire served as quarters for
the officers, who respected whatever was found in them. They beheld with
pain this vast destruction, and the pillage which was its necessary
consequence. Some of our best men were reproached with being too greedy
in collecting whatever they could rescue from the flames; but their
number was so small that they were all mentioned by name. In these
ardent men war was a passion which presupposed the existence of many
others. It was not covetousness, for they did not hoard; they spent
lavishly what they had thus picked up, taking in order to give,
believing that one hand washed the other, and that they paid for
everything with the danger they encountered in acquiring it.

It was amid this confusion that Napoleon again entered Moscow. He had
allowed the pillage, hoping that his army, scattered over the ruins,
would find much that was valuable; but when he learned that the disorder
increased; that the Old Guard[153] itself had yielded to the temptation;
that the Russian peasants, who were at length allured thither with
provisions, for which he caused them to be liberally paid, that they
might induce others to come, were robbed of what they brought to us by
our famished soldiers; when he was informed that the different corps,
destitute of everything, were ready to fight each other for the relics
of Moscow; that, finally, all our existing resources were wasted by this
lawless freebooting, he then issued severe orders, and forbade his guard
to leave their quarters. The churches in which our cavalry had sheltered
themselves, were evacuated, and restored to their religious uses.[154]
The business of plunder was ordered to be taken in turn by the different
corps, like any other duty, and directions were at length given for
securing the Russian stragglers.

But it was too late. These soldiers had fled; the affrighted peasants
returned no more; and great quantities of provisions were wasted. The
French army have sometimes fallen into these faults, but on the present
occasion the fire must plead their excuse; no time was to be lost in
anticipating the flames. It is, however, a remarkable fact, that at the
first command of the emperor perfect order was restored.

Most of our men behaved generously, considering the small num