»«] A DIARY 409
A great stream of stragglers is constantly coming in.
28th, on the road near Schluchterne:
(To the Polish officers.) Is it true that the Poles want to leave me ?
I went too far. I have made mistakes. Fortune has turned her back on me these last two years; but she's a woman, and will change. Who can tell ? Perhaps it is your evil star has drawn mine on ? In any case have you lost confidence in me ? Is there no ... left in my . . . ? Do I look thinner ?
I only hope the Allies will burn down two or three of my good cities of France; it would give me a million of soldiers. I would offer them battle, I would beat them, and I would drive them at tap of drum all the way back to the Vistula.
I have been informed as to what you want. As Emperor, as general, I have nothing but gratitude for all you. have done; I have nothing to reproach you with, you have acted loyally towards me; you have not been willing to abandon me without notice, and you have even undertaken to reconduct me to the Rhine. To-day, I want to give you good advice. If you abandon me I shall no longer have the right of speaking for you; and I imagine that in spite of our disasters I am still the most powerful monarch of Europe.
31st, Frankfort:
I have just reached Frankfort. The Bavarian army, together with the Austrian army that was opposed to it, with a total of 60,000 men, had taken position at Hanau so as to cut me off from France. I defeated them yesterday at sight, capturing guns, flags, and 6000 prisoners.d, and that there remained not over 16,000 rounds. This state of things madeUiem,rr«ity U»-»t n !»a!tir (Vtt-toria), what t'**r|w wnv rnxojM^i* i*°f whul HIMh of the Great Empire.