"I know him well," she exclaimed. "He is General Kutusoff's aide-de-camp. Search his wallet, and you will know why he is on the road to Bobr. Do you not understand how much it may mean to His Majesty?"
We heard her with amazement, but did not lose a moment in doing her bidding. There were many papers and letters in the dead man's sack, but we knew enough to detect those of importance, and especially to pick out the documents which concerned the Emperor. Here Mademoiselle Valerie's knowledge of Russian was something beyond price. One by one she read the documents and told us their contents. When she came to that concerning the Bérézina, the miracle of this man's death in such a place was beyond compare the event of that memorable night.
In a word, the paper told us that the bridge across the river was held by the Russians, and that if His Majesty and the army were not to perish another must be found.
V
I have told you that Marshal Ney himself had come in at the head of the rearguard, and to him we carried the paper immediately.
Be sure the importance of it was not lost upon him, and he heard us with an amazement akin to our own.
Naturally, such a man would lose no time in such an emergency, and, entering the post-house but to write a dispatch, he handed it to Léon, and commanded him to press on at all hazards and overtake the Emperor at Bobr.
"The fate of the army depends upon your diligence," said he. "Lose no time, sir, and I will see that you are well rewarded."
To this he added the order that an escort of a squadron of Prince Eugène's own cavalry should accompany us, and with this we set out immediately upon the high road to the river.
It was now about midnight, intensely cold, but very clear and bright, and the detestable north wind but a gentle breeze. The road itself no longer traversed the terrible plains, but wound in and out of a low range of hills, which protected us a little from the rigours of the night. Unhappily, our escort was already fatigued with marching, and we had not ridden a league when it became apparent that they would hinder rather than help us. So much Léon indicated to their captain, and, bidding him return to the prince, he stated our resolution of travelling henceforth alone. "Two may go," says he, "where a hundred cannot. If this news does not reach the Emperor before daybreak the army is lost. It is our only chance, captain, as you must see for yourself. Leave it to me and the major here, and we will do all that can be done."