but his sword; and his last moments, instead of
resting with delight on the remembrance of his heroic actions alone,
were disturbed by the pain of leaving his family exposed to want.

The victory of Ligny did not entirely fulfil the expectations of the
Emperor. "If Marshal Ney," said he, "had attacked the English with all
his forces, he would have crushed them, and have come to give the
Prussians the finishing blow: and if, after having committed this
first fault, he had not been guilty of his second folly, in preventing
the movement of Count Erlon, the intervention of the 1st corps would
have shortened the resistance of Blucher, and rendered his defeat
irreparable: his whole army would have been taken or destroyed."

This victory, though imperfect, was not the less considered by the
generals as of the highest importance. It separated the English army
from the Prussians, and left us hopes of being able to vanquish it in
its turn.

The Emperor, _without losing time_, was for attacking the English on
one side at daybreak, and pursuing Blucher's army without respite on
the other. It was objected to him, that the English army was intact,
and ready to accept battle; while our troops, harassed by the
conflicts and fatigue of Ligny, would not perhaps be in a condition,
to fight with the necessary vigour. In fine, such numerous objections
were made, that he consented to let the army take rest. Ill success
inspires timidity. If Napoleon, as of old, had listened only to the
suggestions of his own audacity, it is probable, it is certain, and I
have heard General Drouot say it, that he might, according to his
plan, have led his troops to Brussels on the 17th; _and who can
calculate what would have been the consequences of his occupying that
capital?_

On the 17th therefore, the Emperor contented himself with forming his
army into two columns; one of sixty-five thousand men, headed by the
Emperor, after having joined to it the left wing, followed the steps
of the English. The light artillery, the lancers of General Alphonse
Colbert, and of the intrepid Colonel Sourd, kept dose after them to
the entrance of the forest of Soignes, where the Duke of Wellington
took up his position.

The other, thirty-six thousand strong, was detached under the orders
of Marshal Grouchy, to observe and pursue the Prussians. It did not
proceed beyond Gembloux.

The night of the 17th was dreadful, and seemed to presage the
calamities of the day. A